Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Jewel of Narnia Series)

Prologue

In time of one's destiny to rule, one would think that the rulers of Narnia would've been able to return after a couple years of absence. However, that wasn't the case for Mara and the Pevensie siblings. Ever since their adventure in Narnia, they haven't been the same. Nowadays, they seem to have fallen into a routine where the Pevensie siblings go to school with Mara and take the train back to Mara's place. Since their return, Professor Kirke had convinced Mara to join the siblings in school to help her receive a proper education. At the moment, Mara sat with Susan on a bench as they waited for the other siblings to join them. While Mara read a book, Susan was reading a newspaper. Mara happened to look up to see a boy their age coming towards them.

She nudged Susan, grabbing her attention, and nodded her head at him. Susan inwardly groaned, not wanting any attention. The boy joined them, sitting on the other side of Susan, and said to her, "You go to Saint Finbar's?" Mara let out a snort, causing her to cover her mouth and nose. Susan glared at her friend and replied, "That's right." The boy grinned and said, "I go to Hendon House, across the road. I've seen you, sitting by yourself, sometimes with your friend here." Susan rolled her eyes and replied, "Well, yes, sometimes we prefer to be alone." She was hoping that he would catch the hint to leave her and her best friend alone but it wasn't happening anytime soon. The boy grinned even more and said, "Yeah, me too. What's your name?" Susan replied, sarcastically, "Phyllis." Just then, the sound of Lucy's voice shouting the two girls' names grabbed the trio's attention. Lucy raced over to her sister and friend and said, panting, "Susan, Mara! You've better come, quickly! It's Peter!" Upon hearing her boyfriend's name, Mara's eyes widened and rushed to the direction Lucy came from. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her boyfriend all tangled up in a fight against three boys, twice their age. The blonde girl crossed her arms in disappointment and shook her head disapprovingly.

Feeling eyes on him, Peter looked up for a brief moment and caught his girlfriend's eye and frowned at her disappointed face. Susan and Lucy finally caught up with Mara and stood on both sides of the girl. Both of them watched with disappointment and concern for their older brother. Just then, Edmund stopped next to the girls, standing next to Mara. Mara turned to Edmund and said, causing him to turn to look at her, "Stop him, Ed. Get him out of there, now." Edmund nodded at his friend and went to get his older brother. Suddenly, just as Edmund pulled Peter out of the fight and before another boy could punch him, the sound of whistles startled the large group. An officer, along with two other ones, walked towards them and said, glaring at Peter's direction, "Act your age, all of you!"

.................................................................................
Awhile later, the group had sat on a large bench with Peter in the middle along with Lucy next to him and Edmund on the other. Susan sat on the age while Mara was content to pace. Mara was still upset with her boyfriend's actions and she was going to make sure he knew. Edmund had tried to get Mara to stop pacing but opted to sit down. He turned to his brother and said, smugly, "You're welcome." Peter glared at his younger brother and replied, snarky, "I had it sorted." Susan sighed and said, "What was it this time?" Peter rolled his eyes and replied, "He bumped me........." Lucy turned to her eldest brother and said, "So you hit him?" Peter replied, "No, after he bumped me, he insulted Mara and then expected me to apologize. That was when I hit him." Mara turned to her boyfriend and said, "Couldn't you have walked away, Peter? You don't have to save my honor every single time someone insults me!" Peter stood up and replied, his voice raising, "I shouldn't have to walk away, Mara! I wasn't going to let some bastard insult my girlfriend just cause he thinks he can get away with it!"

Mara was taken back, stumbling backwards when Peter raised his voice. Her face crumbled, going from disappointment to anger to slight fear. Edmund noticed and stood from his seat, wrapping his arm around Mara, comforting her. Peter sighed and said, "Aren't you all tired of being treated like kids?" Edmund replied, glaring at him, "We are kids, Peter." Mara went to say something but had to walk away from the group, standing a few feet away. Peter sighed and said, calling out to his girlfriend, "Mara! Mara, wait!" Lucy went to follow but Susan and Edmund stopped her, knowing the couple needed some time alone. Peter said to Mara, "Look, Mara, I'm sorry I raised my voice. I didn't mean to." Mara sighed and replied, "You're not the only one who misses Narnia, Peter..........I do too. Narnia.........was my home, or should've been. I haven't gotten a single word from either of my mum and dad and.............*Her voice broke* And it scares me.........I don't know if they're alive or dead...........Or just ignoring me cause I did something wrong......." Peter reached forward and said, wrapping his arms around her, "Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, love." Mara replied, practically sobbing, "I miss them, Peter....... I miss Narnia......." Peter instantly pulled her to his chest and whispered, wiping her tears away, "It's okay, darling. We'll find a way to contact them, wether it be here or in Narnia if we go soon. I promise you........."

Just a few feet away, Edmund watched his brother and friend with a curious look as Mara broke down and as Peter comforted her. Suddenly, Lucy let out a yelp, causing both Susan and Edmund to turn to her. Lucy turned to Edmund and said, narrowing her eyes at him, "Ow! Edmund!" Edmund looked at her confused and annoyed and replied, "I didn't pinch you!"  Upon hearing Edmund and Lucy's shouts, Peter and Mara walked over to them, concerned, with their hands intertwined. Mara then felt something pinch her and turned to Peter, raising her eyebrow. Peter raised his arms up defensively and said, "That wasn't me, love." After everyone was shouting at each other and blaming each other for pinching the other, the wind started to pick up. Mara was the first to notice and her eyes widened. She turned to the others and said, "Enough, guys! Look!" Everyone looked around, shocked, and then Peter told them to hold each other's hands. He didn't know what was happening but he was going to make sure that they stuck together.