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

Chapter 4: Narnian Rescue

After changing into the proper clothing, the group decided to walk around the beach, hoping to find answers. Mara trailed behind the others, her arms around her. She couldn't help but feel guilty for the damage that had happened to Cair Paravel. Edmund glanced behind him from the front and nudged Peter who walked next to him. Peter turned to him with a pointed look, wondering what he wanted. Edmund nodded at Mara, silently telling him to check on her. Peter turned to look at Mara and felt his heart break. He slowed down his pace to meet up with hers and walked next to her. Mara let out a sigh, keeping her arms around her. Peter looked at her concerned and said, "How are you holding up?" Mara sighed again and replied, "Why would my father keep me away from here when my own kingdom was in danger? OUR kingdom was in danger and we couldn't save it, I couldn't save it. I'm supposed be the High Queen Amara of Narnia, protector of the realm and the Jewel of Narnia. I want to be able to make things right." Peter let out a deep breath and said, "It's not your fault, love. I promise you, we will make this right, no matter what happens." Mara smiled softly at her boyfriend and closed her eyes when he place a kiss on her forehead.

Ahead of them, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy watched with small smiles. Susan then heard shouting from above of them and turned in that direction. She turned back to her siblings and friend and said to them, "Oi! Come on!" Peter and Mara looked up at Susan, alarmed, and followed her and the others. They met the others at the edge of a beach to see two men on a boat, about to throw a small man overboard. Susan readied her arrow at the men and shouted, as her siblings and friend joined her, "Drop him!!" Mara had her sword ready, as did the others. However, when Susan said that, the soldiers ignored her and dropped the small man anyways. Peter handed Mara his sword and jumped into the water to save the small man along with Edmund who followed behind him. Mara watched with worry as Peter swam deeper in the water with Edmund above, waiting to help. She let out a sigh of relief and waited as the others rushed forward to help. Lucy cut the ropes off, allowing the man to take the gag off of his mouth.

As he did, he spit up the water from his throat and gathered himself. Peter walked over to Mara and let out a breath as she handed him his sword. The man turned to Susan and said, glaring at her, "'Drop him?'?! Are you serious?! Is that the best thing you can come up with?!" Susan rolled her eyes and replied, "A simple 'thank you' would've sufficed." The man snorted and said, "They were doing fine trying to drown me without your help." Peter crossed his arms and replied, "Maybe we should've let them." Mara smacked his shoulder, causing him to utter an apology. If there was one person who could make him apologize or do anything, it was Mara. Lucy took her spot next to Edmund and said to the small man, "Why were they trying to kill you anyways?" The man replied, "They're Telmeranians, it's what they do." Edmund said, confused, "Telmeranians? In Narnia?" The man stared at the boy in annoyance and replied, "Where have you been for the last few hundred years?" Mara's face dropped at the time reveal and said, sadly, "It's quite a long story, to be honest." She then turned to Peter and brushed his wet hair out of his face. She smiled softly and said, "Are you alright, love?" Peter nodded and replied,  breathing heavily, "Yeah, I'm okay. Are you?" Mara nodded and said, "As long as you're okay, I'm okay."

That was when the small man took notice of the group's weapons and how close Peter and Mara were. He also noticed the lion necklace around Mara's neck, making his eyes widen. He snorted and said, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me! You're it?! The Kings and Queens of Old?!" Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy all looked at each other before nodding. The man turned to Mara and said, "And you're Amara, the daughter of Aslan and Aria, the High Queen of Narnia?" Mara nodded and replied, "That would be me, yes." The man continued, aphrenrsive, "You actually came back......." Mara sighed and said, "We would've come back sooner; believe me. I'm deeply sorry for our long absence." The man scoffed and replied, "A little few hundred years late for that." Mara just nodded and let her head down, sighing. Susan and Edmund both reached forward to run her back, comfortingly.