( 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 )
𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇
⸻ Cordelia Winterbourne's ordinary life with her mother was shattered by the onset of war, prompting Cordelia's mother to make a gut-wrenching decision by sending her daughter away for...
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As we ventured toward the path suggested by Trumpkin, our hopes quickly crumbled upon finding the area swarming with Telmarines, each absorbed in their duties.
We ducked behind a pile of logs, peering out just long enough to watch their movements. Suddenly, a Telmarine wandered dangerously close to our hiding place, and we dropped lower, pressing ourselves against the wood. The air grew taut with tension as we held our breath, praying not to be seen.
We left the area, compelled to retrace our steps while pondering what other path might lead us forward.
"So, where exactly do you think you saw Aslan?" Peter asked.
"I wish you'd all stop trying to sound like grown-ups," Lucy retorted, visibly frustrated.
"It's not a matter of thinking. I saw him," she insisted firmly.
"I am a grown-up," Trumpkin muttered, unheard by most except Edmund and me, prompting a smirk from the brunette Pevensie at my side.
"It was right over..." Lucy's sentence was abruptly interrupted by a shriek as the ground beneath her gave way, causing her to tumble.
Susan urgently called out her name, and we rushed to her aid, only to find her seated safely on another section of ground, eliciting a collective sigh of relief from all of us.
"Here..." Lucy spoke, drawing our attention, and we gazed in the direction she indicated. A moment later, realization dawned upon us as Lucy discovered a path leading down to the river.
The way down was steep and scattered with rocks, but we kept going, intent on reaching the riverbank no matter the challenge. After some struggle, we finally stood at the bottom, the rough ground behind us.
Crossing the river, we stepped carefully onto the smooth, wet stones, each move slow and steady. With patient strides, we made our way across, the current rushing around us as the stones carried us forward.
In an unexpected moment, as I stepped onto a particularly slippery rock, I nearly lost my footing. However, Edmund, quick to react, swiftly caught me around the waist, pulling me back against his chest, both of us struggling to maintain our balance on the precarious surface. His steadying presence prevented a potential fall, providing support in that fleeting moment of imbalance.
"You know, if it weren't for me, your head would've been planted on the ground by now," Edmund remarked, chuckling as I pulled away from him, regaining my balance.
I huffed, "As if I didn't already know that."
"You need to be more careful," he advised before continuing to walk.
"Aye aye, sir," I quipped sarcastically, concentrating on my steps. Unfortunately, I almost slipped again, and once more, Edmund caught me by the waist.
"I did warn you to be more careful, didn't I?" he whispered, his breath brushing against my ear as my back remained against his chest.
Suddenly, butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I could feel the warmth spreading across my cheeks, grateful that he couldn't see my blush.
Silently, I withdrew from the proximity, clearing my throat before resuming my steps. I didn't need to glance back to sense the smirk playing on his lips.
In the heart of the woods, we opted to spend the night as the sun dipped below the horizon, transforming the sky into a dark canvas adorned with scattered stars and a gleaming moon.
As nightfall cloaked the land in soft shadows, we settled to rest within the quiet wilderness of Narnia. The crackle of the fire and the whisper of leaves stirred by the breeze became our lullabies, joined by the distant call of owls and the faint stirrings of unseen creatures in the dark. Beneath the star-filled sky, we found comfort and calm, cradled by the timeless beauty of the enchanted night.
As the night deepened, slumber claimed them all. Peter lay sprawled on his stomach, while Lucy nestled close beside Susan, curled on her side in quiet peace. Trumpkin rested nearby, lying on his back with hands folded over his chest, surrendering to the calm embrace of the forest’s night.
The gentle rise and fall of their breaths harmonized with the whispers of the forest, forming a quiet symphony beneath the moon’s watchful gaze. In this peaceful slumber, they rested, embraced by the magic of Narnia’s tranquil night.
As I reclined on the soft grass, using my folded arms as a makeshift pillow, I gazed upwards, entranced by the beauty of the starlit sky. The heavens shimmered under the moon’s gentle glow, while the flickering fire cast a soft, ethereal light across the clearing, illuminating the serene scene around me.
Not far away, Edmund lay much like his brother, his stomach against the grass, head propped up by his arms, his face obscured from my view by the way he was lying. We both rested in silence, our attention drawn to the magical display that stretched across the night sky.
"Couldn't sleep?" Ed's voice broke the silence, surprising me as I thought he was already asleep.
"Yeah," I whispered back, stealing a glance at him. "You?"
"I was waiting for you to drift off so I could peacefully rest, knowing you're safe," he replied in a reassuring tone.
"You didn't have to do that, Ed," I gently replied, ensuring our voices remained hushed to avoid waking the others.
"But I wanted to," he responded before shifting closer to me, assuming a position mirroring my own.
Silence enveloped us as we continued to gaze at the stars. I turned my head towards him, and he mirrored the action.
"I remember back at Aslan's camp," I whispered, "when we both made a wish on a shooting star."
Ed was quiet for a moment before asking, "What did you wish for?"
There was a brief hesitation, but then I chose to share.
"Safety for Narnia," I confessed softly, my gaze shifting back to the stars. "But it seems my wishes didn't come true, considering Narnia is far from safe now."
"What about you? What did you wish for?" I queried after a moment of silence, my gaze still fixed on the stars above.
"I couldn't quite say just yet," he replied, prompting me to steal another glance at him. As he shifted, his stomach now on the ground beside me, his face slightly hovering over mine while I remained lying down, he continued, "Because my wish hasn't come true yet."
A gentle smile curved his lips, and his words carried a quiet hope, lingering in the stillness of the night.
The unexpected intensity between us lingered in the air, though I hadn't anticipated locking eyes like this.
His warm, chocolate-brown gaze met mine, tracing a path to my lips for a fleeting moment before returning to my eyes. Slowly, he began to lean in closer, but our moment was interrupted by Peter speaking in his sleep.
Edmund sighed softly, rolling onto his back beside me once more. The brief, charged moment faded into the calm of the night, leaving only a whisper of what might have been.
Weariness weighed on me, and my eyelids grew heavy, surrendering to the pull of sleep.
"Sleepy now?" Ed asked, and I responded with a nod before adjusting, turning to face him.
"Good night, Ed," I whispered softly. I didn't catch his reply as I gradually slipped into slumber.
