Once a Queen

Father Christmas

After the Fox had left them, the Pevensies had spent a restless night thinking about what he had said, leaving them with more worries and questions than before. The Beavers had slept well, dreaming of their Kings and Queens alongside Aslan leading them all to a safe and new Narnia.

With their newfound energy, they trekked along, invigorated, while the Pevensies trailed behind, weighed down with exhausting thoughts. They had just made it to a stone bridge, and the Beavers paused, allowing the humans to catch up as they explained where they were going.

"Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table, just across the frozen river," Mr. Beaver told them.

Elise frowned at the thought of a frozen river. She had never trusted ice, especially on such a swiftly moving body of water.

"River?" she asked incredulously.

Mrs. Beaver, sensing her worries, laid her paw on the girl's hand, caressing it gently. "Oh, the river's been frozen solid for a hundred years," she said.

Somehow that didn't ease Elise's worries.

"It's so far!" Peter whined, and Elise smirked.

"And just what were you expecting, Peter?" she asked rhetorically.

"It's the world, dear," Mrs. Beaver laughed along with Elise. "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Smaller," was Susan's muttered response.

Elise laughed at her siblings and grabbed Peter and Susan's hands, pulling them along after her as she ran across the bridge, giggling all the while. Lucy squealed with laughter and ran after them, and the Beavers shared a look before rushing off as well, knowing that they would get lost easily without guidance. Peter managed to bust out a laugh as well, catching onto his sisters' infectious giggles, and Susan, while trying to remain logical and stoic, still let a smile and a few huffs escape her as she hurried to keep up with her newly energetic older sister.

Elise's burst of energy did not last long, as she soon lagged behind once again, the rest of her siblings slowly dropping back as well. The lack of experience in traveling by foot and their lack of well–rested sleep the other night kept them from joining the Beavers a few paces ahead of them. Mr. Beaver seemed to find their tiredness a hindrance, as he continuously called back at them, hoping to urge them on faster.

"Come on humans! While we're still young," came the newest demand from the front.

Elise huffed and puffed as she tried to keep herself from stopping and collapsing altogether.

"I can't believe the world is this big!" she complained, throwing her head back.

Peter and Susan gave her a shared look of "We told you so." Elise ignored them. Lucy giggled at her side. The eldest Pevensie girl smiled. If there was one thing Lucy could do, it was smile and laugh no matter the conditions.

Peter, now alerted once more of his youngest sister behind him, leaned over slightly to offer his back to her. Taking the hint, Lucy moved towards him, and Elise came up behind her and lifted her easily onto Peter's back, years of hauling the girl around giving her only a little bit of hidden strength, but enough to be able to lift her sister quickly.

"If he tells us to hurry one more time, I'm gonna turn him into a big, fluffy hat," Peter joked, adjusting Lucy's position on his back to make it more comfortable for both of them.

Elise, not wanting to miss the opportunity to tease her brother, said, "And when's my turn for a piggyback ride, Pete?"

Peter grinned sarcastically. "Twelve years ago," was his snarky response, and Elise could hear Susan snort from behind her. She turned to glare at her sister, but was cut off by Mr. Beaver once more yelling at them. Well, she supposed, he would make a lovely, warm hat.