The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 20

The Naiad Trilogy

Part 2: The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 20

Ava opened her heavy eyes to find herself lying on soft green grass. She could hear a small babbling brook nearby, and she knew the sun was shining brightly but she was well shaded by the trees around her. A soft but strong and steady purr made Ava sit up and look around quickly. Her smile grew just as quickly.

"Aslan!" she exclaimed before rushing forward and throwing her arms around His neck. "Oh Aslan! It's been so long. I am glad to see you."

The Great Lion chuckled. "I am glad to see you too."

"Where are we, Aslan?" Ava asked as she crossed her legs and sat before the golden Lion. Her surroundings looked vaguely familiar, but she could not place where she had seen them before.

"Do you not recognize this place, my child?"

Ava looked around again and gasped. "The Dancing Lawn! We're on the Dancing Lawn!" Aslan nodded His head. "Narnia! We've returned at last. Has the rest of the crew returned safely as well? Is Caspian here? Caspian..."

As Ava said her King's name she suddenly remembered where she had been moments ago. Sights and sounds of the battle with the sea serpent flashed through her head, as if it were all a dream. She saw the serpent pull Eustace under the water as it tried to drown him. She saw the Dawn Treader ram the serpent into a rock as it tried to free itself from the serpent's deadly coils. She saw the serpent spread its body. She saw Caspian rush to her to push her out of the way of the serpent's venomous fangs. And she saw the fear in his eyes as she struggled for breath.

"Caspian's not here, is he Aslan?"

"No, my child, he is not."

"Aslan, am I...dead?"

Aslan sighed. "No, you are not dead Ava. I have brought you here for another reason. You are confused my child, why?"

"I am not sure why I am here, Aslan. You are the real Aslan. I look at you and I feel it in my heart and I know it is true. But, how...why have you returned me to Narnia alone? I do not understand."

Aslan chuckled. "I meant with your heart you are confused. Why is there conflict within you between your magic and Caspian?"

"Oh, that," Ava's eyes dropped to the ground as her cheeks colored. "You know about that?" The Lion merely looked at her knowingly. "Oh of course you do."

"What troubles you, child?"

"I love him, Aslan. I love Caspian. I'm not really sure when or how it happened, but I love him."

"I can see that you do, my child. I can see that you love him very much. Why does this grieve you?"

"Because, Aslan, I am the Naiad Princess, and I cannot love a man and keep my magic. And how could I leave the Narnians? How could I leave them without a Naiad Princess?"

"It is true, my child, that you cannot have both, but why do you believe you would leave them without a Princess?"

"Oh! Aslan, do you mean that there would be another to take my place?"

"Child, you know I can tell you no other story than your own."

"Oh, right." Ava's shoulders dropped. "I don't suppose there could be another Princess anyways; I am the last in the direct line from the River God. Could you at least tell me if Caspian would be happy with Liliandil as his Queen?"