A Different World ~ Sequel to The Heart Of Narnia

Chapter 7: A Scolding

"Caspian are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked as he led me through the woods looking back and forth carefully.
"It's safe I promise this is behind our lines besides once you see you'll understand why my uncle would never go near it. Trust me." His smile was warm, warmer than any smile I had received this week and it made me throw caution to the wind. Peter could kill me later.
"Alright but I swear if you're about to show me a hag or harpy den I will not hesitate to leave you behind."
We'd had a conversation about the old days and I explained the two creatures I never ever wanted to encounter again even if they were on our side. Caspian and the Badger and Reepicheep all swore to me that "that rabble." Would never be accepted in the army. Nickabrick had argued but been over ruled.
"It's not. Ella," he stopped in front of me offering me a hand up onto the ledge he was standing on. "Do you trust me?"
I regarded him for a long moment. His eyes were clear and determined, they held a naivety that reminded me much of how I had once been before I'd become so jaded.
"You know I'm glad I met you Caspian." I told him not taking his hand. "It's refreshing. You've given me hope again."
He seemed startled by this and I took the opportunity to take his hand, instinctively he pulled me up still obviously puzzling over what I'd said.
"I'm glad to be of service..." But I think he was still confused it made me laugh.
"Come on what was it you wanted to show me?"
His face lit up as he remembered our purpose here.
"This way." Before I could do more than take a step he'd laced his fingers through mine and in my shock I let him pull me through the trees.
I couldn't pull my hand from his firm grip not that I tried much. It was comforting the warmth of another person in the night, but also it reminded me of Peters and my many adventures. If I closed my eyes, I could believe it. His large strong hand pulling me along to another new destination.
Peter, guilt flooded my heart yet so did anger. Caspians gentle treatment of me also reminded me just how poorly I had been treated the past few months, and how despite everything, I had yet to learn how to stick up for myself.
"We're here." My eyes widened.
"Holy Jehoshaphat!"
"Holy what?" he practically snorted in laughter. I had completely derailed Caspians thought process but I was too taken in by the scene in front of me to care much.
"It's beautiful." sitting in front of me glistening and thundering as it pounded down into a pool below was a hot spring waterfall.
"I can't believe it." I murmured.
Laying before me was a hidden valley the sounds of which were muffled by the small must hanging over the water and the dense old trees at its edge.
It was just like...
"You look less awestruck and more sad." Caspians voice broke through my reverie.
I shook myself forcing the smile that had slipped off my face to return.
"Not sad more melancholy." I admitted staring out around us.
"But why?" he asked following me deeper into the clearing. Smooth rounded Pebbles crunching beneath our feet.
"Because of a not so well known story that I can't imagine has been passed onto this age." I murmured the memories already swelling up inside me.

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"Although I do wish you'd shave that stupid beard of your face." Leafs brushed our cheeks as we clambered through the woods.
"What? Never, it took me five years to grow it." he protested stroking the stubble on his chin.
"And you wear it as something slightly longer than five o'clock shadow." I reminded him as he seized my hand pulling me through a bramble as I held my skirt up In my other hand. "Not a beard."
"The harshest words come not from my counselors but my queen." he feigned hurt pressing his hands to his breast and forehead.
"For good measure I kiss you, your counselors do not. Unless there is something you're not telling me Peter."
Peter laughed eyes twinkling as he held aside a branch.
"I'm keeping the beard, however I promise that the next time we see the tailors I will let them no how hard it is for you to nap on my shoulder because of the metal braids alright?" An odd sound echoed out around us making me blink and nod in agreement.
"There's no rivers in these parts. Are there?"
Peters grin turned even more mischievous.
"No."
The sound of water, for I now knew it to be water, echoed off the trees around us.
"Then how-" and as I asked he pulled me out of the trees and into a clearing. There bubbling and frothing was a medium sized pool alongside a small ten foot cliff.
"It's a geothermal geyser, it pushes up through those old volcanic rocks and bubbles over the cliff into the pool." explained Peter. "The waters are extremely good for you they're filled with minerals, and it's not too hot."
The moon reflected in the pool like a mirror casting it's shallow depths into a beautiful shade of teal as the white rock beneath it sparkled like diamond.
"It's incredible." I murmured my feet sinking into slightly coarse rocks.
"Be careful the rocks aren't sharp but they'll still graze you if you trip." warned Peter taking my hand and leading me closer.
"Peter this-it's beautiful! where-when did you find this!"
"I found it during our last foray when I was looking for you." Peters face solve red for a minute his eyes turning dark.
Instantly I wished I hadn't asked.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you all like that." I mumbled, Peter shrugged and instead busied himself taking off my cloak and setting it aside on a rock. He like me was no doubt thinking of earlier that week when we chased down the last of the witches supporters and I broke off from the party to chase the last werewolf. I had killed it but having fallen off the non speaking horse I had been leant I had hurt my ankle and not been able to return to the group.
"Yes well." Peter scooped me up into his arms his grin returning to his face as he paced closer to the pool. "This water should do wonders for that ankle of yours."
"But my ankle has healed remember? I'm perfectly-EEEK!" and with a laugh Peter had chucked me into the hot spring pool.

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"You two used to sneak about a lot didn't you?" laughed Caspian as we sat by the pools glistening edge tossing the small sparkling round white rocks into the pool.
"Yes well, when you're in love you tend to do that a lot." I laughed. "Besides back then Narnia was a very different place. Wandering about aimlessly, you'd never be so far from help that if you screamed someone wouldn't come to your aid. And that was what made our time in Narnia so special. Our people and the love this country taught us and we it." I murmured placing my chin atop my knees gazing almost dreamily into the pool. "What I wouldn't give to go back there."
"But you are back." reminded Caspian leaning back on his hands as he studied me.
"Yes, and no. I'm afraid things may never be the same as they were back then. Those days, those were the golden days of my life. Now it's time for me to grow up and accept not everything ends with a fairy tale ending. I was lucky enough to experience that once. Now I must settle for what I have and learn to live with it."
The words Caspian spoke next told me he knew I was not thinking of the war or of Narnia at all.
"Perhaps you should listen to your heart rather than your mind. I have no doubt the high king loves you. You are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, not to mention the smartest and most sincerely kind hearted. He will come around again, give him time, talk to him. He will see just as he did with the shoulder braids."
I had too laugh at that.
"Oh I'm being ridiculous I promised myself I wouldn't be like this. I can change and I can be the way I was before. I know everything will be fine I just need to have faith." I shoved myself up. "Come on Caspian we're going for a swim."
"We're what? My lady that water is a million degrees-" but I ignored him grabbing his hand and rushing forward before jumping into the air. We both hit the water with a splash and a hiss.
"See it's not as hot as you thought." I protested sticking my tongue out at him as we surfaced.
"Yes but now we'll have to walk back in wet clothes."
I stared at him half horrified and laughing as he shook his hair from his eyes with a sigh and a bemused look.
"I didn't think of that."
"For the girl who thinks of everything I'm honored to be apart of your first failure."
"Shut up!" I laughed splashing him with water.
"I believe Ella this means war!"

It was dawn before we arrived back at camp to the shrieks and yells of the others.
"ARE YOU INSANE WE THOUGHT THE ENEMY HAD CAPTURED YOU!"
I shivered and quaked under my blanket as Nikabrick and the others paced and yelled.
"Here." Caspian scooted closer wrapping his arms around me from behind making me stiffen.
"Sorry I don't mean to encroach your space Ella." his lips tickled my ear as he whispered to me sending goosebumps down my spine. But he didn't move away keeping us both trapped inside his large warm woolen blanket.
"It's fine. And thank you."
I could feel him tense with shock.
"For?" he prompted quietly so the others wouldn't hear us still pacing back and forth before the stone table lecturing on safety.
"Giving me hope, and trust again. I've decided to follow my heart and live again." I murmured to him.
"Oh. Well your majesty. I hope I can continue to be of assistance to you in that regard."
"Indeed."
"ARE YOU TEO IDIOTS LISTENING!" Nikabrick was roaring now like a dragon his face bright chartreuse. We both jumped before once again babbling apologies. We'd stay like that huddled together still dripping wet for the next two hours being lectured inside the base, as on the outside the sun rose up in the sky once again. A new day was starting.

Howdy been a while since I've posted. I will not be posting on a set schedule but I have returned to writing this story. Thank you for those who understood my reasoning for putting this on hold before and for those who have stuck with me this long. I am sorry but I needed that break and now I am ready to produce stories again. So please comment below and tell me what you think :)