Calling Me Home [BOOK 2]

Chapter 7

After bickering numerous times, it was decided that Elizabeth was to stay with Lucy. So together the two watched as the Pevensie siblings, Caspian, and the Narnians disappeared into the woods. The plan was to make it to Telmarine territory by late night, attack when everyone's asleep. Get in, kill Miraz, and get out. In all honesty, based on the very limited choices that were agreed upon, the plan wasn't all that bad.

     The two had gone back into the How, along with other female Narnians who were unfit to fight. Heading back to the stone table, the girls sat alone as they awaited the long night ahead of them.

     "Don't you ever feel scared being here, after what had happened the first time we were here in Narnia?" Lucy asked Elizabeth, thinking once again back to when she had witnessed the older girl's death.

     "I used to, it took me a few years to really ever want to be near this place again. But it eventually grew on me. I try to think of the event as an awakening rather than the place where the White Witch had killed me. That's why I made this place a temple, so that everyone can experience the story of us, and your siblings."

     Lucy smiled at the reply, nodding and laying onto the girl's lap. Elizabeth brushed through Lucy's hair with her fingers, and the two went back to sitting in silence.

     Lucy eventually fell asleep on Elizabeth's lap. Elizabeth herself was wide awake, worried about Peter and the others. Telmarine territory was huge, and held many ruthless soldiers who would show no mercy to someone outside of their kind. Elizabeth knew of the horrors they have created, and if anything in the plan went wrong...

     Elizabeth shook her head, trying to rid herself of the worst case scenarios she was thinking up in her mind.

If only I was with them.

     She had ended staying awake throughout the night, lost in time as she couldn't tell how long it had been since the troop's leaving. Her eyes did finally begin to drop, and as Lucy stirred herself off of Elizabeth's lap, she thought that a few moments of shut eye wouldn't hurt.

      Elizabeth was about to lay herself down beside Lucy before a horn was blown. Her eyes shot open, they had returned. Shaking Lucy awake along with a quick 'they're back', Elizabeth rushed out towards the entrance of the How, Lucy slowly following after her.

      A few steps outside, Elizabeth's heart drops once she notices the major decrease of soldiers who have returned. Peter, Susan, Ed and Caspian were all present thankfully, but so many Narnians were gone. She had gaped at the group, frozen in her spot.

     "What happened?" Lucy had asked no one in particular.

     "Ask him." Peter angrily referred to Caspian.

     "Peter." Susan warned beside him.

     "Me? You could have called it off. There was still time." Caspian stated.

     "No there wasn't thanks to you. If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now." Peter argued, making his way towards Lucy and Elizabeth.

     "And if you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian raised his voice. Peter turned back towards him.

     "You called us, remember?"

     "My first mistake."

     "No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people." Peter scoffs

     "Hey!" Caspian yelled before his voice lowered.

     "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

     "You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to lead it than Miraz does! You, him, your father. Narnia's better off without the lot of you!" Peter got in Caspian's face, pointing fingers.

     A quick shove was enough to have both boys screaming and drawing their swords on each other. Elizabeth was still shocked, some of those troopers were her friends, and now she never could see them again, nor even could have fought alongside them. She was getting annoyed at both boys, one specifically for his over protectiveness and thinking he could run this show on his own. Half her troops died on another person's word, Elizabeth was not happy.

     "Stop it!" Ed had shouted, ending the feud and Elizabeth's angered thoughts.

     Edmund and Glenstorm set down an unconscious Trumpkin who looked badly injured. Lucy gasped and ran over to him with her cordial in hand. She knelt down beside him while unscrewing the cap and gave him a drop. After a moment he opens his eyes, looking at everyone confused.

     "What are you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough." He barked. Lucy smiled at Trumpkin. Yet he was right, we had attacked their territory and failed, and now they will be planning to attack ours with twice as much force.

     "Thank you, my dear little friend." Trumpkin thanked Lucy, using the nickname she had given him only days ago.

     As Caspian fled the scene, he passed by Elizabeth, and she had noticed that the dwarf, Nikabrik, had followed after him. She had locked eyes with Peter who had also noticed the dwarf following Caspian, and she only shook her head at him before turning around and retreating back into the How herself.

Was this how it's going to be between us? Clashing one after another.

     Elizabeth decided it best to speak to those who had just lost a friend, brother, partner. Instead of sitting alone somewhere and simmering in her anger, she thought best to share condolences to those mourning. She had spent most of her time here with the Narnians, and she grew close to the majority of them, it only deemed fit that she showed her respects.

     After finishing off good memories with Cirilla, a she-centaur who's husband was there last night, Elizabeth had finally cooled down. Excusing herself from Cirilla, Elizabeth was just about to find Peter when Susan had rushed up to her frantically.

     "Lizzie, come with me!" Susan gasped out.

     "What happened?"

     "There's no time. Come on!"

     Running after Susan, the girls began down the tunnel that led to the stone table. Shouting was heard by Peter along with screeches and growls from something inhuman. Nearing the entrance, Elizabeth stopped to a standstill as she couldn't believe what was in front of her.

     Built into the arch was a large wall of ice. The place was freezing cold as Edmund fended off a wolf like creature. There within the wall of ice was the White Witch herself, staring down at Peter who stood frozen in front of her.

     "Just one drop. You know you can't do this alone." She had told Peter. One hand was stretched out beyond the ice, awaiting Peter to take it. Staring in horror, Elizabeth gasped to herself as she saw Peter lower his sword to the Witch.

     Before she could process anything else, the ice wall had shattered into pieces. Edmund holding his sword out from the other side.

     "I know. You had it sorted." He told Peter coldly before walking away from them. Making his way past us, Edmund placed a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder as he understood the betrayal that could have taken place just then. He more than anyone would understand, being the most affected from the Witch's rule. Edmund lowered his hand and walked out without a word.

     Peter and Caspian looked at each other and then at the picture of Aslan.

Good, let them feel guilty.

     They both turned to look back and noticed Susan and Elizabeth. Susan gave them a look of disappointment before turning around and walking out of the room. Elizabeth stayed a moment longer.

     "You two were so desperate as to try to bring her back?" She scolded them. Elizabeth then looked directly at Peter, seeing a guilty and broken look on his face.

     "After all we've been through to defeat her. I'm disappointed." Elizabeth finished before turning around and leaving the tunnel.