Wish [Sequel to Hope]

Chapter 1

It had been a year. One year since Ashlynn left Narnia. One year since she saw the Pevensies. One year since she was truly happy. The Professor noticed this, and tried everything in his power to reconnect Ashlynn with her childhood friends. He tried to send her into the city for a day, but the commute was too long. He asked the Pevensies to visit for a long weekend, but they could never find time. He even offered to send Ashlynn to the same school as Susan and Lucy, but it wasn't a boarding school and Ashlynn could travel that far every day. 

Ashlynn wrote to the Pevensies every week, telling them about anything and everything that was happening to her. They responded vigorously in the beginning, but slowly the letters became less and less frequent. Soon, a letter appeared in the mail only once a month, and only from Lucy. 

Every night, Ashlynn would visit the wardrobe, wishing that it might send her back to the wondrous land she used to call home. She would often find herself reciting lines of the Deep Magic, something Aslan had engraved in her mind, in hopes it would somehow open the portal. But every night Ashlynn was sent back to her bed, her head hanging in disappointment. 

As a way of coping, Ashlynn had developed a love for writing. She began to recount her tales of Narnia, scribbling every minuscule she could recall into a journal. She slowly began to form her ideas into short stories, focusing especially on her and the Pevensie's reign. It helped her remember that Narnia wasn't a dream, no matter what Mrs. Mccready would say. She found comfort in the pages of her journal, and it quickly became one of her most prized possessions. 

Ashlynn often took Estrella out riding whenever she needed to clear her head. She would journey to the hidden lake she loved so much. She's spend hours there, sometimes playing, but mostly thinking. That was where Ashlynn was located, the day her life changed for the better. 

It was a crisp April day. The wind bit through Ashlynn sweater, but the sun warmed her. Ashlynn needed to escape the manor, everything inside reminding her of the Pevensies. She halted Estrella near the lake, and dismounted quickly. The still-frozen grass crunched under her shoes, leaving molds of her feet behind her. The lake was still cold, a few icebergs floating across the surface. Ashlynn plopped herself onto a rock nearby and just stared at the glass before her. She admired the shimmering rocks hidden beneath, making it look like a kaleidoscope. Ashlynn gripped a fallen stick and traced intricate designs onto the water's surface, sending ripples across to the other side. She softly hummed a sweet tune under her breath, her foot tapping to the beat. Estrella whined nearby, and pushed her soft snout against Ashlynn's arm. 

         "Hey girl," Ashlynn stroked her nose gently. 

Estrella snorted, almost as if she was trying to communicate. Ashlynn closed her eyes, thinking back to her Narnian horse, Thalia, recalling the many conversations they had. Ashlynn's eyes reared up at the thought of never seeing her horse again. Estrella seemed to sense this and pushed herself closer to the young girl. Ashlynn gave the horse a small smile, happy she still had one friend. Ashlynn and Estrella sat at the end of the lake for hours, simply enjoying each other's company. 

Ashlynn was ready to head back to the manor when a strange sight caught her eye. A smooth stone sat just to her left, glinting in the fading sun. She slowly bent down to pick up the rock and was shocked to see the odd detail hidden inside. The stone itself was a bright silver, but what was so unique was the golden swirl in the center. Ashlynn could faintly make out an outline of a small lion, causing her to gasp. She knew the design, it was the Narnian crest. She had seen it many times on Peter's shield. Ashlynn gripped the stone in her hand, nearly crushing it. Her mind raced a mile a minute, trying to come to a logical conclusion as to why the stone was there. Ashlynn shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her thoughts. She stared at the cool water next to her and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense to toss the rock into the water. She followed her instincts and dropped the stone next her feet. 

Immediately a golden wisp twisted through the water and Ashlynn watched in amazement as the swirl contorted into very familiar designs. Her feet had a mind of their own, pulling her body into the water. She chased after the gold, completely lost in her own world. She reached her hand out to grab the wisp, but her foot slipped on something. She body tumbled into the water, her head becoming completely submerged. Ashlynn flailed her arms wildly, attempting to resurface. The go,d had faded from her view, leaving nothing but a soft yellow hue in its place. Ashlynn kicked her legs up in a powerful motion and broke the surface once again. She sputtered and tried to regain her breath, surprised by the salty taste in her mouth. Once Ashlynn had recovered, she took in her surroundings. The wood she was just in was gone, replaced by a wide expanse of water and mountains. The sun was much higher in the sky, reflecting off the water with a blinding sparkle. 

Ashlynn automatically knew where she was. 

A gay giggle escaped her lips as Ashlynn splashed in the cool water. She tossed handfuls of water into the air, soaking her hair even more. She couldn't believe she was back. She was enjoying her freedom so much, that she didn't notice the small group of children a couple of yards down, also playing in the water. 

The young dark haired boy paused in his play, drinking in every ounce of the landscape. He noticed the strange ruins atop the cliff, but that wasn't what drew is attention. His eyes were focused on the happy girl swimming nearby. He would recognize that golden hair anywhere. He began racing down the beach shouting at the top of his lungs. 

          "Ashlynn!" 

Ashlynn turned at the sound of her name. She saw a young boy racing towards his arms stretched wide. Ashlynn's grin stretched wider as she leaped out of the water and ran towards the boy. 

           "Edmund!" She cried as they captured each other in their arms. 

Word Count: 1089 

[Not Edited]

A/N: And such begins Prince Caspian. I'm super excited to write this, I've got a lot of ideas for some Ashlynn and Edmund fluff. What do you guys think their ship name should be? Any ideas? I would love to hear them!