School boy | Prince Caspian

05

"Aslan!" Lucy's shout broke the air. The Pevensie children ran forwards, Otto and Tumpkin on their heels. They had been walking all day, following the river inland and it had gotten boring.

"Look! It's Aslan!" Lucy turned, pointing at the cliff opposite them. The river bank had risen up steeply into a ravine. Otto glanced over the edge to watch the water rushing below. It was a bit of a fall, one he would not relish if he slipped.

"Where Luce?" Edmund asked as they all gathered around behind her. Otto couldn't see anything on the other bank. Only the forest and rocks.

She turned back and her face fell. "But he was right there", she mumbled, seeing nothing. Peter patted her on the back.

"He was just here", Lucy grumbled as she paced on the grass. Otto watched as he brushed his hair out of his eyes. He sat on the mossy ground, spear sticking up int he earth beside him.

"Well he isn't now", Susan replied with a sigh.

"He's wanted us to follow him", Lucy said.

"Look, I'm not about to wander off a cliff for a figment of the imagination", Trumpkin grumbled.

"The last time I didn't listen to Lucy", Edmund spoke up. "I ended up looking pretty stupid". He looked at his siblings hopefully.

Peter sighed. "Sorry Luce. We're going to continue the other way". Lucy looked crestfallen as he turned and led her siblings back along the path. Otto pattered her on the shoulder as he passed. They continued towards the fiord. It took about and hour of walking and when they got there, things weren't pretty.

Hundreds of soldiers littered the banks of the river. Black and silver armour glinted in the sun as they worked. They were building the frame of a bridge over the rushing water. Everyone crouched behind a pile of logs to watch. Otto pulled a face at the shouts and loud noise of construction.

"Right", he whispered. "So we cant go this way. Shall we try the other way?" The Pevensie children all looked at Peter. The blonde boy sighed.

"Come on", he said. "Let's go over there and check".

They walked back to the spot where Lucy had spotted Aslan. All of them gathering in a semi circle at the edge of the cliff like before. "Is this where you thought you had spotted him?" Peter asked.

Lucy groaned. "I wish you'd stop sounding like grown ups. I didn't think I saw him, I did see him". She paced closer to the edge. "It was about here"- she broke of with a scream as the ground disappeared beneath her feet. Everyone rushed forwards with panicked cries.

"It was here", Lucy grinned up at them. She had fallen onto a small path in the stone hidden by the ground above. They all breathed in relief that she was unharmed.

They had to climb down, one by one, the small barely walkable trail. It lead a long winding route down to the river below. But it was safer than the fiord of Telmarine soldiers, so they all went carefully and without complaints. When they got to the bottom they had to walk up stream a bit until they found a area where the water was shallow enough to wade through. It was still very deep, too deep for the shortest people.

"Lucy and Trumpkin will have to ride on our backs", Edmund stated. The dwarf did not look pleased at the prospect.

"I'll take Lucy. Come on Luce". Lucy jumped up and Peter caught her in a piggy back position. He began wading into the river. Lucy's extra weight grounding him so that he wouldn't wash away.

Otto turned to look at Trumpkin. The dwarf frowned at him. "Look", he sighed. "I'm the tallest so I'll have to carry you". Trumpkin looked affronted by Ottos words.

Otto sighed and turned and bent down so that his back was facing the dwarf. Trumpkin wrapped his arms around Otto's neck and he stood up. It took a bit of adjusting to the new weight before he followed Edmund and Susan into the river after Peter. The water rushed up to his collarbones. It was cold and the current was strong. Otto had to grit his teeth as he waded forwards.

The discomfort only lasted a few minutes before he was back on dry land and letting Trumpkin down. Luckily, there was a path leading straight up the cliff nearby. Dripping wet, they climbed up the cliff to the other bank where they could continue their journey.

Night slowly fell over he group once they got to the bank. They made camp in a small clearing near the edge where they had climbed up. Peter and Edmund gathered logs while Trumpkin and Susan started a fire. Soon the stars were out and they were all curled up on the grass, warmed by the flames.

"Lucy", Susan whispered. Lucy turned over to face her sister. On the other side of the flames, Peter and Edmund snored lightly. Both boys were curled around their swords like the blades were bears. Otto was between Susan and Trumpkin. The dwarf was quiet and still. Otto believed that he was asleep.

He opened his eyes and stared up at the stars between the trees. "Lucy why you didn't I see Aslan?" Susan asked. Otto listened silently.

"You believe me?" Lucy asked. She raised herself up on her elbows to look at her sister.

"Well we got across the gorge", Susan pointed out.

"I don't know. Maybe you didn't really want to", Lucy answered hesitantly.

Susan sighed and flopped back onto her back. "I was just getting used to living in England", she muttered.

"But we always knew that we'd come back", Lucy seemed confused. Otto was confused too. Why live in England when you could live here? Everything was simpler here. He hadn't been more content. It was like he had a purpose, like he was good and not just a waste of space.

His father's words rang through his head. "You're unnatural! Disgusting lazy degenerate who has nothing better to do than waste money and ruin my life. I wish you had died with your mother!" Even years later, in another world, the words still stung.

"But you're happy to be here aren't you?" Lucy asked nervously.

"While it lasts", Susan replied in a soft voice. Otto shuffled and rolled over. Lucy met his eyes over the fire.

"I may not have been here before", he whispered to them. His lips stretched up in a grin. "But I don't ever want to leave. I can't imagine going back to that place".

Susan frowned at him. "Why not?"

Otto met her gaze. "Why not stay here?" He echoed. She sighed and curled up on the grass. The conversation officially over.

Unedited