The Call To The Old - An Edmund Pevensie fanfiction

Chapter nine

"All aboard!" Lucy laughed, clambering onto the rowboat.

Edmund nudged Talia, "You alright? Heard Telmarines hate the water."

"Very funny." she returned, sarcastically, as she watched him board the boat, and she followed in after him, sitting next to Peter. "I don't suppose we've met. I'm Talia." she said, holding her hand out for him to shake.

"My name's Peter." he replied, shaking her hand. "So, what got you into this predicament?"

"She ran away," spoke Trumpkin, answering for her, "bit silly really, she didn't want to marry this one bloke."

"You know full well that was not the only reason." she laughed, "the food was pretty terrible too." she joked.

"Marriage?" Susan questioned, whimsically. Talia noted that Edmund rolled his eyes at his sister, so she simply smiled in response.

The six of them began to travel down the river. The water shone up at them, glistening under the sunshine. Talia watched mouth agape; at the beauty she was witnessing. The world really was a beautiful place, and Talia had explored so little of it. But she noticed that the four siblings look sad, almost disappointed- she furrowed her brows at their ingratitude.

"They're so still." Lucy stated.

"They're trees. What'd you expect?" Trumpkin asked.

"They used to dance." she replied.

Trumpkin sighed, "Wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded." and Talia looked to her feet in guilt of her ancestors, "Those who survived retreated to the woods. And the trees, they retreated so deep into themselves that they haven't been heard from since."

"I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen." Lucy questioned.

"Aslan? Thought he abandoned us when you lot did."

The siblings went quiet, before Peter shot Trumpkin a leer, "We didn't mean to leave, you know." he declared.

"Makes no difference now, does it?"

"I'm sure it will to the other Narnians, Trumpkin." Talia spoke, and the siblings smiled at her.

"Yes, get us to the Narnians, and it will." Peter repeated.

The six continued along the river, now consumed by an awkward silence. To diffuse the tension, Susan spoke, "Tell us about you Talia."

"There's not much to say really."

"Well, say it anyway." Peter joined in.

She sighed, "Ok, well, I am the daughter of a Telmarine King, who rules a province just south of King Miraz- the big guy- but when I was just four, it was decided that I would marry Miraz's nephew and heir, so I practically grew up in his court. It was a disastrous place," she spoke animatedly, her mind getting thrown back into dark memories, "the palace was dark, and evil grew from the walls. I hated it there. The day before I was supposed to marry the Prince I ran away, with the help of my darling mother and my tutor. I do miss it sometimes, well, not it per say but the people- my mother, my tutor, my maid," she said clutching the necklace her maid had once given her, "then I found the Narnians; Trumpkin and two others. There we lived in secret, until we were caught and then, well, here we are."

"And the horn?" Edmund inquired.

"Oh yes, Prince Caspian-"

"The bloke she was supposed to marry." Trumpkin added, and Talia shot him a sarcastic smile.

"He blew it. I suppose that's what called you back here. Where have you been anyway? How come you haven't aged or anything?"

"It's a long story." Peter explained.

"We'll tell you someday." Lucy smiled.

The boat drew up upon the land, and Trumpkin jumped to shore. Everyone exited the boat. Edmund held out his hand, so as to help Talia off but she knew she'd be fine without his help, and jumped down into the water, wading to the land. Edmund smiled at the girl.

All but Lucy began to heave the boat onto the shore. It was a strenuous task, but they got there in the end, and the boat sat comfortably on the land.

Talia turned to see Lucy wandering off into the land, she admired the girl's curiosity, and returned to tying up the boat.

"Quite a story you've got yourself there." Edmund stated.

"Hardly." she replied, watching as Peter, Susan and Trumpkin began some light conversation up ahead.

"A runway Princess. Quite exciting. Never heard of before."

"Are you being sarcastic?" she asked, eyes wide. She saw as the boy smirked in response, "You are!" she nudged him, as a smile grew across her face. "Well, what's your tragic backstory then?"

He frowned, remembering, "Lucy."

"What?" Talia questioned.

"No Lucy!" he pointed.

Talia's eyes were then drawn towards the young girl, who was now walking towards a wild bear. Fear froze over Talia. The magic of Narnia was no longer as strong as it once was, this bear was no friend. The bear stood on it's hind legs, in anger. Talia and Trumpkin saw this an immediately recognised it's danger. The elder Pevensies must have also realised that Narnia wasn't as it once was, else they wouldn't have been so concerned.

The bear growled, and Trumpkin shouted, "Don't move, your majesty!"

"Lucy stay right where you are!" Talia also shouted.

Lucy turned to face her friends and siblings, but while her back was turned the bear began to charge at the young girl.

"Susan your bow!" Talia called, in fear.

Susan drew her bow straight away, aiming directly for the growling bear, "Stay away from her!" she hollered, the others rushed to grab their swords from the boat, and Talia released hers from it's scabbard.

Lucy began to run towards her friends, and Edmund yelled for Susan to shoot the beast. Talia could sense Susan's distaste towards taking a life, and grabbed Trumpkin's bow and arrow from the boat, aiming at the bear. The animal roared at the young girl who was now on the floor, screaming and Talia let her arrow fly. It hit the bear. They all turned to look at Talia, who merely sighed, turning around to wipe a tear from her eye; it always did hurt to take life.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan inquired.

"I suspect he was hungry." Trumpkin replied bluntly, walking over to check on the young Queen.

The brother's, too, ran over to their younger sister; while Susan stayed behind, "Narnia is not as it used to be." she muttered.

"It took this for you to realise?" Talia questioned; her emotions now composed. She placed an arm around her newfound friend, "I'm sure you'll help to return it back to normal."

"You think?" Susan asked.

"I am sure of it. You will bring hope."