Haley had followed Edmund into the dresser and called out softly to him. "Edmund?" Receiving no answer, she made her way to the corner. She couldn't find it, and she groped around wildly, calling out Edmund's name. Slowly, she began to walk forward, but hands by her side. Suddenly she hit something hard and the blow knocked the wind out of her.
Edmund whirled around as the crunching noise behind him stopped. He cautiously walked back to the boulder and cried out in surprise when he found Haley out cold on the ground. He fell onto the ground beside her. "Haley? Haley! Say something!" When she did not stir, Edmund rushed to a nearby stream and let the water pool in his hands. He splashed it on her face- Still nothing. Edmund cursed to himself, and knew that if he went back for Peter and the others, he risked the passage way sealing once more. So without another word, he took off towards Cair Paravel.
He burst into the Great Halls of the castle, Edmund rushing past the Thrones. It was a terrible shame that he could not adore Cair Paravel properly, but at the moment he had something else on his mind. He whirled down a hallway and burst into Lucy's chambers and immediately began digging through her drawers, searching for her Fire Flower Cordial. Carelessly he tossed things aside until finally he clutched the glass bottle. Throwing the drawer closed, he rushed from the room and back down over the meadow as fast as he could.
Surely enough, he found his way back to the boulder and Haley still lay directly beyond it. Edmund carefully pulled the cap off the diamond bottle and poured a drop into Haley's mouth, kneeling close, searching her face for any change. After a few seconds, her eyes flickered open and he groaned. "Edmund, is that you?" Edmund sighed relief and replied, "Yeah, I'm here." Haley sat up and blinked again. "Where are we?" Edmund looked around him, almost in wonder. "I don't know how or even why, but we're in Narnia."
Haley staggered to her feet and Edmund as well, until a look of joy spread across his usually angry face. "Come with me! I need to show you something!" With that he grabbed her hand, dragging Haley along behind him. Laughing, she followed him, the two of them running across the lush green, until they stood a little ways away from the great Cair Paravel. It still stood proudly, as if it had been furnished during their absence. "I'm home." Edmund whispered.
* * * * *
All that time, Peter, Lucy, and Susan had been sitting at the table, until Susan finally spoke up. "I think we should follow them," she declared. Lucy and Peter agreed to this suggestion, and the three of them walked down the hallway Edmund and Haley had run down.
Suddenly Peter groaned, and the other two questioned what was wrong. "Edmund came down her earlier, when he was exploring and Haley ran off to find him." Remembering that he had not told the two girls what Edmund had done, he told them quickly how Edmund had actually revealed his emotions to Haley. "That is not like Ed," Lucy said as seriously as she could sound, "He usually acts like he doesn't know us, let alone Haley!" As absurd as that sounded, it was rather true, and Susan and Lucy followed Peter as he made his way around a turn, then another.
Soon he stood before the door of the room Edmund had hidden in, and Peter threw open the door. Seeing the door of the dresser open, he poked his head into the opening. "Ed? Haley?" Receiving no answer, he walked a bit further in, hands out, Lucy and Susan trailing behind. Lucy gave a little gasp of excitement and she took the lead, until the tips of her fingers touched stone. "Oh!" she cried as she touched the cold surface. "What is it?" Susan questioned. "I do believe it is a boulder!" Lucy exclaimed as she edged out and around the formation. Peter and Susan cautiously followed her, careful to not run into the rock.
"Are we in..?" Susan asked breathlessly, and Peter walked to the edge of the wood until he looked out across the lush valley and far beyond, Cair Paravel. "We are," Peter whispered, and Susan and Lucy joined his view, Lucy gasping with pure delight.
Running up and through the grassland, they emerged before the Great Castle. They were surprised to find Edmund and Haley looking also upon it, and Haley turned around happily. "Oh, Lu! Is this the Palace you told me about?" Lucy nodded eagerly, rushing into her cousin's arms. Peter continued up to his brother, who looked rather solemn. "What's up, Ed?" he asked softly, standing beside him. Edmund blinked, and looked at the castle. "It seems so different.So quiet," Edmund said in wonder, continuing up the small flight of stairs, throwing open the great doors.
His eyes opened wide as memories rushed through him. There were still the tapestries, the rugs, the marble was even polished. As he continued up the room, he approached three small stairs. Beyond them lay, undoubtedly, the Four Thrones of Cair Paravel. Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Haley all rushed in after him, but seeing the Thrones and Edmund, their smiles faded as they all turned solemn. Not paying any mind to them, Edmund cast his eyes from Throne to Throne. He started from left to right, recognizing each crest above each. The cordial.The horn.And then the two swords, one above Peter's throne and one above his.
The others walked forward, when Lucy brightened all of a sudden. "I say, if this is furnished enough, why don't we see if our Narnian clothing and other belongings are still in our chambers?" This seemed liked a good idea, so Edmund, Lucy and Susan took off down the halls, slowly remembering their way through the castle. Haley seemed rather uncomfortable, because she had no room of her own. Peter realized this too, and suggested, "We have extra clothes in a spare bedroom. Come on." He walked down a hall, Haley following hesitantly. 'Don't do this to me!' she thought, grimacing. She had always been forced to wear horrid sundresses at he home. Peter laughed at Haley's expression. "Don't worry- the girls wore pants too!" Haley sighed relief as Peter opened a door. He shut it behind her and continued on to his own room.
Haley cautiously approached the drawers, and then opened one. They held various pants and shirts, and Haley was delighted. Quickly she pulled on some khakis and a white loose shirt, but out of curiosity, she opened another drawer. "O-oh!" she exclaimed. Yes, dresses filled the drawer, but these were silk loose flowing dresses. "These are so much better than those horrible dresses than Mum buys me!" she said happily, and picked out a sapphire blue one and changed into it. Happily, she admired herself in the mirror until she appeared the hall once more.
* * * * *
Peter walked back to his own room, closing the door behind him. He walked over to his own wardrobe, taking a good look at it. He smiled, amused that a wardrobe similar to this one had started all of this. He opened it, surprised to see his old King clothing was still there. He changed into it hurriedly and walked back outside to where Haley was. "Well, let's go find the others," he said, and Haley nodded. Together they set off down various halls.
"What a large place!" Haley though to herself, lost in wonder. She was so deep in thought that she ran right into Peter, who had stopped before another door. "Edmund! You in there?" Edmund pulled on his clothes quickly, abandoning his old ones on his bed. He opened the door and saw Haley. He snickered, "I thought you hated dresses." Haley smirked. "Yah? What about you Ed? Decided to wear tights now did we?" Both Edmund and Peter rounded on her. "They're pants!" they corrected at the same time. They looked at each other for a moment, but Edmund scowled and broke away. Haley cast a sideways glance at Peter, but he just shook his head and continued after his brother.
Soon Lucy and Susan rejoined the others, the two dressed in their fine silk dresses. Edmund ignored them and continued on, as if eager to get somewhere. They followed him, until finally he stopped at a larger door. Slowly he opened it, and they stood in complete awe.
It was the treasure chambers, and every corner of the room seemed to sparkle. Shelves and tables were piled high with rubies and topazes, diamonds and amethysts, gold and silver. But by far the best was the variety of weaponry that also clad the room. There were daggers, swords, and bow and beautifully feathered arrows. But at the very back were four pegs emitting from the wall, and from each of them held a different thing. The first held a magnificent long sword and a silver shield with a red lion printed across it. The next held a beautifully carved bow with a quiver full of bright arrows, and an ivory horn. The next held a small jeweled dagger, and the final peg held another long sword, a little smaller than the first.
But it wasn't these items that held them in awe. Above each peg was a little shelf, and on each shelf, was a crown. The four Pevensies slowly approached each of their own crowns and brought them down. They were still polished and shone bright, and with solemn hands they adorned each on their heads, and took down their weapons.
Haley was already rummaging around, grabbing a sword with a jeweled blade and a small flexible bow with a quiver of arrows. "Well, it'll do us no good to stay here any longer," commented Peter, so they walked back into the halls, closing the door behind them. "I suppose we could stay here one night," Susan said, noticing it was already dusk. "Look, the sun's going down." It was true, so everyone agreed to stay here one night before locating a Narnian.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed it, and send me comments at stormyfoal@aim.com
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