Legacy of Narnia

Mr.Bob. I began reading your story and didn't stop until I your last post. Do come back soon with an update.
I don't read most of the stories here (I try, but I quickly give up after the first or second post). What I'm trying to say is that your story is really good.
At first I was put off by having two MORE children discover Narnia, but as I kept reading I discovered that, unlike some other Narnia stories here, your new characters did not try to be BETTER than Queen Lucy or anyone else. You kept the traits of the main characters (of Lewis) intact, while at the same time introducing new ones with their own mission. That is what made me read the whole thing.
Good job. Update soon.
 
Thank you for the compliments, BK. Just like the interaction between Lucy and Princess Riyanna in the beginning, the need for them to hve a childhood is important yet hard. I just thought about what would happen if two children the same age as Lucy came to Narnia; how would they react to everything, especially when confronted by a queen their age with a fantasty creature. I fgured they would be so awestruck that they would feel the need to befriend the only person they met who is like them.

I can't guarantee when I will finish this next chapter. I hope sooner than the last one but realize that I make it up as I go along. I have no outline so as of right now, I have no idea how they are going to awaken the tree. That is actually how I write. The story just unfolds in my head as I am writing it. I liken it to reporting a story. I have to watch it happen first.

I also am trying to keep it light as Lewis' writings. I like to emulate the tone of the writer whose work I am paying homage to in a fan fiction.

MrBob
 
I'd had this bookmarked to read later, and I just read it today. I must say, you write fantastic! I haven't read any story this good (including books) since reading LifeMaiden's fanfic about the white witch. I can't wait for the next update. :)
 
Just a note before posting the story: I may actually come back to this chapter and make some additions. My grand plans and what I acturally wrote are not in sync and I hate that feeling, but I want to do an update now.

Chapter 8 Fulfilling the Prophesy

The three children cautiously approached the Tree. None of them spoke as they were taking in the whole situation. The Tree was large and looked so old. Although it had no leaves, on its bare branches, it still gave a feeling of being alive. They walked around it, taking it all in from all sides.
“Do you have any ideas?” Julian asked his sister and Lucy as he removed the sword from his waist.

“We could just try talking to her.” Lucy suggested with an unknowing shrug. Julian took the direct approach.
“Wake up!” he called out. Nothing happened but the girls looking at him funny. “Hey, it as worth a shot.” he grinned.
They were quiet for a moment pondering what even to say to a tree to waken her. “I wonder what her name is.” Sarah thought aloud.
“Does she even have a name?” Julian countered. “Or do we have to give her a name to wake her up?”
“I am sure she has a name, but I don’t what it could be.” Lucy admitted. “But I say we pause for a repast. I know I am hungry.”

“It will be a wet meal.” Julian said. It was very wet. Whether it was the rain or the river they didn’t care, the fish was tasteless and the bread was mush. The vegetables were fine, but very waterlogged. It was not an enjoyable meal, but it did fill them up. It was also the last of their food which they all realized.

After their lunch, they aired out all of their belongings so that they could dry hoping that the rain, which had stopped, had passed. Julian also took the sword from around hi waist and laid it down, unsheathed, along two roots to keep it dry. The sheath he allowed to dry nearby. “I wish we had brought clothes with us.” Sarah said pulling at her wet shirt.

“Yes, that was an oversight.” Lucy smiled, Of course, any extra clothes would have also gotten wet from either the rainstorm or our unintentional swim.”

They sat on the wet ground on a few patches of grass around the Tree of Protection and just looked up at her. High above, Julian saw something. He wasn’t sure so he stared at the place high on the tree. Indeed, he had seen it. “Look! A leaf!” he cried.
“What? Where?” the girls asked excitedly, jumping to their feet. Julian pointed to the spot about ten feet above them.
“She is alive. She’s not hibernating anymore.” Julian announced.
“Or that could be the sign that she has not died and is just hibernating.” Lucy offered. “Nevertheless, it is a good sign.”

Sarah agreed. “Either way, it does seem hopeful.” The hopeful sign, however, did not help them think of a way to awaken the Tree. They tried invoking Aslan’s name, being gentle, even shaking her trunk in jest by Julian. Nothing worked in the hours they spent at the Tree. Before they knew it, the sun was going lower in the sky and they were again getting hungry. With no food, they were in a sullen mood.

Lucy and Sarah went to look for anything to eat while Julian stayed behind to prepare the area for the night. “How long do you think we’ll have to stay here?” Sarah asked as the girls were looking around for anything.
“I don’t know. You heard what Hister and Asher said, days or never.” Lucy realized she was not being as optimistic as she wanted with that last statement. “I would guess we will be out within a few days.” She looked up at the new growth on the trees, “If only it was Autumn. These trees would be full of fruit. Looking down at the ground, she saw the many plants, but didn’t know what was safe. “I have to ask Rosso to teach me what wild plants can be eaten.”

“Can you fish?” Sarah asked as they found the river once again.
A half-an-hour later, the girls came back carrying a fish that Sarah had managed to catch. “You two, go get some wood. We’re going to try to build a fire while I get the fish ready.” Lucy told them as she began the job of preparing the fish. Julian and Sarah came back with handfuls of sticks and twigs, but with the wood so wet it still took another half an hour to get the fire started enough to start cooking.

The three, being so close but yet so far from their task, eventually went to where they would sleep with still damp sheets and clothes. None of this was making them any the more happy. Sarah and Julian lapsed into arguments as normal siblings have and Lucy had to act as referee, but one thing was perfectly clear, as Julian mentioned. “I don’t know how we are supposed to figure this out without food. I say tomorrow we either leave or spend the whole day looking for plants to eat.”

“We can’t give up.” Sarah protested. “We are here to awaken the Tree of Protection.”
“We can’t do that if we’re starving.” Julian argued back.
Lucy cut in to prevent another blow-up. “You are both right. We need to look out for ourselves first. We don’t need to abandon the Lady Tree, but we do need to keep ourselves fed. First thing tomorrow morning, we will try to find more food. After that, we can try to figure out how to awaken the Lady.”

The three tended to the fire more, just watching the flames dance around. “Oh Aslan, please help us.” Lucy said, a hint of desperation in her voice. Sarah and Julian both repeated her plea as they laid down.

With the moon still high in the sky, the three children awoke when they heard a low rumbling. It was coming from all around and even vibrating the ground slightly. “What was that?” Sarah asked groggily.
“So it wasn’t just me?” Julian said looking at his sister as she was beginning to sit up. Next a new sound came that they all recognized as the Tree of Protection started to blow violently even though no wind was around. They all got up, now fully awake and looked up at the Tree in the moonlight. An ancient voice was heard “Queen Lucy, Lord Julian, Lady Sarah, I welcome you to my home.” They looked around, not sure whether the voice came from the Lady Tree.

“Greetings.” Lucy replied “May we ask with whom we are speaking.” The Tree was now changing.
“My name is as ageless as the wind.” the Lady said, or rather breezed as a strange gust of wind blew past them. Lucy couldn’t help but thinking that the Tree’s name was among the voiceless whispers that rode on that breeze. “I am known by Narnia as the Tree of Protection.

There was now an air of excitement and reverence among the three children. “You have slept for a long time.” Lucy began. “What has awaken you now?”
“You three.” the Tree replied. “Many winters ago, the White Lady came and placed a spell upon me. I would not awaken until past met present and future.”

Confusion could be seen in the faces of the three children as they tried to understand what she just said. “So how does that apply to us?” Jill asked.
“I was hoping you could answer that.” the Tree replied. “All I know is that you are the reason why I awoke was that you three came. I could feel the enchantment free itself as soon as you laid the sword at my roots.”

“So why did you take so long to talk with us?” Julian wondered.
“I think time for a tree is much different than time for us.” Sarah answered her brother.
Unbothered by the other two, Lucy thought about what the Tree said. “Well, Lady Tree, you are the past. We must be the present, but what is the future?”

A quiet pause was broken by Julian. “I wonder if the sword is the future.” With that suggestion, the Lady Tree picked the sword up that was still lying on her roots and brought it to her hands or limbs as the case may be.
“It would make sense. Pognith said that he didn’t recognize it.” Lucy said.
“But wait,” Susan started, “We found that sword back home. If the sword is the future, then so are we.”
“Well, Aslan did tell us that we have Narnian blood in us.” Julian guessed, “Could it be that it means we have the ancient blood of Narnia while also being here in the present.”

“But what about the future?” Sarah asked her brother.
“Perhaps it is just meant that young saplings are the future of Narnia.” the Tree supposed as she examined the sword. “It is a magnificent sword.”
“Oh well, it doesn’t matter much now.” Lucy said softly. “All that matters is that you are back.

The ground rumbled once more and tiredness was felt by the three children. Lucy stretched and yawned. “We may still learn the answer later, but now, I feel we need to get some sleep.”
“And I am thankful for you three for lifting my hibernation.” the Tree said as she reached down and offered the sword to the children. Julian grasped it and put it back in its sheath, now dry. Lucy, Sarah, and Julian went back and fell asleep on their sheets. Sleep came fast and not even the rumblings around them could awaken them.

The next morning when they awoke, they were surrounded by many trees and a spread of breakfast food that reminded Lucy of a feast at Cair Paravel. “All Hail, Queen Lucy! All Hail Lord Julian and Lady Sarah!” was heard from all around from every tree surrounding them. They could do nothing but smile and take it all in.

“Are we actually a lord and lady now?” Sarah asked Lucy during a period of quiet.
“To the trees, absolutely. And I also give you two those titles officially for all of Narnia.” Lucy promised to the now amazed children. They stayed in celebration for a few hours before they were led back out to where they first entered the Dancing Forest, the trees now in constant motion of jubilance.

MrBob
 
I have read the first post and I love it! I unfortunately have no time to read the rest....need sleep and I will be heading of for New York tomorrow! I will try to catch up upon my return!
 
"It's pretty cool that Lucy kept her rightful authority to bestow titles on those she wished."

BK, she's queen. Why wouldn't she have that privelege? In my view, she was the one who gave Tumnus his lordship title. Peter probably did the honors for the Beavers.

MrBob
 
"It's pretty cool that Lucy kept her rightful authority to bestow titles on those she wished."

BK, she's queen. Why wouldn't she have that privelege? In my view, she was the one who gave Tumnus his lordship title. Peter probably did the honors for the Beavers.

MrBob
well, you know, some other stories and fanfics, especially old Narnia RP's, everyone who made it to Narnia was better than the kings and queens. It was annoying!!
 
Sorry for the late reply, but I think I was referring to Lucy. It's been a little while since that post, so I'm not sure.
What I was saying is that in most fanfics, EVERYONE ELSE who made it to Narnia was always is better than the Pevensies. I don't understand why people do that. No one else was better than the Pevensies in the Chronicles, not even Eustace and Jill. They were different maybe, but not better
 
A wonderful story. Just a couple of observations. Firstly, i thought the Tree of Protection was much nearer the centre of Narnia, than you have located it, and was destroyed by the minions of the white witch. I am also puzzled as to how Jadis was able to approach the tree, and get close enough to it, to work her evil magic, bearing in mind what Aslan said about her relationship with it, towards the end of the 'Magician's Nephew'. And why did she wait 900years?
 
Mr. Bob,
Thank you for this tale. It was fascinating and left me wanting to know more about Julian and Sarah and their Narnian ancestor (another story perhaps?), as well as that of the sword. They felt so comfortable with the trees -- does that mean there was some dryad in them as well?
 
Bob, I'm bumping your story up so it will be seen. I'm hoping to get the newer members interested in writing likewise. For yourself, you could follow Benisse's urging and write a sequel on the same thread.

As for Corin's question of eleven years ago: maybe Jadis CREATED something which could kill the Tree, then sent one of her lieutenants to use it.
 
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