Chapter 4: Storytelling
A month after the rescue, the Pevensies and Nerina all sat around a fire in one of the smaller living rooms of the castle. They laughed and enjoyed each other’s company, as they had been for the past month. Since the incident in the pool, Nerina showed no signs of improving. In fact, in some ways, she was getting worse. Her voice now sounded very raspy, and she could not laugh for long periods of times because it hurt so much. For, you see, her croupy cough had gotten much worse, and her coughing fits more frequent, but they did not last too long thankfully, however it was taking its toll on her stomach muscles and chest. This night though, was not about worrying over Nerina’s health. It was about having fun together.
And right here tonight
This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you…
“One thing I have always wondered,” said the Arcadian princess suddenly, “is how you all got to be here. The servants tell me that you are Daughters of Eve and Sons of Adam.”
“I can’t believe we never told you!” gasped Susan. “We must have told you at least something about it!”
Nerina laughed, shook her head, and covered her mouth as she started to cough.
“Can I start then?!?” exclaimed Lucy, bouncing up and down in her chair.
It was Peter’s turn to laugh. “Alright Lu,” he said, “we can each take turns telling it.”
Lucy began. “Well, where we are from, there is a huge world war going on, that our father is in. There were bombs, large exploding things, destroying everything, so a program was set up for children to go to the country, where the bombs were not going off. We were sent to the Professor’s house, and one day I found a wardrobe, and discovered that it led to Narnia. No one else believed me at first, but then Ed came and he met the White Witch, who was afraid of the prophesy coming true, that when four humans came to Narnia, her reign would end.” She then turned to Edmund, who continued.
“Then one day, we were trying to find a place to hide, because we had accidentally broken a window. We ran into the wardrobe, and Peter and Susan finally believed Lucy. I wanted to bring them to meet Jadis, who told me I could be King one day if I brought them to her, but Lucy wanted us to meet Mr. Tumnus, the faun she met the first time she was here. We went to his house, but he had been arrested because Jadis found out from me that he had met her and not turned her in, which was against that law.
“We ended up meeting Mr. Beaver, who took us to his home and Mrs. Beaver. I snuck out and went to the White Witch’s castle, and told her what I heard the Beavers say about Aslan and his army, thinking I could save myself, since she had gotten made when I showed up empty-handed and locked me in her dungeon. It didn’t work, and I had betrayed my family and the kingdom I was to co-rule.” He turned and looked at Peter.
“When we discovered that Edmund was gone, and where he had gone,” said Peter, “the Beavers told us that the only was to save him was to go to Aslan. So even though we didn’t plan on staying and helping the Narnians with their war, we were forced to go meet Aslan. On the way we met Father Christmas, who told us the hope we brought to Narnia caused it to be Christmas for the first time since the hundred-year winter began. Lucy received a healing cordial and a dagger. Susan got her horn and bow and arrows, and I got my sword and shield. We finally arrived at Aslan’s camp, and met the Great Lion. Edmund was rescued, but we still had a problem.”
Susan finished the story. “We had decided to stay and help Narnia, but there was an ancient magic which stated that any traitor belongs to the White Witch, and they had to be killed at the Stone Table. If not, all of Narnia would be destroyed. She came to Aslan’s camp and pointed this out but later, unknown to all of us, Aslan agreed to take Edmund’s place. Lucy and I woke up in the night and heard Aslan walking, so we followed him and accompanied him to a point where he told us to stop. I was curious, so we still followed him and saw him murdered by the White Witch.
After she and her minions had left, we came and sat next to him. Mice came and chewed the ropes around him until they broke, and in the morning as we left, there was a great tremor, the Stone Table cracked, and Aslan rose from the dead, since he had committed no crime, but willingly gave himself up. We went to Jadis’ castle and freed all the creatures she had turned to stone, then raced to the battle between her and the Narnians, which of course, you can figure out the outcome.” Susan smiled.
“But what happened to Mr. Tumnus?” asked Nerina.
“He had been turned to stone, but Aslan saved him,” said Lucy. She clasped her hands together. “He will probably come to the coronation in a few weeks, so you can meet him then!”
“That would be lovely.” Nerina responded.
“How about you Nerina?” asked Susan, somewhat cautiously, “Do you have any interesting stories?”
Nerina froze for a moment, and her eyes appeared to be glazed over, and the look on her face was one of both sadness and trying hard to remember.
Not wanting to bring up unpleasant memories back, Susan moved on, “What is life like back in Arcadia? What do you do there? What does it look like?”
Nerina blinked and snapped back to reality. “The country is very beautiful. To get to it, you must first go through a cave, which contains large rivers with huge glaciers floating around, and everything has a bluish-green hue from the water. The country is on a very large island with walls of never-melting ice.
The main entrance archway of the castle is made of gold bricks. The rest of the arch is made of gold, bronze, cream, and pink bricks. Bricks of the same color are placed sporadically on the outer wall. The parapet is light blue.
“The actual castle is made with sparkling white sand. The castle is made up of some outside, some inside stairs and hallways, and is very hugs. At the top of each of four of the seven turrets is a gigantic, spiral seashell. There is a pier along the castle side of the island, and the waved crash upon it and it is absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait to show you all.”
“So what do you do all day in Arcadia?” Susan asked again.
Nerina got the strange look on her face again, and once more her eyes appeared to be glazed over.
Susan tried again, using a different approach. “I heard you like singing. Would you like to sing something for us?”
Still no response.
Edmund yawned. “I’m starting to get a bit tired. I might head off to bed soon.”
Nerina blinked and replied, “Yes, it is starting to get late, isn’t it?” again as if nothing had happened.
The five continued chatting until the fire grew low. Edmund did go to bed, and Lucy went soon after. Nerina accidentally fell asleep in her chair while Susan and Peter were discussing plans for the upcoming coronation. When they got up, Susan looked at Peter expectantly. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Aren’t you going to help me take her to her room?”
“You mean carry her again?”
“How else do you expect her to get to her bed?”
“Can’t we just wake her up?”
“No!” his sister whispered. “She looks so peaceful. We should let her sleep. She needs all the rest she can get so she can hopefully get better.”
“Alright,” said Peter reluctantly, “but why do I always have to carry her? I really don’t mean to complain, but…”
“Because,” Susan said jokingly in a deep voice, “you are the future High King of Narnia, and you are supposed to be a strong man.” She giggled.
Peter smiled, rolled his eyes, and carefully picked Nerina up.
A few minutes later they reached her room. Susan pulled back the covers on the bed and Peter lay her down. Susan tucked her friend in, then stepped back, surveying her work.
“What was with Nerina tonight?” asked Peter.
“I don’t know” replied Susan. “It was like she couldn’t remember anything about her life before her kidnapping.”
“She remembers her family and friends.”
“Yes, but I mean what she did in Arcadia. I was trying to get her to remember something, but it didn’t work. Here, help me prop her head up. It will help her breathe more easily with her sinuses the way they are.”
Peter hesitated as Susan indicated that she wanted him to lift the sleeping princess’ head.
Susan looked from Nerina to Peter. “What is it now?”
Peter sighed. “She doesn’t like me.”
Susan looked really confused now. “Yes she does.”
“No she doesn’t. She rarely talks to me, and when she does, it’s only, “Please pass the salt.”
Susan touched her brother’s arm lovingly. “She just isn’t comfortable around you. Now please help me so we can get to sleep.”
Peter obliged and Susan fixed the pillows.
“Come on now,” said Susan as Peter gazed at Nerina. She smiled and asked teasingly, “What? Do you fancy her?”
Peter took offense. “No. I just want her to like me and want to talk to me like a normal person.”
“I was just joking. Don’t worry. Just give her time. And in case you haven’t noticed, Nerina is not exactly a ‘normal person’. Now let’s go, I’m tired.” And the two siblings left the room.