We Were Both Young, When I First Saw Your

"Mommy! Daddy!" A little girl was laughing, her brown curls shining in the bright summer sun.
A faun was dancing around her, wearing a blue scarf made of the finest silk.
A man and a woman stood nearby her, laughing along with her. The woman's black hair was draped gracefully across her shoulders. The man had his arms around her, his crown shining in the sun.
Around them the trees moved, petals danced in the wind. At the edge of the trees stood mighty centaurs, their tails whipping to and fro.
At their foot stood large animals, far larger then the ones he had ever seen. And they were speaking among themselves, laughing and clapping.
It was Narnia, but not his Narnia.
It was a Narnia he desperatly longed for.
He had this dream many times. He watched as this girl grew up, surprisingly at the same rate as himself.
But he had not had it for a few years now... and this one was different. She was a little girl again, playing and dancing in the meadow. And when he looked at her mother... she looked back. She knew he was there, watching her daughter play gleefully.
Her expression was pained, and she mouthed words to him...but he couldn't hear them being spoken.

And that was when Prince Caspian X woke up.
~-----------~
LONDON.
"Grab hands!"
The Pevensies eagerly grabbed each others hands, watching as the train station slowly flickered away.
Infront of their excited hands, it faded into a sunny beach. The white sand glittered in the sun.
With quick glances at each other, grins formed on their faces and they eagerly ran foward. They hurriedly took off their socks and shoes and laughing they ran into the water splashing each other.
After a while, they trudged back onto the white sand of the beach, exhausted.
"Hey...where do you think we are?" Edmund asked.

Peter laughed, rolling his eyes, "Where do you think?" he asked.

"Well...I don't remember any ruins being in Narnia." Edmund replied, pointing.

~-----------~
"I wonder who lived here..." Lucy said softly, looking out at the ocean.

"I think...we did." Susan replied, holding up a small golden chess piece.

The other Pevensies turned to look at her sharply.

"That's a piece from my chess set!" Edmund said.

"Which one?" Peter asked.

Edmund rolled his eyes, "It's not like I had a solid gold chess set in England."

"Oh but don't you see!" Lucy cried, and she took them all to the front of the ruins, and placed them carefully in fours spots, "Imagine walls...and columns over there...!"

"Cair Paravel..." Peter said softly. And his chest tightened, and he instinctively reached to his chest, where a single ring lay on a small silver chain.

"What happened here?" Susan said, looking at her siblings worriedly.

"I don't know," muttered Peter darkly, "But we're going to find out."

~-----------~
Carefully, Edmund and Peter pushed away the stone covering the entrance to the vault. Peter then grabbed a stick, carefully ripped a piece of his shirt off and then glanced at Edmund, "I don't suppose you have matches?" he asked.

Edmund shook his head, "No but..." he reached into his bag and took a flashlight, "I don't suppose this'll help?"

Peter smiled, "Why didn't you say so sooner?" he said, taking the flashlight and turning it on.

The Pevensies made their way down, and were shocked by the contents of what was inside.

"It's all still here..." Lucy said breathlessly, "There's my chest...and Susan's. There's Edmund's and yours Peter. And those must be-"

"Amelia's..."

"And Juliet..." Peter finished quietly.

The other Pevensies rushed to their respective chests, but Peter paused to pick up an old Shield, Aslan emblazoned on it.

He glanced at Juliet's chest, not wishing to see the contents. But he knew he would have too.

He opened his chest, and carefully took out his sword Rhindon and unsheathed it, surprised it wasn't rusted.

"...It's been years." Lucy then said quietly, "I'd guess hundreds of years..." she looked up at her siblings fearfully, "All the people we knew...Mr. Tumnus, the Beavers..." she glanced at Juliet and Amelia's chests, "They're all...gone."

"Don't SAY that!" Peter said viciously. Lucy looked at him startled.

"I-I'm sorry Peter, I didn't mean-"

Peter shook his head, "No, I'm sorry Lu, I'm just..." he shook his head again before making his way to Juliet's chest and opening it carefully. On the top of all her things lay a note. It's edges were browned, as if it were ages old. But he recognized the handwriting immediatly.

Dearest Peter,
I know you will find this. Aslan told me I should write this. He came to see me only a few moments ago.
Well, he himself was not here. It was all a dream, but still, dreams should be taken seriously.

It has been three years since you've gone missing. Each and every day has been agonizing. But I try to put on a brave face...as I know you would've wanted from me. But ever night I can feel only tears running down my face.

But I know you did not wish to leave. Aslan told me as such. That is was simply something that had to happen. I hope you are happy living in this 'Eng-land' country. From the way Aslan describes it, it seems like such a beautiful country. I wish perhaps, that one day I may see it as well.

Arianna has grown into a fine young woman. I have made arrangements concerning her. If all goes as I have planned, you will be able to see how truly beautiful she has become!

But now onto the more urgent things I must tell you.
The Telemarines are planning to invade. Amelia and I have decided we are to stay at Cair Paravel and defend it the best to our ability. It is what Aslan wishes... and to be quite honest, it really is our only plan.

When you read this, I will be...well... I'm sure you can come to that conclusion. I am sorry my love, but I cannot bring myself to write the words that will bring you pain.

Always remember, that I love you. I will forever keep your love burning within me. I do not believe in death will keep us apart for very long. Aslan himself has promised me that.
I must go now, the final preperations for the defense are being made and as Queen I must go and attend.

I Love You with all my heart and soul.

Your Juliet.
His hand shook, as tears began to fall onto the old paper. He felt himself crumple to the floor, his head between his knees.

"Peter, are you alright? What does it say?" he could barely hear the sound of his siblings voices.

She was gone. He squeezed his eyes shut, picturing her smiling face in his mind.

Her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. The way her hair moved when she danced.
He felt sick.

"Peter..." Lucy was kneeling down next to him, hugging him, "It'll be alright I know it will Peter."

He nodded slowly, before allowing Lucy and the others to help him up. He looked back into the chest, and took out a few items, putting them carefully in his bag.

Edmund was at Amelia's chest, his face turned away from the others. But from the way his shoulders moved, they all knew he too was crying just as Peter had.

~------------~
The sun still shone brightly when they came out the vault. They were all visibly shaken.

"Come on, let's gather some apples." Lucy suggested. The others agreed.

They walked to the orchard, and began to pick apples and put them in their bags.

"Ow!" Edmund had tripped, falling over two large stones sticking up out of the ground, "What in the bloody..."

"No wait..." Peter had gotten there and was kneeling infront of them, wiping away the vines and dirt.

HERE LAYS QUEEN JULIET PEVENSIE.
WHO DIED IN THE NAME OF ALL OF NARNIA AND IN THE NAME OF ASLAN.

the other one read the same, but with Amelia's name written on.
The Pevensies were quiet for a moment, before Susan spoke,

"Let's gather some flowers," she said, "and clean them up."
~-------------~
When they had finished, they went down too the river mouth.

They could see a boat, with two soldiers inside. In their hands was a squirming dwarf. Susan immediatly readied an arrow and let it fly.

"Drop him!"

The soldiers obliged, dropping the wide-eyed dwarf into the water.
She let fly two more arrows, each hitting the soldiers, causing them to fall into the waters with yells.

Peter dove into the water, bringing the dwarf up with him, while Edmund brought the boat to shore.

He set the dwarf down and Lucy cut his bindings. After the dwarf sputtered for a few moments, he glared up at the Pevensies.

"DROP him?" he spat, "They were doing just killing me without your help!"

"Perhaps we should've let them," Peter said testily.

"Why were they were trying to kill you anyway?" Lucy asked curiously.

"They're Telemarines," he spat, "It's what they do."

"Telemarines?!" Edmund said, "In Narnia?"

The dwarf glanced up, "Where've you been the past hundred or so years?"

"It's bit of a long story." Lucy giggled.

Peter nodded, as he put his sword back in his sheath.

Realization finally dawned upon the dwarf, "Oh no..." he muttered, "Your it?"

The children glanced at each other, "Um, sure?" Edmund said.

Peter extended a hand, "King Peter the Magnificent."

"You probalay could've left out that last bit." Susan said with a wry smile.

"Probalay." The dwarf agreed smirking.

Peter rolled his eyes, and took out his sword, offering it to the dwarf. He looked at it skeptically.

"You really don't wanna do that." he said.

"Not me." Peter said with a grin, "Edmund."

The dwarf sighed, but reluctantly took Peter's sword in hand while Edmund unsheathed his own.

They stood there for a few moments, staring at each other, before the dwarf leapt up, attacking Edmund. He swiftly blocked it, and in moments the two were at it, swords clashing. After a few minutes however, Edmund easily disarmed him, leaving the dwarf on his knees.

"Perhaps I was mistaken..." he said quietly, a smile on his face.

~-------------~
"Where exactly are we going?" Caspian demanded. His head was swirling. In the matter of only a day or so, he had found out that Old Narnia DID still exist. He looked down at his companions. A gruff black dwarf by the name of Nikabrik, (Caspian was wary of him, the dwarf's heart seemed set on killing him,) and a talking badger by the name of Trufflehunter. They had been found by the centaurs, and by the talking mice. Reepicheep was the mouse's leader, who had saved them from attacking Telemarine soldiers.

"Aslan's How of course!" Trufflehunter said, "It's our best bet at a defensible base. It's also...a bit of a sacred place for us Narnians."

Caspian nodded, Cornelius had told him stories of Aslan's How.

"And if the legends are true..." Trufflehunter began.

"Oh honestly," Nikabrik interupted, "She's not going to be there! She's dead, I tell you!"

"Who?" Caspian asked curiously.

Trufflehunter smiled, "Princess Arianna of course!"

~---------~
"And you'll find this legend the most interesting," his professor said with a smile on his face.

Caspian smiled eagerly, "What is it??" he asked.

The Professor opened his book to a page with the most beautiful girl Caspian had ever seen. Her face seemed familar however...

"This is Princess Arianna. Daughter of High King Peter and Queen Juliet. The legend goes that Queen Juliet, whom was descended from fairies, used what little magic she could...to enchant her precious daughter in order to save her from the Telemarine invasion."

Caspian stared at Cornelius, awe written over his face, "What'd she cast on her?"

"They say she enchanted her daughter to sleep until her father, King Peter returned," Cornelius smiled, "And you'll like this part Caspian, they say she can only be awoken with a kiss from her true love." he laughed, "Apparently Queen Juliet was old-fashioned. Who knows Caspian, perhaps you will kiss her one day and awaken her."

Caspian blushed, "Oh no, I doubt it sir..."
~---------~
"I know about her..." Caspian said slowly, "Her mother cast a spell on her right?"

Trufflehunter nodded, "So you've heard the legends then. Unfourtantly, whoever was tasked with hiding her did a good job. But they say she is somewhere near Aslan's How, untouched for years."

The dream flashed in Caspian's eyes. The woman mouthing words to him...the girl dancing...

But he shook his head, putting it out of his mind. There were far more pressing matters at hand.

For they had arrived at Aslan's How.