Always and Forever

Our family gathering slowly disappeared as we continued to walk. I noticed Susan walking alone and realized that we haven’t really talked since the bombing and I missed my best friend.

“Hey Su.” I said walking up to her, “I feel like we don’t talk anymore!” I complained.

Susan laughed and said, “Because my brother and you are always hanging all over each other!”

I gasped and my face turned bright red, “Shut up! We are not!” I muttered while pushing on her arm, still blushing. Susan laughed harder while Michael and Peter caught up to us and asked, “Do we want to know?” I blushed even darker and glared at Susan who was trying to stifle her laughs. After awhile of laughing, running and joking around we finally came into view of Aslan’s camp-out. We walked in silence through the green fields admiring the beauty around us. A half man half horse blew a horn from a distance signaling our arrival to the camp, startling many of us. As we walked through the camp everyone stop what they were doing and stared at us, some even followed.

“Why are they all staring at us?” Susan muttered to me while smiling.

“Maybe they think you look funny.” Lucy giggled causing her to receive a glare from Susan while Michael and I chuckled quietly, and Peter and Courtney smiled.

“Oh stop your fussing Mrs. Beaver. You look lovely.” Beaver said when he noticed Mrs. Beaver fussing over her fur again. I smiled at the loving couple and faced forward again, continuing forward. We gathered at the head of the major tent, and Peter pulled out his sword and said bravely, “We have come to see Aslan.” Toward the centaur. The tent in front of us billowed in the wind and the creatures around us bowed. A huge lion stepped out. He was a golden blonde all over and had an air around him that held respect and bravery. Subconsciously we all kneeled down out of respect along with the other creatures.

“Welcome Peter, and Michael Adam's son,” His deep voice said proudly yet soothingly, “Welcome Sarah, Susan, Lucy, and Courtney daughters-of-Eve. Welcome Beavers. You have my thanks, but where are the other two?” He asked curiously.

“That's why we are here.” Peter started, standing up as he said it.

“We had a little trouble along the way.” I butted in slightly, following his suit. Slowly our siblings followed our example.

“They’ve been captured by the White Witch” Michael explained seeing everyone’s confused faces.

“Captured?!” Some bellowed from the crowd behind us.

“The boy betrayed them your Excellence! The girl followed him out of curiosity…she did not know what she was getting herself into…” Beaver explained.

“Then he has betrayed us all” the centaur bellowed from next to Aslan.

“Peace Oreius.” Aslan tried.

“It is my fault really. I was too hard on him.” Peter said sadly, I place my hand on his arm, and Peter grabbed it with his other hand and looked down at me sadly.

“We all were.” Susan said, backing up her brother

“Sir, they‘re our family.” Courtney said speaking up for the first time pleadingly.

“I know dear one and that makes the betrayal all the worse. It may be harder than you think” Aslan said sympathetically.

Once we had discussed our business with Aslan we were given clean clothes to wear and the girls and I went to the stream to wash up. I scrubbed the dirt out of my golden blonde hair and skin, and helped Courtney wash up as well. I pulled on the dark blue gown I was given. It had a square neck line and fit snuggly with a lace up corset back. It was simple yet elegant. I looked at a rustic mirror hanging on the tree, and pulled my hair back into a loose French braid to get it out of my face, allowing the braid to fall down my back. Then, I helped Courtney put on her light purple dress that looked like Lucy’s excepted her’s was a gray blue.

“Our Mothers haven’t had a dress like this since before the war” Susan said sadly while staring at the river. I finished lacing up Courtney dress and smiled sympathetically towards Susan, while pining Courtney’s hair back since it was too short to put up.

“We should bring back a whole trunk load when we go home.” Lucy said excited causing me to smile.

“If we go home...” Susan said solemnly “Sorry I guess I am like that. Remember when we use to have fun?” She asked sadly once seeing Lucy’s face, “when we all had fun…” she continued looking at me.

“Yes, before you got boring.” I laughed teasingly.

“Oh really?” Susan challenged before she splashing me with water. All of us broke out into a huge water fight. Laughing Susan and I trudged towards the towels completely soaked. I pulled the towel from the wire only to come face to face with Maugrim. Susan and I screamed and jumped back.

“Please don’t scream, we’re very tired and we’d prefer to kill you quickly.” Maugrim snarled. I quickly looked over to where our weapons and Susan’s horn was, and made eye contact with Susan, who nodded slightly. Suddenly, I whipped the towel into the wolfs’ face catching him by surprise. I ran over to my daggers and threw the horn to Susan who with Courtney and Lucy were in the tree nearby. Maugrim tackled me to the ground causing me to cry out in pain, when his claw cut my arm.

“Sarah!” I heard Peter call as he ran up the stream towards me. Aslan tackled Maugrim’s other pack member and said, “Stay back. This is Peter's battle.” When Oreius tried to attacked Maugrim who was still on top of me. Suddenly Maugrim jumped off of me while kicking me backwards into the tree the girls were hiding in, and jumped on top of Peter.

“Peter... no!” We all yelled and I scramble up, ignoring the pain in my arm and kneeled down beside Peter pushing Maugrim off of him. I look at Peter when I see him with a disgusted look on his face from having a dead wolf on him.

“Peter!” I breathed happily and tackling him into a hug, causing us to fall back onto the ground from our sitting position.

“Follow him! He'll lead you to Edmund and Lydia. Peter, clean your sword.” Aslan said letting go of the wolf he had pinned down, who quickly ran off without a second glance. Peter pulled away from my embrace and cleaned his sword and knelt in front of Aslan.

“Rise, Sir Peter Wolf’s bane--Knight of Narnia.” Aslan said proudly resting his paw on Peter’s shoulder, as the girls climbed out of the tree, and tackled me into a hug. I pull away a check to make sure everyone’s okay then look at Peter proudly as he looked at us smiling. Susan and Lucy let go of me and tackle Peter in a hug causing him to stumble backwards and Courtney and I to laugh. I pulled Courtney into a one armed hug and she wrapped her arms around my waist, burying her face in my stomach.

“You’re hurt.” Peter said with worry in his voice, and the others walked towards the camp, including Courtney.

“Oh,” I said looking at my arm that was bleeding on my new dress. “It’s nothing I can’t handle; Just means I have to clean and patch up this brand new dress!” I said laughing lightly. Peter chuckled and shook his head but walked towards me and took a look at my arm anyway. I watched as the sun illuminated his face, and saw his brow furry as he examined my injury. He looked up at me and our eyes locked. His eyes full of confusion, happiness, fear and something else I couldn’t pin point. We both leaned forward slightly until someone cleared their throat causing us to jump apart, and me to bite my lip in pain. Michael was standing there amused, and said, “Lunch is ready you too.” and walked away chuckling.

“Right…well I better go change and get this looked at.” I stuttered, blushing slightly, motioning to my arm and left Peter standing there looking at me as I walked away.