Journey of Trust | A Narnian Story

Chapter 23 | Heather Hill

So, the two catch up to the others with few words spoken between them. Together, the friends climb one of the hills where Lucy spotted heather. The Queen of Old wants to collect some for Jonathan. Put on wounds as ointment or taken as tea it could act anti-inflammatory. Eustace helps her, eager to prove himself useful. The others settle down in the soft grass, enjoying the warmth and the different smells in the air – other than the usual saltiness of the sea. Luna hesitates, letting her eyes wander over the hill.

» I'll have a look around, « she nods at Reepicheep who returns the gesture, silently agreeing to stay alert in her place. As she is off, Caspian's eyes follow her until she vanishes at the hillside. Instead of walking right over the top of the hill, Luna stays on its flank. Else, she would announce their presence to anyone who has decent eyesight. One hand on the hilt of her sword, she wanders to the other side of the hill. Her footsteps make no sound in the high grass and heather. On the way, she doesn't meet any sign of life, other than a few bugs buzzing through the air. Luna frowns, she isn't sure if this is a good sign or not. However, the lack of trees could justify the missing wildlife. She doesn't come across any traces of larger animals either. After reaching the foot of the hill the others are on, she ascends the neighbouring one. It is slightly higher than the surrounding rises, though they are no comparison to the Narnian and Archenlandian mountain ranges.

Soon, she makes her way back to the others. For a bit, she stood on the top of the higher hill like a post on lookout – no point in hiding from an unknown enemy in this area when their presence could easily have been noticed already. She didn't spot anything suspicious, well, nothing more suspicious than the quiet on this island. There must be a good reason for the lack of life and trees. The latter could be explained by regular storms that keep the tall tree varieties from growing, but then there should at least grow some bushes and higher grasses in the valleys between the hills. Yet, Luna enjoyed being alone for a while. It wasn't the opportunity to sort her thoughts, but it certainly cleared her head. The young woman finds her friends in the same spot she left them, relaxing in the sun. As she descends the hilltop, Ed is stretched out in the heather, one arm over his eyes. His chest rises and falls evenly, he is probably taking a nap. Cas sits near him, listening to Eustace and Reep bicker. The two agreed to a training lesson farther down while Lucy sorts the herbs she collected with her cousin's help. Later, she will lay them out to dry. Luna watches them with a fond smile before her eyes flicker to Caspian. He rolls his shoulders. Rhindon rests next to him and the fingers of his right tap on its broadside. She can't detect a certain rhythm. Maybe he is bored. With one last look around for now, she decides to push away the awkwardness and joins him.

As her shadow falls over the king, his head jerks around, only to be met with a small smile from Luna.

» Found something? « He inquires as he lets go of his sword. In the face of a possible threat, he instinctively grabbed onto the hilt. She shakes her head, settling down next to him after she unfastened the sword from her belt,

» It's all quiet, maybe a little too much so. « He tilts his head to the side, regarding her for a moment. Her hair is a bit dishevelled from the steady breeze; a few strands escaped the braid Lucy did hours ago. She holds her back straight, yet her shoulders slack forward. So, her attention is somewhere else. Her eyes are clouded, guarded as she stares into the distance. Caspian is fascinated by the various expressions and emotions he always finds in her dark orbs. He loves seeing them glimmer with joy or mischief; happiness, however, is one of the rarest things to witness there.

» You suspect something is off? « He asks quietly, inclining his body towards her. She turns her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes answer him before she speaks,