𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘 || peter pevensie [3]

chapter eight ~ into the west

Bursting through the surface, into the light, Maria found herself surprisingly dry. When her eyes adjusted, Maria saw at the edge of the pool from which she had emerged, a great set of paws. She looked up and smiled.

"It is good to see you again, Maria."

It didn't surprise her that Aslan knew her name.

"What is that?" Paulina's light voice shook.

Maria had somehow forgotten that she hadn't come through alone. "This is Aslan," she said, "the Lion I told you about."

"This is a lion?" Maria's mother swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself out. She frowned down at her dress, plucking at the floaty fabric, but shrugged after a moment, as if the huge Lion before her justified any further strange and magic occurrences.

Aslan stepped back as the other three climbed out of the pool. Maria helped Aliona find her feet as the girl's stunned eyes were fixed on the face of the Lion. She clung to Maria's arm, tucking herself a little behind her, but still not looking away from Aslan.

"It's okay. He isn't going to hurt you," Maria whispered.

Paulina took a step closer to the Lion, Maria eying her, cautious of what her mother might have to say. The woman reached out towards Aslan, who moved forwards to touch His forehead to her palm. Maria couldn't help but smile, a familiar warmth filling her from head to toe, tears coming into her eyes as her mother said, "Thank you for looking after my daughter."

Aslan closed His eyes and nodded. "It was an honour."

As her mother stepped back, Maria slipped out of Aliona's grip, to greet Aslan. She pressed her forehead against his, allowing His aura to engulf her one more. "You called me here," she said, pulling away, smiling.

"Yes. I'm taking you to the garden."

Maria glanced over her shoulders. "All of us?"

"Of course." Aslan made to turn, Maria ready to follow without hesitation. The other three were not so confident.

"Are you sure that it's okay for us to go with you?" Sacha asked.

"You are already here with me," Aslan said gently. "And none will any longer be parted from their family. You belong with your daughter, and she belongs with her family too." Then, He turned tail and began to run.

The garden on the hill seemed so far away and, for a while, Maria instinctively scoped the landscape for a place to rest when they could run no more. But, when she glanced over her shoulder to see how far they had run, the distance almost caused her to stumble. The sapphire pools from which they had emerged were now mere specks in the grass. And she was yet to feel an ounce of tiredness.

Despite that, Maria's heart was pounding by the time they reached the top of the hill and the gates to the garden. Though she wanted to see everyone she thought she had left behind forever, she could have wished for a moment to gather herself, and perhaps prepare her family, before the gates opened.

But no sooner had they taken so much as a step inside, Maria felt a rush of wind and a body collided with hers. Soft, coiled hair tickled her neck and she was hoisted into the air. The wild boy, Bacchus, gave a great cry and the Maenads were soon surrounding them. Despite the protests of Maria's family, the women draped them in crowns and necklaces woven from vines and flowers, taking hold of their hands and spinning them around. Though Sacha and Paulina seemed quite bewildered, Aliona was laughing, dancing with every woman who caught her arm.