Traces of Narnia...featuring Peter Pevensie

Section 2 -The Knowledge of April: CHAPTER 2 - The Trip Home

"All I know is what was in the book. You met him, walked and talked with him. Tell me more about him, please."

"Aslan is The Great Lion who created and is the one true king of Narnia. He protects it with a fierce and constant love. He is the son of the 'Emperor-over-the-sea'. He inspired a reverential fear in all of us, even those who were with the witch. He is both good and terrible at the same time (adapted from Beyond the Wardrobe, An Official Guide to Narnia).

Peter thought for a moment more, then continued, "You know, Lucy has always been the one to see him, the first to trust him, and to pursue him while the rest of us waited for him come to us. I wonder if we can pursue him here? What do you think? Do you believe?"

"I think I do. When I thought the stories were just stories I longed for him to be real. To have a presence like that in this world would be wonderful. Since I know the stories are real now, I have been thinking a lot lately wondering how one finds him here. How would one get to know him?"

"I don't know April. Do you think your grandmother's journal will have the answers for us?"

"I do hope so Peter. I have felt different since that night on the stage and I am hoping there will be something in there about it."

Peter seemed surprised. "You haven't mentioned that, what is going on?"

"When I was dancing that night, not knowing anyone was watching, I felt something break free inside of me, in a good way. It was like I was totally free in my movements that I could go anywhere. Where I wanted to go most is where Aslan was. Does that sound completely looney?"

"No," he said. "There is something I have been wanting to talk with you about too. It is one of the reasons I was so excited when you asked me to come. But, I think that conversation will be best saved for later. I do have the feeling that our questions may be answered on this trip. Speaking of which, I think we are here."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Welcome to Sway," she said. "What do you think?"

"It's quite nice, like we stepped back in time a bit." Peter said, carrying their bags.

April looked around. It was good to be home. She had missed it more than she realized. She looked up the street. It looked like a photo from a tourism magazine. Two-story tudor style shops all lined up next to each other with flower baskets attached to the windows and hanging from the lamp posts. Bicycles and a few autos were moving slowly up and down the main street. People were calling to each other in friendly greeting. The smell of fresh baked bread wafted down the road.

"I'm afraid it is a bit of a walk. Our home is next to the forest. I'll tell you some history along the way. Sway is a settlement of Anglo-Saxon origin, and its name, from the Old English name 'Svieia', means 'noisy stream' talking probably of the Avon Water, the river that flows through Hampshire, our county. It was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 which is a manuscript record of the 'Great Survey' of much of England completed by order of King William the Conqueror. We have a long history."

He looked at her curiously. She laughed, "I know, I sound like a tour guide. Well, I was one. It helped me earn the money to go to Saint Finbar's."

"There is it, home sweet home." She pointed to a small cottage at the end of a lane with the forest indeed behind it. The sun was starting to set and the sky was awash with color. It was very quaint and historic looking and she hoped he would not mind the 'historic' features of the cottage too much. She knew it was going to be different than what he was used to.

She saw Peter studying the house, and wondered what he was thinking. Truly a cottage it was. Almost two stories, it was whitewashed with tiny windows. One might expect to see a thatched roof and smoke from a peat fire streaming out of the chimney. It had been modernized though, the roof was slate and it had central heat at least. The most striking feature was the gardens. Lined with a low solid whitewashed fence, the flower gardens were in full bloom and beautiful. The vegetable garden along the side and back of the house fed them for most of the year. Her father would always say the flower garden was unnecessary. Her mother was quick to remind him that the flowers were carefully chosen and placed to keep the marauding insects away from the vegetables. But, they all knew the gardens were her mother's solace. The thing that gave her purpose and hope.