Chapter One
(Lucy's POV)
I set the paper bag filled with groceries inside the basket on my bike. I had just finished up my weekly grocery shopping spree with Edmund. That was what we did every Monday for the past two years, ever since we had moved in with our relatives. Susan and Peter didn't have to come with us, though. They decided to go to America with our parents. 'Special duties with the war', our mother had said. 'It will be good for them to know more about politics', she had told them. Edmund and I on the other hand didn't have a choice. We had to stay in England, whether we liked it or not.
But Edmund hadn't come with me today, this time I was on my own. As I rode my bicycle down the cobblestone street, I couldn't help but wonder. Everyday I would wonder how Madi and Caspian were doing back in Narnia. I felt inside like it had been too long, like maybe something had gone wrong, and that was why Aslan hadn't given us the opportunity to return back home.
But if something had gone wrong, Madi would've sent us a message somehow. If the situation had been dire enough, she would've found a way to signal us. On that note, everything must've been fine. Maybe so fine, infact, that she had forgotten all about them. Or maybe, since the time in Narnia was different from the time in their world, Madi and Caspian had grown old and died. Maybe they weren't even breathing anymore and a new king or queen had taken over.
I parked my bike outside the house I shared with Edmund and my other relatives. Opening the door, the paper bag of groceries in my free arm, I stepped inside. Sighing, I strolled through the living room and into the kitchen. I was sure that Edmund was upstairs, I could hear him and Eustace arguing all the way from downstairs. I set the bag on the wooden kitchen table and began to put the food I had purchased away.
"Lucy! Lucy, hurry!" Edmund suddenly shouted. His shriek frightened me, causing me to jump and drop the loaf of bread I was putting on the counter. Quickly picking up the food and setting it on the countertop, I ran through the kitchen, the living room, and up the staircase. My heart was beating quickly. Something was definitely wrong. Stopping outside Edmund's bedroom door, I threw it open and ran inside. The room had filled with water and spilled out all over the floor. Thank goodness my aunt and uncle were out of town for the week, otherwise they would've freaked out at the sight.
"Lucy!" Edmund shouted and pointed to the floor. The water was coming from a picture that had fallen to the floor. Eustace was screaming and standing on top of Edmund's bed, crying like a little girl. A huge smile appeared on my face as I realized what was happening. Edmund was smiling as well, he obviously knew what was happening, too.
We were going home, back to Narnia.
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(Madi's POV)
"I won't be gone long, I promise." Caspian whispered to me in the moonlight. He wrapped his arms around me as the tears trailed over my cheeks. He was going on a quest at sea to negotiate peace with the other countries across the ocean, leaving me behind to look after the kingdom of Telmar.
And our two children.
"Daddy, don't go." Demetria cried as she hugged her father's knees. She was only four years old. I held her little two-year-old brother, Antonio, in my arms. Caspian smiled sadly as he kneeled down, becoming eye-level with his amazing daughter.
Demetria was born a year after Caspian and I were married. I was seventeen when she was born, and I was ninteen when I had become pregnant with Antonio. But I had known that I was ready for children. Caspian had been ready as well. He had wanted a little girl the first time, and he got what he had wished for. I wanted a boy the second time, and my expectations had been correct. Caspian said that I could name our first child if he could name our second one, so that was what we did.
Demetria had her father's dark hair, my blue eyes, and my smile. Antonio had my blonde hair, Caspian's eyes, nose, and grin. They were the perfect children, they were everything Caspian and I ever wanted. The best part was that Demetria already showed signs that she had her father's bravery and courage as well. Antonio was stubborn, just like me. I was honored to be their mother, and Caspian felt priveledged to be their father.
"Demetria, you need to be strong. I promise I'll come back soon. I'll only be gone for a couple of months." Caspian said to my little girl. But his words had no effect. She began to cry even more and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and looked up at me over her shoulder. I was trying my best not to cry as well. I had to be strong for my children and my husband.
"I love you, my princess." Caspian said as he held her tightly. Demetria wiped away her tears as he let go of her. She walked over to my side, grasping the fabric of my dress tightly in her hands. Caspian looked at me one last time, gave me a kiss on the cheek, told me that he loved me, then boarded the Dawn Treader. Demetria continued to silently cry into my dress, Antonio was still too young to understand what exactly was going on. I was thankful for that. I was already having trouble being strong for one of my children that two would've been too much.
My two children and I watched in silence as Caspian disappeared into the night, my tears shimmering in the starlight. The reason he was leaving at such a late hour, was because the kingdom next to us was starting to become....well...there had been a few rumors that the kingdom nearest to us had started associating with pirates and other skum of the earth.
Caspian had said that it was only just a superstition, but I still worried. I didn't want him to leave, I wanted him to stay more than anyone could imagine. I wanted him home with us, where we all were safe together. But he assured me that everything would be alright. He told me that he would be back before winter set in. And I believed him. I had no reason not to. He was my husband after all, he had never lied to me before.
I would find out soon that I had never been so wrong in my life.
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(Susan's POV)
I sat in my desk, writing my letter to Lucy and Edmund. It had been a few months since the last time I had seen the two. Peter and I had been so busy in America with Mother and Father that I haven't gotten much time to write or telephone the two of them. As I was writing the last sentence of the letter, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in." I said as I stood up from my desk and looked at the doorway. Peter walked in, a worried look in his eye. That was common with him. Ever since our last encounter in Narnia, he hadn't gotten any sleep. There were bags underneath his eyes, and he wasn't as strong as he used to be. His muscles had started to deteriorate, which was awful for his health, but he either hadn't noticed or didn't seem to care.
"What is it now, Peter?" I asked him. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.
"I found this in my room." He said and extended something towards me. I took it from him and realized that it was a note that had been crumpled up. The parchment looked old and in horrible shape. I un-crumpled the paper and read the words out loud.
"We're under attack. Help us." I read.
"I know who it's from. I could never forget that handwriting." Peter said to me.
"Who is it from?"
"Madi."
