The Four Elements of Narnia

Chapter One - A Warning and a Gift

In her rooms in the castle of Cair Paravel Lucy Pevensie tossed and turned in her sleep, murmuring to herself as she did so. With a sudden cry Lucy sat up her eyes wide open as she shouted the name "ASLAN!" and with the cry came a slight tremor of the earth that shook the castle, but not so much that it was noticed by the distressed girl who had just awoken from her dream.

Later that morning, Lucy rushed around her room, hastily getting dressed so that she would not miss the morning council with her siblings. Before she left the room she picked up her belt that held her precious dagger and healing cordial, which she would not go anywhere without. As she hurried along the corridors, her mind wondered back to her dream, she had to tell the others as soon as possible, something was coming, something dark and dangerous.

When she finally reached the council room, Lucy threw open the doors to see her other three siblings already there.

"Morning Lu", said Peter looking over to her, his sky blue eyes shining with laughter at something he, Susan and Edmund had just been discussing. Edmund, noticing Lucy's panicked look, frowned.

"Lucy? What's the matter?"

Peter and Susan, also noticing Lucy's serious demeanour stood up, worried.

Lucy took a deep breath and proceeded to tell them everything.

"I was standing in the orchard, here, at Cair Paravel" Lucy recounted to her siblings, whilst they listened intensely, "and suddenly, the sky went dark, a great shadow loomed over me and I felt cold right to my core." Lucy shuddered as she remembered the dream. "I felt trapped, there was nothing I could see to fight... But then Aslan was there and the sky lightened and the cold shadow backed away, as if it was scared of him."

"Aslan?!" exclaimed Edmund and went to say more but was stopped by Peter with a hard stare. Lucy nodded and then continued.

"Aslan turned to me and told me that a danger was coming and that... well...", she paused, scared of what she had to tell her siblings next, "that it would come in the form that was somehow related to the White Witch." A deadly silence went over the room, her sibling's faces a mix of emotions at the sound of the name of their old enemy. Surprisingly, it was Edmund who spoke first, his voice quiet but unwavering, "Did he say anything else Lu?"

Lucy looked at him gratefully for breaking the silence and nodded. "Yes. He told me that it would take a great amount of power to defeat the force but that we four would soon be granted gifts to help contribute to the fight."

"Gifts?" Susan questioned, her voice gentle as she clutched Peter's arm, "What kind of gifts?"

"Aslan didn't say, only that they would be powerful ones." Peter, who had been silent the longest finally spoke. "If this threat is so powerful, why isn't Aslan coming himself?" asked Peter. At this Lucy's face darkened.

"That's the thing, he said he couldn't. He said he was trying to subdue the evil force and the only thing he could do is send us these gifts." Lucy's voice wavered as she thought of Aslan not being able to help them, Edmund put his arm round her and she leaned into it gratefully.

"Well" said Peter, regaining his majestic composure that marked him as the High King, "If Aslan can't come, we're going to have to do this ourselves."

Lucy was sat on her bed when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in!" she called, wiping away her tears. It was Susan who entered, she could tell how much the dream had shaken Lucy and had come to comfort her sister. As soon as she saw the tears on her sisters face Susan pulled her into a hug.

"It was horrible", Lucy whispered, "I felt so trapped and alone and even when Aslan came the shadow was still there, waiting, fighting back against him." The tone in Lucy's voice suddenly changed to one of anger, "We've got to help him Su, I hate to think of him battling evil alone!" As the anger in her voice grew a slight rumble was heard throughout the castle causing Susan to look up in alarm, Lucy, lost in her anger had not appeared to have noticed it. As Lucy's anger increased, so did the rumbling and the castle began to shake. This time Lucy noticed it and looked around bewildered.

"Susan!" she yelled, "What's happening?!" As Lucy's panic rose Susan's did as well, as books and ornaments began falling off shelves. Susan looked up and saw the chandelier was swinging wildly just above Lucy's head, as Susan noticed this she also noticed how close it looked to falling onto her sister. With a scream she reached out her hand, her eyes flashing with anger and determination and a bolt of fire flew across the room, making Lucy leap to one side to avoid it, just as the chandelier came crashing down in the space she had been standing in. As Lucy sat up, the shaking subsided. Susan was looking at her hands in shock, as Lucy surveyed the destroyed room.

"What in Aslan's name was that?" she demanded.

"I think," replied Susan, "that, was Aslan's gift."

Edmund was out riding with Phillip trying to clear his head after the events of the council room. He was still shaken from hearing the name of the woman who had used him against his siblings 10 years ago. It was part of his past that he was most ashamed of and had never truly forgiven himself for it. He noticed suddenly that Phillip was slowing down and pulled himself out of his worries. "What is it old friend?" he asked, concerned.

"Don't worry about me", panted the horse, "I'm just thirsty."

"I think we're in luck" Edmund commented, "I'm sure I can hear some running water close by." Sure enough, they soon came to a clearing with a babbling brook. Edmund dismounted and let Phillip have his drink, whilst his mind turned back to his worries. He stared into the water, a stern frown on his face. A minute later Phillip gave a whiny of alarm as the water he had been drinking began to drain from the spot he was standing in. He looked up to see a whirlwind of water rising up in front of Edmund. He whinnied, hoping to warn the King, but noticed that the water seemed to follow the direction of the young man's eyes.

"Your Majesty!!" he yelled, finally catching Edmund's attention. The King broke out of his daze and the water came crashing down around them, leaving a bewildered look on Edmund's face, and both of them drenched in water.

The apple orchard in the grounds of Cair Paravel was one of Peter's favourite places. A quiet area he came when he needed to think. Currently his thoughts were troubled. He feared the future of the kingdom and the danger that Aslan had warned them of, but most of all he feared for his family. Hadn't he promised his mother all those years ago that he would look after them? As Peter continued thinking of this fear, a ball of stress grew inside him and around him the wind started to pick up. Gradually the air began to whip around the orchard, until it was so great that the apple trees themselves began to bend. Peter stood in the middle of it all staring at the event that was happening around him, he suddenly heard a creaking noise and noticed cracks forming in some of the weaker trees. His heart leapt, his favourite place was being destroyed, he had to stop it. Just as quickly as it had begun, the wind stopped, the air completely still. Before he had time to think about it he heard someone yell his name and turned to see his three siblings running towards him, with Edmund sopping wet and Lucy and Susan looking completely dishevelled. They stopped in front of him and all at once began to tell their stories, as Peter listened, he suddenly realised where the wind had come from, it had come from him. This, was Aslan's gift.