The Chronicles Of Narnia : The High Queen

Chapter 21

She turned away from the boy and settled on her side.

Hearing Peter sigh and settle down, the girl too closed her eyes to sleep.

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Bright light filtered through gaps in the trees and for the first time since the Pevensies had arrived, Narnia seemed alive.

Lucy, having snapped awake by the sound of a distinct growl, walked through the trees.

She embraced the soft wind that swept her hair back and watched the trees dance in the wind.

The young girl smiled at the sight.

Deeper into the shuddering woods, Lucy stopped in her path, gasping at the sight before her.

A dryad danced in the wind, watching the girl with a smile as she moved closer.

The dryad brushed her fingers along Lucy's hair before gliding back towards the trees.

The young queen took a step towards the dryad but the woman smiled and dissolved into petals that blew away.

Lucy's eyes followed the petals.

Her breath caught in her throat as the petals blew past a dark figure standing among the trees.

Lucy could only make out the outline of the figure and it's sudden appearance made her gasp.

Her racing heartbeat matched the quick but short steps she took back as the figure inched closer to her.

If it was to be a soldier from those at Beruna, she had no clue on how to escape from being captured.

However, the figure proved to be a female as a ray of light shone upon her, revealing her long hair and green dress.

Lucy froze in her steps.

A young girl slipped through the trees, so fast and silent she could be easily mistaken for a shadow.

The youngest Pevensie squinted her eyes watching the girl move quickly but gracefully towards her.

Lucy gasped as the the girl appeared before her, a glint in her brown eyes and a smile on her face.

"Aria!", she cried with joy and ran towards the girl, tears brimming her eyes.

Aria held onto the girl tight.
She had dreamt of this moment so many times over the years but it still wasn't enough to prepare herself for it.

The relief that her family had returned was enough to make her cry.

But the resentment she couldnt help but have against them, dampened her mood.

"Lucy", Aria said softly, bringing the girl to face her.
"You're finally here", she stated with a sad smile.

"I knew you were alive", Lucy said. "Peter would be so happy to know you're here".

Aria lost her smile but was quick to cover it up.

She smiled again wider but it did not quite meet her eyes.

"Alive.... I don't know if I could say that", the girl whispered, her eyes looking at everything but the girl.

Lucy frowned.
She observed Aria's face.

Her eyes were the same brown ones and her beauty, that she was known for, stood out quite clearly.

But there was something different about the girl that Lucy couldn't point out.

"Trumpkin. He mentioned you were a spirit?", the girl asked softly.

Aria smiled, turning to look at the youngest Pevensie.

"Of sorts", she sighed, her eyes turning to stare at something in the distance.

"But it's for another time. There's someone else who you would want to meet", Aria stated.

Lucy followed the girl's gaze to see a lion staring back at them.

Lucy beamed, her smile lighting up her face.
"Aslan!", the young girl ran towards the magnificent lion.

She buried her head in Aslan's mane as the lion chuckled.

"Hello Lucy", Aslan greeted and Lucy met his eyes.

The lion smiled and turned to look at the girl that stood at a distance.

Aria held her hands close to her chest as she stared at the Pevensie with a sullen look.

"Aria", Aslan stated and the girl seemed to snap out of her trance.

Her eyes scanned the lion's face, noticing the pity that she knew all too well and then to the girl.

Aria took a deep breath, clenching her fists on either side of her dress.

"We will meet again Lucy", she said.

The older girl flashed a smile at Lucy and the young girl gasped as Aria vanished into a hazy blue.

Lucy stared at the empty space in shock.

She looked at Aslan with wide eyes
"Aria... she-". The girl stuttered.

Narnia had it's many wonders that she couldn't find back in England and such magic would not have surprised her.

But to see a human girl she knew so well disappear before her eyes baffled her.
Aria seemed to have some kind of magic that Lucy had seen only certain narnians possess.

"Aria is not the same as before, young one. She is now a creature of magic", Aslan stated.
"It is only by this way that she has managed to stay alive this long".

The lion smiled at the girl.
"You will meet her again Lucy. And so will your siblings".

"But...what is she?", Lucy whispered.
"Does she have powers too like the other creatures of magic? Is that how she takes care of the Narnians as Trumpkin had mentioned?".

Lucy glanced back at the spot where the girl had been before.

She had known of spirits and gods that possessed different powers and she had been fortunate enough to witness one when she was in Narnia.

It left her feeling more excited than afraid to know that Aria might too possess certain powers.

Aslan let out a throaty laugh as he watched the  girl grow excited with each question.

"Your questions will be answered all in due time, little one".

Lucy nodded in response. She turned to look at the lion with a smile.

"You've grown", she said.

Aslan smiled warmly at the young child.
"Every year you grow, so shall I".

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To be continued..