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WALKING IN THE WIND
ix. MEETING THE PEVENSIES

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  FOR THE HOURS THAT followed Hope and Edmund's early-morning chat, Wysteria bustled with chaos. The preparations for the royal family's travels to Narnia were finalized long ago, and still, there was so much excitement amongst the Wysterians that chaos was unavoidable.

  Compared to Edmund's travels, this voyage was different. This time, the entire Wysterian royal family would travel to Narnia instead of only Odette. This was because, unlike her fiancé, Odette was still learning the politics of ruling. For now, her parents would supervise her until her wedding in June.

  Narnia was a mere four hours away by ship, which didn't sound terrible in theory; however, Hope felt sick thinking about it. She had never been on a ship before, but she despised them. After all, the last time she saw her father, he was waving her goodbye before traveling overseas two years ago.

  Her original plan was to suppress her discomfort by keeping herself occupied. Unfortunately, there wasn't much for her to do. All she could do, realistically, was chat with the others and lounge around until they arrived in Narnia. Hope tried to seek Odette for entertainment, but then her parents stole her away to discuss their schedule in Narnia privately — as in no servants allowed.

  So, there went Hope's lame attempts at distracting herself. But it wasn't too bad, not at first.

  The day was cool, which was odd for the first day of May. She assumed it was because they were sailing through the seas. The breeze was strong, overpowering the day's warmth and bringing goosebumps to her skin. Seasalt was rich on her face from the droplets of the ocean splashing her face. The first hour abroad was filled with so much excited chatter that she managed to forget why she felt so uneasy in the first place.

  But eventually, Hope found herself standing alone for the second time that day, and she didn't mind it initially. She usually tried to enjoy the few moments she got alone. It wasn't until she looked past the vessel's railing and saw the ocean wave at her when she realized that for the past hour, despite everyone's contagious excitement, she'd been undeniably tense.

  There wasn't a day where she didn't think about her father, and today was worse than usual. Hope knew he died from an illness he caught overseas, so she technically lacked a proper reason to dislike ships. But the last time Hope saw him, he was standing aboard a ship, and that felt like a good enough reason to hate water vessels altogether. Of course, no one knew that, not even Odette.

  Hope was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice someone join her side. This time, she knew who it was and she didn't let that intimidate her.

  "Are you sure you're not stalking me, Your Majesty?" she greeted.

  Edmund chuckled. "I think you're the one stalking me, dove. How do you always end up wherever I go?" he retorted before shaking his head. He leaned against the ship railing, arms propped upon it. Their elbows touched. "No, I'll admit, this time, I was sent to find you. Odette was looking for you."

  Hope frowned as she turned to face him. "Is she okay?"

  The observant boy eyed her. Between the way she was gripping the ship's railing as though she was seconds away from falling overboard and how it sounded like she'd been holding her breath, Edmund sensed something was wrong with her.

  "Are you?" he returned.

  That caught her off-guard. "Of course, I am," she dismissed, her attention being pulled by the ocean again.

  Hope was an awful liar, he noticed. Her voice was strong, but her eyes and body language told another story. Nonetheless, Edmund didn't know if it was his place to encourage her to talk to him. He knew how his sisters could get when they were having a bad day, and he was sure that was universal among all girls. He didn't want to push her.

  Edmund pondered what was wrong with Hope. From what he witnessed throughout the last month, she was a happy-go-lucky girl. She was only ever frazzled when she was embarrassed or thought she was in trouble. Nothing seemed to work Hope up like the time she ran into him the first time they met, he recalled.

  But that didn't make any sense. She was an angel, never doing anything wrong. What embarrassing or punishable thing could Hope have done in the hour they'd been aboard the ship? Hold on. Ship. Hope. Why did those two words next to each other sound significant to Edmund?

  Oh. This wasn't about her.

  "Is it your father?" Edmund gently asked. She quietly peered back at him, allowing him to continue, "You, um, you said he died overseas."

  Hope was stunned. She knew Edmund was sharp and intelligent, but she still couldn't comprehend how easily he could read her. Like a book.

  Defeated, she sighed. "The last time I saw him, he was on a ship," she reported. "...Is it obtuse of me to have a vendetta against ships because of it? I mean, it's not like the ship killed him."

  Edmund paused, considering his words for a moment. "When I was younger, I loved winter. Christmas was my favorite holiday. My siblings and I loved the snow more than anything," he recalled. "But after the, um, the White Witch, I'm not as fond of it anymore. The snow didn't do anything, but it reminds me of... darker times." His gaze was trained on her as he added, "I don't think it's stupid at all. We just need to distract you until we arrive in Narnia."

  She glimpsed back at him, amazed. She was beginning to think that Edmund was a guardian angel of some sort sent by Aslan himself.

  Before she could reply, Edmund suggested, "How about I bring you to Odette, and I can tell you two all about Cair Paravel?"

  She tilted her head toward the side, puzzled. "Cair Paravel?" she repeated.

  "Mhm, it's our castle."

  "...You named your castle?"

  "Well, of course!" Edmund returned. He wrapped his hand around her wrist, gently pulling her forward. "All castles have a name. Doesn't the castle in Wysteria have one?"

  Hope pinched her eyebrows together. "Uh, yeah, castle."

  Edmund snorted. He knew she could be a little sarcastic at times, but he could tell he was beginning to rub off on her. "Well, that's not very creative," he teased. "Come along, dove."

  Hope just laughed. Her excitement to see Narnia with her own eyes returned to her, and being with Edmund reminded her of it even more so than her original discomfort. The day wasn't lost to her cloudy thoughts. Edmund nearly patted himself on the back for salvaging her day and reviving her smile again — something he knew his siblings would never believe. Edmund Pevensie, their annoying brother, was the source of a poor girl's joy? Yeah, right!

  If only Hope knew that after today, she would never see Wysteria again.

○ ○ ○

  The stories didn't do Narnia justice.

  In Wysteria, the land was dismal and dreary due to the people's nonexistent faith in Aslan. Magic was scarce, the animals refused to speak, and there weren't nearly as many wonderful creatures, like centaurs and dryads, as there once was. Even when the clouds parted to reveal sunshine, there was a permanent overcast over Wysteria. But Narnia, on the other hand...

  Whatever Wysteria was, Narnia was its complete opposite.

  It was almost too overwhelming for Hope. The country was saturated in colors she swore didn't exist in Wysteria. The sun smiled at the world and the grass was soft like a dozen pillows. The wind whistled sweet melodies for the birds to harmonize with. The trees swayed so gracefully that they looked like they were dancing. Dryads soared beside them, waving at the Wysterians. The smell of earth and fresh lilies was abundant. Even Odette, who never stopped talking, was speechless as they trekked toward Cair Paravel.

  Hope was so glad she suffered through that long, long boat ride (which was only made tolerable by her dear friend, Edmund) for this. This was something she would never forget for as long as she lived. She feared that someone would pinch her and she'd wake up to all of this being a dream.

  And just when things couldn't get any better, Cair Paravel stood tall in the near distance.

  Hope couldn't believe her eyes when she saw it. It looked like something straight out of a fairytale book. It was large, enchanting. Fairies, birds, and other winged creatures fluttered around it, making it look even more magical. Endless lines of Narnians greeted the Wysterians and their king, zealously waving and cheering as though they'd just returned from war.

  While Odette and her parents stepped out of their coach, Hope joined a few servants at the frontlines. Hope was sure she looked like an idiot with how wide her eyes were and how her jaw had been agape for the last 20 minutes. But Edmund had been watching her this whole time, and he'd never seen the light twinkle in someone's eyes like that before.

  Edmund stood by Hope's side, not realizing how hard he was smiling at her childlike glee. He found it endearing. "Want me to pinch you?" he humored.

  Hope's bright eyes were locked on all of the sights around her, desperately taking it all in as she replied, "I mean this with the utmost of respect, Edmund, but if you do, I'll hit you."

  As he laughed at her weak threat, a small girl, who was notably bare-foot, went running past the Narnians. Her long, copper-colored hair ran wildly and freely, much like her spirit. Instead of a crown, a ring of flowers sat atop her head. Her blue eyes filled with joy as she practically tackled King Edmund in a hug. This was Lucy Pevensie, the Valiant.

  Edmund hardly remembered to return the small girl's hug. "Oof, hello to you, too, Lu," he lightheartedly greeted. He didn't particularly enjoy showing affection to his siblings publicly, but he decided to make an exception this time.

  "Finally, you're back!" the girl cheered, ignoring his greeting. "It's been too long, Ed! How was it? What was it like? You know, it's not fair you get to go on all the adventures and leave the rest of us behind! No, never mind the rest of us, how could you leave me behind?!"

  As she rambled, two more joined them. One was another girl: Susan Pevensie, the Gentle. She was much more reserved and tamer than the other girl, but that didn't stop her from exclaiming, "Come on, Lu, he was only gone a month!"

  "Only a month, she says," mimicked Lucy. "It was a month too long!"

  "Yes, it was quite a long month without our brother," agreed the other person who joined them. This was Peter Pevensie, a tall, deep-chested blond. He held himself with so much authority and purpose that it was intimidating. "But peaceful, I'd say!"

  Edmund rolled his eyes. "Yes, I missed you, too, Pete," he joked.

  As Edmund greeted his siblings, Hope was hastily realizing she was standing before the prophesized four siblings that ended the Long Winter. By Aslan, this was a dream come true! And as a response, all she could do was stare at them in awe, absolutely frozen as though she were a statue. The only person who seemed to notice her state of starstruck was Lucy.

  "Ed, aren't you going to introduce us?" the youngest recommended.

  Edmund's eyebrows shot upward toward his hairline. He glanced back at Hope, chuckling at her reaction. "Come on, don't be shy," he encouraged. He took her arm and tenderly pulled her forward. "Everyone, this is Hope—"

  Before Hope could properly bow before them, Lucy squealed and scurried forward, engulfing the girl in a tight hug. The Valiant was shorter and only a year younger than Hope, but she carried the strength of a lion.

  "It's so nice to finally meet you!" Lucy beamed, pulling away. Her smile was warm and made Hope feel welcomed despite her sheer confusion.

  Hope slowly blinked, eyebrows pinched together. "F-Finally...?" she repeated.

  Lucy nodded. "Mhm, I'm so excited to meet my future sister!"

  Hope thought she was going to pass out. What in the world was she talking about?

  Peter sighed. "No, Lu, this isn't Princess Odette. I think you're mistaken," he lightly corrected.

  Lucy didn't understand. "Really?" She looked back at Edmund. "But you spoke so highly of Hope in your letter we received last week, I just thought—"

  Hope's eyes widened even more if that was possible. Edmund wrote about her in a letter?!

  "No, no!" peevishly interrupted Edmund. "By the lion's mane, Lady Hope is Princess Odette's lady-in-waiting. She's a friend." No one noticed how his face flushed just a bit because they were so focused on Hope, who looked like she couldn't breathe.

  Susan pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, dear, this is a terrible first impression."

  Peter shook his head and turned to Hope. A big grin spread across his face as he chuckled, which remarkably made him seem even more intimidating. He was the textbook definition of Prince Charming.

  "I do hope you'll pardon Lucy and her confusion. She was the only one of the four of us who was unable to meet Princess Odette when she and her family last visited Narnia," Peter narrated. He extended a hand, his blue eyes staring into Hope's soul. "I'm High King Peter, the Magnificent."

  When Hope stared at his hand, perplexed, Edmund promptly instructed the Wysterian, "You're supposed to shake it."

  Such a ritual was foreign to Hope, but she didn't bother questioning it. She was already a nervous wreck. With an uncomfortable smile, Hope awkwardly took the High King's hand (and she was pretty sure she did the shaking thing right). Then, she said, "It's an honor, Your Majesty."

  Peter's grin grew. "I'm exhilarated we're meeting, Lady Hope. I wanted to be one of the first to welcome you to Narnia. Ed told us in a letter last week that you'd been helping him grow accustomed to Wysteria's culture. I wanted to thank you."

  Hope couldn't believe what she was hearing. The bloody High King of Narnia wanted to thank her? For what? For being a decent person? She didn't even think King David ever thanked her for taking care of Odette for the last three years.

  "I..." stammered Hope. "It's nothing. I enjoy being, uh, charitable."

  Hope's eyes widened again. 'Did I honestly just say that helping King Edmund was charity work?!' she thought. 'There goes the rest of my life. I hope they can find a small enough guillotine for me.'

  Only a millisecond of silence passed before Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy erupted with wild laughter. The sudden tension in Hope's chest faded.

  "That was quite funny, Lady Hope," Peter complimented.

  "Anyone who can make fun of Ed is alright in my book," added Lucy. "We're going to be wonderful friends, I can feel it already! I do hope you can forgive me for my foolishness before."

  "It-It's okay!" stuttered Hope.

  Meanwhile, Edmund was getting severe flashbacks to when they first met. How she managed to embarrass herself both times she met a Pevensie was beyond him. Well, to him, it wasn't embarrassing, but Edmund knew she thought it was. The thought caused him to snicker.

  "Right, well, as you know now, this is Lucy," Edmund introduced. He motioned to the smaller girl of the group. Then, he nodded toward his other sister. "And this is Susan."

  Susan offered Hope a kind smile. Her eyes were light blue, but despite the coolness of her irises, there was warmth in them. Her dark brown hair was so long that it nearly touched the floor. Hope couldn't help but notice that she and Queen Lydia resembled each other closely. She was quite beautiful.

  Susan was a woman of few words, only mentioning a polite greeting before moving with her siblings to greet the rest of their guests. After all, they couldn't dawdle on Hope when she wasn't even their Guest of Honor.

  Hope glanced back at Edmund, finally relaxing a little bit after they were gone. "That was awful," she declared. She sounded like she just ran a marathon. In reality, her heart was racing so fast that she couldn't breathe.

  "Don't worry, I think you did great," Edmund taunted.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. "I can sense your smugness from miles away," she remarked.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, are you going to do something about it?" he challenged.

  As Hope's eyes widened, Edmund thought he had her beat. That was when she fired back, "No, but I'm more interested in that letter your siblings mentioned!"

  Edmund's cheeks burned bright, but Hope was quick to blame it on the heat of the day. "That's enough chit-chat for now, dove," he dismissed. He turned on his heel and headed toward his future in-laws, leaving Hope to laugh.

  And as she looked up at Cair Paravel, despite her rocky introduction to the High King and Queens, she couldn't help but think one thing.

  Narnia felt more like home than Wysteria ever did.