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WALKING IN THE WIND
xiv. IN A BLINK

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  TIME IS A STRANGE thing, something that Hope sometimes didn't understand. How it moved and shifted and how every little thing seems to depend on time fascinated her. Anything and everything and oftentimes nothing can happen in a matter of time, whether it's seconds or years, and depending on what that thing is, it'll either feel like it lasted for an eternity or the blink of an eye. For something that seemed so simple, it was undeniably complex. Hope was slowly learning that everything in life was like that. Nothing is ever what meets the eye.

  Three weeks had already passed since the Wysterians' arrival in Narnia, and it didn't go peacefully nor quietly. The days, drowned out with endless things to do, were speeding by. Although Hope was used to always having a demanding schedule by now, she couldn't believe how quickly the clock was ticking, especially when she woke up this morning and realized that tomorrow was the 25th of May—Odette's 18th birthday.

  And, if you've been paying attention, then you'll recall that in just one week, on the first of June, was the big day. It was the wedding between Edmund and Odette, the wedding that would make Odette a Queen of Narnia, the wedding that Hope was dreading.

  Hope wished she could say she only ever thought about the princess's birthday and wedding, but that simply wasn't the truth. All she thought about, it seemed, was Edmund, and it wasn't a new occurrence either.

  For the last two months, and maybe even a little bit before they formally met, Edmund took permanent residence in her mind, distracting her thoughts at every hour of every day. More specifically, all she could think about nowadays was how she developed an unfortunate crush on him.

  How could she not? She'd spent the last two months with him! Did you see how he dropped everything just to apologize for hurting her feelings last week? In what reality could Hope not fall for him?

  It felt like a twisted joke. Of all the people in the world, all the people she'd spoken to and seen, she just had to fall for the bloody King of Narnia. She couldn't even fall for the one that was single. She had to fall for the one who was engaged, the one who was humiliatingly out of her league.

  The worst part was that Hope wasn't doing a thing about it. She still spent copious amounts of time with him, pretending her feelings weren't there. She was hoping that perhaps this silly crush would pass by the time the wedding came, but even she wasn't sure of how plausible that wish was. Hope didn't know what to do other than ignore her feelings and pretend like everything was okay. Maybe she could neglect her feelings until they inevitably vanished. That didn't sound too unbearable. There was no way she could like someone, someone who didn't even like her like that, for that long, right? Surely, she would move on eventually, right?

  Perseverance never seemed so challenging until now. The question was no longer when would these feelings pass, but rather, how long would it take? Days, weeks, months, years? She cringed at the thought of yearning for her best friend's husband until they were old and weathered.

  Fortunately, Hope was able to keep some of these inappropriate thoughts about Edmund at bay for the past few days as she prepared for the ball tomorrow evening. Almost all of her energy was spent caring for the princess on a normal day, so now that she was hyper-focused on her birthday, she didn't have as much time to sit around and daydream about the Just King. It wasn't the greatest distraction, but it was a distraction nonetheless.

  Once Odette relieved Hope for a break, the handmaid found herself loitering in the gardens alongside a new friend named Mr. Tumnus. He was a timid but friendly faun, one with a strange but pleasant little face, and a close colleague of Lucy Pevensie's, who introduced them just the other day.

  They sat on a stone bench across from each other, surrounded by unkept hedges. Hope noticed that the gardens were cared for, but not tamed. The shrubs and trees and flowers all grew wildly and freely, like they're meant to. In Wysteria, the gardens were trimmed and groomed regularly, give or take an unnoticed overgrown shrub every once in a while.

  Between Hope and Mr. Tumnus was a wooden table, where a flimsy umbrella and a solid gold chess-set could be found. She pondered who the chessboard belonged to, for it had merely been there, unclaimed, when they strolled past it and decided to play a game.

  "You know," said Hope as she moved one of the polished pieces forward, "I think I'm only decent at chess because there are so many rules."

  Mr. Tumnus chuckled, "Is that so?" He was a brunette faun, one with tiny horns and a long tail that usually rested on either one of his shoulders to prevent from dragging across the hot pavement or dirt.

  "Mhm, I'm always petrified of breaking rules, so I memorize them all to prevent that from happening," she confirmed with a little nod.

  "Ah, yes, I'm similar in that regard," Mr. Tumnus revealed. "Rule-breaking makes me terribly anxious. Though, I'll admit, I don't always go out of my way to memorize them as you do. I merely pray to Aslan that I don't get in too much trouble!" Hope's giggles punctured the air of the surprisingly quiet afternoon.

  Now that she was thinking about it, with all of the pre-ball jitters electrifying the kingdom, Hope questioned why Cair Paravel was suddenly so tranquil. This might've been the most peaceful hour she'd experienced in days, perhaps even weeks.

  "Afternoon, dove, Mr. Tumnus!"

  Never mind.

  Edmund stood before them in all of his glory, his cheeks rosy and his hair messy as per usual, even with his silver crown perched on his head. Hope studied him as he promptly informed Mr. Tumnus that a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were in search of him. She couldn't help but recognize something twinkling in his eyes: mischief.

  With the wind, Mr. Tumnus was gone, leaving Edmund in his stead. He sat in the faun's place, his gaze locking with hers. She desperately tried to ignore the fluttery hurricane in her stomach as she lightly interrogated, "What is it this time?"

  The corners of his lips twitched upward as he coolly answered, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

  "You're up to something," Hope pressed. Edmund liked that her smile remained, even if she was trying to put up a more serious facade. "I recognize that look in your eyes."

  He merely recurred, "That look? Honestly, dove, if you want to call me handsome, you should just say it." He snickered as her eyes widened and she took in a sharp breath.

  Clearing her throat, she quickly gathered herself and mumbled, "Sometimes, I wonder how you're not already married to yourself." She was slowly getting better at recovering from his stupid remarks, but they always got to her regardless. "So, what is it?"

  Edmund paused before shrugging. "Alright, you caught me," he mused. "I've come up with a marvelous idea."

  Hope peered back at him, innocent and inquisitive. "You're not going to try and explain what elec... elec... What was it again?"

  "Electricity?"

  "Yeah, that. You're not going to try to explain what electricity is again, are you? Because no matter how much you try, none of us have a clue what a light... bulb thing is," she insisted.

  Snorting, he promised, "It's not that. I've been thinking about Odette's birthday, as is everyone, I suppose. I wanted to gift her something she's never received before." Hope felt a little part of her heart sink. "Tell me, do you know of Oberon and Titania?" Though the names sounded familiar, perhaps from a throwaway sentence in a history book she once read, she shook her head. "They're the King and Queen of the fairies."

  Confusion crossed her face. "Fairies? Those aren't extinct in Narnia?" she dubiously interrogated.

  "They're as real as can be. They exist in a colony that declares itself independent from Narnia, like Wysteria," informed Edmund. "In their colony, Pine Hollow, they produce a special kind of magic that's been sought out, traded, and sold for centuries. It's a type of magic that can't be replicateed by anyone or anything other than fairies." He paused for dramatic effect. "Dust."

  Hope faltered. "Uh, I'm sorry, Eddie, but you lost me," she confessed. If you exclude how his stomach flipped upside down, Edmund didn't react to the newfound nickname. "Dust?"

  "Uh-huh, dust. Pixie dust, to be exact," he clarified, gathering himself rather quickly.

  "Pixie dust?" echoed Hope. She leaned forward, vexed and intrigued. "Are pixies and fairies the same thing?"

  "Well, no, they're different," he tried to explain, "sorta like distant cousins. But they produce the same dust—"

  "So you shouldn't have said that only fairies produce the dust."

  Edmund paused for a few seconds before he chuckled, "Someone's feeling sassy today."

  "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about," she mocked. Their laughter intertwined as one, a song that was soon replicated by eavesdropping birds. "What's so special about this dust anyway?"

  Edmund thought the answer was obvious. "It's magic!" he exclaimed. "Odette tells me she's never used or witnessed real magic before, so I figured I'd bring some to her. I'm a genius, I know, hold your applause."

  Giggling, she replied, "I'll admit, it's a good idea. She'll love it."

  "Why, thank you," he returned. "There's only one problem." Hope raised her eyebrows, silently urging him to go on. "I... didn't exactly think of this until today."

  "Wait," she said, "you waited until the day before her birthday to think of what you wanted to give here? Your fiancée? Your queen?"

  Edmund only shrugged. "What can I say, I'd procrastinate my death if I could," he quipped, causing her to laugh. "I'll have to retrieve the dust before I see her tomorrow. It's a long journey. Not to mention, fairies are known to be difficult and mischievous. It'll take some time, but if I leave within the hour, I'm sure I'll be back well before the ball."

  Hope cringed. "That's cutting it close, you know," she warned. Then, clarity struck. "Oh, I get it now. You want me to distract Odette while you're gone."

  But he shook his head. "Not quite. I want you to accompany me on my journey," he corrected.

  Immediately, a laugh of disbelief escaped her. "You... Hold on, you want me to accompany you?" she mirrored. "Why not one of your knights? Surely, they're better equipped for long journeys."

  She was right. He should select someone else for his mission, someone who's job wasn't to wait on the princess, someone whose presence would actually benefit Edmund. But where was the fun in that?

  "I can't believe you! You read all those books about fairytales and adventures, yet you don't want to experience a real adventure yourself!" Edmund accused. "Think about it: the princess's best friend and dashing fiancé give Princess Odette the best gift in history to commemorate her first celebration in Narnia. It's brilliant!"

  Hope would've made a joke about how that headline certainly needed a bit of revision had she not hesitated. If she accepted, it would take some time to retrieve the dust, meaning they would be alone for a long time. Just them. For many hours. Hope. Edmund. The boy she was secretly crushing on. It was a recipe for disaster. She couldn't go.

  Hastily, she declined, "I don't want to abandon Odette. I'd have to be a monster to leave her alone on her birthday. And you've seen how she gets when she's stressed and—"

  "We'll be back before she knows it. And Lucy and Susan will be with her all day to help her get ready for the ball. Something about sisterly bonding," he contended. "Come on, I know you want to see more of Narnia. Besides, fairies can be irritating to deal with, but everyone seems to like you. You'll be my good luck charm."

  Her smile returned to her briefly, but she clearly wasn't convinced.

  Edmund glanced down at the chessboard between them and further proposed, "Alright, how about this? If I beat you in this game, you're coming with me."

  Her gaze shifted to the pieces, still scattered from her game with Mr. Tumnus. She knew how stubborn Edmund could be, so, with a defeated sigh, she agreed, "Fine. I see no harm in entertaining you. Besides, there's no way you can win since we're already in the middle of a—" Her sentence fell short as he picked up a piece and overpowered her king in one move. Checkmate. He won. "—game. How...?"

  Grinning, he stood up and declared, "Well, that settles it!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto her feet. As he dragged her forward, she continued to stare at him in a mixture of awe and bafflement.

  "How... How did you—?"

  "Who did you think the chess-set belongs to, hm?" he taunted. "They don't call me the Just because it sounds cool, you know."

  Hope scoffed. "Sure, but you... you just—!"

  Edmund glanced back at her, smirking. "You know, I'm beginning to notice I impress you quite often."

  Her cheeks burned. "And I'm beginning to notice you love being a pain in the—"

  "Hold on, you're just noticing this?"

  Hope didn't reply, only laughing at his question.

  Although she was reluctant, Hope couldn't deny the spark of excitement deep inside her. The idea of an adventure enticed her, even from a young age. It was part of the reason why she was so eager to learn how to wield a sword as a child. She remembered how she used to tell her father, "I don't want my future prince to get hurt fighting dragons to protect me, so if I just fight it myself, everyone will be happy! And then we'll live happily ever after!" She wouldn't exactly be fighting dragons, but engaging with mischievous fairies alongside her crush was basically a battle in itself, right?

  Little did she know, Hope would find herself regretting agreeing to travel with Edmund in the next few hours.