╔══════════════════╗

WALKING IN THE WIND
xv. THE MOST UNEVENTFUL ADVENTURE IN HISTORY

╚══════════════════╝

  EXHILARATION JOLTED THROUGH THE Just King and handmaid as they journeyed toward Pine Hollow. She was surprised at the speed at which they left, taking off almost immediately after their little game of chess. It seemed that all of the preparations were made beforehand, like Edmund knew she'd ultimately give in to his antics.

  She couldn't deny it; she was eager to see more of Narnia, this being the third time she'd left Cair Paravel. Every waking moment in Narnia felt like a page out of an old storybook her father used to read to her. It was special, meaningful. Of course, she wanted to see more of the kingdom she grew up reading about!

  But she also couldn't deny the sliver of uneasiness in her stomach. Although she was grateful for everything Edmund did for her, she felt odd spending so much time alone with him now that she was sure of her feelings toward him. Surely, spending more time with him wouldn't do anything to eliminate her crush. Then again, maybe this was a good thing, another blessing in disguise. Maybe by being friendly with him, the romantic feelings would subside and her crush would dissolve. Maybe by the time this trip ended, she would laugh at the thought of liking her friend like that.

  Well, whatever happens, Hope prayed they would return to Cair Paravel by tomorrow afternoon, maybe even the early morning. Odette's birthday was more important to her than her feelings, and if she ended up spending her birthday without her best friend, Hope would never forgive herself.

  Unfortunately, Hope sensed there would be many unavoidable distractions throughout their journey. You see, Hope was bubbly and friendly, a people-pleaser. She wasn't the kind of person who enjoyed procrastinating, unlike Edmund, who kept to himself, did whatever he wanted, and would procrastinate himself out of war if he could. He was evidently persuasive and she was the embodiment of a pushover. They were polar opposites, and that was why the distractions would be inescapable.

  They traveled on horseback, which allowed Hope to see Narnia's beauty in a new light. She adored how the trees blurred together and how subtle the clicking of Phillip's hooves against the dirt was. Though, even she would have to confess that she didn't know if she was enjoying the ride because of the scenery or because she had to sit with her arms wrapped around Edmund for a long period of time.

  Originally, the plan was that they would take two horses to Oberon and Titania's colony, but apparently, Hope never learned how to ride. Edmund thought that was odd since she clearly knew how to prepare and care for them, but this was only because of Odette's love for horses. Edmund didn't mind though. He liked her gentle touch. Besides, this gave him all the freedom to randomly stop to show her different places in Narnia, where each one somehow had a story.

  For example, they were currently resting near a small pond, one that was encased by skinny trees that touched the clouds. The story that accompanied this particular spot was a memory, in which the Pevensies took their first trip out of Cair Paravel since their coronation and they ended up getting lost because Peter forgot to bring a map.

  Edmund laid in the soft grass, his gaze locked on the skies, arms tucked underneath his head, as he recalled, "We argued for hours. The more we tried to find our way back, the more lost we became. Lucy was the only one who knew how to get back, but she was giving us the silent treatment because she'd been the one to ask Peter over and over again if he remembered to bring a map in the first place. Not only that, but she convinced the trees and animals to ignore our pleas for help, too. It was miserable!"

  Hope couldn't control the giggle that left her. Her back was pressed against one of the trees, which moved its branches to provide her with some shade. She appeared to be scribbling something on the back of an old parchment Edmund found in his bag. "I'm sure it was a mistake on Peter's behalf," she assumed, almost absentmindedly.

  "Oh, it was," he confirmed, focusing on the shapes of the clouds, "but I'm the little brother. I'm not supposed to let him have the benefit of the doubt." That got a laugh out of her.

  "But how'd you get back?"

  "Well, you see, the sun, moon, and stars all rise in the east and set in the west. That's because the world spins toward the east," he explained. "Additionally, Cair Paravel lies in the most eastern point of Narnia. So, since it was already well into the night by the time our bickering ended, we decided to sleep under the stars and chase the sunrise back home."

  He continued, "It was an unfortunate situation, but it ended up being the most relaxed we'd been since the war ended. We were all so busy after our coronation, worrying about how we'd put Narnia back together after the winter, so it was nice forgetting all of our responsibilities for a little while."

  Hope smiled at the thought, imagining the four standing before her on that unfortunate day. Unlike the Narnians, Odette despised leaving the castle in Wysteria most of the time. It only ever reminded her of the strifes she pledged her life to purge. The only times Odette enjoyed being out of the castle, Hope recalled, was when she'd ride her horse alongside the beach. She could only imagine how relieving it must be to take off that crown at the end of the day.

  "I have a proposition," she suddenly declared. Her eyes were still on the parchment in her lap, busily scribbling away. "Let's treat the rest of this trip as one of those moments where you're not a king with a thousand responsibilities on your shoulders. Just until we get back. I, um, I think it'd be good for you."

  When she peered up again, he was smiling at her. "I like the way you think," Edmund praised. Then, he nodded to the parchment. "What are you writing over there?"

  "Huh? Oh! I'm not writing anything. I'm drawing," she corrected while passing it over to him. "It's sort of a hobby of mine."

  Curious, Edmund propped himself up on his elbows and straightened out the drawing. His eyebrows soon shot upward with delight. It was a quick sketch of him laying in the grass, the pond and Phillip just a few feet away from him. "This is really good," he complimented. He glanced up at her, smirking. "Did I inspire you as your muse, dove?"

  Hope ripped her gaze away from him, shaking her head. "I refuse to inflate your ego anymore than necessary."

  "Fair enough," he joked. "So, how many more talents do you have that I'm not aware of?"

  "I'm afraid you know them all," she dismissed. "Three years ago, Odette told me how much she resented her birthday because the whole day, people try to impress her with the most extravagant thing they can offer her. She said it was flattering, but they lacked meaning and sentiment. So, I decided to make her a gift for her birthday that year. I spent a week drawing things she cares about, like her parents, her horse, and pleasant memories we shared. To this day, she still cries recalling the day I gave them to her, and every year since then, I've given her a drawing for her birthday." She smiled nostalgically before shrugging. "Anyway, all that to say, I think that's why I'm halfway decent at drawing now."

  Edmund couldn't refrain from smiling. "You're a good friend, Hope. Maybe I'll get you to do a portrait of me and my siblings one day," he teased.

  She scoffed. "Yeah, right," she taunted. "Not everyone wants to be stuck with you all day, you know."

  "Is that why you were so comfortable holding me earlier?"

  Hope had to hold her breath as her cheeks reddened. She knew he was just messing with her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to react. "Your imagination is lawless," she muttered.

  To which he bantered, "Some people just don't know when to stop pretending, I suppose." Then, he stood up. "You ready?"

  With a nod, they soon left the pond, each person suddenly noticing the almost indescribable feeling of elation in their chests, one that had been growing more and more throughout the past few hours. It was nice having a friend that made them feel so happy, they silently concluded.

  It wasn't until dusk fell when they arrived at Pine Hollow. Or, at least, Hope assumed this was it. She couldn't pinpoint how she knew it. It could've been the road, which was suddenly narrow and winding. Perhaps it was the unnatural silence, as if the woodland critters ceased their activities in wake of their guests. Eyes followed them. A peculiar energy suffocated the region.

  When the forest was too dense for Phillip to trot through, they decided to travel the remainder of the way on foot. Hope felt more nervous than excited to meet the fairies. They were naughty, unpredictable, and free-spirited creatures, ones that didn't care for titles or bloodlines. They wouldn't care about Edmund's kingship, so that meant he would be treated like an ordinary person. Was that a good thing? Hope wanted to believe it was.

  He assured her that everything would be fine and to follow his lead. He reminded her that many traveled to this colony to trade and purchase pixie dust, so he figured they'd be in and out within the hour. Hope thought this would bring her relief, which it did, but disappointment lingered. 'What an uneventful adventure,' she noted.

  Not that she wanted anything in particular to occur! She couldn't help but notice it was anticlimactic, that's all. Well, she supposed meeting fairies was exciting, but... Maybe Hope just didn't want it to end. Against her better judgment, she liked being with Edmund, and she knew the minute they returned, her usual worries would become her once again.

  Suddenly, there were voices. Sopranic giggles flooded their ears as twinkling lights glossed over the dark forest. Tiny creatures fluttered forward, absentminded, distracted by their conversation. Hope's eyes widened at the sight of them, awestruck. These were fairies. Edmund cleared his throat to get their attention, but before he could speak, the small hoard of fairies collectively gasped.

  "Are.... Are those...?"

  "Maybe they're satyrs!"

  "Are you a dolt, Peaseblossom? They're humans."

  "Should we ask what they want?"

  Edmund decided to speak up, chiming in, "You know we can hear you, right?"

  Hope shot him a look, trying to contain her nervousness as the fairies all grew silent. Then, one of them turned to him and demanded, "What do you want?"

  The one called Peaseblossom fluttered forward, her pointed features blanketed with a saturated blush. "You'll have to excuse Vydia's hostility. She's often the aggressor out of the four of us," she meekly said. "What brings you to our home?"

  "I bet it's—"

  "You always bet the same thing every time we have visitors, Alfea!"

  "Because all non-fae are the same!"

  Ignoring them, Edmund reported, "We're interested in meeting with King Oberon and Queen Titania." His voice was firm, confident, and just a bit intimidating. The fairies shared a hesitant glance. "Is there an issue?"

  "Well," began the fairy called Vydia with a snooty tone, "if you must know, our King and Queen haven't been on speaking terms lately. It's a private, but nasty affair."

  "But I'm sure Her Majesty would be interested in speaking with you," assured Peaseblossom. She glanced back at her three friends. "You said she was in a pleasant mood today, right, Nyx?" The one named Nyx merely shrugged and nodded. "We'll bring you to her then. Maybe you'll be more fortunate than the others." Her gaze fell upon Hope. "She likes girls."

  Edmund and Hope glanced back at each other, and although they didn't utter a word, she could hear his words echo in the back of her mind. "You'll be my good luck charm." And judging the smirk on his lips, she knew he was recalling the same thing.

  The walk through the woods was quiet, excluding the crunching of twigs and the hushed whispers that exploded from the four fairies: Peaseblossom, Vydia, Alfea, and Nyx. Edmund could tell that Hope was nervous. To be honest, he was, too. What did Peaseblossom mean by her words, by her suggestion of misfortunate? His hand subconsciously hovered over his sword.

  Soon, they stumbled upon a large tree, where a creature glowing with light rested. She was surrounded by several other fairies, yet she still stood out as an ethereal being. That was how they knew who she was: Queen Titania.

  The four fairies that guided Hope and Edmund briefly explained the situation to their queen, who was mostly silent. She hummed and nodded, not saying much other than a few words to dismiss them. Then, her gaze fell upon the humans. A shiver scampered down Hope's spine.

  "I'll admit, my king and I aren't one for visitors, never mind humans. Despite what you might hear from previous guests, we prefer our privacy, you see," Queen Titania spoke. Her voice was rich, deeper than the other fairies. "But he's away for the time being and I'm sure he would despise that I'm entertaining humans, so I will listen to whatever it is you have to say. What are your names?"

  "I'm—" started Edmund, but he was quickly interrupted.

  "I'd prefer it if you spoke instead," Titania insisted, her eyes locked on Hope. She tensed. Why her?

  "She likes girls," rang in Hope's head.

  Clearing her throat, she politely curtseyed and greeted, "Your Majesty, my name is Hope Edwards. This is King—er, Edmund. Edmund Pevensie. It's an honor to be in your presence. I hope we aren't disturbing or inconveniencing you." It didn't seem like Titania recognized Edmund's name. "We're here because we're interested in-in your pixie dust." Her voice was a little shaky, but she knew the Fairy Queen would take that as a form of respect. All kings and queens did. They loved feeling superior.

  Titania loudly sighed. "I had a feeling you were. It's the only reason foreigners travel to our colony."

  Edmund noticed how Hope wavered. He didn't want to speak up, fearful that Titania would deem it as a sign of aggression. So, he took her hand and gently squeezed it, showing that he was with her and that nothing bad would happen.

  Finding her courage, Hope confessed, "It's shameful others only show interest in your magic rather than your culture. If it's of any comfort to you, growing up, I've witnessed how the desire for magic and power can turn people into barbarians."

  Titania studied Hope momentarily, her stare boring into her soul. "Yes, I'll admit, your sympathy is refreshing," she reported. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid I cannot grant you our dust without a compelling reason. So many have lied in my day about their interests and intentions with our magic. You, humans, tend to be embarrassingly self-indulgent, so if your reasons are as despicable as they usually are, I suggest you leave now."

  Edmund thought about it for a moment as Hope grew silent. He sensed the idea of passing the dust to a future queen wouldn't sit well with Titania. The dust could easily be used to trade for riches or even start wars, wars that would involve the King and Queen of the fairies, wars that Narnia could be dragged into. He'd heard of it himself from their allies toward the west. He needed to think quickly.

  "I pray you'll forgive my partner's silence. She's a timid one," Edmund excused. "We've heard of people selling and trading your magic, devaluing it without knowing its power. But, Your Majesty, that isn't our intention. We're seeking your dust because..." 'Think, Edmund!' "...we're engaged!"

  'Oh, you have got to be kidding me,' Hope thought.

  He squeezed her hand again, silently telling her to go with it.

  Her own words flashed through her head, "Let's treat the rest of this trip as one of those moments where you're not a king with a thousand responsibilities on your shoulders. Just until we get back." Fine! Have it your way!

  Hope tried to relax as she slowly mentioned, "...Yes, it's arduous to speak of. Our families think we're too young." The lie fell out of her mouth so easily, and in a weird way, it sent adrenaline coursing through her. Her voice was strong, but her heart was racing.

  Edmund nodded. "We were informed that your dust is famous for its magical properties, specifically good luck. Now that our families have turned on us, we're desperate for some good luck."

  To their surprise, Titania's gaze softened, her muscles relaxing. "How intriguing," she mumbled to herself. Eavesdropping fairies began to whisper to one another, interested to hear what their queen would say next. "That's a new one indeed..."

  Hope couldn't believe what they were doing. Lying was one thing, but lying about an engagement seemed so much worse. By worse, she really meant it was worse for her and the butterflies that took residence in her stomach. She didn't even notice how tightly she was squeezing Edmund's hand until then. She was impressed with how quickly he composed that lie.

  "Very well," said Titania. "I suppose it would be good karma to aid a pair of young lovers in their journey. But before I can gift you this dust, it must be blessed." She glanced back at the fairies, requesting, "Fetch me the soul-binding parchment!" Hurriedly, a pair of fairies nodded and took off.

  Hope tilted her head to the side. "Soul-binding?" she repeated.

  "Yes, in order to assure your good fortune, it's standard in our culture to bless the souls that use our dust by binding them," she explained.

  Hope glanced back at Edmund, who only shrugged. She wasn't sure what soul-binding entailed. Would their souls be bonded to the dust? Wouldn't that hinder Odette's ability to use the dust in the future? She hoped Edmund knew what Queen Titania was going on about.

  A parchment was soon brought forth. It hovered before Hope and Edmund's faces, listening with crumbs of pixie dust. "All you have to do is recite the words on that parchment," Titania elucidated.

  A shaky breath left Hope as she took it. "Alright," she mumbled. In the blink of an eye, the first line magically appeared. "Uh, In one hand is a blessing, the other a wish. Unite these hands and let them flourish. Good fortune is a promise that will never be broken. I, Hope Edwards—"

  "And I, Edmund Pevensie—"

  "—do solemnly swear to trust the blessing, in whatever form it may come," Hope read, watching as each line appeared on the parchment until the last one emerged. "Now that our souls have binded, the... the marriage is now complete."

  With wide eyes, Edmund glanced up at Titania. "Marriage?" he repeated. "As in... You know, marriage?"

  Titania happily clapped her hands together, the fairies rejoicing with glee. "Yes, of course, marriage! What else did you think soul-binding meant?" she laughed. "That's the only way the blessing will work!"

  Hope felt all of the color drain from her face. She was dreaming. She had to be dreaming. There was no way, absolutely no way, that silly little spell could wed her and Edmund. There was no way they just got married all for the sake of getting Odette a birthday gift. Lying and pretending seemed fun at first, but look where it got them! This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

  Titania frowned. "You look alarmed! Might I ask why this is?"

  "W-Well," stammered Edmund. "It's just a surprise. We didn't know this would be the result of our... journey."

  Hope was trying to wrap her head around it. Countless men have traveled to get this dust, right? Were all of them married, too? Why wouldn't they warn others? Because they were embarrassed?

  She couldn't imagine what was going through his mind at that moment. All she could think about was her inevitable death sentence.

  Titania frowned. "Your ungratefulness to my blessing is disappointing," she disclosed. "I've married many men in my day, but this reaction is... not what I was expecting. Perhaps you don't deserve our magic as much as I thought you did."

  One of the many observing fairies suddenly shouted in agreement, "Yeah!"

  "You should be honored!" another called.

  "But they're so cute! They're probably in denial that their dreams are coming true!" Peaseblossom optimistically chimed in.

  "She's right!" bellowed one. "They've been holding hands this whole time!"

  "No way, I say we sentence them to death!"

  "Yeah! Sentence them to death!"

  "No!"

  "Yes!"

  Hope's heart sunk in her chest as the fairies, Titania included, began to loudly bicker over one another. Some were supportive of Hope and Edmund, but the majority wanted them dead for wasting their time and displaying such blatant ingratitude.

  'Great, either way, I'm dead,' she thought to herself.

  "Hope," Edmund's voice suddenly came. It was low, hushed. She whipped her head toward him, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and shock, "we have to run." He looked surprisingly calm. Shocked, but calm.

  "Run?" she repeated frantically. Her voice was probably three octaves higher than it usually was. "But what about the dust?"

  "Forget the dust! Do you want to die?"

  'Gee, at this rate, maybe.'

  Edmund glanced up at the fairies as their arguing grew louder and louder. They were distracted just enough for them to be able to get a good headstart. "On the count of three—" he ordered.

  Hope's eyebrows were arched as high as they could go. "On the count of three?" she copied.

  "We're gonna run—"

  "We're gonna run?" she echoed again.

  Edmund paused, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "Why are you repeating everything I say?" he teased. She nearly retorted back, but his countdown interrupted here. "One... Two... Three!"

  He didn't wait for her to react. He merely pulled on her arm, hoping that her legs would carry her without hesitation. And they ran. Past the bushes and past the undergrowth of the trees, the branches scratching their arms and faces, they ran. They ran as fast as they could, and when the fairies were ordered to chase after them, they didn't stop running.

  They ran and they ran and they ran.

  And they never looked back.