𝒯𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝑀𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓂𝑒 || 𝒫𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒫𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓈𝒾𝑒

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟣𝟩 || 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒯𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒

~

Adeline tossed and turned in her cot. The night air was frigid and the sounds of laughter and music were now silenced. It was too late to be awake but Adeline felt that if she shut her eyes, the nightmares which had been plaguing her all her life would return.

Adeline could tell by the sounds of uneven breathing and sighing that Lucy was awake as well. Something wasn't right, the Narnia air had turned still and it seemed as if the whole world was holding its breath for something, but what?

A shadow passing by brought Adeline out of her thoughts and she quickly sat up to see that Lucy was also sitting up, her wide eyes open. 

"Did you see that?" Adeline whispered.

"Susan," Lucy awakened her sister as Adeline put her belt on top of her blue dress and slipped in her daggers. She tossed a dark-coloured cloak around her and went outside. The faint figure of Aslan walking away from the camp.

Both Susan and Lucy came out of the tent as quietly as possible, dressed with their cloaks and weapons.

"Where is he going?" Susan asked.

Adeline frowned as Aslan disappeared into the woods, "I don't know." she said, "But I'm going to find out."

Adeline picked up her skirts and ran into the woods. The darkness enveloped her as the light from the camp faded away. Adeline heard rustling behind her and knew the girls were close behind. It was dark in the woods and Adeline held out her palm, a small orb of blue light emitted from her hand. She kept it minuscule as to not catch Aslan's attention. The trees towered over them and they followed Aslan from a distance, using the bushes and trunks as cover.

Aslan's soft paws thudded on the ground and his head was hung low. An air of sadness surrounded him and for the first time, he seemed so small to Adeline, as if life itself had been sucked out of him. 

Aslan stopped in the middle of the forest and Adeline tugged Lucy and Susan behind a tree and put out her light.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" his sad voice asked.

They were caught. No point in hiding now. Adeline stepped out first with Lucy and Susan in tow. The little girl held her hand as they approached the lion.

"We couldn't sleep," Lucy said. 

Adeline added, "Too many thoughts."

"Please Aslan," Susan asked, "Couldn't we come with you?"

The great lion turned his head and Adeline could get a better look at his face. It was drawn, his eyes half-lidded and if a lion could seem sad, Aslan surely would have been a perfect example.

"I would be glad of the company for a while." he said gravely, "Thank you."

Adeline reached out hesitantly at first then with a gentleness she ran her fingers through his golden mane. Aslan's tense form seemed to loosen as Adeline drew closer to him. The girls followed her lead and Aslan began to walk as Susan and Lucy gripped him. Adeline let go and raised her palm again, the magic shining even brighter to light the way. She couldn't touch him again, that moment her fingers felt his mane it was as if his sadness was being transferred to her and she couldn't bear it.