Nessa
New member
Well, I thought I would would share with you one of the very few stories that I've actually finished. I love writing, stories and poems, but I vary rarely get very far with the stories. This one however I managed to finish. It just happens to be a Narnian one, so I thought I'd share 
It was the night before the coronation and the whole castle of Cair Paravel had been alive with activity well into the night. Now at last all was still and quiet.
The four children, exhausted by the day’s activities and preparations fell asleep quickly, longing for tomorrow to come and dreaming of their new lives in Narnia. At least, three of them did.
Edmund however was restless. No matter how he tossed and turned, he couldn’t seem to get himself comfortable. At last after various attempts of counting sheep and willing himself to drop off had failed, he gave in and sat up. It was no good; he wasn’t going to be able to get to sleep tonight. In that case he reasoned, he may as well get up. Maybe a walk would do him good. To think.
Rising, he pulled a cloak around his shoulders and slipped his feet into a pair of shoes. Swiftly he crossed his chamber and cautiously opened the door which led into the corridor. He was half afraid that someone would see him and challenge him for being out of bed. But, if he was seen, flitting along the corridors, down the stairs and across the entrance hall, no-one stopped him.
He slipped outside and gazed around for a moment getting his bearings. The moonlight shone brightly and lit up the surrounding garden. Seeking to get away from the castle for a little while, Edmund chose a path that led him down the shore.
He strolled along it for a little way then stopped by a rock pool. The moon was now right above him and as he sat down on a rock and looked down into the pool he could seen his reflection quite clearly in the smooth still water.
He jumped suddenly, as all at once he saw another reflection beside his own. Then he felt a presence beside him, and looking up, he saw Aslan standing motionless at his side, and he too was looking down into the still water.
For a moment neither moved nor spoke, then Aslan slowly lifted his head and looked at Edmund. “You are abroad late Son of Adam”. Edmund did not raise his head. Instead he spoke to the reflection of Aslan in the pool.
“I couldn’t sleep. I needed to get away, too think”.
“Son of Adam” the voice was soft. “The time for thinking is near at hand. Very soon, you and your brother and your sisters will be rulers in this land. Then is the time for thinking. You are different from the High King. Your thinking will be of great value, but that is in the future, and you have no need of thinking tonight”.
“But” Edmund went on as he felt and saw the shadow of the lion sitting, then lying down beside him. “But I have something on my mind, something that is nothing to do with ruling Narnia”.
“Really? I very much doubt that my son. But come, why not tell me of your worry so that you may be free of it, and be at peace”.
Before he knew what he was doing, Edmund found that he had turned his head. He saw the lion’s face very close to his. The deep golden eyes looked into his own, and he felt himself wishing that he was more like his sister Lucy in his dealings with Aslan. He knew that at this point, Lucy would have thrown her arms around the lion and buried her face in his mane. He, Edmund wished that he had the courage to simply reach out and touch the golden mane. He hesitated, torn between leaping to his feet and running away and staying, and doing what he feared most to do. When he tried to move at all however, he found that he couldn’t, but neither could he endure the lion’s steady gaze.
“You are still afraid of me son of Adam?”
The question broke the spell that held Edmund motionless. He stirred, though his eyes never left the lion’s. He found his voice at last, though it was barely above a whisper as he answered. “Yes, I am afraid Aslan. I am afraid to touch you, I am afraid to look at you, and I am afraid to tell you what is on my mind. How can I be a king of Narnia when I am afraid of you?”
Aslan said nothing, he simply looked at Edmund, and the boy, looking up once more into those golden eyes finally understood. Aslan knew everything. He knew all his fears and doubts, and he had known that Edmund would be here at this time.
Suddenly he was less afraid, and before he could stop himself, he had reached out and gently touched the lion’s mane. It was soft, silky and warm. Edmund buried his hands in it and stroked it, reaching up as far as he could. Finally, leaning forward, he rested his cheek against the soft golden fur and shut his eyes, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out again. He then became aware of sound he thought he had never heard before, but then slowly he realised. Aslan was purring.
Edmund suddenly laughed, a thing he realised he had not done for a long time. That laugh released him and he hugged the great lion, and, when he looked again into the solemn eyes it was with a lighter heart, thought there was still the shadow of a burden on it.
“Will you tell me of your worry now, my child?”
Edmund was not sure where to begin. After searching around for the right words, he finally started. “When I was in the company of the White Witch….” He faltered and Aslan gently prompted.
“Yes, when you were in the company of the Witch?”
“I…we…” Edmund coughed “we passed a Christmas party going on at the side of the path. A squirrel family, two satyrs, a dwarf and an old fox. The witch stopped the sledge and questioned them. When she found that it was Father Christmas who had given them the feast she grew angry and _” he faltered.
“Go on, what happened then?”
“She…she turned them all to stone. I tried to stop her but…but...” he faltered again “I couldn’t” he finished quietly “I feel responsible for it Aslan, and I couldn’t become king of Narnia, knowing that somewhere in this realm that stone table is still standing, with those creatures around it”.
There was another silence, and then Edmund said “To be truthful Aslan, that was the first time in a long time that I had felt sorry for someone besides myself.”
“Then consider it a good experience my son, not an evil one, if that is when you first started to feel again”.
“Would she have done it anyway, if I hadn’t been there? Yes, she would have I suppose. And, there must be more, mustn’t there?”
“Was more Son of Adam. I too have been at work this night preparing for tomorrow”. Edmund looked up at him, hope in his eyes.
“You mean…”
“I mean my child that the prisoners of the witch’s castle are not the only prisoners to be set free today. All of Narnia shall celebrate the coronation of its Kings and Queens. All of Narnia”.
Edmund felt now as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He sat up, his hands still buried in the soft fur of Aslan’s mane. He looked again into those deep eyes. The words that Aslan had spoken to him after his rescue, came to him, as if Aslan were speaking them again, now. He knew that there was no need for anymore talk on that matter.
Taking a deep breath he rose to his feet, and, standing there in the moonlight looking into the face of Aslan he felt that, though he did not feel ready to become a king of Narnia, his mind was clear, his heart was light, and he was prepared to give it his best shot.
THE END
Edmund and Aslan
It was the night before the coronation and the whole castle of Cair Paravel had been alive with activity well into the night. Now at last all was still and quiet.
The four children, exhausted by the day’s activities and preparations fell asleep quickly, longing for tomorrow to come and dreaming of their new lives in Narnia. At least, three of them did.
Edmund however was restless. No matter how he tossed and turned, he couldn’t seem to get himself comfortable. At last after various attempts of counting sheep and willing himself to drop off had failed, he gave in and sat up. It was no good; he wasn’t going to be able to get to sleep tonight. In that case he reasoned, he may as well get up. Maybe a walk would do him good. To think.
Rising, he pulled a cloak around his shoulders and slipped his feet into a pair of shoes. Swiftly he crossed his chamber and cautiously opened the door which led into the corridor. He was half afraid that someone would see him and challenge him for being out of bed. But, if he was seen, flitting along the corridors, down the stairs and across the entrance hall, no-one stopped him.
He slipped outside and gazed around for a moment getting his bearings. The moonlight shone brightly and lit up the surrounding garden. Seeking to get away from the castle for a little while, Edmund chose a path that led him down the shore.
He strolled along it for a little way then stopped by a rock pool. The moon was now right above him and as he sat down on a rock and looked down into the pool he could seen his reflection quite clearly in the smooth still water.
He jumped suddenly, as all at once he saw another reflection beside his own. Then he felt a presence beside him, and looking up, he saw Aslan standing motionless at his side, and he too was looking down into the still water.
For a moment neither moved nor spoke, then Aslan slowly lifted his head and looked at Edmund. “You are abroad late Son of Adam”. Edmund did not raise his head. Instead he spoke to the reflection of Aslan in the pool.
“I couldn’t sleep. I needed to get away, too think”.
“Son of Adam” the voice was soft. “The time for thinking is near at hand. Very soon, you and your brother and your sisters will be rulers in this land. Then is the time for thinking. You are different from the High King. Your thinking will be of great value, but that is in the future, and you have no need of thinking tonight”.
“But” Edmund went on as he felt and saw the shadow of the lion sitting, then lying down beside him. “But I have something on my mind, something that is nothing to do with ruling Narnia”.
“Really? I very much doubt that my son. But come, why not tell me of your worry so that you may be free of it, and be at peace”.
Before he knew what he was doing, Edmund found that he had turned his head. He saw the lion’s face very close to his. The deep golden eyes looked into his own, and he felt himself wishing that he was more like his sister Lucy in his dealings with Aslan. He knew that at this point, Lucy would have thrown her arms around the lion and buried her face in his mane. He, Edmund wished that he had the courage to simply reach out and touch the golden mane. He hesitated, torn between leaping to his feet and running away and staying, and doing what he feared most to do. When he tried to move at all however, he found that he couldn’t, but neither could he endure the lion’s steady gaze.
“You are still afraid of me son of Adam?”
The question broke the spell that held Edmund motionless. He stirred, though his eyes never left the lion’s. He found his voice at last, though it was barely above a whisper as he answered. “Yes, I am afraid Aslan. I am afraid to touch you, I am afraid to look at you, and I am afraid to tell you what is on my mind. How can I be a king of Narnia when I am afraid of you?”
Aslan said nothing, he simply looked at Edmund, and the boy, looking up once more into those golden eyes finally understood. Aslan knew everything. He knew all his fears and doubts, and he had known that Edmund would be here at this time.
Suddenly he was less afraid, and before he could stop himself, he had reached out and gently touched the lion’s mane. It was soft, silky and warm. Edmund buried his hands in it and stroked it, reaching up as far as he could. Finally, leaning forward, he rested his cheek against the soft golden fur and shut his eyes, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out again. He then became aware of sound he thought he had never heard before, but then slowly he realised. Aslan was purring.
Edmund suddenly laughed, a thing he realised he had not done for a long time. That laugh released him and he hugged the great lion, and, when he looked again into the solemn eyes it was with a lighter heart, thought there was still the shadow of a burden on it.
“Will you tell me of your worry now, my child?”
Edmund was not sure where to begin. After searching around for the right words, he finally started. “When I was in the company of the White Witch….” He faltered and Aslan gently prompted.
“Yes, when you were in the company of the Witch?”
“I…we…” Edmund coughed “we passed a Christmas party going on at the side of the path. A squirrel family, two satyrs, a dwarf and an old fox. The witch stopped the sledge and questioned them. When she found that it was Father Christmas who had given them the feast she grew angry and _” he faltered.
“Go on, what happened then?”
“She…she turned them all to stone. I tried to stop her but…but...” he faltered again “I couldn’t” he finished quietly “I feel responsible for it Aslan, and I couldn’t become king of Narnia, knowing that somewhere in this realm that stone table is still standing, with those creatures around it”.
There was another silence, and then Edmund said “To be truthful Aslan, that was the first time in a long time that I had felt sorry for someone besides myself.”
“Then consider it a good experience my son, not an evil one, if that is when you first started to feel again”.
“Would she have done it anyway, if I hadn’t been there? Yes, she would have I suppose. And, there must be more, mustn’t there?”
“Was more Son of Adam. I too have been at work this night preparing for tomorrow”. Edmund looked up at him, hope in his eyes.
“You mean…”
“I mean my child that the prisoners of the witch’s castle are not the only prisoners to be set free today. All of Narnia shall celebrate the coronation of its Kings and Queens. All of Narnia”.
Edmund felt now as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He sat up, his hands still buried in the soft fur of Aslan’s mane. He looked again into those deep eyes. The words that Aslan had spoken to him after his rescue, came to him, as if Aslan were speaking them again, now. He knew that there was no need for anymore talk on that matter.
Taking a deep breath he rose to his feet, and, standing there in the moonlight looking into the face of Aslan he felt that, though he did not feel ready to become a king of Narnia, his mind was clear, his heart was light, and he was prepared to give it his best shot.
THE END
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