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WALKING IN THE WIND
i. AGE OF EXPLORATION

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  NOTHING WAS PARTICULARLY IMPOSSIBLE. In a land ruled upon by a Lion God, waltzing oak trees, and rather talkative mouse knights, Queen Hope Pevensie knew that very well by now.

  And so, that brings us back to the beginning.

  It's no secret that children, and oftentimes adults, long for fairytales to become their reality. Hope adored fairytales, and she wasn't ashamed of it. And despite the insurmountable odds, she was living in one as Narnia's Bright Queen and Captain of the Royal Guard.

  Queen. How surreal.

  She wore a silver crown in her hair, resided in a lavish bedroom all to herself for the first time in any of her lives, and even possessed handmaids of her own. Such a luxury was terribly foreign to her. Half of the time, she didn't believe she deserved it. The other half, she completely forgot that this was her life now! It was just too... dreamlike, really!

  In the days following the Pevensies' return to England, Narnia's end-of-war festivities concluded, and it was time to restore the kingdom. A task like this was hefty on their shoulders. What did Queen Odette, King Caspian, and Queen Hope know about reviving kingdoms? Each of them was born onto a land raised upon decaying grounds. But what made the trio such a spectacular team was the fact that they could all agree upon one clause: Everything they did was for the betterment of Narnia and its people.

  As Captain of the Royal Guard, Hope didn't think there was much for her to do. Surely, no one wanted anything to do with Narnia's infantry so soon after a 1,000-year-long Dark Age. And while this remained true, as Hope and Aslan made their way into the villages and towns to visit the people, many of them took a newfound interest in learning to fight and defend themselves.

  (Actually, while we're on the subject, Aslan was the one who requested Hope to join him in visiting the people while Odette and Caspian worked out the more tedious politics. This is not exactly relevant to anything right now other than the fact that Hope now had bragging rights. Aslan said she made delightful company!).

  (Hey, they didn't call her the Queen of the People for nothing!).

  Of course, Odette and Caspian spent their fair share of time immersing themselves in Narnia's day-to-day traditions, too. In this regard, Caspian was much like Hope. As his Professor mentioned often, he adored history. Most of the time, Caspian and Hope were the ones bouncing off the walls, spewing with fun facts about Narnia's rites and rituals without end. Sometimes, they even got into small squabbles over it, with Caspian declaring something that "Old Narnians used to do" and Hope correcting him, which she thought was fair, considering she was an Old Narnian. It was their shared love for Narnia that brought them closer than either could've imagined.

  Though this was not to say that all was tranquil and amicable in the reincarnated Cair Paravel.

  The first year after the war, Hope, Caspian, and Odette actually spent only half of it together, if that. This was how...

  "Really?" asked Hope, one day. "Are you certain this is something you want to do alone?"

  "I've thought long and hard about this," Odette insisted.

  "She's thought about it for a day and a half," chimed Caspian.

  Odette smacked his arm.

  Odette dusted her deep blue gown with a gloved hand. Winter was passing now, and for once, it was the appropriate temperature for gloves. The bare tree branches waved in the breeze as snow gathered along their grooves. Hope watched out the window, biting back a crestfallen expression.

  Every snowfall, Hope thought of Edmund even more than usual. She never stopped thinking of him—what he might say during a silence, what he was thinking, what his voice sounded like in the mornings they were apart, what he and his siblings were up to. Oh, she missed them very much.

  Now that it was winter, she thought of her husband almost obsessively. He had a strained relationship with winter, after all. She knew he was stronger than anyone she knew. But she also knew he would be thinking of Jadis this winter, and every winter after this until he was dead.

  Can a scar ever truly heal? For Edmund's sake, Hope prayed it was possible.

  "As I was saying," Odette went on, "out of the three of us, I'm the one with the most experience reconciling with other kingdoms. I know plenty about peace deals, negotiating trade, and organizing policies we could use for our benefit. I think it makes perfect sense that I travel on behalf of Narnia and find out where we stand with our neighbors. Honestly, I'm amazed Archenland and Calormen are still standing after all this time."

  "They did demolish us every other war back in Wysteria," Hope mentioned. Wistful, she inspected the map spread between them, studying the potential routes Odette would have to take to reach the other kingdoms. "You know, you make a lovely point. If anyone should do it, it's you. Hey, you aren't planning on stopping by Ettinsmoor and Harfang, are you?"

  Odette's eye twitched. "Why do I feel like I should know those places? Don't tell me I studied them at some point in my life."

  Of course, she did. But Caspian beat her before Hope could scold her.

  "Ettinsmoor and Harfang, home of the Giants," Caspian recalled. "Before the White Witch's reign, it was once said Ettinsmoor is the home to a sophisticated species of Giants. But during the Age of Winter, the Giants became wild and uncivilized."

  Hope nodded. "Yes, Edmund said... well, how did he put it? They're notorious for their stupidity and vicious temperament."

  Odette's face fell. "I knew a war broke out between the Giants and Narnia during the Golden Era, but... Are you really telling me the Pevensies fought Giants? Giants, like... like fee-fi-fo-fum? And they won?"

  Hope placed her chin in her palm. "Yes, I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around it now that we've actually met Giants," she admitted.

  "But we're allies with Giants, aren't we?" asked Odette. "They fought alongside us against the Telmarines."

  "Right, so that's an important distinction to make," said Hope. "The northern Giants regularly raided Narnia for many years during the Golden Age. During an expedition up north, Peter was the one who finally declared war against them, thus recognizing Ettinsmoor as its own independent nation."

  "When Peter defeated the Giants, Ettinsmoor was constructed into a new, united nation," Caspian continued. "However, they were unable to establish themselves as a long-standing political system and continued their savage lifestyles. When Telmar rose to power, Ettinsmoor ceased to associate with the Narnian empire."

  "Oh." Odette leaned back in her chair. "Alright, then what about Harfang?"

  "If Ettinsmoor is home of uncivilized Giants, then you could say Harfang is the home to the civil Giants," said Caspian. He traced a finger between the two northern regions on the map. "Although many of the Harfangs helped us leave the Dark Ages, I have been told they are keen on eating humans."

  "Oh. Alright!" Odette said. Then, it clicked. She shot back up. "Wait, they eat humans—!?"

  "Exactly, so what we're trying to tell you is," Caspian spelled out, "avoid traveling into the North. At all costs."

  "Please," added Hope. "I'd be extremely peeved if I survived that last war, just for you to get eaten for dessert."

  "Oh, pish posh, I'll be fine! Right as rain!" Odette burst. "Avoid the North, don't fall into any Giant stews, make some damn good deals with Archenland and Calormen. Piece of cake!"

  "And you'll bring Glenstorm and Asterius with you for our peace of mind," Caspian warned. Hope nodded in agreement. The centaur and the minotaur were two of the best defenders in Narnia.

  Odette raised her right hand, swearing on Aslan's glorious mane for good measure.

  And just when the debating concluded, Caspian announced, "I, too, would like to make preparations for a journey of my own."

  The Wysterian Empress raised an eyebrow. "Following in the footsteps of your heroes, are you, now?" Odette taunted.

  "Honoring the footsteps of my elders, as a matter of fact!" Caspian returned. Hope kicked his shin under the table. "Ow!"

  "You can't call her old without calling me old!" Hope whined.

  Despite his throbbing shin, Caspian grinned. He had begun to grow out his facial hair in recent months, though his cheeks still had that youthful curve. Sometimes, he looked like a little boy trying to keep up with his fellow Queens — or perhaps little boy trying to keep up with his big sisters.

  Odette coiled a golden strand around her finger. "Alright, I'm curious now," she said. "Our dearest, darling-est, wittle Caspian wants an adventure of his own, hm? Pray tell, does this have anything to do with Aslan coronating you as King Caspian X, the Navigator?"

  "Yes, I was wondering the same about his moniker," Hope said, leaning forward. "It sounded like Aslan knew something about you far before you did yourself. Am I right?"

  Rather than responding, Caspian withdrew a new scroll from the cabinet behind them. It unraveled across the table dramatically as he revealed, "I've taken a particular interest in what lies to the East of Narnia."

  "Honey, that's because there's nothing to the East of Narnia," said Hope. She tapped the map. "See that? That's called the sea."

  Caspian rolled his eyes. "I know what the sea is!" he whined. "But don't you find it odd that no one's ever explored it? Really explored it, I mean. Even in the beginning of Telmar, my people traveled inland in their original conquest of Narnia. Once they found land they deemed docile enough to take, they saw no reason to go any farther. But I have an inquiry." He pointed his index finger, dragging it past the charted lands, past the waters, to the edge of the scroll. "What do you think lies out there?"

  "Sea serpents," Hope said, without hesitation. "Dragons. Maybe pirates. Mermaids, definitely. Wait, do mermaids exist in Narnia?"

  "See, I was just going to say fish," Odette mentioned.

  "Exactly! There's more to this world than we know of it!" Caspian exclaimed. "Animals, creatures, even people we've never encountered because we only know this corner of the world. We know Narnia, Calormen, the Wild Lands. What about the rest of the world?"

  Odette and Hope exchanged glances. For a moment, the only sound reverberating from the study in the Northern wing of Cair Paravel was the crackle of the fireplace. Oftentimes, the kingdom's rulers neglected sleep to enjoy the peace evening brought — and perhaps a cup of tea or two.

  "Don't look at each other like that!" Caspian cried, swatting Odette's hand as she motioned to place her teacup on his scroll.  "Don't tell me you've never wondered the same. There's a whole side of the world that has been untouched for... how long now? Centuries! Since the Golden Age, surely. Well, it's time for a change. I intend to explore it myself."

  Odette's eyebrows raised. "You want to sail across the entire world? How long will that take? Until you're old and gray?"

  "I don't like it," Hope said, tugging her cloak tighter. A draft snuck in through the cracked window, carrying in a few snowflakes. None of the three bothered to close it. The temperature inside was perfectly balanced. "This is a poorly devised idea, Cas, I'm sorry."

  "I'm not leaving forever. I intend to make amends," Caspian declared. "My uncle inherited Telmar's throne shortly after my father was killed. And when he usurped the throne, one of his first notions was to exile the seven Lords most loyal to my father to prevent a rebellion against him. They were good men. Nothing like Miraz. But since the Narnian Revolution has ended, in all of the months that have passed, I have heard nothing from them — which makes me suspect they aren't on our land." He tapped the scroll. "They might not even know Narnia's been restored."

  "Assuming they're alive," Hope gently said, "you intend to chase them across the vast, infinite ocean until you find them?"

  "I also wish to spread the news of Narnia's resurrection and revive seafaring as a practice in Narnia," Caspian declared. "Knowledge of the seas has declined in recent decades. I think it's finally safe enough to see the world we share. Of course, it will take time before a vessel mighty enough to travel so far can be built. So, want to start small. Short trips to and from the nearest islands. To expand our knowledge of seafaring, to chart the waters for the sake of our education and history. What do you think?"

  Hope grimaced. "Caspian—"

  "Come on, Hope," he insisted.

  "Absolutely not. I can't lose you, too—"

  "What makes you think I'll be lost? I'll have company. I won't travel alone!"

  "That's not the point," Hope argued.

  "You can come with me if that'll soothe you."

  "I don't want to, Caspian—"

  "Then, what is it? Why are you so against this?"

  Odette placed a hand on his arm, silencing him. She turned to her best friend knowingly. "Hope, Cas is not like your father."

  "I know he's not," Hope muttered. "But the last time I saw him, we were saying goodbye before he left for a journey overseas. I never saw him again." She fidgeted with a splinter in the dark wood tabletop. "I don't think I could live with myself if that happened twice in my lifetime."

  Caspian's eyes softened. All these months, the three had grown so close. But with the constant busyness of their everyday lives, he simply forgot about her father. Henry Edwards, Captain of Wysteria's Royal Guard, passed overseas due to illness over a millennia ago.

  It was for that reason Hope hated the ocean, she hated boats, she hated being sick, and she hated everything to do with parting ways with the people she cared for.

  Aslan knew how long it took her to cope with the Pevensies leaving, especially knowing she might never see Peter or Susan again.

  "I hate to say it, darling, but Cas makes an excellent proposition," Odette said. "Now that we've got the kingdom in a stable state, don't you think it's worth expanding our horizons? Allies, adventures, history — it'll only benefit all of us. Besides, Caspian's got the best understanding of seafaring out of anyone in Cair Paravel! And when I'm back, maybe his ship will be finished being built, and we can all go together to find Caspian's father's lost friends!"

  Hope held a tight breath. "...You don't understand."

  "I do. Henry Edwards was more of a father than my actual father was," Odette promised. She reached across the table and took her hand. "If we are to accomplish anything in our rule, we owe it to Narnia to facilitate and encourage growth. I say, let Caspian start with his smaller voyages. Let him work his way up and prove to use that we're not sending him to drown in a riptide. Let him chart the seas and live to tell us all the tales. Baby steps. Doesn't that sound alright?"

  Hope hesitated. Everything about the ocean horrified her. Endless miles you can't walk... An infinite depth beneath your feet... Creatures lurking at every foaming wave... Skeletons waiting for you to join them at the bottom... Chills flurried up her arms at the thought.

  If only Aslan was visiting right about now... What would he say?

  Hope hated to admit it, but Aslan and Odette would probably agree. Aslan would encourage Caspian. Baby steps. She could accept that. Until his magnificent ship was finally built.

  And so, the Age of Exploration began.

  To the west, Queen Odette, the Selfless, sought out their allies, both new and old.

  May the wit of the Just King, Duke of the Lantern Waste, guide you through his Western Woods, the Narnians had said as she left.

  To the east, King Caspian X began to fulfill his rightful title as the Navigator, sailing into the ocean.

  May the grace of the Valiant Queen guide you across the lively, listening eastern seas.

  And back at Cair Paravel, in the south, the Bright Queen was left to rule Narnia in their absences. It was the beginning of the Age of Exploration, and here Hope was, exploring nothing farther than the castle walls she had fallen in love with all over again.

  Or so she thought. For only two weeks after the Age of Exploration began, it was announced that Narnia's fairies were coming out of hiding for the first time in centuries, and they were seeking a war against Queen Hope for treason against the Fairy Queen Titania 1,000 years ago.

  So, this is how our story begins — or perhaps carries on.

  To the west, Queen Odette explored the land.

  To the east, King Caspian explored the seas.

  And to the south, Queen Hope was left to explore how to lead a war — and win — on her own.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

*taps microphone* Is this thing on

Hello! In classic me fashion, I've had this chapter in my drafts for like two months now! My bad!!!!

This chapter simply serves as a little time skip that exists somewhere between after the end of Prince Caspian and before Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As you might have guessed, the Dawn Treader doesn't even exist here yet! How fun! I'd like to dive into the plot of the movie sooner than later, so expect a lovely little reunion with Lucy and Edmund (and Eustace) in one of these early chapters!!

But, of course, I love angst, so insert Hope's fear of the ocean and abandonment!! I've been planning for this from the beginning hehe. Hope everyone that's still reading this story is doing well :) Much love!!!!

— Liza