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THE FIVE Pevensies and Trumpkin hiked through the forest, as Peter led them onward. "How much you wanna bet that he's led us astray?" Eliza whispered to her brother, as the others paid little attention to them.

Edmund groaned, "Come on El! That's not a fair bet!" He chuckled, elbowing the girl while she laughed. It really felt euphoric being back here, laughing with her brother as they trekked through the Narnia forest.

"I don't remember this way at all." Susan spoke up, making the twins redirect their attention to their surroundings.

"That's the problem with girls." Peter remarked, "You can't carry a map in your heads." Eliza punched her older brother in the shoulder making him clutch his arm but he snickered nevertheless.

"That's because our heads have something in them." Lucy snapped back, making Eliza whistle and high five her younger sister.

"I wish he'd just listen to the DLF." Susan huffed, making Edmund raise a brow and spin on his heel to face the girls. "DLF?" Edmund questioned, turning to Eliza who was smirking, glancing down at the dwarf.

"Dear Little Friend." Eliza answered with a soft smile, winking at Lucy who was giggling like mad.

"Oh, that's not patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin muttered lowly. Peter stepped into a rock passage and stopped abruptly.

"I'm not lost." Peter said trying to convince his siblings but failed miserably, making them all groan in frustration.

"No... not lost... just taking a very long unmapped trip in the middle of nowhere." Eliza nodded, her older brother shooting her a sharp glare, making the girl shrug at him innocently.

Peter turned to the dwarf, "You said you last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Wood, and the quickest way there is to cross at the river rush." He scrunched his eyebrows together trying to remember.

"But, unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts." Trumpkin shrugged, raising a knowing brow.

"That explains it then." Peter said cockily, "You're mistaken." They continued walking until they came to a gorge. Eliza stood close to the edge and looked down at the rushing water below, upon seeing the raging currents below She gulped and stepped back.

"Over hundreds of years, water eroded the earth's soil..." Susan recited, earning irritated groans from all her siblings, they all were definitely not in the mood for a Geography lesson right now.

"Oh, shut up!" Peter interrupted, as his eyes never left the water below, as it crashed against the rocks.

"Is there a way down?" Edmund asked the dwarf, as Eliza retreated back towards the group.

"Yeah, falling." Trumpkin stated, subtly rolling his eyes, "Come. There's a ford at Beruna."

"Ooh- anyone up for a little swim?" Eliza asked, sarcasm lacing her tone making the oldest Pevensie elicit a loud groan of frustration and anger.

"For God's sake, shut it Eliza!" The older boy hissed, his nose scrunching as he pinched the bridge of his nose in though.

"Do one!" Eliza snapped in reply, making a very obscene gesture with her finger that made Susan audibly gasp and her twin to burst into laughter. Peter pushed past the girl, and began to lead them in yet- another direction, Eliza turned to follow but was stopped by Lucy yelling.

"It's Aslan! It's Aslan over there!" Lucy exclaimed loudly, making all her siblings turn and look in hope, only to be met by nothing, "Well, can't you see? He's right..." She spun back around and her shoulders droop as she saw nothing, "... there." Her smile slowly fading.

"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin retorted, shaking his head at the mere thought that such being was actually real.

"I'm not crazy. He was there." Lucy insisted, "He wanted us to follow him.". Peter and Susan exchanged a look- one of which Eliza had seen many times. They didn't believe her.

Peter sighed, "I'm sure there are any number of lions in this wood. Just like that bear." He said slowly, trying to break it to her gently.

"I think I know Aslan when I see him." Lucy stated, making the dwarf shake his head once more.

"Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn't exist." Trumpkin objected.

Edmund cleared his throat, "The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid."

"I'm with Eddie," Eliza said, draping a loose arm over Lucy's shoulder, "If she saw Aslan, then she saw Aslan."

Peter looked across the gorge "Why wouldn't I have seen him?" He asked almost as if yearning for some sort of hope that this land hadn't changed as much as he'd thought.

Lucy frowned, "Maybe you weren't looking." She whispered, only to be met by the sceptical eyes of Susan and Peter.

"I'm sorry, Lu." The older boy apologised, obviously not swayed by what the girl claimed to see.

"Lucy," Eliza spoke up softly, as the others walked away, "Let's go." The smaller girl nodded sadly, as they rejoined their siblings who were wandering off ahead.

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ELIZA HID behind a massive pile of cut down trees, her heart thumped as she watched the Telmarines hack away at the bark of the trees, and cutting them into shape. There was possibly hundreds of men working on a bridge of some sorts, which Eliza guessed would be built in order to try and invade the woods. The sound of galloping sent a flare of fear through her body, the girl pushed her back against Edmund, who was out of sight in the corner of the log pile.

"Ow-Liza!" Edmund whispered, making the girl cover his mouth with her hand. It wasn't safe to stay here much longer, she glanced at Susan who seemed to understand the look on her face.

Susan took a shaky breath in before turning to Peter, "Perhaps this wasn't the best way after all." She muttered to the older boy.

Peter looked down in defeat and slowly retreated away from the log pile and into the dense woods. The rest of them soon followed as they once again, backtracked towards the gorge where Lucy had seen Aslan.

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THE SIX WERE back at the place where Peter had taken them in the first place. "Where do you think you saw Aslan?" The older boy asked, his skeptical tone sounding harsh and rude.

Lucy looked hurt at her brothers words, "I wish you'd all stop acting like grown-ups. I didn't think I saw him, I did see him." She said, turning on her heel, "It was right around...". Suddenly the ground collapsed under Lucy and she screamed in fear. Eliza lurched forward quickly, peering over the edge, only to see Lucy sitting safely just a few feet down.

Lucy grinned, "... here." She finished, patting the ground beside her. Looking down and examining beneath her, Eliza noticed a steep and narrow path going slantwise down into the gorge between rocks.

The girl dropped down from above with help from Edmund who steadied her on the narrow ledge. As soon as they'd all clambered down the muddy notch, They cautiously walked down the path, as it led them to the bed of the river, where they crossed over using stepping stones.

In front, Lucy slipped and Trumpkin held onto
her, making sure she was steady before letting go. Behind her, Edmund was kicking the water with every step he took, causing water to splash Eliza.

"Edmund- I swear to Aslan, I will drown you." The girl threatened, whipping around to face the gleeful boy who whistled innocently.

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THE SUN HAD SET over the woodland, and the five Pevensies and Trumpkin huddled around the fire they'd lit, the majority of them sleeping soundly apart from Eliza-who once again was miserably failing to fall asleep. She had heard Lucy and Susan's previous conversation about the whole 'Aslan' situation, but they'd both fallen asleep soon after.

Eliza, however, couldn't sleep. She shifted from position to position trying to relax but the whole 'being back in Narnia' thing was messing with her head. The girl glanced around before silently getting up from where she lay. The moon shone brightly down, as she crept away from her siblings, the girl had grabbed her sword from the ground and walked off into the woods, hoping that a walk might clear her head.

Eliza passed the many trees, letting her fingers brush against it's bark, remembering how they'd dance and rejoice but now all they did was sit in their own little glooms, surrounded by their wilted leaves. The snap of a twig alerted the girl, as she spun around-drawing her sword in defence, pointing the tip of the sword to her attackers throat.

The boy jumped back in surprise "Wo-woah, Liza.." Edmund yawned, raising his hands up, "It's me."

The girl lowered her sword and sheathed it once more. "What are you doing out here?" She asked, meeting the boys tired eyes.

"For someone who tried so hard to be quiet, you didn't do a very good job." The boy replied with a raised brow making the girl sigh lowly.

"I'm sorry for waking you." Eliza apologised, bowing her head in shame. Edmund placed a hand on her shoulder, "El, what's wrong?" He questioned, his voice softening.

The girl shook her head, "I can't sleep- nothing too major." She insisted, straightening up.

"It goes deeper than that- doesn't it?" The boy guessed, earning a hesitant nod, "El, tell me what's going on."

"I can't stop thinking about how, We left the Narnians here- alone. We were meant to be their rulers, their comrades but we abandoned them." Eliza blurted out, slumping against a tree to sit at its roots.

Edmund let out a small sigh and slowly lowered himself beside her. "We didn't want to leave them- we didn't mean to leave them." He corrected himself, placing a comforting arm around the girls shoulders, "Besides, we're here now. We're here to help them take back what's rightfully theirs."

The girl nodded and leaned her head on the boys shoulder, "Do you recall the old folk tale father used to tell us?" She asked out of the blue, looking up at the stars.

"The Twyleth Teg?" Edmund asked, scrunching his eyebrows together, "The fairies that abduct kids and swap them with small devils?! What on earth are you thinking about that for?"

"Dad always used to tell me that you were taken by them." Eliza reminisced quietly before speaking up louder, "He said that as soon as you turned eight, you were taken by The Twyleth Teg and replaced. I was so scared of you- honestly! I thought that they'd come for me next, so for weeks after father told us the story, I would always crawl into Mother and Fathers bed or sometimes even Peters."

Eliza could feel the boys laughter vibrate off him, as she told him. "The Twyleth Teg never really seemed to bother me as an infant." The boy shrugged, "I guess now we know why."

"The Twyleth Teg could be real, y'know?" The girl reasoned, "If we can go from a train station to a land we found in a wardrobe a year ago- there can be such things as fairies."

"I suppose so Liza, I suppose so." Edmund nodded, removing his arm from her shoulders and standing up on his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes and offering her his hand, "Now come on El, I really think you need some sleep."

And with that, the twins hiked back towards camp, to be greeted by the warm orange glow of the fire burning. Eliza dropped to the floor beside her brother, letting her eyes slowly droop shut as she recollected more fairytales and folk lore her father had told them as kids.

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THE SOUND OF footsteps passing Eliza's body, sent the girl into alert. Her eyes flew open as her older brother crept quickly out of sight. Eliza looked around, seeing Edmund and Susan still sound asleep, but Lucy was missing from where she had slept. The girl rose to her feet, grabbing her sword and silently walked after Peter, she turned the corner, only to witness a man attacking the older boy.

Eliza lurched forward to stand in front of her little sister, who was pressed up against a bush fearfully. She watched with her sword drawn, as Peter was disarmed, his sword lodged into a tree trunk. The man kicked her brother to the floor and tried to yank the sword from the bark. Eliza threw her sword to Peter but just as he was about to strike, more creatures surrounded them.

"No! Stop!" Lucy cried out, pushing Eliza to the side as she stepped towards the two men. They both stop and Peter paused and hesitantly looked around as the Narnians came out of hiding.

Eliza's eyes gleamed gleefully as they landed on the centaurs, badgers, wolves, fauns and dwarves circling them. The opposing man, whom Eliza could only presume was The Prince, pointed Peters sword at the older boy.

"Prince Caspian?" Peter asked slowly and waveringly, scrunching his eyebrows in doubt.

Caspian scrunched his eyebrows together, "Yes." He confirmed firmly, "And who are you?". All of a sudden, more footsteps were heard approaching the scene.

"Peter!" Susan yelled, rounding the corner, followed Edmund and Trumpkin. Edmund stopped beside Eliza, who gave his a reassuring nod and he loosened up slightly.

Prince Caspian glanced down at the
sword in his hand and his eyes landed on the lion head at the hilt. He looked up at Peter slowly, letting the realization hit. "High King Peter?" He spoke up unsure of what the answer may be.

Peter nodded, "I believe you called." He stated, unimpressed that the prince was still holding onto his sword.

"Well yes, but... I thought you'd be older." Caspian hurriedly replied, examining the older Pevensie and his siblings, When his eyes reached Eliza she grinned and waved cheekily while Susan merely blushed.

Peter inwardly rolled his eyes, "Well, if you'd like, we can come back in a few years." He began, taking a step away as if about to leave.

Caspian looked panicked, "No!" He interrupted, waving a hand. "No, that's alright. You're just... You're not exactly what I expected." The prince looked at Susan once more.

"Neither are you!" Eliza retorted, folding her arms only to have Peter shoot her a look that clearly translated to 'shut up'.

"A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes." A badger piped up from the sidelines, looking towards Trumpkin and the siblings.

A mouse jumped off of a small ledge and stood on its hind legs, "We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege." He said, bowing to Peter, who nodded in return. "Our hearts and swords are at your service."

Lucy turnt to Eliza in joy, "Oh my gosh, he is so cute." She whispered not so quietly, the mouse drew his sword and snarled.

"Who said that?!" He snapped, brandishing his sword.

Lucy winced and stepped forward, "... Sorry." She responded weakly. The mouse faltered before lowering his sword in embarrassment,

"Oh, uh... your majesty. With the greatest respect...I do believe courageous, courteous, or chivalrous- might more befit a knight of Narnia." He flourished.

Peter chuckled, "Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade." He joked, looking towards Caspian.

The mouse nodded vigorously, "Yes, indeed. And I have recently put it to good use acquiring weapons for your army, sire." He bowed once more.

"Good." Peter nodded, taking a breath in, "Because we're going to need every sword we can get."

Caspian smiled, "Well then, you'll probably be wanting yours back." He said, as Peter threw the girls sword back. Eliza caught it by the hilt and sheathed it slickly as Caspian returned Peters sword to his rightful owner.

Peter pressed his lips together and sheathed it, he glanced at his siblings before turning and walking up the path that led deeper into the woods. An arm was draped over Eliza's shoulder as they walked after Peter, the Narnians following close behind. Edmund, who had grown taller than her over the last year- now leaned down to whisper to her.

"Sleep Well?" He grinned, his hand squeezing her arm to comfort her.

Eliza's mouth twitched into a small smile. "Could've been better but- yeah, I guess I did." She replied quietly as Lucy and Susan trailed behind them.

"I'll never understand you, Ed" Susan spoke up, seeing the boy with his arm around his sister and grinning. As if in cue, Edmunds face fell into a scowl as he mumbled incoherent curses under his breath.

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