#Have to stop myself from calling it the Dawn Treader

[w-e-chard]

FINAL FANTASY XIV: DAWNTRAIL Full Trailer

[reverieregina]

Curse of the all-knowing part 1

Caspian x fem!reader

Summary: Y/N was living her life like anyone in the 21st century, until one day she comes across a portal to a magical kingdom, Narnia. A kingdom she believed to be fictional, is suddenly real. What is the reason for her arrival? And what are the surprises that are awaiting her?

Words: 1806

Warning: None

English is not my first language

I look away from my laptop screen, where Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is playing. I look out at my window, noticing the nice weather, and get the sudden urge of going on a walk. I look back at my laptop. The movie is nearing its end and I can already feel my throat tighten and few tears running down my face. No matter how many times I watch this movie, the ending always gets me. Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace say goodbye to Aslan and Caspian before going to the waves and get back to their own world.

I wash my face so I don't look like I just cried and put on some comfortable clothes for a walk. I would rather chill on my bed but something told me to take a walk. I leave the apartment complex with AirPods, some random song playing in my ears, and go to the woods nearby. I found the familiar path through the woods. The birds are chirping and there are flowers here and there. The forest is giving away a different energy today, something I never have felt before. A gust of wind blows past me, almost pushing me off the trail. I look at the direction the wind is blowing. Should I? I just make sure not too far away from the trail. I follow the wind like I'm Pocahontas or something. I reach a door and furrow my brows. That's random, who would put a random door in the middle of the woods. I open the door like something else would be at the other side, but of course, it's just the same forest. My phone gives away the sound of a notification and I take out my phone as I go through the door. Just as I do that, I lose reception, weird. I close the door behind me and take off my AirPods as I look up.

I look around and notice I'm in some kind of garden, full of rose bushes. Impossible, a second ago it was just trees. I turn around to the door, if it took me wherever I'm then it can take me back. Just as I'm about to grip the handle, it fades away, like the rest of the door.

"No, no, stop it. come back!" I banged my hand on the door but keeps fading until it's gone and it's just bushes. Great, there went what could be my only way home. I look around, it's just roses. I walk around, trying to find my way from here. Survival mode on.

If I had any.

I reach what seems like a Medieval age's castle. How come it looks brand new while the rest in the world is in ruins? I try to find someone and just as I'm about to shout, a person walks by and by the sound of it, a horse is nearby. The bushes are in the way so I'm well hidden. I hate talking to strangers but I need to know where I am. Once again, just as I'm about to shout I stop myself. The bushes are no longer hiding the lower part of his body, his horse body. My eyes widen and my breath thicken. I must be dreaming. The centaur looks around like he could feel someone staring. I crouch down. I stay like that until I no longer hear his steps.

This can't be happening. Centaurs are supposed to be fiction, so why did I just see one? I must be dreaming. I pinch my arm and feel a bit of pain, okay so not dreaming. Still doesn't explain my whereabouts. Think Amy, you were on a walk, you left the trail and went through a randomly placed door. My eyes widened in realization. The door! I'm in a new place and I just saw a mythical creature. I must be in another world. Time to find out where and just work from there. I stand up and am met with an older man. I yelp leaves my lips and the man gets startled by my sudden appearance. After calming down for a few seconds I get a better look at him. He kinda looks like Santa, but shorter.

"I have never seen you before. Who may you be?" He asks. Pretty calm for someone that just saw a person come out of bushes.

"Me? Just nobody, no one!" Great Amy, lie when he seems nice and you need help. The man chuckles at my embarrassing state.

"Well, just 'Nobody.' Care to tell me your name and what you're doing here?" I look at the man that is staring at me very patiently. At least he doesn't see me as a threat. I sigh. I will sound crazy but it's the only explanation I can come up with.

"My name is Y/N L/N and I think I'm in the wrong world." Just as that leaves my lips, I realize how crazy that sounds. On the other hand, I just saw a centaur. The man just stands still, like he is comprehending what I just said. We just stay there staring at each other for some seconds until the man finally says something.

"Come with me." He says and walks away to the massive castle.

"Hey I'm not following a stranger anywhere, I don't plan on dying today!" I shout back. I was raised better than that. The man stops and turns around.

"Do you know where you are?" I shake my head. "Do you know how to get back to your own world?" Once again I shake my head. "Then follow me." Sorry mom, but I have questions and someone has the answers. I follow the man that is faster than you would think but I catch up fast.

"Excuse me sir, but where am I?" I ask. The man looks at me and then forward again. That man has a destination and he is determined to get there.

"You will get answers soon dear child." Good to know.

"Okay, but can I at least get your name." The man smiles at me, making me feel a bit calmer about this situation.

"I'm Professor Cornelius." Finally an answer! But why does his name sound familiar? I'm sure I never have meet him before, have I? As we walk to wherever he is taking me I notice the people around us. People dressing in Medieval clothing, dwarfs, minotaurs, and centaurs. I would think that we were on a movie set but I'm pretty sure we passed by a badger that was talking to a mouse.

We reach some enormous doors and the professor opens them up, looking around for someone. I slow down my steps. This place is magical, with pillars and a glass roof. It is so new yet so familiar. People were happily chatting, clearly happy for something since they have a small celebration of some sort. The deeper I go into the room the quieter the people get. Guess I crushed the party and I'm pretty sure I heard someone mention my clothes. When I reach the Professor I see him with his back turned to me while talking to someone and the surrounding people look at me with suspicion. Ignoring their staring, I look behind them. There are two thrones on a dais. Am I about to meet royalty?

"Miss Y/N, come here." Says the professor, taking me out of my thoughts. "There is someone you should meet." I walk the few steps to the professor and as he moves to the side I'm met with the most handsome man I have ever seen. He smiles and a warm feeling is spreading in my chest. The more I look at him, the more I realize.

I know who he is. I saw him just two hours ago.

"Miss Amy, let me introduce you to-" The professor starts, but my mouth worked faster than my brain and didn't let him finish.

"Caspian." His name leaves my lips. The man in front of me is Caspian. Everyone looks perplexed but I don't care, I can't stop staring into his eyes. They just give me comfort, I could stare into them forever. I finally know where I am.

"Professor Cornelius," Someone is talking but who I don't know. I just can't move. "I thought you said that she is from another world."

"She said that she is and her clothes are something I have never seen before. Also, she seemed so confused over where she is." He answered. Well, obviously my clothes are something you have never seen before, I'm from the 21st century.

"And how do we know she is telling the truth?" The same man asked. I finally find my voice and talk for the first time since I saw Caspian.

"I am in Narnia, aren't I?" I ask. Caspian chuckles and takes a step towards me.

"Yes my lady, you are in Narnia and I'm its king. Tho it seems you already know that." Caspian explained. I feel the blood rush to my cheeks and I look away from him. I look to my right and I see a balcony. Not saying another word I walk towards it. I can obviously hear someone laugh a bit and their footsteps following me but I keep going. While out I see the clearest ocean I have ever seen. A bit to the right and I see a cave in the distance. Must be the cave the Pevensies came from in the second movie. Someone stands beside me but my eyes are back on the ocean.

"Beautiful isn't it? It takes your breath away." Caspian. That man has been taking people's breath away for years.

"Yeah," I answered. A few seconds go by until I realize my mistake, he is royalty. "Your majesty." I bow, more or less. He laughs, gosh I could listen to that laugh forever.

"No need to bow and Caspian is just fine, Lady Y/N." Once again I feel the blood rush to my cheeks. I don't know if this is better or worse than watching him through a screen.

"Well then Caspian," I emphasize his name. "Call me Y/N." He put his hands on the rails and looks at me, the atmosphere goes from comfortable to extremely serious.

"Lady Y/N, I was told you were from a different world yet you know my name. I would really like to know why and how."

"I think it's for the best if we speak somewhere a little more private. Because what I'm about to say will change everything." He nods in understanding. A new world is nothing new to him, his friends and his ancestors were from another world. But what is new is that I'm not from the same one as the Pevensies.

"Follow me."

Next chapter

[aquaticrunner]

Edmund Pevensie Imagine

Edmund Pevensie x Female Reader

Quick Summary: The story is set in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Y/N has been chosen to be a part of the crew, however she doesn’t feel like people respect her (other than Caspian). Then, she meets Edmund and Lucy and things start to change.

Word count: 3887

  When I had been chosen to be part of the crew on the Dawn Treader, I had been ecstatic. But now, I could not be more bored. It was extremely difficult being the only girl, especially when all the “harder” jobs had been given to the men. The only good part was being one of the few people Caspain truly trusted. He let me speak in all the meetings, and trusted me with the more secret information. However, he was the king which meant he didn’t have time to notice how the rest of the crew treated me when he wasn’t around. It wasn’t just the fact that I was a girl. It was that I was younger, and had climbed the ranks faster than most. It made a lot of people mad. A few had even questioned my skills, claiming that the only reason I was on this trip was because Caspian fancied me. That could not be further than the truth. I earned this spot and I knew that. Now, I just needed to show everyone else.

  Sounds of shouting suddenly interrupted my train of thought, and I rushed out of my small cabin and up the stairs to see what the commotion was. Everyone seemed to be crowded around one edge of the ship. I heard grunts and sighs as I shoved my way to the front of the group, gasping when I saw Caspian in the water with 3 other people and couple of the crew. Caspian grabbed onto the platform lowered to him, his arm around a girl who looked similar to my age. I rushed to meet them, grabbing a couple blankets from a small bin on my way. I handed them to Caspian and he smiled at me and handed one to the girl. The girl took the blanket and held her hand out to me, “Hello! I’m Lucy.”

  I smiled and shook her hand. “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.” Lucy and Caspian stepped off the platform together and I took a couple steps back to allow them some room. “That was thrilling!” I heard Lucy say.

  Caspian was asking her how she ended up in the water when someone shouted his name. We all turned to see who it was and I lost my breath as he came into view. He was striking. Even soaking wet, I could tell that he was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen. His dark hair and gorgeous eyes made me feel weak in the knees and I took a shaky step back to lean on the railing. Caspian walked over to greet him, wrapping another blanket around his shoulders. I shook my head, urging myself to get rid of these thoughts. Nobody else around here respected me. Why would this boy be any different? Still I couldn’t stop my eyes from following him as he walked past me, overhearing bits of their conversation. 

  “Didn’t you call for us?” Lucy asked, her voice laced with confusion and excitement. I could almost hear the smile in her voice.

  Caspian shook his head, and the boy shrugged in return saying he was just glad to back. Back? I thought, He had been here before?

  Again my thoughts (and my eavesdropping) were interrupted by the last member of their group being brought aboard the shipping and screaming like he was being murdered and we were doing nothing to stop it. I stood up straight so that I could see better and watched him flop across the deck, screaming the whole time. The crew laughed as he continued to scream and Reepicheep tried to calm him down. 

  “Perhaps we could throw him back?” Reepicheep suggested. I smiled at the joke and watched Lucy shove the boy she was with as he seemed to consider it. “Edumund!” She shouted. Ah, so that was his name. It was almost as he pretty as he was. Did I really just think that? Wait, why do those names sound familiar?

  “Men!” Caspian shouted, and we all made our way to be in front of Caspian as he stepped up onto a small raised platform. “Behold our castaways! Edmund the Just and Lucy the Valiant, High King and Queen of Narnia.” My eyes widened a fraction and I remembered exactly who they were. These were 2 of the kings and queens of old. Everyone began to kneel and I quickly followed suit. I raised my eyes just a fraction, and saw the pair smiling at each other. They seemed genuinely happy to be back in Narnia. “Alright everyone, it’s time for a meeting! Captain Drinian and Y/N, please join me. Everyone else, back to work.”

  I quickly stood and followed Caspian and the others to the Captain’s quarters. My heart swelled, happy to be reminded that Caspian truly did trust me and want me here. However, I knew it would only last a short time during the meeting and then I would return back to my quarters to read or sew. I was a horrible sewer, however, the rest of the crew refused to acknowledge this fact simply because they didn’t want to give me any other job. My heart longed to chart maps or help sail. I wondered if things would change now that Lucy- Queen Lucy- was on board. 

  I walked into the meeting and stood behind the Captain in the small room to make room for Lucy and Edmund. Caspian laid out a map, explaining what he had accomplished these past three years and what our current mission was- to find the Seven Lost Lords who fled to the Lone Islands and vanished. 

  “What’s East of the Lone Islands?” Lucy asked. I smiled, knowing what the Captain was about to say. 

  “Uncharted waters,” He explained. “Things you could barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse.” 

  Edmund and Caspian both laughed, and Caspian said that was all he had to share with us for right now. We left the room quickly, the Captain returning to work and Lucy saying she wanted to go check out their room. I bumped into Edmund on my way out, and muttered a quick apology before rushing to my small room in the corner of the ship. I blushed at the thought of Edmund’s hand accidentally brushing my side. I let this thought linger for only a moment before I remembered it was completely inappropriate. I grabbed the small basket full of clothes from outside my door that the crew had left there and grabbed my sewing kit. I sighed, someday I’m going to do more than sew, so much more.

--

  The next day began with even more excitement. It seemed that Lucy and Edmund’s arrival had livened up the crew and after weeks of being at sea, everyone was starting to get excited again. I laughed as Caspian and Edmund clashed swords in a friendly fight. They were fairly evenly matched and the fight ended in a tie, with each of their swords against the others chest. Everyone cheered as the match came to an end and the Captain shouted at everyone to get back to work. I sighed, and took a large breath of fresh air before I had to return to my stuffy room. I turned to go, but someone caught at my arm and I quickly looked to see who it was. “Hold on Y/N,” said Caspian who motioned for me to follow him before letting go of my own. I allowed myself a small sigh of relief and followed him over to where Lucy, Edmund, and their odd cousin were talking.

  Well, Lucy and Edmund were talking. Eustace was shouting again about how we had kidnapped him and held him against his will. “Kidnapping is it? Funny, I thought we saved your life.” Caspian smirked and Eustace bumped into him, still on a rant. “You held me against my will!” I rolled my eyes as I drowned him out, my attention switching to Edmund who was even more stunning than he was yesterday. I’m not sure how it was possible, but with the button up and fancy attire being switched out for some looser clothes, he was transformed. 

  I was stirred out of my thoughts by someone shouting. “Land Ho!” I cleared my throat and followed Caspian as he rushed up to the top deck to get a closer look at the horizon. We had finally come across the Lone Islands and it was hard not be excited about that. “Strange,” Caspian remarked. “Not a Narnian flag in sight.” “But the Lone Islands have always been Narnia’s.” Replied Edmund, taking a turn to look through the telescope. I waited for him to pass it to me, but he handed it back to the Captain instead who closed it and returned it to its place. Ah, so he’s just like the others. And here I thought he might be different because of his sister. “That’s suspicious. We should be careful.” I added. Caspian nodded, and I smiled. At least I had one person on my side.

  Edmund finally spared me a glance, though it barely lasted for even a second. “I say we prepare a landing party. Drinian?” 

  Drinian looked at Caspian before awkwardly turning back to Edmund. “Forgive me Your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship.”

  I smirked as Edmund just nodded. He looked shocked, and I couldn’t say I wasn’t a little glad. Now he too knew how it felt to be brushed off. “We’ll use longboats.” Instructed Caspian, “Drinian, pick some men to come ashore. Y/N, you’ll come too.” My heart fluttered. “Really?” I asked in astonishment. I was finally going to get a chance to prove myself. Caspian looked confused at my reaction. “Of course. How could I leave one of my best fighters behind?”

  A few minutes later I was in a longboat, rowing towards the island. A couple men spared me odd glances, as if wondering why on Earth a girl who’s only job on this ship was to sew their clothes was there. But, Lucy smiled at me and I ignored them, happy to finally have someone else on my side. We reached the edge of the island and stepped out of the boat. Well, most of us anyway. Eustace was having some trouble and Reepicheep thought the best way to help was by shouting at him. Lucy rolled her eyes and shouted, catching everyone’s attention, “Listen! Where is everyone?”

  We all stopped to do as she said and realized what she was saying. There was absolutely no one in sight. No one in the streets or making noise anywhere. This was starting to get even weirder. We walked through the streets, as the town remained silent save for a few birds squawking in the distance. Suddenly, a loud bell rang from the church a little ways down the street. Caspian instructed Reepicheep to stay with Drinian’s men while Eustace, Lucy, Edmund, Caspian, and I continued on, instructing him to send a party if we weren’t back by dawn.

  We headed towards the church, Eustace lagging behind. I rolled my eyes as he ran toward us telling us we should just turn back. Edmund looked at him, unsure of what to do with him. “Do you want to come here and... guard something?” He asked. I stifled a laugh as he said yes, saying something about what a logical idea that was. Caspian reluctantly handed him one of his daggers and the four of us went inside the old church, leaving Eustace behind. It was dark inside the church and it looked like no one had been there in quite some time. 

  We searched the building until Edmund shouted that he found something. We all went over to him, eager to see what he had found. It appeared to be a book full of names. “Who are all these people?” Lucy asked. “And why have they been crossed out?” Edmund added. We looked to Caspian, who had a grave expression on his face. “Slave traders.” 

  Suddenly, the church bells began to ring again. Men began to appear from all over, sliding on ropes with weapons in their hand. “Watch out!” I heard Caspian shout. I immediately pulled out my sword, jumping in front of Edmund before a man with a gross, long beard could hit him in the back. I knocked him out quickly and Edmund looked at me in shock. “Thanks.” He said. I rolled my eyes, and kept fighting. 

  For a while it seemed like we were winning until- “Aaaaaah!” A loud scream rang through the room and we all turned to see what had happened. A man had walked through the door, Caspian’s knife held against Eustace’s throat. “Unless you wanna hear this one scream like a girl again, I’d say you should drop your weapons.” Lucy dropped hers immediately, while I looked to Caspian to follow his lead. 

  “NOW!” The man screamed again. Reluctantly, the said of us put down our weapons as well. The men around us quickly chained us up, and without weapons fighting back seemed useless. “Get off me!” I heard Lucy scream. I struggled as two men held me down, putting chains around my wrist. The man tossed Eustace to one of the other men, and slowly walked towards Lucy. “This one and the other boy, take to the market.” Next, he made his way towards me. “And what do we have here?” He raked his finger across my face and I cringed at his touch, spitting in his face. He immediately pulled back, anger pulling at his features. “Take her to the dungeon! Those two as well!” He ordered, gesturing at Edmund and Caspian.

  “Listen to me!” Shouted Caspian, “I am your king!” They ignored him and quickly we were hauled off, Edmund and Lucy shouting to each other the whole time. Finally, one of the men got sick of it and punched Edmund in the face, knocking him out. 

--

  They threw us into two cells, one for Caspian and one for Edmund and me, with nothing but walls and a small bucket of water. Edmund woke up shortly after and nearly scared me to death when he jumped up suddenly. “Where are we?” He demanded. “Calm down.” I said, “We’re in the dungeons. Caspian has been trying to get out, but so far it hasn’t worked. Will you sit down? You’re hurt.” He huffed, but sat down anyway. “Look, your forehead is bleeding.” I said.

  “So? I’m not some weakling who can’t take a hit.” I rolled my eyes, “Fine, then you can deal with your wound yourself!” I yelled, refusing to cry. This was the worst situation I’d been in so far and all I had wanted to do was help him. He sighed and I watched him put his head in his hands, immediately pulling it back when he accidentally touched his wound. He licked his lips, then looked at me sheepishly. “Okay... I”m sorry. Can you help me?”

  I nodded and slowly walked over to him. I ripped a piece off my sleeve and dipped into the bucket with water. I gently touched it to his head and he stiffened for a minute before relaxing. I cleaned it as best as I could until the bleeding stopped. “There. That should do until we get back to the ship.” I said. He let out a small smile and a thank you. As he looked into my eyes, I found it hard to look away. They were so beautiful and- Bang!

  I jumped as Caspian began banging on his window with a rock he had found. Thanks for ruining the moment Caspian. I took a step back from Edmund and his mesmerizing eyes and tried to refocus on the situation. We were trapped and we needed to get out. “It’s hopeless,” We heard a voice say from the shadows of Caspian’s cell. “You’ll never get out.” It said again. “Who’s there?” said Edmund, standing up again. 

  Caspian walked over to see who it was, “Lord Bern?” I gasped. We had found one of the Seven Lost Lords? In a dungeon? Suddenly, we heard screaming from outside, and I changed my focus as Edmund looked out the window in our cell. “What’s happening?” I asked. “I’m not sure.” He responded.

  “Where are they taking them?” Asked Caspian, looking out his own window. “Keep watching.” Replied Lord Bern. The boys watched until whatever was happening seemed to be over. Then, he began to explain what it was. He talking about something called The Mist, how it had appeared and nobody knew what it was. “If they don’t sell you to the slave traders,” he said, “You’re likely to be fed to The Mist.” “We have to find Lucy!” said Edmund, “Before it’s too late.”

--

  I’m not sure how long we were there before someone finally came to get us. They led us out of the dungeon, up the stairs, and out onto a courtyard. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the light before I realized there was a fight going on. It was Drinian and the rest of the men! We realized this was our chance to escape and used the distraction to our advantage. We started fighting back immediately and quickly took down the guards, using their keys to take off our chains. Once the people in the village realized we were winning, they joined us in our fight as well. We walked out of the village victorious and even had another man join us on our journey.

  The crew welcomed us back with a large dinner, and a small celebration after. Almost all of the men walked up to Edmund and Caspian, congratulating them and telling them what fine swordsmen they were. I sat at a table by myself in the back of the room, still unrecognized. I reminded myself recognition wasn’t why I was here. It was to help people. However, I couldn’t help feel a bit angry at everyone for not even admitting that I was actually useful. “Hey.” I looked up, hoping to see Edmund, but rolled my eyes when I realized it was only John. “What do you want?” I asked. He was a few years older than I was, about to turn 20 in 6 months. We had lived in the same village when we were little, but I couldn’t stand him. “Just wanted to congratulate you.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Really? You wanted to congratulate me?” It seemed too good to be true. “Oh yeah,” He said, “Congratulations on doing such a bad job on the mission that nobody even noticed you were there.” I felt my anger rising. I quickly stood up and shoved him away from me. He just laughed, making me even angrier. I stormed off, more hurt than ever, and slammed my door shut when I got back to my room.

  A couple minutes later I heard a knock at my door. No way. If John came all this way just to tease me some more I- “What?” I shouted when I opened my door. However, I paled when I realized it wasn’t John, but Edmund. He raised his eyebrows and threw his hands up in mock surrender. “I just came to talk.” I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. Instead, I just gestured for him to come in, shutting the door behind him. Once I had gathered my courage, I turned to look at him. “I’m really sorry Your Majesty, I thought you were someone else.” He cringed, “Please don’t call me Your Majesty. Edmund is just fine.” 

  I smiled, “Alright. What did you want to talk to me about?” He rubbed his hand behind his neck, and smiled shyly. Okay, it’s fine. Keep it together Y/N. Just a cute boy, sitting in your room... who also happens to be a king. “Well, I wanted to say thank you for earlier.” He said. I smiled, “You already said thank you.” He hesitated, “Well, I wanted to say thank you again. And to apologize.” I crinkled my face in confusion. “Apologize?” “Yes, well. I don’t think I’ve been very kind to you.” I said nothing and motioned for him to continue. “When I first arrived on the ship, you had nothing to me yet I ignored you. I’ve seen the way people treat you on the ship and instead of choosing to be better, I acted the same. For that, I truly am sorry.” I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. How long had I known him? Maybe a day or two and already it felt like there was something pulling me to him. There was certainly no question that I was going to forgive him. However, I could probably tease him a little first.

  “Well... I’m not sure I’m ready to forgive you yet.” I said. Clearly, he didn’t see that I was teasing because his face immediately fell and he stood to leave. “I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t forgive me either.” 

  “Edmund, wait.” I grabbed his arm without thinking to stop him from leaving and we were standing so close I could feel his breath. “Um... I just meant that I, uh.” Apparently I forgot how to speak. “Y/N...” He whispered and once again, I felt drawn to him. I felt myself moving closer until- “Y/N?” Edmund and I jumped apart as John poked his head into my room without knocking. I ran into the wall and cursed my small room. “Look I actually wanted to say-” He paused as he noticed Edmund. “What are you doing?” John asked. “Nothing! I mean- get out! Why would I want to talk to you?” I yelled. “No, it’s alright.” Said Edmund, “I should go anyway. I’ll see you later.” And with that, he was gone. I cursed John ever being born.

  “What do you want John?” I asked, annoyance showing plainly on my face. He smirked, “I just wanted to say you hit like a girl.” I grabbed the nearest object to me, a pillow, and threw it at his face. He managed to shut the door just in time and the pillow hit the door harmlessly. I locked it behind him before sinking down to the floor. Was Edmund going to kiss me? No, that’s ridiculous. He barely knows me. Still, I couldn’t help thinking about it. 

  There was a knock on my door once more and I sighed, pulling myself up from the floor. If it was John again, I swear. I opened the door, and immediately my thoughts were put on hold as I caught sight of the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. “Y/N, I’m sorry I just couldn’t leave without doing this.” And then, his lips were on mine. Edmund was kissing me. And I was kissing him. Unbelievable. We broke apart slowly, like the world was moving in slow motion and we were the only two people in it. “Wow.” I said, and he laughed with relief. “Y/N, I kind of think you’re amazing and... I’d really like to get to know you better.” I smiled back at him, “I’d like that.”

[knightofameris]

surprising changes — prince caspian

Request: Hi ! Could you please do a Caspian imagine when lucy, Edmund and eustace arrive in narnia and y/n is married to Caspian or something ?? Thanks xx

Setting: When Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace arrives on the Dawn Treader Contains: Nothing bad really. I’ll be going by the movie. Word Count: 1596

I really didn’t know how to end it, so I’m really sorry. Also, I might write a little prequel to when Caspian and Reader’s relationship starts. Stay tuned!

Edit: Sorry guys, I was reading through this and I realized a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes. They should be fixed but if not, please do tell me lol. I try reading them by myself but sometimes I don’t catch them until a little while after I post it. Thanks!

Enjoy!

[reposting from my old 2016 blog]

The waves hit the shore of Narnia repeatedly. It was early in the morning and the sun was barely rising. If you looked out into the ocean from the coastline, you could see the alluring waves just calling out to you, to sail into the endless sea. The salty fragrant of the ocean was somehow rejuvenating. That was the power of the Narnian ocean. Of course, Narnia was just magical in itself.

But today was the day the Narnia is to be left behind and Caspian the Tenth would travel out into the Great Eastern Ocean that was filled with the unknown. It had been three years since the Kings and Queens of old had aided him in the Narnian Revolution. Three years since (Y/n) had decided to stay in Narnia instead of going back to England. Besides, Narnia was her home and Aslan told her her duties lied here in Narnia now. In those three years, Caspian helped bring Narnia back up to where it used to be in the Golden Age. And in the three years, Caspian and (Y/n) had courted then got married.

(Y/n) was now known, once again, as the Queen of Narnia. She had ruled before with the Pevensies in the Golden age as (Y/n) the Daring so it was nothing new. Except for the fact that she’s now married to Caspian. It was strange because Caspian and her hadn’t gotten along very well until after the Second Battle of Beruna. And Caspian and Susan had a sort of thing between the two. But it wasn’t until the battle against the Calormens in the Great Desert that Caspian realized he had fallen for the Queen. But that’s a different story to tell.

“Caspian, you must let me go with you!” (Y/n) pleaded. Caspian was gathering a few personal things to bring with him onto the Dawn Treader, the first ship to be built in almost a thousand years. He grabbed Peter’s old sword, Edmund’s torch, Lucy’s healing cordial and dagger, and Susan’s bow and arrows. Caspian turned around to face his wife.

“I can’t, you have to stay here in Narnia to rule while I’m away.” Caspian explained then walked out of the castle towards the ship. (Y/n) following close behind.

“Well, we can just ask Trumpkin to look after Narnia in the meantime, can’t we?” (Y/n) suggested. Caspian sighed.

“We could but the ocean is a dangerous place. It’s filled with the unknown. I don’t want you to get hurt.” (Y/n) grabbed Caspians arm and the two stopped walking.

“Caspian, I’m not known as (Y/n) the daring for nothing.” Slowly she was winning. “Besides, I’ve sailed that ocean long before you were even born. I know Narnia and I know the Great Eastern Ocean. I’m not going just because I want to, I want to go so that I can protect you.”

“Protect me? I don’t need protecting.” Caspian scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Caspian so help me I’m going with you whether you like it or not.” (Y/n) scolded. Caspian huffed and finally gave in.

“Fine.” (Y/n) grinned and hugged Caspian.

She let go of him and looked up into his eyes. “Great! I already have everything set on board! I also already spoke to the Narnians and Trumpkin about everything.”

“What?! You mean you-”

“Yup, I knew you were going to give in.” Caspian sighed then hugged her once more.

“What am I going to do with you,” Caspian asked jokingly. (Y/n) laughed and rested her head against his chest.

“Love me?”

“Always.”

***

The Dawn Treader was sailing across the vast ocean and Cair Paravel was gone from sight. The winds were in their favor and they had left faster than expected. (Y/n) already had her favorite spot picked out which was in the figure head of the dragon. Reepicheep accompanied her in there.

Reepicheep was humming a tune when (Y/n) had asked him what it was he was humming.

“Ah, my majesty. It’s a tune that the dryads sang to me when I was a mere pinkie.” Reepicheep replied.

“It sounds beautiful, how do the lyrics go?” (Y/n) was intrigued.

“Well, I’m not that great of a singer but…”

“Where the sky and water meet~

Where the waves grow ever sweet,

Doubt not, Reepicheep,” Reepicheep seemed to dance a bit when he sang and (Y/n) giggled when he jumped on her shoulder then on top of the figured head and hung down from it. “ To find all you seek, there is the utter east.”

“Ah, Reepicheep, that was beau-” (Y/n) got distracted when she saw in the corner of her eye in the deep waters of the ocean something rather peculiar. “Hey, Reep.”

“Yes your majesty?” He looked where she was looking into the ocean.

“Get Caspian and another crewmate, we got three people overboard.” With that being said, (Y/n) dove into the water.

“Eustace swim!”  

“What’s going on?”

“Eustace come on! Keep swimming.”

Two more series of splashes came in and by that time, (Y/n) had reached Lucy.

“Hey, Lu! Don’t worry I gotchu.” (Y/n) held Lucy as the two of them trod the water.

“(Y/n)!” Lucy was absolutely ecstatic when she saw her longtime friend once more. They both started to swim towards the ship but before they did Lucy called out to Edmund. “Edmund, it’s (Y/n)!”

“Caspian?” Edmund was extremely surprised to see Caspian right next to him in the water. “Are we in Narnia?”

“Yes, you’re in Narnia.” Caspian answered.

“I don’t want to go! I want to go back to England! I’m going back to England!” Eustace cried as he struggled against the other crewmate.

“Is that Eustace?” (Y/n) asked Lucy. They finally made it to the portside of the ship and they were about to get pulled up and out of the water.

“Yes, it is…” Lucy answered. (Y/n) had met Eustace once before back when they were all much younger. (Y/n) was about 4 years older than him then but now she’s 7 years older. Guess how Eustace reacted?

“Well, that’s unfortunate.”

“(Y/n)!”

***

After Eustace had passed out from the minotaur, and how he reacted to recognize and see (Y/n) once more and much older than before, they all went into the Captain’s Cabin.

“It’s been great seeing all of you guys again,” (Y/n) had her arms wrapped around Edmund and Lucy. “You guys don’t look as different as before, how long has it been?”

“About a year,” Edmund replied grinning. “How about with you?”

“Three years,” Caspian answered.

“Well, it explains why you look so grown up, (Y/n).” Lucy smiled at her.

“But of course, time here doesn’t run with the time back on Earth afterall.”

Lucy saw an image of Aslan engraved on one of the walls and she smiled. The warm feeling came through her again like it had before when she had heard his name and when she met him for the first time.

“Aslan…” Then something caught Lucy’s eye. “Susan’s bow and arrows!”

(Y/n) went to go grab something out of the cabinet as Edmund stared at a picture of him and his siblings.

“Hey Lu,” Lucy turned around towards (Y/n)’s voice and she saw her dagger and healing cordial. “IT’s about time you got this back I suppose.”

“Is that Peter’s sword?” Edmund asked when he saw Caspian holding it out towards him.

“I looked after it, as promised.” Edmund walked over towards Caspian and was about to take it but then decided not to.

“No, no. It’s yours,” Edmund took a step back. “Peter gave it to you.”

“Hmm, well. I saved this for you though,” Caspian turned around and went into a different cabinet and grabbed his torch. He tossed it over towards Edmund and he caught it.

“Thanks!” Edmund was actually pretty grateful for it. He looked down into the torch and tried turning it in. Though, it blinded him. “Gah!”

(Y/n) laughed, “You’re such an idiot, Ed.” Edmund smiled sheepishly.

***

(Y/n), Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, and Lord Drinian stood around the table with a map of Narnia and the surrounding countries along with the Great Eastern Ocean.

“Since you left,” Caspian pointed towards the Lands of the North, “the Giants of the North surrendered unconditionally.” He moved his hand towards the Great Desert.

(Y/n) interrupted and four heads looked at her, “It was surprising to see how they had surrendered. I’ll tell you the story later. Oh, and then we fought the Calormen armies in the Great Desert! That’ll be an amazing story to tell, too!” (Y/n) sighed contently from the memories of the battles she had fought alongside Caspian. She looked over at him and smiled.

“Right, and now there’s peace across all of Narnia,” Caspian continued smiling while still looking over at her.

“Really? Peace?” Edmund asked while eyeing Caspian and (Y/n). He was a bit suspicious that something was going on between the two.

“Yup! In just three years.” (Y/n) answered.

“And have you found yourself a queen in those three years, Caspian? Or a king, (Y/n)?” Lucy asked the two. (Y/n) and Caspian looked at each other and the grabbed each other’s hands.

“You all know her as (Y/n) the Daring. Now you can know her also as my wife,” Caspian grinned.

“I knew it!” Edmund shouted. Everyone stared at him like he was a mad man.

[mae-falling-in-may]

FINALLY, a new writing, I’ve been so slow on this for some reasons, but here it is !

Originally requested by anon :  Lucy x Reader, where the reader is Caspian’s younger sister? Maybe during Dawn Treader, angst or fluff? Angst is preferred.

Sailing

Pairing : Lucy Pevensie x Caspian’s younger sister!Reader

Warnings : bad ending

Summary : You are Caspian’s younger sister, Princess Y/N of Narnia. You always were put aside, but this time you decided to sail with your brother on the Dawn Treader. You meet Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace, during your trip, and never felt so happy when you spent time with the youngest Pevensie sibling.

Words : 1,5k A/N : So, hum, I got confused by Lucy’s age in votd, so in this she and the reader are 17 or older, I didn’t want it to be awkward ahah. And this is also my first attempt at angst i don’t know if it’s good or something so, feedback is appreciated !

My gif!

"Caspian, please, let me go with you."

He sighed, crossing his arms.

"No, you have to take care of Narnia while i'll be sailing, I can't risk losing my sister."

"Narnia will be fine without us ! Please, I want to see the world Caspian, i'm sick of always being put aside. I want to sail with you, my brother." Once again, he sighed, losing his patience, he directed himself to the door.

"We'll see later Y/N." He then left the room, you sighed in frustration and sat on your bed.

A few months ago…

You were Caspian's younger sister. Princess Y/N of Narnia. Since young age you were overprotected, you hated it. During the war between Telmar and Narnia, you had to run away, leaving Caspian to his duties. You only got back after his coronation, not even being able to meet the Kings and Queens of Old. After these events, you were in need of adventure. Despite the disapproval of the Lords and your brother himself, you learnt how to fight with a sword, thanks to one of your friend.

You trained hard, hoping you could become useful. During a rainy day, you got back early from your training. When you passed close to the meeting hall, you heard your brother and the Lords speaking. You overheard the conversation and froze when you heard your brother speaking again.

"I'll sail to the Lone Islands, I have to find what happened to the friends of my father. I'll let Y/N rule during my absence."

"King Caspian ! She has no experience for ruling a kingdom, you can not just take this decision like this…" One of the Lords interfered. Everything went silent for a short moment.

"She grew up a lot, I trust her." Caspian sighed before continuing.

"Fine we will see later. You can go."

You heard footsteps, meaning that all of the Lords were leaving the room. You were shaken up by the new informations you learnt. You ? Ruling ? You shook your head. No, you needed adventure. You'll be sailing with Caspian, even if it will be hard to convince him.

***

You watched the Dawn Treader from afar, hand on your sword. Caspian will be leaving in a few days. He was busy, so you couldn't talk to him again. You didn't want to give up yet, you wanted to go with him. Either you could try to speak to your brother again, or you could just make your way into the ship. 

"Are you thinking of doing something that could embarrass me, sister ?"

You jumped and immediately turned around. You saw Caspian smiling a bit, next to your horse.

"Caspian… I-"

"You don't need to explain yourself Y/N. I've been thinking a lot of what you told me this day." He made his way next to you.

"I didn't know how you'd feel about everything that happened to us. I've only been thinking about myself, for that i'm sorry." You frowned.

"What are you saying Caspian ?"

"I'm saying that it would be a pleasure to see you being part of the crew."

You froze, without knowing what to say. You stayed silent for a while, then let out a loud "Thank you !", and gave a hug to your brother. He hugged you back before saying.

"You just have to promise me to be careful."

"Of course I will."

***

It’s already been a few weeks since the Dawn Treader left Narnia for the Lone Islands. Everything went well, the crew was nice to you, and you learned a lot of things from everyone. You’ve never felt so free in your life, and you loved this feeling. You were admiring the infinite beauties of the sea, smiling. A loud yell cut you out of your contemplating.

“Man overboard !” You gasped when you noticed three young people swimming close to the ship. Caspian and other men jumped into the water quickly to bring them back. You went into the quarters to pick up some towels. When you got back you saw Caspian who was brightly speaking with the newcomers. You approached them and gave them a towel and handed the last one to your brother.

“Welcome on board !” You smiled. You figured out that they were around your age, the boy maybe a bit older. You looked at the girl next to him, you almost froze at how pretty she was. You almost got yourself lost in your thoughts until you felt a hand on your shoulders. “Edmund, Lucy, here is my younger sister, Y/N.”

You realized while hearing their names, they were King and Queen of Old. You bowed awkwardly and stuttered.

"I-it's a real pleasure to meet you, your majesties." You heard chuckles.

"It's okay Y/N, there's no need for this kind of formalities. Just call us by our names." Lucy smiled brightly while you raised your head. You smiled back, a little flustered. You heard Caspian moving a bit, as he addressed himself to the crew.

"Everyone ! Welcome the newcomers, Edmund the Just, and Lucy the Valiant. High King and Queen of Narnia." Everyone clapped their hands, including you. You never thought you'll have the chance to meet the Kings and Queens of Old, you were happy. 

"Hum, your majes- uh I mean, Lucy, let's get you clean clothes."

She nodded.

"Sure ! Lead the way."

***

Days passed, you and Lucy spent a lot of time together. You didn't know if it was admiration, or anything else, but you sometimes felt flustered when she was close to you. If not, you could say you felt comfortable, safe with her. She told you how she ruled once, in Narnia, how she lived when she was in her world. You didn't know how to name the feeling you had everytime she was around, but it felt right. 

When you both almost got sold as slaves, you were more scared for her than for yourself. You felt even worse when she almost got abducted. You were furious, and afraid something else could happen to her. During Coriakin’s speech you wouldn’t let go Lucy’s hand, still shaken up by the recent events. 

The entire crew got back on the Dawn Treader, the next step was Ramandu’s Island. You had troubles sleeping this night, the sea was agitated, and you were constantly worried for Lucy. You decided to get up, and you noticed Lucy’s bed empty. Your eyes scanned the room, and you finally saw Lucy close the fire, staring at it. You slowly approached her.

“Lucy, are you okay ?” You murmured.

She jumped and looked at you with sad eyes. “Yes… I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep.” You put your hand on her shoulder.

“You know you can tell me Lucy, if you want to I mean…” She slowly raised her head and looked at you.

“Y/N… Do you think i’m pretty ?” You felt yourself blushing, but she couldn’t see it in the dark. You smiled to her before answering.

“Lucy… Of course you are pretty. You shouldn’t doubt yourself. You’re a Queen, you’re incredible, strong and inspiring. That’s why I lo- like you.” 

She smiled back, and whispered a “Thank you.” before hugging you tight. 

“We should go back to sleep, whatever is happening will drive us crazy, I can feel it.” She broke the hug and you nodded. “I’ll just go see the boys, I’ll be back in a bit.” She left the quarters, leaving you alone. You can not believe you almost told her how you felt. What if she freaked out ? You got back in your bed, with the thought of Lucy smiling to you, and hugging you. You eventually fell asleep a few minutes after, not even thinking of what the future could look like.

And you didn’t expect the future to be that cruel. You were so happy to spend all of your time with Lucy, that you hadn’t thought of her leaving. And here you are, with Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, their cousin, Reepicheep and Aslan. You couldn’t stop the tears while Aslan was speaking. You felt your heart sink shen Lucy came close to you, without saying a word. She opened her mouth but you cut her off by hugging her tight. 

“I don’t want you to go.” Was the only thing you could say between cries. 

“I don’t want to go either Y/N, but I have to.” She broke the hug and caressed your cheek gently.

“I’m glad I could meet you Y/N, I never felt so safe with anyone before.” You could see tears in her eyes. You stay silent before cursing under your breath and finally kissed her shyly. She was a bit surprised but kissed you back. “I love you Lucy, i’ll miss you everyday, you made me so happy the past few weeks. I will never forget you.” She smiled, kissed your cheek and eventually had to leave the embrace. You watched her join her brother and her cousin, feeling your heart break. You saw them disappear behind the water, the last thing you remembered was the sad look of Lucy watching you from afar.

[something-tofightfor]

His Favorite Place (Drabble #11)

Pairing: King Caspian x Reader

Word Count: 1830

Rating: PG-13? 

Author’s Note: This is the first time I’ve ever written for Caspian, and it’s very different than anything I’ve written before... so if it’s off, I apologize. @its-my-little-dumpster-fire - enjoy!

Caspian was many things: brave, strong, smart, quick to take action when the situation called for it. He was well liked by his people, revered for his capabilities when it came to talking to other leaders, befriending other lords and ladies. Caspian’s experience had come from only a few short years worth of time, after being thrust into a life that he wasn’t prepared for - fighting for the crown and the throne and control of Narnia with barely any time to think. He was grateful for the relative peace that had come to the land, because it gave him time to grow and learn more, to rely on his advisers and the rest of his Court. 

 Caspian was many things, but one of the things that he was not was willing to compromise on his own feelings. Since taking the throne back from his uncle, Caspian had been dealing with the rumors of his relationships, of the need for him to choose a bride and settle down, to produce heirs for Narnia in the case of his untimely demise. Mostly, the people of Narnia wanted to celebrate - first a wedding and then the birth of a child - but in Caspian’s mind, there was plenty of time for both. He enjoyed being out on the sea on the Dawn Treader, enjoyed spending time riding through the countryside, enjoyed being by himself, and from what he knew of marriage and children, these things would need to stop if (when) this came to be. 

 “I haven’t slept a full night in months,” Odril, one of his closest advisers whined to Caspian after a council meeting. “And it’s not because my wife is taking care of me, it’s because our son hasn’t stopped crying.” With a grimace, Caspian had shaken his head, thanking his lucky stars that he wasn’t in the same situation. Another friend, Mesnan, had complained to Caspian about his wife’s changes in behavior after their wedding. 

 “Caspian,” he groaned, putting his face in his hands. “You wouldn’t believe the things I have to put up with now that she’s living in my home. She expects me to clean up after myself, and she limits the amount of ale I drink.” Caspian had snickered, one hand rising to cover his mouth though it could do nothing to hide the amusement in his eyes. “You laugh, Cas, but just wait. You’ll see what I mean.” But Caspian was almost sure that his marriage - whenever it happened - would be much different than Mesnan’s and even Odril’s, simply because he was King. 

 Queen Susan’s presence in his life had been pleasant, but all too short. Though he’d enjoyed her company and felt a spark when he spoke to her - and an even bigger one during their only kiss, he knew that being with her long term wasn’t going to work. The fact that she wasn’t truly from Narnia was one hurdle to overcome, but the other? Her brothers would have disapproved of the union, simply because Peter and Edmund were wary of Caspian in a way that he couldn’t put his finger on. Certainly, when he’d met High King Peter for the first time, Caspian had been nothing but a teenager, barely old enough to stand up for himself and Peter had already ruled Narnia for years. 

 Certainly, it was a strange situation for all of them, but Lucy had been overly friendly and supportive of Caspian and Susan, despite the age difference, and even though Edmund had been wary, he hadn’t been outright frosty in the way that Peter had been at first. But the Pevensies had traveled back to England, and when Aslan had called them back to Narnia, only Lucy and Edmund had shown up again, along with their cousin. Lucy hinted that Susan had moved on, and truthfully, so had Caspian, though not in the same way. He’d always compare the women he met to Susan, but being nearly twenty five, Caspian knew that the feelings he’d had for the girl nearly a decade prior were no more than a simple teenage infatuation. But, he thought to himself, I won’t marry for anything less than love. Narnia deserves a King and Queen that love each other, not a marriage of convenience. 

 And so, Caspian often retreated to the castle’s library when he was not needed, losing himself in the books that were stacked to the ceiling, hair falling over his eyes as he pored over the content between each cover. He loved to learn, loved to pass the time in solitude and looked forward to the long hours he spent seated on the benches in the library, until Nilsea or Tumlea brought him a meal or reminded him that it was late, that he had a meeting the following day. In Caspian’s mind, being educated was the most important thing that a King could be, and despite the fact that he got experience by doing things, Caspian recognized the value of understanding history, too. Secluding himself in the library also kept him away from the expectations of his council, away from the requests that he start thinking of settling down, that he agree to meet with more potential wives.

 Stomach growling, Caspian stood up and turned, leaving a large book on giants open on the table, his mind racing as he moved toward the kitchen. They have so much history, and yet they’re so uncommon near this area. He shook his head, pulling the heavy door to the library open and was shocked to see a young woman standing on the other side of it, her arms full of books. “Oh, excuse me!” She gasped and stepped to the side, dipping her head forward as she curtsied, averting her gaze to the floor. “I apologize, my King.” 

 Caspian simply stared for long moments before shaking his head and reaching out. Her voice, the accent...“Please, give me some of those books, and don’t worry about the formality, this isn’t the time.” The girl took a breath, still looking away, even as she offloaded some of the books into Caspian’s waiting arms. “Is that enough? I can take more if you need.” She shook her head quickly, and Caspian turned away, heading back into the library. “Where would you like me to put these?” 

 “Just on the table, your Majesty.” Caspian grinned as he heard the flustered tone in her voice and he set the books down, stacking them neatly. “Thank you so much.” She shook her head still not meeting his eyes and set her own books down, piling them up. “They were much heavier than I thought they would be.” Caspian watched her silently, one arm behind his back and the other hanging at his side. She’s new, I’ve never seen her here before. 

 “What’s your name?” The question slipped from his lips before Caspian could stop it, and the girl finally looked up at him, eyes wide. Caspian took a small step closer, eyes locked on hers and sucked in a breath in surprise. “Your eyes are the color of the sky over the Silver Sea, just before Aslan’s Country.” He spoke again, the words not even sounding like his own. “I’ve never seen anything like them.” He shook his head, but she remained silent, still looking at him. “Please, tell me your name.” She cleared her throat, whispering a response and Caspian’s smile grew. “I’ve never heard that name before.” He licked his lips, taking a deep breath. “Do you… are you employed here in Cair Paravel?” 

 “Yes, your Majesty.” She nodded, raising a hand to gesture to the library. “I’m the new library custodian.” Oh. So I’ll see her a lot. “I just arrived yesterday, and was given a day to adjust to the palace before beginning my work. I speak six different languages, and so it was thought that I could best use my education here.” With each word, her voice grew stronger and Caspian fought to keep his gaze on her face, not wanting to make her uncomfortable by looking at her body - thought it was all he wanted to do. What is happening?  

 “I spend a lot of time in here.” He spoke clearly, giving a small nod. “That table over there?” He turned and pointed, saying her name again. “That’s one of my favorite spots in Cair Paravel.” When he turned to look back, Caspian was happy to see that she was smiling, the very tip of her tongue visible through her teeth. 

 “Is it, your M-”

 “Please, if you’re going to be working here and we’re going to see each other so often, call me Caspian.” Why am I looking forward to seeing her often? She shook her head back and forth twice almost violently, lips parting and her eyes going wide again. 

 “I couldn’t, that’s not proper, it -”

 “I can order you to do so, if it would make it easier for you.” Who are you and why are you being so bold, Caspian? She relaxed, and Caspian stepped forward, one eyebrow raised. “Everyone is so formal with me all of the time, and I come here to get away from it. If I hear you say ‘excuse me, your Majesty,’ or ‘pardon me, my King’ every time you walk by, it’s going to make me have to choose another favorite spot. Caspian within the walls of this room will do just fine.” There was a pause and then she laughed, the sound as clear as a bell and the loudest one he’d heard inside of the library in all his years. It’s a beautiful laugh. 

 “I think I can manage that, Caspian.” He sucked in a breath and his own eyes widened as he heard her say his name for the first time - easily, with no pause. “Thank you for the opportunity.” What? “To come here, to live and work in the palace, to learn more from your people than would be possible in the Southern lands.” I had nothing to do with it. “I know that you don’t choose your own custodians, that you have people do so, but I never imagined that I’d even meet you.” She pressed her lips together, wiping her hands against the front of her skirt, and Caspian looked down for the first time, attention pulled by the movement. “You were leaving, though. I apologize for interrupting. Thank you for the help with my books.” Another smile, and she bowed her head for a moment, closing her eyes. 

 “Yes.” He cleared his throat, nodding his head. “Yes, I was on my way out for lunch.” Caspian smiled, his eyes back on her face. “Perhaps I’ll see you when I return?” Before she could respond, he continued. You’re the king, you can be bold if you want to. “You can tell me about your journey to Cair Paravel.” She nodded once, and Caspian stepped away toward the door, pausing with one hand on the frame. He turned, saying her name once more, and when she raised her eyes to look at him, he continued. “I look forward to it.” 

 She gifted him with another smile, tilting her head to the side. “I do as well, Caspian.”

---

[mongrel-eyes]

Everything I Read in 2019

In total, I read 45 books of my own accord in 2019, and there were probably about one-fourth as many that I started but never ended up finishing. A loose goal for myself (which I formed in the later half of the year as I realized that I had read quite a lot) was to reach 52 books so that I would effectively have one book per week of the year. That obviously didn’t happen, but it’s not something I feel was of great importance. Last year, I read 10 books (I think I may have read a few more than that, but I don’t remember). That was more than all the books I’d read in the past 7 years added together. The past decade has been a rollercoaster, but this final year has brought something of a conclusion, closure, and some healing. It’s the end of one novel of my life - time for the next.

2019 Booklist

The Slow Regard of Silent Things // Patrick Rothfuss

I have read all of the books published for The Kingkiller Chronicle thusfar; however, The Slow Regard of Silent Things honestly trumps both The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear for me (and I do not say this lightly because I think both novels are fantastic, and I was practically drunk and grinning from ear to ear after reading “A Silence of Three Parts” for the first time). Auri’s quirks and the way she sees and moves through the world is nearly identical to what I have experienced for much of my life. The first time I read this book, I wept because I saw myself so vividly written in its pages. Though it is short, and I think many would deem it as not particularly exciting or significant, I understand it very deeply. As Rothfuss writes in his end letter: it is not a normal story for normal readers; it is a story for the storytellers and the dreamers.

The Magician’s Nephew // C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe // C.S. Lewis The Horse and His Boy // C.S. Lewis Prince Caspian // C.S. Lewis The Voyage of the Dawn Treader // C.S. Lewis The Silver Chair // C.S. Lewis The Last Battle // C.S. Lewis

I grew up reading C.S. Lewis’s stories of Narnia. One of my earliest memories is of listening to an audiotape recording of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I remember exactly where I was in this memory, and the exact sentences of the book being read to me through the car speakers. Narnia has always and will always hold a special place in my heart, and it was good to visit again after such a long time away. Thanks to a variety of health problems which had all but wiped out my long-term personal memories, I remembered only an echo of the enchantment of these books, and when I picked them up again early in the year, I was not disappointed.

Educated // Tara Westover

Educated was a hard book for me to read. It was raw and powerful, and I know a fraction of the pain and circumstance Westover describes. In one portion of the book, she writes that believing you are not hurt is sometimes the way in which abuse hurts you the most. I understood that, and by the end I felt so proud of this strong young woman who challenged her entire world. It wasn’t always pretty or heroic (oftentimes it was ugly and lonely), but it was true.

Bridge to Terabithia // Katherine Paterson

I grew up 10 miles away from the small town which served as the inspiration for Lark Creek. It has been a powerful and significant story in my life from the time I first read it early in 2009. Again, due to failing memory, I only recalled an echo of what it really was. One spring morning, I walked outside, hung in my hammock and didn’t budge until I had read this book from cover to cover. It was like reuniting with a very old friend.

Mortal Engines // Philip Reeve

I became interested in Mortal Engines because of the trailers for the upcoming film that kept showing up for me in Spotify. I was thoroughly warned by the internet to steer clear of the film (I still would like to see it at some point, but I don’t have high hopes), but my friend highly recommended that I read the book. I actually listened to the audiobook recording from Hoopla. Barnaby Edwards is a brilliant narrator, and I loved every minute of it. It was not the kind of story that struck me to my absolute core (personally), but it was powerful and captivating all the same.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars // Glendy Vanderah

I picked up this book because I liked the title, nothing more. It turned out to be a beautiful story of the making of a beautiful family (it also made for a beautiful hardcover). It was unfortunately triggering at one point, but despite that I enjoyed the story and the characters and the cleverness crafted into Ursa’s character.

Perelandra // C.S. Lewis

In the Fall/Winter of 2018, I listened to Out of the Silent Planet on my commutes to and from school. Many years ago (I can’t even remember how long), I had read Out of the Silent Planet but had quite forgotten anything about it other than that the main character’s name was Ransom. After returning to it at the end of last year, I listened to Perelandra in late May. Out of all of books in the Space Trilogy, I found this one to be the slowest and least interesting. However, that is not to say that I did not enjoy the book. Lewis’s descriptions of the world on Venus were riveting and vivid, and listening to and analyzing the debate/war between Ransom and Weston was of particular interest and importance to me.

That Hideous Strength // C.S. Lewis

Following Perelandra, I immediately listened to That Hideous Strength. It surprised me later to learn that this third installment of the Space Trilogy was received with the least positive appraisal of the three. I found it to be my favourite of them all. I see many echoes between this fiction and the reality which we face, and that was somewhat intriguing, frightening, and comforting all jumbled together. I have a theory (or more accurately, a hypothesis) which I refer to as “the mortal gods.” I won’t go into any details of it here, but I felt in That Hideous Strength that C.S. Lewis understood my mortal gods. He just called them by different names.

Night Flights // Philip Reeve

I listened to this book on Hoopla, and though it was short I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the character of Anna Fang. This story provides details on how she rose to become the notorious Wind Flower plaguing the cities from Mortal Engines.

I Rode a Horse of Milk-White Jade // Diane Wilson

I first read this book when I was younger than 9 years old. Even back then, I loved this book, and when I returned to it this year, I loved it again. I had not even touched it for over 10 years. When I was very young, I had a great respect for the Mongolian nomads; and, of course, since this book brought those people to life, it became and is very special to me.

The Bible (English Standard Version)

Though I was raised in a religious household, I had never actually read the Bible from cover to cover (although I had read the majority of it in bits and parts throughout my life and been lectured on it for countless hours). It took me 3 months to slog through it, but in the end, it wasn’t just slogging. I found that if I put aside everything I thought I knew about this book and read it as if it was historic mythology instead of whatever rigid, legalistic stories and verses I had been led to believe it was when I was younger, it came alive in the way the story of Icarus comes alive every time you read a new rendition or see a new painting. C.S. Lewis described it as “true myth,” and I am inclined to believe that approaching it as “myth” is perhaps the most accurate of all the different ways in which I see people trying to describe or understand it and failing in their attempts to squash a god (seriously, the thought of a god in and of itself is mind-bending if you really stop to think about it) to fit into the tiny boxes of their mortal lives.

The Wanderer’s Journal: A Journey Through the Heart of Hallownest // Kari Fry & Ryan Novak

Saying I loved the game Hollow Knight is an understatement. Of course, when Fangamer announced they would be publishing a wanderer’s journal in collaboration with Team Cherry, I had to read it. I’ve always loved field guide-esque books (specifically, Dragonology), so of course I was especially delighted while reading the journal.

The Hobbit // J.R.R. Tolkien

Previously, I had only listened to The Hobbit as an audiobook. Once. That was over 10 years ago (probably closer to 13 or 15 years). This summer, I finally read the words written on the pages myself. Middle Earth is home to me, and it was good to be home.

The Book of Three // Lloyd Alexander The Black Cauldron // Lloyd Alexander The Castle of Llyr // Lloyd Alexander Taran Wanderer // Lloyd Alexander The High King // Lloyd Alexander The Foundling // Lloyd Alexander

I remember I was in the car with my mom and sister on the way to Nowhere one day. I was reading a book of my own in the back (I have a vague recollection that it might have been from the Redwall series by Brian Jacques) when my mom announced that she had a new series from the library that she wanted us all to listen to together in the car. Initially, I was annoyed because my mom did not always pick out the most interesting of books (there had been occasions where I was bored to tears when she picked something), but I grudgingly gave in. Of course, it was The Prydain Chronicles. I returned to these books this summer and barreled through them within two days (during which I had been excused from work with a doctor’s note due to a curious situation). Middle Earth is home, but Prydain (alongside Narnia) has to be a close second.

Native American Myths // Diana Ferguson

I have held great respect and admiration for the Native Americans and their cultures for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I’ve read books on Norse, Welsh, English, German, Greek, Egyptian, and Sumerian mythology; however, finding good books on Native American mythology seemed almost impossible (at one point I did find a book of Native American myths centered around Raven in a used bookstore but it was 60USD, and while I did want it very much, I was a poor student who couldn’t afford expensive second-hand books). Ferguson’s compilation of myths was fascinating to read. Some of the stories I had heard echoes of before in various places, but Ferguson also provided anecdotes and insights of how these myths were woven into the Native American tribes and cultures. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed learning even a little bit more about these people whom I have admired since I was a small child.

The Fellowship of the Ring // J.R.R. Tolkien

[ See The Return of the King ]

The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen // Lloyd Alexander

I started out reading this story expecting it to be one thing, but it turned out to be something else entirely. I had read it before a long time ago and gotten it mixed up with a different story I have been able to vaguely recall but unable to find for 10 years and counting. Jen’s story is captivating and lovely in its own right – simple and enchanting, like a dandelion wish.

The Two Towers // J.R.R. Tolkien

[ See The Return of the King ]

Tolkien and Lewis: The Gift of Friendship // Colin Duriez

Despite having read the vast majority of Tolkien’s literature and a good amount of Lewis’s, I had never read a biography of either of them. I found this biography addressing both authors and their unique friendship. I enjoyed learning more about both of them and how their relationship formed and affected each other’s work.

The Return of the King // J.R.R. Tolkien

[Unlike Narnia and Prydain, I felt I couldn’t lump the titles of The Lord of the Rings together and still maintain the chronological list; therefore, the first two titles received no paragraph, but here is a summary for all three.]

In lieu of how easy it is to just watch Peter Jackson’s film adaptations, it’s easy to forget how deep and rich Tolkien’s writing really is. I can say this with honesty and without judgement, because I forgot too. Relearning the depths of Tolkien and rediscovering why I came to love and live and breathe Middle Earth in my childhood in the first place was powerful and healing for me. If you’ve only watched the movies, you’re honestly really missing out. Yes, Tolkien loves to talk about plants and trees and forests to no end, and maybe that’s not your thing and that’s okay; however, these stories are pure magic – tried and true.

The Raven Boys // Maggie Stiefvater The Dream Thieves // Maggie Stiefvater Blue Lily, Lily Blue // Maggie Stiefvater The Raven King (+Opal) // Maggie Stiefvater

I had tried to listen to The Raven Boys on Hoopla earlier in the year and become bored to tears – the narrator was just that bad and I felt the whole thing was just doomed to become a terrible love polygon. Several months later, a friend encouraged me to give it another try. I did (this time reading it straight from the page), and I was delightedly surprised. I had heard of The Raven Cycle for years but been too scared to pick it up (honestly, love polygons can be terrible things), but I’m glad that this year I finally did.

Carry On // Rainbow Rowell

I heard of Carry On while in the midst of reading The Raven Cycle. I found it to be highly amusing: reminiscent of Percy Jackson, but perhaps with better writing (in my personal opinion; I still have a fondness for Percy).

Comet in Moominland // Tove Jansson

I have seen screenshots of the 90’s Moomin show for years but never bothered to truly figure out where they came from until recently. I learned that Moomin originally came from a book. I thought it would be a picture book, and I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that Moomin actually came from a book book. I found Comet in Moominland to be heartwarming and cute with beautiful illustrations and words that can speak to the oldest soul, despite being a children’s book.

Call Down the Hawk // Maggie Stiefvater

Ronan was my favourite character from The Raven Cycle because I felt I understood him the most, which is a rather amusing sentiment to me on the surface level since I am probably one of the least edgy people you will ever meet. Learning more about Stiefvater’s world of Dreamers was particularly interesting and important to me (dreams have always been important to me, and dreams have shaped a good part of my life, actually). Chapter 3 (starts on page 19 of the hardcover copy) was very much like reading The Slow Regard of Silent Things for me: I understood, and I felt understood.

Tales from Moominvalley // Tove Jansson

A collection of cute short stories from Jansson’s Moomins. These were amusing, but at this point Moomins are important to me, so the book was very special all the same.

Six of Crows // Leigh Bardugo Crooked Kingdom // Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows is a significant book to me. I remember when it was first published in 2015. I heard of it and immediately wanted to read it; however, there were many circumstances and unfortunate happenings which led to me not being able to read it until this year. The duology is now ranked among the stories which made me. To me, it’s a victory song.

The Moomins and the Great Flood // Tove Jansson

I had heard talk of the Great Flood in Comet in Moominland and been slightly confused from it being out of context. This book provided the context for this flood and is somewhat of a prequel to the rest of the Moomin books. As always, it’s a cute story with wonderful illustrations.

Shadow and Bone // Leigh Bardugo Siege and Storm // Leigh Bardugo Ruin and Rising // Leigh Bardugo

After finishing the Six of Crows duology, I learned that it was actually a sequel series to Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy. I finished Ruin and Rising last night and while I didn’t enjoy the trilogy as much as Six of Crows, it provided context for some of the characters featured in the duology, and I enjoyed the characters of Alina and Mal as well as learning more about Bardugo’s Grishaverse.

Other Reading

For school, continuing education, etc… Basically stuff I was compelled to read in one way or another.

Gilgamesh (English version by N.K. Sanders)

“The sleeping and the dead, how alike they are, they are like a painted death.”

The Song of Roland (translated and with an introduction by Robert Harrison)

I’d read this long ago, and re-reading it would have been a better experience if I wasn’t being pressed into writing a paper about it for a professor who was Machiavellian in behaviour but only intelligent in his own pride (these are gentle words).

The Prince // Niccolò Machiavelli

I seriously hate this guy.

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People // Oscar Wilde

I read this for a compare-contrast essay between the original play and the 2002 film adaptation. I thought it would be annoying and tedious to re-read, but I actually enjoyed it because the professor was simply a delight to work with.

A General Introduction to the Bible // Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix (8th printing, 1975)

I’ve always been interested in how the Bible came to be compiled because almost no one talks about it (asking questions on this topic basically got me excommunicated when I was 12 hah). I read this book to find the answers to the questions I suffered for asking. I found some answers and a whole lot of data (seriously, these people aren’t messing around).

In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens // Alice Walker

A beautiful short story – perhaps one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read.

[evangeline-perry]

Narnia 3: Peter x OC: part 11

complete series

masterlist

‘No matter what happens here every soul who stands before me has earned their place on the crew of the Dawn Treader’, Caspian spoke to the crewmen, ‘Together we have traveled far.  Together we have faced adversity. Together we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall to fear's temptations. Be strong. Never give in. Our world... our Narnian lives, depend on it. Think of the lost souls we're here to save. Think of Aslan. Think of Narnia.’ Caspian tries to keep his voice steady but I could see he was just as scared as all of us. But as he moved to walk down the stairs, the crew erupted in chanting: ‘For Narnia! For Narnia! For Narnia!’ Quickly everyone joined in.

It is dead silent on deck as we enter the mist. Streams of it start passing over the ship, circling around and through people.

‘I can't see a thing. This fog's too thick’, Drinian whispers.

I stand between Peter and Caspian, holding Peters hand. I can see them look around, bewildered, and I know they are seeing visions I’m not able to see.

‘No!’ Peter suddenly exclaims.

‘Peter?’ I ask, squeezing his hand, ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yeah’, he breathes

‘Keep away! Keep away!’ a voice in the distance shouts.

‘Who's there?’ Peter calls out.

‘We do not fear you’, Caspian adds.

‘Nor I you’, the voice responds.

Peter takes out Edmunds torch, on a giant rock to our right there is a ragged man. ‘Keep away!’ he warns.

‘We will not leave’, Caspian insists.

‘You will not defeat me’, the man shouts.

‘Caspian’, Peter slightly nudges, ‘Caspian, his sword.’

‘Lord Rhoop!’ Caspian exclaims.

‘You do not own me!’ the lord snaps.

‘Stand down’, Caspian orders, ‘Let's get him on board, quickly.’ With that Eustace scoops Lord Rhoop up and puts him down on board.

‘Be calm, my Lord.’ Caspian continues to try and sooth the man.

‘Off me, demon!’ Rhoop continues to shout.

‘No, my lord. We are not here to hurt you’, Caspian reassures, ‘I am your king, Caspian.’

‘Caspian? My lord?’ Lord Rhoop says in a small voice, ‘You should not have come. There's no way out of here. Quickly... turn this ship about, before it's too late.’

‘We have the sword. Let's go!’ Peter speaks.

‘Let's turn her about, Drinian.’ Caspian orders.

Drinian: Aye-aye, your Majesty.

‘Do not think’, Lord Rhoop suffenly calls out, ‘Do not let it know your fears... or it will become them.’

‘Oh, no’, Peter suddenly says.

‘Peter, what did you just think of?’ I ask worriedly.

‘Oh, I'm sorry’, Peter says as he moves to peer over the edge of the ship.

We all see something moving in the water, it hits the boat, causing us all to fall.

As Peter helps me up, Caspian calls out ‘Look! What is that?’

‘It's too late. It's too late!’ the Lord cries out frantically

‘It's gone under the boat!’ I hear a crewman shout. I turn around to see the sea serpent reappear on the other side of the boat, but, there hiding, I can see her. ‘Gael! Come here! Run!’

I take hold of her and pull her behind me.

Eustace flies down and begins to attack the beast together with Reep

‘For Narnia! Take that and that! Yah!’ Reep gets knocked off and grabs a hold on one of the ropes on the ship, ‘Eustace, hang on.’ At that moment the serpent dives under water, taking Eustace with him, only to reappear a few seconds later and slam him into a rock. Eustace burns the serpent, it dives under water to stop the fire.

‘Out, creature!’ Lord Rhoop shouts, throwing his sword, stabbing Eustace in the shoulder.

‘No! The sword! The sword!’ I cry out as Eustace fries of, ‘Eustace! No! Come back!’

‘We're all doomed! Doomed! Turn this ship about!’ I hear lord rhoop shout.

‘Stop him! Someone stop him!’ a crewman calls after the lord. We all get knocked back by a sudden turn of the steering wheel.

‘Now, crew... to your rowing positions’, Drinian orders, ‘Oars at double speed!’

Aslan, please help us. I think to myself. Then suddenly a small part of the clouds open and a seagull flies through the air.

The sea serpent reappears and behinds to attack the ship again. I take Gael by the hand and take her inside to our room. ‘Gael, come on! This way! Now you must stay here until someone comes and gets you’, I tell her, ‘Okay?’ Gael holds on to the blankets of the bed, tears forming in fright. I take Susans bow and arrows. As I run outside I hear Peter yell to Caspian over the noise of the splashing water. ‘Steer her to port. I'll keep it on the prow.’

I climb the steps to get a proper aim at him

‘Look out!’ - ‘Forward!’ - ‘Come on!’ crewmen shout.

I can see Peter crawl into the mount of the dragon statue in front of the ship.

‘Try and kill me!’ I hear him taunt, ‘Come on! Come on, I'm here!’ The serpent bites off the first of the statue.

‘No!’ I cry out.

‘Peter!’ Caspian shouts.

‘Archers... ready yourselves’, Drinian orders.

‘I'm still here!’ I hear Peter shout as he climbs on top of the statues head

I let an arrow fly, it goes into the beasts eye right before it rams into the rocks.

‘Brace yourselves!’ Caspian shouts.

Because of the impact, Peter gets knocked back and falls onto the deck. I run over to him and so does Caspian, then we hear what sounds like a cackle coming from the serpent. It rips open its own body looking intimidating like a snake would in a fight.

‘Move!’ Caspian pushes us both aside, so that the serpent misses when he tries to attack us. Caspian takes his blade and slashes at one of the serpents tentacles, it gets hacked off and turns into green mist before disappearing, ‘We can beat this.’

‘We have to get it closer’, Peter states.

‘All hands to the main deck’, Drinian orders. I see Peter runs and grab hold of one of the ropes, he swings himself to the nets and begins to climb up. I go back to the top of the stairs and try to get a good shot at the beast.

‘Ready the harpoons’, Caspian adds.

‘I want everybody up here!’ Drinian shouts again.

‘Ready?’ Caspian yells.

‘Aye, sir!

‘Now!’ the harpoons are thrown, ‘Pull its head down! Heave!’

I can see Peter up on the mast, ready strike, but then he freezes, a bunch of green mist floats around him. I don’t know what he sees but I can tell that what he sees, terrifies him and enrages him at the same time

‘Peter! Do it!’ Caspian shouts as he and the men try to hold onto the rops.

Parts of the ship fly of as the serpent tries to get free when suddenly Peters sword starts glowing blue.

‘Do it!’ Caspian shouts again.

‘Come on!’ Peter yells at the serpent, gaining its attention. It attacks, with that Peter is able to stab the inside of his mouth. Lightning strikes the beast and it falls back into the water, dead, turning into mist.

Light starts coming through the dark clouds as they lift away. Ahead of us small boats are seen, coming from the white clouds in the distance.

‘The spell... it's lifting’, I breath out, ‘Peter! Caspian! Look!’

‘Narnians! Narnians!’ a crewman shouts.

‘Mummy!’ Gael yells, sitting on her fathers arm.

‘Helaine!’ Rhince shouts happily. Both of them jump into the water and swim towards the boat.

I get down to the deck Peter wraps his arms around me as I place my head on his shoulder, he kisses my forehead.

‘Rhince! Gael!’ the woman in one of the boats calls.

‘Mummy! Mummy. Oh, Mummy.’

‘Let's have them on board!’ Caspian orders, ‘Clear the decks.’

‘We did it, I knew we would’, I smile, as Caspian joins us.

‘It wasn't just us, though’, Peter say.

‘You mean...’ Caspian begins but gets interrupted by, ‘Hey! Hey, I'm down here, Alexa. Over here! Hey, alexa. I'm in the water. Alexa!’

‘Eustace’, I see him swimming.

‘I'm a boy again’, he shouts enthusiastically, ‘I'm a boy.’

‘Eustace!’ Reep call out, ‘I see your wings have been clipped. Ha, ha!’ He jumps in the water to Eustace, ‘Where sky and water meet

Where the waves grow ever sweet’, Reep sings befroe drinking the water, ‘It is sweet. It's sweet! Look! Look!’

We look to where he points and see, ‘Aslan's country. We must be close.’ Caspian says.

‘Well, we've come this far’, Peter smiles.

<- PREVIOUS/ NEXT ->

[madamrogersstorytelling]

Day 5: Three favourite movies/series

This is quite easy, actually. For change. After suffering for two days with extremely hard topics, I’m very happy about this. I had my answers ready already. 

I haven’t seen all his works yet. I’m kinda new to his filmography anyway, but I’m going to watch everything (I tend to do that with all my favorite actors). So this list may change some time later, but let’s not care about that yet, let’s focus on his works I actually have seen. 

1. Jackie & Ryan (2014)

Directed by Ami Canaan Mann

Starring Katherine Heigl, Ben Barnes, Clea DuVall, Emily Alyn Lind

“A modern day train hopper fighting to become a successful musician, and a single mom battling to maintain custody of her daughter, defy their circumstances by coming together in a relationship that may change each others lives forever.” 

I’ve said it a few times now, but Ryan has a special place in my heart. I said in my post ‘Madamrogers Storytelling’ that I had this one moment I realized many things; that moment was after seeing this movie. It was a little over a month ago. 

Ryan made me realize that if there is a thing I want to do, something I want to accomplish, something I hold dear... I should not get stuck. I have to go towards it, no matter what. I think I somehow can identify with Ryan; I don’t write songs or play music, I write stories. There is still the same agony, the same will to succeed and being able to do what you love. And I’d love to have that same kind of courage as Ryan has, that same way of approaching life. 

There are two moments that make me cry. They always make me cry; I’ve watched the movie like five times now and those moments still make me cry. They’re both because of Ryan’s words. In the first one he says to Jackie: “He is not going to take Lia from you. Because you won’t let him.” He sounds so sure, so strong and reassuring that I take it. Something happens inside me. The other moment is when Ryan says: “I always ask myself where am I gonna go next, how am I gonna get there.” I’ve taken that. I ask myself that quite often now. And it helps. I can tell you, it truly helps.

I love Ben in this film. Ryan is so kind, a bit shy, helpful, strong and inspiring character, and Ben’s way of portraying him goes right into my heart. I realized his talent during this film. He tells so much without even saying a single word. I can feel all the emotions he’s showing. And don’t even get me started with his singing voice! I’ve always loved men who sing and play an instrument, especially a guitar. There is something about the way a guitar changes a person; they may be this nice person without it, but when they take a guitar, they change completely. They become deeper, more tender, there is something extremely beautiful in them, more than before. I love all the songs in this film, but Southbound. I fell in love with it during the first note and never stopped falling.

I cannot say that I’m a friend of romantic movies. Especially romcoms make me feel quite bad because they often show love and life so wrongly, like both of them were full of roses and laughter all the time. I’m a bit cynical, to be honest. The reason may be that I’ve never actually been in love. I like honest, meaningful movies that have no fear of showing life and love the way they really are. I have nothing against romance in movies, don’t get me wrong. I just want it to be realistic. And in Jackie & Ryan, this ugly and cruel side of life is shown. Not exactly so clearly, but it’s still there under all those layers. You can see it. I like it how friendly and kind this movie is at the same time as it’s honest and shows you that if something bad happens, often something good comes after it. It’s like when winter dies and spring begins. People’s choices matter. This movie is not just a romantic movie. This is, like Ben said in an interview, a movie about people. I’ve seen that people don’t like it because nothing happens in it. In my opinion, quite a lot happens. This is one of my Go To movies and I’m happy that I found it. It always makes me feel better. I believe in myself. Would probably need someone like Ryan in my life, someone so inspiring and someone who isn’t afraid of telling me the truth. But, for now, this movie’s Ryan will do.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Directed by Michael Apted

Starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter

“Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.”

I’m actually glad that I watched Narnia films as an adult. I knew what Narnia was as a child, I probably got to know it around the same time as Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings but never really watched the movies or read the books. I remember getting this book with a movie cover from a book club. I forced my mom to let me keep it, and gladly I succeeded because I found the book a few weeks ago and it made me so happy. There were happy tears involved. That was the moment I remembered I had wanted to see the film. I also remembered looking at Caspian when I was just a girl and thinking ‘there is something in that one’. Never saw the film, sadly. 

But a while ago I sat down and watched these movies (with my mom, actually) and I just fell in love. Especially with this third one. Why am I glad that I watched these films as an adult and not as a child? Mostly because nostalgia hurts me instead of actually making me happy. I remember how much better life was back then. (It hurts to look at Ron Weasley sometimes... He was my first fictional crush.) And because now I have a place I can go, the place I got to know as the person I am now. I have Hogwarts, Middle-earth and all the other worlds I’m not letting go of, but this feeling that there is a place for me. It’s funny, really. The ending song of this movie is just so beautiful. There is a place for us. This movie reminds me of that; there is a place for me. I just haven’t found it yet. 

I also love Caspian’s character. I find similarities with myself. Funny enough, my mom even calls me Caspian sometimes (that’s because I have similar hair as he had in Prince Caspian, but mom said once that we’re quite similar in a way). He seems like someone who could make you feel better in mere seconds. The way he speaks, the way he is, and also his hugs must be the best ones in all Narnia. I could go for one of those right now. He is exactly like a person I’d respect. And I respect him, even when he’s just fictional. But he’s a King anyway. And Ben as Caspian, so beautiful. I could say the same things as I did when talking about Ryan, but he has so many emotions in his eyes and body. The way he holds his hand could tell more than a sentence. 

We’ve had this common joke “let’s go to Narnia” with my mom long before we even saw the films. But now, after watching them, the joke is even more common. It’s not even a joke anymore. And I know that till the end of my days, these movies and Caspian will remind me of my mom. 

3. The Punisher (2017)

Marvel

Created by Steve Lightfoot

Starring Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ben Barnes

“After the murder of his family, Marine veteran Frank Castle became a vigilante known as "The Punisher" with only one goal in mind, to avenge them.”

I suck at watching Marvel’s tv series. I’ve seen almost all the movies of MCU and the new X-Men films and Deadpool, but these tv series I’ve pretty much neglected. I tried to watch Daredevil back in the day but didn’t continue. Then, through my dear friend @accio-rogers, I found out about this show and that Ben Barnes is starring in it as a man called Billy Russo (I had no idea who Billy even was). I went to check the series from IMDb and saw that the main role was played by Jon Bernthal, who I had seen before in The Walking Dead. This started to feel like a safe choice, and during the same day I started to watch it. I was also having an awful summer flu back then, so what else could I have done than watch Netflix? Nothing. Didn’t have energy for anything else. 

Turned out that this choice affected on me more than I could’ve expected. 

This was the series which made me fall in love with Ben Barnes.

I probably have said this before, but instead of hating him, I love Billy Russo. I find him interesting. He is psychological, he has an interesting backstory. And I’ve always been interested in psychology, so I love this kind of characters. I don’t love everything he does or all his choices, no. No, no. I think he really is a bad man, but in this very interesting, captivating way. I’m unable to hate him. I understand why people hate him or refuse to write soft and sweet things about him. But still, in my deepest thoughts, hopes and fantasies (that came out wrong) - and probably headcanons - I can see that Billy really has a softer side. He is a psychopath, but maybe there is a side of him that is a bit softer? Maybe all of this is just his way of protecting himself? We know he had a tragic childhood. There must be tons and tons of armor on him, he has made stone walls around himself. Maybe there is someone else under those. No one, not even him anymore, can break those walls and armors. I’m more than willing to accept the fact that he is just a psychopath, as well. It makes him interesting. 

There is something about Ben playing the bad guy. He is so bad, but you cannot hate him. Billy is the perfect example. He is almost like a perfect villain. And the way Ben portrays him is magnificent: so much emotions in a blink of an eye. He’s phenomenal, a masterpiece. Billy Russo is my favorite antagonist of all time; he has this certain energy that makes him a bit frightening but likeable at the same time. He is well written. Full of layers and psychology. I cannot wait to see where Billy’s (or should we call him Jigsaw now?) story goes in season 2.

_________

If I could’ve list four, Westworld would’ve been the fourth. I spent quite some time finding out do I actually love or hate Logan; decided eventually that I love him, that hottie-naughty cowboy. And I’m only in season 1! Yikes. 

Happy Ben Barnes week!

@benbarnesweek

[unt2017]

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis Genre: Fantasy  Image:“Chronicles of Narnia” [image]. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11129.The_Chronicles_of_Narnia

First, I have to admit I have not read all the books in this series. In fact, I wasn’t sure what the correct order of the books are. The book I started using has all seven books in one volume and according to it the order is as follows:  The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair and finally The Last Battle. However, if someone were to Google the order of the books, most might come across the fact that the publication order is not the same as the one in the book volume I used.  According to Goodreads.com, the publication order is as follows: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, and The Last Battle (The Chronicles of Narnia Publication Order, 2019).  So, because of this debate, I wasn’t sure if it mattered where I started.  I realized that what I thought I knew or remembered about what I had read in years past was very little, so I decided to read again and I started with the story everyone has either read or knows enough to be able to talk about with any sense of interest: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.   The aspects of the story I want to follow up on are: tension, setting, and pacing. The more I think about it the more I believe it makes sense to flesh out these parts of the story because they would be the most interesting.

 Evaluation

According to Tunnell, Jacobs, Young & Bryan (2016): “Fiction without tension is bland. Tension makes the reader want to read on to see how the conflict is resolved and what happens to the people involved in the problem” (19).   In the case of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the main characters Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan stumble on a world that cannot be readily explained other than a child’s wild imagination (or so adults like to believe) and they end up in a world that is run by a villain named The White Witch.  She uses Edmund to try and further her plan of getting rid of Aslan, one of the many protagonists and heroes of this series. However, she underestimates the power of family and friends.  The proof of this shows itself in the following:

Edmund shook hands with each of the others and said to each of them in turn, “I’m sorry,” and everyone said “That’s all right”. And everyone wanted very hard to say something which would make it quite clear that they were all friends with him again ---something ordinary and natural—and of course no one could think of anything in the world to say (174).  

Everyone knows that dealing with family can be beyond difficult. They make you angry, sad, happy, and everything in between, but what others also know is that family forgives family. This particular quote proves how true that is and that tension of any kind can make for a good story. Tension either makes the story blow up like a fire cracker with pretty colors or fizzle out faster than the bubbles on a soft drink and that can be the catalyst that either makes the reader continue to read or they put the book down and do not pick it back up.

           Another aspect that determines whether or not a reader continues reading a particular book is the pacing. According to Tunnell et al., (2016): “Pacing is how quickly or slowly a story moves” (18).   In the case of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, the pacing switches back and forth between fast and slow.  For example, in chapter fifteen one of the first quote on the page is as follows: “Now! Follow me all and we will set about what remains of this war! It will not take us long to crush the human vermin and the traitors now that the great Fool, the great Cat, lies dead” (182).  To me, this shows that the pace and action will soon pick up from here. I know that every book has its high and low points, but the low points seem to dictate whether or not the reader makes it to the best parts of the story.  A reader can find the characters interesting. They can feel every emotion for main characters, but without solid pacing of the story, it is difficult to want to keep up because caring for the characters is only part of the experience.

           The final aspect I want to focus on is the setting. The reason for this being I like reading stories that take me outside of the real world and the regular time sphere. I enjoy being able to lose hours in a book then when I come back it feels like I’ve gone on a mini vacation.   According to Tunnell et al., (2016): “The setting is where and when the book takes place. …The place can be as vast as a planet or as small as one room. The time may be in the past, the present, or the future, or it may be an unspecified in imaginary worlds” (18).  To this end, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe doesn’t seem to have a specified time period, but Narnia is an imaginary world that seems so well written that if they didn’t have talking animals, I would believe it was of our world and our time.  However, I am glad that it isn’t of our world because I find stories similar to now a bit boring. Sure, I don’t mind stories having elements of reality in them, but that’s not why I read the genres I do. I read them to escape real life not get bogged down in it while reading.  Speaking of the reasons why I read, the questions from the Williamson (n.d) article had me thinking.  The following questions are the ones I want to delve deeper into: How much does the text agree with your views of the world, and what you consider right or wrong? How well does it address things you care about and consider important to the world? Finally, how well did you enjoy the text as entertainment or work of art? (Williamson, n.d).

 Response

           Whenever I am reading, these questions don’t really come to mind because I usually read for enjoyment and try not to get too bogged down. However, in the case of how much does the text agree with the views I have of the world and what I consider right or wrong and how well does it address things you care about and consider important to the world, I am not sure I have a good answer for that.  Very rarely could one answer be the same or similar for two different questions.  It has been said that the Chronicles of Narnia has Christianity undertones to it and that for example, Aslan might be the character that is supposed to represent Christ. Being a Christian myself I could see how this might be based off just reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. In fact, according to the following article from CBN/ Movieguide Magazine (2019) the author says that Lewis had explained things using the following quote:

…Read the earlier book in this series called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and you will find the full story of how he was killed by the White Witch and came to life again. When you have read that, I think you will probably see that there is a deeper meaning behind it. The whole Narnian story is about Christ. That is to say, I asked myself ‘Supposing that there really was a world like Narnia and supposing it had (like our world) gone wrong and supposing Christ wanted to go into that world and save it (as He did ours), what might have happened?’ The stories are my answers (Movieguide, 2019).

 Whether or not C.S Lewis said this or not could be up for debate, but I could see it being true based on what I read from the book.    A quote from the book may further this line of thinking. Lewis (1982) wrote the following: “He knows the Deep Magic better than that. He knows that unless I have blood as the Law says, all Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water” (176).  The best way to help readers understand why this is important is to go to the book that is part of the Christian faith: The Bible.   Genesis 6:17 states: “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (KJV online, 2019). That tells the parallel of the water, but what about the fire?  Revelation 8:7 states: “…The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” (KJV online, 2019).  Now granted I understand that these verses are parts of a bigger  aspect of the Bible so these verses to many might not seem as much; however, I can’t help but feel they further my connection that Lewis wrote The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe as part of a way to help others understand certain things about the Bible.   The children in the book represent human nature and the values and lessons we receive by learning how to navigate the world and the mistakes we make while doing so. The book also talks about how important forgiveness is when a wrong has been committed.  I would like to add that I find this lesson important because we all need it. No one is perfect. That is why Lucy, Susan, and Peter forgiving Edmund for his betrayal of them and being happy to see him again is important.  It reminds me that humans need to be kind to one another or the world would go up in flames faster than we can stop it.

 Conclusion

           Overall, I enjoyed reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. It made me feel like a child again and let me use my imagination in a way I haven’t done in a while. I see why C.S Lewis is a popular author, and I like the fact that he uses his faith to reach others in a way they understand.  I really want to see how the rest of the stories compare and fit in with the overall picture. I believe this was the one book I did not regret reading to review (out of the ones on the list that I had marked to read at some point in time).  The characters were real, powerful, but not overwhelming in such a way that overshadowed the point.  Narnia, as a place, lets me escape the real world for a while, and I always like books that take me on a mini vacation.  So, do me a favor if you will, let everyone know I give The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe a 10 out of 10 and recommend it highly.

 References:

“Chronicles of Narnia Publication Order Series” (2019). Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/series/49073-chronicles-of-narnia

 “The Deeper Truth Behind ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’”. (2019). Retrieved from https://www1.cbn.com/books/deeper-truth-behind-chronicles-narnia

 “Genesis 6:17” (2019). Retrieved from https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Genesis-Chapter-6/#17

 Lewis, C.S. (1982). Chronicles of Narnia. New York: HarperCollins

 “Revelation 8:7” (2019). Retrieved from https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

 Tunnell M.O., Jacobs, J.S., Young T.A. & Bryan, G.  (2016). What is a good book? in Children’s Literature Briefly, (pp. 15-23.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

  Williamson, O.M.  (n.d). “Reader Response”. Retrieved from http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

[operationadventure]

Shedding Our Skin

 This post follows the story of a boy named Eustace in the Chronicles of Narnia. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader written by C.S. Lewis, tells of a yearning to explore and expand our horizons. Each book in the Chronicles of Narnia reflects a portion of the Christian story. This particular story shows our need for Christ. The metaphors display a strong resemblance to Christ giving us a new birth. Below is the story I will breakdown.

 To give a quick synopsis up until this point, Eustace and his cousins plunge into a magical world called Narnia. They find themselves aboard the Dawn Treader with the objective to explore everything unexplored in the sea. Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, Eustace, Caspian, and the elusive Aslan play the largest roles in this tale. Eustace is a grumbling, greenhorn who has no desire to be in the world of Narnia. Near the middle of the book, his attitude had not changed and he decided to run away. During his dash to escape, he falls asleep in a dragon’s cave. This causes him to change magically into a dragon. (It makes sense in the book).  He spends a time being a dragon without the ability to communicate and follows behind the Dawn Treader. This is the point where I pick up.

“But the lion told me I must undress first. . . . 

I was just going to say that I couldn’t undress because I hadn’t any clothes on   when I suddenly thought that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes      can cast their skins.  Oh, of course, thought I, that’s what the lion means.  So I   started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place.    And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here   and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an  illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two, I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.

But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that’s all right, said I, it only means I had another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I’ll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this under skin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.

Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good. . . .”

Let me interject into this wonderful scene. How many times have we felt need of cleansing for all the stresses compiling in life? I know I personally feel like Eustace daily. I have justifications, fears, shame, guilt, unpursued dreams, and the idea of people pleasing that cover me. I try relentlessly to step out of these skins. Breakthrough after breakthrough, self-help books, to do list, and endless amount of business are a few examples of how I attempt to escape. Each time I think my skin falls away, I reveal a new layer of insecurities each darker and more shameful than the last. Eventually, I have to stop shedding skins because I hate what I see.

       Eustace alludes to this when he says, “But as soon as I looked in the water I knew it was no good.” I have tried numerous times over several years to look into the water to see a reflection worthy of pride. However, each time I think I found my worth, I stare into the face of hideousness. A newfound problem here missed or a mistake there hindering worthiness. I know Eustace’s pain in trying to accomplish belonging. I know many of us do. The next part of the story offers the redemption in Christ I hope you come to appreciate.

“Then the lion said — but I don’t know if it spoke — You will have to let me undress you. I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.

“The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was jut the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off.  You know — if you’ve ever picked the scab of a sore place.  It hurts like billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” said Edmund.

“Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off – just as I thought I’d done it myself the other three times, only they hadn’t hurt – and there it was lying on the grass, only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. Then he caught hold of me – I didn’t like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I’d no skin on — and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I’d turned into a boy again. . . .”

 AHHHHHHH. It tears me to my soul to read this passage. Each time I read Eustace’s redemption, I feel Aslan’s claw removing my skin. My favorite quote in the Chronicles of Narnia comes inThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobewhen Susan asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan is a safe lion. "Safe?" says Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” With this quote in mind go back and read the story of Eustace. Would it not be scary to lie down in front of a lion with no idea of what is going to happen? Eustace has no other choice. He tried to shed the skin by himself, but the skin kept reappearing. Finally, he submits to the request of Aslan.      

 For years, I have tried to understand what it means to submit to Christ. I read this book in one of my lowest states. My life kept coming up empty on worthiness, and I was alone in a new city. I laid down that night and asked Christ to peel my skin away. It hurt. My conscience began to gnaw at me. The Lord changed my mentality on how to treat people as well as myself. Suddenly, I was a boy again not a dragon. I was worthy of love, belonging, compassion, forgiveness, confidence, joy, happiness, faith, and acceptance. I became authentic and lived my life according to a higher purpose. My purpose is to reflect everything back towards Christ. 

 Ask to have your skin shed. You will mount up with wings like eagles. Today is the day you take a step towards the most authentic and fulfilling version of yourself. I leave you with a quote. “Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is the people who have come alive." Howard Thurman

[cynthiadshaw]

What’s the Most Important Lesson You’ve Learned Along Your Journey?

Every twist in our story, challenge we face, and obstacle we overcome is an important part of our story.  These difficulties make us stronger and wiser and prepare us for what’s ahead.  As we grow and succeed we may imagine that soon the challenges will fade away, but in our conversations with business owners, artists, creatives, academics, and others we have learned that the most common experience is that challenges never go away – instead they get more complex as we grow and succeed.  Our ability to to thrive therefore depends heavily on our ability to learn from our experiences and so we are asking some of the city’s best and brightest: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?

Rocio Zapata | Home Baker & Cake Decorator

@cakesdenise

The most important thing I’ve learned is to have a clean working area and be kind and respectful with clients. One more thing would be to always give good quality, presentation, and lastly good flavor for the product. In this business of pastries we never stop learning, we will always learn new things to improve.

@cakesdenise

Kristen Vollinger | Believer in the strength of a new day and its noms

First things first, I must state anyone who says, “I forgot to eat today”, absolutely makes zero sense to me. Not sure if I am envious of their free thinking and lack of time spent planning their next meal or if these are just deeply sad souls. ha. joke. Okay. So What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your journey so far? I believe it is key to stay true to your WHY (why are you doing this?) and asking yourself this question often.  To help reach your why and stay focused, I try to surround myself with what I want to see more of in the world, especially on social media. When posting my own content, I want to be excited about it and not have it based in a belief of what is expected of me as a food blogger. I believe the message in return is more genuine and interesting. If I start posting what I believe others want to see, then I’m not being true to myself and my passion. I will not be favored by all, yet I wont have lost sight of the reason why I started this journey. We will never live this exact day again, so let’s celebrate it with some delightful tastes.

@DallasNewGirl

Christy Zuehl | Owner | Life Coach | Chief Designer @ EDIT Learning & Design, LLC

janazerpoliphotography.com/branding-photography

At EDIT Learning & Design, LLC. I provide life coaching, course design and training facilitation services. This business evolved from my passion for learning design, and mentoring others. It takes time to build a business and create a client base. When you are building a business and planning for how it will be structured, you need to factor in time to get the business off the ground and build your reputation. Hard work, dedication, and flexibility are important factors in getting started. Having a clear brand and product is also important. People have to understand the services you are offering and how you can help them to be more productive and achieve their goals.

editlearningdesign.com  @EDITLearningDesign linkedin.com/company/editlearningdesign   @editlearningdesign pinterest.com/EDITLearningDesign

Kymberly Smith | Dallas Blogger

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey so far is to be resilient and always be motivated. I have not always been able to bounce back from rejection in reference to wanting to start my own blog. This is something that I’ve wanted to do since I was in the military. It wasn’t until I joined the military that words like resilience, motivation and determination became part of my daily life. Because of that, any time someone said I couldn’t do something, it made me push myself more, it made me work harder because I wanted to succeed.

bonbh.com  @bonbh_blog

Clara Warner | twenty-something lifestyle blogger | graphic designer + integrated marketing specialist

The most important lesson I’ve learned so far is to grant yourself some grace. I think we all expect a lot from ourselves these days no matter what profession we are in or how old we are – we all feel such a determination to be perfect and successful in everything we do. But things don’t always go as planned; you don’t always get everything right on the first try. Instead of being so hard on yourself and expecting perfection at every turn, grant yourself some grace – relish every mess up, embrace your “failures”, take time to process your emotions. The most successful people are often the ones who failed a lot during their own journey and they recognize that “success in a day” is (in most cases) unattainable. Every goal takes time to achieve and it won’t always be sunshine and daisies, so celebrate the good days and the bad. And most importantly, never invalidate your feelings of failure, but rather grant yourself the grace to feel that way and then rally. My all-time favorite quote is, “live imperfectly with great delight” and I think that exquisitely encompass this whole idea; take delight in your imperfections and allow yourself the grace to grow in your own way and at your own pace.

xoxoclara.com @_xoxo_clara_/ @xoxo-Clara pinterest.com/xoxo_clara

Eve ksabi |  fashion, fitness and life style blogger

I have learned it all about pursuing your dreams and your ambition. It about your vision, your personal style and the ability inspire other while staying true to yourself. You must Embark on your journey with a clear goal  of how to turn your dream to reality. I started my fashion and fitness blog in an attempt to inspire and motivate women to love themselves from the inside out. It was not an easy journey and there were lots of bumps along the way! One thing I’ve learned during my journey is that success can happen if you truly believe in your passion, if you are consistent, and if you are pursuing your passion from your heart. My journey through the blogging world has taught me that inspiring people can cross any barrier of race, religion, or age. People love to be inspired by others and we are all connected.

thestyleandfitness.com fitwitheve.net @Thestyleandfitness  @Lksabi @aviaksabi pinterest.com/avivit10

Vanessa Fields AKA 1/2 of the ATXFoodChronicles team | Communications Coordinator for TTIA

@ATXFoodChronicles

The most important lesson we have learned from starting our Instagram account is to not compare our accounts successes to anyone else. While everyone is hustling and doing their own thing, it is easy to go down a rabbit hole of comparing your photo quality, amount of likes, event invites etc. to theirs but we have quickly learned that this will get you no where. Our motto is, have fun, focus on your own journey but always remember to support one another. Community over competition is key!

@atxfoodchronicles

Cori Aston | Makeup Artistry (Editorial, Avant-Garde, Fashion, Commercial. Beauty, Private Clients)

Makeup: Cori Aston Photo: Stevie Reid Model: Delaney Martinez

In this world of creatives, (Makeup, Hair, Photography, etc.) and with each diverse genre…creating and embracing our community is such a VITAL facet for growth, opportunities, new experiences and challenges. My advice to any artist, no matter the medium, embrace their fellow artist in all fields. Because we are all the individual threads in this intricate weave that is our profession – creating ART. There is only one of you…always stay true to your vision.

CoriAston.net  @coriaston39  @coriastonmakeupartistry

Candace Hughes | Co Owner of Dérive Media

Focus on what is important to you. We often spend so much time stressing over the small stuff and forget about the simple blessings that surround us everyday. Everything happens for a reason, truly and sometimes it doesn’t make sense, but trust in God always. Every time that I’ve felt rejected and disappointed, there has always been something better in store! A positive attitude changes your whole mindset in addition to encouraging the people around you! Life is a continuous learning experience and hard work pays off. Have an open mind, live your life to the fullest, pursue your dreams and goals! The job that you are passionate about is not random, it’s your calling! Most importantly fill your days with experiences, not material things.

@candacemhughes derivemedia.com @derivemediaco

Dawn Treader | a nonprofit who is raising awareness to defend and protect the rights of widows and orphans through the exploration of local artist, live music, and some dang good coffee

Mikaylah McGee

The most important lesson we’ve learned is, the process is more important than the prize. The process itself is the prize. Providing for orphans and widows is our oxygen, its our DNA. We don’t build homes for orphans and widows over night. It takes time. Our dream is to change lives all over the world but that begins with taking advantage of every hour and disciplining ourselves to be competitive for the helpless over time. We live for the PROCESS.

dawntreadertx.com @dawntreadertx @dawntreadertx

Ria Hartfield and my business is Locs By Ria

The most important lesson I learned so far was to believe in myself because and not sell myself short. I’m a self-taught stylist so I was very insecure about my work. I wasn’t 100% sure if I was even doing it right but my clients would be extremely satisfied with the results. Some of my clients won’t even go to other stylists. It took a long time for me to recognize my worth as a loctician and to realize that I really am talented.

@locsbyria

Loviatar’s | Vintage Event Rentals & Interior Curation

Photo Credit: @laurenapelphoto HMU: @sydneyannlopezhair

A valuable trait we have had to channel is patience. As designers that deal in predominantly vintage goods, we are always on the hunt for unique and eclectic items. Often times it would be easier to pick up a missing piece at a conventional retailer but we know that the end result is that much more rewarding if we put in the extra time to hunt down the perfect piece. We are finding that people truly do appreciate the little details and the story that is attached to each object, making our efforts worthwhile!

loviatars.com @loviatars

Letty Stewart | Lash Artist & Esthetician

 In my journey I have experienced so many things. It hasn’t been easy but with the help of my family I have finally found my dream job which is a Lash Artist at Peachy Keen Studio and I am so happy to be where I am at now. My obstacles in life have been tough from dropping out of high school to abusive relationships but I have managed to find the light at the end of the tunnel. My biggest accomplishments have been thanks to my husband. He’s inspired me to be who I am today. I know that my children will be inspired as well to be better and create a world full of joy and love.

linktr.ee/letty.peachykeenstudio

Joshua Harris | Professional athlete | Fitness consultant

Lynne Jones

The harder you work, the less you worry. When your work ethic is at a high level, that eliminates any doubt you may experience because you know how hard you’re working and that gives you an unwavering amount of confidence.

thepeakwork.com

Kiesha Hick | Entrepreneur, Eye Candi Bar

@thelavishluxe

The important lesson I have learned on my journey so far is, self importance, self development and patience, while coming out of my comfort zone, to do what I was called to do, empowering women, and giving them the confidence to look and feel beautiful!

@eyecandibar @eyecandibar

TK Kader | Author of the international best seller “How to Punch the Sunday Jitters in the Face”, Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

You can accomplish anything you want in life and become unstoppable as long as you practice belief x discipline.

@tkkader

Alexandra Goodman | designer

You are going to have some negative experiences. It could be as simple as someone not liking your work or being denied an application to participate in a local art show. You cannot let those experiences define you. Do not let them become setbacks. Keep pushing forward. Focus on the praise you receive from clients and their genuine appreciation for your creations.

etsy.com/shop/agoodmandesigner @agoodmandesigner

Acenette Gonzalez and Justin Ramirez | Owners of Maravilla Cacao Confections

A valuable lesson I’ve learned on my journey is collaboration is a key to success. I say this because collaborating with others brings inspiration from places you never thought to seek it from. It has allowed me to to create with others on different artistic platforms and see different points of views. All while helping that other independent business as well. The great thing about being a small business owner is the support from other small business owners. We all want to see each other succeed and that’s a beautiful thing to me.

@maravillacacao maravillacacao@gmail.com

Elena Jones | Mom | Wife | Entrepreneur

@katiemeckleyphotography

Moving to a new country has been a great challenge. To start again, especially while tending to young children, was much more difficult than I imagined. Throughout this journey, I have learned that success, in its truest sense, doesn’t come with haste or ease, but to those who exercise the three P’s: passion, persistence, and patience. First, in order to accomplish anything noteworthy, you have to have an unyielding passion for your work with a single, noble goal in mind: an objective that goes beyond your own material success and that truly benefits your clients and the greater community. If you don’t believe in the product or service you’re selling, then you need to be selling something else. Second, I have learned that very little can be accomplished unless you are persistent in chasing your dream; this means waking up in the morning with a plan of micro-goals to accomplish for the day and repeating that routine until you see results. Every day is an obstacle course that must be navigated with focus and tenacity. It also means adapting strategies that are not working, yet keeping your overall mission in mind. Finally, I have learned that nothing meaningful can be achieved without patience and that an enduring success can only be accomplished over time. The old saying, “good things come to those who wait,” may be dismissed nowadays, but it rings true in my life. The setbacks we experience—the lost sale, the incomplete checklist, the long-term client who decided to go elsewhere—are opportunities to better learn our business and grow in virtue. There is no such thing as failure as long as we continue to see the big picture and keep moving in the right direction.

@latinamomintheheartoftexas  @latinamomintexas

Magnolia Elvis | music producer & recording engineer

@Dj_ron_t

You have to always be prepared to work; even on your off days.

VibeLabDallas.com  ShoutOutMagnolia.com

Addie Roberts | Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that people don’t thrive under more rules around what NOT to do with food. Instead, I’ve found that lasting change is made and people are able to flourish and achieve their goals when the coaching message is promoted as food freedom without obsession around what they’re eating.

generalwellnessnutrition.com @generalwellness  youtube.com/generalwellness

Kelly Harrod | Body Liberation/Self Love Advocate

The most important thing I’ve learned on my journey so far is the importance of flexibility. So many times we plan with good intentions as society tells us that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Some times life does it’s own thing, causing out beautifully crafted plans to fall by the wayside. Learning to be flexible has allowed me to be more forgiving of myself and others when things don’t go as I had hoped.

@the_self_love_squad @selflovesquadig

ChristFit Unashamed

Community is so important to growth of person physically, mentally, and Faith.

linktr.ee/christfitunashamed

  Ashton Lewis | Actor

Patience and persistence. If you’re working hard at what you want, don’t beat yourself up for, one, sucking at it when you first start. I’m a recovering perfectionist, so this is a hard one for me. And that’s an ego thing, right? If I’m focusing on how much I suck, that’s entirely about what other people think of my progress. But what other people think doesn’t matter: if I’m thinking about that I’m just torpedoing my own joy. Second, don’t beat yourself up for taking a bit to figure something out. Sometimes it just takes longer than other people. But what I’ve learned on my journey is that if you’re patient, and keep at those skills you’re trying to hone, they often open up and start blooming over time. It’s difficult to see in the moment but you look back and see what the journey was and how important it was to take the long path and struggle through it.

@actionlewis  backstage.com/u/ashton-lewis

Tre’Quwandous Love | Aspiring model Natural Hair Enthusiast and Hospitality expert

@shotbyadrw eyeofandrewphoto@gmail.com

You have to move in life knowing that the things you are seeking are also seeking you and will find you in the most divine fashion.

@trelovetrelove @TreCLove

Diana Pàez | social communicator and journalist | Founder and CEO of Let`s go By Diana Paez

My biggest lesson in this wonderful journey I have been gone through is to be patience and understand that good thing happens exactly at the moment have to happen,. sometimes we reject what we have and we don’t pay attention to the wonderful things around us. I have learned that every person in the world have a special place and labor to do while were living the life and enjoy every moment in the present can be the only thing that change our future. Every lesson will be a part of the process in our life and we need to take them as part of example to tell other people that fall off is not too bad when we can get up and be better. patience is part of the process to grow in every dream you want to make it real.

@letsgo.by.dianapaez letsgobydianapaez.com

Lizz Hurley | Visual Artist

The most important lesson I’ve learned so far is that sales don’t determine talent. Sales will come, focus on perfecting your craft.

lizzhurleyart.com @lizzhurleyart

Jacqueline | Empowerment Executive & Life Coach

My Starry Eyes My Intuition is My Superpower! You Never need to justify your existence. Say less than you know; show less than you have. What I practice in private I will be honored for in public. Leave All in a better space than before I arrive. Allow my potential to come out and play big on the planet. Permission Granted!

@jacquelineisms podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/permission-granted-the-jacqueline-show/id1475436982

  Blakk Juu | Hot New Rap Artist from keepit1hundredint

That if you don’t believe in yourself, then no one will so I think in myself beyond boundaries of measurements, I also learned you need active, positive people backing you up so much love to my label keepit1hundredint #usagainsthem.

@blakk.juu @usagainsthem @blakkjuu keepit1hundredint.com @BlakkJuu soundcloud.com/keepit1hundredint

Brittany Smalls | personal blogger

@filmmaker_j

I think the most important thing I have learned is that you should always stay true to yourself. People (myself included) put so much effort into trying to conform to society’s expectations, we often lose ourselves. For so long I was scared to put myself out there and go for everything I wanted because I would look at someone else and point out all of the things they have, that I don’t and I never stopped to acknowledge all of the qualities I have. Once I realized that I am not unworthy because I lack certain qualities someone else may have, my life changed and I gained so much confidence. I have never been happier. it’s made a huge difference in how I view myself, in my marriage and in my life all together. What makes you different, makes you beautiful.

@_sincerelynotyours

Maria Cruz | Paper florista

@kittyboo_

There are many things that I have learned and still learning, in a world we’re everything is “help me and I will help you” you kind of fall into a pattern of let me see how much I can get out of the situation. I have other colleagues that do the same thing and they always advise me pick your prices higher don’t sell yourself short, its never enough it’s always to low! They tell me. I learned that when you start doing something you love and greed gets in the way, it’s stops being something you love it becomes WORK and the reason I started my own small business was precisely because I did not want to work a job that made me feel prisoner of my life. And when greed comes into play that’s exactly what happens you become prisoner of money of greed and everything that involves. Don’t get me wrong of course i want to make money. I am a mother of four and I need to bring the bacon but being honest. Now three years in this business I have learned how to price, how to help my customers and be smart about my business. I can say we never stop learning EVER but with the right mentors around and a little patience I have learned a lot.

@katys_flower_wall

Mosiah Perales | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper coach and Instagram influencer

Over little a year of my Instagram account (I made my account on May 24, 2018), is that if you want to get yourself out there on social media, you need to know what you want and the goal of why you are putting yourself out their, but when it comes to interactions with your followers and people who view your content, open your mind for other people’s comments and opinions even if they are negative. I’m doing what I love and making my passion more than a dream. If you want something, make time for it and be dedicated, don’t be afraid of failure, I’ve learned so much from failing. I was scared to put myself out there and what people would say but I didn’t let that distract from what I wanted. I want to influence people in a good way as well as get noticed and hopefully become a pro soccer player.

@fuerzagkeeping

Justin Stringfellow | DJ/MC

The most important lesson that I’ve learned in my journey so far is that there is always room for improvement in your craft. Like many artistic pursuits, the DJ field is very saturated. In order to stand out, you have to work really hard and constantly be improving. It’s also super helpful to have others to look up to and learn from. The journey of growth is just as important as the destination.

@justin.thedj mixcloud.com/JustinTheDJ

Astrid Garces | Branding Creator

Josben Rodriguez

Life is happening now and I have to be present to live it. not holding to anything in the past and not worrying about the future. Also it’s too short not to do what I love and what I am really passionate about.

@astrid_garces

Zach Rigsby | Fashion blogger & Design student

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life is to never let anyone else’s judgment or negativity drive what I do or wear but instead to let criticism inspire me to become better.

@zach.rigsby

Bondie Metchore | Digital Marketing Consultant | Web Designer & Social Media Strategist

In life, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that change is inevitable. Things end, pain eventually goes away and there’s always a new goal to go after. Enjoying the actual journey is a blessing that we tend to overlook. Living life from a place of knowing that nothing is forever has helped me stress less during the difficult times and value more the beautiful moments that life offers.

In Business, I have learned that gaining a loyal client is more important than making a quick buck. People like to feel valued and heard and when you lead your business with love and service, clients always come back.

bondiemetchore.com @girldesigningdreams

Jonah Levine | Co-founder & Designer

The most important lesson I’ve learned is perseverance. The idea or the accumulation of ideas has in time been a bit of a struggle, but we put our heads down and figure out what needs to be done.

I’m very happy and proud of the brand that’s been created and we will continue. It’s a product for a niche market and we recognize that. Perseverance will get us through. Perseverance is what has gotten many things done in fashion and in life.

At L’Escalier we hope to bring the idea, the thought that while things may be difficult, perseverance can prove to be true.

shoplescalier.com @shoplescalier

Kyler & Kaelyn Silas (Ky & Kae) | Recording Artists/Musicians

When we were little, we were eager to be teenagers/young adults. Now we’re in middle and high school, and we just want time to slow down. We can’t believe in a few years, one of us will be off to college. Life is too short to just dream about what you want to do and not put anything into action. You have to always put your best foot forward and commit to whatever dream you want to come true.

@officialkyandkae youtube.com/channel/UCITNM6MLuu2CODIHATCuvQA bequestmusic.com

Zeke Jeremiah | Director, CEO/Founder of UTubeSensations and UTubeSensations Kids

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey is to trust the process. In the beginning I would get stressed out easily  because of so many things that would come up. Now I’m better prepared from experience, but mostly easy about it because things won’t always work out the way you wanted it too, so I relax and trust God through the process.

@campbell.zeke @UTubesensations @UTubeSensations-Kids @Forever-and-a-Day @zekejeremiah @utubesensations @utubesensations_kids

Trish Keller | Virtual Health & Fitness coach

The most important thing I’ve learned on my journey so far is how important the power of a positive attitude is. I started my journey in a pretty dark state, struggling with body image issues, unhappiness, feeling overwhelmed, and just feeling really stuck in life in general. Through coaching I learned to look at things in a more positive light, I started to look at myself through a more positive lens. Even on my harder days, when I’m struggling with competency issues or negative people, I’ve found a way to look at the lessons and the positivity in those less than ideal situations. And by doing that, I have gained self-confidence, self-worth, healthier habits, happiness, amazing friendships, and the incredible opportunity to help others find similar happiness for themselves.

@trish_keller linktr.ee/patriciakeller

The post What’s the Most Important Lesson You’ve Learned Along Your Journey? appeared first on Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide.

source http://voyagedallas.com/2019/08/26/whats-important-lesson-youve-learned-along-journey/

[readbookywooks]

THE THREE SLEEPERS

THE wind never failed but it grew gentler every day till at length the waves were little more than ripples, and the ship glided on hour after hour almost as if they were sailing on a lake. And every night they saw that there rose in the east new constellations which no one had ever seen in Narnia and perhaps, as Lucy thought with a mixture of joy and fear, no living eye had seen at all. Those new stars were big and bright and the nights were warm. Most of them slept on deck and talked far into the night or hung over the ship's side watching the luminous dance of the foam thrown up by their bows. On an evening of startling beauty, when the sunset behind them was so crimson and purple and widely spread that the very sky itself seemed to have grown larger, they came in sight of land on their starboard bow. It came slowly nearer and the light behind them made it look as if the capes and headlands of this new country were all on fire. But presently they were sailing along its coast and its western cape now rose up astern of them, black against the red sky and sharp as if it was cut out of cardboard, and then they could see better what this country was like. It had no mountains but many gentle hills with slopes like pillows. An attractive smell came from it - what Lucy called "a dim, purple kind of smell", which Edmund said (and Rhince thought) was rot, but Caspian said, "I know what you mean." They sailed on a good way, past point after point, hoping to find a nice deep harbour, but had to content themselves in the end with a wide and shallow bay. Though it had seemed calm out at sea there was of course surf breaking on the sand and they could not bring the Dawn Treader as far in as they would have liked. They dropped anchor a good way from the beach and had a wet and tumbling landing in the boat. The Lord Rhoop remained on board the Dawn Treader. He wished to see no more islands. All the time that they remained in this country the sound of the long breakers was in their ears. Two men were left to guard the boat and Caspian led the others inland, but not far because it was too late for exploring and the light would soon go. But there was no need to go far to find an adventure. The level valley which lay at the head of the bay showed no road or track or other sign of habitation. Underfoot was tine springy turf dotted here and there with a low bushy growth which Edmund and Lucy took for heather. Eustace, who was really rather good at botany; said it wasn't, and he was probably right; but it was something of very much the same kind. When they had gone less than a bowshot from the shore, Drinian said, "Look! What's that?" and everyone stopped. "Are they great trees?" said Caspian. "Towers, l think," said Eustace. "It might be giants," said Edmund in a lower voice. "The way to find out is to go right iv among them," said Reepicheep, drawing his sword and pattering off ahead of everyone else. "I think it's a ruin," said Lucy when they had got a good deal nearer, and her guess was the best so far. What they now saw was a wide oblong space flagged with smooth stones and surrounded by grey pillars but unroofed. And from end to end of it ran a long table laid with a rich crimson cloth that came down nearly to the pavement. At either side of it were many chairs of stone richly carved and with silken cushions upon the seats. But on the table itself there was set out such a banquet as had never been seen, not even when Peter the High King kept his court at Cair Paravel. There were turkeys and geese and peacocks, there were boars' heads and sides of venison, there were pies shaped like ships under full sail or like dragons and elephants, there were ice puddings and bright lobsters and gleaming salmon, there were nuts and grapes, pineapples and peaches, pomegranates and melons and tomatoes. There were flagons of gold and silver and curiouslywrought glass; and the smell of the fruit and the wine blew towards them like a promise of all happiness. "I say!" said Lucy. They came nearer and nearer, all very quietly. "But where are the guests?" asked Eustace. "We can provide that, Sir," said Rhince. "Look!" said Edmund sharply. They were actually within the pillars now and standing on the pavement. Everyone looked where Edmund had pointed. The chairs were not all empty. At the head of the table and in the two places beside it there was something - or possibly three somethings. "What are those?" asked Lucy in a whisper. "It looks like three beavers sitting on the table." "Or a huge bird's nest," said Edmund. "It looks more like a haystack to me," said Caspian. Reepicheep ran forward, jumped on a chair and thence on to the table, and ran along it, threading his way as nimbly as a dancer between jewelled cups and pyramids of fruit and - ivory salt-cellars. He ran right up to the mysterious grey mass at the end: peered, touched, and then called out: "These will not fight, I think." Everyone now came close and saw that what sat in those three chairs was three men, though hard to recognize as men till you looked closely. Their hair, which was grey, had grown over their eyes till it almost concealed their, faces, and their beards had grown over the table, climbing pound and entwining plates and goblets as brambles; entwine a fence, until, all mixed in one great mat of hair, they flowed over the edge and down to the floor. And from their heads the hair hung over the backs of their chairs so that they were wholly hidden. In fact the three men were; nearly all hair. "Dead?" said Caspian. "I think not, Sire," said Reepicheep, lifting one of their hands out of its tangle of hair in his two paws. "This one is warm and his pulse beats." "This one, too, and this," said Drinian. "Why, they're only asleep," said Eustace. "It's been a long sleep, though," said Edmund, "to let their hair grow like this." "It must be an enchanted sleep," said Lucy. "I felt the moment we landed on this island that it was full of magic. Oh! do you think we have perhaps come here to break it?" "We can try," said Caspian, and began shaking the nearest of the three sleepers. For a moment everyone thought he was going to be successful, for the man breathed hard and muttered, "I'll go eastward no more. Out oars for Narnia." But he sank back almost at once into a yet deeper sleep than before: that is, his heavy head sagged a few inches lower towards the table and all efforts to rouse him again were useless. With the second it was much the same. "Weren't born to live like animals. Get to the east while you've a chance - lands behind the sun," and sank down. And the third only said, "Mustard, please," and slept hard. "Out oars for Narnia, eh?" said Drinian. "Yes," said Caspian, "you are right, Drinian. I think our quest is at an end. Let's look at their rings. Yes, these are their devices. This is the Lord Revilian. This is the Lord Argoz: and this, the Lord Mavramorn." "But we can't wake them," said Lucy. "What are we to do?" "Begging your Majesties' pardons all," said Rhince, "but why not fall to while you're discussing it? We don't see a dinner like this every day." "Not for your life!" said Caspian. "That's right, that's right," said several of the sailors. "Too much magic about here. The sooner we're back on board the better." "Depend upon it," said Reepicheep, "it was from eating this food that these three lords came by a seven years' sleep." "I wouldn't touch it to save my life," said Drinian. "The light's going uncommon quick," said Rynelf. "Back to ship, back to ship," muttered the men. "I really think," said Edmund, "they're right. We can decide what to do with the three sleepers tomorrow. We daren't eat the food and there's no point in staying here for the night. The whole place smells of magic - and danger." "I am entirely of King Edmund's opinion," said Reepicheep, "as far as concerns the ship's company in general. But I myself will sit at this table till sunrise." "Why on earth?" said Eustace. "Because," said the Mouse, "this is a very great adventure, and no danger seems to me so great as that of knowing when I get back to Narnia that I left a mystery behind me through fear." "I'll stay with you, Reep," said Edmund. "And I too," said Caspian. "And me," said Lucy. And then Eustace volunteered also. This was very brave of him because never having read of such things or even heard of them till he joined the Dawn Treader made it worse for him than for the others. "I beseech your Majesty - " began Drinian. "No, my Lord," said Caspian. "Your place is with the ship, and you have had a day's work while we five have idled." There was a lot of argument about this but in the end Caspian had his way. As the crew marched off to the shore in the gathering dusk none of the five watchers, except perhaps Reepicheep, could avoid a cold feeling in the stomach. They took some time choosing their seats at the perilous table. Probably everyone had the same reason but no one said it out loud. For it was really a rather nasty choice. One could hardly bear to sit all night next to those three terrible hairy objects which, if not dead, were certainly not alive in the ordinary sense. On the other hand, to sit at the far end, so that you would see them less and less as the night grew darker, and wouldn't know if they were moving, and perhaps wouldn't see them at all by about two o'clock no, it was not to be thought of. So they sauntered round and round the table saying, "What about here?" and "Or perhaps a bit further on," or, "Why not on this side?" till at last they settled down somewhere about the middle but nearer to the sleepers than to the other end. It was about ten by now and almost dark. Those strange new constellations burned in the east. Lucy would have liked it better if they had been the Leopard and the Ship and other old friends of the Narnian sky. They wrapped themselves in their sea cloaks and sat still and waited. At first there was some attempt at talk but it didn't come to much. And they sat and sat. And all the time they heard the waves breaking on the beach. After hours that seemed like ages there came a moment when they all knew they had been dozing a moment before but were all suddenly wide awake. The stars were all in quite different positions from those they had last noticed. The sky was very black except for the faintest possible greyness in the east. They were cold, though thirsty, and stiff. And none of them spoke because now at last something was happening. Before them, beyond the pillars, there was the slope of a low hill. And now a door opened in the hillside, and light appeared in the doorway, and a figure came out, and the door shut behind it. The figure carried a light, and this light was really all that they could see distinctly. It came slowly nearer and nearer till at last it stood right at the table opposite to them. Now they could see that it was a tall girl, dressed in a single long garment of clear blue which left her arms bare. She was bareheaded and her yellow hair hung down her back. And when they looked at her they thought they had never before known what beauty meant. The light which she had been carrying was a tall candle in a silver candlestick which she now set upon the table. If there had been any wind off the sea earlier in the night it must have died down by now, for the flame of the candle burned as straight and still as if it were in a room with the windows shut and the curtains drawn. Gold and silver on the table shone in its light. Lucy now noticed something lying lengthwise on the table which had escaped her attention before. It was a knife of stone, sharp as steel, a cruel-looking, ancient looking thing. No one had yet spoken a word. Then - Reepicheep first, and Caspian next - they all rose to their feet, because they felt that she was a great lady. "Travellers who have come from far to Aslan's table," said the girl. "Why do you not eat and drink?" "Madam," said Caspian, "we feared the food because we thought it had cast our friends into an enchanted sleep. "They have never tasted it," she said. "Please," said Lucy, "what happened to them?" "Seven years ago," said the girl, "they came here in a ship whose sails were rags and timbers ready to fall apart. There were a few others with them, sailors, and when they came to this table one said, `Here is the good place. Let us set sail and reef sail and row no longer but sit down and end our days in peace!' And the second said, `No, let us re-embark and sail for Narnia and the west; it may be that Miraz is dead.' But the third, who was a very masterful man, leaped up and said, `No, by heaven. We are men and Telmarines, not brutes. What should we do but seek adventure after adventure? We have not long to live in any event. Let us spend what is left in seeking the unpeopled world behind the sunrise.' And as they quarrelled he caught up the Knife of Stone which lies there on the table and would have fought with his comrades. But it is a thing not right for him to touch. And as his fingers closed upon the hilt, deep sleep fell upon all the three. And till the enchantment is undone they will never wake." "What is this Knife of Stone?" asked Eustace. "Do none of you know it?" said the girl. "I - I think," said Lucy, "I've seen something like it before. It was a knife like it that the White Witch used when she killed Aslan at the Stone Table long ago." "It was the same," said the girl, "and it was brought here to be kept in honour while the world lasts." Edmund, who had been looking more and more uncomfortable for the last few minutes, now spoke. "Look here," he said, "I hope I'm not a coward - about eating this food, I mean - and I'm sure I don't mean to be rude. But we have had a lot of queer adventures on this voyage of ours and things aren't always what they seem. When I look in your face I can't help believing all you say: but then that's just what might happen with a witch too. How are we to know you're a friend?" "You can't know," said the girl. "You can only believe or not." After a moment's pause Reepicheep's small voice was heard. "Sire," he said to Caspian, "of your courtesy fill my cup with wine from that flagon: it is too big for me to lift. I will drink to the lady." Caspian obeyed and the Mouse, standing on the table, held up a golden cup between its tiny paws and said, "Lady, I pledge you." Then it fell to on cold peacock, and in a short while everyone else followed its example. All were very hungry and the meal, if not quite what you wanted for a very early breakfast, was excellent as a very late supper. "Why is it called Aslan's table?" asked Lucy presently. "It is set here by his bidding," said the girl, "for those who come so far. Some call this island the World's End, for though you can sail further, this is the beginning of the end." "But how does the food keep?" asked the practical Eustace. ? "It is eaten, and renewed every day," said the girl. "This you will see." "And what are we to do about the Sleepers?" asked Caspian. "In the world from which my friends come" (here, he nodded at Eustace and the Pevensies) "they have a story of a prince or a king coming to a castle where all the people lay in an enchanted sleep. In that story he could not dissolve the enchantment until he had kissed the Princess." "But here," said the girl, "it is different. Here he cannot kiss the Princess till he has dissolved the enchantment." "Then," said Caspian, "in the name of Aslan, show me how to set about that work at once." "My father will teach you that," said the girl. "Your father!" said everyone. "Who is he? And where?" "Look," said the girl, turning round and pointing at the door in the hillside. They could see it more easily now, for while they had been talking the stars had grown fainter and great gaps of white light were appearing in the greyness of the eastern sky.