Three Sentence Ficathon

In spite of temptation, Lucy did tell the others what the fish shepherdess had said of the eastern waters, or at least she did about the sandbar so the ship didn't run aground. By the time they had rowed out to the sandbar, Lucy was half certain the rest she had been told would also turn out to be true--that there truly was nothing but more sea in the Utter East. In her mind, she was already imagining plans for the return trip.

And yet, Aslan waited for them. For the first time, bitter disappointment warred with utter joy to reunite with the lion and she was afraid it must have showed--his stately gaze had always been kind, but this time she was afraid she also saw pity there.

While she stood, nearly trembling, Reepicheep was all too eager to bid them farewell, and then Eustace was quite happy himself at the thought of going home, but Lucy nearly swayed when Aslan told them that they'd grown too old for Narnia, and if they left, it would be the last time they would return.

But then Lucy focused on one very specific word. "If?" she repeated, eyes wide.

The great Lion chuckled at that and agreed--if they were not so eager to leave Narnia just yet, he didn't see the reason to hurry them home. While Eustace did say that he was definitely ready to go home, to which he would be sent in a moment, Caspian was busy squeezing Edmund for joy when he said he would stay and Lucy tossed her arms as far as she could around Aslan's neck and nearly cried.

Before they returned to the ship, Lucy did have one last question for Aslan. "Why did the sea people claim that there's nothing but water east of here when we just saw Reepicheep head into the Utter East?"

"Because there is nothing past here but water," he answered and when she glanced past him, she saw nothing but water all the way to the horizon. When she looked back from the water, he was gone as well.



"What do you suppose that meant?" the sea girl asked.

Lucy frowns before she answered. "I think it means that you can't just enter the kingdom of Aslan's Father so easily. I think you have to get there only when you are meant to, and if you try beforehand, you just keep swimming on forever. Or maybe until you hit the far coast of Narnia's landmass."

Her companion hummed thoughtfully and laid her head onto Lucy's chest. "And so your journey is done, but you have returned to me anyway. What shall you do now? You are returning to your Narnia, aren't you?

"Oh, ah, I rather wanted to ask you about that," she began, sitting up, making the sea maiden lift her head again so they could look in each other's eyes. "I do plan to go back with the others to Narnia, but what do you say about, maybe... joining me?"

The girl paused and sat up, her eyes staring at the water around them. At last, she spoke. "My people traveled far, but never upon land before."

"You could be the first!"

She turned her gaze from the sea to Lucy and, slowly, smiled. "I would like that."