~

Narnia had a special air to it. It didn't feel like their regular world. Everything had life, from the trees to the rivers even the air felt livelier and fresher than back home in England. 

The sun was now reaching over the sky as Adeline made her way through the camp. It was strange getting so much attention from everyone but the creatures around her bowed or nodded their heads, which she gladly returned. It wasn't harder now to believe that she was a princess with her blue dress and faithful daggers at her waist. Her hair had been detangled by a couple of dryads who had then tied up the front half away from her face when she had mentioned she was going to train with Morgana.

The camp wasn't too hard to navigate and Adeline soon found herself in a field with archery ranges and other creatures wielding, swords, bows, and spears. 

"Princess Adeline." A voice called out. Adeline spotted the owner of it waiting in an unoccupied area of the field, near some boulders.

"Hello Lady Morgana." Adeline ran with a smile.

The older woman clasped her hands behind her back, "So, I see you've taken up my offer."

Adeline nodded, placing a hand on Solis, "If I'm going to fight in a war and get Edmund back then I need to learn how to properly use these."

Morgana's brow rose. "Before you learn discipline with your weapons, you must first learn to control your magic."

Lady Morgana began to walk and Adeline trailed behind, hanging onto every word, "If this were the old days then you would have started magical training at the age of five, and by the time you were ten you would have begun your tutoring and sword training in preparation of you being queen."

Morgana stopped and turned to her and said in a softer tone, "Your mother and I had discussed your future, princess. We wanted to make sure you would become the queen Narnia needed."

Adeline's throat choked up at the mention of her mother. They had talked about her, her mother wanted the best for her, and now she was gone. The woman Adeline couldn't even remember, but her love had survived years later.

"Wait a minute." Adeline froze in her tracks. "You said you knew my mother, but the Beavers said that winter has been here for a hundred years." She blinked in confusion, "So you must be-"

"Over a hundred years old." Morgana cut her off, "Yes. Pureblood fae can live hundreds of years. Even people with fae ancestry can live a few years longer than an average human. You're a half-blood, so I wouldn't be surprised if you reached two hundred, maybe three hundred years old."

Adeline's jaw dropped. She couldn't even imagine living to be that old.

"Alright, enough talking," Morgana interrupted her thoughts, "We do not have much time and it's important that you have at least some knowledge of the art of war." 

"Put your weapons aside," Morgana instructed. With a confused look, Adeline unbuckled her belt with her daggers and threw them aside.

"Alright," Morgana circled her like a vulture. "First things first is your posture. Magic comes from within and a good posture is helpful in funneling that magic." Morgana's hands dug into her shoulder blades and rolled them, causing Adeline to wince. A finger hooked under her chin and lifted her head up and a foot kicked her legs apart slightly to stabilize her.

"Once you have gotten used to funneling your magic, you don't need to constantly hold yourself upright."

Morgana stood in front of her and assumed the same position, "Now hold out your hands like this," she stuck out her arms, her palms upright, "And focus. We're going to start off with just summoning magic at will."

Adeline took a deep breath and nodded, she could do this, she had done this multiple times in the past few days and had managed to save their lives. 

"Once you can summon magic at will you'll be able to create shields using your energy, move things around at your will and even use your magic as whatever weapon you wish it to be."

Adeline spoke up, "I can sort of do that. At the beavers I was able to move some rocks and when we were at the waterfall and it came down on us I was able to create a shield, although it didn't last that long," she murmured the last part.

"That's because you're not disciplined," Morgana explained, "Those were done in the spur of the moment, where your adrenaline was rushing and your magic was there to protect you. Although there is a rush in battle, it is not guaranteed that your magic will always work, which is why you need training."

Adeline nodded and copied Morgana's posture.

"Now concentrate," the older woman said, "Feel the energy in your gut and try to bring it up, imagine an invisible string is wrapped around your body and follow that string from your stomach to the palms of your hands."

Adeline breathed in and out and closed her eyes. She could faintly feel something bubbling in her stomach and tried to connect it. It was a struggle but very slowly she could feel her magic moving up to her chest, to her throat and then to her shoulders. But she couldn't get it past there.

"It's not working!" Adeline cried out in frustration.

Morgana didn't look fazed and surveyed her with those amethyst eyes. "Try again. That's the point in training, to practice until you get it right."

Adeline clenched her fists and unclenched them, assuming her position again. She tried again but this time she could feel the tingles of her magic reach her elbows before stopping. She grunted and shook out her arms before trying again, all the while Morgana observed her with her hands clasped behind her back. She reached out her hands and this time pushed the magic from her stomach, the rush of energy was stronger now and Adeline concentrated on her palms until small wisps of blue began to appear, entangling themselves around her fingers and wrists.

"You're a fast learner," Morgana congratulated her, "Now focus on those wisps and make them bigger."

Adeline nodded, a bead of sweat forming above her brow as she stared down her palms. This time the floating wisps were coming together in each palm and begun to form spheres.

"Good!" Morgana said with half a smile, "Now for the biggest challenge, bring them together without moving your palms. They should form one ball on energy."

Adeline clenched her jaw and focused on the two separate balls of energy. Slowly they began to unravel and conjoint in the middle, the wisps swirling around into a bright ball of blue until there was only one sphere."

"Yes!" Adeline laughed. Her jaw hurt from clenching it and now smiling so brightly.

"Perfect." Morgana reached over and lifted one of her hands which was uneven. "That would have taken you weeks to do if you were younger, but I'm glad to see that your time in Narnia was able to help you. Try it again and then we'll move on to something harder."

That's how they spend their afternoon. Adeline performed that rick multiply times until there was no question she could do it. They practiced it one hand at a time, with her eyes closed, and moving about. They moved on to shield work which Adeline practiced until her arms were sore. Morgana was tough but understood Adeline's troubles and helped and corrected her. Once her shield work was good Morgana tested her, throwing purple balls of her own magic which Adeline was able to deflect. 

Once Morgana deemed that her shield work was good they moved onto shaping her magic. This was the toughest one of all and Adeline felt she was about to drop from exhaustion. Creating balls of energy and shields was one thing but creating multitudes of shapes was tiring. They practiced and trained, creating long whips and smaller dagger-like shapes which she used when Morgana would suddenly throw purple magic at her and she had to dispell. Adeline practiced and trained until the sun began to move to the west and her arms felt like they were going to fall off from exhaustion.

"I think that's enough magic training for one day," Morgana said as Adeline threw herself onto the ground, the soft green grass tickling her neck as she gasped for breath.

"You think?" Adeline sassed. Her head hurt and her stomach was rumbling.

Morgana grabbed Adeline's discarded daggers, "Now it's time for weapons training."

"What?!" Adeline sat up, "But I'm exhausted!"

"Don't worry," Morgana smiled at the panicked look on the girls face, "Nothing too tough since you'll be training with everyone else tomorrow as well. Just the basics." she handed the girl her daggers, "Since you began your magic training first you're already a few steps ahead, since some techniques in magic can be used in combat. You're just going to learn how to hold them properly."

"Oh thank heavens," Adeline threw her head back before getting up.

As they went through proper posture and techniques, Adeline did notice that much of it was similar. She had to keep her legs apart for balance, her elbows in for precision and the proper way to hold her daggers were similar in the ways needed to control her magic. 

Her only issue was fighting with two weapons instead of one.

"No," Morgana said for the tenth time as she straightened Adeline's left hand again," Remember Luna, your second blade. You are fighting with both of your daggers and you need to be mindful of your non-dominant hand,"

Adeline groaned, "I'm sorry! It's just so hard focusing on two hands at once."

Morgana gave Adeline's knuckles a tap, "Try to think of them as one moving force. They're not separate weapons, the special thing about dual daggers is in the name. I've heard you like to write so you must know this, what does dual mean?"

"Consisting of two parts," Adeline responded curiously. She knew what they were, but what did it have to do with training.

"Exactly." Morgana said, "They are two parts of a whole. You're thinking of them as separate daggers but they are actually one. They work together and fight together and should never be separated. If you think of them as one then you are guaranteed to succeed."

Adeline nodded and held out her weapons in position. They were one. She was one with them, as her magic. She focused as Morgana grabbed a smaller dagger and attacked her, immediately her arms flew up and the daggers crossed in front of her, Morgana's weapon now lodged between the two.

"Good!" Morgana praised, "Again!"

They practiced over and over, until Adeline felt comfortable with both of them, moving like a whirlwind around and around, both daggers now a part of her.

"Alright." Morgana finally relented, "I believe that's enough for today. You've earned some rest. We'll continue tomorrow."

Adeline was panting as she sheathed her daggers at her waist. She was tired but happy, this was productive and she felt more confident in her abilities.

"You're far from a master," Morgana began to walk away towards the camp as Adeline followed behind, "But I believe that you truly are better than before. Some more training and you'll be ready to fight."

Adeline nodded, "I'm glad." She raised a hand and called upon her magic, it came much more quickly and smoothly than it had ever before and entangled her fingers. "I feel better and much closer to my mother," she said sadly.

A hand came to Adeline's shoulder, "She would have been proud." Morgana said. "You've grown into a strong girl and I hope that one day you will take your rightful place as queen."

Adeline choked up. She wasn't ready for what was ahead but she knew that she had people at her side who would be there no matter what.

"Apologies, Lady Morgana and Princess Adeline."

A voice interrupted them and Adeline looked down to see a cheetah, bowing its head.

"Aslan has requested an audience with the princess on the hill near the stone table."

Adeline's brows furrowed. She hadn't spoken to Aslan alone yet and to be honest she was a bit nervous. What could he want to say to her?

"Well then," Morgana said, with a tilt of her head, her black hair draping over her shoulders "You should be off, wouldn't want to keep him waiting.

~

Adeline found Aslan exactly where the cheetah had said he would be. What the creature had forgotten to mention was that Peter was there as well. He hadn't spotted her yet as she came up behind him and suddenly Adeline was aware of her tired state. 

Peter looked different and more regal in Narnian clothing. A brown vest and blue tunic hugged his frame nicely and the sword at his side fit better with these clothes rather than the stuffy ones from England.

"Aslan?" she cleared her throat as both turned to look at her, "You asked to see me?"

The sun made his mane glow and Peter's hair looked golden in the light as well. She gave him a smile as she approached them.

"I'll um-" Peter stuttered, "I'll just wait there until you're done." he walked to where Adeline had been standing a moment before, just a little bit away,

Aslan gave Peter a nod as Adeline now took Peter's spot. 

"Is something wrong?" Adeline asked, her right hand on Solis' hilt.

"Nothing at all," Aslan's deep but calming voice said, "I wanted to speak with you on matters that I've noticed have been troubling you?"

Adeline pursed her lips, "Troubling me?"

"You're worried." Aslan said, reading her as clean as a book, "You believe that you won't live up to your mother's name."

Adeline's jaw clenched. He was right. Although she had been telling everyone that she was alright, she knew that deep down she was terrified.

"You are afraid of failing," Aslan said to her as she stared at the camp below them. "And I understand that it is difficult."

Adeline nodded, afraid that tears would spill if she opened her mouth. She didn't know why but just having it said out loud made her want to cry.

"You want to be faithful to your country and that takes courage." Aslan reassured her, "Your faithfulness will make you a wonderful queen."

Adeline let out a small laugh as a tear slipped down her cheek, which she hastily wiped away, "I'm trying Aslan, I really am. And I've told everyone that I can do it but I'm not so sure anymore. What if- what if I fail and let everyone down."

"You will not." Aslan said, "I know that no matter what, your people will stand with you, and even if dark days do come, I know that Peter, Susan, and Lucy will not leave your side."

"Your mother had great wishes for you." Aslan looked to the horizon. "And I do as well. You will succeed Adeline, and Narnia will be safe under your and the Pevensie's rule. You and Peter must lookout for the others."

Adeline nodded, "I tried, but Edmund-"

"We will get Edmund back," he repeated what he had said earlier when they first arrive, "And when we do you and Peter must look after them as the eldest."

Adeline wiped her cheeks, "I promise." she said. But, before she could continue a long and deep horn sounded across the camp. This wasn't a sound of peace or announcement, but one of warning. Adeline recognized it and she turned to look at Peter, whose blue eyes had gone wide.

"Susan!"

~

I sped wrote this in a single day. I actually like chapters where I don't have to follow the script since constantly having to look between this and that is such a long process. I really enjoy writing chapters where I can just do whatever I want.

Thank you so much for 6.7K reads! That's absolutely amazing!

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StoryTeller5678