It had been ages of waiting while we looked up everything that we could about Atlantis. We each had a different way of working at it – Peter was excited, Susan did a fair job of looking excited, Edmund acted rather like he was only doing a duty (I think he desperately wanted to start the journey at once), and I suppose I was indifferent to waiting. I wanted to start, just as Edmund did, but we had to stay for a while, so why not learn as much as possible?

It was tedious work. Most of the books that we had sorted through already in the past years needed to be checked again, and the documents that hadn't been searched had to be gone through thoroughly. Every so often, one of my siblings would come tearing out of the library with a book in their hands, but more often than not, we could go almost a week without finding anything.

On one of our days of court duty, a Terebinthian embassy came. I admit that I wasn't paying much attention; I was daydreaming. What would Atlantis be like? I needed to continue searching for information…

I jolted myself back. There would be plenty of time for searching. Aslan had set me on a throne, so I needed to pay attention to these people's needs.

"…raids against our people! We've been to the governor in Narrowhaven, but he doesn't know what to do, although his children have been affected as well. Can you help us?"

"Tell us exactly what's been happening," Peter said, sounding very kingly, but I knew that he was probably bored out of his mind.

"Well," a tanned farmer stood, twisting his hands in his tunic nervously, "Some of our fence wood was stolen, but we can live without that. It's more what's been happening to our children that has us worried, Majesties," he paused for breath.

"What's been happening to your children?" Peter said, leaning forward almost unnoticeably.

"They are being taken, Your Highness! Most of the children between the ages of nine and seventeen years are missing. If their parents try to keep them, then they fall sick. Already three have died."

Susan gasped quietly beside me. I looked quickly to Peter. We had to do something!

"Do you have any idea of who could be doing this?" Edmund asked.

One of the officials spoke up. "We've only seen figures, King Edmund. The earth around the house is always slightly muddy or darker, though."

Edmund nodded to himself, and then looked to Peter.

"We would like to discuss this in private," Peter told them kindly.

Susan stared hard at him as we left the hall.

Once we were alone, Susan practically exploded.

"What is there to discuss, Peter? Those people desperately need us to help them; we need to go to their aid!"

Edmund laid a hand on her arm, but she shook him off.

"I understand that, Susan," Peter said gently, "but we also need to think about who will go and who will stay."

"We're splitting up?!" I asked. I usually preferred to let my siblings handle political affairs, but this was one thing that I needed an answer on.

"Lu, someone has to stay and take care of the Narnians and the problems here. We can't all leave!"

I sat back, having heard a satisfying answer.

"So who will go?" Susan asked, her temper having apparently vanished.

"I can," Edmund said, just I asked to be allowed this time.

Peter looked back and forth at the two of us and said, "Lucy, I think Ed should go. He has more experience with -"

"Please let me go!" I begged. "I'm so tired of Ed or one of you coming home wounded!"

He considered this. Susan, Edmund and I all watched him quietly.

"Lu," he finally said, "I think that this will be dangerous, and I know that you could do just as fine a job as Ed, but please understand, for the sake of my sanity? I don't think that I could stand it if you were there alone right now."

As much as I wished I didn't, I understood him. There were threats of the giants invading, and we had been having less dealings than usual with Calormen, which is never good.

I was disappointed. I had hoped that I would be trusted enough to examine a problem by myself, but I should have expected this.

"Lu?" Susan's hand was on my shoulder. "Please try to understand?"

"I do," and I did, but I didn't like it very much.

"Thank you," Peter said, looking relieved. His shoulders dropped a bit, as though he had them tensed while waiting for my answer.

I couldn't help feeling sorry for him and understanding his view. If I had been in his place and my littlest sibling had begged to go on a potentially dangerous trip, I would not want her to go either, I decided.

----

As we left, Edmund approached me.

"Lu? Do you really understand? We honestly need you here, and none of us could stand it if you got hurt."

"Yes, I understand," I assured him, but I also added, "But I think that you just want me to stay for peace of mind!"

"No," he began, and then noticed my smile, "Possibly."

"Thank you for being truthful," I said, and then I ran off to help Susan pack Edmund's things. I was going to worry over him and his belongings until he started wishing that I had gone instead of him!

Long wait, and I have almost no excuses. I'm sorry!

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