Come Home - E. Pevensie [2]

4 - Found Prince

My eyes flew open at the sound of a stick breaking nearby. I sat up silently, my guard already up. My eyes scoured the camp. Everyone was still accounted for and asleep, besides Lucy. She sat on the other side of Susan, a similar cautious expression on her face.

"Did you hear that too?" She mouthed to me. I nodded and slowly stood, picking up my sword and daggers as I did. As I strapped them on Lucy crept to my side, stepping carefully over Susan so as not to wake her.

Lucy grabbed my hand as we walked up a mound, towards the noise. As we turned a corner, Lucy called out Aslan's name timidly.

My eyes widened as I spotted a flash of black. Quickly I put my hand over Lucy's mouth and yanked her to the ground, behind a rock. I motioned with my finger for her to be silent and look. She did so, looking back at me with wide eyes after. A minotaur was walking just a row of trees away from us.

I rose from my kneel and drew my sword silently, creeping towards the minotaur. To my knowledge, their allegiance was with the White Witch. No matter the fact that we had been gone for hundreds of years. I had to protect my family. I raised my sword above my head and quickened my pace to the bull.

"No!" A deep voice suddenly called to my left. I turned just in time to spare my head from being chopped off, but the sword did graze my arm. I let out a hiss of pain and brought my sword up to meet the stranger's next blow.

He was a boy, probably around Peter's age. Dark-haired and tanned skin, dressed unlike a Narnian. Telmarine.

I scowled and swung my sword at him again. When he caught my blade with his he stumbled backward, directly in front of a tree. He noticed his disadvantage and worked to twist my sword out of my grip. I almost grinned.

My years of training and practice sharpened my mind and I was able to turn his parry on him, causing his sword to fly out of his grip and into the dirt beside us. I brought my sword back and swung at his head.

Lucky for him, he was able to duck in time and avoid my blade. With a deep clamor, my sword was lodged into the bark of the tree behind him. I gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I whispered to the tree as I dug my feet into the ground, yanking at the hilt.

The Telmarine stood and kicked me in my gut, sending me to the ground. He whirled around and continued my progress of removing my sword from the tree.

Shaking the dizziness from my head, I leaped to my feet and drew one of my daggers. Just as I raised the dirk and perfected my aim at the dark hair in front of me, Lucy's voice made me freeze.

"No, stop!" She cried. She had stood from her spot behind the bush and now looked at me with a begging glance. The Telmarine stranger stopped his movements as well, looking Lucy up and down.

It took me a moment to notice the crowd of Narnians that had gathered around us. They had their weapons drawn and raised, aimed to protect. But who were they protecting? I lowered my dagger and narrowed my eyes.

"Prince... Caspian?" I asked the boy. He nodded, sneering at me.

"Yes. And who are you?"

"Macey!" Peter and Susan shouted, coming up from behind Lucy with Edmund. Peter and Ed had their swords drawn. Caspian's eyes widened as he looked between the hilt of Peter's sword, then to my engraved sword and daggers.

"Queen Macey." He concluded.

I stood straighter and smiled. "I believed you called?"

"Well yes." He shifted on his feet. "But I thought you would be older."

Peter scoffed and walked to my side, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the rest. "If you'd like, we can come back in a couple of years." He said.

I rolled my eyes at him, letting out a yelp when his hand slid down my arm and chafed the new, open wound.

"No! No. You are just not what I expected." Caspian said, eyeing our group. I watched as his gaze lingered on Susan, who blushed a darker shade and looked away.

Edmund walked to my side and picked up my arm, inspecting it. "Are you all right?" He mumbled softly. I nodded. Edmund's jaw clenched as he searched my face for the truth. "Did you do this to her?" He barked at the prince, his jaw clenched.

"Edmund-" I sighed.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," Caspian cut in. "For the attack, and injury. We have plenty of resources at the base to treat it." I nodded.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry as well." My eyes traveled to the minotaur. "You're just.."

"Not really what we expected either." Edmund finished for me, his eyes also on the minotaur. I felt him stiffen and tighten his grip on me.

"A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes." A badger stepped forward, probably noticing our uneasy looks towards the bull.

A tan and enlarged mouse stepped forward, facing Peter. "We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service." He spoke with a bow.

Lucy leaned over to Susan. "Oh my gosh, he is so cute." She whispered. The mouse drew his sword and jumped towards the sound of her whisper.

"Who said that?" He snapped.

Lucy stepped back in surprise. "Oh, sorry."

The mouse stood straighter and sheathed his blade quickly, looking bashful.

"Oh, uh... Your Majesty, with the greatest respect. I do believe courageous, courteous, or chivalrous might more befit a knight of Narnia." He said with a bow.

"Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade." Peter looked at me pointedly before looking at the mouse.

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

Peter nodded. "Good. Because we're going to need every sword we can get." He raised a brow at Caspian, who smirked and looked at me.

"Well then, you'll probably be wanting yours back." I smiled and stepped out of Edmund's grasp, towards him. He gently passed my sword to me.

I stepped back as I sheathed it, feeling Edmund wrap his arm around my waist as I did. Caspian nodded towards the Narnians.

"Come. We will bring you to the How."