Daughter of Nowhere || A Narnia (Prince Caspian) Story

11: Unwanted Guest

"You've got to be joking." Trumpkin glared in disbelief. "All Bultitude does is suck his paws—oh, come on, he's doing it right now!"

The bear put down his hand at once, an innocent look playing on his face. "That's not true!"

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Bultitude?" Peter laughed.

Caspian heard his own voice as if from afar. "Are you sure you are?"

In a flash, Peter's smile wilted. Caspian knew he was conflicted—no one would want to fight a battle they thought they would lose. No one could be that selfless, not even Peter.

But Caspian knew that Peter's sense of duty burned brighter than lightning, and the love for his people, even stronger than the sun.

"I will be," said Peter.

"It doesn't have to be you." Ina stepped forward, worry etched on her face. "You're the High King of Narnia; your life is worth more than ours."

At this, Peter looked around the room and saw that the others mirrored Ina's expression. His eyebrows lifted, as if in surprise. As if everyone were missing something that he thought was extremely obvious.

His hand was laid on Ina's shoulder, but his words were meant for the whole room.

"This is Narnia. No one life is worth more than the other."

***

"Do you think he'll be alright?"

Ina stood on a ledge high up in the How, looking out at the plains below them. The sky above was slashed with ribbons of purple and pink. Though it was late in the afternoon, an unrelenting heat clung to the air, and sweat pasted Caspian's hair to the sides of his head. Beyond the stretch of meadows he saw the woods—the dark green abundance where Telmarine soldiers lurked, a thousand strong.

"He thinks he's going to die," Caspian said heavily. "Yet he won't let me fight Miraz."

Ina turned on her heels. "Oh." She blinked. "You mean Peter."

Caspian frowned. "Of course. Who were you talking about?" But then realisation rippled through him before she could speak; it brought a sly grin to his lips. "Ah. You mean Edmund."

Edmund, Xanthos and Bultitude had been sent to the Telmarine encampment to deliver Peter's challenge. They'd been gone for almost an hour now, but Caspian still failed to see how he would be in danger.

"Edmund's got a bear and a centaur with him." He arched an eyebrow. "He's as safe as can be."

Ina bristled. "You can never be too careful with Miraz."

"You care for Ed, don't you?" Caspian smirked. He hadn't been paying much attention, but he thought he'd seen Ina's eyes brighten whenever the King was around, the glances she'd stolen at him. Caspian could be right...

She rolled her eyes. "No more than usual."

"You're blushing."

"I am not. And don't speak as if you haven't been mooning over Susan ever since you met her." She punched him in jest, and he pretended to double over.

"At least I don't deny it."

They laughed at that; the sounds of joy were carried away by a gentle breeze. The laughter felt pleasant, but it didn't last long. Anticipation hung over them like dark clouds, impossible to shake. Seconds later, their smiles subsided, and they looked back to the field.

Just then, silhouettes emerged from the treeline, two large and one slight. Ina said, "It's them!"

But as Caspian watched them, he felt himself frown, and he blinked several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Instead of three figures, now there were four. The fourth one was a man, he saw as they walked closer, a man whom he didn't recognise.