Tales of the heart {Prince Caspian}

||6||

Riding through the meadows of Telmar, with the wind blowing in her face, Vienna felt a sense of accomplishment and freedom.
That was until she turned around to check for danger. She was thankful she did because what she saw in the far distance was not pleasing.
A silhouette. She could barely see that the person was on horse. She couldn't see who it was but it meant no good, she thought. Whoever follows her has the intention to bring her back to the castle. Why else would the mystery person do such a thing? But she is not going back. So she rode even faster. She needed to go faster. For her own sake. Determined to call for help to save her from the mysterious person who was chasing her. She could't go back to her mother and sister. She was sick of being treated like dirt. And some rebellious part always wondered what it would be like living in utter freedom.
So she rode, unknowingly into a dark forest. Across the treeline where citizens of Telmar usually would stop out of fear. Fear of the forest and the creatures living in it. Of course everyone knew that Narnians were extinct, but the tales still made citizens go no further than the tree line.

The woods were dark, the trees were tall and big which made the silhouettes hover over the ground and make the forest even more intimidating. She was being absorbed by the shadows. Vienna could feel it. Her horse was becoming nervous and she was too. She needed to be safe as soon as possible. So she did the thing she would normally never do.
Call for help.
"Help! Someone please help me!" She shouted. Her echo sounding through the woods. There must be someone who is able to help, she thought.

First there was no answer, nor movement. And she called again. "Please! Someone!"

A moment later to her surprise a small door in a large tree opened. Out of the door came a small man, a blade in one hand and a lantern in the other. He was much smaller than the average man. She had never seen someone like him. Vienna blinked and blinked again to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. It couldn't be.

"Get inside, c'mon!" The mysterious person said. Now Vienna had second thoughts. She started doubting herself. She would be entering a stranger's house. He lived in a dark forest. It was odd enough as it was. She didn't know what to do.

A hand pulling her towards the entrance of the tree in a hurry made her snap out of her dilemma. The person on horse was coming closer and she did not want to be caught. So she caved and went inside. Everything was small. From the bed to the spoons. It was all a lot smaller than she is used to. In the corner of her eye she saw movement. A badger made his appearance. "Oh poor thing, look at you! You scared her even more Nikabrik!" Now Vienna really was sure her mind was playing tricks on her. A badger that was talking. This all isn't real. "Oh I'm sorry, would you like to go the next time? Let's see if they don't panick when you start talking." The man, who Vienna learned was Nikabrik spat. An annoyed and sarcastic undertone in the way he spoke. Only now Vienna realized how shaken up she was. Her breathing was rapid even though she hadn't been doing something exhausting. And she was shaking. All out of fear and panic.

The badger made his way towards Vienna.
"Please sit down, I'm Trufflehunter." The friendly badger said.
"You...talk?" Vienna couldn't help but ask the question that she was dying to ask.
"But the only ones I know that do that went extinct long ago." 
"Well, I believe your stories aren't true." Vienna frowned.
"We never went extinct, we just went into hiding."
"So, you're Narnians?"
"In the living flesh." Trufflehunter smiled proudly. This was a lot for Vienna. Narnians suddenly existed. All the books she read about Narnians when growing up. They were all wrong.
"What's your name if you don't mind me asking?" The badger continued.
"Vienna." She didn't want to say her whole title. She might get sent back to the castle and she couldn't risk that.
"Lovely to meet you Vienna. Now let me give you something to drink or eat. You must be so tired."
"Oh no, you really don't have to, I'm totally fine." This wasn't part of Vienna's planning. She intended to stay there until the mystery person lost her which would've happened by now and then go somewhere. Maybe back to her father and her lovely castle in Calormen.
"Here, drink this. It'll immediately calm you down." Trufflehunter put a bowl of soup in front of her. "Oh so now you're going to play caretaker for her too?" Nikabrik said grumbling. "I'm just offering her some soup, Nikabrik. Calm down." To which the dwarf replied with a scoff.
After a few spoons Vienna stood up, ready to leave.
"I really should get- wow." Vienna almost stumbled over. Completely disoriented.
She looked at her hands. They were blurry. Her whole vision was blurry.
"What- what did you do to me?" She asked slurring on her words like a drunken person would do.
"I'm sorry dear, you had to calm down. I'm just trying to help you-"
Was all she heard before her legs gave out and she fell on the ground, unconscious.
Trufflehunter looked at Nikabrik who looked back at him with an annoyed expression.
"Now what?" He asked the badger.
"We put her on one of the beds, help me."
And so they did. They put her to rest on one of their beds.
Not knowing that shortly after, they had to put another unconscious man that fell of his horse on one of their beds too. A prince to be exact.

———————————————

Trufflehunter really be pulling a Mr. Tumnus huh.