Sehnsucht - Sequel to 'Sophia The Stalwart' (Peter Pevensie Love Story)

8

A sepulchral silence overhung the hallowed ground where the trees dared not grow. Nothing stirred, nothing shone, nothing sang. A hollow echoing, like the hushed tones of a great, slabbed cathedral, entombed the wood.

Then a finger of supernal light poked through the misty mesh. It was followed by a whole loom of light, filtering down in seams of gold. Like the alumina glow of the gods, it chased the shadows, banished the gloom and spilled into spaces where the mist once stalked. The fluty piping of a songbird split the silence just as the forest became flooded with light. A fusillade of trilling and warbling detonated all around me as the primordial forest came alive with the troubadours of the trees. I darted between shafts of lustrous-gold light as I went, admiring the butterflies. They pirouetted in the air, their wings a-whir like little ripples of silk.

The glory of the forest was revealed in the birthstone-bright light. Almond-brown trees stood serenely, awash with a tender glow. Their bark looked like riffled toast and gems of amber clasped their crusty exterior. The first blush of the morn gave the leafy bower a green-going-to-gold complexion.

Caspian walks through a forest of ferns, on his way back to the castle. He stops when he hears movements coming from behind him.

"I can hear you." Caspian spoke as he turned around.

Behind him, Nikabrik and Trufflehunter come out of hiding.

"I just think we should wait for the kings and queens." Trufflehunter presses to the young prince.

Caspian keeps walking, ignoring the advice given by the wise badger.

"Fine, go then!" Trufflehunter sighed giving up. "See if the others will be as understanding."

"Or maybe I will come with you." Nikabrik mocked, knowing the true ways in which the Minotaur's behaved when mad. "I want to see you explain things to the Minotaur's.

Caspian stops.

"Minotaur's... they are real?" Caspian asked in almost awe.

"And very bad tempered." Trufflehunter added, warning the future King.

"Yeah, not to mention big." Nikabrik went on and on trying to scare Caspian.

"Huge." Trufflehunter wanted to wait for the High Kings and Queens to arrive before they made any rash decisions.

"What about centaurs?" Caspian asked the pair. "Do they still exist?"

"Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side." Trufflehunter answered honestly. "But there‟s no telling what the others will do."

Caspian went silent.

"And what about Aslan?" He asked the final question to the pair, which baffled them.

Nikabrik and Trufflehunter stop and look at each other.

"How do you know so much about us?" Nikabrik asked Caspian shocked how the young man new so much.

"Stories." Caspian spoke as he reminisced his childhood.

"Wait a minute" Trufflehunter spoke baffled. "Your father told you stories about Narnia?"

"No, my professor..." He answered and then shook his head. "Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking."

Caspian walks off again.

Trufflehunter sniffs, smelling something he knew would not bring pleasure or safety.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked his friend.

"Human." He answered.

"Him?" Nikabrik spoke referring to Caspian.

"No..." Trufflehunter slowly said as he turned around to see army men "them!"

They look over and see Telmarine soldiers approaching on foot.

"There they are!" One of them yelled to the three of them walking through the forest.

"Run!" Trufflehunter yelled.

They run away as arrows fly past them. With a quick of a flash a arrow flies and land into Trufflehunter's side and he falls to the ground in agony.

"Oh no..." Nikabrik spoke to himself, referring to his injured friend and turning back to help him.

"Wait, I‟ll go!" Caspian yelled.

Caspian runs back to help Trufflehunter. Trufflehunter reaches up and gives him the horn.

"Take it, go!" He yells to Caspian as he sees the soldiers moving in "It is more important than I am!"

Soldiers stop and take aim ready to attack the badger and Caspian. Suddenly the ferns rustle, and a soldier falls. Caspian looks confused, but picks up Trufflehunter and runs faster than he has ever done before. More soldiers fall as they try to pursue them. Caspian reaches Nikabrik and puts the badger down.

"Get him out of here." He orders Nikabrik.

Caspian draws his sword and starts walking back. Another soldier falls. The last one throws down his crossbow, draws his sword, and starts swinging wildly at the ferns around him, acting as if he is crazy.

"Where are you?!" The soldier yelled at what seemed, nothing.

The solider falls. The rustle in the ferns starts coming towards Caspian... then, something flips out of the ferns and knocks Caspian down. A sword flies into the air, lands in the creatures' hand, and is pointed at Caspian.

"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!" The mouse spoke with a dagger to Caspian's face.

Caspian stares in disbelief.

"You are a mouse." He said.

"I was hoping for something a little more original." The mouse sighed. "Come on, pick up your sword."

Caspian looks over at his sword, lying on the ground beside him.

"Uh, no thanks." Caspian replied.

"Pick it up!" He snapped. "I will not fight an unarmed man."

"Which is why I will live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse." Caspian flattered the mouse.

"I said I would not fight you. I did not say I would let you live!" He pointed the sword closer.

"Reepicheep, stay your blade!" Trufflehunter yelled out.

"Trufflehunter? I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption!" Reepicheep sighed, annoyed.

"He doesn't. Go ahead." Nikabrik sarcastically spoke as he helped his injured friend sit up.

"Reepicheep, he‟s the one that blew the horn!" Trufflehunter answered.

Reepicheep stares at Caspian.

"What?" Reepicheep asked in shock.

"Then let him bring it forward." A centaur came from behind the trees.

Four centaurs come over the hill.

"This is the reason we have gathered." The leader spoke.