By far the most difficult group to convince was the one they encountered by nightfall. Nikabrik was doing a standup job at rallying a bunch of people against Caspian simply because of where he's from.
"Telmarine liar!" One centaur bellowed over the shouts.
"Kill him!" Someone else called.
Chloe had quickly had enough, "Quiet!" The earth shook underneath her, silencing the outcry.
"All this horn proves is they've stolen yet another thing from us!" Nikabrik defended.
Standing next to Chloe, Caspian was trying his best to rally the Narnians, trying to gain their trust, "I didn't steal anything."
"Didn't steal anything?! Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken?" One of the Minotaurs prompted.
"Our home!"
"Our freedom!"
"Our lives!
Chloe understood her peoples anger, "Hear me!" She silenced them again, "Do you not look to me now? Answer me!" Heads quietly nodded, no one dared talk back to their unofficial ruler, "So you want to hold him accountable for all the crimes of his people? Crimes that he did not commit?"
"Accountable and punishable," Nikabrik walked over angrily.
Reepicheep scoffed, "That's rich coming from you!"But Chloe put her hand up, stopping him.
"Let me. Listen and listen well. Dwarfs and Minotaurs fought on the side of the White Witch. Her General was a Minotaur and her footman was a dwarf. So in that aspect I should strike you because of something your ancestor did a thousand years ago?" She questioned, "I used to hunt all her supporters. Leave not a single one standing. However it took a lot of persuading to convince High King Peter not to exterminate the lot of you! Your kind would be completely cleaned out. But not every Minotaur is responsible for the death, destruction, and crimes that were committed. Stop me if I'm wrong," she challenged. But no one did, "Good."
Nikabrik rolled his eyes, "I'd gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians-"
"You say that but you were not alive during the time of her reign," she snapped, "She brought nothing but misery. Covering the lot of Narnia in a frozen wasteland. If you think you've got it bad now, just hope that it never goes back to the way it was."
Trufflehunter agreed, "Then we should all be so lucky that it's not within your power to bring her back. Or are you suggesting that we ask this boy to go against Aslan now?" There was an uproar of respectful chants to the great lion before he continued, "Her Highness is correct. Some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well, that Narnia was never right except when a Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve was ruling."
"He's a Telmarine!" Nikabrik disregarded, "Why would we want him as our king?"
More roars of agreement came from the fauns and other creatures, "Because I can help you. And I can help Chloe," he defended, "Beyond these woods I am a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine! Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us. Chloe would rule Narnia and together we can bring Narnia into a new Golden Age."
Ruling was never something Chloe envisioned herself doing. She didn't see herself as a Queen, in her mind Susan and Lucy were the embodiment of royalty. "It is true," the leader of the centaurs walked forward, "The time is ripe. I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger," he turned to his people, "Tarva, the lord of victory, and Alambil, the lady of peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now here, a Son of Adam has come forth, returning our Great Protector to us, offering us our freedom back."
"Is it possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? Do you? I mean, really?" A squirrel asked quickly, as he scurried along a branch.
Caspian looked to his left where Chloe stood, before looking back up at the animal, "Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals...or dwarves...or centaurs...or a girl who could conjure fire in her hands. Yet here you are in strength and numbers that we Telmarines could never have imagined! This horn brought Chloe here, it brought all of us together," he lifted the horn in the air, "And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours."
The centaur faced the two humans, "If you will lead us, then my sons and I..." he unsheathed his sword, the other centaurs following in his example, "Offer you our swords. Ever since the White Witch's reign we fought alongside the Great Protector. And we will continue to do so, this time calling you our Queen."
Reepicheep bowed, "We offer you our lives, unreservedly."
Chloe and Caspian looked at each other, slightly nervous, "Miraz's army will not be far behind us, sire," Trufflehunter cautioned.
"If we are to are to be ready for them, we need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons," Caspian spoke, looking at Chloe.
She nodded, "Rally the troops. We shall convene at a single location."
"Where?" Nikabrik prompted passive aggressively.
She thought a moment, before deciding, "The Stone Table."
💜
Turns out it had a new name. The Stone Table was still present but built around it was a mound of earth covering it like a cave. Inside it was hollow, with the cracked Stone Table in the center. Around the How there was art, a mural, depicting Chloe's arrival in Narnia with the Pevensies. Directly behind the Stone Table was a carving of Aslan.
Chloe had sent the cavalry ahead to round up more soldiers and meet them at the How, it gave her and Caspian time to scout the woods with the minotaur, and it got her away from Nikabrik.
For a while it was quiet, letting Chloe think about a few things. She missed Edmund, she hoped he was doing alright and wondered if he'd made it to school alright. How long would it be till they saw each other again?
"Are you okay?" Caspian whispered concerned. She nodded, "What are you thinking about?"
A sad smile came on her lips, "Just someone I miss. That's all," she looked forward to the minotaur who was walking a good bit ahead of them.
"Ah," he smiled, "The Just king. My nurse used to tell me about your love story. It really was a tragedy," he consoled.
Chloe's furrowed her eyebrows confused, "I mean I wouldn't call it a tragedy...we're still very close and we care about each other more than anything."
"Oh yes, I was just referring to-" without finishing his sentence, Caspian took off running, brandishing his sword.
Chloe didn't know what was happening until she heard the clang of swords in battle. Running after him she saw Caspian in battle with someone, however she couldn't see his face.
Caspian got his sword wedged into a tree and saw the boy raise a large rock to hit him over the head, "No!" Chloe screamed running to his aid and spewing water around his hand, freezing it. The boy tensed at the familiar voice, turning to face her. Chloe gasped at who she saw, "Peter."
By then backup had arrived. Centaurs, minotaurs, fauns, the lot ready to defend their leaders. Quickly, Chloe freed his hand and Peter looked from his friend to the boy she was protecting, "Prince Caspian?" He guessed.
"Yes. And who are you?" Caspian glared with Peter's sword, now freed, pointing at him.
Chloe was about to step to his defense when she heard, "Peter!" Coming from the side. Running over was Lucy, Susan, Trumpkin, and Edmund.
The moment their eyes locked, Chloe felt a surge of happiness. She said nothing as she ran to him, practically jumping into his arms, "I missed you so much," she whispered in his ear before nuzzling her head into his neck.
Edmund was ecstatic and relieved he'd found her and she was alright. He carefully put her back on the floor before reaching behind him and taking her staff from a hook he'd fastened to keep it secure. She hadn't even noticed the black lion sticking out behind him but took it with a smile, "I held on to it for you," he smiled down at her.
Caspian watched their exchange shocked before noticing the hilt of the sword he was holding. Peter's grand sword had a lion head on the hilt. That's when he finally realized who he had been fighting, "High King Peter."
"I believe you called," Peter responded.
"Well yes...but I thought you'd be older," he confessed, causing Chloe to hold in some laughter.
Peter looked over to her, seeing that Edmund had his free hand around her waist while his other was gripping his sword defensively, "If you'd like we could come back in a few years..." Peter took a step away.
"No!" Caspian stopped him, "No that's all right. You're just not exactly what I'd expected-" he looked at the other siblings, staring at Susan a little longer than Edmund or Lucy.
Edmund observed Caspian strangely, as though wondering what he'd missed between him and Chloe, "Neither are you," he commented.
Chloe smiled at him before planting a small kiss on his cheek and stepping away to stand next to Caspian, much to Edmund's surprise, "A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes," Trufflehunter spoke.
Reepicheep scurried over, "We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service," he bowed.
"Oh my gosh," Chloe heard Lucy whisper, "He is so cute."
Reepicheep didn't like hearing that, brandishing his sword he looked around furiously, "Who said that?!" He demanded.
"That would be Queen Lucy, Reep," Chloe chuckled.
Reepicheep realized his mistake and faltered, "My apologies Your Grace," he apologized to Chloe before turning to Lucy, "Your Majesty, with the greatest respect, I do believe 'courageous', 'courteous', or 'chivalrous' might more befit a knight of Narnia," he informed.
"Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade," Peter praised with a smile.
Reepicheep nodded, "Indeed. And I have recently put it to good use, securing weapons for your army, sire," he told Peter.
Caspian and Chloe momentarily glanced at each other. They'd been passed up rather quickly. Peter nodded nobly while Chloe sighed, it's the way the chain of command was. Now that the High King and the others had returned, they were who everyone was going to look to.
"Good, because we're going to need every sword we can get," Peter puffed his chest out at Caspian who eyed him coldly.
"Well then, you will probably be wanting yours back," he offered him the hilt, which Peter swiftly took and put back in his sheath, before walking away without another word.
It was Caspian who suggested they steal supplies from the camp that Miraz had set by the lake. "We'll gather a group and take what we can," Peter ordered immediately calling for a minotaur and centaur.
"Peter. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Chloe spoke, "It would be smarter if Caspian and I go with a few fauns at night. We'll be quick," she suggested.
Peter didn't like the idea and was about to refuse when Trufflehunter and Reepicheep agreed, "It's best to keep a low profile."
So, reluctantly, the group left. This time, Chloe was walking a lot closer to Caspian, the two of whom were whispering to each other as they left. Edmund saw this and he didn't like it, "What do you think they're whispering about?" He asked Susan and Lucy.
"Probably just how they're gonna get the weapons," Susan thought.
And she was mostly right, but it was a little bit more than that, "Are you going to back down from becoming Queen now that they're back?" Caspian whispered as they crouched in the tree line with a few fauns waiting for nightfall.
Chloe sighed, "I mean...They're all back. And I'm glad because I missed Edmund. There's no need for another Queen."
"But you deserve it? You helped rally the Narnians, they're all loyal to you," he told her.
She shrugged, "They're loyal to the throne. Peter is High King."
"And you're the Great Protector. You deserve more recognition," he whispered before they found an opening and rushed to a carriage where Caspian said they held supplies.
They ended up getting enough weapons and armour for about two regimens, which isn't much but better than nothing. They were in and out of camp like ghosts, swift and invisible. Caspian even left a little message for his uncle to find the following morning.
They met back up with the others and continued to make their way to Aslan's How. Chloe caught up with Edmund, slipping her free hand into his as they walked. He raised their hands and planted a kiss on the back of her hand, "How did it go?" He asked.
"No problems," she answered, "They're not even gonna know we were there until they see Caspian's message."