Eventually we made it safely to the mound and rode directly in on the steed. With no time to dismount, we flew through the corridors and torchlit passage ways. Ducking under arches and narrowly dodging old rickety columns. We were lucky the mound had high ceilings in order to accommodate Cenataurs or we would have never made our way into a battle planning room with our heads still attached. Gathered inside we found Peter, Susan, Caspian and Lucy with a few fawns, dwarfs and other Narnians.
"Peter!" Edmund began to shout as we stopped before the group, pulling the reigns abruptly.
"Woah hold your horses" Peter attempted to joke, as he tuned to the others with a giddy expression.
Peter as usual clearly had not read the room when he spoke and of course had no idea that we were all in grave danger.
"There coming!" I said loudly, and Peters face dropped. All heads turned to look at us with dread, happy and light expressions had been dragged down by the two words I had just spoken.
"The Telmarines," Edmund continued my point, as the atmosphere in the toom seemed to dim and grow to an uncomfortable dampness "They found us"
"We spotted them heading this way" I said, thinking it better to leave out the details of exactly how we spotted them...
"Thousands of them. Peter, were outnumbered ten to one...."Edmund spoke gravely.
We dismounted the horse and joined the group gathered around a battle planning table. A map of narnia had been constructed into the table, there were no contour lines, but actual dips and mounds in the table, areas were labeled in a font that seemed to be floating above the map, and the North wind drawn in the top corner seemed to actually blow a mighty gust across this tiny model of Narnia.
Placed strategically in battle formations were handcrafted wooden banners, adorned with the narnian crest. A Lion. Aslan.
Peter and caspian sighed, deflated. In one foul swoop caspian flung the battle banners across and off the intracte terrain. They scattered across the floor rolling and bouncing between feet, paws and hooves. The room was silent.
Caspian was staring, panting aggressively at the pieces. His shoulders rising and falling under his leather armour. I could almost see the rage pouring out of his eyes.
"My uncle will stop at nothing. He always gets what he wants." Caspian shook his head and locked his jaw tight.
"If only we had a bigger army..." Lucy mumbled.
"Yes, but we don't Lu. Don't be silly" Susan said half annoyed as she softly rubbed her hand on Lucy's back.
Lucy was right in a way, we were sure to win if we had a bigger army. We needed more narnians but as trumpkin had told us earlier most of then had turned wild. I mean one even tried to attack poor Lucy. Wait! That's it!
I stepped cautiously forward gazing at the map. I was looking for... woods! Sure enough i spotted a huge area labelled the western woods, there was bound to be lots of wild Narnians roaming about there.
I looked back up and realised all eyes had landed on me. Narrow eyes that were full of fear, disappointment, rage.
And then I saw Edmund. He must have known I had had an idea, his eyes were wide and hopeful, he gently nodded, encouraging me to put my idea forward.
I began to speak "Lucy was actually on to something" as these words left my mouth Caspian sighed and began to turn away, but Susan coughed, took her hand of lucy and elbowed caspian.
"Her ideas have proved usefull so far, listen to her." She said through furrowed brows.
Caspian muttered what sounded something like sorry, so I continued.
"The other day, we discovered that not all animals, are narnians." Caspians face was sunken and unimpressed. But I knew this would change "I don't know the full extent of my powers yet, but I have a feeling I'm meant to do this, to help give narnia a shot at freedom."
Before i could expel another word caspian interrupted sarcastically "So your saying, what, you will magically turn what is wild tame?"
"I think that's exactly what she is saying" Susan backed me and gave me a warm smile. I nodded.
"Like the trees!" Lucy became suddenly animated and sprung her arms about as if mimicking a tree dance.
"Yes!" I pointed at Lucy "I think I might be able to get us that bigger army we need."
I couldn't see it but I could tell Edmund was smiling behind me, his grins were so radiant they seemed to warm the room. Fill it with hope. And hope, right now, was all we needed.
"So what do you need?" Peter the glimmer had returned to his eyes and his voice seemed lighter.
"I suppose I need to test my theory, get me close enough to a wild narnian and we'll find out if this is what I'm meant to do." I proposed.
A voice behind me started to ring "No way, it's too risky" It was Edmund. "What if you can't help the narnians, and by the time you realise, y-your too close"
A sympathetic smile formed on my lips and before I opened my mouth to speak.
Susan spoke "We'll have her back." She drew her bow confidently. Next to her Lucy withdrew her dagger a feirce yet loving look about her. Caspian and peter then unsheathed their blades in unison.
I guess I had not thought about this as we had been too occupied with the prophecies and telmarines, but we had all become so close. To hear them all say that, that they've got my back meant a lot. I was extremely grateful that by some strange chance I was brought here, met them. Made real, loyal friends.
I turned to Edmund, he shook his head whilst looking at the floor, chuckling to himself. As he looked up he said "Lets get on with it then, we don't exactly have time to waste" struggling to wipe the smile off his face.
I could tell we all realised in that moment how glad we were to be here, with each other.
I shared a glance with Edmund, his eyes and broad smile told me what his heart could not. I smiled back and my smile developed into a light chuckle. Giddy from the epiphany that all of this was, in fact, real.
___
Soon after we embarked on the Misson of expanding our army. We were racing toward the western woods, the area wich trimpkin agreed would likely have many wild Narnians.
I was nervous. Shaking in my saddle. What if I couldn't heal the Narnians and instead got viciously mauled by a bear?! I furrowed my brow and clutched the reins. They sqeaked from the pressure and my cold sweat.
Beside me I heard trotting, pounding among roots and racing to catch up level with my horse, who had told me her name was Hazel.
"YOU OKAY?" a voice shouted over the Lound synchronised galloping.
"Wha- oh Edmund. Yeah, I guess I'm just a bit worried, like what if I get too close and can't actually do anything and then I just get eate-" I begun to spiral.
"We've got you. Have you got bad memory or something because I'm pretty sure we went over this in the mound." He said through his eyebrows and a smirk.
I giggled at his expression "yeah, your right, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise" he said kindly "and you are correct"
"About what?"
"That I'm right" he paused and looked ahead "I'm always right."
I burst into laughter, and I'm not sure how but Edmund managed to keep an expression that said 'I'm deadly serious' which made me laugh even harder.
___
Suddenly caspian gave us the signal to stop, a shrill whistle that sounded somewhat like a bird call. Then as we came to a halt he pointed through the pine trees, a wild bear, just like the one that had tried ro attack Lucy. Only bigger. Much bigger. I took a sharp breath in.
"Remember, we've got you." Edmund whispered beside me. "Lucy's got her sundrop vial, and besides I won't let anything happen to you Amy. I promise" he gave me a firm yet tender look.
I nodded and slowly dismounted my horse as everyone watched, bows, daggers and swords at the ready.
I cleared my head and approached the bear. It was almost woven into the forest, the brown fur a perfect match to the tree bark.
It was scraping the bark and I realised the the bear was sharpening its claws. Its claws were anything but, they were as long as daggers and sharper than the northern wind. They cut through the bark like butter.
I took another few steps forward.
It's fur was matted and muddy, covered in what I could only imagine was the blood of its past meals and the murky mess of the nearest bog.
The wind blew in my hair, blowing my scent across the woodland. Straight towards the bear.
Slowly it turned its head, its black nostrils expanding. Its pupils thinned and its back legs bent.
"Hey! It's okay! I can help you" i shouted and the bear grunted.
I moved towards it, getting closer and closer untill I was about a metre away. The bear stood on all fours perfectly still, huffing even now. Cautiously, I outstretched my arm, palm open.
Bad idea.
The let out a mighty bellow that bounced about the branches and made the whole wood tremble. Shivers ran up my spine.
Quickly I pulled my hand back and gasped seeing the sharp, yellow and deadly teeth of the bear.
Suddenly it lunged towards me, I was engulfed within the beastly claws, hidden by the thick brown fur. I had no moment to scream or think much bar my own impending doom.
I struggled with the bear for a moment or two, attempting to force my entire weight upon the beast, so I could stay in one piece.
I heard Edmunds voice yell "NOW SUSAN!"
Then a muffled "wait..." from Peter.
No arrow flew.
I would have to fight. I pushed and shoved with everything I had, and when I had created a crevice, a space for me to think below the beats fur, I placed my hand on the narnian. My fingers intertwining with the underfur.
I remembered what I came here to do. I pushed all the worry and doubt our of my mind. And focused on the bear.
'Wake up' I whispered.
Suddenly I saw a beam of gold spread from my hand through the tufts of fur, it worked its way, like a wave, along the entire bear.
Then visions clear as day popped into my head one by one.
The bears name was Samantha, she had a younger brother. I recognised her brother, the bear that attacked Lucy.
Then I felt something. Scared. Samantha was scared out of her mind. Petrified, of me.
Then the feelings ceased.
And I no longer needed to struggle for air, Samantha stood up on her two back paws, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes as if she had awoken from a trance.
"Oh my," she said in a slow Yorkshire accent that i thought rather beffited her "thankyou!" She patted herself down and upon spotting her matted fur frowned. "I am forever grateful to you, your-" she paused.
"Amy, you can call me Amy." I said with a warm welcoming smile.
"Thankyou Amy! I don't quite know I I shall repay my debt to you, but I will. Bears honour." At that last bit she placed her right paw over her heart.
Edmund ran over to me with extreme haste. "Are you okay?!"
I laughed at his cute look of worry "yes, I'm okay. She didn't mean to attack me she was just scared."
"How do you know so much about this bear?" Caspian asked, the rest of the group had also come to see if u was alright.
"Bear?! My name is Samantha thankyou very much!"
We all giggled, lucy the most.
"Pleased to meet you Samantha, I'm Lucy" and she ran forward hand outstretched. She and Samantha shook hands.
"Wait" peter said, "you said she was scared of you. Why?"
Samantha paused as if recalling a nightmare her soft gaze hardened. "I thought you were one of them, er- what do they call themselves, telmarines. Those no good, thieving, selfish people. The telmarines terrorised us narnians, pushed us out of our own country then hunted us down for fun. They treated us like wild stupid animals, so that's what we became."
Upon hearing this Lucy sprung onto Samantha and swallowed her up into one big bear hug.
"Its okay little one, your good friend Amy broke me our of that awful nightmare. It's over now." Samantha said sure of her word.
Lucy stepped back confused, she looked at all of us, our expressions the same, then back at our fury friend.
"Its not over, is it." Samantha sighed.
"That's where we need your help" Susan chimed in.
"We have a shot at winning freedom back in Narnia, but to do that we need more Narnians" peter explained.
"Anything for Narnia." Samantha said solemnly, looked at me and nodded.
<--->
A/N: thankyou so much for sticking with the story!! I love you all so much! Sorry for nor updating in a while I've been working on this chapter the entire time I've been abroad!!!
Hope you liked this chapter! Please vote and comment if you did! ♥