Raven straightened her posture, her right arm elongated outwards and in it her bow. Her left arm was notched back, an arrow place delicately between her padded index and middle finger. Her lip played like an anchor for the arrow, and her eyes were leveled with the target standing three hundred meters away. For the standbys watching, she looked crazy just holding up her bow and arrow in the air. They cannot see as she can; their eyes cannot catch the perfect pinecone dangling precariously off the branch of a tree deep within the forest.
Yet, Raven was willing to make herself seem like a fool to prying eyes if it only made them worse off than she. Raven breathed with the rhythm of her heart, letting eight beats go between breaths. In and out, she chanted subconsciously. Her arms were firm and her aim was true, so she released her arrow at the same moment she released a breath. The arrow tore perfectly through the pinecone and lodged itself against the bark of the tree it was hanging on. With a pleased smirk she lowered her bow and turned to Prince Caspian who had been standing with her the whole time. "I would like to compliment your archery skills, but I can't see your target," he stated, raising a brow at her.
She flashed him a glare and began to stalk off in the direction of her arrow. "That's the point," she said in reply. Raven hoped the conversation was over, but the sounds of Caspian's boots against the glade's ground said otherwise. Caspian never stops talking, especially if he wants something. At this moment, he wanted an answer from the mysterious Dark Angel who refuses to comply ever since she came back to the How. "If you are here to question me again about what happened in Cair Paravel, I will have your head," she spat through gritted teeth, speeding up so that she could disappear into the treeline.
Caspian only shrugged in response, her threats now a welcoming trait of the Raven he had come to know. "Have my head then, but you cannot deny that something happened in Cair Paravel. Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and even Susan are worried for you."
Raven scowled underneath her cloak. "If they cared so much, then why haven't they talked to me in the week that I have since returned?" She scoffed. "And I never denied that something happened, I just don't know what happened and I don't care to look into it."
Lies, she hissed to herself. Her mind was occupied with so many questions over what occurred but it only led to more unanswered questions and possible theories. Raven was sure that the queen was the woman she always saw in her nightmares; the one weeping and singing the lullaby. The queen's beauty was beyond compare and not human-like. Raven was certain that the woman was an angel and wingless like her.
Caspian's hand rested on her shoulder, forcing her to stop and let the young prince stand before her. He stared directly at the woman underneath the hood, his brown eyes shining with concern. "Do not take me for a fool, Raven. You know more than you are letting on, but I will not pester you over it. If you wish to share it, don't hesitate to do so with me," Caspian said so sincerely, that Raven couldn't help but utter a small, 'thank you'.
The prince then left her to fetch her arrow, and ran off to assist Queen Susan in training the other Narnians archery. Raven watched him carefully, finding it amusing how he managed to make the Gentle Queen flush so red. The same jealousy from the vision flooded her chest when she saw the pair meet their gaze with passion and yearning, so she quickly turned away and ran into the forest. What reason is there to be jealous of such weakness? Love led her to death. Love ruined the person she was before, and turned her to stone. Love made her a monster, and it would be foolish to want it. But you still want it, a voice whispered.
Raven shook her head, keeping her eyes set on the tall trees until she found the one where her arrow was stuck in. The Dark Angel climbed the tree effortlessly, finding joy in her perfect shot. She pulled out her arrow with a quick yank, and settled herself against the bark to inspect it. The arrow then found its home back in her quiver once Raven was sure that it wasn't damaged. She was just about to leap down the tree and head back, but watching the bustling How from afar kept her at bay for a few moments more. There was nothing of importance occurring, and she was sure that the Narnians can spare her a minute of respite. What harm can a break inflict?
Raven let the sweet smell of the Narnian forest entangle her in a spell of peace. The sounds of rustling trees and twittering birds somehow put the disgruntled angel to rest, letting her mind relax if only for a moment. For now the voices were just a low hum in the back of her mind, almost as if they too could feel the calm atmosphere through Raven. It was moments like these that she wished for her wings. She wanted to feel the breeze beneath her wings and glide along the highwinds. She missed the flames that burned through her feathers and lit a fire within that was so brilliant it shone gold through her eyes.
Raven suddenly felt heavy, and wondered if the thick branch she was sitting on was going to snap from the weight of her morbid thoughts. It didn't, but some part of her wished it would snap. Maybe a quick fall would clear her head of such poisonous memories.
As if some cruel deity heard her thoughts, a sharp pain erupted in her right arm. Raven fell face down a good fifteen feet, rendering her breathless on the ground. Her eyes were momentarily unfocused, but even through the blur of her vision she could see a Telmarine arrow sticking out of her upper arm. Disoriented and angry, she shot herself up on her feet and scanned the forest, only to see that the Telmarine got away. A scout, she growled to herself and reached over to her injured arm. Without wincing, she broke the shaft and turned quickly to the How.
She needed to tell the others and round up all of the Narnians. The Telmarines have found their sanctuary, and now the Narnians are in more danger than ever before. Caspian watched from a distance as Raven ordered the Narnians to gather all of their equipment and head into the How immediately. Curious, he neared her and was about to ask her what was she doing when his eyes landed on the broken shaft sticking out of her arm. "What happened?" He asked, his hand grabbing her arm to inspect it.
Raven shrugged him off and continued yelling out commands before turning back to him. "A Telmarine scout shot me and ran off before I could catch him. Now they know where we are," she explained and motioned to the remained Narnians. "Get everyone and everything inside. I'll tell the Kings and Queens," she ordered Caspian before walking around him.
"Make sure you go to the healers before that," Caspian yelled before running off to do what she asked.
Raven rushed into the How, calling out for the Kings and Queens as she ran through the halls. Her arm was bleeding profusely, but her high tolerance to pain left her feeling numb to every injury she acquires. By the time she reached the four monarchs her face was pale and her sleeve drenched in blood. Edmund couldn't help but to scrunch up his nose in disgust once the putrid scent of iron hit him. "The Telmarines sent a scout and spotted us," Raven panted out, blinking away the waves of tiredness that swelled within her. "They now know where we are located."
Susan's eyes traveled down Raven's body til she spotted a bloodied shaft sticking out of her arm. "You're wounded," she stated, stepping closer in worry before motioning for Lucy's cordial. "The potion, quickly."
"No, I am immune to it," Raven sighed out, using her clammy hand to wipe away the cold sweat on her forehead. "Come, I will take you to the healers," Peter said, grabbing her uninjured arm and began to lead her down the passageway. Raven let him since she was too weak to attempt to put up a fight. I don't need a healer, she grumbled to herself, still in denial over the fact that her ability to heal was taken from her.
"A Telmarines shot you?" Peter questioned, although it was more of a statement. "No, a Narnian," Raven spat back sarcastically. The High King shot her a glare, but didn't say anything more.
It was a quick walk to the healing station, where a centaur and faun were creating remedies. They immediately went to work, slathering a thick paste around the entry point that made her skin tingle. The faun sighed and shook her head. "We will have to pull it out. I must warn you that it will be very painful, but you need to stay calm-"
"Just do it," Raven growled through her gritted teeth, her eyes flashing dangerously for a moment. The poor faun's eyes widened in terror, her gaze flickering to Peter's pensive face for a moment before her mouth tugged into a thin line. The half-goat nodded nervously and wrapped her small hand around the shaft. Without warning the faun yanked it out and the centaur quickly stepped in to fill the hole with a stinging liquid which was then cleaned out with a damp towel. Throughout all of this, Raven only blinked.
The centaur then proceded to stitch up her small wound and was about to bandage the wound, but Peter stepped in with a small smile. "I will finish up. The both of you, please go to the Table for a meeting will be taking place shortly," he commanded them. They quickly bowed and walked away without hesitation, leaving Raven alone to face the person she has been avoiding for a week. Her posture grew tense as he neared with a wrapping cloth and gauze in hand. The High King seated himself next to her injured side and began to wrap up her injury.
They were painfully silent for a long time, the only sound being the soft footsteps of patrolling soldiers passing ever so often. "You never explained what happened back there," Peter broke the silence with a statement. Raven didn't turn to look at his prying gaze which flickered up at her face constantly. "I think I've explained myself enough to someone I barely know," she lied, her voice terse and lifeless.
He glanced at her face momentarily and huffed. "Fair enough," Peter replied. "My name is Peter Pevensie. I was born and raised in Finchley, England with my three younger siblings and my parents," he began, unknowingly telling his life story to someone who already knew everything about it. "In my world, a war is raging and they need men. So my father enlisted and all of the children were forced into the countryside, away from the battle. My siblings and I stayed in a Professor Kirke's mansion, and while we were playing a game Lucy found a magical wardrobe that led us all to Narnia."
Peter then let out a small laugh. "In the beginning, Susan and I were in denial. It is not every day that you get transported into another realm where you and your siblings are the supposed chosen ones to save it," he hummed humorously. "Good thing they didn't depend solely on us. There was an angel named Crystalline, I'm sure you've heard about her, a true warrior in spirit with wicked skills. She was the most unearthly being I have ever come across."
His hands began to move slowly as his mind drifted off elsewhere. "She was kindhearted, protective, and incredibly charming. Her face was flawlessly pale with the most stunning eyes that ever beheld a person and radiant hair that burned against the snow," Peter gushed out with a gentle smile tugging on his lips. "She was the most beautiful masterpiece in so many ways..."
He grew silent as he tied off her bandage, unaware of how badly Raven was composing herself. Her dry mouth smacked open, and with a quick clearing of her throat she asked him a question. "What happened?" She croaked.
Peter settled himself on the bench next to Raven and began to fiddle with his fingers. "Fate happened, I suppose. Long ago, Jadis tore her heart out with magic and because of it a prophecy was born. Crystalline would kill her as long as her sword didn't land in the hand of Jadis or else she would die instead," Peter explained, his voice becoming more quiet as his throat continued to tighten. "Crystalline ended up dying for me, and I couldn't do anything to save her."
Raven watched the way his back slouched in disappointment and his head hung shamefully, analyzing his every move. He was weak before her, something that tugged on Raven's heartstrings more than she liked. There was this small voice in her that screamed with much more emotion than the others that constantly muddled her mind. I love you, it wailed. It was clawing up her throat, desperate to escape her tight lips and reach out to Peter. Please hear me... Raven knew that voice all too well, and was tempted to simply speak to hear it in the air. Instead, her mouth uttered something else. "You loved her," she stated.
Peter's head shot up, his eyes wide with shock as he stared. "How-"
"The way you described her gave it away," Raven chuckled, a sad smile pulling on her rosy lips before letting it fall. "Do you still love her?"
Peter froze, his eyes glazing over as his thoughts circled his mind. He still felt her gentle touch and the great warmth that came with it. Her laughter could be heard in his dreams, and her voice in his daily thoughts. He could imagine her walking about the How, ordering everyone around much like how Raven did. He felt her presence always, and with that thought his eyes suddenly shot back to capture Raven's. "I don't think I ever stopped."
A great fire erupted within Raven, and she couldn't help but let a small sigh of relief out. Peter is still mine, she hummed to herself as her stomachs did flips. Raven felt giddy enough to smile, but she stopped herself fast enough to realize how ridiculous she was being. He is Crystalline's, she reprimanded herself. Raven knew better than to foolishly think that Peter would ever love the monster she became, for his heart was still wrapped around the finger of a dead girl. The happy moment was over for her once a bear came to the room to say that the meeting will begin with the High King's arrival.
"Duty calls," Peter grumbled, pulling Raven along with him as he began his walk to the Stone Table. They followed the bear silently, both deeply immersed in the thoughts of each other yet neither of them knew. There was a crave for Peter that awoke in Raven, leaving her to face the difficult decision of defying Aslan's warning or stomp whatever emotion that spontaneously blossomed within her. That thought was tucked in the back of her mind once the crowded Stone Table came to view. She had to tear herself away from Peter's grip before he neared the center of the room, not wanting to reveal her identity especially after what Peter confessed to her.
He shot her a questioning glance but continued onwards until he stood beside his siblings and Caspian. The room was silenced the second Peter raised his right hand, and all eyes zoned in solely on the leaders standing before them. "I have summoned you all today to discuss a serious matter at hand," Peter began. "Earlier today, a Telmarine scout was spotted in the treeline and was able to sneak away before we could catch him. Now, our enemy knows where we hide."
Gasps erupted within the crowd, but Peter continued on. "It's only a matter of time. Miraz's men and war machines are already on their way," he spoke, slowly turning as to address every Narnian in the room. "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."
"So what do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" Reepicheep piped up, his eyes focused solely on his ruler as he stood before him. Caspian and Peter spoke at the same moment, both turning to subtly glare at each other in an awkward silence. Eventually, Caspian's eyes downcast and Peter took that as his cue to continue speaking. "Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."
"That is crazy, no one has ever taken that castle," Caspian scoffed.
"There's always a first time."
"We have the element of surprise," Trumpkin commented on behalf of Peter and earned a nod in appreciation from the High King. "But we have the advantage here," Caspian insisted as his pleading eyes met Raven's, who only rolled hers in response. He knew that the castle was heavily guarded even if most of the men were off training to be a part of the army. The prince knew his uncle, and he knew that the old man wasn't as stupid as Peter may think he is. Susan quickly stood up to Caspian's aid, her voice quiet but sure. "If we dig in, we could hold them off indefinitely."
Peter didn't take kindly how his sister was quick to defend a boy she barely knew, but Raven's words nagging him in his memory was a reminder that Caspian was not just a boy to many. So he settled on a glare as Trufflehunter joined the discussion with a small note. "I for one, feel safer underground," the badger admitted sheepishly, softening Peter just enough to carefully pick his words.
"Look, I appreciate what you've done here, but this isn't a fortress; it's a tomb."
"Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart they'll wait and starve us out," Edmund chimed in, siding with his brother. "We could collect nuts," a squirrel blurted out.
"Yes, and throw them at the Telmarines!" Reepicheep spat out sarcastically before shooting daggers at the squirrel. "Shut up," he growled. Then the mouse turned to Peter, tipping his feather as he spoke. "I think you know where I stand, sire."
Peter then looked at Glenstorm, who was silent through this whole ordeal. "If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" He asked the centaur. Glenstorm's eyes flitted to Caspian for a moment, considering if he should deny his king or the Telmarine prince. As much as he would like to say no, he couldn't deny the request of his king. "Or die trying, my liege."
"That's what I'm worried about."
Everyone's eyes darted to Lucy, who was the only one perched atop the Stone Table. Peter tilted his head to the side slightly as his eyes narrowed in confusion. "Sorry?"
Lucy only shrugged. "You're all acting like there's only two options: dying here or dying there," she explained herself. Peter inwardly rolled his eyes, unable to keep back his sharp tongue from his youngest sister. "I'm not sure if you've been listening, Lu," he replied with a condescending tone.
"No, you're not listening!" She snapped, her eyes shooting daggers at her stubborn brother. Lucy hated whenever Peter treated her like a child, and just because she was trapped within a child's body doesn't mean her mind cannot process serious information. With a stern gaze, she opened her mouth once more. "Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"
The High King recoiled, feeling the painful jab his sister threw his way reach inside and squeeze his chest. How dare she brings up such a topic? Peter snarled to himself. His wounds were still fresh underneath his charming exterior, the bitterness towards Aslan pressing deeper into them. Peter didn't have the unwavering faith Lucy had nor did he have such a deep understanding of Aslan that was incomparable. He only knew Aslan for one thing; Crystalline's death. "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," he snapped.
"That is where you're wrong."
All eyes were on Raven, who stood rigid at the entrance of the tomb. Her face was passive as ever and unreadable, but her eyes screamed rage. She was seething throughout the entire discussion, and Peter's last statement was enough to make her explode. It was one thing to doubt Caspian, but to doubt Aslan was an entirely different level of stupidity. Peter's lack of faith was astounding to Raven, more so his desperation to seek his crown. He was silent, a sign for her to continue speaking.
"Thinking that you can run straight into enemy territory victoriously without the covering of Aslan is a fool's dream," she spat viciously. "More so when you are doing it with a dwindling race. Are you mad enough to think we stand a chance against thousands of men?"
"No, I am brave enough to trust in the strength of my people!" Peter exclaimed. "Do you not believe that we can achieve victory?"
"Not this way, no," Raven hissed. Peter's eyes narrowed, and with a set jaw he uttered, "what do you mean by that?"
"Your plan to attack Miraz's castle is suicide!" She yelled, her calm demeanor shedding to reveal her rage. "There is a good reason why no one has ever tried taking that castle, and that is because it's impossible. If you go there, you bring what is left of us straight into the serpent's mouth and we will not come out."
"As much as I revere you and respect you, my duty on this soil is to protect the Narnians. I will do everything in my power to make sure that my people survive because that is what I was ordered to do by Aslan himself," Raven spoke loudly as to make sure all heard her. "And I must say that you're going to make it much more difficult for me to fulfill such a task if you go through with this."
Peter's eyes widened significantly, his own stomach churning in shock at the words that left her mouth. He suddenly felt betrayed by the woman he confided in only moments ago, and he began to grow angry. "You mean to stop me?"
Raven let out a bitter chuckle that only added to the chilling atmosphere. "No, I know I can't stop you," she replied. "So I will not join you. You will march alone without Aslan or his weapon, and reap what you sowed."
With that statement in the air, she whirled around and silently dismissed herself from the meeting. Raven didn't turn back to face the disgruntled Peter or the unsettled audience. If the Peter she knew was still in there, he'd take heed to her words. For if he didn't, what is left of Narnia will be gone.
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Well well... what else can Raven do to prevent Peter's mistake?
Tell me what your opinions are for this chapter, and what you think will happen next.
See you next time!
Xx.