"So let me get this right." Demetria rubbed her forehead as she looked at the horn that was resting on the table. "This horn belonged to Queen Susan the Gentle, and was-is supposed to summon her and her brothers and sister, back to Narnia to save you all from the Telmarines alongside the person who blows the horn." Badger nodded, and she looked to Caspian who at the moment looked frightened and confused.
"Well." She ran her fingers through her loose hair as she sighed, "Where do we start?"
"What?" Caspian asked looking at her.
"You blew the horn." Demetria said, "The Kings and Queens are supposed to be on their way and even if they're not, these people -and animals- have a right to the land our people stole. It may seem daunting Caspian, but this is the responsibility you have now been given. So" she raised an eyebrow, "Where do we start?"
"We should wait for the kings and queens." Badger said. "Then gather the armies."
"Why not have the armies ready for them when they get here?" She asked, "Train them, get ready for the battle we all know will come." When Caspian sent her a confused look she shrugged then said, "Miraz had me tutored in case he didn't end up with a son. I am smarter than most would think."
"I still don't know your name." Nikabrik said and she attempted a smile,
"Demetria." She said and Badger nodded.
"Trufflehunter." He said and she smiled a little brighter. It seemed to suit him.
"Alright." Caspian nodded, "we'll gather them together to tomorrow, and see what happens." Trufflehunter and Nickabrick frowned but nodded.
"I'm going to bed." Demetria said as she stood. "Goodnight." Then pausing as she passed by Caspian she whispered into his ear. "Do you think it would be paranoid of me to sleep with a knife under my pillow?" He chuckled and nodded,
"Yeah." He said before reaching up and hugging her. "Sleep well."
#
Caspian came into the room a little later and lay down on the bed. Demetria rolled over onto her side to look at him.
"What happened?" He muttered, "Where did you go?"
"I was rotting away in the dungeon below the castle." She said, "Don't know how I didn't see it coming. Ten year old me was really stupid." He chuckled lightly at that.
"You were still smarter than me." He said, and she could see him smile in the dim light.
"I didn't have classes like sword fighting, archery and battle strategies to distract me from the sciences, history and languages." Demetria pointed out. "I also had to work hard at my studies in the little hope I had that Miraz would approve of me."
"Yeah, well that never happened for either of us." Caspian said.
"Illud est quod est." She muttered mostly to herself before drifting off.
#
The forest was quiet, peaceful, and so very, very green. It was all so fresh and alive. A breeze pushed through the woods as Demetria followed Caspian through the woods. Trufflehunter and Nickabrik were lagging behind, grumbling about not waiting for the queens and kings. They seemed to be attempting to be quiet but she could still hear them. A smile crossed her lips as Caspian paused to point it out and Trufflehunter confirmed that they were grumbling about not waiting. She wasn't really paying attention until Nickabrick said something about minotaurs. At that she spun around to face him. Crouching down she placed her hands on his shoulder and looked him in the eye.
"Minotaurs are real?" She asked and he nodded, "Centaurs?" She suggested and he nodded. Her heart leapt. She had always loved the fairytales involving the Narnians and now she knew for a fact they were all real. Demetria looked to Caspian and he seemed to remember that same fact. However he seemed to be more willing to ask about the ruler of them all.
"What about Aslan?" Nickabrick shook her off to look at him.
"How do you know so much about us?" He asked,
"Stories." Caspian and Demetria said it at the same time, but it was her that added, "Our history teacher told us about you. He claimed they were just fairytales, but I never fully believed him about that."
"It's true." Caspian said and kept walking.
"Those stories got me through some tough times." She said and followed. They were quiet until Trufflehunter paused, sniffing at the air.
"Humans." He said and they all paused,
"Them?" Nickabrick nodded towards her and Caspian but Trufflehunter looked in another direction.
"Them." He said a touch of fear in his voice. Following his gaze she saw a dozen soldiers taking aim with crossbows.
"Run!" She said and bolted, heading in a wild pattern she kept her head low as arrows began flying. They zipped over her head, missing only to imbed themselves into tree trunks with a hollow thunk. Until Trufflehunter was hit. Demetria spun around, stopping completely.
"I'll get him." Caspian said "Keep going!" She nodded but couldn't bring her feet to move now that they had stopped. Fear coursed through her until she noticed the men begin to fall, one by one. Now they were the ones being chased. Whatever it was that was helping was using the coverage of the ferns that covered the forest floor. At least she thought it was helping until it moved towards them. There was a blur of gold and red before Caspian was knocked to the ground and very large mouse wielding a sword was standing on his chest.
"Choose your last words carefully Telmarine." He said, waving the tip of the sword in front of Caspian's nose.
"You are a mouse." Caspian gasped and the mouse sighed sounding annoyed.
"I was hoping for something a little more original." He said. Demetria considered intervening, glancing between her fallen cousin and where Nickabrick was attending to Trufflehunter. Then she crossed over to Caspian and crouched down next to him. The mouse looked at her, and she smiled. She could see where he seemed to have a mustache and a goatee.
"Pardon me noble mouse." She said, "But would you be so kind as to spare this man's life?"
"And why would I do that?" He asked.
"Because, sir." She dipped her head slightly, making eye contact with Caspian for a brief second. Just long enough to tell that he was nervous and a little confused. "There is no honor is slaying an unarmed man." He seemed to think that over.
"Pick up your sword." He gestured to where it was lying on the ground. Caspian glanced at it for a moment then back to the mouse.
"Uh... no, thanks." He said "I might live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you noble mouse."
"I said I would not fight you." The mouse snapped, "I didn't say I'd let you live." Demetria chewed on her bottom lip. Talking to other prisoners had allowed her to pick up on different ways to talk herself out of a tight spot, though it didn't always work.
"If fencing," she began, "Is an honorable sport, what honor is there in killing a man you already have at your mercy and not giving him a chance to fight?"
"Reepicheep!" Trufflehunter's voice cut through their conversation, and catching the mouse's attention. "Stay your blade!"
"Trufflehunter?" Reepicheep said, "I trust you have a very good reason for this untimely interruption."
"Be quiet Nickabrick." Demetria said as she glared at the dwarf. Thankfully he said nothing.
"He's the one who blew the horn." Trufflehunter said and Reepicheep paused.
"What?" He lowered his blade.
"Then let him bring it forward." Demetria looked up at the sound of a deep voice and her jaw dropped. Centaurs, four of them, looking at them. Dark skinned and long haired, they still were a wondrous sight. "This is the reason we have gathered." A squeal escaped her lips and she clasped her hands over her mouth. That was not the best response. The lead centaur sent her a questioning look as she stood.
"Apologizes." She ducked her head, "For the longest time I believed your kind existed only in fairy tales." He nodded to her and the smile wouldn't leave her face. Caspian stood as Reepicheep hopped off of him.
"Hello." She said to him. "I am Demetria." He pulled the gold ring that held the bright red feather from his head and dipped into a bow.
"Reepicheep." He said straightening and placing it back on his head. Dipping into a small curtsy she smiled.
"Thank you for sparing the life of my cousin." She said straightening and he seemed to smile back. Then as the centaurs approached her jaw dropped just a little bit. They were so tall!
"Greetings." He said nodding to her. "I am Glenstorm." She curtsied again.
"An honor to meet you." She said, blushing under his intense gaze, "My name is Demetria." He nodded,
"You said you believed my people existed only in fairytales." He said and her cheeks burned, "Perhaps you benefit if you knew more about us."
"I would like that." She said.