Chapter 1
I hear a twig snap. I notch an arrow in my bow. A twig snaps again, behind me this time. A hooded figure steps into view. I take my aim.
"Don't move," I say. The figure takes its hood off, and I lower my bow.
"Relax," King Caspian says, his voice brushed with a slight accent. I look him over.
"Oh," I say, not even trying to keep the dislike out of my voice. "It's you." For a half a second, he looks shocked. And then the shock turns to offense. I smirk; glad I can get to him.
"What's wrong with me?" he asks.
"Well, I'm not a too fond of the royal family," I say. He looks confused.
"Aren't you a Telmarine?" Oh, I get it now.
"Do I look like a Telmarine to you?" I ask, my voice icy cold. "No, I'm a Narnian. The last human-born Narnian."
"Why don't you like my family?" he asks, stepping closer. I sigh, put my bow and arrow away, and sit down, leaning on a tree. Caspian comes to sit next to me.
"Well, you did practically wipe my people out," I say. "Only my and a few other families were left. They fled to the Lone Islands. I wanted to come back. I've lived here with some of the centaurs for 3 years, since I was 19."
"And you are the last one left?" he asks disbelievingly.
"All of the others died about a year ago," I say, my voice heavy with sadness. "Including my parents." Suddenly, I hear the clip-clop of a horse's hooves. The centaur that I live with, Star, comes running into the clearing where we are.
"Oh, there you are, Aura," she says. "Skandar and I were beginning to wonder."
"I'm fine, Star," I say, and turn to Caspian. "This is Star, the centaur that I live with. Oh, and I never properly introduced myself. My name is Aurelia, but everyone calls me Aura." I offer him a hand. He shakes it.
"You can call me Caspian," he says.
"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Star asks.
"Actually, I should be getting back," he says. "I'll see you around." Star pulls me onto her back, and we go our separate ways.
"You met King Caspian?" she asks.
"Obviously," I say.
"What was he like?" she asks.
"He was nice enough," I say. "But still, he's royal. I'm not sure I trust him."
"He helped save Narnia," she says. "Why don't you loosen up? He seemed to like you." I feel my cheeks flush.
"Well, then that's too bad for him," I retort.
"Ooh, sounds like someone's in love!" Star teases me.
"I am not in love with King Caspian," I say. Right? I think to myself. No. Stop it. You are not in love with a Telmarine. Not at all. Star trots up to our little house. I slip off of her back. Skandar, Star's husband, pokes his head out of the window.
"Ah, there are my girls," he says. "Dinner is ready." We sit down at the table, well, I do. The centaurs tuck their legs neatly under them.
"How was your day?" Skandar asks.
"It was fine," I say. Star casts a side long glance at me.
"Aura here," she begins. "Met King Caspian in the woods today." Skandar whistles and raises his eyebrows.
"You did?" he says. "What happened?" I roll my eyes.
"Nothing," I say. "I was just practicing archery, and he saw me. We just talked. That's it."
"Yes," Skandar says seriously. "I'm sure that's all that happened." My jaw drops, my mouth forms an angry O. But then Star smiles, and so do I, and then we're all laughing.
"But still," I say. "Nothing happened. End of story." They look at me in admiration.
"How do you do that?" Star asks.
"Stop laughing so quickly," Skandar asks.
"I don't know," I say honestly. "I just can." By now, we've finished dinner, and the sun is setting. I'm tired, so I get ready and go to sleep after dinner. From the moment my eyes close to the moment I wake up in the morning, my dreams are filled with a certain King of Narnia.