History of Calormen
Book I: The Prince and The Sea
Chapter 1
Rome, 1928; N.Y. (Narnian Year) 302
Joshua Pulmer knew he shouldn't have been playing around in the catacombs underneath the city, his parents had told him not to. Now look where's it gotten him. Lost.
Night was quickly approaching. Luckily, torches lit the tunnels up, lifting it from complete darkness. Unluckily, Joshua had forgotten the way out.
He was starting to panic. Frantically he ran around in what he thought might be some way out.
He turned a corner and looked directly at a flight of stairs. "I don't remember those." Joshua said. "I must be really lost."
Joshua slowly walked up the stairs. "I'll just take these stairs. They've got to lead outside at least. Then I be able to find a way back to Mom and Dad at the Hotel."
The stairs seemed to go one forever, and just when Joshua was about to give up and turn around, a large, red, wooden door appeared.
"An exit!" Joshua said happily.
Suddenly, he could hear voices on the other side of the door. Joshua dared not make any sound.
"Nalsa, are you sure of this?" a young man's voice asked.
"Yes, Prince Gale, I am. The seagulls that flew to shore this morning confirm it." another voice replied. It was gruffier, and had a sense of eartheness to it.
"So. As my father lays dying, the tisroc Ohmri has decided to send his entire navy against us. That's at least 300 ships! Oh Aslan please aid us."
Joshua had been leaning on the door, intently listening in on the two's conversation when the door creaked open. Who was Prince Gale? What country? Who and what was a tisroc? he thought. There were so many word that he just did not understand.
Joshua promptly fell on his face, surround by brooms and buckets.
"Ai!, What is this? A spy!" the earthy voice said.
Joshua was lifted up bu two strong arms. the sight he saw next suprised him even more. The person that had lifted him up was no mere person, but a centaur!
Another man stood next to him, wearing brilliantly gleaming silver armor. The Prince Gale.
"Nalsa! Don't be so rash." Prince Gale reprimanded. "This boy might be the help that I have asked Aslan for."
"Hmph!" the centaur answered. "I still think he might be a spy."
The centaur's grip on Joshua tightened. Nalsa looked down at him with a scowl on his face.
"Nalsa put the boy down." Joshua was let go.
"Boy, Where are you from?"
"I'm from London." Joshua quickly replied. Him and his parents had gone to a summer holiday to visit Rome.
"Ah, London. I remember London." Prince Gale said nastalgically.
"You've been to London?" Joshua asked. It was hard to believe.
Prince Gale shook his head. "No, I have not. But there is mention of a London in the stories passed down from the First King Frank."
More words that Joshua had no clue about.
"Since you were sent so quickly, we should depart at once. I was going to wait until morning, but your arrival means that things are much worse than they appear."