Chapter Two
"Wake up, Aries," Trufflehunter urged that morning. The sun was spilling in, the light shining in her eyes, and Aries sighed in happiness – she loved the sun, for its warmth and light was like the fire that lit her soul. Suddenly, the events of the previous day hit her and she sighed.
"Is he up yet?" she asked after a moment.
"Not yet," the badge replied. "Come on, and have some nice hot soup."
"Don't mind if I do," Aries smiled, walking into the kitchen. She stretched out the kinks in her neck and back, a brief ripple of flame falling from her head to her feet and dispersing into the ground – a typical wakeup procedure that scared the life out of Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Trumpkin when they had first seen it.
"This bread is so stale," Nikabrik complained after taking a bite of the bread Aries had found the previous day, putting it back down on the table and slurping his soup. Aries picked up a spoon and ate her own more civilly, smiling fondly at her old friend's table manners – or lack thereof. She reached behind her and picked up the leather vest she had taken off of the boy, slipping it on and fastening it.
"I'll just give him some soup, then," appeased Trufflehunter, smirking when he noticed the irritation on Nikabrik's face at the mention of their 'guest'. "He should be coming around soon."
"Good for him," Aries murmured.
"Aries, will you take that off," Trufflehunter sighed. "It is far too big for you, and it doesn't belong to you."
"It's not that big," she lied, knowing she was wrong. While the vest had covered the Telmarine's torso only, it fell to Aries' thighs, covering all of her clothing except her trousers, and was very loose – she found, though, that it was more comfortable that it first appeared and she liked the feel of it.
"I wonder how his head is," Trufflehunter muttered, stirring the soup above the fire.
"Nikabrik did hit him pretty hard," Aries mused, clutching her new dagger in one hand as she ate her soup with the other.
"Yeah, well I don't think I hit him hard enough," the Dwarf scoffed and Aries laughed at his words.
"Nikabrik," Trufflehunter began, annoyed now, "he's just a boy."
"He's a Telmarine," Nikabrik responded, "not some lost puppy. You said you were gonna get rid of him!"
"No, I said I was going to take care of him," the badge corrected.
"Why can't we all just be rid of him?" Aries asked them, running her hands through her short hair.
"Don't you light up again, miss," warned the Badger. "I've had quite enough flames for one morning from this one," he added, pointing a spoon at Nikabrik, who growled. "Anyway, we can't kill him now. I've just bandaged his head; it'd be like killing a guest."
"Oh and how do you think his friends are treating their 'guest'?" Nikabrik asked with false sincerity. Aries rolled her eyes.
"I don't think you can call them 'friends', Nikabrik," she cut in. "They were chasing him. How often do you chase me down on horseback, ready to run me through with your sword?"
"We don't have horses," he muttered, "but if we did, it'd happen every time you tried to steal my soup!" he added when he caught her leaning across the table towards his bowl. Slapping her hand and drawing his meal closer, Nikabrik sneered.
"I happen to have a horse, for your information," she sang smugly.
"It's doesn't count," Nikabrik scoffed. "That horse belongs to the Telmarine, not you."
"I'll offer a deal," she shrugged. "He can have his vest and weapon back, if he allows me to keep his horse. It seems fair," she laughed, only to have her laughter turn to a shocked yelp when the very boy they were discussing ran into the room, picking up a fire-poke and surprising Trufflehunter into dropping the soup he had dished up for the Telmarine.
Aries stood from the table quickly, moving behind the Telmarine and standing in her doorway. She quietly unsheathed her – his – dagger, just in case he managed to hurt Nikabrik. This was unlikely, but she preferred to be prepared rather than feel guilty about doing nothing when it matters. Trufflehunter looked between the three of them – the Telmarine hadn't noticed Aries yet, though – and groaned.
"Hey, hey!" yelled Trufflehunter when Nikabrik collected his sword and the Telmarine picked up another fire poke, the two now fighting to kill – or, in the Telmarine's case, to stay alive. "Stop that!" he yelled again, still to no effect. In the time it took Trufflehunter to yell at them, Aries had unthinkingly compared her height to the now standing Telmarine, only to gulp slightly when she realised that she barely reached the middle of his upper-arm in height.
"I told you, we should've killed him when we had the chance," Nikabrik sneered, holding his sword steady as the boy prepared to hit back any more swipes.
"We still do," Aries said from behind the boy, freeing her powers and getting ready to stab him. The boy's face twisted into a distressed expression, for he was faced with a double-edged blade – if he turns, he gets a sword through his chest, and if he doesn't something else will kill him.
"Don't you dare, young lady!" bellowed the badge, forcing the girl to sheath the dagger and extinguish her flames, scowling. "Nikabrik, would you put your sword down! You know why we can't kill him!"
"If we're taking a vote," the Telmarine said, his accent another clear proof of who he was, "I'm with him," he added, speaking about the Badger.
"Then it's two votes both ways," Nikabrik grunted, "and since this can't be settled through voting, let's let fate decide. If you die when I stab you, you were meant to be dead!" he yelled, lunging again, but the Telmarine dodged and they regained their positions, standing still. This time, though, the boy had been knocked to the ground and was sat in the doorway to Aries' room.
"Stop!" commanded Trufflehunter.
"We can't let him go," warned the Dwarf, "he's seen us."
"Enough, Nikabrik!" spoke the Narnian firmly, "Or do I have to sit on your head again?" he warned. The tone he was using clearly told the Dwarf that the conversation was over and the Telmarine would live – for now. "Aries, will you go and get some clean bandages, please?" he requested the girl as Nikabrik and the Telmarine lowered their weapons.
"...Sure," she agreed after a moment's hesitation. Aries, still behind the Telmarine and therefore in her own room's doorway, stepped over him and hurried to get another bandage. She felt the boy's eyes on her back, but he soon looked away when Trufflehunter turned his rant on the soldier.
"Thank you," nodded the Badger, "and you," he said at last, addressing the boy, who turned to look at him, "look what you made me do!" he scolded, bending down to clean up the spilt soup. "I spent half the morning on that soup," he grumbled as Aries came back.
"I'll do that," she offered, handing him the bandage and kneeling on the floor with a rag to mop up the soup. "One clumsy Telmarine and I'm back to doing chores," she complained once, sighing. Aries glanced at him and their eyes met – she noticed for the first time just how dark his eyes were – but both looked away when Trufflehunter stepped between them.
"Don't you have a horse to feed, Aries?" the badge asked her as he moved to change the bandages on the Telmarine's head, a bowl of oats in his free hand, and she smiled.
"Thank you for reminding me," she sighed, gratefully accepting the bowl of oats Trufflehunter was holding out to her. The Telmarine seemed to perk up at this exchange and watched her.
"You have my horse?" he asked. Aries scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Not if you want your armour back," she muttered, winking at Nikabrik as he guffawed at their private joke. The Telmarine seemed confused for a moment, but Aries didn't explain and she left the burrow to feed the horse. It neighed as she approached, bowl of oats in hand, and she stroked him as he ate, like the previous night.
After feeding the horse, Aries was about to go inside when the door opened and the Telmarine walked out; they bumped into each other, but neither fell – the Telmarine had caught her by the elbows as she placed her hands on his chest to steady herself. They stood close for a moment until the horse's noises woke them to the living world and the boy released her, allowing Aries to step back.
"Where are you going?" she asked him, seeing that he was almost fully dressed and ready to leave. He had his cloak and sword back, so she assumed that he had agreed to their unspoken terms and the horse was now hers. She wasn't overly happy that she would have to give up the vest, but it was worth it.
"Away, anywhere," he replied quickly, but he made no move to leave, as he hasty words would suggest. Instead, he starred at her.
"What?" she asked at last; she was uncomfortable with his eyes gazing at her so intently.
"Nothing," he assured, shaking his head. "I supposed that I am just...still in shock about the existence of Narnians."
"I see," Aries nodded. "If you don't mind my asking, why were you being chased by those other soldiers?"
"I assume that you believe me to be a soldier as well?" he guessed and Aries nodded, seeing his small smile. "No, I am not," he confessed, holding his head high. "I am Prince Caspian the Tenth, and you are?"
"Aries of the Fire Nymphs," she replied, nodding her head. Queen Susan's horn no longer hung from his belt and Aries tilted her head. "I assume that Trufflehunter told you about that horn, right?"
"The Badger?" he hummed, "Yes, he did."
"And you're just going to leave?" she frowned. Caspian looked long and hard at her troubled face and sighed.
"I was told to blow the horn when I was in danger," he said at last. "I didn't know that it would then tie me to the remaining Narnians. I'm sorry, but my uncle will just keep hunting me down, and I need to get as far away as I can."
"I see," she said, turning to go back to the horse, picking up his saddle and tying it into him. Aries expected Caspian to take his horse, so his next words were slightly surprising.
"Your violent friend explained your terms to me," Caspian called, getting her attention. She looked at him as he gestured to his leather vest – which she still wore – as well as his dark cloak and sword. "I hope you enjoy your horse, but I would like the leather vest back."
"I hope you enjoy running away," she replied coolly, taking off the vest while resisting the urge to let go of her powers and scream at him – why blow the horn if he was just going to run?
"I am sorry," he said, taking the vest back and putting it on, "I really am," he added after he had fastened it. Aries couldn't deny that it suited him far better than her.
"Just go," Aries permitted. Hearing him sigh, she was expecting more words, but the rustling of leaves under foot confirmed that he was leaving. Feeling strangely disappointed – their only hope of freedom in almost 1300 years now gone – Aries resigned herself to carrying the empty bowl inside, but was stopped from entering again.
"He's gone?" gasped Trufflehunter when he came outside. "Unbelievable!"
"Why?" Aries frowned. "If you knew he was coming outside to leave, why is him being gone so strange?"
"I thought he would have stayed longer, to speak with you," the Badger explained and a look of confusion crossed the Nymph's face. "Oh, he kept asking questions about you; what you were, why you were living in the forest, how you came to be here and not in the lands of your people. He seemed very interested in you."
"All he asked of me was my name, and that was after he had given his," she responded. "His Majesty seemed to be in a hurry, so it is no surprise that he is gone."
"We must follow him!" Trufflehunter decided, pulling Nikabrik along behind him in his haste. Sighing slowly, Aries put the bowl down on a tree root, pulled herself onto the horse and followed them, though to her the pace was slower due to the horse and their shorter legs.
"He's going to notice us," she sang happily, smiling at her friends.
"No, he'll notice you," Nikabrik replied gruffly. "We're hiding quite well, thank you."
"Though I can still hear you," Caspian's voice said bluntly, breaking through their small argument. Trufflehunter and Nikabrik stepped into view, slightly put-out by being caught so soon, and Aries – who he could see anyway, as she was on horseback – just nodded knowingly.
"I told you," she mused, petting the horse's neck.
"Oh," Trufflehunter groaned, "I just think we should wait for the Kings and Queens of Old."
"They're coming?" Aries asked and Nikabrik shrugged.
"That's what the horn's supposed to do, right?" he replied and Aries nodded, though even she was unsure if they would actually come. Caspian looked between the three of them and didn't reply; all he did was turn and walk away again.
"Fine, go then!" yelled Trufflehunter unhappily. "See if the others'll be as understanding!"
"Or maybe I'll come with you," Nikabrik smirked. "I wanna see how you explain things to the Minotaurs," he added, nodding when Caspian paused and turned towards them again.
"Minotaurs?" he repeated in question, looking to Aries. "They're real?" he asked her, fear creeping into his voice. She nodded, smiling.
"And very bad-tempered," grumbled Trufflehunter, stepping ahead of the Prince.
"Yeah, not to mention big," Nikabrik added.
"Huge, actually," shrugged Aries as she urged the horse forwards, about to go passed Caspian herself. He reached out and took the horse's reigns, stopping her.
"What about Centaurs?" he enquired, leading her and the horse – he had obviously seen that she wasn't skilled in riding, and was making his attempts to help her very subtle. "Do they still exist?"
"Well, actually, the Centaurs will probably fight on your side," Trufflehunter informed him, "but there's no telling what the others will do." After the Badger said this, Caspian stopped; this stopped the horse and Aries, too.
"What about Aslan?" he asked at last, the questioning seeming to have been on his mind since he had woken up in the presence of three Narnians. Trufflehunter and Nikabrik stopped, glancing at each other and then up at Aries, who nodded – this action was noticed by the Prince. "Is...Is she Aslan?"
"Don't be absurd," Aries scoffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. Nikabrik frowned and took a warning step towards the Prince.
"How do you know so much about us?" he asked cautiously. Caspian seemed all too happy to answer his question.
"Stories," he replied easily.
"Really?" the only girl amongst them asked, sitting up straighter when Caspian nodded, a light of glee in her eyes.
"Your father told you stories about Narnia?" the Badger questioned. Caspian looked away, shrugging.
"Well, no," he replied, "it was actually my Professor," he added, but his posture then changed and he strode passed them, pulling the horse, and so Aries, with him. "Listen, I am sorry, but these are not the kind of questions you should be asking." His tone was angry, strained, and Aries frowned.
"We cannot ask who told you stories of us," she spoke, "and yet you question us on the existence of other Narnians? I am sorry, Prince, but that hardly seems fair."
"I suppose it is not," he replied. Aries looked at him, but was distracted when Trufflehunter sniffed the air.
"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.
"Human," replied Trufflehunter.
"Prince Caspian?" suggested Aries, all of them now taking in short sentences to save time – attacks were unlike, but with Caspian here they had to be ready.
"No," the Badger answered, "them," he said urgently, seeing a large group of Telmarine archers ready to shoot them all down.
"He's there!" one yelled, spotting Caspian.
"Run!" yelled Trufflehunter. All of them did this, Caspian still holding onto the horse's reigns so that the stallion did not gallop away with Aries. Arrows began sailing towards them and Aries gasped, dodging the attacks quickly as the others were.
"They're gaining on us!" she called in alarm, looking behind her.
"Oh!" cried Trufflehunter as he fell to the ground, an arrow in his shoulder.
"Oh, no," gasped Nikabrik, about to run back, but Caspian was quicker.
"No, I'll go," he offered, running back quickly and letting go of the horse. As soon as his hand left the reigns, Aries jumped down and picked up Nikabrik, putting him on the saddle.
"We'll be quicker if you're up here," she said as an explanation, and Nikabrik didn't argue – it would be faster for her and Caspian to run while he and Trufflehunter were on the beast.
"I've got him!" Caspian said, catching up to them. He placed the wounded Badger in front of Nikabrik on the saddle and he and Aries ran on either side of the horse. Looking back, they saw soldiers falling to some unseen force, but there were still archers shooting at them and so they couldn't stop.
"Burn them, Aries," Nikabrik orders, and the girl grabbed onto the back of the saddle. Hoisting herself up, so that she could face the archers and not have to stop moving, she released her powers and swung her arm in two full circles before she threw a ball of flames at one of the Telmarines.
"You were going to do that to me?" Caspian gasped, remembering when she had threatened him that morning, and Aries shrugged.
"Or stab you," she told him easily. "I didn't, though," she added when she saw his shocked expression, throwing another ball of fire. Obviously, the idea of someone so small actually killing him was too much for the Telmarine.
With two Telmarines down at her own hands, and the unseen force taking down the others, there was only one remaining archer. They all stopped and Caspian drew his sword, ready to fight off the last Telmarine, but the man was busy attacking the area around his feet. He seemed panicked, stabbing the dirt and swiping the grass, yelling.
"What's going on?" Nikabrik questioned; frowning as he turned around on the horse to see a little better, the Dwarf was a shocked as Aries, Trufflehunter and the Prince himself when Caspian was knocked to the ground his sword getting knocked out of his hand.
"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine," his attacker allowed. Caspian and the others looked on his chest to see who had the power to not only have taken out most of their pursuers, but also to knock Caspian to the ground.
"You are a Mouse," Caspian realised at the same time as Aries, Trufflehunter and Nikabrik – though, unlike the Prince, the other three recognised the Mouse almost immediately. The creature sighed, but kept his weapon raised to Caspian's neck.
"I was hoping for something a little more original," he said at last. "Pick up your sword," he ordered, gesturing to the weapon on the ground.
"Uhh," Caspian considered, looking at his sword and then at Aries. She shook her head quickly. "No thanks."
"Go on, pick it up!" the Mouse said again, this time more firmly. "I will not fight an unarmed man."
"Which is why I may live longer," he began, "if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble Mouse."
"I said I would not fight you," the mouse corrected him, "I did not say I'd let you live."
"Reepicheep!" recognised Trufflehunter, "Stay your blade!"
"Trufflehunter?" realised Reepicheep, "Nikabrik! Aries, are you here too?"
"Present," the girl replied, stepping out from beside the horse.
"I trust you all have a very good reason for this untimely interruption," the mouse said stubbornly, not happy about being stopped from killing the final Telmarine in sight.
"We don't," Nikabrik cut in, "go ahead."
"Nikabrik!" laughed Aries.
"He's the one who blew the horn," Trufflehunter said before Reepicheep could listen to Nikabrik's allowance and Aries' laugh – the amusement on her face did nothing to save Caspian; that was for sure.
"What?" the Narnian rodent gasped.
"Then let him bring it forward," a booming voice called from the forest. Aries turned and her eyes widened upon seeing a group of Centaurs. "This is the reason we have gathered," their leader announced.
"Let him up," muttered the Fire Nymph, stepping forwards and shooing Reepicheep from Caspian, helping the Telmarine to his feet. "Well?" she asked him, seeing his shocked face as he starred at the creatures.
"Well, what?" he asked back. Aries rolled her eyes and took the horn from his belt, holding it up.
"The Horn of Old Queen Susan the Gentle," she presented, stepping aside and placing it in Caspian's hands. The Centaurs stepped towards him and observed the horn carefully.
"It is so," the leader nodded, his people murmuring amongst themselves. "You will come with us, Telmarine. Since hearing the horn, many Narnians have gathered on the West side of this forest, on the Dancing Lawn. You shall come and plead your case; your fate shall be decided there."
"Of course," Caspian, too afraid of these great beasts to argue, nodded. The leader of the Centaurs turned and led his people – as well as Prince Caspian, Aries, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Reepicheep – to the gathering of the Narnians to the West. While the smaller creatures remained on the back of the horse, Caspian caught up and walked beside Aries.
"You fear them," she mused, a small sneer across her mouth.
"They are huge," he replied, as though the reason for his fear was obvious. Aries rolled her eyes and looked away from him. "Of course I am afraid; I am a Telmarine amongst Narnian, many of whom," he glanced towards Nikabrik, "are out for my blood."
"Is that the only reason you are with us now?" the Nymph scoffed, walking faster. The Prince increased his speed as well, frowning at the look of upset on her face.
"Have I done something in the last few moments to upset you?" he questioned, trying to keep an eye on his path while also looking for a reaction in Aries. She sighed and her eyes flickered towards him, but then back to the forest so that she would not stumble.
"If you cannot understand your folly," she ground out, "I see no reason to explain it to you. You are a big boy, Prince; figure it out." With those words spoken, she walked faster to speak with Nikabrik – who complimented her on her harsh treatment of Caspian – and Trufflehunter and Reepicheep.
"Perhaps you should introduce yourself, Aries," Trufflehunter suggested, looking at the Fire Nymph. She tilted her head.
"To Prince Caspian?" she asked. "I already have."
"No, you silly girl," he sighed, shaking his head, "to the Centaurs. It we are to keep company with them, we should be polite. You have the honour of being our peace-keeper."
"What fun," she muttered, increasing her pace again until she was close to the leader of the Centaurs. "Excuse me, sir," she called, getting his attention. "I am Aries of the Fire Nymphs. May I know you?"
"I am Glenstorm," he replied, gruffly but politely. "This is my wife, Windmane, and our three sons, Ironhoof, Suncloud, and Rainstone."
"It is a pleasure to meet all of you," she said, bowing her head as Windmane and her sons did the same. "My companions are Trufflehunter the Badger, Nikabrik the Black Dwarf, Reepicheep the Mouse, and the Telmarine is Prince Caspian the Tenth."
"I hope to know them well," answered Windmane, a small smile on her face.
"I am sure they feel the same," smiled Aries.
"Tell me, Aries of the Fire Nymphs," spoke Glenstorm in a commanding tone, "do you trust this Prince Caspian? Do you believe that he has the ability to lead us to victory against the Telmarines?"
"I believe...that he may try," she said finally. Aries knew that Trufflehunter would not want her to turn the Centaurs against Caspian, but she herself did not trust him with her own life, let alone the lives of all remaining Narnians.
"I see," Glenstorm nodded. Aries glanced back at Caspian, who was conversing with Reepicheep, and sighed, closing her eyes.
"I believe that he has the potential to be the best thing that has ever happened to our kind," she corrected herself, praying to Aslan that she didn't end up regretting the words she spoke.
"He seems like someone to stand by," Ironhoof, the eldest of Glenstorm's sons, stated as he too looked at Caspian. "We will think on your words, Fire Nymph."
"That is all I ask," she replied, slowing her speed to walk on the other side of the horse to Caspian.
"What did you say?" Trufflehunter asked. "What did they say?"
"We spoke of Prince Caspian, actually," she replied, not going into depth even when Caspian looked at her in interest, "and they said that there would consider what I told them."
"What did you tell them?" Nikabrik asked hopefully – his hope being that Caspian was dead before the sun fell below the land.
"The truth," Aries responded. No one was sure whether this was good for Caspian or not, as Aries seemed to have a mixed opinion of him – she clearly agreed with Nikabrik, to an extent, but not enough to say that she hated him or wanted him dead; however, she wouldn't go out of her way to list reasons not to kill him, and wouldn't interfere on an attempt on his life.
"Oh dear," Trufflehunter sighed, shaking his head. "Nikabrik may have his wish after all."
"Thank Aslan!" the Black Dwarf cried. Caspian crossed to the other side of the horse and took Aries by the elbow, looking deep into her eyes.
"You would not condemn me, would you?" he asked, seeking only the truth. The girl, who was unsure of how the Centaur would take her words, only allowed her elbow to heat until Caspian had to let go, nursing a superficial burn on his hand.
"You will have to wait and see how the other Narnians take you," she told him, lowering her head and not talking for the rest of the journey.
