Disclaimer: I do not own Prince Caspian
Miraz and Prunaprismia stood on their balcony awaiting the arrival of Glozelle and his men. When Miraz finally glimpsed Glozelle and the others ride across the bridge he handed his son to his wife and promptly made his way to the stables.
Glozelle seeing Miraz called out "Wait, my lord! It is not what you think."
"Then what is it?" Miraz asked rather agitated
Glozelle looked uncertain as he answered, "We're not exactly sure."
Glozelle nodded to one of his soldiers, who then removed the cloth on a horse. As Miraz inspected what was underneath the cloth his eyes widen. "Impossible." He whispered as he and Glozelle exchanged glances.
In the Great Hall, the Telmarine lords were debating. "I warned this council when it put its trust in Miraz… there would be consequences." Lord Sopespian was saying. Another council member called out, "No, no. We cannot accuse the Lord Protector without proof!"
"How long are we going to continue to hide behind that excuse? Until every seat in this chamber is empty?" another member replied. Just then the doors to the Great Hall opened and Miraz sauntered in. "Lords of the council, my apologies for being late. I was not aware we were in session." He addressed the council. "No doubt you were otherwise occupied." Sopespian said in a rather suspicious tone.
"My lord?" Miraz asked in what he thought was an innocent tone. However it was not Sopespian who answered him. "Ever since the death of Caspian the ninth, you have behaved as if you were king. And now it seems behind these walls, even Prince Caspian has gone missing." the other council member explained. Sopespian chimed in in a rather sarcastic tone, "My deepest condolences, Lord Miraz. Imagine losing your nephew, the rightful heir to the throne, on the very night your wife has blessed you with a son."
"Thank you, Lord Sopespian. Your compassion is a boon in such troubled times." Miraz replied in an equally sarcastic tone.
Sopespian looked incredulously at Miraz and said, "I trust you can tell us how such a tragedy could have occurred."
Miraz looked awfully calm for a man being accused of having a hand in his nephew's disappearance. "That is the most disturbing news of all. Our beloved Caspian was abducted… by Narnians!" he exclaimed. Everyone looked outraged at this explanation. " You go too far, Miraz! You expect us to stand by while you blame such a blatant crime on fairytales?" one of the council members cried out indignantly.
Miraz upon hearing this signaled to Glozelle, and he opened the door. Two guards walked into the hall lugging Trumpkin between the two of them. Everyone in the room let out a collective gasp.
"We forget, my lords… Narnia was once a savage land. Fearsome creatures roamed free. Much of our forefather's blood was shed to exterminate this vermin. … Or so we thought. But while we've been bickering amongst ourselves, they've been breeding, like cockroaches under a rock. Growing stronger. Watching us. Waiting to STRIKE!" Miraz cried out as he struck Trumpkin causing his gag to become displaced.
"And you wonder why we don't like you." Trumpkin spat out.
Miraz continued as if Trumpkin had never spoke, "Well I intend to strike back. Even if I have to cut down the entire forest. I assure you. I will find Prince Caspian, and finish what our ancestors began."
Meanwhile back at the ruins of Cair Paravel…
Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmund all turned to see who the voice belonged to. The young man who had aided Edmund and Peter in the fight earlier emerged from the trees and into the clearing.
"Madisyn?" Edmund inquired of the young man.
"Obviously, how many girls do you know that are running around wearing your clothes?" replied the young man who was not a man at all.
"Edmund what is going on? Is that not the person who helped you and Peter fight earlier?" Susan asked.
"I did not need any help!" Peter cried out.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you needed the help. Just say thank you and move on." Madisyn interjected.
Peter opened his mouth to argue with the girl but Edmund realizing that a fight would break out between the two interrupted him. "Madisyn is a friend from school. We had a bet and she lost and had to dress as a boy for the day. When the fight broke out I knew that I should step in and help Peter. Madisyn offered to help and since she is one of the best fighters in school I accepted the help."
Then introduction were exchanged and Edmund, Lucy, and Susan began to explain about Narnia and how they came to be there. Peter still hurt by Madisyn's earlier comment remained silent. When the story was finally finished the children decided it would be best to have a look around the ruins. Edmund bent down to look at something and said, "Catapults."
"What?" Peter asked his brother.
"This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked." Edmund elaborated.
The boys ran over to a wall and started moving it which revealed a door behind it. They broke the door down and then Peter tore off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around a stick. "I don't suppose you have any matches in there, do you?" he asked Edmund.
"No," Edmund replied "but would this help?"
He pulled an electric torch out his bag. Peter smiled, "You might've mentioned that a bit sooner!"
Edmund led the way as all the children made their way through the door. Lucy paused when she saw the treasure chamber, and their four chests below. They all rushed down the stairs. "I can't believe it. It's all still here." Peter exclaimed.
"Wow you were not lying! This place is amazing!" Madisyn observed while examining the room. The others ran over to their chests and began to rifle through them. Lucy pulled out a dress and called out to the others, "I was so tall."
"Well, you were older then." Susan reasoned.
"As opposed to hundreds of years later," Edmund joked, "when you're younger. I bet Madisyn could fit in one of your dresses Lucy."
Lucy seemed rather excited by this idea and pulled Madisyn over to her trunk where she began pulling out dresses. Peter blew the dust away from the large gold plate in his hands revealing a lion. He looked up to see the statue that was standing behind his chest, and slowly walked towards it.
"What is it?" Lucy asked Susan. "My horn," Susan replied, "I must've left it on my saddle the day we went back."
Peter slowly opened his chest and took out his sword and drew it. He began to read the inscription, "When Aslan bears his teeth, winter meets its death."
"And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." Lucy finished. "Everyone we knew… Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers… they're all gone."
"I think it's time we found out what's going on." Peter proclaimed.
A little while later in another part of the woods two soldiers rowed down the river with Trumpkin bound and gagged in the back of the boat. "He won't stop staring." One said to the other.
"So don't look." The other replied. However Trumpkin continued to stare and cause the first soldier discomfort. "Here's fine" he finally said when he could not stand Trumpkin's stare any longer. They both lifted Trumpkin but just then, an arrow hit the side of the boat. The Pevensies and Madisyn ran up and drew their weapons. Susan quickly grabbed another bow and restrung it.
"Drop him!" Susan commanded. "Drop him?" called out Trumpkin whose voice was slightly muffled from the gag. The soldiers dropped him into water and one grabbed a crossbow but Susan shot him before he could fire it. The second one jumped into the water and began to swim away. Madisyn shot her bow at him and managed to get him in the leg.
This however did not stop the solider from swimming away. In the meantime Peter had jumped into the river and pulled Trumpkin ashore and Edmund pulled the boat in. Lucy cut Trumpkin's bonds with her dagger and he pulled the gag off of his mouth.
"Drop him"? That's the best you can come up with?" he demanded.
"A simple thank-you would suffice." Susan retorted. Trumpkin snorted, "They were doing fine drowning me without your help."
"Maybe we should have let them." Peter replied.
"That is the smartest thing you have said all day." Madisyn told him. Lucy sensing a fight asked Trumpkin "Why were they trying to kill you anyway?"
"They're Telmarines. That's what they do." He answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Telmarines? In Narnia?" Edmund asked. Trumpkin looked up at him, "Where have you been for the last few hundred years?"
"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy answered. Susan handed Peter his sword and Trumpkin noticed the design on the hilt. He observed the children and said, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. You're it? You're the kings and queens of old?"
"High King Peter," Peter said holding out his hand, "the Magnificent."
Susan looked at her brother, "You probably could have left out the last bit."
"It did come off as arrogant." Madisyn said. Trumpkin began to chuckle and Peter just looked at him and said, "You might be surprised."
Peter drew his sword. "Oh, you don't want to do that, boy." Trumpkin warned him. "Not me. Him." Peter replied gesturing towards Edmund.
Edmund drew his sword and Peter handed his to Trumpkin. He took it and then the sword dropped into the sand. Edmund smiled at Peter and Trumpkin took this opportunity to knock Edmund's sword away. He swung Peter's sword at Edmund who ducked and Trumpkin hit him in the face.
"Edmund!" Lucy cried out.
"Aww, you alright?" Trumpkin taunted.
They circled around each other and continued to fight. Trumpkin slashed at Edmund's feet but he jumped and the blow went under his feet. A few seconds later Edmund knocked Trumpkin's sword out of his hand and it went flying out of his grip. Trumpkin stared up at Edmund and then fell down into the sand.
"Beards and bedsteads! Maybe that horn worked after all." he said.
"What horn?" Susan asked.
