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Chapter 2

Caspian was relieved when he finally could leave the council meeting. He never had a meeting that long in his whole life. The sun was now high in the sky; it must have been a few hours. Caspian hadn't understood all of the meeting. It was all very confusing: something about monsters who had supported Miraz and after his dead they decided to take Narnia on their own. For the past few months they had caused a lot of trouble in Narnia. Caspian still wondered why he didn't know anything about that while his council apparently had known. The councilors were only surprised that the monsters now were this close to the castle. They were only a few miles away.

Caspian thought that they had overreacted. The monsters couldn't be that bad, right? After all, what was he supposed to imagine when they were talking about monsters?

Green ugly creatures? he thought but he was pretty sure there were no such things in Narnia.

The other thing that was on his mind was that he now was shadowed by a person. Aslan told him it was for his own safety.

Great is that, like I can't take care of myself, he thought furious. But he had to admit that he was quite curious about the person.

Probably I already have seen him, he thought when he remembered the mysterious figure in the doorway at the beginning of the meeting.

Before he actually noticed it he was in the courtyard of the castle. His feet had carried him unnoticed away from the conference room towards the courtyard. He inhaled the fresh air and looked around him. Geoffrey hadn't lied, it was a beautiful day.

It would be nice to go for a little stroll, he thought and decided that he would. He walked in the direction of the drawbridge but he couldn't help to look suspicious around; would he really be followed everywhere? How more he thought about it, how creepier it sounded so Caspian decided not to think about it again. Still he couldn't stop himself from searching for the figure but to his disappointment he couldn't find him.

At the end of the bridge he stood still and wondered where he could go. The farms or perhaps the village? He sighed; he was been there so many times already. In the corner of his eye he saw the forest. If he'd go there perhaps then he could see just a glimpse of the encampments. Perhaps then he would understand why Aslan and his councilors were so afraid of the monsters. But the forest was a few miles away and he didn't want to stay away long; the accounting was still waiting for him. He decided to get his horse Destrier. That way he would be much faster.

He turned around on his heels and ran in the direction of the stables. He ignored the weird looks he did get when he passed by. It was not often that they saw the King running.

Caspian entered the tack room andgrabbed the bridle and saddle that belonged to his horse. He felt like a packed donkey while he jogged to Destrier's stable. Destrier whinnied when it saw his owner. Caspian saddled his horse, mounted him and went to the bridge and from there on in the direction of the forest.


After half an hour he had reached the edge of the forest and he doubted if he should go on by foot.

Would the encampments be at the beginning of the woods or more at the end, he wondered by himself. The middle of the forest sounded most logic so he decided to ride a bit further. He had to keep his eyes wide open and listen carefully at his surroundings. In that way he should be able to notice when he was coming closer to the encampments.

After a few minutes he suddenly heard a noise above him. Startled he held back Destrier and looked up. Was he imagining things or did he see a pair of light-green eyes staring at him? Uncomfortable he urged his horse to a trot. He didn't like this.

Being shadowed is nothing for me. I absolutely don't feel safer with a stranger watching over me, he thought while he looked around him. He thought every shadow was something and he had goose bumps all over his body.

After riding another few minutes he noticed there was nothing to be heard here: no wind, birds or surrounding noises. There was a weird atmosphere here. Caspian dismounted Destrier and bound him onto the nearest tree.

On his qui vive he crept to the edge of the path. In the distance he saw…

No way. I have found the encampments of the monsters. Ducked so that he wouldn't be discovered he crawled towards the camp.

I just want to know what they look like. Then I will be going, thought he while he step by step came closer.

He was only a few metres away when suddenly he heard a soft thud behind him. Scared he turned as quickly as he could but it was too slow. A dark figure grabbed him and covered his mouth.

"Hunting monsters are we, King?" whispered a voice in his ear.

Caspian struggled to get loose but the grip of the posture was too strong.

"Let go of me!" he tried to say but his voice was smothered by the hand.

The figure dragged him with him but Caspian noticed it was not to the camp. The truth hit him like a bomb: this wasn't a monster, it was his shadow. He stopped struggling and in a few moments they were back on the path.

The figure took away his hand and Caspian turned around. But behind him there was no one. Confused he looked around but there really was no one to be found apart his horse. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"Isn't a shadow only supposed to shadow and not to intervene?" he whispered softly. He hoped the shadow would hear him although he had said it quietly. Moments passed by without an answer.

He must be gone then, he thought.

"I think in this case I was allowed to intervene," answered a voice just as softly as his.

Caspian scared so much that he almost jump half a meter in the air. The voice chuckled. The sound came from above and Caspian saw that the mysterious figure was hiding between the branches. The figure was dressed in black and had a hood pulled over his head. Only the light-green eyes were visible underneath the hat.

"Don't laugh at me," said Caspian ashamed.

"Ssst! Do you want to get caught by the monsters? Mount your horse and ride back to the castle, King."

Caspian expected that the figure now again would disappear miraculous like before. Instead the figure stayed where he was and followed all of Caspian's movements with his eyes. Uncomfortable Caspian shuffled back to his horse and mounted it. He threw one last nervous look at the mysterious figure and rode back to the castle.


When Caspian finally reached the castle, Aslan waited at him at the courtyard.

This can't be good… As fast he could he dismounted and asked for a stable boy. A few moments later a boy came running towards him and Caspian pushed the reins in his hand.

"Rub him dry, feed him and water him. After that he can be put back in his stable," ordered Caspian the stable boy. The boy nodded and led Destrier away in the direction of the stables. When they were out of sight Caspian took a deep breath and walked as calmly he could to Aslan.

Aslan shook with his golden manes and watched at him with a frown.

"What did you thought to achieve by visiting the encampments?" asked Aslan furiously.

"I just wanted to know what they looked like. Don't you think that is important for a king? To know what his enemies looks like? And how do you know I was there?" answered Caspian.

Again Aslan shook his head. "If you wanted to know what they looked like why didn't you search for a book with pictures? What you did was irresponsible! And I know you were there because your shadow is faster than you are. She came to me ten minutes ago. We…"

"Wait… She?" interrupted Caspian him surprised. He was convinced it was a man.

"Yes. She. We are lucky she was there. What did we have to do if you were caught? We should have immediately surrendered. You have no wife and no children. It would be a lost case," grumbled Aslan angry.

Caspian didn't dare to look straight at Aslan. He always felt like a little child when he was nearby the lion. Caspian muttered something that sounded like an apology and Aslan was satisfied by it. The majestic lion walked away.

Caspian watched him go and was thinking about their conversation when he heard something next to him. He expected it was his professor who probably was angry at him because the accounting was still waiting for him.

He looked beside him and saw to his shock two light-green eyes. It indeed was a she but not as he expected. She was about his age and had changed her black suit for a harness. The harness consisted of plates with the size of a hand. The most plates were brown but here and there were red ones to be seen. Around her neck there hang a blue amulet that pulserde at the rhythm of a beating heart. On her left hip there was a long sword and a dagger on her other hip. Her hair was black as the night and was pinned up in a high ponytail. She was very impressive but her eyes were the most noticeable. They reminded Caspian most like the eyes of a cat and she probably moved like one too. Her posture was slim but gracious.

The girl scraped her throat and Caspian realized he was staring at her with his mouth a bit open. He closed it and tried to figure out what to say but she kept distracting him. She was very beautiful with her heart-formed face with a few freckles. It was a normal face but her eyes made it a bit eccentric.

"Aren't you supposed to shadow me?" he finally said.

The girl smiled whereby her white teeth could be seen.

"Aslan forgot to tell you he made me your personal guard," she answered with a velvet voice.

Caspian could hit himself because he thought his shadow was a man. How could he be so wrong?

"This means," she continued, "you will discuss everything with me: what you are going to do, where you're going etcetera. And of course, I will decide if that is a good idea or not."

Unbelievable Caspian looked at her, the girl was serious and it sounded like she thought it was funny.

"I am King. I don't have to discuss anything with you if I don't have to," he said but soon he realized it sounded childish so he continued quickly: "What is your name anyway? I don't even know you."

The girl smiled again and made a deep reverence that somewhat was sneeringly.

"Serenity is my name, King."

"I'd rather not have you call me King. It sounds condescending the way you say it," he answered.

"As you wish, Highness." And again she made a sneeringly reverence.

Caspian started to annoy it but at the same time he was amused. She was very strange but at a funny way.

"Highness is condescending too," he said.

Serenity put her right hand on her flank and let her left hand rested on the handgrip of her sword.

"But how else am I supposed to call you?" she asked with a smile and without Caspian noticed he smiled back.

"Just Caspian."