Chapter Two: Stress and the King

Chapter Two: Stress, the King, and the Stars

Before I start this chapter I would love to thank all my reviewers and subscribers (yes, all 7 of you who reviewed!). And I made a mistake in my prologue; it's Susan the Gentle. Thank you Val Evenstar for telling me I was wrong.

I pulled back the string of my bow and released it, hearing a satisfying thwang…thump, which meant I had made my mark. Meepicreep (Meep) ran back to me on his hind legs, cheering. "You made it again!"

I smiled. "Only missed thrice," I sighed and pulled another arrow from my quiver. "Let's see if I can break my record, only three more good shots, right?"

"That's right," Meep nodded and ran to the target ten yards away. "GO!" he called at the top of his squeaky voice. I pulled back and heard another thump. "AGAIN!" I missed after the next shot. "COME ON! ONE MORE!"

I set down my bow and pulled the quiver over my head. "No more, Meep, I'm too tired for another try. Let's go back to the camp, shall we? It's getting too dark, anyway."

Meep ran up to me in a few minutes. "But you'll try again tomorrow, won't you?" he asked, holding up the two I missed. I nodded and took the two.

"Of course, Meep. Why not? You think I'll give up my record if Telmarines invade us?" I asked and he nodded. I threw my head back and laughed. "Oh, Meep! It's simple to continue, I use Telmarines as targets instead of that dead tree."

"Oh."

We arrived in the camp minutes later, to be rushed by every creature that spotted us. A few grabbed at me and tugged at my shirt. I finally quieted them all by shouting, "All right! What is this all about? And stop pulling at me will you!"

"Go see! Go see!" A few young beavers called, pointing to my hut, a centaur pushing me towards it. I stumbled in through the door and into the boy who had been blacked out.

"Oh!" I exclaimed; looking up, thinking on it, he seemed a little older than I figured. "I-I'm so sorry—Sorry, what's your name?"

"I am Prince Caspian," the boy introduced himself, pushing me gently off him. My knees locked and I fell to the side, gasping for air. "Are you alright?"

I nodded lamely and sat down on my bunk, clutching where my heart was above the skin. "I cannot believe it…You in my hut…Caspian!" I almost fell away again.

I stood again after a few moments. "I am Andra, protector of this camp."

"That is…until you arrived, Caspian," Adrian cut in, laughing as he entered, carrying firewood.

"Oh shush, Adrian!" I blushed furiously and looked away. "But he's right. I hope you are liking the surroundings."

"They are not what I expected from Nurse's tales. I expected magical trees that danced," Caspian admitted as he took a seat across from me. "Or are there those, just not where I can see?"

"Oh, even I haven't seen those yet," I blushed and walked to the door. "I should leave you, let you get some rest, good evening to you, Caspian." I gave a small bow and backed out of the hut. Meep came up to me and climbed up my leg and onto my shoulder.

"Fox thinks that the boy was Caspian! I told him he was wrong and to wait for the official introduction! Was I right to tell him?" He chirped and batted at some leaves in my hair.

I laughed and whispered to the mouse, "He was Caspian, Meep."

"He—he was?" Meep asked, dumbfounded. "What was he like?"

"I don't know, but he was very kind to me."

"You like him, don't you?"

I shook my head, shocked. "Meep! I don't make such snappy judgments and neither should you!"

"Sure…and that argument with Nikabrik about dwarf duties in camp was not started by a snap judgment at all."

I blushed and pulled the leaves out of my hair. "Shush!" I hissed.

"Oh, please tell me, do you?" he insisted as we walked out to the outskirts of the small camp-like town.

"No Meep now let it be!"

Meep humphed and scurried to my other shoulder, saying as he went, "I thought we had a little more trust, that's all,"

I laughed and looked to the silly mouse. "I trust you, just not so much that I'd tell you if I liked someone, is all."

He let out a small groan and looked at me with his perfectly round eyes. "Please tell me?"

"No!" I laughed and picked the animal up off my shoulder and sat him down on my lap as I sat down in the now dark forest. I looked up, into the stars above. I sighed and crossed my arms behind my head. "Have you ever wondered…if people were watching you? From the stars?"

Meep shrugged as best he could. "Depends on what you mean. I hear some stars die and come to islands far away and become young again."

I smiled and looked down to Meep. "Now if that isn't the silliest thing I've ever heard! Stars aren't people!"

"You never know."