Part Four: Bandits
"So how long have you lived in Cair Paravel?" Emma asked Rilian when they stopped to rest for a few minutes.
For a moment, she didn't think he was going to answer her. "My whole life," he finally said without looking at her. "Have you been there before?"
"Yes, I have. We both have," Emma replied.
"When? I think I would remember you." The way he said it didn't sound like a compliment.
"Two years ago when King Caspian was sick. I helped save him," Emma added, not really knowing why.
"Two years ago?" Rilian looked at her this time, his dark brow cocked in confusion. "King Caspian was sick over eighteen years ago."
"Eighteen years?!" It was Emma's turn to be confused. "But I was just here two years ago…."
"Time moves differently in Narnia," Rilian told her.
"So a year in my world could be eighteen years in Narnia."
"Exactly."
"Then why was I sent back eighteen years later?" Emma asked herself.
Rilian cast her an annoyed look. "What makes you think you were sent back?"
"Because I was sent here before for a specific purpose. To save King Caspian."
"Wait." Rilian put up a hand. "Wait, you're the Emma? The Emma who saved the king's life?"
"Yes. You've heard of me?" Emma asked him.
"Have I heard of you? Everyone has heard of you Emma Dowers. I just didn't make the connection at first. You could say you're a bit of a hero in Cair Paravel."
"Oh, I didn't realize." Emma felt herself blushing.
"Many people were grateful for what you did. I know I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you."
Emma looked up, unsure if he was being serious or sarcastic. His eyes were unreadable though and before Emma had a chance to ask what he meant, Iva came trotting up.
"Are we going to dawdle here all day?" she asked. "Let's get moving."
Emma and Rilian exchanged a glance. "Well, I guess we know who's in charge," Rilian said quietly to Emma. She smiled. Rilian grabbed the reins of his warhorse and led them on. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky as they passed through a glade and into the outskirts of a forest. Emma's feet were beginning to ache, but she didn't want to be the one to suggest they stop to rest. As they wound their way deeper into the forest, Emma wondered if Rilian even meant to stop or if he wanted to walk straight to Cair Paravel just to spite her.
At last, he stopped and said, "Let's make camp here."
The sun had all but faded from the sky, leaving the land drenched in grey tones. Rilian had stopped them in a clearing surrounded by heavily rooted trees. It seemed safe enough though Emma wondered if there was anything to feel insecure about. The last time she had been in Narnia, they had purged the land of many evils. But eighteen years had passed. The Narnia she stood in now was not the Narnia she had left eighteen years before. What a silly notion, she thought to herself. I'm not even eighteen years old.
Rilian unsaddled his horse, turning to Emma and Iva. "You start gathering fire wood," he aimed at Iva. "You start making camp." He tossed Emma a rolled up blanket. "I've only got two blankets, so someone is going to be cold tonight."
Iva and Emma exchanged glances while Rilian fed and watered his horse, completely ignoring the girls. "Well isn't he the gentleman?" Iva said hotly, putting her hands on her hips. Emma started to unfold the blanket.
"Well, better get that firewood or we'll all be cold tonight," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Right." Iva sounded doubtful, but she wandered off into the woods in search of firewood. Emma went to grab the other blanket from the saddlebag and set out a small meal for them. Rilian watched her silently as she distributed the food.
"What?" she snapped. "Are we allowed to share your food or do we need to find our own?" Rilian only looked amused at her anger.
"No, that's fine. Can't say it will last us another day. If I had succeeded in my hunting trip, then we'd have something to eat."
"Oh, not that again." Emma felt exasperated. Rilian smirked.
"It's just a fact that you're going to have to deal with. You scared away our food."
Emma chose to ignore that comment. "What has changed in the last eighteen years?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
"A lot, I would expect."
"Helpful."
"The giants didn't come back nor did the wild men, if that's what you're wondering. I might not have been born yet when all this was happening, but I know all about it. After you found the cure and healed the king, things went very well for Narnia. You could say that everything was perfect for quite some time."
"But?"
"But all things come to an end. The queen is ailing. She hides it well, but she was not born of this land. She misses home."
"You mean my world."
"Yes. I don't understand it. She has everything here."
"Except her family."
"She has her brother. And the king and…." he trailed off. "That should be enough."
"But she lost her parents when she came here. I can't even imagine how hard that would be."
"You're here. Do you miss your parents?" Rilian asked.
"Well, yes, I suppose. But I haven't been away very long. Eve can't ever go back."
"You speak as if you know her well." There was something guarded about his tone.
"Well, yes, I'd like to think so. We might not have known each other long, but she's an easy person to get to know."
Just then Iva returned with an armful of wood. She set it down in the center of the clearing and started building a perfect campfire. Rilian looked amused. "Quite the little outdoors woman, aren't you?" he asked.
"I'm a Girl Scout back at home," she replied snippily.
"A what?" Rilian looked at Iva curiously.
"A Girl Scout. We learn all about how to survive out in the wild and other such important things that aren't always just for boys."
Rilian laughed. "You two are full of surprises, aren't you?" He continued to chuckle as Iva started a fire with two stones. "You two can each have a blanket, I'll use my cloak for a blanket," he said after a time. Iva and Emma exchanged a glance. "You didn't really think I was going to make you sleep without any source of warmth, did you?" Rilian asked, looking between the two of them. When they didn't answer he began to chuckle again. Emma shot him a glare before lying down and pulling the soft blanket up to her chin. The crackling of the fire was lulling and after Rilian had lain down across from them and had stopped laughing, she found that she was exhausted enough to fall straight asleep.
It must have been very early in the morning – too early for any light to penetrate the darkness – when Rilian shook her awake, his dark eyes matching the sky as he looked down at her, his hand slipping over her mouth as she started awake. He put a finger to his lips before removing his hand from her mouth. She sat up, looking anxiously around.
"What is it?" she whispered. Rilian leaned close to her so that his forehead nearly brushed hers.
"Bandits," he said quietly. His breath tickled her face. "They must have seen our fire."
"You didn't tell me there were bandits out here!" Emma whispered angrily.
Rilian looked amused by her indignation. "I didn't want to frighten you," he replied.
"Well, thanks for that. What do we do?"
"I'm going to slip away and wait until they've come to the camp. Then I'll come in and take them out."
"So we're basically bait," Emma motioned toward Iva.
"Yes. That sounds about right."
Emma narrowed her eyes. "How many are there?"
"I'm not sure. Probably about four."
"And you're going to take them all on by yourself?" Emma was doubtful.
"Yes."
"Well, if you're fighting skills are half as good at your ability to be completely arrogant, then I'd say we have a good chance of survival."
"Such a charmer." Rilian seemed to be enjoying himself. Emma realized how close they were and made to move back, but Rilian's hand stayed her, placed gently on her back. "Just pretend to be asleep," he whispered. "I'll take them out before they even get to you."
"You'd better," Emma's voice came out rather breathless. Rilian seemed to notice because a smile curved the edges of his lips. He slid his hand away from her back and stood, taking up his sword and slipping away into the dark forest without another word. Emma lay back down, closing her eyes. She waited for what seemed hours until she heard the crack of a branch, hardly audible but still so loud in the silent night. Her body was tense as she lay there. She opened her eyes just a sliver and thought she saw movement within the trees. She didn't know if it was Rilian or one of the bandits, but she felt a stab of fear.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw four shapes emerge silently from the trees. They crept forward, looking around the camp for anything they might steal. She saw one of them motion toward the horse. Before they had a chance to step any further, there was a great cry and Rilian came charging into the clearing. Iva awoke with a start, grabbing one of the flaming pieces of wood and leaping at one of the bandits. Emma started with surprise, throwing off the blanket and grabbing the nearest thing to a weapon she found find which turned out to be a rock. One of the bandits came close to her and she hurled it at him, knocking him out. She jumped with surprise, not expecting that to have worked. Rilian had sent two of them running for the woods while the third was frantically patting out little sparks of fire that had caught his cloak on fire. Rilian brandished his sword at him and the bandit took off into the woods.
Rilian turned to Emma and Iva. "I had that handled," was all he said.
"Remember what I said before?" Iva said. "I'm a Girl Scout. I'm prepared for anything."
Emma and Rilian exchanged a glance before breaking out into laughter. Iva chuckled along. "Well, that was easier than expected," Rilian said finally. "Let's tie this one up and then get some rest."
"Will they come back?" Emma asked.
"Not unless they want to face two wild girls again," Rilian said jokingly.
"We did give them quite the shock," Iva said.
"Maybe it won't be so bad having you two along for the rest of the journey," Rilian said thoughtfully. "Even if you do scare away everything along the way." He smirked at Emma who rolled her eyes.