Kaliyah stood in the middle of a clearing with Caspian as all the Narnians – Fauns, dwarves, centaurs, mice, badgers, cheetahs, lions, tigers, etc – shouted angrily at them.
"All this horn proves is that they have stole yet another thing from us." Nikabrik said as he stepped down from the rock he was on.
"You would hold us accountable for the crimes of our people?" Caspian asked him.
"Accountable," Nikabrik replied. "And punishable."
Kaliyah decided that she didn't like the Narnians as much as she always thought she would.
The mouse, Reepicheep, came up, pointing his sword at Nikabrik. "That is rich coming from you, dwarf. Or did you forget it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?"
"And I would gladly do it again to rid us of these barbarians," Nikabrik replied, glaring at Caspian and Kaliyah.
"Who are you calling barbarians?" Kaliyah suddenly said. Nikabrik turned to her.
"Hold your tongue, girl," he snapped. "You do not have a say in any of this."
Caspian took a step back as Kaliyah's eyes flashed. She picked up the dwarf by the collar of his tunic.
"What did you just say?" she hissed. "Did you just say that because I am a girl, I do not have a say in any of this? You'll regret saying that, dwarf."
"Kaliyah," Caspian put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop."
Kaliyah obeyed him, but she made sure she threw Nikabrik back into the ground as hard as she could.
"Then it is lucky it is not in your power to bring her back. Unless you are asking this boy and girl go against Aslan now." Trufflehunter said suddenly. "She is right. She does have a say in this. You may have forgotten, but we badgers remember, that Narnia was never right unless a Son of Adam was king or a Daughter of Eve was queen."
"But they're Telmarines!" Nikabrik protested, getting up off the ground. "Why would we want him as our king?" he yelled, pointing at Caspian. "Or her, as our queen!"
"Because we can help you," Caspian said. "Beyond these woods, I am a prince, and Kaliyah is a princess. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine, and Kaliyah's. Help us claim it, and we will bring peace between us."
The head centaur stepped forward. "It is true," he said. "The time is right. For I watch the stars, as they are mine to watch, just like it is yours to remember, Badger. Tarva, the lord of Victory, and Alambil, the lady of peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now, a son of Adam and daughter of Eve have come forth to offer us back our freedom."
A squirrel in the trees piped up, talking quickly from his jitteriness. "Is this possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?"
Caspian addressed the entire party. "Two days ago, we did not believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarves, or centaurs. And yet here you are in strength numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. And whether this horn, magic or not, it brought us together. And together we have a chance to take back what is ours." Caspian held up the horn.
"If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords," the head centaur said, and drew an extra-long sword. As if on cue, the other centaurs drew their own swords. Reepicheep came forward as well.
"And we offer you our lives." He bowed. "Unreservedly."
Caspian and Kaliyah looked at each other and smiled. Nikabrik looked furious.
"Miraz's army is not far behind," Trufflehunter said to Caspian.
"If we are to be ready for them, we need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons," Kaliyah said to Caspian.
"How do we get weapons, my lord?" Reepicheep asked Caspian. "Have you and your sister a plan?"
Kaliyah smiled.
"No, not really," she said. "But the one thing you learn when staying with Uncle, is that you have to be good at thinking on your feet."
About an hour later, Caspian and Kaliyah were leading a group of Narnians to the river.
"Look," Kaliyah pointed, and on the other side they saw Telmarine workers chopping down trees for wood.
"How dare they harm our trees!" Reepicheep said. "They should be punished for that!"
"Not now, Reepicheep," Caspian muttered. "Kaliyah, wait here. All of you, with me."
Then he and the others slipped into the water and swam silently to the other side.
Kaliyah listened as shouts, yells, and clashing metal filled the air, then stopped. About a few minutes later, Caspian, Reepicheep, and the other Narnians resurfaced, carrying bundles of weapons. Caspian was grinning, as if he had just seen something amusing.
"Did you carve the message?" Kaliyah asked as they walked back through the woods.
"I did."
"With help from me," Reepicheep piped up.
Kaliyah smiled. Maybe Narnians weren't so bad after all.