1. Prince Charming
The kiss didn't last long as Caspian spotted a Telmarine army emerging from the forest and marching towards the How.
''Wait here, I'll go get the Royals,'' Hope says as she stands up and runs into the How, leaving Caspian at the edge to watch the ever closing army in front of him.
Hope runs inside the stone corridors and the first Royal she sees is Edmund talking with Trumpkin.
''Edmund!'' She yells and her shout makes them both turn their heads towards her. ''The Telmarine' army is at the front of the How. We better warn Peter,'' she says and after hearing this both Edmund's and Trumpkin's eyes widen from shock.
''You lad go get your brother, Hope and I will go check the gravity of this army,'' Trumpkin says and without getting any time to protest he snatches Hope's hand and starts to pull her towards the edge she had just left, while Edmund runs to get Peter.
As they come to the edge they see the fully merged army. And it was the size of it that scared Hope the most. It was huge, easily over three hundred men and many catapults. The Telmarine army was easily much larger than what was left from the now much smaller Narnian army. How on earth were they going to beat this war?
XXX
They quickly assemble a meeting inside the How to discuss a plan that would hopefully ensure their victory. And Trumpkin was the first to voice out the lunacy of this plan Peter was currently suggesting.
''Cakes and kettledrums! That's your next big plan? Sending a little girl alone into the darkest parts of the forest alone?'' Trumpkin spats at Peter while pointing out how he could be sending Lucy to her death.
''It's our only chance,'' Peter says sadly, knowing fully well how big of a risk he's taking right now.
''And she won't be going alone,'' Hope says from the corner before Susan has a chance to say anything.
''Are you out of your mind? Haven't enough of us died already?'' Trumpkin says after Hope's declaration.
''I know those forests. I know a safe way to get through them,'' Hope says, while Caspian looks uncomfortable from the other corner.
''Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I,'' Trufflehunter says to Trumpkin, and to all of them.
''For Aslan,'' Reepicheep says while holding his sword over his heart.
''For Aslan!'' A large bear then echoes.
''I'm going with you,'' Trumpkin then offers, feeling worried for not only Hope, but for his newfound friend Lucy as well.
''No, we need you here,'' Lucy says while rejecting his offer.
''We have to hold them off until Lucy and Hope get back,'' Peter then says, hoping beyond hope that this will work.
''If I may…'' Caspian says as he rose from the step he was sitting on and walks closer to Peter, ''Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer. But as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time,'' he then suggests.
XXX
And so bit later while Edmund, in full armor, went to deliver the challenge to Miraz Caspian tried to help Hope and Lucy by offering his horse as a mean to get through the forest.
''Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands,'' Caspian says while checking that the saddle was tightly secured.
''Or hooves,'' Lucy laughs while sitting on the horse behind Hope.
''Caspian I've known Destier just as long as you have. I think I can trust him,'' Hope teases while she pats Destier's neck.
''Good luck,'' Caspian then says feeling very worried for both of the girls.
''Thank you,'' Hope says. And just as she's about to start riding Caspian grabs her hand.
''Promise me you'll come back safely,'' Caspian says with very few tears in his eyes. The thought of Hope never coming back still haunting his mind. To that Hope just smiles and leans down to Caspian's level.
''I promise. And if anything happens I can always count on my Prince Charming to save me, can't I?'' She teases and before she can pull her head back up Caspian kisses her again to which she eagerly responses.
During all of this Lucy was pretending to be innocent and just whistles a happy tune while playing with her hair as if she wouldn't see anything, making both Hope and Caspian blush when they remember that they weren't alone.
''Go,'' Caspian then says while still holding a red tint on his cheeks and Hope gladly agrees to that and kicks Destier on his sides and they start riding through the tunnels.
''I can always count on my Prince Charming to save me,'' Lucy mocks her while they ride.
''Shut up,'' Hope says while she can still feel her cheeks burning.
They come out of the How inside the forest far enough so that Miraz wouldn't see them and send soldiers after them. They ride fast dodging all the trees and lower branches Caspian's fall from the horse still fresh in Hope's mind.
But then they hear another horse neigh and Hope knows that the soldiers are behind them.
''They've seen us!'' Lucy yells behind Hope as she sees the soldiers.
''Hold on!'' Hope yells and speeds up the pace. And once they are further inside the forest she stops Destier and dismounts it.
''What are you doing?'' Lucy asks as she watches Hope dismount.
''Sorry Lu, but you'll have to go alone from here. We can't shake them off, but I can slow them down. Just follow this path and you won't get lost inside the forest. Just go,'' Hope says as she slaps Destier's pelvis and it starts to gallop away from her.
''But what about you!'' Lucy then yells as the horse gallops away.
''Just go!'' Hope yells after her and then turns to look at the way where the sound of the soldiers was coming from. ''I'll be just fine.''
Lucy rides a bit further away and then she turns to look at Hope at the clearing. From the distance Lucy couldn't help but to reflect Hope's actions and the way she speaks to them to Amanda's. She even called Lucy by her nickname. But then she snaps out from her memories and starts to ride away, hoping that Hope will be fine.
Hope then takes the one of her two knives from her boot and secures it to her hand. She then takes a deep breath and slowly she can start to feel the coldness gathering inside her body. And as she exhales she can see her breath having very small ice crystals in it, as if she was breathing pure ice.
Then from the forest she can see the soldiers emerging. She then quickly takes her knife and accurately throws it at one of the soldiers and it lodges itself into his shoulder making him cry out and fall from his horse.
And while her second knife was still inside her boot safely, she quickly kneels to the ground and places her hands to the leaf covered earth and then without thinking any further she releases the coldness she had gathered inside of her to the ground and sees how the earth was quickly turning into pure cold ice, making one of the horses to slip and fall down with its rider.
This was one of the Winter Nyphs powers, releasing their inner coldness. They do not create winter as Telmarines so try to accuse them, but they can defend themselves with powers, that many may mistake as creating winter, when the need arises. The dangerous part in their power was just that it takes a lot of energy to create pure ice inside their normally warm bodies since they have to lower their body heat considerably and it usually leaves them quite out of breath. But that doesn't stop Hope from trying to help the people she loves and Lucy was counting on her to slow down these soldiers so they wouldn't catch her.
Hope watches as another horse slips on the ice and falls down its rider still on the back. But just as she was about to draw her remaining knife from her boot another soldier who managed to avoid the ice knocks her down with his horse and was about to hit her with his sword. But just before the soldier can hit her, Caspian rides to the scene on another horse and hits the soldier with his sword.
''Your Prince Charming to the rescue,'' he then jokes as he holds his hand as Hope takes it and mounts the horse and sits behind Caspian wrapping her arms around his body and giving him a small kiss on to his cheek.
''Thank you,'' Hope then says.
''I'll always come for you,'' Caspian then says so quietly that Hope nearly doesn't hear it, but it still warms Hope's still slightly cold heart, making it burning hot.