-PART THREE-

In Concerning Narnian Affairs Part II

Prince Caspian

"Can we please talk about something else!?"

"Afraid not, remember, you were the one who got me into this….Well, say something!"

"Give me a moment will you?"

Trufflehunter stood in thought. All the while his dinner, a salmon, was about to burn in the cooking pot.

"In five seconds your salmon will be ruined."

"Well," the badger said, "then it won't be my fault now will it Reepicheep?"

The mouse sat down at the badger's kitchen table. He was visiting on the grounds that his fiancé had passed recently and the badger was kind enough to let him in.

Trufflehunter went to his food, removed it from the fire and noticed that it was smoking black.

"Well," the badger said, "that's ruined."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Trufflehunter walked the pot over to the table carefully, trying not to spill anything, noticing that over in the corner, on a table near a chair, a candle flickered.

"It must be that time of night." The badger said. "The candles are dying out."

"One candle flicker dear fellow doth not dismiss the day. Just as one supper mishap doth not ruin ones appetite."

"Well," Trufflehunter said, "the wicks do last only twelve hours."

"And supper an hour."

"There's nothing left to sup on!" The badger cried. "What are we supposed to do, eat charred fish?"

"There is such a thing as night fishing." The mouse said.

"Well aren't you extremely optimistic."

"One should be in times of crisis," Reepicheep replied, "better than being a pessimist, which brings me back round to our conversation: what happened to Kashmir?"

"Again, if I were to tell you it would kill you."

"I would much rather die being au fait than oblivious to this matter Truff, now if you don't mind..."

Trufflehunter nodded. His eyes wandered to the shelf with the dying candle. On said table was a letter.

The badger stood up, retrieved the letter and gave it to his friend, not bothering to resume his seat.

Upon reading it, the rodent's whiskers dropped, his face was morose.

"If you'll excuse me," the badger replied, "I believe I shall retire."

Trufflehunter exited the room and walked slowly down the hallway.

"You'll miss supper." The rodent said rather dismally.

"Honestly," the badger said stopping and turning his head, "I don't think that is priority concern at the moment."

Reepicheep folded the letter and placed it on the table in a reverent way, behaving as it were sacred.

The mouse stood up and turned towards the door and for a moment said nothing.

"What are you thinking Reep?" Trufflehunter asked.

"I'm thinking," Reepicheep said heading towards the door, placing his forepaw up against the wood, "that you won't see me in the morning."

"Where are you going?"

"His grave." Reepicheep said.

"That's at least three days journey."

"Which is why," the mouse said, "you won't see me in the morning."

Trufflehunter looked at his friend, noticing that he was the quintessence of grief. The badger walked down the hallway, opened a closet and fished out a small emergency bag. Non-spoiled food, small assortment of medical supplies, a blanket, a knife, a water container, a food container, a small lantern, matches, some flint and magnesium, and a journal and pen.

He placed said bag on his person and walked out.

"Is this paranoia or precaution?" Reepicheep asked after seeing the satchel on Trufflehunter's back as he shut the door to the house.

"Is both an answer?" The badger asked.

The mouse laughed, "Not a particularly mentally sound one I'm afraid."

They walked onward.

"To be honest with you Kashmir, I don't give a damn if you live or die."

"I'd figure you'd say that."

Miraz smiled and turned towards his partner in crime, Ambrosine. "You did very well my dearest."

They embraced and kissed with passion.

Kashmir rolled his eyes. "Get a room you two."

"Shut up you!" Miraz yelled stopping for a moment to turn towards his guard who had the feather stripped bird tied up with rope. "Take him away to a prison cell for now. He'll be our entertainment for our reception."

"As you wish sir." The guard replied and escorted Kashmir to a prison cell.

"You know," Kashmir said as they entered a long mile of grim light and depressing steel.

"You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do Kashmir." The guard said.

The guard drew Kashmir behind him. The bird's talons which scraped against the cobblestone floor echoed through the hall. A small fly buzzed around Kashmir's nose, he blew it away.

Aurelius, the guard, got out a key and opened the cell door.

The hinges creaked and Kashmir noticed a small window big enough to fit through.

"Don't even try it." Aurelius said, "If you escape we'll shot you down."

"That will be a blessing." Kashmir replied and entered his confinement.

It was small, cold, damp and depressing like all cells were. Kashmir waddled over to the cell door. Aurelius removed the bonds. Kashmir flapped his wings a bit to stretch them out.

"It's a shame," Aurelius said, "you are a beautiful owl."

Kashmir smiled the best he could. "Thank you Aurelius, that means more than the world to me."

Aurelius nodded slowly. He looked slightly to the left towards the staircase that lead to the throne room.

"I don't blame you for all this." The owl said.

"You don't?"

"No! I slept with the woman and was foolish enough to love her." Kashmir looked up at him, his eyes deep, focused, as if he is ready to commit himself to death. "You're just doing your job."

"I'm sorry it has to be this way." Aurelius replied, "I just couldn't-"

"Aurelius, you've been my friend for years, if this incident is going to end it then we have a lot of things to discuss." Kashmir said smiling, this time more informally. "Can you do me one last request?"

"Of course." Aurelius replied.

"Write a letter to my friends explaining the details," Kashmir said, "hold nothing back."

"I'll be back with pen and paper, anything specific you want?"

"Yes," the owl said, "at the end of it, after the explanation, say 'the struggle is not in our freedom but in our understanding that we were already free to begin with.'"

Aurelius nodded and walked up the staircase, thinking to himself: the true words of a brave soul.

Kashmir sat on the floor, the fly from earlier came back around again, this time landing on the tip of his beak. The owl snapped the sharp mouth like bone together, consuming the fly in a single breath. After this, Kashmir laughed quietly to himself.

Aurelius returned moments later, pen and paper in hand.

"Apologizes if I'm not a good scribe." Aurelius said.

"I have confidence in you moi droog."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," the guard said smiling, "you're from Russia."

Kashmir smiled and did a small bow with his wings outstretched.

"Ready?" Aurelius asked.

"As much as I'll ever be." Kashmir said. "To my brothers in arms, don't not think ill of me when I say that I haven't been entirely too faithful..."