Secretly Wanted: A Narnian Chronicle

Hello everyone and thanks for reading:) well anyway, I think I'm doing pretty good, another chapter up in less than a month lol. I've decided to write when lectures are boring, hence the reason why I'm able to post. Anyway, I don't own the world of Narnia only my OC characters. Thanks to everyone who rated as well as all you who read my story thank you!

Chapter Thirteen: Awaiting

"Twenty-five Narnians were kidnapped and placed in that prison…and only sixteen were left when we saved them." Chime reported sadly. The commanding men of the ship had gathered once again in the meeting room. This time however, Rillian was not lounging inattentively, but sat upright clinging to every word that came from the fox's mouth. And this time, Cari sat with them rather than outside the door. She had to explain too.

"What possessed you to enter that ship?" Lord Camion demanded. Rillian scowled and shot the Lord a warning look. The older man pursed his lips and looked angrily at the table before softening. No one had told him about Cari or Ovarius' prediction. He didn't understand why a woman; a former slave for that matter, was being treated with respect equal to his own.

"Honestly, I can't give you an answer that you'll believe." She answered simply, giving a side glance towards Ovarius. The centaur inclined his head slightly and gave her a knowing look. She scoffed and ignored him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Camion retorted.

"There was definitely something ominous about the enemy ship." Rillian jumped in, giving support to Cari. "It wasn't only the suspicious behavior that made me want to investigate."

"I understand that sire, but the girl? What reason could she possibly give other than insanity!" Cari quickly put a hand on Rillians arm; he had almost jumped out of his seat. His hand clenched, his brow furled in annoyance.

"First of all, I'm not a girl, and I have a name." She looked over at Ovarius and sighed, he smiled in triumph. "Second, if you haven't noticed…I'm not from 'here,' so don't question my reasons for doing things." The lord opened and closed his mouth a few times before looking away angrily. Rillian smiled and moved his hand to hold hers underneath the table. She entwined her fingers with his, enjoying the warmth.

"Anyway, that's not important. What's important is what we found on that ship." Cari continued. She grimaced when she thought of the sixteen bedraggled, tired and broken bodies. They had given a sea burial to the Narnians who didn't make it only a few hours before. The crew of the Dawn Breaker was exhausted yet lively after the victory. Those spirits came crashing down when Chime, Rillian and Cari helped the kidnapped Narnian's aboard. Rillian immediately ordered a full investigation of the pirate ship and removed the bodies as well as the pirate captain before ordering Captain Artemis to sink the ship.

Cari heard the blasts as she struggled to remove all the bloody reminders of the battle from her body. She hoped that she would never experience another violent showing again but something told her that she may not have a choice.

"Lady Cari holds a valid point." Captain Artimes contributed. All around faces were grim. Surprise and disbelief were the general thoughts of the Narnians. "King Caspian X was a wise and strong ruler. Even after his death not many ventured to break his laws, especially those placed on slavery."

"Despicable! Those damned pirates dared to steal saplings from the sacred trees!" Ovarius stopped a hoof in anger. His whole body shook with rage.

"Is that what the girl was holding?" Cari asked, remembering the girl holding the potted plant. Only a few bodies were found in the prison. The rest were merely wilted remains of plant life. Apparently the only sacred sapling left was the one she saw next to Damian.

"She was the only survivor of her kind." Chime explained, "How she managed too, I have no idea."

"Have you questioned the brute sire?" Ovarius partially demanded. Rillian shook his head no.

"He hasn't woken up yet." He shrugged sheepishly, "I guess I hit him too hard."

"Not like he didn't deserve it." Cari muttered.

"I don't understand how this could have happened!" Rillian continued, anger seeping into his voice. "To steal Narnians, especially from the sacred groves, these men would have to have had the means to infiltrate and remain in Narnian undetected for quite some time!"

"No good comes from all this anger. What we need are answers." Gawain the red dwarf explained. The attitude of the party was very tense. The attack had gone from a simple chase down to something much more complex and sorrowful.

"But we can't get any answers yet." Rillian hissed in reply. Cari squeezed his hand and then disentangled herself. She rose from her seat, keeping both hands on the table.

"So basically this conversation is going around in sad circles so… I'm going to go do something productive." Camion scowled but the others seemed amused. Cari's declaration had cut the tension like a knife through butter. The remorseful waves were less now. Chime jumped up to join her as she spun around and headed out the door.

"That girl's impossible." Camion exclaimed. Rillian smirked.

Thank goodness for that.

~*~

"Why'd you follow me Chime?" Cari asked with a touch of disappointment. Although she greatly appreciated the fox's company, she held a small hope that it would have been Rillian who followed her.

"I know what you're going to do." Chime answered simply. Cari nodded. They had both found and released the Narnians; it was only natural that they both shared the most concern for them.

"I wanted to talk to Damian. I know that they're recovering right now…" Cari pursed her lips and fidgeted with the sleeve of her new dress. The one she wore was a midnight blue and again, a tad too short for her. She still wore the knife which was sheathed and attached to the belt around her waist. She never wanted to use it again, but couldn't part with Rillian's gift.

"Just admit that you're curious."

"You know you're pretty good at reading people."

"I would say it's a fox skill but curiosity and you seem to walk hand in hand." He smiled as he loped alongside her. They had almost reached the dorms where the Narnians were recovering. Opening the door, she barely stepped into the room before two thin arms wrapped around her.

"Lady Cari!" the sole wood nymph squealed in delight. He voice was weak yet melodic. The lean girl was recovering nicely. She seemed fresh and awake. Cari raised an eyebrow at her appearance however. At times the girl seemed like a willowy woman, and with a blink of an eye she appeared much younger. Cari supposed it was just the nature of a wood sprite. She noticed the potted plant seemed a lot greener and was sprouting new leaves as well. "You visited!"

"Of course, did you think I would just abandon you?"

"Do you guys mind being a bit quieter? Some of us are trying to sleep here!" A groggy male voice complained.

"Damian, be nice!" the nymph chided before leaping to slap the boy on the arm.

"ow, Mai! Do you always have to do this?" Damian walked up to Cari and Chime, rubbing his arm and scowling. The scowl changed into a smile though when he faced her.

"Lady Cari, and Sir Fox, what a pleasurable surprise!" Damian too looked a lot different now that he was cleaned up. In fact he appeared a tad older. Cari supposed it was the way he carried himself. Or maybe with proper light she could now determine his true age. The passion in his eyes was still there and she could see he was quite handsome. His hair was light, straight and a bit windblown. It touched his shoulders and feel into his passionate eyes. Mai joined the three and snuck her thin arm through Damian's before giving Cari a warning look. Cari hid a giggle. She hoped Mai didn't think she was checking out her guy.

"We just wanted to make sure you'll all alright?" Cari answered.

"Yeah, to see that the worst ailment you have is seasickness." Chime added. Mai gave him a breathtaking smile and giggled. Her change in behavior was startling, but Cari just shrugged her shoulder and rolled with it. It was only natural that they'd be happier, she remembered how goofy she acted when she was freed. She smiled when she remembered her rescuer.

"You have all been so kind to us." Mai gushed, her smile faltered for a fraction and she glanced towards her sapling. Cari shifted again.

"I'm sorry you couldn't be rescued sooner." She looked at Damian sorrowfully, "Maybe then there would have been more of you." He shook his head and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't Lady Cari, if anything it is us who should be thanking you," Mai cleared her throat and he released his hand. "If there's anything we can do for you…" he switched his gaze from Cari to Chime.

"Actually there is something." Chime stated before grinning mischievously. "Cari wants her curiosity satisfied." Cari blushed scarlet and glared at the fox.

"You couldn't show a little tact?"

"Nope, it's fun to watch you get uncomfortable." Cari turned her back away from the fox and crossed her arms angrily. Damian chuckled,

"If its understanding you want I'll be happy to answer anything."

"But we'll prefer it if we talked somewhere else." Mai stressed the 'we' and gestured around her. They had been talking in low voices but the sleeping bodies were beginning to stir. Cari nodded in agreement.

"I know that Prince Rillian will want some of his own questions answered so maybe we should wait until he joined us." Cari replied, agreeing with the wood nymph.

"Another day or so and we'll be back to glorious Narnia!" Chime mentioned with joy, he lifted his front paws off the ground and swished his tail in excitement. "How I long to be among a more civilized nation. That and the absence of sand in one's paws would be my heaven!"

"Amen to that!" Cari agreed with a smile. She never wanted to step foot on another grain of sand again. Unless of course, it was attached to a beach.

Well hope you liked it, please review and let me know what you think.