ENTANGLED

Chapter Fourteen: Darkness in Narnia

Andrantiel stared into the darkness ahead of her.

She did not remember the air ever being so chilly. On her first journey to Cair Paravel, she had taken the same route, traveling through Narnia at night just as she was doing the second time around; but strangely enough the weather felt so much colder now, and the wind felt sinister against her skin.

Are there really changes in the air or is it all happening in my head?

Andrantiel shrugged the negative thoughts away. Calm down, Andra, she said to herself. Do not be so silly. She pulled her traveling cloak around herself, glancing sideways at her royal guards.

She had almost decided to leave the both of them behind. At the time, she had thought that she had no need for protection, because, well, she was capable of wielding a sword and she knew it. However, as Andrantiel placed her explanation letter on her writing desk back in her chambers many moments ago, she realized that both Ronan and Rafael were more than just her protectors; they were her best friends and she felt as if she had an obligation to wake them up and take them along. They had always been by her side since she was a child, and it was they who turned her swordsmanship from mere experiments into a scheme by teaching her real techniques after she pressed them to do so.

When Andrantiel shook them awake, both knights seemed confused at first but they had no objections even though the Princess was leaving the palace without permission, only leaving behind a brief letter of justification.

They looked gloomy in the darkness, though, now as they were riding on either side of her. Perhaps it was because they could sense her uneasiness.

The three of them had been traveling in silence, with Andrantiel forming countless possible reasons to calm her pounding heart down, to no avail. She had been telling herself that she would make herself wallow in embarrassment when she finally reached Cair Paravel: Edmund probably would playfully tease her, as Lucy graciously thanked her for her concern, but as she went on, she knew that she might not have needed to worry about it at all.

Andrantiel was almost sure that the river at her side was the Great River. Its width fitted its description, being the widest river in Narnia. However, to actually reach the Great River from Celestine they should at least take half a day-

Andrantiel was worried. Because, in any case, they were still in the darkness.

And what was that sound she thought she had heard seconds earlier? It only took Andrantiel to murmur, "Rafael" for the knights to grip their swords. The Princess herself placed her hand on the hilt of hers.

She had picked it herself from the secret underground chamber but never actually had the opportunity to use it before. It did not feel like the moment she had imagined it to be, where she would grip the sword tightly, ready for whatever that would come.

Instead, the sword seemed to weigh a great deal more, and a wave of uneasiness hit her as she caught whiff of something sickening in the air.

It was the smell of blood.

Andrantiel listened more closely for distant sounds. No, they were not humans. The footsteps were too fast and overlapped. She glanced at Ronan who mouthed a silent word that explained everything: "Wolves".

Wolves? If she was not mistaken, Peter's North Region captain and his men had them under control. In the days of the White Witch, wolves were her subordinates, and the fact that a large number of them were on the loose that night was not a good sign.

She knew her horse had heard and smelled them too; he became restless. The Princess leaned forward, whispering in his ear, trying to soothe him, while her grip on her sword tightened and she could feel the air freezing.

It was when she straightened herself up to glance at Rafael again that the piercing sounds of wolves' howls and horses' screams filled her ears, the same time she almost fell of her horse when it gave a violent jerk.

She had been caught off guard! One of them had sunk its fangs into her horse, and now the same wolf was growling menacingly, baring his sharp, bloody teeth as he looked up at her, seemingly enjoying the idea of scaring a helpless princess.

Moreover, perhaps the Princess would be a royal feast for his pack.

However, Andrantiel made her own decision before something as trivial as logic came into the picture. Without thinking, the Princess had pulled her sword out of its sheath, stared straight into the wolf's feral eyes, then without holding back, she slashed the beast at his throat.

The next second her horse had fallen; she jumped off before she was crushed below him, and as she straightened herself then spun around-

She could see that they were trapped. The pack of the wolves could have been the same pack that served the White Witch, for the beasts were smartly circling the three of them, each opening their mouths widely as they growled. Perhaps they were extremely hungry, but they were angry as well, as Andrantiel could see Ronan and Rafael had dismounted from their own horses, clutching bloody swords in their hands. Both of the royal guards instinctively moved closer to the Princess, trying to protect her from either side.

"Hello, strangers," rumbled one of them. "Or rather, feast."

"Do you, humans, have any last words?" snarled the other.

Andrantiel said nothing. She feared no death, because, it had not actually crossed her mind yet. What filled her mind at that time was the knowledge that she was the descendant of the Wanderers, and though sometimes she doubted she ever was one, she was sure now. If there were anything she wished to do before her time, it was slaying as many wolves as she could.

However, what would become of Narnia?

Andrantiel glanced at her guards' faces. There were burning flames there. She cast them a look, practically crushing her sword, and then-

"Let them go, Megrim."

Andrantiel looked up. Beyond the circling wolves, some figures – a few on horses, a few on foot – emerged, adding in number as the seconds passed. They formed another circle around the wolves' formation, holding sharp weapons to each and every one of the beasts. Andrantiel could see that they bore the sign of the red lion – Narnian knights – as some held torches on their hands.

Soon the Princess could feel herself being pulled – actually yanked – away from the small confrontation that was going on. She struggled to pull free as the light of the torches minimized her sight, but the person – or thing – that had her by the arms, spoke.

She knew that voice. It was belonged to the North Region captain she had met earlier.

He was whispering softly, stopping her from resisting. "Pardon me for doing this, Your Highness, for I have no choice. My men will take care of wolves, and there is no need for Your Highness, or Your Highness' guards, to linger in Narnia for another second. It's no longer safe to travel only with two of Your Highness' royal guards, no matter how skillful they are."

"What did you just say?" mouthed Andrantiel, feeling the knot on her stomach tightened for the first time. "What is happening?"

"It is not my place-"

"Don't you dare say to me that it's not your place," hissed the Princess, letting some of her steam out. "Speak plainly!"

The captain fell silent, but then as he looked up to see the determination on Andrantiel' face, he faltered. He seemed to know that there was no way he could escape from the Princess. He was giving up. "Look around you, Your Highness. Would you believe me if I told you that it is noon in Narnia?"

Andrantiel froze in an instant.

…The triumph of darkness…

It cannot be!

The Princess looked up, straight into the captain's eyes, as she spoke unwaveringly. "I command you to take me to your High King. Now."

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Quick author's note:

Whoa… Just a few days until the special edition DVD! is excited. Hope it'll arrive at the same time (or soon after) in my place...

Anyway, thanks for the reviews for the last chapter (chapter 13th)! As usual they all mean A LOT for me, no matter what's written positive or negative, 'coz then I know that someone reads this story and cares enough to leave a trail, hehehe… So keep them coming, guys! Anyway, recently things go a bit slow at do they not?

But then, I also take a long time to update, hehe… grins. Well, Mira, thanks as always, okay? Good luck with your fic, I'm waiting for the next installment!