Tumnus went to the back room to see how Mrs. Rogers was doing. He knew how much she cared for Garin. How much they all cared for him, seeing him grow up, the only child in a palace full of adults, doting on him. Yes, it was hard to send him on this assignment. It was difficult for Mrs. Rogers and, he had to admit it, it was difficult for him. He still thought of him as a boy. And now they were sending him off to face the enemy, alone with no one to help him.
He walked down the hall. "Rogers! I don't want you to worry about him." He rounded the corner, into the room. It was empty. "The impetuous fool! She' gone off half cocked! What was she thinking?" He ran back to Miller's flat to tell the others. "Everything's changed. What will we do now?"
The baker saw the ambulance wagon drive by. Masha was driving it, whipping the horses to a frenzy.
"Nob, who's that?" asked Resa, his wife. As a wagon rolled off into the distance.
"Why that's Cyan in the back. She's all bandaged up." Nob had the best eyes. He had the sight of an eagle, his mother always said. He often used it in hunting game. Fortunately, his aim matched his eyesight.
"I wonder what those two are up to." His wife climbed back up the steps of their bakery. "No good, no doubt, knowing those two. Somebody should do something about them."
Nob stood watching the dust of the wagon in the distance, deep in thought.
"Aren't you coming in?" asked Resa. "We've got those pastries to finish. Then we can relax and have some tea."
"I think I'll pass on the tea and the pastries." He stood at the foot of the stairs, looking up at her. "You can finish them without me. I've got things to do."
Resa looked down at Nob. He was still wearing his apron covered in flour, but she knew she couldn't talk him out of it.
"Do you want me to come with you? The pastries can wait."
"I'll get the horses. You get the weapons."
They went off in opposite directions. It would take only a few minutes for Nob to saddle the horses. He was big and looked lumbersome. But he was actually quite fast, when he wanted to be. Resa ran into the bakery and threw off her apron. She grabbed some of their baked goods and put them in a flour bag. Then she reached behind the counter for the weapons. They were there, as they always were, waiting to be used. She grabbed their two coats and hats and blankets and ran out the door. Then stopped. She ran back in, and put up the "Closed" sign, shut the door and locked it, wondering how long they would be gone.
"Yes, well, the scone will wait. Life is more than baking bread and pastries."
Just then Nob rounded the corner and pulled up in front of the steps. He was riding his black stallion. They were the only bakery in town and were quite prosperous. And Nob had a penchant for fine horses. He held the reins of her palomino.
"Here you go, girl. She's all ready."
She handed the weapons to Nob, who placed them in his saddle bag while she put their provisions in her saddle bag.
"You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." She mounted her horse and they galloped off, leaving the bakery and the town behind them.
Garin was lost and he knew it. He thought he knew which pool led back to Nelirion, but when he searched the woods they all began to look alike. He had wondered through the woods for quite some time when he heard a noise nearby.
"Who is it? Come out and show yourself," he said rather nervously.
"Bly me! If it ain't Mr. Garin!"
Garin looked around. He didn't see anyone.
"Down here, in the grass. It's me, Achilles."
Garin looked down to find Achilles in the midst of a tall clump of grass.
"Achilles!" Garin reached down and picked him up. He felt heavier than he remembered him. "I've been wondering where you were. What are you doing here?"
"One night I remembered the sweet grass that grows in these woods, so I snuck away through that wardrobe and I've been enjoying a feast ever since. What are you doing here?"
"I'm going back to Nelirion. Or not exactly Nelirion, but to our world. But I can't find my way."
"I know what you mean," said Achilles. "You should see it from my perspective. It's all clumps of grass and towering trees. After awhile they all look alike."
"Well, now that we're together, we should be able to find it."
"Yes, well that's true. But do you think we could or should I say I could have just one last meal of this fine green cuisine?"
Garin laughed, rubbed Achilles head and put him back down into the tall grass. "Yes, I think we could do that. You eat your grass and I'll have some of the scones Mrs. Rogers packed for me."
Garin sat down began to sample the scones. He grew drowsy and leaned against the trunk of a large tree. Achilles looked up at him.
"A fine idea, Garin." He crawled next to Garin and rested his head on Garin's leg, as he had many times back in the palace. "Just like the old days. Eh, Garin?"But Garin didn't answer. He was sleeping peacefully. "Just like the old days, my boy."
