Chapter Twenty-Nine: Caspian's Adventures in the Mountains

Star-gazing was something Caspian had always enjoyed, and he knew if ever he were out in the world at night he would be able to find his way to anywhere just by following the stars. His professor, Doctor Cornelius, claimed that was the seafarer in him, since it had long been rumored that Telmarines were descendants of pirates from another world. The same world from where the Kings and Queens of Old had come from? Caspian had always wondered this, because he was well aware of stories about the Old Days of Narnia from the nurse he had had as a child. He had learned the hard way that his uncle Miraz did not fancy such tales, since it was he who had sent Caspian's nurse away when the Prince had been but a child, and he had never told Miraz that his professor had secretly continued to impress those old stories upon him.

Caspian was a man now – though, strangely enough, he was younger than most men his age. Cornelius had explained this was due to the Telmarines marrying the Dúnadain, a long-living race of Man. No matter his age, however, the Telmarine Prince would still slip up to the Great Tower in the middle of the night with Doctor Cornelius to study the heavens.

On this particular night, Caspian was greeted by a worried professor, holding a knapsack and a skin of water. Caspian knew at once the time had come.

"It's a boy, then?" he guessed.

Cornelius nodded. "I overheard it, between your uncle and Glozelle. Glozelle means to kill you tonight. Did you see any soldiers on your way up?"

The Prince shook his head as he took the provisions the professor had supplied him with. "You'll come with me?"

"I dare not," said the Doctor. "It would make your danger greater. Two are more easily tracked than one. And there is a chance the Narnians would see me as a traitor."

Caspian nodded, remembering that Cornelius was part Dwarf, and that true Dwarves – the Doctor claimed that some yet lived – would likely despise him for having Telmarine blood.

"Come," Cornelius urged, beginning his descent. There were six empty rooms below the top of the tower and a long stair. There was a door at the bottom that led out into the garden, and Caspian's horse, Destrier, was waiting there, saddled. "You must make for the woods. They will not follow you there."

Caspian mounted, and stared down at the professor. "The woods?" Telmarines never ventured into the woods because they feared it, and Caspian had learned from Cornelius' stories that the tree-creatures were unfriendly to Man because of the Telmarines cutting down the woods long ago.

Cornelius withdrew something from the pouch he wore on his belt. "It has taken me many years to find this. It is the greatest and most sacred treasure of Narnia. Many terrors I endured, many spells did I utter, to find it. It is the magic horn of Queen Susan herself which she left behind her when she vanished from Narnia at the end of the Golden Age. It is said that whoever blows it shall have strange help – no one can say how strange. It may have the power to call back the Kings and Queens of Old, and they will set all to rights. It may be that it will call up Aslan himself. Take it, but do not use it except at your greatest need."

Caspian took the horn, marveling at once at the carved lion's head from where the blast would sound. Something that had once belonged to one of the legendary rulers – how long he wished to see something that had belonged to them. He quickly stowed it in his own belt, knowing now was not the time to study it.

"And this," Cornelius added, pulling out something else. This was wrapped in a handkerchief and was very small. "Try to get across the western border and make for Rivendell, the house of Lord Elrond. Give this to him as he will know what to do with it. Whatever happens, do not let it fall into enemy hands, and do not unwrap it and put it on yourself!"

Caspian stared down, puzzled, as he accepted the second object. "Will I ever see you again?" he asked, sticking the cloth into his pocket.

"I dearly hope so, my Prince. There is so much more I meant to tell you. Everything you know is about to change."

There was a sudden shout from the direction of the courtyard. "Close the drawbridge!"

Caspian pulled on his horse's reins. The guards must have discovered him missing. Cornelius slapped his hand on Destrier's rump. "And now, haste, haste, haste."

Prince and horse took off through the archway that separated the garden from the courtyard and they plowed their way past guards who were hastening toward the gate. "Halt! Halt!" one ordered, as he and another soldier crossed their staffs, barring Caspian's way. In one quick motion, Caspian had wrenched one of the staffs from its owner's grasp and had knocked the other away. As he neared the drawbridge, another guard rushed at him, but he dropped back when Caspian tossed the staff into a barrel of fire – one of many that lighted the courtyard.

He galloped across the bridge and into the town of Glasswater that stood at Cair Paravel's front. He stopped only momentarily when fireworks suddenly burst behind him, and a town-crier shouted the news. "A son! A son! Lady Prunaprismia has this night given Lord Miraz a son!"

Soldiers rode out the gate, and Caspian spurred onward out of the village that had once been home to the Narnians who had only been free of the White Witch for a few years before the Telmarines had made these homes their own.

They ran across the open plains for about an hour before Caspian ducked into the eaves of the forest. He heard the uneasy whinnies of the guards' horses as their riders ended their pursuit outside the dark, foreboding trees.

There was no other noise for a long time, and Caspian suspected the guards had given up the chase. He slackened his pace for a time, looking over his shoulder often to be sure no one was following. He had just ridden into a clear stretch again, where the River Rush wound its way lazily toward the sea, when he noticed that four dark figures on horseback had come up behind him. Urging his own mount back to top speed, Caspian drove into the water, hoping to lose his pursuers to the current. It took all his strength to keep himself on Destrier and not lose them both to the swift-flowing water. He looked back and was horrorstruck to realize the riders had not halted on the bank. They charged into the water as well.

With the moonlight full upon them, Caspian made another discovery. They were not wearing helms, just dark hoods. As he felt Destrier begin to climb up the other side of the stream, Caspian shot another glance back, and knew for certain that his followers were not Telmarines.

{Section Break}

"Scrub, let go of me!" The scrawny Hobbit pulled out of Eustace's grasp as they cantered along through the woods. "The Dragon's gone. Listen. It's all music and party-sounds going on now."

Eustace came to standstill, his heart pounding in his chest. Dragons meant Sauron. Listening to Gandalf's accounts of the growing shadow from Mordor had made him come to realize what part he had played in Sauron's evil plot. Seeing the firework that Gandalf had meant to be his grand finale to his show – though Eustace did not know about this yet – had frightened him to his wit's end.

"Come on, Scrub, let's go back!" Jill turned away from him, making her way toward the party through the trees. "Fine! Stay here all by your lonesome!"

A dog suddenly began barking and whining, scaring both Hobbit and Human. Eustace was the first to somewhat recover, being less frightened of dogs than Dragons. "It's just a dog, you ninny," he said nervously but hoped the Halfling would not realize how scared he still was.

The two moved through the trees to where they could see a Hobbit Hole on the outskirts of town. A male Hobbit, evidently one of the very few to not be invited to Bilbo's birthday party, had been out in his yard chopping wood, but had since turned his attention to a figure on a black horse, whom his dog was barking at.

"Shire," the rider hissed in a voice that made the woodman-Hobbit back away from it, toward his round door. Instinctively, Eustace and Jill dropped to their knees behind some shrubs that bordered the road. "Baggins."

"Bagginses are all up at the party," the Hobbit confessed, before ducking into his house. At once, the rider was off, leaving the Hobbit and Eustace and Jill trembling where they hid.

"What was that thing?" Jill asked, shaking as she got to her feet. "Is that one of Mr. Baggins' surprises? If so, I'll think I'll skip on seeing the rest."

Eustace shook his head. "I don't know what that was, but I think he's more likely to crash the party than improve it. OH!" The Human hauled Jill down as four other riders went by to join the first one. "I think we need to go and warn Bilbo!"

Scrambling to their feet and willing their bodies to move, the two began to propel through the midnight woods. They had not gone far when another person on horseback came up the road. The moonlight shone on the white steed that bore the green clad figure on its back, her long, brown hair blown back in the wind. Eustace was without doubt that this was an Elf. He quickly revealed himself by coming onto the path. She reined in her mount and looked down on the boy.

"Are you after riders dressed in black?" he asked her quickly.

"Yes, I have been following five Wraiths. Where the other four are, I do not know," she replied in a husky voice as though she were out of breath. "Where have the five gone?"

"To the party in the meadow," Eustace instructed. "Ride quickly, please!"

{Section Break}

"Calm yourself, Frodo!" Bilbo ordered, as he and Gandalf tried to comprehend what the young Hobbit was trying to convey.

Gandalf frowned. "People don't just disappear into thin air."

Bilbo looked up, mulling over that statement. "Actually, yes, yes they can."

The Istari raised an eyebrow. "Well, at any rate, what magical device could the Pevensies have had?" Or what device had been used on them? Gandalf was really as worried as Frodo, but he was able to mask it. Unless Aslan had called upon the Four and Sigrid to return to Narnia, the only other option was that Sauron had learned of their location and spirited them away to end the Prophecy.

Suddenly, there was a screech from the direction of the East-Farthing, and all of the merrymakers ended their singing and dancing to listen as the sound rode again on the wind.

"Ringwraiths!" the Wizard uttered under his breath. "So, Sauron has found them out! …Gollum…"

Just then, the five Black Riders broke the cover of the forest and thundered up the cart-road toward the festivity. Hobbits screamed and scrambled in every direction to get away. Gandalf caught Frodo by the shoulder.

"Get Bilbo, and get you two away from here. Get to the village of Bree."

"What about you?"

"I'll be waiting for you there at the inn called The Prancing Pony. Now, go!" With that, Gandalf shoved the Halfling in the direction of his cousin and the Wizard turned his attention to the intruders, hauling forth his staff and aiming it at the Wraiths.

{Section Break}

Whether the Tree-Spirit had something against the Telmarine or Caspian had simply not seen the low-hanging branch when he had chosen his course, he did not know, nor did it matter now as the Prince fell from the back of his horse. The wind was knocked from him as he crashed upon the ground, only to be dragged through the leaf litter at a terrific pace. With head throbbing and back aching, Caspian struggled to loosen his foot from where his spur was caught in the stirrup. At last, he freed himself, and he was able to lie on the ground, trying to breathe properly again. Destrier was gone from sight before his bearings returned to him, and before the hiss of the Black Riders' voices had reached him.

The fell creatures pursuing him came into sight through the trees, and Caspian, fighting against a pain that wracked his entire body, struggled to a sitting position. He knew there was no way he would be able to battle the advancing horde, good swordsman though he was.

Just then, he noticed the horn and the tiny package were lying on the ground, not far away. Apparently, the horn had been wrenched from his belt and the cloth-wrapped item had been thrown from his pocket during his mishap. The horn belonging to the Queen of Old had become his prized possession, (which had been the good Doctor's intent to steer Caspian clear of the other object he carried), but knowing that the hidden item must not fall to enemy hands, Caspian darted for it instead.

The cloth fell away in his hand, revealing a golden ring, glinting in the moonlight. Forgetting the professor's warning, Caspian slid it onto his finger. All at once, the forest became fuzzy around him, and the pursuers, dismounting from their steeds, were no longer wearing the heavy black hoods. What Caspian saw coming toward him were white figures, clad in the clothes of monarchs, each with a crown upon his brow. The one that came at the lead, bearing a sword, had a face Caspian recognized from a painting he had looked at every day of his life, listening to palace staff comment on how much the Prince resembled the father, Caspian the Ninth, pictured there.

"Father?" he gasped, a part of him thinking maybe he was safe, while another part of him was shouting for him to get up and run.

Caspian barely saw the strike, but he felt the pain as the apparition of his father drove the blade into the Telmarine's shoulder. Caspian threw back his head, screaming at the top of his lungs. In the same movement, he yanked the Ring from his finger so that the forest changed back to dark around him and the figure leering over him was once more a scary, robed Rider.

In the blink of an eye, Caspian saw that five newcomers had joined the Ringwraiths. One was a Man, holding a torch that he hit one of the Riders with, catching the hood on fire. With a screech, the apparition drew away from the Prince. The rest were three midgets and a Badger, with two of them drawing blades to swipe at the Riders' legs. The third midget – Caspian suspected he was a Dwarf – came toward the Telmarine. Fearful of everything that was happening, Caspian did not know if the Narnian meant to aid or harm him. His eyes fell on Susan's horn.

"No," the Dwarf cautioned, guessing Caspian's intent, but the Human had already lurched forward and brought the instrument to his lips. With a backhanded swipe, the Black Dwarf struck Caspian, knocking him senseless momentarily.

Within a moment, the Riders had fled, screaming like banshees, all on fire. The Man came over to where Caspian lay. "Nikabrik, let me see that sword," he demanded of the Dwarf. He frowned as he accepted the weapon that Caspian had been stabbed with, only to have it deteriorate in his hand. "A Morgal blade. I know of a cure from the Elves, but I will need Athelas plants."

A Red Dwarf wrinkled his brow. "Never heard of it."

There were two Black Dwarves, and the one who not been referred to as Nikabrik, spoke up, withdrawing a pouch from his belt. "Never leave home without some, ever since my wife used it on me in Lake-town."

The Man, with the Dwarves' help, hauled the semi-conscious Caspian into the Badger's burrow, which was spacious enough to accommodate all of them. Quickly, the Man began making a poultice from the plants Kili handed him. The Red Dwarf, whose name was Trumpkin, crinkled his brow as he watched the Man work.

"Kingsfoil? Well, that's just a weed."

Meanwhile, the Badger had been talking with Caspian, trying to decipher the garbled words the Telmarine was saying before Caspian passed out stone cold on the bed. "I think you hit him a bit too hard," the Talking Beast aimed at Nikabrik.

"He's a Telmarine; I only wish I had hit him harder. We should have killed him when we had the chance."

"After Strider has begun to tend to him? It would be like murdering a guest," the Badger rebuked.

Kili pried the horn from Caspian's hand. "Do you know what this is?" he exclaimed, wide-eyed. "This is Queen Susan's horn!"

"Just another thing the Telmarines have stolen from us," Nikabrik grumbled.

"They say that help will come to whomever blows this horn," Kili remembered, "and it has since been rumored that it might be able to summon back the Pevensies!"

"I didn't see any Royals in the woods just now, did you?" questioned the Narnian Black Dwarf, resuming his seat next to the roaring blaze that he had had to abandon when the friends heard the ruckus outside.

"Maybe they wouldn't come right to where the horn was blown," Kili thought. "Maybe they would arrive where they disappeared from, which would be Cair Paravel."

"That would be the worst place they could wind up," the Badger, who was Trufflehunter, gasped. "If what this Telmarine says is true, his uncle, the Lord Miraz himself, means to kill him because Miraz now has an heir of his own. He'll try to kill the Kings and Queens of Old should they turn up on his doorstep."

Nikabrik looked doubtful at the Talking Beast. "You got all that out of him?"

Trumpkin stomped toward the door. "I may not believe in magical horns, but I would like something to happen that could change our situation. We Narnians have lived under the oppression of Telmarines far too long. I'm going to Cair Paravel to search for these Royals; and if I don't find them, I can at least learn the truth behind this 'un. We might be able to use him to our advantage if he's who he claims to be."

"You'll be captured if you go near that castle," Trufflehunter warned, but Trumpkin had already departed.

"There's also the lamppost," Kili remarked, thinking back very hard. "I think Old Tumnus told me it was there that he first met Lucy. Maybe they'll show up there again." And with that, Kili was off on the hunt.

Trufflehunter moved Susan's horn to the table in his kitchen, grumbling to himself. "I might as well make some stew."