Chapter Thirty-Four: Winter Soldiers
"Sir Knight?"
The voice was small and deep and familiar and with the utmost effort I opened my eyes. My vision was blurred and my head ached beyond telling. I couldn't see anything save for a brown blur. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision.
"Sir Knight? Waken, good sir, if you are able. Pray let us know you are well."
I coughed and drew a deep breath. The air was cold and smelled of pine and water and it burned my lungs. Slowly I lifted my head. I had been face down in the dirt. No wonder I saw nothing but brown. I looked for the source of the voice and spotted the Seelie King standing beside my head. Behind him stood a beautiful red fox - a normal red fox, like Sir Giles - and several of his attendants with their bird and mouse and squirrel steeds. The attendants all pressed their fingertips together to me. I blinked back. The king looked deeply concerned as I got my arms beneath me. I rolled to my side slightly and wiped the pine needles and dirt from my face and hair. I checked to feel that the apple was still tucked away beneath my jerkin, then brought my eyes into focus on the fairy king.
"Majesty," I mumbled, too sore to articulate.
"Have you more injuries than your shoulder and hands?" he asked anxiously, stepping closer. His concern was genuine. "We have treated that wound and our healers await your word to do anything else necessary."
I considered. My hands? What had happened to my hands? I flexed my fingers experimentally. All things considered, they seemed fine, just very red and stiff. "I don't know, my lord," I managed. "I don't think so. Nothing too bad, anyway."
I looked around. It was daytime. The sun shone clear and bright through the trees, a perfect day in late autumn with no sign of mist blocking out the world. The light was too bright for my aching eyes and with a groan I lowered my head to my arm again. My stomach was too empty to rebel, but it certainly wanted to. As for my body, every inch of me hurt, especially my hands and arms and throat where the Unseelie King had attacked and choked me.
"What happened?" I asked.
"A great evil has been driven from our land. You slew the Host of the Air with your kingly steels. My people attacked just as your noble duel ended. We have triumphed over darkness."
I looked at him shrewdly, my tired mind putting the pieces together. "You knew I'd kill him?"
The king bowed, fingertips together. "I hoped, good sir, and I beg your indulgence for my conduct and not acting sooner on your behalf. There was no way my army could defeat both the Lord of Mists and his Host, not with our beloved queen so newly taken from us. Any injury or hurt done you is my fault, but I beg you understand. Using you was not my intent, but I could not squander the opportunity your presence here in the valley gave me."
I really didn't know what to say or think and for a few moments I just lay still. My cape had been dragged over me and it was warm and soft upon my shoulders. My mind turned things over slowly. It wasn't the Seelie King's fault I was here and he had alerted me about the Unseelie. I supposed he was desperate, something I could well understand.
"I knew when I saw you the Lord of Mists would try everything in his power to obtain the Blue steel, and so I gave you what warning I could. I knew by your manners and bearing you would not easily yield to his ilk. Confrontation was inevitable, and my Host laid in wait for our chance."
I nodded, managing a faint smile.
"Our eternal gratitude is yours. Any service we can render, you have but to ask."
"I...I..." I was passing out. I caught myself with my elbows to keep from pitching forward. "I have not eaten since the morning I met you...my lord," I managed breathlessly.
I didn't see him gesture, but several of the attendants ran off. The Seelie King appraoched me, laying his tiny hand on my arm.
"Rest, Sir Knight. Food will be brought."
"Thank you," I whispered, dropping my head.
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They brought me food and weak wine. I wasn't exactly sure what it all was - roasted rabbit, something akin to potatoes, and stewed dried fruits - but it was enough for a light meal that restored and refreshed my poor, aching body. Whatever they had used to treat the cut on my shoulder kept it from being too painful and one of the healers checked it before I moved about. I learned from her that the cold of the Unseelie King had frozen my hands and burned a red weal around my throat and apparently I had quite the colorful collection of bruises. When I could stand again I saw that they had dragged my weapons and my sword belt close beside me. I strapped the belt back on and returned the knife to its sheath, but at the feel of Rhindon's blade in my hand I was overwhelmed and I dropped to one knee, bowing my head in thanksgiving.
"Aslan," I started, but so many thoughts and prayers and reactions whirled through my head I could say nothing. I knew he would understand, and so I let my thoughts rush pell-mell through my head. I would sort them out later. I drew a deep breath and let it escape in a shuddering sigh, then kissed the lion's head as was habit now before standing and sheathing the blade.
The Seelie King was watching and listening with interest. "You spoke of Aslan, and you bear a lion on your kingly steel. You are of Narnia, Land of Endless Winter?"
I smiled, the food making me feel better than I had in ages. "Majesty, I am Peter Pevensie, High King of Narnia. My brother and sisters and I reign, not winter. "
His surprise pleased me for some reason. I suppose it was because his delight was so genuine. He pressed his fingertips together and bowed deeply. "Well met, High King. I am King Tition, sixth of that name."
I bowed back, thinking there was no way I could look anything like a king.
"You have gone a-questing," Tition surmised.
"Yes. I'm returning to Narnia now in order to save my brother."
"Then I shall not hinder you. If you will allow me, I would be honored to escort you to the border of my realm so that we may talk as we go. Supplies will be laid in for you, such as we can provide."
"That would be most welcome and kind, King Tition."
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We talked all the way, mostly about what had brought the Seelie/Unseelie War into being and Tition's plans for peace. He rode his fox and I walked alongside. Lords and attendants and guards on birds and small animals accompanied us, clearing a path. About an hour into the walk we came upon a second meal set up for me - trouts roasted over a fire. It was most welcome and the best fish I had ever eaten. Tition and his troop ate as well, another trout being more than enough to feed them all and the fox.
After three more hours of walking and climbing I saw Phillip waiting on the trail. At his hooves were several bundles of supplies and he had his head bent low as he talked to some of the fairies gathered on a rock. I broke into a trot to meet him, throwing my arms around his neck in a rough hug. He whinnied softly and leaned his head heavily against me, a horse's hug. I laughed to see him for I had missed him terribly these past few days. His constant presence had been a source of more comfort than I realized. Later on he told me that his own journey had been uneventful, just uncomfortable since he couldn't get his tack off and he needed a good roll to scratch his back.
The Seelie had filled him in on my exploits apparently, and he seemed more interested in how I was than what had happened. I introduced him to Tition and the fairy king greeted him warmly. The bundles contained supplied enough for a few days - dried meats and fish and fruits, plus hard bread which I gladly loaded into the saddlebags.
"When summer returns to the land, we must exchange embassages," insisted the Seelie King. "We will build bonds of friendship between our peoples."
"Nothing would please me more, King Tition," I replied. "You and your people will always be welcome in Narnia, and come the summer look for an embassy from Cair Paravel."
He bowed and I pressed my fingertips together as I returned the salute.
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With not a moment to lose, Phillip and I pressed on, trying desperately to stay ahead of the weather and reach the lower, more temperate regions before winter was hard upon us. I rode most of the time now simply because it was faster and my back and legs wouldn't tolerate much walking over the frozen earth. Even with the supplies provided by the Seelie Court, food was a distinct problem. Phillip devoured everything in sight whenever we stopped and I tried a shot at any animal I saw regardless of whether or not I considered it game. Crow wasn't so bad, but I didn't like fox or martin. Still, I ate everything I shot. I couldn't afford not to.
At night we huddled close and almost warm under the blankets. Sometimes, when we were forced to camp in the open, I built two fires for the extra heat and we would lay looking at the stars. Culros dipped low on the horizon now while the Dragon and Helen's Crown, herald of winter, blazed close and bright above us. I told him everything that had happened in the valley, both good and bad, and he was smug with pride that Edmund's gift should serve me so well even if it had been the fulcrum for so much conflict. Discussion of the fairies lead to stories of other fantastic creatures in this world. We talked about the fire-people that were the Stars, wondering what they looked like and if they ate anything and if they could see us as well as we could see them. It was quite silly stuff, but it amused us and kept our minds off of the cold, at least a little.
When we came to the lake where Lasa had enchanted me we paused and planned. Phillip was very nervous and I felt positively ill with dread. His fear of me being within a mile of an open body of water was catching. At least this lake meant we were a month away from Narnia and since the land was familiar we hoped to make better time than when we headed west.
Standing on the edge of the beautiful lake, I looked to the Horse. "If I try to get off you, bite me, kick me, drag me back by brute strength, Phillip, but don't let me near that water."
He stared at me, then said, "Use the reins and tie your hands to me. When we passed here before you were collapsing with fatigue. This way, if you fall asleep, I can keep going."
He was the wisest of Horses, for exactly that happened. Midway around the lake I was seized by a terrible thirst and fatigue, just as I had the first time. He ignored my undignified begging and whining to stop and moved at too fast a pace for me to safely dismount until I dropped into a sleep so deep I slept straight on until the following afternoon. I woke up sprawled across Phillip's neck with a mouthful of soggy mane and my rump far back in the saddle. He had walked all night and all day long, anxious to get me away from still water. I was groggy and useless the whole rest of the day, but another night's sleep restored me and I was able to thank him for saving me from a nasty fate, for I doubt Lasa would have ever released me if she had gotten her claws into me again.
From here the land dropped noticably, the mountains not quite as high as the ones by the Kraken pools or the Winged Horses. We struggled down steep slopes, waterfalls plunging hundreds of feet down just yards away. It had been hard climbing up this way and it was harder getting down, especially with the constant spray chilling us both and coating the land with ice. We passed the Giantish temple, passed the valley marked by mud slides, passed countless valleys and hills. It was only slighlty more temperate than what we had left, for we had not managed to keep ahead of the winter. Still, we found patches of hardy green plants here and there, which Phillip gladly ate, and I even found some last few nettles struggling against the cold. Much as I disliked the stuff, it was a bit of a change from a steady diet of lean meat, though it tasted only slightly better than lichen.
Then, to my dismay, the rains returned. Cold, freezing, biting rain that beat down so hard upon us it was painful. The Great River became swollen and violent, making going harder than ever. For a week and more we endured heavy storms on and off, the weather racing eastwards towards Narnia. Rain and sleet and yet more rain. It made me nervous. We were getting closer to the valley of the Slinn and we needed to find a route around that accursed place. I voiced my concerns to Phillip.
"We will have to circle those mountains, Majesty," he said simply.
"Easier said than done, good my Horse," I replied with a smile.
As it turned out, the option of going around was taken from us.
We were fast approaching the Slinn's home and we paused to rest in the same campsite we had used on the journey west. It was not far off the river. This spot placed us about ten or twelve days out of Narnia and we needed to address our situation.
I sat on a log and stretched out my legs despite the teeming rain. My boots were almost worn through and I had definitely grown a bit despite the dangerous amount of weight I had lost. By now I barely even qualified to be called 'skin and bones.' I was just bones. I ran my fingers through my hair and tied it back again - yes, I had finally succumed to aggrivation. I had just enough hair for a short pony tail and I could not wait to get home and rid myself of it.
Our situation was dire. Despite all my care, there was no food left. My last meal had been consumed this morning. I had found some dried mountain ash berries that I ate greedily as Phillip munched brown grass at my feet. I was down to the last dozen arrows which I badly needed for game, even though we hadn't seen any animals or birds for several days. With a bow string falling prey to humidity, I could hunt neither game nor Slinn, so we had no choice but to go around the valley. How long that would take I couldn't guess, and so we rested and decided on what to do.
"Can we climb the mountain and follow the ridge down to the next valley and pick up the trail, or would it be best to go around the mountain entirely?" I wondered aloud. I paused, listening. I thought I heard distant thunder.
Phillip pondered, chewing. "Over the ridge would be more dangerous and possibly harder, but faster."
"In truth, Phillip, right now I think speed is everything. Not just for Edmund's sake, but for ours. We're both exhausted and underweight and this land doesn't seem to hold hospitality in the same high esteem as Narnia. There's almost nothing to eat our here and I'm afraid I'm going to have to cook lichen for dinner."
He shuddered, having tasted the stuff.
"We'll try the ridge," I decided. "If the Slinn spill over the ridge we'll skirt their territory as best we can."
"As sound a plan as any, King Peter." As he spoke rumble echoed off the mountains, closer this time.
I found myself frowning. That didn't sound quite like thunder. Standing up, I tried to see through the trees. Phillip likewise looked up river, his ears far forward.
"What is that?" he asked.
I shook my head. I could feel the rumble now in the earth and air. It wasn't an earthquake.
"RUN!" I cried, swinging myself up into the saddle. I had time for neither reins nor stirrups, I just clung to him for dear life as he ran for higher ground.
We were too late. A violent, gray-brown wall of water swept down through the floor of the valley with a terrible roar, consuming everything in its path. Born of weeks of rain, the flash flood carried earth and trees and debris in its maw. We tried to escape, racing for the hills, but the ground was uncertain and there was no clear path. I screamed Aslan's name as I felt Phillip stagger. Tons of water raced by us, dragging at his legs. He fell, a Horse's awful, harrowing scream escaping him. I was snatched away by the tumult of icy water and deafening sound as the Great River swallowed us both, dragging us along in its unchecked fury.