Well, hopefully you're all happy you get this in good time :) Only a one month delay this time, though the chapter is a bit on the short side :)

Deal by Dagger

Corin almost felt bad for his attacker. They probably thought they'd got themselves an unworldly noble, foolish enough to wander around the countryside by themselves. Unfortunately for them, this noble was packing a lot of muscle under his cloak and years of training.

Corin spun out, dodging the dagger as it thrust towards him and gripped his attacker's arm. They grunted and kicked him in the shins, but he got their hand behind their back and pressed it as far into their cloak as possible – wait, he recognised that cloak. The person in the corner of the tavern.

The momentary distraction was enough for the cloaked figure to wriggle out of his grip, but he caught their other arm, as a foot hooked around his ankle.

Aslan, he thought as his legs toppled beneath him. But he kept hold of his attacker, dragging them down with him. The mud squelched when he hit it. Cor would be so mad if he saw all the grime on Corin's cloak.

"Let go," grunted the attacker, flailing as they hit the mud sideways.

Not while Corin was in such a compromised position. He grabbed the attacker's wrist and ripped the dagger out of their hand. The cry that accompanied the movement was high-pitched.

Corin frowned and looked at his attacker, properly looked. Their hood had fallen down and although they had short dark hair like a boy, their face was unmistakably feminine.

"You're a girl," he said.

And she punched him in the face. Corin dropped her wrist. Warm liquid dripped down from his nose, coating his upper lip. He expected her to get up and run away, now that she'd freed herself from his grip, but she lay in the mud and studied his face.

"I'm not giving you the money," he said bluntly. "So you can run away or we can keep fighting. I recommend the former."

She frowned, but didn't get up. Instead, she touched his forehead with her hand and brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes. Corin's hand whipped up to catch hers.

"What are you doing?"

If this girl was in the business of violently relieving nobles of their money, he was surprised she'd lasted this long. He was lying in the mud, clutching his nose, but he still had her dagger. A smart attacker would have scarpered by now.

"By the lion," she whispered.

Corin gave her a sideways glance.

"Seriously," he said. "Now is the part where you run away."

She smirked.

"I don't think so."

"You want to keep fighting," said Corin, propping himself up, with his elbow.

She wasn't even in a fighting position and he was beginning to think she wasn't very bright.

"No," she said. "I want you to give me your money."

He snorted and held the dagger towards her throat.

"Try me."

She bristled, but didn't move away.

"I know who you are," she said.

Corin reached for his fringe to cover his face again and she raised an eyebrow. Maybe she did know, maybe she didn't. Why would knowing who he was make her more likely to extract his money? His thoughts jumped to his brother.

Corin should have taken his horse from the stable. Though the girl could be bluffing. She seemed like a chancer.

"Who?" he said, not wanting to give himself away.

"You're the prince, aren't you?"

Corin bit his lip, coated in blood and tasted iron.

"What if I am?" he said. "Why do you think that means you can take my money?"

"Why are you out here, on your own?" she said. "A prince doesn't normally have to buy horses from a farmer, does he? Which one are you, anyway?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" said Corin.

"You're Corin," she guessed, eyeing his chest, where the contours of his muscles were visible beneath his shirt. Cor had never been much of a fighter. "The castle is looking for you, do you know that?"

"I have an idea," he said.

"Maybe if you give me some of those coins with your pretty face on them, I won't tell anyone I ran into you."

"Ah, but what will you do if they find me?" he said. "And I tell them you attacked me. That's treason."

Her eyes darted over his face, then at the farmland behind him. She hadn't thought of that. Corin gave her his best self-satisfied smirk and her jaw muscle twitched. She eyed the blade, and shifted backwards slightly, so that the dagger wasn't so close to her skin.

"Alright," she said. "Have it your way, prince Corin."

She moved back again, just an inch, watching him closely. His chest twinged – did she really think he would stab her?

She shifted again and when she was far enough away, she scrambled to her feet.

"You know, if you're heading to Narnia, you may want to watch yourself."

"Excuse me?" said Corin.

"That's what you said to the horse, isn't it?" she said. "That you're off to Narnia."

"Why would I have to watch myself?" he said, getting up himself. His nose had stopped bleeding, but his cloak was heavy with mud.

"Oh, you know," she said. "The snow is pretty heavy in the mountains right now. The main paths are impassable. You might want to get yourself a guide, someone who knows the mountains if you want to make it to Narnia safely."

Corin laughed.

"And I suppose," he said. "You happen to be able to fill such a role."

She stepped closer.

"Listen, prince," she said. "You may have a way with fights, but a mountain in the grip of snow is another beast. I'd be willing to help you, for a small fee."

"Why should I trust you?" he said.

She shrugged, but her facial features twitched. Whatever her reasons, she really wanted the money. Far more than he needed a guide. Her persistence was admirable, but he wasn't stupid.

"Don't trust me then," she said. "Take your chances with the snow." Shoulders drooping, she turned to leave, then spun back. "Can I have my dagger back? I kind of need it."

Corin raised his eyebrows at her and she winced. It was downright cheeky to ask the person you assaulted to return the weapon you assaulted them with, but he liked her guts.

"Alright," he said. "Here's how we'll do this. I don't trust you, but I'm willing to accept I might need a guide. If you get us through the mountains unscathed, I'll pay you three gold coins."

"Four," she said. "If I have to put up with seeing your face on them."

Corin grinned.

"Four."

Off to the mountains now :) What do you think of the new character? Also, do you all remember when I said this was going to be a short story? That's so not true. My plan envisions a minimum of 18 chapters, so lots to look forwards to :)