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The Return

Chapter 3. What Horn?

Edmund's POV

It turned out the noise was a dwarf. Peter had dove after him when two men threw him off the boat the were in.

I swam for the boat. I knew we would need it if we were to go anywhere. I scrambled back onto the land and tied the boat to land before going back over to the other's. By the time I got there Lucy had untied the dwarf and he was yelling at Susan. I payed attention to none of it. As I had said to Lucy, my life had more pain than anything else. Sure I'd have good moments, but it seemed like pain overtook most of it.

When I heard Peter sign me up for a fight I groaned inside myself. But I pulled my sword anyway, and readied myself. I sighed as the dwarf took Peter's sword.

"Here goes nothing." I thought dryly.

The dwarf swung first, and I blocked, but he was able to give me a pop across the cheek with the flat side of the sword. I rubbed it and shook it off. Wonderful, more pain. Just what I need!

But when they dwarf dove to make another move, I moved out of the way and was able to give him a pop on the rear with the flat side of my sword. I couldn't help but smile when Lucy giggled.

I looked over at Peter as the dwarf paused for a moment. Peter nodded his head and I turned my attention back to the dwarf. And before I knew it, it had turned into real sword-fighting. Something inside me rose as another familiar part of my life came back to me. And I remembered a certain technique, and was able to disable the dwarf. I pointed my sword down at him, as I breathed heavy.

"Beards and bedsticks!" he exclaimed "Maybe that horn worked after all."

I looked over at Lucy who's eyes went wide.

"What horn?" Susan asked.

"Well, your horn of course." the dwarf replied.

"Well, I understand that, but who has it?" Susan asked patiently.

"With Caspian." the dwarf replied.

"Who?" Peter asked raising an eyebrow.

"Caspian, the Prince of Narnia." the dwarf said.

"We still don't know who your talking about." Susan said.

"Well, that's probably because you haven't been around for over a thousand years." the dwarf said.

"Yeah, that might explain it. It's either that or some boy lived over a thousand years."I said sarcastically.

The dwarf glared at me and Lucy giggled.

"Well, are you going to take us to this boy, or not?" Peter asked.

"Yes, yes, yes. Of course." the dwarf replied.

"Good, and I'm pretty sure you can figure out who we are." Susan said.

"Yes, you would be Queen Susan, that would be Queen Lucy, and that one would be King Edmund." the dwarf said.

"So you never heard of Queen Alex?" I asked, confused he didn't ask of her.

"Heard of her, I've met her." the dwarf replied.

My heart rose. "Really?" I asked "Where is she?"

"She showed up a few weeks ago. She's been helping around the house, and staying with us." he replied.

"And the baby?" I asked.

"I'm not going to lie, she's having incredibly bad pains." he said shaking his head. I could see the sadness in his eyes, so he had obviously become close to her. Of course though, Alex was like Lucy, she could make friends with anyone. Wait a second...

"Pains?" I asked.

"Yes, she's having a difficult pregnancy." the dwarf said.

"Pregnancy?! It's been a bloody year! She couldn't have been pregnant that long!" I exclaimed.

He backed up a bit. "I don't know, I only know she said the baby's yours, and she's been hurting... badly." the dwarf replied.

"Has there been any blood?" Lucy asked.

"None." the dwarf replied.

"Well then, the baby should be safe, but I do worry about Alex." she said.

"What would blood have to do with anything?" I asked.

"Miscarriage." she replied.

I shook at the word. "Well, if she's with Caspian, take us to them." I said.

The dwarf nodded. Not too long after that, thanks to my urges, we left.

Alex's POV

"So what are we doing again?" I asked.

"Trying to find the other Narnians. We've got to get them on his side before anything else happens." Trufflehunter replied.

I nodded and walked along, careful where I stepped in case a mouse, squirrel, or some other small Narnian were there. "Though the minotaurs seem as though they'll be the hardest to convince." Trufflehunter said. I nodded.

"Minotaurs. They are real?" Caspian asked.

"Not to mention big... huge." Nikabrik said.

I thumped him again, making him snarl at me. Caspian's eyes were wide.

"Their big yes, but their loyal to the one's they serve." I said reassuringly.

"And with Queen Alex, they should believe you quicker." Trufflehunter said.

"They've already taken to me, even the minotaurs. So it shouldn't take much convincing to show you are a true Narnian." I said.

"So they've accepted you as their queen once more?" he said starting to walk again.

I nodded. "All but one." I said looking over at Nikabrik who growled.

"I don't trust you as far as I could throw you!" he growled.

"Likewise." I said "Even though I could probably throw you pretty far." I mumbled.

"I heard that!" Nikabrik snapped.

"Like I care!" I replied.

Trufflehunter started sniffing the air. "Humans." he stated.

"Them." Nikabrik said with a dry look.

"No... them." he said pointing at a bunch of Telmarine's with crossbows.

"Run!" Caspian yelled, snapping me out of my transe-like state.

I turned around and started running no longer watching where I put my feet. My cloak got snagged on a branch, pulling me back. I gasped and pulled it free from the branch. Caspian, having been behind me, helped me up and we started running once more. Arrows started whizzing around us and Trufflehunter got shot.

"NO!" I screamed running to his side.

"Go, your more important." he said.

"Oh don't give me that." I said, pulling the arrow from him, making him give a slight cry. Caspian put him over his shoulder and we started running again.

"We can't out-run them." I said.

Caspian stopped and handed Trufflehunter to Nikabrik. Nikabrik looked over at me and for once concern for me flashed threw his eyes. "Be careful." he said.

I nodded and pulled out my bow, stringing it quickly. I pulled an arrow and fit it on the string. Caspian now had his sword out.

"Get ready!" I said pulling the string to my ear. I knew this was going to be, more or less, a battle. And I was going to treat it as such. And concidering this boy didn't have much of an idea of how to call out order's, it was clear on his face, I would have to, even if it was only the two of us.

"How many times have you had to do something like this?" he asked.

I let the arrow go, striking the first man. "Once or twice..." I replied, letting another arrow fly "Or maybe three times." I joked.

I heard him snort, but then I focused on the matter at hand. Soon the men started falling without me doing anything. "Run while you can!" I ordered.

But like an idiot I tripped over a branch. Caspian bent down to help but the rustle in the grass started coming towards us and we both froze.

A few seconds later Caspian fell backwards and on his chest stood Reepicheep. "Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine" he said.

"You... you are a mouse." Caspian stuttered.

"I was hoping for something a little more original." Reepicheep sighed.

"Reepicheep." I scolded "Get off of him."

Reepicheep looked over at me. "I'm sorry your majesty, I thought he was attacking you." he said.

"Oh no, he was helping me. I tripped." I replied.

"Oh, well are you alright?" he asked.

"Perfectly fine. But we must go check on Trufflehunter. He was shot." I said.

Reepicheep gasped. "Oh dear. We must check on him." Reepicheep said putting his sword up.

I reached down and helped Caspian up. "Least I could do." I mumbled before running back to the cottage.

Trufflehunter seemed to be doing ok, but not 100%. I kneeled next to him, seeing he was in pain. I looked closer at the wound and winced. I walked into the kitchen and quickly got a bowl of water and rags. I cleaned the wound as best as I could. Luckily the bleeding had stopped.

"Well, will he live?" Nikabrik asked.

I sighed, stood up, walked over to him, and put my hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to lie, it's pretty bad. He'll be in pain for a while, but other than that, he should be fine." I said with a slight smile. For the first time I think I saw him smile.

"Thank you." he said gruffly.

I nodded and looked back over at Trufflehunter. "Get some rest now. That should be best." I said.

He nodded and started falling asleep. I looked over at Caspian. "When do you wish to speak to the Narnians?" I asked.

"As soon as possible." he replied.

"Tonight it shall be then." I said walking from the cabin.

I found Reepicheep. "Tell every Narnian to meet at the Dancing Lawn tonight as soon as the sun sets." I said. He nodded and scampered off.

I walked over to the place I had started finding dresses exactly my size. I never knew where they came from, but I just knew they were there, and it would allow me to bath in the creek not to far away and have something fresh to wear. This time I found a navy blue one, and I noticed it matched my cloak. I walked to where I usually bathed, and did it quickly as I noticed it was getting late. I ran back to the cottage, raked a brush through my hair, and pulled my cloak on. Trufflehunter was now awake and wanted to go. I looked him over and he seemed fine, so I agreed. And with that said and done, we set out.

As soon as the Narnians saw why we were here they began shouting out curses, and yelling. It wasn't at me though, it was directed at Caspian. He looked towards me for advice. I could tell he wasn't comfortable in the spotlight, especially like this.

"Keep strong, show them you deserve to be their king. They won't respect you if you back down now." I said.

He nodded his head, but before he could speak the Narnians got louder and he looked around.

"All that that horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!" Nikabrik yelled pointing at Susan's horn.

"I didn't steal anything." Caspian said, glaring at Nikarbik.

"Didn't steal anything. Shall we list the things the Telmarines have stolen from us?" a minotaur bellowed.

"Our homes!" a female centaur shouted.

"Our freedom!" a faun shouted.

"Our lives!" another shouted.

"And you would hold me accountable for the crimes of my people?" Caspian asked, looking around the crowd.

"Accountable, and punishable." Nikabrik said walking up.

I stepped between him and Caspian, glarring at him. "Don't even." I growled. He wouldn't dare cross path's with me.

"Some of you may have forgotten, but we badger's remember well, that Narnia was never right, unless a son of adam was king." Trufflehunter said.

"Or a daughter of eve was queen!" a young filly called out.

I smiled at her.

"He's a Telmarine, why would we want him as our King?!" Nikabrik exclaimed.

"Because I can help you." Caspian replied. I looked over at him. "Beyond these woods I am a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it and I can bring peace between us." he said glancing around.

"It is true." Wimbleweather said stepping up "The time is right. I watch the sky's. And now here, a son of adam, with the help of a daughter of eve, have come to offer us back our freedom."

I nodded my thanks.

"Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of dwarfs or centaurs, yet here you are. In strength and numbers that us Telmarines never could have imagined. Whether this horn..." he said raising Susan's horn "... is magical or not. It wields us all together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours."

"Then if you will lead us, me and my sons" Wimbleweather said before pulling his sword "offer you our swords." His sons soon followed, and then all the Narnians, from the faun, to the centaurs, to the minotaurs, to the other dwarfs and all the others.

I smiled and looked up at Caspian. He looked down at me, as if asking my approval.

I nodded my head. "You will make a great king." I said bowing my head, then I looked back up at him "And as their swords are to you, as is my bow."

"Thank you, for everything." he replied.

I nodded my head.

"Your bow is his, to an extent." Trufflehunter said, placing his paw on my stomach. I chuckled.

"Then let us celebrate!" one of the fauns called.

"Let us list the reasoning's for that!" another called.

"New-found freedom!" one called.

"One of our queens have returned to us!" another called.

"With news of a soon to be child!" a third called.

I put my hand on my stomach, my mind blocking out all other cheers. One of the reasons we're celebrating is the news of my pregnancy. Edmund should be here. He is the father after all. But at least I'm surrounded by my loyal friends, ally's, and fellow warrior's, even though I'll be restricted in the battle that is to come.

"Are you alright?" Caspian asked.

I looked up at him and nodded my head. "Just thinking." I replied.

He smiled and looked around. "You were right when you said the Narnians were loyal." he said.

"I should know, I was one of their queens for about 12 years." I replied.

He chuckled. "You would know wouldn't you?"

I nodded.

And after that the festivities began. It was wonderful! I hadn't had this much fun since the last time I had come to The Dancing Lawn. I think I danced with every single faun there. Then there was Caspian. And Trufflehunter insisted I dance with him, even though there was a height distance. Nikabrik sat most everything out, but I was able to convince him into one dance. Apparently I'm very persuasive.

On our way home, somewhere around 6 in the morning, all 4 of us were laughing like crazy, including Nikabrik. Although out of the four of us, he had had the most wine. I barely had any, same with Caspian, and Trufflehunter stuck to water most of the night, but Nikabrik got into a drinking competition.

Half-way home the familiar pain in my stomach came again. I clutched it, and closed my eyes, praying for it to stop, but it didn't. But it had to stop. We had to get home and rest before we had to meet back up at the Dancing Lawn to go to Aslan's How. But not to long after the pain began, my knee's buckled, but Caspian was already right there, so he caught me. And before I knew what was happening, I had blacked out completely.