Eliza ducked to avoid the low entrance to the hollow tree, gazing around in curiosity and slight wonder.

Caspian, who was facing her with a smile, spread his arms wide, casting his gaze around the wide room within the tree.

"Welcome to the revolution," he joked, winking. Eliza averted her eyes but smiled slightly.

"It's lovely," she told him honestly, settling down onto a small cot that sat in the corner. "Very cozy."

Before Caspian could form a reply, a black and white badger crashed in from some stairs that ascended from below the tree. The badger was having a heated argument with a stern looking dwarf, and didn't seem to notice the arrival of the two humans.

"-absolutely atrocious," he was snapping, teeth bared as his beady black eyes focused on the dwarf. "We don't have the numbers, Nikabrik, you know this!"

The dwarf, Nikabrik, scoffed. "We will never have the numbers of we continue to let them kill us off without a fight, Trufflehunter," he roared in a gruff voice. "We have to fight back!"

Caspian cleared his throat, alerting the dwarf and badger of his and Eliza's presence in the hollow tree. Trufflehunter turned and cocked his head at the sight of Eliza standing beside Caspian, looking awkward.

"Who's this?" Nikabrik asked harshly before Trufflehunter could say anything. "What is this human doing here? What if she's a spy? Have you gone mad, you Telmarine?!" Trufflehunter pushed Nikabrik back as the dwarf took a threatening step forward, a hand on the sword at his hip.

"Stand down," the badger assured his comrade, black eyes stuck on Eliza. "Look at her face, Nikabrik, and tell me you truly believe her to be a spy of the Telmarines."

Nikabrik scoffed but studied Eliza closely, eyes filled with suppressed anger and defiance. Eliza returned the glare with a lift of her chin and a steady stare in return, like her Peter had taught her. Don't let them know that you're scared out of your wits, she heard him remind her. You're strong and courageous; there's no room for fear.

Slowly, realization dawned on Nikabrik's face, and he dropped into a kneel in an instant. "My Lady Guardian!" the dwarf croaked roughly, avoiding Eliza's gaze. "A thousand pardons, I didn't-that is, I didn't realize-."

"Calm down," Eliza assured him casually, smiling slightly. "You didn't know. It is my first time here after all; I didn't expect you to know who I was anyway." Nikabrik's head snapped up, his dark eyes meeting Eliza's warm ones, and the dwarf grunted.

"Nonetheless, I apologize, my Lady," he muttered, standing and brushing off his breeches. "It's been almost 100 years since the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve disappeared. I have only seen paintings and heard rumors."

"100 years..." Eliza murmured, still slightly boggled by this information. The pain and confusion she felt, however, was nothing compared to that of her brothers and sisters. Suddenly, she felt terrible for leaving them behind. What kind of guardian was she?

"I'm sorry...gentlemen," Eliza announced hesitantly. "But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to leave you. I have to find my family."

She made for the exit, but was startled by Caspian's tall form coming between herself and the way out. "You need to help us," he pleaded. "We are nothing without at least one member of the royal family on our side. Please?"

Eliza stared at him for a moment, face expressionless. "You don't get it," she whispered furiously. "I'm not royalty. I'm merely their Guardian. I'm nothing close to my siblings. With me, you gain nothing: no allies. I've never been here in my life; the Narnians don't know me by face. They will not stand by me. Now, if you had brought my brother Peter, or even my younger sister Lucy, you'd have a better chance of gaining allies." She held Capsian's brown gaze steadily. She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she murmured, taking a step back. "I don't think I will be of any use to you."

Her eyes dropped to the ground at this last, her hands wringing together before her. Caspian studied Eliza carefully with his piercing brown eyes. "I don't believe I caught your name," he said kindly, carefully ignoring her short speech. Eliza's head snapped up suddenly, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Elizabeth," she answered automatically as one hand shifted to her sword. "Elizabeth Pevensie. My family calls me Eliza."

Caspian nodded thoughtfully. "Well Elizabeth," he continued carefully. "I don't think that having you on our side will be useless. In fact, I believe you and your sword could be more than valuable to us. You're a superb fighter, and you want the same thing we do: freedom. With you by our side, we can easily convince the rest of the royal family to join us in our fight. You can help us achieve so much, Elizabeth. You just have to believe in yourself just as much as I-er, WE believe in you."

Eliza smiled slightly at Caspian dropped his gaze in embarrassment. He was cute, she concluded, and determined to win. Her mind began to whirl with his kind words and her own doubts. Could she really help ban together the Narnians and take back her sibling's beloved kingdom?

"What is your plan, Telmarine?" she asked suddenly. Caspian's head shot up at her words, a wide grin appearing on his face.

"Why don't you come sit down and find out, Lady Guardian?" he teased. Eliza couldn't help but smile as he gestured to the table at the center of the tree home with a flourishing hand. "Don't mind if I do," she responded, dipping into a mocking curtsy before walking across the small room and placing herself at a seat on the table.

And so the badger, dwarf, Telmarine and Guardian planned through the night.