Chapter 5 The Dwarf's Story
"It all starts in Narnia, but not where the Talking Beasts, as you humans say, dwell, but where an evil and cruel want-to-be king, Miraz rules, past the wood and mountains and everything past the mountains to the very sea, but still in Narnia. Miraz, the brother of King Caspian the Ninth, be rid himself of his noble brother, so says his son, King Caspian the Tenth, and all loyal to the true king vanished quickly after.
"Many years ago, probably as long ago as you," he gestured towards Peter, "were born, the tenth king of the Telmarines was born but soon after, his parents died. No one dared question how, but many didn't have to. And so, a power driven moron who had no sons, or any children, of his own was left to care for his nephew. Not that he did much caring.
"And that is why Prince Caspian, since that is what he was called then, heard the stories of Old Narnia and the creatures that dwell deep in its very heart."
"Creatures like you?" asked Lucy.
"Um, I don't reckon I'm a creature, but, sure. I guess humans can call us dwarfs that, for now.
"But anyway, Prince Caspian heard the tales of old as a young child and dreamed about it every night, wishing and hoping it was true.
"But Miraz found out that his nephew was being told this, for he feared, if nothing else, the Old Narnian stories, of us, the Knights, Kings and Queens, and Aslan Himself.
"So, Prince Caspian thought he had heard the last of Old Narnia, but as fate would have it, his tutor was none other than a dwarf, well half dwarf. Many pure dwarfs would be very angry, and so was I, but since King Caspian loves him, I'll try my best not to hate him."
"It's not like he had any choice in the matter of his lineage," Edmund said, glaring at the ginger dwarf.
"Yes, well, anyway, his tutor told him many stories in secret and taught him many things. However, what he taught was according to Miraz's liking, but the stories he told his dear prince was nothing of the sort.
"Then, not many weeks ago, Miraz had a son. Since, childless before, he would much rather have someone related sit on the throne than a stranger, but with a son, no one else would do to sit upon the throne than his son, not his nephew. So, he would most assuredly get rid of Prince Caspian.
"His tutor knew of the crazed king's, for he had crowned himself King of Narnia," and the dwarf spat on the ground, a disgusted face greatly distinguished, "new born son, and knew of why Prince Caspian was an orphaned boy. He hastily woke up his prince, told him instructions on how to find us, Old Narnains, and gave him two gifs. One was a small pouch of gold, but the other was far greater than any gold could buy, the horn of Queen Susan."
"That's where your horn is!" Lucy squealed, clapping her hands.
"Too bad he didn't find my tomahawk," muttered Ron.
"Get off it," Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"Anyway," started up the dwarf again, glaring at the two boys, "He gave Prince Caspian those two gifs, and then sent him off. The prince rode along for a while, deep into Narnia, in fact, almost to Archenland. But then his horse got spooked and took off in a mad run that eventually nearly killed Prince Caspian."
"Is he alright?" asked Lucy?
"Of course he is!"
"Stop interrupting," scowled Edmund.
"And that is how I, Trumpkin, and my two friends, Nikabrik and Trufflehunter came to know him."
"I nearly forgot how weird Narnian names could be," chuckled Ron. Draco nodded, his face sporting a wide grin.
"Your names are quite odd, if I may say so myself!" retorted Trumpkin, the dwarf. "Peter, Susan, and the other names of the humans that used to rule Narnia, very strange indeed."
"He didn't mean anything by it," apologized Hermione, a death glare boring into Ron.
"Do you want me to finish this story or not?" demanded Trumpkin, trying to calm his temper.
"Yes!" came Peter and Harry at once.
"Than do be quiet, please.
"Nikabrik didn't want the human to live for fear he would either kill us or betray us. Trufflehunter disagreed and so did I once we had treated him as a guest. Only the worst of varmint would kill a guest.
"So, we took care of him. Once we learned his story, Trufflehunter became ecstatic, wanting him to be our king, the King of Narnia. Nikabrik didn't like the idea. In fact, it took a bit for me to warm up to the idea myself, but Trufflehunter is right. Narnia was never right unless a Son of Adam sat upon the throne.
"Of course we couldn't keep the news to ourselves, could we? No! So for the next few days we, along with Prince Caspian, went around Old Narnia and told of the great news. Many were very excited, and willing him to be king at once, but others, like me, had to warm up to the idea. We don't want something to be king unless it has the making of one."
"But, he was going to be king anyway, if Miraz hadn't had a son," butted in Ron.
"Yeah, so obviously," added Edmund, "he had the makings of a king."
"Anyone can be born into the line of kings, but blood does not make you one, like in Miraz's case."
"Then what?" asked Pansy.
"Then, once everyone had agreed that he would become our king, we needed to figure out how. We can't have a king in hiding all our lives. How kingly would that be? The Cowardly King? Ha!
"So, we held a meeting at Dancing Lawn. However, just as we had decided that the meeting should come before the banquet, and just as King Caspian was about to give his speech, we smelled something, well, the beasts did anyway."
"What was it?" Ron asked, not being able to stop himself. He looked apologetically at the dwarf.
"It was none other than King Caspian's, by now many had started calling Caspian the King of Narnia, tutor! He had found us by his feeble magic and had also come with a warning. Miraz had found out that his nephew had fled and his wrath had forced his soldiers into the wood, into Old Narnia! For no matter how much they feared the stories, they feared their king much more.
"So, we all went to the best place to go, Aslan's How, the most magical of all places."
"I don't remember there being an Aslan's How," stated Peter.
"You don't seem to know much, now do you? Ever since the stories of the resurrection of Aslan, there has been an Aslan's How. In fact, it is a cave; well most of it is anyway. And on the walls are pictures of lions.
"So, there we went, to Aslan's How, and there did Miraz's army follow us. We had little choice but to wage battles, but only battles. We have nothing great enough for a war. But no matter how hard we tried or how perfect our tactics were, or how organized our battle plans had been drawn up, we were always on the losing end.
"So, King Caspian's tutor told him that there was no better time to use one of his gifts. He was to blow Queen Susan's horn, for legend says that if you blow of that horn, strange help will come. But you are to only blow it in your greatest need.
"We all agreed it was necessary, even though Nikabrik and I didn't believe in any of the old stories. Before he blew it, King Caspian sent two of us out to seek this strange help. He sent one to Lantern Waste, where it is said that the first kings and queens of Narnia first found Narnia, and he sent me to Cair Paravel, where Aslan would likely be, since he is the Emperor across the Sea and all.
"Well, for being foolish and trying a shortcut, I got caught. Luckily the ones who caught me brought me to their just as foolish ruler, under Miraz of course. This foolish ruler decided, instead of stabbing me right then and there like a sensible man would, he wanted me to be left to the ghosts instead.
"That's why I was in a boat about to be drowned," but just before Ron could say anything, Trumpkin cried, "but I would have thought of something!"
"Sure you would," mumbled Ron under his breath. "Sure you would."
A prince forced to flee for his life, a tutor who is half human half dwarf, and a story about "Old Narnia"? How does this bring the children back and what are they to do if Narnia and/or Old Narnia already have a king?
Find out when the next chapter appears: Stories, Duels, and Nicknames
Courtesy of both C. S. Lewis and JKR