Chapter 18: Bring on the Rain
"Princess we have to slow down! The caravan can't keep up!" Ronan shouted to me. "Then they can trail behind!" I snapped back at him and kept Demetrius at a full gallop. Ronan, and the twins galloping behind me as well the knights had their horses while everyone else was walking. "Aria what's going on?" Cor demanded, his horses head at Demetrius's flank. I looked at him. "This has to do with you asking Peter for the sash back isn't it?" Corin demanded, "it has nothing to do with him!" I snapped, "then what's going on?" Cor demanded. "It's father" I snapped at them. "Father? What's wrong with Father?" Corin demanded as our horses kicked mud into the air behind us. The caravan was long behind us as the rain pelted down on us. I didn't answer Corin. "Aria what's wrong with Father?" Cor demanded. I bit my bottom lip. "Just hurry up!" I snapped my heels nipping Demetrius again and he charged forwards past the other horses. He was always the fastest horse in Archland and I was using it to my advantage. Demetrius charged across glass water stream. The Stormness Head mountains were ahead of them, and just on the other side rested Anvard.
"Princess please slow down!" Ronan shouted from behind me. I ignored him as Demetrius charged up the mountain pass. The rain pelted down harder on us. My cloak was soaked and so was my face but I didn't care. I had to get to Anvard as fast as I could. "Princess please!" Ronan shouted only for lightening to strike the sky. I screamed as Demetrius reared up on his hind legs. My thighs tightened on the saddle so I wouldn't fall only to get jostled as his front feet came down on the ground once again. As soon as those front hooves touched the ground he bolted again this time sprinting even faster. I screamed holding onto him. "Demetrius slow down!" I shouted at him, I knew it was too dangerous to full on gallop through the mountain pass. Especially with it being this dark and in the rain.
"Demetrius! Stop it!" I shouted only for my body to suddenly be thrown forwards. I screamed only for it to be cut off as I landed on my back. The air being knocked out of me. I vaguely registered Demetrius having a rope around his neck. I struggled to get to my feet, rain slaughtered my bare skin and looking down my dress had ripped on the saddle. My knee down was now exposed. "Demetrius!" I shouted running over to him to try to free him from the rope only for a large rough hand to grab my arm and throw me backwards. I hit the ground once again, splattering mud everywhere. Lightning flashed across the night sky briefly lighting up our surroundings. Large men in dark armor were standing around me. I knew that armor. It was Carlormene armor.
"What's Prince Rabadash's soldiers doing so far from home?" I snarled, one grinned an evil grin as he pulled his sword out. I reached for my own but my hip was bare. I had taken my sword off and attached it to Demetrius while I had been riding. It was digging into my side too much. Ronan had told me to keep it on my hip but I didn't listen. Damn it. "Ronan!" I screamed only for a hand to cover my mouth and I was lifted off the ground. "I wouldn't scream if I was you princess!" Another man snarled large ropes were tied around my wrists and I was put on a horse. The man that grabbed me and thrown me into the man mounted the saddle behind me. "I wouldn't try to fight us Princess of your father is going to end up dead" He snarled. My eyes widened and I screamed for Ronan again. A rope was tied around my mouth silencing me.
He kicked his horse to life and we bolted down the mountain pass. At the fork he took the left path, towards Carlormene. "They're going to figure it out" I snarled through my restraints. He laughed, "that would involve Narnia actually caring and Archland isn't in the position to do anything what with their king on his death bed!" He laughed, I elbowed him straight in the gut and he smacked me hard across the face. I whimpered at the pain. I could taste the blood from my busted lip and it made my stomach turn.
Peter's POV
"Peter" Lucy questioned softly. I looked up at her, I had torn my room apart and had everyone in Cair Paravel searching for the blue sash. "Yeah Lu?" I questioned her, "are you sure you're all right?" She questioned softly. I sighed and sat down on my bed and buried my face in my hands. I screwed up. I screwed up bad.
"Peter whatever it is we can always fix it, but we can't do anything till you tell us what happened" Lucy said softly squeezing my wrist. I looked at her holding my chin in my hands. "I'm such an idiot Lu, I should have told her when she first got here and now it's to late" I told her. "It's never to late Peter! We can go to Anvard right now and you can to tell her" she said, "she wouldn't believe me Lucy" I told her.
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't she believe you?" She questioned, I sighed. "I was upset about Aria and that Rabadash so Edmund told me to cool off out on the terrace and he'd send Aria out when they were done dancing. So I went to the terrace and I thought it was Aria but I turned around and it was that Princess Arland." I told her and Lucy sat back down on the bed with me. Just listening.
"She said that she knew about Aria and I talking quietly and stealing kisses from each other and she said that if I didn't do a favor for her she'd tell everyone. Well it would destroy Aria and as a fragile as Archland is right now they don't need this added stress" I justified. "Peter what was the favor?" Lucy questioned, I bit my bottom lip and looked away. "She asked you to break Aria's heart didn't she?" Lucy questioned, "she asked to kiss her like I kiss Aria" I told her. Lucy's blue eyes saddened at my words.
"I didn't have a choice Lu" I tried to reason, I felt guilty enough I didn't need my younger sister adding on to it. "I understand Peter, did Aria see you?" Lucy questioned, "I think she did, but I didn't see her. But when I went towards the gala to find her I ran into Edmund and he said that Aria had just come from my direction and was crying hysterically" I sighed rubbing my face. "I'm such an idiot!" I growled, "You did what you had to protect her. You just need to tell her that and that you love her and that you're sorry that you hurt her" Lucy said matter of factly as she stood up. "Lucy she practically severed all ties with me! You heard her! You saw her face!" I told her. She gave me a look. "Peter when you hurt someone you're supposed to apologize" Lucy told me. "And what if she won't see me?" I snapped, "Well you might never have to find out" Edmund came in.
I furrowed my eyebrows, he was soaked and slightly muddy. "What happened to you?" I questioned him. "Aria's horse just showed up with this" Edmund said holding up a soaking wet purple fabric. My face paled and it felt like my stomach was suddenly filled with cold stones. Lucy reached out for the fabric but I ripped it out of Edmund's hands. "What happened?" I demanded, "we don't know. Her horse just showed back up, he had a rope around his neck that he had chewed threw. It's apparent that her caravan was ambushed and he was tied up. The people that attacked the caravan must have taken Aria with them. I've already sent the wolves out to track them down." Edmund started but I had already grabbed my riding cloak. I ran into Susan in the hallway. "Oh Peter! Mr. Tumnus needed to tell you something!" Susan said quickly. "Not now!" I snarled, I had to find Aria.
I was out to the stables before they could say anything else. Edmund was pulling his riding cloak on as he entered the stables grabbing Phillip's reigns and pulling him out and put the saddle on his back. "You coming?" I questioned him, "what you thought I was going to let you go running out there head first by yourself? That would go well" He chuckled as Orian stepped into the stables. "You're majesties whenever you're ready" he said his hand resting in a fist on his chest. "Thank you Orian" I told him. "Think nothing of it your majesty" He stepped out as the girls and Mr. Tumnus stepped in.
"Peter you have to listen to this! Mr. Tumnus saw Rabadash leaving your hallway late last night." Susan told me. "So?" I questioned, "So he probably took the sash to get Aria even more infuriated with you!" Susan said, I looked at Lucy and she gave me a soft smile. She obviously had told Susan. "It makes sense, he's hated you since he saw you and Aria together back in the spring" Edmund said, he was already sitting in his saddle. I clenched my fist. That's why the bastard wanted to dance with her, why Princess Arland had black mailed me. The both had worked together to frame me. "He might have even forged that letter to get her to leave Cair Paravel" Susan reasoned, "did you ever see the letter?" I questioned Susan and she shook her head no. "Then he just might have forged it, he knew if Aria had gotten word of Aria's father being sick she would have left Cair Paravel immediately to be with him. He could have easily ambushed her. They never would have been able to catch Demetrius…" "So they used the rope, the jolt would have thrown her off…" Susan started only for the wolves to step in. "And sent her flying into the mud and ripped her dress. They were attacked in the mountains, in the narrow pathways. They didn't stand a chance your majesty" Jackson inclined his head. "Were there any survivors?" Susan questioned him. "Yes your majesty, the princes, Ronan as well as half the caravan survived. It appears that the Carlormene troops only goal was to kidnap the Princess. From Ronan's description Demetrius had sped up because of the lightning and she was separated from the rest of the caravan. By the time they caught up Demetrius had freed himself from the rope but they were gone." He said quickly.
"And you're sure they were Carlormene troops?" I questioned him, "Yes your majesty. We found this in the mud," he said turning to one of his other wolves. He had some armor in his mouth. It was distinctly Carlormene. "Also the tracks led straight into Carlormene territory your majesty" Jackson said. I clenched my jaw. "Where are the Prince's and Ronan?" Lucy questioned him. "Half the pack is escorting them to Anvard your majesty" he inclined his head towards her. "Orian!" I shouted, he quickly stepped into the stables. "Get the centaurs ready, I want them ready to battle at a moment's notice. Edmund see to it. Susan you and Lucy and are staying here…" I started, "and what are you going to do Peter? Wage war with Carlormene?" Susan demanded, I clenched my jaw.
"I'm going to bring her home" I snarled clenching my fist. "Then we need to start by going to Archland and to check on if her father's sick or not" Susan said, "and don't even think about leaving me here. I've finally found another girl that's like a sister to me that's my own age. I miss her just as much as you do Pete" Susan said squeezing my arm. I smiled and hugged her. "Now Edmund make sure the armies are ready. I want them ready to march at a moment's notice" I told him. He nodded his head as he got off Philip. Lucy ran forwards and hugged me tightly. "I miss her too Peter but please don't do anything stupid" Lucy begged, I hugged her tightly. "I won't" I whispered to her and got on Maul quickly. Susan got on her own horse. She already had her bow and horn. I clenched the reigns on Maul. The wolf pack would be coming with us. They were faster runners and we could get to Anvard faster. I was determined to get there before dawn.