Chapter Eleven

Hello everyone,

Huge apologies again for this last post I will be putting up two this week to make up for it. I am sure you do not want to hear excuses but I was given an opportunity to attend an amazing classics conference which has really helped with my Phd. Unfortunately I did not get much notice so I forgot to post. Please accept my apologies and enjoy this chapter please pay me in reviews and I will post even quicker.

Enjoy love C.J.

"Shall we take her into Halpa sire?" Jepson who was at the helm asked Rillian stood beside him on the port side of the deck.

"Yes indeed." Rillian replied "we will see what reception we await in Terebinthia." At that moment Jax who had been in the poop reading maps rushed up beside the rest of the ships company with a mug of beer in his hand he almost tripped over Matton who was tying his shoelace and his mug splashed forward onto Victoria.

"I'm so sorry my lady, I really didn't mean. I do apologise."

"Don't worry Jax," Victoria waved it aside. "Honestly I'm clumsy I know it wasn't intentional. I will change." She frowned suddenly. "I don't have any other dresses with me."

"You will have to wear boys clothes," Rillian said "we have trousers and tunic if that is ok."

"It's fine," she said "you should see what girls wear where we come from."

"Why what do they wear?" Rillian asked curious.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She smiled as she went to down into the hold. Pippin flew from the mast above onto her shoulder. He did this frequently and Victoria was used to it by now.

"Hello Pippin," she said to him "do you know where the spare clothes are kept?"

"Yes yes I do Victoria follow me follow me." As usual Pippin said his words in a flurry so quick that Victoria could barely understand him but she ran after him to a spot in the hold. There beside a sack of potatoes, a pile on onions and bags of flour lay a pile of clean spare clothing. She took a small shirt and trousers along with a jacket with a hood. Returning to the cabin with the 'King' emblazoned on the door she changed quickly and although she had chosen a small shirt it was far too big for her. The jacket was a better fit but it still hung around her frame.

When she exited the ship all members of the ship were stood on deck as the Queen Elspeth pulled into Halpa.

"It is quiet," Henry said to the assembled group as they entered the eerily silent port.

"Too quiet." Rillian replied. The ship landed in the port, Rillian, Jax, the triplets and Pervis jumped overboard to secure the ship. "Weapons," Rillian asked the assembled group. They all nodded including Victoria who had her hand on the small dagger in she had been left when they left Narnia. "No," he said to her "no way you are not coming."

"What?" She yelled "of course I am coming."

"Victoria I am unsure what may have happened here."

"I you don't want to girl coming along."

"No...yes,"

"Well your majesty," she said a little sarcastically "I won't get in your way."

"It isn't that." What Rillian wanted to say was that he didn't want to have to keep his eye on her if he had to fight but he couldn't manage it and instead nodded. "Fine your coming, but put that hood up we don't know who we are dealing with. Henry, Pollux grab a bow and arrow we might need it."

"The group dropped over the side of the ship only Lant, Pippin and Matton stayed on the ship. All had insisted on coming but Rillian reminded them they need a group to guard the ship if necessary that an enemy would attempt to board it. No one wanted to remind him that two men and a squirrel were unlikely to hold a ship. The exploring group didn't need depleting.

"Follow me," Rillian said his sword pulled out. The group behind him fanned out supporting the flanks of this small group. As they entered Halpa proper they realised how empty the town was. Rillian knew from experience that it was not a large place but during their walk through the town they didn't see a single person. Some houses had their doors open, others did not. There were lines of washing hung out and shops with their wares on display. It was as if the entire population of Halpa had disappeared one day.

"What happened here?" Pervis asked reflecting what the whole group thought. No one replied. Instead everyone looked around curious but had the oddest feeling that someone was watching them. Then without anyone seeing where it come from a arrow whizzed from the top of a building hitting Jax in the chest. He fell backwards onto the dust.

"No," Victoria shouted falling beside him. "Jax, Jax, listen to me, hold on we are going to get you out of here."

"Take it out." he said his mouth spitting blood onto his white shirt that was already ruined.

"I don't know the first thing about medicine." She cried her voice betraying a slight note of panic.

"Victoria, he grasped her hand "take it out please," he paused spitting and coughing. Victoria placed her right hand beside the arrow and pulled it out. Jax shot up breathing heavily and deeply then he slumped onto the dust road.

"No!" She shouted "Jax, don't you dare go anywhere." She noticed then the blood that had pooled on his chest was blossoming and rapidly staining the shirt throughly red. Victoria whipped off her jacket and placed it on Jax's chest to stem the blood flow. Around her she heard shouts and an arrow landed less than two inches from her foot but she tried to ignore it all and press the jacket onto Jax's shoulder. In this bubble Victoria didn't know what was going on but I shall tell you.

Once the first arrow had hit Jax the Narnian's swung into action. Pollux and Henry both shot arrows in the direction it had come from and a man fell from a window. At the same time a group of brigands appeared as if from nowhere and engaged the Narnians in combat. Fallamore threw three men to the ground himself to say nothing of the acts of bravery of Rillian, Henry, Horan Pollux, Pervis and Jepson. However there was just too many of the other men and soon the Narnians were surrounded.