Chapter Twelve

As promised readers here is the second chapter in a week. Please enjoy and those of you who have followed and favourited this story please turn it into reviews.

From what I have read before on Narnia fictions then my story is trying to do something different and that is to replicate a short but true Narnia story. In which children from our world travelling to Narnia and then journeying around the country (and beyond) to fulfil a quest. I understand that my story has a more romantic edge, is much shorted than any of the chronicles of Narnia but that is my attempt, hopefully that will show you the direction of this story but also note that this is chapter 12 and at my estimate we are not half way through yet.

Please review guys and let me know your thoughts and ideas.

Love C.J.

"Drop your weapons everyone." Rillian said "drop them." Fallamore looked at Rillian as if he would question his king for a moment but he didn't and after a short staring match with the man before him he dropped the sword.

"So mates what have we got here?" The man asked.

"What have you done here?" Rillian said angrily.

"No no little man," he said patronisingly "you answer my questions." He put his sword tip on Rillian's chest." Rillian glowered at the men but said nothing. "How did you come to this island? Are you from Galma or Narnia?" he said more interested. No one replied. "Never mind you will still be useful to us." he then cocked his head to the side. staring at a placed behind Rillian. Rillian moved to shield something but the man pushed him aside grabbing Victoria from behind. "Hello," he smiled showing yellow teeth and in a none to friendly manner. He pulled her from the encirclement she had by the other members of the ships company. "What is this?"

Rillian tried to protest but a man held his arms firmly behind his back. Henry too tried to move to the man holding him twisted his arm in a horrid way so that Henry was convinced he was one yank away from breaking it.

"Leave her alone," Rillian shouted struggling futilely against the large man with scars along the length of his arms. The first man turned back to Victoria.

"You must be valuable if all these want to protect you." He placed his hand against her head and touched her dark brown hair. Victoria made a face of disgust but she didn't make a sound. Fallamore however let out a sound between a bray and a snort.

Victoria looked at Rillian before her who was staring at Fallamore, the young King and the centaur where exchanging an expression that Victoria could not quite read. But she knew the pair had known each other since Rillian was a young boy and Fallamore was a foal the pair could virtually read each other's mind.

"No," Victoria thought "please don't do anything stupid." However it was too late, as she thought this Fallamore rose up on his hind legs punching the man before him in the face.

"Lady Victoria," he shouted gesturing for her to move towards him.

"No we can't." She said.

"Run Victoria," Henry shouted.

"Don't look back." Rillian yelled. Victoria moved towards Fallamore but the man next to her grabbed her arm. Before he could move Fallamore was beside her pulling his arm from her they heard something snap and the man cry out. Victoria dived down and grabbed her dagger pushing it into the boot of the man in front of her who was holding Rillian. The man yelped in pain and let go of the king who swooped down picking up his sword. Soon the company was involved in another fight.

Rillian enraged by the way these men had behaved was in a fog of rage of he took down six men in minutes. Fallamore used his enormous height to scare the men he couldn't see his own sword and was forced instead to stamp and hit men.

At the end of the fight sixteen men lay unconscious and Rillian held the lead man by the throat. Victoria looked around. Fallamore's human torso was covered in wounds, Pervis, Pollux and Rillian were breathing heavily tired and angry they looked around them. Henry was holding his arm at a funny angle as he surveyed his surroundings. Jax was breathing but spitting blood too on the ground. Victoria went down to kneel beside him.

"Jax how are you?"

"You idiot Victoria." He said. Victoria was taken back by Jax's statement. "You should have run the first opportunity you had."

"I couldn't leave you all."

"Yes you could: next time you run."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I have been shot by an arrow." Victoria raised an eyebrow at him. "I will live." Victoria breathed a sigh of relief.

"What have you done to the inhabitants of Halpa?" Rillian asked angrily of the man kneeling before them.

"Why who wants to know?' He asked disinterested wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth.

"King Rillian of Narnia." The man's face changed from curiosity to horror. "What have you done with the people?" Rillian pressed further.

"The mines," he said finally after a pregnant pause "on the east."

"You pressed people into mining, but there is only tin and coal there what value is that it isn't worth enough to..." Rillian trailed off. "Gold," he growled "someone discovered gold."

"My son he was a miner in the islands. He discovered the gold but the leaders of the mine they killed him to keep the secret but he had told me so I took my men and overpowered them."

"So your legacy to your son was to enslave the entire island to exploit the very thing responsible for killing him?"

"Yes, I wanted to show them people could not push my family about. He was just a boy and they killed him." The man's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Where is this mine?" Rillian asked.

"The eastern part of the island."

"No show me." He pushed the man forward. "Victoria, Pervis get Jax back to the boat."

"I'm coming with you." Victoria said.

"No," Rillian turned towards her "you are the only person who seems to be able to help Jax."

"Good luck," she replied. The little group set off with the taller man leading the way. Victoria looked at them as they disappeared over a hillock. Rillian looked back for a second and the two smiled at each other before he disappeared.

Victoria turned to Pervis "how shall we get him to the ship?"

"You run to the ship grab Matton and Jepson." Victoria only then looked at Pervis properly. He was holding his arm at an odd angle.

"Are you hurt Pervis?"

"Not badly."

"We will get you some medical treatment."

"It is Jax we need to worry about not me."

"I will be back soon."

"I know." The two felt there was nothing further to say and they parted as Victoria ran down the slope of the street.