Arm yourself because no one else here will save you,

The odds will betray you,

And I will replace you,

You can't deny the prize it may never fulfill you,

It longs to kill you,

Are you willing to die?

The coldest blood runs through my veins,

You know my name.

'You Know My Name', Chris Cornell

"Reepicheep, stay your blade!" I heard Trufflehunter shout, approaching the pair.

"Trufflehunter?" Reepicheep gasped. "I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption!"

"He doesn't," Nikabrik replied promptly. "Go ahead." I frowned as Alrohar continued steadily toward them.

"Reepicheep, he's the one that blew the horn!" Trufflehunter yelled.

Reepicheep stared at Caspian. "What?"

"Then let him bring it forward," a regal familiar voice commanded and we all looked up to the hill. It was Glenstorm, his three young sons beside him. "This is the reason we have gathered."

"That's true," I agreed. Everyone looked at me, I had yet remained unnoticed until now. Caspian's face was completely stunned at the appearence of these new Narnians.

"But keep the horn hidden for now, your highness," I continued, swinging myself down from Alrohar. "We'll have need of it tonight." Reepicheep leapt up and bowed.

"My lady, tonight?" the mouse asked with a bow.

"A council, Dancing Lawn," I replied. "And I suggest we stop taunting Cspian here and round up more Narnians. This is to be a council of war, and we're all to be there."

Reepicheep nodded, putting away his rapier. "Til tonight then, my Lady."

The mouse sprang away into the undergrowth, followed by his forces. Caspian struggled up, still staring, his eyes flashing from me to Glenstorm and back again.

"Very well, my Lady, we will round up the centaurs," Glenstorm agreed, and he turned, cantering away, followed by his sons. I strode forwards, skirting the Telmarine bodies.

"Who are you?" Caspian asked shakily.

"Arn-" I began, but Trufflehunter over rode me.

"This, Caspian, is High Lady Arneia, the Swordmaiden of Narnia and Aslan's Daughter," the badger announced. Caspian gave him a disbelieving glance.

"You can't be," Caspian said.

"You know my name?" I asked. I was surprised. Miraz had heavily dissuaded mention of the old tales, how did this young Prince know me?

"Arneia was one of the greatest warriors Narnia ever saw," Caspian replied. "But she lived during the Golden Age, that was over a thousand years ago. How can she be alive?"

"The same way I survived the one hundred year winter," I replied with a shrug. "In truth, I still don't know."

"You are Lady Arneia?" Caspian gasped. I curtseyed to him.

"No, she's not," Nikabrik grumbled. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"To those who believe in the old tales, I am still what I was then," I explained."To others I am just Arneia. But no matter what I was, I am the leader here. Until the new king came to take the lead. You."

Caspian swallowed.

"If you will," Trufflehunter added.

"The council is tonight?" Caspian asked. I nodded.

"Then what are waiting for?"

I slipped to the front of the crowd, and leaned against a tree in the shadows. I didn't plan to speak up unless prompted. I wanted to hear what Caspian had to say. Caspian himself was already in the middle, with Trufflehunter and Nikabrik. The council had already begun.

"All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!" Nikabrik yelled, pointing at the horn in Caspian's hand. I frowned, Nikarbrik had a nasty knack at always getting on my nerves with his words that contradicted everything I said and believed in.

"I didn't steal anything," Caspian insisted.

"Didnt steal anything?" Asterius boomed. Caspian looked a little daunted under the minotaur's gaze. "Shall we list the things the Telmarmines have taken?"

"Our homes!" a windmade called out.

"Our freedom!" a faun yelled.

"Our lives!"

"You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?" Caspian asked, and I nodded to myself. He could defend himself.

"Accountable…and punishable!" Nikabrik agreed.

"That's words from you, dwarf," Reepicheep piped up, leaping into the centre of the lawn. "Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?"

"And I'd gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians!" Nikabrik yelled pationately.

I straightened, moved quickly forwards, drawing one of my two swords as I did so. I bent down and placed the blade against Nikabrik's neck, pure venom in my voice. "Jadis was a far worse enemy than the Telmarines could ever be. Let me tell you know, if one of you ever tried to bring her back, you are no Narnian and no friend of mine."

Nikabrik gulped against the blade and I stood back to stand beside Caspian, still fingering the hilt of my sword.

"And we are lucky it is not in your power to bring her back, Nikabrik," Trufflehunter agreed. "Or do you want us to ask this boy to go against Aslan?"

Trufflehunter's words prompted more shouting from the Narnians, and I bit my lip. In terms of my normally good temper, we were approaching dangerous territory.

I swallowed but failed to stay quiet. "Stop now!"

The Narnians fell tenatively silent. I knew them, and they knew me, and they knew they'd pushed my boundaries.

"I have accepted that many of you have doubts and disbeliefs about the old stories," I said. "There is little proof and little hope. But I have only accepted your views on condition that they are not voiced around me. I knew this was a tall order when I first set this rule hundreds of years ago, but I have stuck by it. Because the little proof there is, is me! I have told you countless times that what happened was the truth, you've heard my name, fought my swords, seen my wedding ring. I know the truth and I won't hear it contradicted."

"You can fake all the evidence we've seen!" Nikabrik shouted.

"I can fake my age?" I asked. "Tell me, have any of you see me change at all in the time you've known me?"

There were murmurs of ascent from the crowd.

"As Arneia says, some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well, that Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king," Trufflehunter said stoutly.

"He's a Telmarine!" Nikabrik yelled. "Why would we want him as our

king?"

"Because I can help you," Caspian said. "Beyond these woods, I am a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us."

"It is true," Glenstorm agreed. "The time is ripe. I watch the skies,

for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alambil, the Lady of Peace have met, and here a son of Adam has come forth to offer us back our freedom."

"Is it possible?" an eager voice spoke up. I looked up to see Pattertwig the squirrul above us. "Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?"

"Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarfs, or centaurs," Caspian explained. "Yet, here you are… In strength in numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours."

I nodded in agreement, drawing my second blade. Clipping them together I raised my sword to Caspian in acknowledgement.

"If you will leads us," Glenstorm said, "then my sons and I offer you our swords." He and his three young centaur colts raised their own blades. Arneia and Glenstorm's actions were repeated like a rippling wave around the lawn. I smiled to myself. They may not believe in Aslan yet, but Caspian was a start. This our strongest hope in a long time.

"And we offer you our lives… unreservedly," Reepicheep agreed with a bow.

"Miraz's army will not be far behind, sire," Trufflehunter said.

"If we are to be ready for them," Caspian began. "We must hurry to find soldiers and weapons. I am sure they will be here soon."