"You bumbling idiot!" shouted Alyssa to Susan. "Go save him!"
Peter and Edmund ran to the river, followed closely by Maddie and Darby. The four of them dove into the waters. Darby swam as fast as she could towards the Dwarf, who was staring at her with wide eyes. She grabbed the Dwarf around his torso and pushed towards the surface, gulping in air when she finally broke through the surface. Wading towards the shore with the Dwarf, Darby noticed Peter and sliced the other soldier with his sword on his arm, and the soldier fell into the lake. Darby tore her eyes away from Peter and continued on her way to the shore with the Dwarf.
"How did you do that?" asked Peter, setting the Dwarf down so Lucy could unbind him with her dagger.
"What?"
"The swimming."
"Well, I saw," said Darby knowingly, eyeing Peter carefully.
"No, no, I know that. What I meant to say was where and when did you learn?"
"Oh, well I used to be on a swim team. Same with Maddie and Mallory."
"What about your friend Alyssa?"
"Oh, she can't swim to save her life," said Darby, trying to hold back giggles. "Well, maybe her life, but certainly not enough for competing or anything."
Suddenly, Darby had a strange feeling that someone was behind her. Her feelings were confirmed when a voice said, "Darby, I hope you realize that I CAN HEAR YOU!" But Alyssa wasn't angry; in fact, she started laughing hysterically with everyone else.
Maddie and Edmund were bringing the boat in as the Dwarf yelled, "Well, what was all of that for?"
"What?" questioned Susan.
"They were doing just fine for executing me until you yelled 'Drop him!' " said the Dwarf.
"So I don't get any thanks?" asked Susan coolly.
"I would have used a different choice of words," said Edmund.
Maddie laughed. Alyssa smirked.
"We're terribly sorry," said Lucy. "And what would your name be?"
"Trumpkin," said the Dwarf. "And all of you?"
"I'm Mallory, and that's Logan, Maddie, Alyssa, and Darby," said Mallory, pointing in turn to each of them. "And the rest are the Pevensies."
Trumpkin's mouth fell open slightly, and his eyes got big. He groaned. "Ohhh, you've got to be kidding me…you're them?"
"Them?" asked Lucy.
"The Kings and Queens of Old," said Trumpkin. "I really don't believe this. You're supposed to be…well—"
"Older?" asked Susan with a raised eyebrow.
"Well…yes," said Trumpkin a little sheepishly. "I really don't believe this…"
"You don't?" asked Peter, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose we'll have to prove that to you, won't we?" He unsheathed his sword.
Trumpkin took a step back. "I'm not going to fight a kid!"
"I didn't mean me," said Peter. He handed Trumpkin the sword, which was too heavy for him. "I mean Ed."
Edmund gave Trumpkin a smile.
"He's even younger than you," said Trumpkin. Then, without any warning, he swung Peter's sword at Edmund, who blocked the attack. Everyone, especially Maddie, watched avidly as both Dwarf and young man swung at each other, their swords clanking. Trumpkin tried to swing at Edmund's feet, but Edmund jumped, swung with so much force at Trumpkin's sword that it dropped, and made Trumpkin kneel on the ground in front of him, his sword at Trumpkin's neck.
Trumpkin gulped.
"Well done, Ed," said Peter, grabbing his sword. "Well, Trumpkin, now do you believe us?"
"I think he still needs some persuading," said Susan. "Follow me." She led the way with Mallory and Trumpkin behind her. They didn't go far, only to the nearest tree. "Let's aim at that apple," suggested Susan.
Chuckling, Trumpkin said, "Easy."
"I was referring to the one higher up," said Susan, pointing.
Trumpkin's eyes widened.
"You first," said Susan.
His arrow barely nicked it. Susan's went right through it. Mallory, practicing with her own bow and arrow, shot at the easier apple, which fell to the ground with an arrow through it. She beamed.
Smirking, Susan led them back to the group.
"Well, I certainly believe you now, your Majesties," said Trumpkin, bowing. When he stood up, he had a new sparkle in his eyes. "Now, where to?"
"Well, Dear Little Friend, tell us how you knew about us," said Lucy, getting into the boat where Trumpkin had been held captive. She gestured for everyone to get in.
Trumpkin wrinkled his nose and proceeded into the boat. "Did you just call me 'Dear Little Friend'?"
"But it's true!" cried Alyssa. "You are such a Dear Little Friend!"
"Let's call him the D.L.F. for short," said Mallory, climbing into the boat after Alyssa.
Once all ten of them had squeezed into the boat, with Mallory forced to sit on Logan's lap (not that she minded), the boys and D.L.F. began rowing down the river. They were surrounded by trees, and Lucy looked around, confused. "Why aren't the trees awake?"
The D.L.F. snorted. "They're trees."
Lucy looked at him pointedly. "They used to dance."
They all continued on in silence. It was many moments before Lucy said, "D.L.F., you never told us about how you knew who we were."
"Oh, right," said Trumpkin, still rowing. "It all started with Prince Caspian—"
"Oooo! Oooo!" said Alyssa, waving her hands wildly. "I know the story! Let me tell it, let me tell it!"
He eyed her warily. "O…kay."
And so Alyssa went on, explaining everything there is to know about Prince Caspian. I will not elaborate in this story because you can just as easily pick up the book or watch the freaking movie. But after she was done, there was an awkward silence. "What?" asked Alyssa.
"You are a stalker," said Susan.
Alyssa stuck her tongue out at her.
The ten of them journeyed on, with Peter in the lead. He kept commanding everyone forward. When they reached an area full of rocks, the D.L.F. said, "You can't keep going. There's a river up ahead that we can't cross."
"Rubbish," said Peter. "I know my way around Narnia, Trumpkin. Follow me, everybody."
Darby did so willingly, while everyone else did not. A while afterward, they were stopped at the top of a cliff, staring down at the river. Trumpkin looked a tad smug.
"You see, Peter," said Susan, "over time water rises and erodes—"
"Oh, shut up," said Peter, looking quite cross.
"Well said," said Alyssa.
Susan glared at her.
Suddenly everyone began talking and arguing at once, trying to decide who should lead. They only stopped when Lucy jumped up and down and pointed across the way. "It's Aslan!"
