Chapter 6

Lucy froze in her sleep. Outside, she could hear scraping against rock. She turned, expecting to see Edmund sitting bolt upright or already standing near the door, sword in hand. Instead she saw him still sleeping. She reached over and shook him awake. He turned over and looked at her

"Edmund? I think there's something outside the cave!" she hissed and Edmund sat straight up, ears attune to the gentle scraping outside. He leapt softly out of bed, silently drew his sword and crept up to the door. He leant against it listening. He pulled open the door and went outside. After a few seconds he came back in, a broad smile across his face.

"Lucy, it's just a raven." he said, shaking his head. Lucy blushed and smiled

"Sorry." she said. Edmund rolled his eyes. Then he looked at her, tilting his head.

"Maybe I should teach you how to protect yourself, so I don't have to protect you against ravens."

"Oh, but I like not having to do anything and let you be my hero." she said. Edmund climbed back to bed, a broad smile still across his face.

"Well, I must admit, I like being your hero. It makes me feel special."

"See! I wouldn't want to take that delightfully warm, fuzzy feeling from you!" she giggled and Edmund playfully hit her. Lucy giggled, then turned over and went back to sleep. Edmund's smile shimmered off his face.

"But I always feel special around you." he whispered, watching her sleeping form under the sheets.

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Caspian paced back and forth.

"Calm yourself, Son of Adam." Aslan said, flicking his tail over towards the nervous youth.

"I must find Su - them" he said, checking himself. The great lion looked sad.

"Do not let your feelings override your judgement, Caspian." he said. Caspian sighed.

"I know, but-" he stopped and looked down at his hands. He looked at the lion.

"Do you think I should go into single combat with Miraz?" he asked. Aslan opened his mouth, but what he was going to say was never spoken, for at that moment Trumpkin rushed in.

"Your Majesty, Aslan! I have news of the Pevensie sisters!" he cried and Caspian and Aslan perked up. Trumpkin stepped aside, and a large grey wolf padded softly into the cave.

"Your majesty" it said bowing to Caspian, "Great Aslan" he said, bowing to Aslan "I bring sad news. I found the youngest Pevensie. She was limping, in obvious pain. I followed her and as she saved herself from a feral fox, she obviously caused herself great pain and she fell to the ground, screaming. I ran back to find my brothers and we ran back, my brother Mactire went forward to try and wake her. But he was attacked by a boy. He killed Mactire and two of my other brothers who went to stop him. He then picked up Lucy and carried her off to a cave." he said, eyes on the ground, cowering low.

"Do not be afraid, great Llop. You did your best." Caspian said, and the grey beast raised himself from the earth.

"But I have news from my brothers that are around Miraz's castle. Miraz has captured Susan and transported her to the castle in a metal box. No matter how my brothers leapt at Susan's prison, they could not free her. I have failed you again." Llop said, and he looked down again. This time, Aslan's tail whipped forward and raised the wolf's head.

"No. You and your brothers tried to free both sisters. We will sneak out Susan while Caspian is fighting Miraz in single combat." the lion said, raising his proud head. Once again, all the Narnians roared. Caspian smiled, then frowned.

"But who will get Susan while I fight?" he asked and the lion frowned.

"A fawn maybe, or someone small and un-noticable." Aslan began, but he was interrupted by Trumpkin, who cleared his throat noisily.

"I will go, your majesties." he suggested and both Aslan and Caspian smiled at him.

"Thank you, brave dwarf." Caspian said.

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Edmund smiled as Lucy stamped her foot in annoyance as her arrow missed the pine cone Edmund tossed for her.

"Look." he said, and he came and straightened out her arms and repositioned her bow. "Don't aim for it, but where it will be when the arrow gets there, alright?" he said and the girl nodded. Edmund lent down and picked up another pine cone. He threw it and this time the arrow connected with it, with a soft thump. Edmund smiled

"That's more like it!" he said. "I'll make a warrior out of you yet!"

"I doubt it!" Lucy laughed, then her face turned serious. "Won't Miraz be wondering where you are?"

"I doubt it. I even doubt if my mother cares where I am." Edmund said, and Lucy sighed and hugged him.

"Don't worry, Edmund." she said and Edmund laughed.

"I won't!" he said and then he pulled out a sword and gave it to her. He drew his and took up a fighting stance. Lucy sighed, wearily.

"I do so hate it when I always lose." she sighed as she hefted the sword in her hand. Without getting into the fighting stance she swung her sword at him and stuck her tongue out at him as he drew his sword up to block hers.

"Cheat!" he said, laughing. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"As you've told me, there are no cheats in battle!"

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Susan stroked the soft, silver, silk gown she wore and turned to see a maid come in. She smiled, then shuddered as she noticed the brand upon her cheek.

"I have your tea, madame." the little girl said. Susan smiled, then pointed to the brand, her finger hovering just above the scorched flesh.

"What is that?" she asked.

"I am bound to Miraz. It is what they do to people who cannot swear their allegiance by their Telmarine blood." the girl said. Susan frowned.

"Swear their allegiance?" she asked, suppressing her revulsion at a King who could brand people because they were not Telmarine.

"Yes. Every person must do it the day after their tenth birthday." The girl brushed her hair over the brand self-consciously. "They make a tiny cut on their wrist, then say 'I swear, by the Telmarine blood in my veins to be loyal to King Miraz, to protect him when he needs protecting, to feed him when he needs feeding. I swear to love him, and to remember him, to tell everyone I meet that he is the rightful King of Narnia. I swear to protect his interest and to always be loyal.' and then the healers come up and put a special poultice on the wound and bind up their wrist. But if you're not a Telmarine, then you say the declaration, but instead of saying 'the Telmarine blood in my veins' you say, 'by the brand that will stay on my face' and then once you've said it they brand you."

"That's horrible!" Susan shuddered. The girl looked sadly up at her and shook her head.

"No, it's clever."