Another lovely chapter for all my lovely followers! So glad to hear you guys are enjoying the story! 3

XXXXX

Evangeline's POV

"My dear, you're going to wear a hole in that rug." The professor chided me as I paced back and forth in the library.

It seemed like only yesterday Caspian and I had studied in this very place. Now he and the professor stood near the window, watching the tower where Prunaprismia was giving birth. I continued to pace.

"I never imagined that this could be my last night here." Caspian murmured.

I cringed at the words, turning to look at him with a pained expression. Anxiety and potential heartbreak gnawed at my insides.

Why? Why today of all days? I asked whatever unseen force had caused this.

"Let's not completely give up hope." I begged quietly.

Caspian turned to look at me, softening when he saw the distress on my face.

"We have to be prepared for the worst." He said.

"But we don't have to expect it!"

"Caspian is right, Evangeline. Should the child be a boy we must brace ourselves for the consequences."

I turned away with a frustrated huff, wrapping my arms around me. It was selfish, I know, but I wasn't ready to give Caspian up.

I jumped as two arms wrapped around my waist.

"Evangeline..." Caspian whispered.

His arms tightened around me and I let my head fall back against his shoulder, his dark eyes meeting mine. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

"Come," The professor crossed to us. "It's late. You should get some sleep."

Caspian nodded, releasing my waist and grabbing my hand. He started to lead me out-

"Evangeline."

I stopped.

"I wish to speak with you."

Caspian looked at the professor and back at me questioningly, but I just shook my head and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll be fine." I told him.

He looked ready to protest, but slowly turned and left the room.

My heart throbbed as every part of me screamed to go after him, to never let him out of my sight.

"You have to let him go."

I turned to the professor with tears in my eyes.

"It's going to kill me."

"He's not safe here. He never will be while Miraz sits on the throne."

"But I can't do this." My voice broke.

He gripped both of my shoulders firmly and forced me to look at him; though his expression was gentle, his eyes were stern.

"Evangeline, listen to me. You must have faith that he will return to you- that Aslan will watch over him."

"Those are just stories, professor-"

"Evangeline!" He shook me forcefully and I whimpered, scared by his sudden behavior.

His eyes blazed into mine with a ferocity that both shocked me and left me in awe of the man that had once been my teacher.

"I did not teach you about Old Narnia so you could carry on the ignorance of your people." He accused me, and I felt a sharp pang of guilt.

"Everything you've been taught- everything they've told you - is wrong."

My eyes were wide and my mouth hung open. The professor stepped back and turned from me, going back to the window to watch the tower once more. I let myself sink into a chair as my face grew red with embarrassment.

A long moment passed.

"You should sleep, my dear." He said quietly.

"I'm not tired."

"...Try."

I turned to object, then caught a flash of grief on his face as he sighed exhaustedly.

I closed my mouth, stood, and left the library.

XXXXX

"A boy!"

"It's a boy!"

"The Queen has given birth to a son!"

"Miraz has a son!"

My eyes snapped open in the darkness as I heard the cry echo through the halls. My heart stopped.

Miraz has a son. Miraz has a son!

I bolted up from my bed and fumbled for my boots and cloak as a cold sweat broke out on my neck and harsh, ragged breaths escaped me.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I cried desperately.

As the jubilant cry rang through the castle, I ran from the room, praying that I wasn't too late.

XXXXX

Caspian's POV

I awoke with a start as a hand clamped over my mouth. My mind registered the professor standing over me and I let out a sigh of relief, not realizing what his presence implied.

"Five more minutes." I muttered, rolling back over.

"You will not be watching the stars tonight, my prince."

I looked up at him questioningly, but he was already pulling me from the bed, a grave expression on his face.

"Come, we must hurry."

"Professor, what's going on?" I pressed him as he rushed to the wardrobe, feeling the first prick of worry within me.

"Your aunt has given birth...to a son."

No.

My heart dropped to my stomach.

He stepped into the wardrobe and I followed as the foreboding sound of marching footsteps approached. I watched with bated breath as soldiers filed into my room, each armed with crossbows and led by none other than General Glozelle. They surrounded my bed and I flinched as they shot through the curtains.

That could have been me.

We didn't stay long enough to hear their alarm, slipping into the passageway and making a dash for the armory. As we reached the door at the top of the staircase, I froze.

"Evangeline."

"She will be fine, Caspian." The professor sighed in exasperation, his hand on the handle.

"We can't just leave her!"

"Evangeline knows what has to be done."

"I can't do this to her again." I told him.

Yet as I said the words, the door opened and Evangeline appeared, breathless and dressed only in her cloak and nightgown.

"You won't have to." She smiled, looking as relieved as I was. I grasped her hand in my own.

"There's no time to waste." Dr. Cornelius ushered us hurriedly through the door. We ran down the twisting staircase and into the armory, where I found a sword and armor.

Destier stood ready and waiting for me when we arrived in the courtyard.

"You must make for the woods." Dr. Cornelius instructed as I climbed into the saddle.

"The woods?" I repeated.

"They won't follow you there."

For good reason, a part of me thought.

As I gripped the reins, Evangeline placed her hand over mine.

"I'm coming with you."

I smirked, having half expected this, but shook my head.

"Miraz wants me dead, Angie. If I drag you into this, he'll kill you, too. You have to stay here."

The hurt in her eyes was enough to make me bite my tongue for fear of taking it back, but her resolve only strengthened. She grabbed my forearm and pulled me determinedly to look into her dark brown orbs. All my breath left me.

"You were taken from me once and it almost broke both of us." She said forcefully. "I could not bear to go through that again."

"And I couldn't bear if you were hurt!" I tightened my grip on her hand, pleading with her, begging her to understand.

The sound of shouting reached our ears and I whipped my head to look anxiously behind us.

"You promised not to leave me."

I looked back at Evangeline. Her eyes gazed piercingly into mine and I saw her as she was the night she was taken from me, screaming out my name. I knew the battle was lost.

I swung her up behind me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my torso and she pressed her face into my neck, as though afraid I'd disappear at any moment. The professor looked up at us with a sorrowful grimace, pulling out a package from his cloak.

"It has taken me many years to find it." He handed it to me. "Do not use it except at your greatest need."

"Will we ever see you again?" I asked him, afraid of the answer.

"I hope so, my dear prince. There is so much I meant to tell you. Everything you know is about to change."

Shouts sounded again, closer this time.

"Now go!" The professor ordered.

I didn't hesitate as I urged Destier into a gallop, despite the ache that filled me as we left the only place I'd ever called home.

I couldn't have known the fate that awaited us as we slipped into the night.

Evangeline's POV

We flew past several soldiers, who all gaped at us in shock before scrambling in vain to stop us. Fireworks shot up into the sky as the celebratory cry condemned our fate:

"Prunaprismia has blessed Lord Miraz with a son!"

Excitement rushed into adrenalin as the sound of thundering hooves reached my ears, and I turned in the saddle to see my father's men chasing us.

"Caspian!" I warned him.

He dug his boots sharply into Destier's side, and we surged forward and out onto open land.

I could feel the blood coursing through my veins as we drew ever closer to the woods looming ahead of us. My heart hammered against my chest in alarm as I looked back and saw my father and his men slowly gaining on us.

"Caspian, they're getting closer!"

"We're almost there!" He shouted back.

With one last push, we plunged into the shelter of the forest. I thought that might stop them, but my relief was cut short as I heard the unrelenting sound of horses' hooves behind us.

Now what? I thought frantically.

"Angie, hold onto me!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?!"

I cut off with a gasp as we were suddenly plunged into the freezing cold water of the river, my grip tightening involuntarily around Caspian's waist. The current threatened to pull us downstream, but we soon emerged safely on the opposite bank, once again taking off into the woods.

My teeth started chattering as the wind blew against my dripping wet clothes. I looked back at our followers and smiled shakily as I saw them falling behind.

"We're losing them!"

Caspian turned his head to look. Neither of us saw the branch ahead.

Next thing I knew I was on the ground, staring dazedly up at the tree tops. I heard Caspian cry out and raised my head to see him being dragged along by Destier, his foot stuck in the stirrup.

"Caspian!" I called out.

As the soldiers approached, I scrambled to my feet and ran after him.

I managed to catch up just as he managed to release his foot, and I fell to my knees beside him.

"Are you alright?" I helped him sit up, my arms wrapped around his shoulders.

He didn't get the chance to answer as we were we were suddenly bathed in light, and I couldn't believe what I saw.

Standing before us were two dwarves.

They looked just as shocked to see us as we were to see them.

"They've seen us!" One of them shouted.

The other pulled out a sword and ran towards us, and I looked around for anything to defend us with. My eyes landed on the package at the same time the dwarf's did, and he suddenly stopped upon seeing the horn peeking out.

The sound of the approaching soldiers drew his attention away from us.

"Take care of them!" He ordered the first dwarf, charging our pursuers.

My breath came in rapid gasps as the first dwarf came towards us with an animosity that far outweighed his companion. I could see the wheels in Caspian's head turning. In one swift movement, he lunged forward and grabbed ahold of the horn, bringing it to his lips.

"No!"

A long note echoed through the night. The dwarf moved to hit him and I threw myself in his path, feeling the hilt of the dagger hit my head.

"Evangeline!" Caspian cried.

Everything went black.

XXXXX

I awoke to the feeling of a warm cloth on my neck and a gentle paw brushing back my hair.

Gentle...paw?

My eyes fluttered open. I lay on my stomach on a mattress in a tiny room, which I assumed was the bedroom of...wherever I was.

"Ah, so you're finally awake."

I blinked once, twice, trying to comprehend what I was seeing.

There was a badger standing over me.

A talking badger standing over me.

"Feeling better?" He asked, looking genuinely concerned.

I gaped at him. My mouth opened and closed wordlessly as I searched for the right response.

"Am I dreaming?" I settled on.

The badger chuckled and shook his head.

"You're Narnian." I said bluntly, not believing the words even as they came out of my mouth.

"How very observant of you."

"But...you're extinct."

"All evidence to the contrary, my dear." He smiled wryly.

I started to push myself up, only to groan and lie back down as pain shot through the back of my head.

"Careful now." Trufflehunter guided me down, and I noticed the bloody rag in his paws. "Nikabrik gave you quite a beating last night."

"I'm only sorry I didn't finish her off." The dwarf that attacked us entered from one of the other rooms, brooding.

"Nikabrik! They are not responsible for the actions of their people."

"Then who is? I have no qualms about killing a Telmarine soldier and his female companion!"

Caspian!

"Is he alright?" I asked them, frantically scanning the room.

"The boy? For now." Nikabrik muttered.

"He's fine. He's asleep."

"Asleep?"

"Unconscious. He suffered a fate similar to yours." Trufflehunter explained with a pointed look at Nikabrik, who merely turned away. "Come now. You must be hungry."

My stomach grumbled as I carefully stood to follow him into the main room of the burrow, where a pot of soup sat on the stove. I lowered myself into one of the chairs opposite Nikabrik as he reached for the bread on the table.

"Might we ask for your name?" Trufflehunter enquired.

"Evangeline." I told him, adding after a moment, "My father is a member of the court."

I didn't dare tell them that my father was the general of the Telmarine army. Something told me it wouldn't go over well.

"This bread is so stale." Nikabrik complained.

"We'll just get them some soup then."

"You said you were going to get rid of them!"

"No, I said I'd take care of them." The badger countered.

"Well, I don't think I hit them hard enough." Nikabrik hissed, glaring at me.

"We've done nothing wrong." I pleaded.

"Nothing wrong? Nothing wrong?!"

"Nikabrik-"

"You and your friend led the soldiers right to us, and now, thanks to you, Trumpkin is in the hands of the Telmarines!"

"They're young and in danger. They didn't know." Trufflehunter defended us.

"They're Telmarines, not lost puppies!"

"We can't kill them now! Not after bandaging their heads. It'd be like murdering a guest."

"Um, hello? Yes? I'm still here." I spoke up, not liking the direction this conversation was heading. They ignored me.

"And how do you think their friends are treating their guest?" Nikabrik sneered.

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing."

At that moment, Caspian burst forth into the room, knocking a bowl of soup from Trufflehunter's paws. Nikabrik blocked his path, and he grabbed the fire iron, holding it out like sword.

"Caspian!" I gasped, jumping to my feet.

He whipped around at the sound of my voice, looking relieved.

"Angie." He pulled me to him, and I buried my face in his chest, rejoicing in the fact that we were both still alive. His sweet scent and heartbeat comforted me more than I could have imagined.

"See? I told you we should have killed them!" Nikabrik growled.

"You know why we can't!" Trufflehunter exclaimed, exasperated.

"If we're taking a vote, I'm with him." Caspian gestured to the badger sarcastically.

"We can't let them go! They've seen us!"

The dwarf swung his sword at us and Caspian pushed me behind him, blocking the blow with the fire poker.

"That's enough Nikabrik! Or do I have to sit on your head again?" Trufflehunter scolded, bending down to pick up the bowl. "Look what you've done. I spent half the morning on that soup."

Caspian watched him with wide eyes.

"What...what are you?"

"It's funny. You'd think more people would recognize a badger when they saw one."

"No, I mean...you're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct."

Nikabrik scoffed.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Here we are." Trufflehunter placed a bowl of soup on the table in front of us. "Still hot."

"Since when did we become a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?"

"I'm not a soldier!" Caspian replied indignantly. "I'm Prince Caspian. The tenth."

A palpable tension filled the air as realization dawned on their faces. Nikabrik was the first to speak, his voice surprisingly quiet.

"What are you doing here?"

"Running away. My uncle has always wanted my throne. I suppose the only reason I have lived this long is because he had no heir of his own." Caspian explained.

"And what is she doing with you?"

Caspian turned to me, his face softening as he took my hand in his and our fingers entwined. I smiled up at him with as much love as I could give.

"I couldn't leave her behind." He murmured.

A small silence passed.

"Well, this changes things." Trufflehunter said.

"Yeah. Means we don't have to kill you ourselves." Nikabrik gave a twisted grin.

I was ready to make some crude retort, when Caspian cut me off.

"You're right." He said. "Come on, Angie."

He crossed the room and started to pull on his armor and I followed loyally, wrapping my now dry cloak around my shoulders.

"Where are you going?" Trufflehunter asked in alarm.

"My uncle will not stop until I am dead."

"Wait! You're meant to save us!"

That caught my attention.

I turned, as Caspian did, to see the badger holding something out to us.

"Don't you know what this is?"

My curiosity piqued when I saw the item in his paws.

It was the white horn.

A new chapter is underway! See you soon Narnians!