The Prince and I

2 - Prince Caspian

The girl stood by the boy's bedside, after she had  finished wrapping the bandage around his head.
She watched over him quietly, and began to hum softly, growing small flowers in her hands.
She lay the flowers down gently beside his bed, and left the room.

"Floral tea, anyone?" She asked the dwarf and the badger, and they both accepted eagerly. She brewed the tea and brought it over in glasses, while Nikabrik hunted for food. He produced bread, and they sat and ate quietly.

Trufflehunter spoke first. "Willow, what were you thinking, bringing a Telmarine here?"

"I wasn't thinking, really," the girl, Willow, admitted, "But he was hurt, and I had to help."
She saw Nikabrik exchange a glance with Trufflehunter, who gave a tiny shake of his head. But still Nik stayed quiet.
When he did speak, though, it was only to complain about the food.

"This bread is stale." He muttered, and Willow rolled her eyes.

"Just have some tea then. Plus, I'm sure our visitor will be coming around soon, and he'll be hungry." She told him, and Nikabrik sighed before eating the bread.

"You didn't drop him on the way, did you?"

"Nik, he's just a boy!" Willow exclaimed, putting her tea carefully on the table before scowling at Nikabrik.

"He's a Telmarine, not some lost puppy! You said you were going to get rid of him!"

"No, I said I'd take care of him! We can't kill him now anyways, I just bandaged his head. It would be like murdering a guest."

"Oh, and how do you think his friends are treating their guest? Trumpkin's probably dead already!"

"Nik!"

It was Trufflehunter's turn to sigh.
"Trumpkin knew what he was doing. And it wasn't the boys fault, so stop it, both of you, and just drink your tea."

And then the boy emerged from behind the arched doorway, and slammed past Trufflehunter and towards the fireplace. Willow jumped up, and Nikabrik ran to the boy, drawing his sword. The boy grabbed a poker from beside the fire, and brandished it threateningly. Trufflehunter tried to get between them, but Nik was too busy fighting the boy to notice.

"I told you we should've killed him when we had the chance!" Nik shouted, and Trufflehunter became angry.

"You know why we can't!"

The boy spoke up for the first time. "If we're taking a vote, then I'm with him." His voice had a slight Telmarine accent to it, and it was very clear and loud. He nodded towards Trufflehunter, and Willow smiled slightly. She stayed hidden in the back, but didn't dare use her powers in case he really was a bad Telmarine.

"We can't let him go, he's seen us!"

Willow couldn't take it anymore. "Enough, Nik!" She shouted, and the fighting ceased as the three of them turned to face her.

The boy's eyes stared at her, taking her in, and she saw a small smile appear on his face. He took her in slowly, noting her white dress which was slightly stained with mud, her long hair braided with flowers, and her eyes, her beautiful wide eyes.  She tilted her head slightly at him, looking confused, and his smile grew wider.

He spoke again. "What are you people?"

"You know, it's funny you would ask that. You'd think people would know a badger when they saw one." Trufflehunter muttered, and Willow bit back a smile.

The boy struggled with his words. "No, no, I mean...you're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct."

"I'm not a Narnian." Willow said, and the boy turned his head to look at her. She continued with a smile. "I don't know what I am, if that helps."

Nikabrik wasn't nearly as amused as Willow was.
"Sorry do disappoint you." He said to the boy, before stalking off back to the table.

Willow walked over calmly and picked up a glass of floral tea and offered it to the boy.

"Here you go, still hot." He accepted, and swirled the blue liquid around in the cup.

"Since when did we open a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?" Nik asked sarcastically, and the boy stood up, defiant.

"I am not a soldier. I am Prince Caspian, the tenth."

"Who?" Willow interjected, and he stared at her.

"Prince Caspian..." he trailed off, and Willow looked confused once more.

"I'm sorry. I haven't left the woods in years. I don't know anyone besides the Narnians and the general term of "Telmarines.""

"What are you doing here?" Nik interrupted, and Caspian looked down.

"Running away." He walked over to the fire slowly, an replaced the poker before continuing. "My uncle, Miraz, has always wanted my throne. I suppose I have only lived this long because he didn't have an heir of his own."

"Oh..." Willow breathed, and Caspian gazed at her.

"That changes things." Trufflehunter said, and Nikabrik scoffed.

"Yeah, means we don't have to kill you ourselves."

"Nik!" Willow sighed, but Caspian nodded.

"You're right." He started off in the direction of the door, and the two Narnians jumped up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Trufflehunter and Willow were confused, and even Nikabrik was slightly concerned for the boy.

"My uncle won't stop until I am dead." He said, while pulling on the armour Willow had found him in.

"But you can't leave, you're meant to save us!" Trufflehunter cried, and Caspian turned around. He picked up the horn. "Don't you know what this is?"

"A horn?"

"Not just a horn." Willow corrected, "The horn belonging to the High Queen of Old. If I am right -my history is not the best you see- then that horn will summon the High Kings and Queens of Old when the person who blows it is in great danger. And I think you were."

"The High Kings and Queens? They're real?"

"Yes, and you summoned them. They will help, they always have."

"It's been 1,300 years since we last had a glimpse of them. They're not coming anymore." Nik sighed, and Willow whirled on him.

"Don't give up hope! I've been here for 17 years and I haven't given up yet, and neither will you! If we give up then they win. Do you understand?"
For once, Nikabrik looked frightened of the girl towering before him, and stumbled back slightly.
Willow turned to Caspian, cooling off. "Caspian, if you must leave then leave. But I'm coming, and I don't care if you say no. You'll need me."

Caspian smiled, and Willow took that as an answer. She quickly got everything she needed (food, water, medicine) and shoved it in a satchel, pulled on some armour and grabbed a sword, slinging it around her waist. She turned to Trufflehunter and Nikabrik.

"I'll miss you, of course. Thank you for taking me in."

"Don't worry, dear girl. We'll meet again someday."

And with a final nod to both of them, Willow quickly walked over to Caspian and smiled. She stuck out her hand.

"I'm Willow, by the way. Now, where are we headed?"