Chasms and Chinks

Forwards

"There must be battles you have engaged in recently," Legolas said. Edmund and he had noticed some soldiers being patched up, some with only the mildest injuries, while nurses attended to the ones who were unconscious and too ill to get up. Most of them were Talking bears and Dwarves.

"About that—" Caspian began, but Glenstorm asked for a word with him.

Aragorn watched the two disappear into the caves, then turned to Edmund and Legolas. "It has been a tough time on us recently, with all the failed attacks and defense of the How. Miraz's forces battered us endlessly over these past few months. For instance, the time when Miraz's scouts found our lair out. Regiment after regiment arrived just outside the borders of the woods—not as much as I'd seen when we were in the War of the Ring, but considering how many we were, it was a hard battle. The attack beat and injured most of our better warriors."

Sensing that there was more to it than Aragorn was telling, Edmund raised an eyebrow. "And? Just that?"

"Of course not, Your Highness. There was a battle that occurred only a few days before you and the others have arrived in Narnia. It was supposed to be a fight wherein we would be able to at least show Miraz the strength behind our rebellion. However... the plan did not go well." Although he didn't show it, Aragorn's disappointment and irritation punctuated his controlled words. "We lost yet again, and with worse casualties than before. Even now the Black Dwarves are protesting against us."

Edmund perched himself on a well-placed rock and sharpened his dagger. "Not good news, then."

"It certainly lowered our morale. However, I believe it has been for the better. In that battle, I blew your sister's horn."

"Speaking of which, how did you find it?"

"Caspian's tutor gave it to me when he escaped, which I then gave to Caspian. I ended up carrying it, however, during that battle. It has proven to be... effective."

"But—" Legolas's mind raced. "If you have arrived even before we have, then you could not have been called by Susan's horn."

This occurred to Aragorn before, and now he tapped the hilt of his dagger to his lip. "I believe someone else called us. Or, at least, something else, I believe."

"Aslan?" Edmund suggested. "Nothing ever happens in Narnia without his permission, after all."

Before Aragorn could answer, someone came along—a faun that Edmund recognized to be the one guarding outside. He offered a sharp salute of sorts. "We have spotted a soldier and what we would... presume to be his men."

Noticing the halt in the faun's voice, Aragorn stood. "Where did you see him?"

"He is no longer there," the faun said. "But I think he may report back to Miraz. I cannot imagine another reason." A pause. "Should we investigate?"

Edmund waved Legolas over. "We'll go out and see what it's all about. It might be another outpost, like most of you said." Or the others might be there as well, he thought, but said nothing out loud. "We'll be back soon, we swear." Half-dragging and pulling Legolas, Edmund retraced their steps back outside, where Legolas finally pried his arm from Edmund's vise grip.

"Must I come with you?" Legolas asked. "I believe it isn't because of your concern for the safety of the How that led you here."

"No, not exactly," Edmund said while picking up his walk into a half-jog, eager to slip into the forest. He noted with a smile how Legolas shook his head and yet still followed him. Based on how Legolas' face, he wasn't too keen on being dragged outside so soon. "Come on, keep up. We still have to find the others."