𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐘 • 𝐩.𝐜

Chapter One



i. the boy in the woods

CASPIAN RODE THROUGH THE WOODS and away from the palace, the thought of his uncle catching him made his heart race.

It wasn't his fault that his father died in his sleep, but now his Uncle - Lord Miraz - had his own son and didn't have any use of Caspian anymore. His tutor had informed him of the plot against his life and Caspian had fled at once.

He could hear other voices in the distance and hoped it wasn't the other Telmatines chasing him, although if it wasn't them, that would mean that it was the voices of Narnians.

Narnians were an old folk tail that his tutor - Dr Cornelius - would tell him about during his lessons. They were meant to be extinct after the Kings and Queens of Old disappeared, but he wasn't so sure.

Caspian turned back to check for the voices as they faded into the distance, but as he turned back, he hit a low hanging branch and fell off his horse with a yelp.

His foot was stuck and his horse dragged him along until he managed to free himself from the hold. He lay there on the floor, breathing heavy as he looked around.

Caspian sat up, looking around at the dark forest that he had found himself situated in. He flinched as he heard creaking come from a tree.

Inside was a young girl, also 17 years old like the boy outside. She was Narnian and had always lived in the forest, these people her only company.

Selena was curious when she heard the rustling noises and instantly went outside, searching for the cause of the noise.

But she froze when she saw the Telmarine boy, a soldier she presumed, lying on the floor with a horrified and shocked expression as behind her, two dwarves and a badger emerged.

He scuffled back, instantly scared of them. "Hes seen us," Nikabrik said, holding a knife as he glared at the boy.

Caspian looked for his sword, reaching for it when he saw Selena approach, her sword in hand.

Instead of reaching for his sword, he grabbed an oddly shaped horn that was next to him and he blew it, the loud sound probably signalling where he was to everyone else.

They heard the sound of horses and Trumpkin ran off to defend the crew, Nikabrik hitting the young boy on the head.

"What the hell is going on?" Selena questioned, pushing her black hair behind her ears in a nervous manner.

"It doesn't matter, grab him," Nikabrik said, the girl scrunching her nose in disgust.

"Me?" She questioned, looking between Nikabrik and Trufflehunter.

"You're the only one that can pick up the damn Telmarine soldier," Nikabrik said, glaring sightly at her.

"And why do we have to take him in? Why can't I just run my sword through him and leave him for them to find?" She asked as she looked down at the boy who lay unconscious on the floor.

"Hes seen us. Plus, he's just a boy, probably a little older than you Selena, how would you have felt if we would have left you to die?" Badger quizzed.

She sighed. When she was younger, she had been orphaned and had escaped into the woods before being found by Trumpkin and Trufflehunter.

"Fine," Selena looked at the boy, "We ask him why he's here when he wakes up, if he tries to call the Telmarines, we kill him,"

They all agreed and she walked over, picking up the boys legs and starting to drag him into the hut.

"You might want to hurry up, the Telmarines are heading this way," Trufflehunter said as he looked at the girl trying to drag the boy through the forest.

"Hes heaver than he looks," she said, accidentally hitting his head on a rock, "Sorry,"

She manages to lob him into the hut, leaving the boy lying on the floor with a cut on the side of his head.

"They're coming, cut the lights," she said, the three rushing to extinguish the lanterns before they heard the footsteps outside.

Selena held a finger up to her mouth to silence them and they listened as the Telmarine decided it was all clear and they all rustled away.

"What do we do with him now?" She asked, leaning against the wall as she stared down at the boy.

"Well, you're the sort of leader around here, what do you think we should do with him?" Trufflehunter asked.

Selena sighed, leaning down and picking up the boy by his arms, "I'll clean him up," she said as she dragged him into the other room.

She put him on her bed, annoyed that she'd have to sleep in the other room now. She grabbed a roll of bandages, lifting his head up and wrapping it around him.

Selena tied it around his head, laying him back down before walking towards the doorway.

She took one last look at the Telmarine boy, wondering why she weirdly recognised him before walking off, sitting down on the sofa and falling asleep.

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