𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐘 • 𝐩.𝐜

Chapter Two

ii. did we just kidnap the prince?

SELENA SAT BY THE TABLE, TALKING with Nikabrik and Badger about what they were going to do about the young Telmarine boy they had picked up.

After she had dragged him into the house, Selena had bandages him up and left her in her room - the only good human sized area in the house.

Sure, was he a very attractive person? Yes, yes he was. But was he also a Telmarine, a person who has been hunting their kind for years? Definitely.

In the room, Caspian woke up in a daze, scanning the room that he found himself in. He reached for the side of his head, touching the bandage before getting up as quietly as he could.

"This bread is so stale," Nikabrik complained, breaking the bread in half as he glared at Selena, he had never like the idea of looking after the young girl.

"Next time Nikabrik, you steal it from the market yourself," she said, glaring at him before taking a bite from it herself. It was stale.

Caspian looked around, seeing the swords on the walls, charcoal sketches littered on the floor and different Telmarine costumes in a pile in the corner.

"I'll just give him some soup. He should be coming around soon," Badger said, picking up the bowl of soup he had just prepared.

"I don't think I hit him hard enough," Nikabrik stated, crossing his arms across his chest as he glared at the wall which Caspian was behind.

"Nikabrik!" Badger scolded, "He's just a boy,"

"He's a Telmarine, Badger, not a lost puppy. We can't save everyone," she said, a sad smile on her face.

"We saved you, you were a Telmarine baby who was left in the woods and we raised you," Badger said, wagging his finger at her like he was her mother, which in all sakes he was.

Caspian listened on, trying to hear if they were going to kill him or not.

Nikabrik was starting to get angry, raising his voice at Badger, "You said we were going to get rid of him," he said angrily.

"No," Badger shook his head, looking down at the table, "I said I'd take care of him, we can't kill him now, Lena just bandaged his head. That's like killing a guest,"

"How do you think their friends are treating their guests?" Nikabrik asked, referencing Trumpkin who had most likely been kidnapped or killed by the Telmarines.

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing," Selena said. Trumpkin was always her favourite and she hated the idea of him being tortured by those scum.

"Its not the boys fault," Badger said, trying to be sympathetic.

Randomly, the boy rushed our of the room, scaring Badger so much that he spilt the soup all on the floor.

Selena jumped up, holding out her sword and blocking the exit of the house. Caspian narrowed his eyes before reaching for a hot poker, hitting Selenas sword.

She glared at him, "Is that all you got Telmarine," she scoffed, the two starting a sword fight in the middle of the room.

"Stop! Stop!" Badger yelled out, watching as the girl knocked the poker out of his hands.

She got closer, pressing the sharp end of the sword against Caspians chest; lightly so he would be injured but hard enough that he'd get the point.

"I told you we should have killed him when we had the chance," Nikabrik said, holding out his sword just in case.

"You know why we can't," Selena said, looking over at Badger who nodded his head.

"If we're taking a vote, I'm with them," Caspian said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Nobody cares pretty boy," Selena said, jabbing the sword slightly and watching as Caspian stepped back slightly.

"We can't let him go, he's seen us," Nikabrik tried to persuade them.

"Enough! Sit down!" Badger said and Selena sighed, lowering his sword and putting it back into the sheath. They all sat down, Caspian looking at her.

"What are you?" He asked with an odd expression somewhere between confusion and fear.

"You know, it's funny that you'd ask that. You think people would know a badger when they saw one," Badger said sarcastically.

"No, you're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct," he stated, looking over at Selena as she scoffed.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she said with a smirk, Caspian blushing slightly before looking away.

As Badger brought over some food for the boy, Nikabrik scoffed, "Since when have we opened a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers,"

"I'm not a soldier," Caspian said, almost offended at the insinuation, "I am Prince Caspian, the Tenth,"

Selena looked shocked, "So what are you doing here you're royal highness?" She asked, almost sarcastically.

"Running away. My uncle has always wanted my throne, I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own," Caspian said, looking into the fire.

"That changes things," Badger said, looking over at the boy with a glum expression.

"Yeah, means we don't have to kill you ourselves," Nikabrik said with a chuckle.

"Oh shut up," Selena said, hitting the dwarf over the head slightly.

"He's right," Caspian stated, walking over to the door where his jacket was and picking it up.

"Where the hell are you going?" Selena asked, standing up as well.

He turned around, "My uncle won't atop until I'm dead," he said, pulling his armoured jacket on.

"You can't leave, you're meant to save us," Badger said and Caspian turned around, watching as the badger picked up the horn, "This is Queen Susan's horn, it has called the Kings and Queens of Old back,"

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