The Coming Storm - Book 1 (Caspian x Sister OC) (Edmund x OC) (Prince Caspian)

Chapter 3 - Born in Truth

Caspian's head started to move as his eyes blinked open. He sat up slowly, looking at the small room around him. The walls were a mixture of tree roots and dirt, the small bed under him with a rough quilt. He glanced over at the figure in the other bed, standing and walking over to it.

"Idalla," he whispered with barely any sound. "Idalla," he gently touched her arms and her eyes shot open and he put a finger to her lips. She nodded, sitting up quietly. The room was lit by two candles sitting at each bedside, though there were candle holders built into the walls. Idalla gently put her hand up to her brother's head, running her fingers over the bandage. He pulled her hand down, nodding that he felt fine before taking it off and laying it on the table. He gestured to the cut on her cheek and she ran her finger over it. She nodded back and he nodded once more, turning as they heard voices in the other room.

"This bread is so stale."

"I'll just give them some soup then. They should be coming around soon."

"I don't think I hit them hard enough."

"Nikabrik, he's just a boy. And she's just a young girl."

"They're Telmarines, not some lost puppies." Caspian crouched closer to the doorway as Idalla looked around for her bag and dagger. "You said you were gonna get rid of them."

"No, I said I'd take care of them." Idalla quietly got off of her bed, coming and standing by Caspian as they tried to peek into the other room. "We can't kill them now," one of them argued. "I just bandaged the boy's head. It would be like murdering a guest."

"Oh and how do you think their friends are treating their guest?" the other demanded.

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing. It was not the children's fault." Caspian looked at Idalla, counting down from three before they stood, rushing out of the room, trying to get out before the dwarf pulled a sword on them. Caspian grabbed one of the fire irons, holding it out in front of them as he placed an arm in front of Idalla.

"Stop! Stop!" the talking badger called as the sword and fire iron clashed. "Hold it. No. No!"

"I told you we should have killed them when we had the chance!"

"You know why we can't." The dwarf growled, walking closer before Idalla called out.

"Drop it or I'll throw this," Idalla held up a small bag she had attached to her waist. "Quicklime. Just a little bit and you're permanently blind."

"There is no need to use that, milady," the badger held up his hands. "We are not going to harm you."

"If we're taking a vote," Caspian spoke up, "I'm with him."

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

"That's enough, Nikabrik! Or do I have to sit on your head again?" Caspian and Idalla glanced at each other in confusion before looking back at the two, both of their weapons still raised. "And you," he looked at Caspian, "look what you made me do." He leant down to clean up the spilled soup. "I spent half the morning on that soup," he mumbled, walking away as he cleaned it up.

"What are you?" Caspian asked.

"You know, it's funny that you would ask that. You think more people would know a badger when they see one."

"Most ones we see don't speak," Idalla told him.

"I mean..." Caspian hesitated. "You're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Nikabrik told him, putting his sword down and walking back to the table.

"Here you go. Still hot." They both took the bowls of soup offered.

"Since when did we open a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers and their servants?"

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

"And I'm Princess Idalla."

"I'm Trufflehunter and this is Nikabrik," he introduced them.

"What are you doing here?" Nikabrik asked.

"Running away," he admitted. "Our uncle has always wanted my throne." He returned the fire iron to the others. "I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own," he said sadly as he looked into the fire.

"That changes things," Trufflehunter said quietly.

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

"You're right," Caspian looked at him. He walked across the room, setting the soup down and grabbing his armor and sword.

"Where are you going?"

"I would like to know that too," Idalla said after Trufflehunter.

"My uncle won't stop till I am dead."

"But... You can't leave. You're meant to save us." Caspian froze, looking at Trufflehunter and the horn sitting on the table. "Don't you know what this is?"

"Wait," Idalla spoke up, taking a closer look at it. "That's not... It's not possible. It's just a legend."

"Didn't you believe all of this was a legend?" Trufflehunter asked her. "All of us?"

"Yes, but even in your culture, it's a legend in itself."

"But where legends are born?" he asked her. "They're born in truth."

Since I didn't post last week and tomorrow's Christmas (Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!), I figured I would post two chapters today. Hope you liked them!