The High Queen Book Two

Chapter 3 - The Truth

Third-Person POV

According to the new King's orders, two of Miraz's guards travel slowly down the river to find the right spot to execute the dwarf.

"He won't stop staring." The man rowing the boat says to the other as the ginger dwarf glares at the guard.

"So, don't look." His friend says, rolling his eyes as they both grow tired of their mission. The dwarf doesn't let up his stare freaking the guard out and making him stop rowing.

"Here's far enough." He grunts, standing up with the other man and picking up the dwarf. As the two go to toss him over the edge, an arrow pierces the wooden boat, startling the three. Susan lines up another arrow as Peter, Tilly and Ed draw their sword rushing forward with Lucy.

"Drop him!" Susan shouts, making Tilly's eyes widen in shock at her poor choice of words. As the two men toss him overboard, Tilly drops her sword dashing to the water.

"Pete, Ed, go get those guards. Susan don't let them get away or injure the boys. Lucy, say by Sue and be ready with your cordial." With that, she dives into the water, going after the dwarf while the others do as instruct. As Tilly drags the exhausted dwarf to shore, Ed and Peter come in with the boat, but neither guard as they tried to swim away in heavy armour while injured. Lucy grabs her dagger cutting the dwarf free as Tilly takes off the gag. He tosses around, coughing up water before standing up and glaring at Susan.

"Drop him?!" He yells. "That's the best you could come up with?" He scolds angrily.

"A simple thank you would suffice," Susan says, taken off guard.

"They were doing fine drowning me without your help."

"Maybe we should have let them." Peter jumps in, not too pleased with his tone of voice.

"She miss spoke, that's all," Tilly says, finishing the argument.

"Why were they trying to kill you, anyway?" Lucy questions, not understanding, along with the rest of them.

"They're Telmarines. That's what they do." The five glance at each other in shock for a moment. The last time they'd heard of the Telmarines was when Tilly went to stay with them to possibly take Prince Caspian's hand in marriage.

"Telmarines? In Narnia?" Edmund says, not believing the dwarf entirely.

"Where have you been the last few hundred years?" The sassy dwarf answers, making Lucy chuckle.

"It's a bit of a long story." Susan and Lu hand back Tilly and Peter's swords making the dwarf catch sight of the lion on each hilt. As the dwarf looks closer at the five, he realises who they are.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. You're it?" He shakes his head. "You're the Kings and Queens of old?" Tilly goes to step forward to introduce herself and the others, but Peter cuts her off.

"High King Peter, the Magnificent." He holds out his hand.

"You probably could've left out the last bit." Tilly snaps, rolling her eyes and making Lucy and the dwarf laugh.

"Probably." Frowning at the dwarf for teasing her family, Tilly draws her swords.

"You might be surprised." Hold out her swords in front of her in a battle stance.

"Oh, you don't want to do that, little girl," Tilly smirks at the shorter man, hiding her laughter inside.

"Not me. Him." She hands one sword to Ed and leans forward to hand the other to the dwarf, who takes it apprehensively and, due to the weight, drops it as well but retrieves it too. Going back to Ed, Tilly quickly kisses Ed's cheek, making the dwarf laugh harder, swinging at an unready Edmund. The dwarf slices the sword over his head, making Ed duck, but the height difference makes it the perfect height for the dwarf. He elbows Edmund in the face, knocking him backwards.