The High Queen Book Two

Chapter 5 - Alliance

Third-Person POV

The five Kings and Queens, along with their new friend, were making their way through the woods east of Miraz's Castle, while Caspian made his way west, then south and now is heading east with the Narnians to the Dancing Lawn.

"I don't remember this way," Susan says to no one in particular as they follow Peter through the Lost Rocks.

"That's the problem with girls. Can't carry a map in your heads." Peter says with a smirk, letting them know he's only kidding.

"That's because our heads have something in them," Lu replies sassily, making the two other girls, Edmund and even Trumpkin, smirk.

"If my memory serves me right, it was you who got us lost in Ed's woods that time. 'Don't worry, Tilly, I know exactly where I'm going." The three girls laugh at Tilly's attempt to imitate Peter's voice, but she does nail it. "The audacity to think he knew your woods better than I did," Tilly says to Edmund rolling her eyes. "I know my boyfriend's woods like the back of my hand." She mutters to herself, but the youngest boy hears her.

"Yes, Darling, I know." He smiles at them, lacing their hands together before walking in silence.

"I wish he's just listened to the D.L.F in the first place," Susan complains to her younger sister and their friend, who both nod in agreement, but Ed frowns at their acronym.

"D.L.F?" He questions.

"Dear Little Friend," Lucy tells her brother before she a Susan walk off, but Tilly stays with Edmund due to him not letting go of her hand. They both look down at the dwarf, who's stopped walking to take in what he heard.

"Oh, that's not at all patronising, is it?" He says to the couple, who laugh at his monotone voice before the three move forward only to find Peter truly is lost as they come to a dead end.

"I'm not lost." The King mutters to himself, trying to prove he is the King he was all those years ago.

"No." Trumpkin jumps down from the rock he is on. "You're just going the wrong way." Peter whips around to face the dwarf with an angry look on his face.

"You last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Woods." He states harshly. "And the quickest way there is to cross at the River Rush."

"But unless I'm mistaken," The dwarf says, only to not piss off the King further. "there's no crossing in these parts." Like the others, he looks back at Peter, hoping he'll just take the D.L.F's help.

"That explains it, then. You're mistaken." Peter's reply tells the other he will not ask or even allow for some help.

As the group continue to difficultly wind their way through the rock, trees and shrubbery, Tilly speaks to Peter, trying to reason with him.

"You know, sometimes, a true leader steps down when another is more adapted or skilful in an area." Tilly knew what she was saying was cheesy, but she hoped that the words Aslan said to them many years ago still remained faithful to the King today... unfortunately for the High Queen, they did not.

"Argh, you sound like Aslan." Peter groans to the girl, rolling his eyes.

"Well, he is technically my father, even if loosely." The girl raises her hands in a tiresome manner.

"Yeah, well, I just thought you'd try to not sound so much like him."

"Next, I'll be roaring." She replies sarcastically, but Peter flies with it.

"You already have." He smirks as her face falls. "Would not recommend." He says back to the others.

"That was a game of charades!" The High Queen shrieks, not too pleased with the smirk on the High King's face as he laughs, walking forward.