The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 1

The Naiad Trilogy

Part 2: The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 1

Ava knelt beside the injured Faun laying on one of the many cots in the tent. As she gently moved his blanket aside, the Faun stirred and his eyes fluttered open.

"Princess," he began to speak but stopped abruptly as he winced in pain.

"Shh, don't speak, Voltinus. Save your strength," Ava said gently. She went to remove the bandage covering his wound but he tried to stop her. "Please, allow me to help you." The Faun didn't protest further as Ava proceeded to clean his wound again and redress it.

It has been sixteen months since Ava learned she was the Naiad Princess and much has changed. A few days after the Pevensies left Narnia, Ava ventured to the river where she learned many things. She learned all the traditional dances that the Naiads participated in. She learned all about the history of Naiads and her parents. And she learned how to control and use her magic. One of the aspects of her magic was healing, and that in particular was of great use at the moment.

For a long while, Narnia had been at peace with the surrounding countries. But that all changed at the end of the summer when the Northern Giants became unruly. A few of them ventured into Narnia and began terrorizing its citizens. So King Caspian, after trying to deal with them peacefully and failing, had to wage war against them. Giants weren't the brightest of creatures, but they were strong and viciously violent. For this reason, Ava insisted upon being present at the Narnian campsite so that she may tend to the wounded.

By the time Ava finished redressing Voltinus' wound he had fallen back into a gentle sleep. Ava silently moved on to care for the next wounded soldier. As Ava continued to tend to the wounded, the weather began to change for the worse. It had been dreary all morning, but now it seemed the rain had finally moved in; Ava could hear the large drops pounding against the tent's canopy. Not that Ava minded the rain at all, but it always made the soldiers grumpy and volatile.

Ava was just about to tend to a Satyr when the tent opening was suddenly thrown aside and a young Telmarine soldier stepped inside. He looked around in a hurry for Ava and called out, "Princess," when he saw her. Ava briefly glanced at him before turning her attention back to the Satyr.

"I'll be with you in a moment, young Sir," she said.

"I'm afraid this can't wait, Princess," he said as he approached her.

"Sir, I am busy. I was just about to clean Selenius' wound."

The Telmarine soldier gently grabbed Ava's arm and whispered in her ear, "It's His Majesty; he's been wounded."

"Caspian," Ava whispered his name as she looked back to the Satyr.

"Go to him, Princess. I will be fine until you return," Selenius replied.

Ava nodded her head and quickly followed the young Telmarine out. He led her through the maze of tents in the campsite; the injured tent was kept far from the King's tent. All the way to Caspian, Ava's heart steadily increased its beating. She could not stop her mind from filling with worry. She knew Caspian. They had become great friends over the months. She knew he wouldn't send for her if it wasn't serious. Narnia was in no state to lose her King now.

At last Ava and the young soldier reached the tent of King Caspian X, and Ava quickly rushed inside. Caspian appeared surprised to see Ava, but not wounded, not at first; as Ava looked closely at Caspian's right arm she saw the sleeve drenched in blood. Caspian looked to Ava before turning his focus to the young Telmarine.