descendants [ edmund pevensie ] [1]

ii.

02 | ITSY BITSY LITTLE MOUSE

Caroline wasn't sure how much time had passed before she woke up. The first thing she noticed was that she was inside some sort of hut, built in the trunk of a tree. She sat up, spotting the badger that was pacing back and fourth.

"Hello?" Caroline croaked.

"Uh, you're awake. Sorry about your head, just being cautious," the badger apologised.

Caroline gave one final shake of her head to make sure she was able to take in her surroundings. Awareness set in, her body lurching forward as she glanced around for her brother.

"What and who are you? Where's my brother?" Caroline inquired, looking at the animal with weary eyes.

"I'm Trufflehunter. And use your eyes child, I'm a badger," Trufflehunter introduced.

Caroline glared, "I could tell, I'm not a barbarian. I meant you're a Narnian – a fairytale,".

"I'm quite the opposite," Trufflehunter tsked, "Narnian's are no fairytale, just merely close to extinction,".

The loud noises interrupted her conversation with the badger, the panicked voice her brother echoing through the home. Caroline looked towards the voice, rushing to the prince and shoving him back – removing the sword from his hand.

"Stop, what are you doing?" Caroline exclaimed.

"They knocked us out and kidnapped us," Caspian argued, "You can't expect me not to fight back,".

A dwarf snarled, "Kidnapping eh? Those soldiers were going to kill you, I think we saved your lives,".

"That's enough Nikabrik. Or am I going to have to sit on your head again?" Trufflehunter scolded before glancing at Caspian with an annoyed expression, "And you, look what you made me do. Took me all morning to make that soup,".

"Sorry for my brothers behaviour. He has always been a mess to look after," Caroline sighed, earning an eye roll from Caspian.

"What are you?" Caspian questioned.

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

"No, no, I mean, you're – Narnian's," Caspian stated, "You're supposed to be extinct,".

"You're sister thought the same thing – actually thought we were a fairytale," Trufflehunter corrected.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Nikabrik rolled his eyes, "Since when did we open a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?".

Caspian stood up, "We are not soldiers. I am Prince Caspian the X and this is Princess Caroline the I,".

"What're you doing here?" Nikabrik asked.

Caroline pressed her lips into a thin line, "Family issues,".

"Our uncle has always wanted the throne. I suppose we've only lived this long because he couldn't have an heir of his own," Caspian explained.

Trufflehunter sighed, "Well that changes things,".

"Yeah, it means we don't have to kill you ourselves," Nikabrik smirked.

"You are right," Caspian nodded, suddenly grabbing his stuff, "Our uncle will not stop until we are dead,"

"But you can't leave. You're meant to save us, both of you," Trufflehunter informed, grabbing the horn, "Don't you know what this is?".

"It's the horn of High Queen Susan," Caroline realised, "It's said that if you blow the horn, the Kings and Queens of old will return home. But it's not true, the legend is made up,".

Trufflehunter nodded, "You're correct, but it's no story,".

"Caspian, we're leaving. Now," Caroline stated, "The stories about the Kings and Queens are exactly that. Just because you can talk does not prove anything other than that something went seriously wrong with your genes,".

As the prince and princess began to leave, the badger gave the girl a pitiful look, "Oh, how wrong you are child,".

♞♞♞

"I can hear you," Caspian sighed, glancing behind him.

The princess rolled her eyes, glancing behind her to see the grass slightly moving as the dwarf and badger ran to hide behind a tree.

Trufflehunter stepped forward, with Nikabrik behind him, "I just think we should wait for the Kings and Queens,".

"They're not coming," Caroline said.

Caroline began to pace her walk to get ahead of the group. The annoyance and frustration was building up inside of her. The stories were only stories. The voice of Trufflehunter telling Caspian about the creatures who use to own the land were faint to her ears, the only thing that finally caught her attention was a blur of a green arrow flying past her.

"Caroline," Caspian called, "Get down,".

The girl dropped to the ground, her body flat against the grass as she tried to crawl behind a tree. The shout of her brother telling her ran made her stand up and follow his lead. The badger was shortly behind her, the mixed sound of a grunt and an arrow lodging into something.

"Caspian. I can't believe I'm saying this but help the talking badger," Caroline said, glancing at the guards, "Quickly,".

The Telmarine soldiers let out cries of pain and suddenly collapsed to the ground, the grass around their feet swaying as something ran between them.  Caspian stepped forward, pushing Caroline behind him as a mouse jumped up, knocking Caspian to the floor.

"Don't hurt him," Caroline pleaded, "Only I get to do that,".

"Seriously? There's a mouse – with a sword and that's all you can say?" Caspian mumbled.

"She's right, Reepicheep, put your sword down," Trufflehunter demanded, "He's the one who blew the horn,".

"Then let him bring it forward. This is the reason we have gathered,".

Caroline glanced over at the the creatures, with wide eyes. Fairytale, she kept telling herself but it was becoming harder to believe that it was just a story.

"They're beautiful," Caroline whispered.

The look that crossed Caspian's face was pure. The way his sister looked at the creatures gave him a sense of hope that the hopeful, cheery and childlike Caroline was still their. Rather than the one who built up walls and stopped believing.

"You ready? It's a long journey ahead," Caspian asked, gaining the girls attention.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at him, grinning, "I was born ready,".

a/n: Caroline is honestly life.

I'm dedicating this to -voidtheo because her comments make my day.

I was thinking maybe Edoline for their ship name. Then Carian for Caspian and Caroline, who knows?