Prince Caspian (Alternate version)

A New Adventure

The Pevensie siblings and Trumpkin got on the boat, which the one Trumpkin was imprisoned with two Telmarine soldiers.


Peter rowed the boat, and as the boat rowed through the river, Lucy looked up and wore a sad expression. Edmund and Susan noticed her expression and could tell what she was thinking.


"They're so still..." Lucy said, as she looked up the trees.


Trumpkin scoffed. "They're trees, what do you expect?" He asked cynically.


"They used to dance." Lucy pointed out.


"Wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded Narnia." Trumpkin told the siblings. "Those who survived retreated into the woods. And the trees..." He looked up at them. "They retreated so deep into themselves, they haven't been heard from since."


The siblings looked at each other in bewilderment.


"I don't understand." Lucy said, confused. "How could Aslan let this happen?"


Trumpkin looked at Lucy in alarm. "Aslan?" He echoed. "You're kidding me, right?"


"No, I'm afraid we're not." Susan said sadly.


"Well, let me tell you four a scary fact." Trumpkin said. "He abandoned us when all of you did."


The siblings looked at each other again and their hearts sank. Was it really their fault that Aslan had given up on everyone after they left Narnia?


"We didn't mean to leave, you know." Peter said dejectedly.


"We didn't want to leave and none of us wants to." Susan said unhappily.


Trumpkin sighed. "It doesn't matter any difference, does it?" He asked them.


"Get us to the Narnians." Peter said. "And it will."


"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Edmund asked. "Like what happened to you last night?"


Trumpkin looked at the siblings and cleared his throat.


"Okay, I'll tell you what happened." Trumpkin said. "I was in my cottage with my associates, and we heard a noise and I walked out to see what had happened."


"And then?" Susan asked.


"And then we saw Miraz's nephew, lying on the ground, and we were going to take him in, and we saw the Telmarines coming, and I had to act as a decoy." Trumpkin explained. "I got captured and I was imprisoned at Miraz's castle and he sent them to throw me and that's when you four came."


The siblings looked at Trumpkin hardly, and then at each other.


"What's the name of Miraz's nephew?" Lucy asked.


"Caspian." Trumpkin replied. "He's the prince, apparently his father was a king, but he died and his brother was next in line for the throne. Rumor has it that he killed him in his sleep."


"That's rough." Edmund said unhappily.


"Caspian's escape from the castle also created another rumor for people to talk about." Trumpkin explained informatively. "Apparently, they think that he's starting a rebellion and that Bastila and the Narnians are all on his side."


"Bastila?" Peter asked.


"She is Caspian's friend." Trumpkin said to them. "She hates the Telmarines as much as we all do. I can take you all to them."


The passengers realized that they're on ashore and they got off the boat. Lucy wandered off and then saw a large bear about fifty feet away.


"Hello, there!" Lucy said as she gave the bear a grin. The siblings looked at her, as if they're aware that something is going to happen.


"It's alright, we're friends!" Lucy greeted cheerfully at the bear.


Trumpkin looked at Lucy and his eyes grew wide. "Don't move, Your Majesty!"


"What?" Lucy echoed as she turned around to see the others and then back at the bear, who ran towards her as Lucy lost balance.


"Shoot, Susan! Shoot!" Edmund cried out.


Lucy screamed, but before it could fall on Lucy, an arrow landed on the bear's chest, and it fell backward.


The siblings turned to look at Susan, but she still had her arrow pointing up and she looked at Trumpkin, who lowered his quiver.


"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked.


"I suspect he was hungry." Trumpkin answered.


"Thanks." Lucy said quietly to Trumpkin as the others hurried up to them.


"He was wild!" Edmund exclaimed.


"I don't think he could talk at all." Peter agreed.


"Get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that's what you become. You might find Narnia a more savage place than you remember." Trumpkin told them in a grave voice.


The group walked on and then into the forest. The siblings looked at each other questioningly.


"I don't remember this way." Susan said as they walked down a path.


"That's the problem with girls." Peter said. "They can't carry a map in their heads."


"That's because our heads have something in them." Lucy said.


Edmund smirked at Lucy as they walked on.


"I wish he'd just listen to the DLF in the first place." Susan told Lucy.


"DLF?" Edmund asked.


"Dear Little Friend." Susan and Lucy said together.


Trumpkin and Edmund stopped for a second.


"Oh, that's not at all patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin asked. Edmund gave a tinkling laugh.


The reached a bunch of rocks that ended the path.


"Well, I'm not lost." Peter said.


"No, love." Trumpkin said as we stopped walking. "You're just going the wrong way."


Peter gave a deep sigh, and then turned to Trumpkin.


"You last saw Caspian in the Shuddering Woods. And the quickest way there is to cross the River Rush." Peter said with a slight anger in his voice.


"But unless I'm mistaken..." Trumpkin said slowly. "There's no crossing here."


"That explains it then." Peter said harshly. "You're mistaken."


Peter then turned to keep walking. Susan, Lucy and Edmund exchanged annoyed glances.