Beyond the Horn

CHAPTER 11: KARA

Kara blocked another quick swing from Glenstorm's sword and gasped in another breath of air. She spun out of the way to avoid his next slash and chopped quick, short strikes that he barely blocked.

She was getting the hang of this strangely quickly.

"You are quite skilled, Miss Kara," Glenstorm said in his deep voice.

Kara grinned. "Thanks Glenstorm. I don't exactly know how though, seeing as I've never used a sword. Ever. In my entire life. I know, it's creeping me out too."

Glenstorm's serious face broke into a slight smile, but it returned to its somber expression when another centaur made the announcement that the High King was calling a meeting to discuss battle plans.

Immediately the flurry of activity around them stopped, and Kara watched as everyone hurried out of the main entrance and deeper into the Howe. She didn't want to stand around waiting, but she also didn't want to follow without knowing where Annaliese and the Pevensies were.

"Kara?" she heard her sister then.

"Over here," Kara waved, and Annaliese shoved her way through the crowd of moving Narnians with Susan and Prince Caspian behind her.

"What's going on?" Prince Caspian asked curiously.

"Peter's called a meeting," Kara answered. "Come on. We'd best move if we want to hear a word of it."

"A meeting? Why was I not informed? I am next in line for the throne," said Caspian, looking very surprised and irritated. Sympathy for him welled up inside Kara and she reached out to place her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe so, but you are not High King. Peter is." Caspian nodded, though he still seemed frustrated.

"Let's go, then," Susan said, and they all followed the rest of the Narnians dissipating further into the Howe.

They found Peter standing on one side of a large room, with a statue of Aslan against the back wall and a table broken in half sitting at the very center of the room. The moment she walked in, shivers crawled up Kara's spine. Something had once happened here, and she knew instinctively that it had to do with Aslan and the broken table.

Ed was suddenly next to Kara, gripping her hand and squeezing it, then he leaned down and said in her ear, "That's the Stone Table. That's where Aslan died for me."

Kara drew a quick breath, turned and wrapped her arms briefly around his waist. She released him right away but held onto his hand tightly. They went and took a seat on a stone bench near the wall and turned their focuses to Peter. As he stood, straight and tall and regal with his hand on his sword's hilt, the rest of the Narnians, all of whom were gathered around him and scattered throughout the room, went quiet. Kara saw that Annaliese had chosen to sit comfortably on the Stone Table next to Lucy, and Susan stood near her as well, though she seemed tense and ready to flee at any moment.

Prince Caspian suddenly was standing next to Peter, who, to his credit, gave him a nod before opening his mouth to speak.

"It's only a matter of time," he began, swiveling in a slow circle so as to look at everyone. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" Glenstorm asked. He was a captain of a sort, Kara remembered now.

"We need to get ready for—"

"To start planning for—"

Both Caspian and Peter had spoken at once. Kara winced, and leaned up against Ed almost without realizing it.