The Regents : the Forgotten Chronicle [COMPLETED]

Chapter Three : The Attack on Cair Paravel

As we made our way through Owlwood , we met some owls who were awake. They were so excited at the prospect of more Kings and Queens that they agreed to hold off any more evil creatures (I learned later the pig-creatures were called "boggles") that came back for us. With Flitter leading the way, we made our way across open ground by sometimes running, sometimes ducking behind small hills. At last Cair Paravel was in sight. Flitter went on ahead to find a good entrance while the four of us waited behind a hill . . .

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~ 

Eliza had her knees to her chest with her back to the hillside while Lydia knelt on her right. To her left, Brennan was crouched as he peeked around the hill and out of the depression they were in. Reese, positioned behind him, reached out a hand and gently smacked his brother's shoe. "Get down," he hissed. "If you peek out too much, someone's bound to see you."

"All right, all right," Brennan grumbled, but he understood Reese's logic and withdrew himself into hiding. 

Reese hesitated before whispering, "What'd you see?"

Brennan gave a small smirk. "The castle's cut off from the shore. It's only connected to land by a bridge to the front gate."

"Erosion," Eliza murmured to herself. In the following silence, the foursome could hear the waves lapping up on the shore and much fainter under that the snarls of the creatures inside the castle and the clanking of weapons. Eliza shifted uncomfortably before extending her hand to Reese. "I'm Eliza. We weren't officially introduced before."

Reese shook her hand. "Reese."

Eliza nodded to her sister. "This is my sister, Lydia." The younger Dowland waved shyly at Reese as he reached out his hand. Embarrassed, Reese pulled back his hand just as Lydia offered hers. They paused for one moment before Reese grabbed her hand and shook it firmly.

Brennan snorted at the awkward exchange. "Brennan," he said to no one in particular.

As the sky was beginning to turn red with the setting sun, Flitter came back with a disappointed expression. "No way in?" Lydia asked sadly. Flitter nodded and knelt next to Lydia. The sylph's hair mysteriously floated over her downcast eyes.

"Great," Brennan grunted and threw his hands in the air.

"But we can't give up," Eliza insisted in a whisper.

Brennan gave her a doubtful look. "Well, what would you suggest?"

"A different strategy."

"Right. Let's pretend we're selling Girl Scout cookies." Brennan chuckled at his own joke.

Reese gave his brother's shoe a light kick. "Knock it off, you two. Someone could hear us."

Brennan held out his hands. "How come you only kicked me?"

"I can't hit a girl," Reese answered as if to say "duh." Eliza smirked at Brennan who glared back at her.

"I'm with Ellie on this one." Everyone turned at Lydia's quiet voice. She blushed at the attention but pushed past her discomfort. "Aslan brought us here for a reason. He'll help us through this." Flitter lifted her pale face and nodded enthusiastically.

"Shush, everyone," Reese hissed and waved his hands. "I'm thinking." He paused a moment. Then, the redhead motioned for them to come closer to him. "There are two obvious ways in," he whispered the most quietly he had so far. "Through the front door or from above."

"Like we can fly." Brennan rolled his eyes.

Lydia eyes brightened. "Owls can," she told her sister.