Narnia: Prince Caspian & The Dark Angel

10 | Sun and Moon

It was before dawn when Raven woke. Unlike the other Narnians, she slept in the woods, favoring the open skies over the small and stuffy caves that others had managed to create for rooms. The stars mesmerized her more than rock, and it almost comforted her enough to think she might be able to sleep. Almost. The night terrors came back twice as hard, and more vivid than before. This time, she could manage a few words escaping the mouths of the ladies in her dreams, feeling oddly uncomfortable when it began to feel like more than just a dream.

"Hush now, Crystalline, hush! You're alright, you're okay..."

"...You will protect her, correct?"

"I and many others will protect and guide her into the guardian she will become..."

The voices were familiar, some of which were Aslan's. The dreams made her far more curious than before, and more eager to get going on the trek to Cair Paravel. If only Peter could walk faster across the meadow. Perched on the highest branch of a tree, Raven watched silently as Peter lugged a horse at a painfully slow pace towards the forest. The horse had provisions saddling its back, and from a distance Raven could make out the sinister glint of her newly shiny armor laid out on its back. Raven froze when she realized that it was only Peter and the horse...only Peter and the horse.

Her stomach churned uncomfortably when she stared at the entrance of the How, seeing no one following Peter out. Where are his siblings? As soon as he was close enough, she jumped down from the tree effortlessly, landing on her two feet without much of a noise. Peter was surprised for a moment, jumping back to soothe the spooked horse as it tried to back away. Raven didn't pay any mind to the unsettled horse, holding her hands behind her back as a soldier would. "I thought the others were coming."

"No, just me," Peter replied, tugging on the horse's reins once more. "I told you that it was just me, right?"

"You failed to mention that," Raven responded, her voice once again ringing monotonous in Peter's ears. "Never mind that. Do you have my belongings? It was quite difficult to keep watch without something to defend myself with."

Peter nodded, motioning to the armor on the horse as he tightened the straps on its back. Raven quickly grabbed her armor, sliding on all of the pieces swiftly and smoothly. Once her sword was sheathed in its scabbard and her quiver secured on her back, Raven pointed to the forest with her bow. "We will continue that way until night fall. There will be no fire once the sun sets, unless you want to attract unwanted eyes. Let's go."

And so they walked on for hours, a wall raised in silence between the two that was never torn down. Even when they stopped by a trickling creek for the night there was the wall, upright and untouched. He is probably still frightened from yesterday, Raven thought to herself. She remembered the intense aftershock of her scene, feeling so troubled and drained that she retreated deep into the woods to have a moment to herself. Raven nearly killed him. She still couldn't wrap her head around it, finding the fact more troubling than she wanted it to be. She nearly killed him, so what? She has nearly killed people plenty of times. No, this time it's different. Raven lost complete control to the voices and rage. The last time I lost this much control...

Raven shuddered at the thought, growing more uneasy with the stoic High King sitting across from her with a polishing rag in one hand and her sword in the other. She spared him a subtle glance, her eyes narrowing as she assessed him. There was a few traits that still stuck with Raven's memories. His hair was spun with the same brilliant golds that mimicked sunlight, and his voice was still melodious and strong.