The Guardian of Narnia

XX

The Dawn Treader's small group landed on the island and set up camp. The sun had already gone down when they completed their camp, and Lucy and Gael were almost asleep standing up. The group agreed to retire, but Elvira wished to stay guard.

"No, Vira, please. You need to rest. The last time you did was becasue you were unconscious," Edmund said. Elvira looked at him, confused.

"Really?" she said.

"You have been working for seventy-two hours, on little food and no sleep. Please," Edmund pleaded. Elvira eventually caved at Edmund's soft brown eyes.

"I will, my King," she said. Edmund gently took her arm.

"That was not an order, that was a request. From a concerned friend," he said. Elvira smiled at him.

"I will sleep."

~

As dawn peeked over the clouds, Elvira was the first to wake. She rolled over and stood. She began walking backwards, but her foot jumped down into the earth like she had missed a step on the ground. A sickening feeling of dark surprise overcame her stomach and she looked down. It was a gigantic footprint. She knelt down to Edmund.

"Ed," she said urgently, but her voice still thick with sleep, "Wake up. Wake up!" Edmund rose, moaning slightly, as did Caspian. She pointed at the huge footprints in the sand.

"Look," she said.

"Where's Lucy?" Edmund suddenly said. Elvira turned around sharply... but the young High Queen was nowhere to be found.

"Lucy!" Both Edmund and Elvira said in fear.

"Everybody up!" Elvira ordered and the crew stirred, "I fall asleep for nine hours and this happens! she said angrily to herself.

"Get up," Drinian ordered quietly. Elvira took a deep breath in through her nose, trying to catch Lucy's scent.

"This way," she said, moving through the trees quickly. Edmund soon caught up to her. Fear was etched on to his face. Elvira took his hand as she sped up her walking and squeezed it tightly. He returned it and the two continued moving.

As the crew moved into some rocky turf, Elvira noticed something glistening in the sunlight.

"Ed!" she called. She held it up for him to see.

"Lucy's dagger," she said. The crew made to start on, but suddenly, large branches flew into the earth. Elvira shoved Edmund behind her and into the circle the crew was creating.continued moving in the direction Elvira was leading.

"Stop right there, or perish!" said a deep gravelly voice. Suddenly, Caspian was smacked in the mouth and shoved to the floor. Everyone had their swords out, but their eyes were of no use here. People were getting punched and kicked. Elvira was kicked right in the stomach and keeled over. Edmund's eyes flashed with anger. Elvira stood up again.

"Enough!" she roared. Everyone stopped.

"What sort of creatures are you?" she asked the air.

"Big ones. With the head of a tiger and the body of a um..." the voice trailed off but was picked up by another.

"Different tiger!" There was a chorus of "yeah!"'s, to which Elvira rolled her eyes.

"You don't want to mess with us!" the first voice said. Suddenly, Elvira could see the outline of a form in front of her. The spell that seemed to be on them was wearing off.

"Or what?" Edmund asked.

"Or I'll claw you to death!" one voice said, which suddenly caused a form to appear. Elvira smirked. They were Dufflepuds. One was on top and two others were holding the humungous foot that Dufflepuds were known for.

"I'll run my tusks right through you!" said another as it appeared as well.

"I will crush you with my teeth," said the first voice and the same process happened again. Soon enough, all were visible.

"And I'll bite you with my fangs," said another, who accompanied it with an unconvincing growl.

"You mean squash us with your fat bellies?" Elvira said, grinning now.

"Fat bellies?" said some, highly offended.

"Or tickle us with your toes?" Caspian joined in. The Dufflepuds cried out in offence, but the Dufflepud that the group had first heard fell to the ground and was soon no higher than people's knees. Edmund pulled out his sword and held it to the Dufflepud's neck.

"What have you done with my sister, you little pip squeak?" he asked. The Dufflepud looked fearful as he said, "Now, calm down." 

"Where is she?" Edmund repeated, more pleadingly.

"Can I tell him?" said one of the Dufflepuds.

"Tell him, chief," said another.

"In the mansion," the Dufflepud chief said.

"What mansion?" Edmund asked. The Dufflepud shifted his eyes to his right. As Elvira turned her head to see, she saw a huge house - a mansion - appeared out of nowhere in front of them.

"Oh. That mansion," Edmund said, in a 'duh' fashion. Elvira smiled but turned around at the sound of marching footsteps. It was Eustace.

"Now, I'm getting tired of you leaving me behind," he said indignantly. The Dufflepuds suddenly shuffled about, saying "It's the pig!" "The pig came back!" 

"This place is weirder and weirder," Eustace said, staring at the Dufflepuds. The Dufflepuds complained to themselves.

"He's calling us weird," said one very loudly. Elvira sighed and turned to the mansion as she saw two people. Suddenly the Dufflepuds started jumping about in fear, saying, "It's the Oppressor!"

"Lucy!" said Edmund, putting away his sword.

"Your majesty," said the so-titled Oppressor. Suddenly, Elvira recognised him.

"Caspian and Edmund. This is-"

"Coriakin!" Elvira said excitedly. Coriakin smiled widely at seeing Elvira, but he only bowed to her. She returned it.

"It's his island," Lucy explained. Caspian bowed to Coriakin. Elvira walked up to the old magician and he smiled widely again.

"That's what he thinks," said the chief Dufflepud, "You have wronged us, magician!"

"I have not wronged you, I've made you invisible for your own protection," Coriakin said and began walking towards the Dufflepuds. They bounded around on their one foot but backed away. "Protection?" "That's oppressive!" "Oppressor!"

"I have not oppressed you," Coriakin said.

"But you could have! If you wanted to!" said the chief Dufflepud. Elvira chuckled next to Edmund.

"Be gone," Coriakin said and took some sort of dust out of his pocket and threw it at them. The bounded away, in fear of the magic and were leaping around the garden bushes.

"What was that?" Lucy asked, walking up to Coriakin.

"Lint. But don't tell them," he said. Elvira smiled at her old friend, who had a cheeky twinkle in his eye. He began walking towards his mansion and Caspian, Edmund, Elvira and Lucy took that as an excuse to follow.

"What were those things?" Eustace asked.

"Dufflepuds," Coriakin said casually as he retreated.

"Right. Of course. Silly me," Eustace said to himself quietly. Elvira smirked and followed everyone into the mansion.