Never Say Goodbye

A Solemn Walk

Never Say Goodybye

Chapter 9: A Solemn Walk

Edmund

Where did things go wrong? The shorter question to answer would be: where did they go right?

We walked silently through the tall grass in the early morning light. The How was sitting just before us, but the peace it once brought was out of reach. Those walking ahead had already been spotted, and bodies were beginning to emerge with hopeful and weary eyes. They would find no relief with us though. The raid had failed, and many Narnian lives were lost.

I thought back again on how the plan first went astray.

...

We entered the castle easily enough. Susan landed on the tower and disabled the lookouts with ease and skill. When we landed there was nothing to do but make our way to the Professor's window. We scaled down the wall and entered the castle. And that's all that happened according to plan.

We arrived in the room to find it in disarray. Tables were turned over. Papers and books were thrown about. The sheets were undone. Someone had been in here looking for something, whether or not they found it had yet to be determined. On the only table that wasn't overturned sat an open book, and we all gathered around to view the open page. There was a picture of two kings and three queens riding on horseback through the woods. And sticking out of the page, through the heart of one of the horses, was a red tipped arrow; it was one of Susan's arrows. I believed then, that they had found what they were looking for.

Caspian picked up a pair of glasses. "We have to find him," he said. "The Professor would never leave his room like this."

"We don't have time, Caspian. We have to keep to the plan," Peter said without any remorse.

 "You wouldn't even be here without him!" Caspian retorted. "And neither would I."

I knew Peter was right. We couldn't stray from the plan, and yet Aaralynn's words rang through my head. She was counting on us bringing the Professor back. When he couldn't get through to Peter alone, Caspian turned his pleading eyes to me, and the feeling that swelled within me was unexpected and overpowering. I knew then that I would do anything to make Aaralynn happy, even if it meant saying goodbye.

There wasn't much rhyme or reason in what followed as I pushed logic aside and said, "New plan. Peter you can deal with Miraz alone. Caspian, you find the Professor and see to it that he get's to safety, and then then get back to the portcullis as soon as possible. I'll go with Trumpkin to lower the drawbridge."

"Ed..."

"We don't have time to argue about this Peter, just go with it."

"Thank you, King Edmund," Caspian said.

"This isn't for you," I said pointedly. "Now go." Caspian set down the glasses and took off running.

"Ed..."

"I don't want to hear it, Peter." I knew he was upset but there was nothing to be done about it now. "Just make sure you're capable of calling it if needed." I didn't give Peter a chance to respond before I left.

...

When we approached the stone ruins before the How, we were close enough to see the loss register on everyone's face, so few of us had returned. I looked to my right where Glenstorm walked silently. One of his sons had not made it out of the courtyard before the portcullis fell. My eyes then dropped to the bundle in his arms. Trumpkin lay on the brink of death; he had taken a rather nasty fall out of the gatehouse window. I could hardly help wondering if things would have been different if I hadn't left him alone in there.