The New Warrior (Book 1)

Chapter 10 The Dwarf

"We should change." Susan said after a while. "Maggie, you can wear of my dresses. " I nodded and thanked her.

"Come on. " Peter motioned to Edmund. "We'll go change outside, the girls can change in here."

Edmund nodded briskly and they both turned away. For some reason I felt my self counting every step they took.

"Here." I felt a soft fabric brush against my arm and I took it carefully in my hand. We all dressed in silence, never really looking up.

"You look like you belong here already!" Lucy chimed.

"Really?" I questioned, wearily. I looked down at the light blue dress that cascaded down to my feet with a white corset to top it off. "I feel like I'm dressing up for a play. "

Both girls chuckled. "You look wonderful." Susan smiled, coming up behind me and tying the strings in the back and pushing my hair over my shoulders. "Shall we?" She held her arm out to me.

"We shall." I laughed as we walked up the steps and out into the cool, afternoon air. "So," I called when I saw the boys looking out upon the ocean, causing them both to spin around. "Oh great king, where do we go from here?"

Peter raised his eyebrows, smirking. "I do hope you're not addressing the High King in such a manner." Lucy rolled her eyes at us and followed Susan towards the trees.

"Whys that?"

"I might just have to throw you in the dungeon."

I thought about a good comeback for a minute before replying, "How do you know I wasn't talking to Edmund?"

Edmund burst out laughing as he walked by me, turning swiftly, "You look brilliant by the way." I laughed, turning back to Peter. "At this point, I don't think it matters who I was talking too. Susan's already taken the lead."

"Oh, come on." He laughed, pulling me beside him.

"Drop him!" We heard Susan shout, causing us both to run the short distance to them. We got there just in time to see two men tossing a dwarf over the side of a small row boat.

Susan pulled back an arrow and released it all in one swift motion, hitting one of the men in the chest. The other man jumped over board to avoid being hit by Susan.

I looked at Peter as he dashed to the water and dove in only to resurface moments later with the dwarf. Edmund followed shortly after, pulling the boat ashore and helping Peter drag the dwarf to us. Lucy dropped to her knees and cut the rope off his hands and feet with her dagger.

He coughed and struggled against the rope in his mouth for a moment before freeing himself completely. "Drop him!" He roared, causing Susan to look confused. "That's the best you could come up with?!"

"A simple thank you would suffice." She replied, appalled.

"They were doing just fine drowning me without your help!" He tossed the rope that once bound his hands into the sand.

"Maybe we should've let them." Peter stated.

"Why were they trying to kill you anyway?" Lucy asked carefully.

"There Telemarines. It's what they do."

"Telemarines? In Narnia?" Edmund looked at Peter.

"Where have you been for the last three hundred years." The dwarf grumbled.

"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy laughed. I noticed a look I wasn't quite sure of cross the dwarfs face as Susan handed Peter, Rhindon, his sword.

"Oh no. You've got to be kidding me! You're it? You're the kings and queens of old!"

"High king Peter, the magnificent." Peter held out his hand.

"You probably should of left off the last bit." Susan mumbled.

The dwarf laughed, "Probably."

"You might be surprised." Peter replied, unsheathing his sword.

"Oh. You don't want to do that boy."

Peter shook his head. "Not me. Him." He smiled, handing the sword to Edmund who took it quickly and stepped forward, handing his own sword to the dwarf.

The dwarf struggled to pick it up for a moment, before lifting it quickly and slamming it against Edmunds, catching him off guard. He stepped in front of Edmund and elbowed him in the nose, causing a groan from him.

"Edmund!" Lucy cried. That hit must of woke him up because in three more seconds the dwarf was on the ground with Edmunds sword at his neck. Edmund looked at me and Lucy, chest heaving, smirking.

"Maybe that horn worked after all." The dwarf replied, still in shock at his defeat.

Susan looked at us for a moment, then back at the dwarf. "What horn?"