Camille, the Lionhearted Temlarine Princess

Chapter 16: Insults

As the Narnian army arrived at the How, Lucy ran out to meet them along with the Narnians that had stayed behind.

"What happened?" Lucy asked.

"Ask him," Peter retorted, meaning Caspian.

"Peter," Susan scolded.

"Me?" Caspian questioned.

"Caspian!" Camille scolded as well. She knew that tone quite well.

"You could've called it off. There was still time," Caspian continued.

"No, there wasn't thanks to you. If you had kept to the plan, those soldiers might still be alive. It was only thanks to Camille that most of us got out."

"Hey!" Camille barked. But the boys went on.

"If you'd stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!"

"You called us, remember?" Peter retorted.

"My first mistake," Caspian replied with an angry tone.

"No. Your first mistake was thinking you and Camille could lead these people."

Camille winced. That was quite an insult.

Peter started to walk away but Caspian shot back at him again.

"Hey! We're not the ones who abandoned Narnia."

Camille looked at Susan. The gentle queen had a look of disappointment on her face.

Peter turned back to Caspian and pointed accusingly at him. "You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to lead it than Miraz does."

Now that was an a fiery insult to their family and a recipe for disaster.

Caspian shoved past him. Such an insult could not be said about them.

Peter threw one more shot at Caspian making him stop in his tracks.

"You, him, Camille, your father- Narnia is better off without the lot of you."

With fury, they each drew their swords and pointed the tips at the other ready to fight. Camille stepped forward put herself between them, shoving their swords down with force. They cut into her palms, causing more blood to flow, but she ignored it. She couldn't have either of them die on her watch.

"Stop it!" She heard Edmund yell.

"Yes, stop it," Camille commanded sternly. "Now, who's to blame for this, eh? No one! It is by Aslan's good grace that you are still alive right now, and it is by his good grace that you stay alive. Don't try to ruin that," She shot both boys a frown before stumbling into the How. She desperately needed help but neither Caspian or others noticed.

Lucy went over to help an unconscious Trumpkin who was also injured in the raid. Caspian sheathed his sword and went into the How.

Lucy dropped one drop from her magical cordial into Trumpkin's mouth. The drop did its work and Trumpkin woke up.

"Why are you all standing around? The Telmarines will be here soon enough," Trumpkin informed them.

Lucy got up to go but was stopped by Trumpkin. "Thank you, my dear little friend," he said.

Lucy nodded and headed into the How with the others.