School boy | Prince Caspian

10

Otto tried not to yelp in fear as the griffin under him began to swoop downwards. He was sure that his stomach had been left behind at the temple. But every beat of the griffin's wings seemed to further tug at his organs and he was sure there was a bloody trail in the sky. As the griffin glided lower, Otto clung tighter to it's feet and squeezed his eyes shut. The creature was holding him by it's claws. Two gripping his shoulders and the other two around his waist. He could feel them tightly against his armour. Maybe he should have mentioned that he hated heights. On the Griffin flying next to him, Edmund was almost audibly smirking. The boy obviously amused by Otto's suffering.

Below them, through the night mist, the Telmarine castle loomed up from the stone like a scene from a Mary Shelley book. Otto hoped that the dark and gloomy atmosphere was not pathetic fallacy and that this would not end so badly. Why had he agreed to do this again? Because, when put together, Caspian and Peter were very convincing.

The griffins glided silently round the turrets. They landed on the roof of one of a tower on the west side of the castle. It was one of the taller ones, overlooking the main courtyard and gate. Otto breathed out a sigh of relief as the griffins dropped him and Edmund onto the stone. He felt much better now that he had solid stone beneath his feet. The lone guard stationed on the tower had not heard them. Edmund's Griffin caught the man by the shoulders and yanked him up into the air. It dived off the tower and vanished into the cloudy night before the man could scream. Otto winced and shuddered at the thought.

"You okay?" Edmund whispered. Otto nodded and pulled his torch from his belt. He handed it to Edmund, who pointed it at the sky. It's light flashed in a series of repeated motions. Long and short. Otto stepped up to the edge of the turret and looked down. The height wasn't so daunting now that he was gripping stone. His other hand pulled the spear from where it had been strapped to his back. His thumb making soothing circling motions on the leather as the torch continued flashing. Out in the gloom, the shapes of other griffins became visible as the rest of the first team swooped in.

The plan was that a small team would stealthily enter the castle and open the gates for the rest of the forces waiting on the edge of town. Peter, Susan and Caspian would be commanding two small groups to tackle each of the multilayered gates. One group would lower the drawbridge while the other opened the gates. Caspian himself, would sneak into the castle to try and rescue his professor. That was the plan, he just hoped that it would work out okay.

Otto watched as the griffins flew lower over the castle. Both he and Edmund gasping in surprise as the griffin holding Caspian let him go. Caspian, dangling from on of the griffin's arms, pulled out his sword and swiped at a guard. The guard fell off the tower as Caspian flew over head. It was a risky move that made Otto stare in awe. Obviously Caspian was more skilled than he appeared. Edmund elbowed him in that arm, jolting him out of his staring. Together, they watched as the griffins lowered their cargo safely onto the battlements. The small group of shadowy figures quickly sneaking inside.

Edmund huffed and meant back against the stone. "So", he smirked, just loud enough for Otto to hear whike also not drawing attention. "Afraid of heights birch?"

"Shut up", Otto hissed, eyes still scouring over the dark castle.

"I mean you could have mentioned that before Peter assigned you to signalling duty", Edmund continued. He threw the flashlight from hand to hand in boredom.

"He assigned me to signalling duty because it's my flashlight. And you apparently have know all Peter's signals", Otto rolled his eyes. He huffed in the cold silent air. "Do you think they're doing okay?" Several long minutes had passed since the groups had snuck into the keep.

Edmund looked out at the black sky. "I'm sure they're fine. Peter has done stuff like this before, he has it handled". Otto hummed in answer and nodded. For some reason he couldn't shake the unease in his stomach. He let his thoughts drift for a bit. Recalling his life in London and his home. London, England seemed like a dream compared to here. Some distant far off place that almost seemed more fantastical than here.

A small muffled curse disturbed him. Otto turned just in time to watch as the flashlight clattered out of Edmund's hands. It bounced off the turret and fell onto the level below. Both boys held their breath as it rolled to a stop at the foot of a guard. The guard looked up and Otto pulled Edmund back by his shirt. Both of them crouching down and praying that they were not seen. After a few silent seconds without alarmed shouts, they rose.

"Shit", Edmund muttered.

Otto glared at him. "You stay here", he ordered. "I'll go and get it". Edmund opened his mouth to complain. "No!" Otto repeated as fiercely as he could whisper. "You are a king. You are worth much more than me at the moment. Stay put and stay safe!" With those parting words, he began skipping down the stone steps. Feet moving as lightly and soundlessly as he could muster, spear gripped in one hand.

Otto paused at the bottom of the stairs, pressing his body into the alcove of the doorway. The guard had picked up the flashlight and was examining it curiously. Otto watched as he pressed the switch and light blinded him. The baffled guard began waving the thing around, the beam of light moving undirected round the tower. Just before it was pointed in his direction, Otto struck. He jumped out from the doorway and charged the guard. The flashlight clattered to the ground again as the man fumbled for his sword. The tip of Otto's spear sliced through his neck cleanly. The guard's eyes widened and he fell back.

Down below, Bells began to toll. Otto tugged his spear out of the dead man's neck with a grimace. The fact that he had just killed a man made him want to throw up. Swallowing it back down, Otto picked up the flashlight and turned it off. He looked up. Edmund was leaning over the turret above him, hands held out. Otto threw the flash light up and Edmund caught it, disappearing from view.

The bells kept pounding. Shouts down below and Otto promptly scurried to the edge to peer at the courtyard. Cries of panic echoed up to him as the soldiers raised the alarm. The plan had been found out. Otto watched as the recognisable figures of Susan and Peter came sprinting into the courtyard. From the stairwell behind him came the pounding of feet.

"Signal the troops!"

Two guards came bursting through the tower door. Otto whirled around just in time to catch a blade against his spear. The second guard swung at him and he twisted the spear round and jabbed the guard in the face with the wooden end. "Edmund!" He called out as the first guard struck again. "Any time now would be good".

"The flashlights malfunctioning", Edmund's voice called back. Otto cursed as he ducked under a swung blade. The guard stumbled, the force of his blow knocking him off balance. Otto darted in like a viler and impaled his spear up under the man's chest plate. The guard choked and collapsed at Otto pulled it back out. He turned and pain exploded down the right side of his cheek. The second guard had recovered from the blow and slashed at him. The tip of his sword caught Otto across his face just as he was unguarded.

Crying out, Otto stumbled back. The guard advanced forward as Otto fell to his knees, one hand cupping his bloodied face. Just as the guard raised his sword, Otto kicked out and knocked him off his feet. The guard fell back with a clang and Otto rose. He stood over the fallen man for a second before stabbing downwards. The guard's breathing stopped.

Above him, the flashlight shone. Edmund having gotten it working again. The signal shone out over the city as down below the narnian army charged. Otto watched as they burst through the gates, swords out and raised. "For narnia!" The cry echoed out.

"For narnia!" Edmund repeated above.

Otto wiped away some of the blood from his face on his sleeve. He pulled his spear out of the dead guard and held it aloft.

"For narnia!"

Unedited