Chap 8

                                    

                                          
I fell into step beside Edmund as we walked, wrapping a hand around the inside of his elbow. He looked at me questioningly and I shrugged, a smile pulling at my lips. He stared for a few beats longer and turned his head back, letting me hold onto him.
                          
"So? What are they like?" I heard Trufflehunter, the badger, ask Trumpkin.
                          
"Malcontents, complainers, stubborn as mules in the morning" Trumpkin replied.
                          
"Hmm. So you like them, then" Nikabrik, the other dwarf, said.
                          
There was silence for a few moments.
                          
"Well enough" Trumpkin grunted.
                          
I grinned to myself, nudging Edmund.
                          
He glanced at me before breaking into a smile, nudging me back.
                          
●●●
                          
I heard Lucy gasp in surprise as we stopped at the edge of the forest, staring at an expanse of grass, a mountain with what looked to be ruins on the other side.
                          
When we reached the beginning of the ruins, a group of Centaurs at each side of the entrance, stood forward. They unsheathed each of their swords and formed them into an arch way as we stared in awe. My eye caught sight of a younger Centaur whose sword couldn't quite go high enough, simply pointed in front of him. Some part of me felt sad to see someone younger than me in an army, and another part proud.
                          
I fell behind the Pevensie's as they walked through first, grins on their faces. The boy I had seen earlier had his arms raised by another before Lucy would get smacked in the face with it.
                          
Prince Caspian fell into step beside me and I smiled at him. He seemed somewhat surprised before smiling back.
                          
We walked through the entrance of the ruins and I was surprised by the sheer amount of clamouring swords and Narnians. Most were bending their weapons into shape, which was most of the reason for noise, while others carried equipment around.
                          
We all stopped in the middle of the room, watching them with curious expressions.
                          
"It may not be what you are used to, but... it is defensible" Caspian assured.
                          
"Peter." Susan called from across the room. "You may want to see this"
                          
I took hold of Peter's wrist and he glanced back at me. 
                          
"Did you need something?" He asks, the rest of the group walking in the direction of Susan.
                          
I shook my head, instead tugging him along and staring towards the Narnians at work, suddenly my chest feeling heavy. Peter just let me pull him along, sliding his hand into my own.
                          
We'd reached the entrance Susan had been standing next to, walking in front as Peter took a torch from the wall. The lights shone against the walls, carvings of the Pevensie's and I becoming obvious.
                          
"It's us" Susan stated.
                          
'Way to go Captain Obvious' I couldn't help but think.
                          
"What is this place?" I asked, staring at Caspian as we walked.
                          
"You don't know?" He retorted, face scrunched in confusion. When he saw our faces however, he took a torch and lead us further.
                          
Edmund had taken a torch before we descended a small staircase, walking into a large room when we reached the bottom.
                          
Caspian lit a fire as we looked around. The walls were covered in carvings of the soldiers from the war. A large carving of Aslan stood tall at the end of the room.
                          
There was a large broken stone table in the centre of the room and an arch between this table and the carving of Aslan.
                          
Lucy headed towards the table, the rest of us following behind. She lay a hand against the table before turning around to face us.
                          
"He must know what he's doing"
                          
"I think it's up to us now" Peter said after a moment of silence.
                          
I pursed my lips slightly and pulled my hand away from Peter's.