Updated: 10/24/2024

Part 1

The raiding party was small. It consisted of the three royals, Reepicheep, Grearsphin, Mageen, and a small assortment of other creatures. Their mission was simple: sneak in, steal the wagons, and get out. When they arrived, the horses would pull the wagons while the children dispersed to make sure they stayed unnoticed.

The apprehension polluted the air, causing everyone to grow tense and for Briar to feel lightheaded. She continued to clutch her crossbow. Maybe if she squeezed it hard enough the loud thumping of her heart would subside. Once the trees thinned, their formation tightened. The night was still, the forest frozen in time.

Grey haze peered through the canopy, providing the group's only source of light. Clouds laid like a blanket across the sky, providing cover of darkness for the raid--but also for outsiders. They can't see, but us animals can, Reepicheep had said.

Angelina, Briar stretched her mind out, closing her eyes. Are you there?

The quiet made it easy to focus. She pushed her thoughts downward, letting them spiral and sweep through the rolling forests, feeling–hunting–for the connecting thread. After a moment, it snagged on a small energy, not far away. The other end of the connection fastened its hold, tightening the line, accepting the cognitive invitation.

I am, came Angelina's voice. My father sent me to escort the wagons. Briar, you won't believe what I have to tell you. So much has happened in the last few hours, I–

"Everyone, scrape together now." Reepicheep called, startling her. Briar's concentration snapped like a twig. It left her head buzzing. She rubbed her temples.

She huddled close to the group with Susan and Edmund. She noticed Grearsphin and Mageen panting. Mageen stepped forward, his amber eyes gleaming.

"They're not far up ahead," he reported. "There are three wagons about several lengths apart. There are six soldiers; two on each side, one in the back, and one driving the train; it's exactly as Her Highness said." He acknowledged Briar with a respectful nod.

"Perfect," Reepicheep said confidently. "You all know the plan. Stick to it, regroup at the lower east tail of the river. Good luck. Oh, and stay alert," he added. His small, black eyes darted in Briar's direction.

Briar gave him the slightest dip of her chin in acknowledgement; she knew what he meant. Gratitude swelled in her chest for the mouse for not stating her telepathy outright.

She glanced over at the others, just in time to see Susan's crystal, blue eyes flicker away from her. There was a slight furrow to her brow. Edmund stood next to his sister, focused, his jaw tightly set. When Reepicheep and Peepiceek disappeared into the sea of bushes, his attention drew to the others–and eventually on Briar. Their eyes locked.

The barrier between their minds bridged instantly. It cleared Briar's head like the cold sweep of wind atop the ravine. As the group split and pressed onward, it remained intact, buzzing softly in the air like an invisible bridge.

Echoes of words appeared in Briar's mind. Reep said your friend gave us the intel. The General's daughter, Edmund thought. Do you trust her?

With my life, she replied. She's been my eyes and ears outside the castle for years.

Briar travelled swiftly alongside the others, traversing with care. Even though there was undergrowth carpeting the woods, the trees thinned enough so that she could beeline for the trail. Edmund and Trajen kept up alongside her. Briar was not thrilled to be paired with the dwarf; she would've preferred Trumpkin. But maybe this was an opportunity to prove him wrong, in a place where he'd have a front row seat.

"Let's have this over with," Trajen said gruffly between breaths. He shuffled after the two children, his blue eyes narrowed as they approached.

The river gurgled in the distance, laughing. The sound prickled Briar's ears. It poked at her skin like a raven picking at a carcass. He heart pounded. It squeezed her ribs–but she ignored it and kept moving.

Briar was the first to notice when they came upon the trail. She halted. Raising a gloved hand, she signalled the others to stop. The terrain of foliage gave way to a well-trampled path, leaves and bushes crushed into a fine dust underfoot.

Craning her neck, Briar peered down the path. An instant, cold rush went through her bloodstream. Faint, orange dots glowed in the distance, blinking behind the skeletons of trees.

"They're not far," she reported, pointing up the road.

"Then let's get to work," Trajen grunted. He shouldered his axe unimpressively and eyed the trees surrounding the path.

Edmund sprinted ahead, a hand on his sword. If it weren't for the silvery frost of moonlight on his tunic, Briar would've lost sight of him. He paused in front of a tree with a large trunk.

"This one!" he whispered loudly.

Trajen went over to him and began hacking away at the base of the trunk. While he did so, Briar squinted at the hill in the distance. She had to stare for a little while, but she noticed the tiny dots of light were shuffling closer more quickly than they were before...and one of the lights flickered.

She stared. The faint lantern-light blinked again, and again–purposefully. On, off, on-and-off, off-on-on. I know that pattern. Angelina used to send her signals from the look-out towers of Miraz's castle.They'd developed signals for words like Hondor, Caspian, Lord Sopesian, and several others.

She studied the pattern. T-A-L-K.

Abandoning the boys, Briar started down the path. Angelina? She cast out.

Briar! Thank the gods–I was beginning to wonder if Narnia blinded you. She could practically hear Angelina's crisp tone. I have to talk to you. There's been a development back at the castle.

Behind her, Briar heard the tree groan, the leaves shuttering as it crashed to the ground.

Development? What kind of development?

"Briar!" Trajen hissed down the road. "Quit standing there. Let's go!"

Briar threw a glance back to see Trajen and Edmund heave the tree right in the centre of the path. With her focus pulled, the tether between her and Angelina's mind wavered. She pressed her mind against it, feeling the line of her forehead growing damp with sweat. Talking to anyone other than Edmund made her mind fight to keep up.

Angelina–

Miraz is spreading lies about what happened. He's telling everyone that Caspian was kidnapped by Narnians.

We can handle that.

It gets worse. The whole country thinks you're dead. Your uncle said that the Narnians drowned you in the Great River. And that's not even everything.

Dead. The word froze the girl's racing mind. She stood, unmoving, feet rooted to the ground. They think I'm dead.

Her heart throbbed against the prison cell of her throat. A single breath of wind rushed around the trees, crawling along her skin like a ghost. Miraz was portraying Narnia as a belligerent, bloodthirsty country. That's not true.

"Briar, we have to go." Edmund said, running up to her side. He stopped short at Briar's slackened expression. "What is it?"

She showed no sign of hearing him. Moonlight glazed over her deep, ombre eyes, and her lips parted. "I'm dead."

"What?" Edmund frowned. He stepped forward. "Briar–"

"They think I'm dead," she repeated, finally turning to face him. "Everyone."

The boy's eyes widened. Before he could speak, Trajen interrupted. "You two!" he barked. "You're going to give us away if you don't quit standing there! You'll have plenty of time to gaze into each other's eyes later."

"I'm pretty sure your yapping already has," muttered Edmund, rolling his eyes.

"Let's go, before we're spotted." Trajen gave Briar a shove, which reeled her back from her revelation. If it weren't for the news that had just been broken, she might've snapped at the dwarf. Instead, she stumbled after him, her thoughts raging like a river.

As they left, an idea struck her. She cast out one last message, straining her mind to fasten onto a new recipient.

Susan, this is Briar. There's been a change of plan. Tell everyone to not hurt any of the soldiers.

* * *

Trajen's reaction to her plan was just about as bad as she'd imagined.

"What?" Trajen halted in his tracks. "What kind of a plan is that? Sneaking up and disarming six guards who are stationed all around the wagons? It might be able to be done with two, but not six!"

His tone made Briar flinch, which she instantly regretted at the flash in his eyes. Never let anyone know they've found your weakness, or they'll think they've won, Lady Azur's voice scolded.

The three paused further down the hill. The line of trees had thinned, and the path beneath them more trodden than before. Briar chose to wait until they'd reached the place where she'd be stationed for the rest of the mission.

Edmund scratched the back of his head, a thoughtful look on his face. "It could work," he admitted.

"Of course, you would think that," scoffed the blond dwarf.

"Hey, what's that supposed to me–"

"All you've done is put this mission in jeopardy, unless that was your plan." He pointed a grubby finger at Briar.

"It will be a brilliant offset to Miraz's claims," said Briar defensively. "He's spreading lies that we're the enemy, that we're the ones who crave spilt blood. Attacking them tonight will only turn Miraz's lies into truth."

Trajen did not look convinced. Maybe he'd believe you if you sounded sure of yourself.

"How are we supposed to win a war if we don't fight anyone, hmm? What are you going to do?" his voice turned to a sneer. "Bat your eyes while you hide behind your brother and hope Telmar surrenders?"

Briar whipped around to face him. Her heart pounded, hot and heavy. How dare he. She unsheathed her dagger, pointing it at him. The narrow, opalescent blade glinted in the moonlight. She scowled. "I can do way more than just 'bat my eyes.'"

"But will you?" Trajen shot back.

"We believe you, Briar," said Edmund. He cautiously reached out a hand towards, gesturing for her to lower it.

Don't let him get to you. Engaging with him will only give him more to use against you, he transmitted. Briar glanced at him in surprise. She hadn't even felt the connection between them open.

You sound like my governess, she commented dryly.

You must've given her a run for her money, then. A grin curled at the edge of the boy's lips. Edmund's eyes didn't leave hers as his hand moved to the dagger. Briar swallowed as she stared into them. She hadn't noticed before, but in the open, she could see the faint reflection of the stars in his eyes.

Something in her chest palpitated. At the same time, Edmund's fingers brushed the flat of her dagger. Instantly, his pupils shrank, fixing on the blade as though he were seeing it for the first time.

Briar blinked, and he was looking at her again. "We should get into positions," Edmund said loudly.

Trajen narrowed his beady eyes at Briar, but only grunted in disapproval before heading towards river.

"You'll tell the others?" Briar asked Edmund as he crossed the path.

"No one will be harmed," he promised. He briefly raised his sword in her direction as he backed towards the trees. "Stay in touch, yeah?"

Nonrespondent, she watched the lanky boy disappear into the treeline. She stared after him for a moment before leaning back against a tree. Now, it was just the graveyard of still trees and the agitated pounding of her heart. From here on out, Briar was just a messenger; stationed between the fallen tree and the construction site to make sure the guards' paths didn't cross. Reepicheep was smart in placing her between the two parties to communicate if something went wrong–and because it kept her hidden.

And now that Telmar thinks I'm dead, it's even better this way, Briar reassured herself. Her survival was a rare advantage, and Narnia didn't have many of them right now.

The river taunted her in the distance, growling and pacing around like an invisible pack of wolves. She situated herself at the base of the tree. As she breathed in the damp, forest air, her heels bounced. Silence crackled in the air. Its strength boomed as thunder in Briar's core. Every second she stood still, her muscles swelled with adrenaline. Move, her mind beseeched her. Do something.

Are you still there?

A tingle of warmth pulsed between her eyes, tugging at her temples. Briar's insides lurched forward as if a rope had pulled her. That must be what pulling on the connection feels like.

Ed? She tried.

Ed? Only my brother and sisters call me Ed.

Sorry, Edmund, she corrected herself. She rubbed her temples, sliding her dagger back into its sheath.

I don't mind, he said hurriedly. Call me Ed if you like, no trades this time.

Alright, then, Ed. Briar squinted up at the canopy above, studying the bits of haze that peered through. The silence, between Edmund and the woods around her, around her made her feel uneasy. Rushing from the river hissed in the distance.

Caspian calls me Brie, she offered, trying to block out the river.

Brie...like the cheese?

Just before Briar could ask what in the world he was talking about, she heard something. The faint twitch of leaves. At first, she thought it was just the wind–then she remembered there wasn't any.

Hold on, she sent. Someone's here. Her focus planted on where she stood in the forest. It must've severed the connection, because her mind went silent. Briar reached for the crossbow along her back. Willing her breath to slow, she raised it in front of her.

It was just now that she realised the truth about darkness. It was an advantage to her, yes, but also to her enemies. I can't see anything, either. Her stomach rolled with nausea. The crossbow in her hands quivered. I can't do this.

"There you are!"

There was a shuttering of branches and a soft crunch of leaves as a small figure leapt down from the trees. Briar jumped as she landed in front of her. She was adorned in grey with her hair tightly pulled into a bun.

A grin spread across the lithe girl's face. "Surprised you, did I?"

A/N: I'm back! I can't believe it took me this long to write this chapter. I looked at my calendar recently and saw that it has almost been two months since I've last posted...yikes. I have no sense of time passing whatsoever.

~

Anyway, I've procrastinated writing the Raid for months now. While these chapters are some of the ones I've been the. most. excited to write, they're also the most daunting. So much is about to happen, and I'm juggling a lot of details. I've been refining chapters constantly, to the point where I have a 20k document of deleted scenes o.o

[HINT: if we get enough requests, maybe i'll post deleted scenes eventually!]

I'm really pleased with this chapter, though. I've been planning Part 1-3 of the Raid for several months, in fact this sequence is one of the first I ever planned when writing Benevolence. But it WILL take a while to write, because from this point on there's no more messing around, no going back, and the Raid is a springboard for the entirety of the rest of the story.

SO, with that being said, be sure to follow me for updates, add this story to your reading list, and PLEASE continue to bug me for more content. A few comments recently may or may not have given me the motivation I needed to finish this chapter [you know who you are! <3]