Annabelle's POV

"She's awake!" The badger exclaimed, recoiling as I sat up. I noticed Caspian unconscious to the right of me, a bandage over his forehead. The dark haired dwarf from before was sitting at a small round table, glaring at both me and the prince. The room was small, obviously made only for creatures as small as the badger and dwarf. A warm fire cracked in the fireplace and the room was filled with the smell of soup.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You fainted when your friend there blew that horn." The badger explained. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, standing up. Swaying slightly, I looked around the small room.

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Where is what?" The badger followed behind me as I stumbled over to the table.

"The horn! Where is the horn?"

"That's none of your business!" The dwarf spat.

"Oh just show her, Nikabrik." The badger ordered. The dwarf, Nikabrik, huffed and pulled the horn from his jacket. I immediately leaned forward and swiped it from his hands.

"Oi! Hands off! That's not yours!" Nikabrik shouted.

"It's not yours either! It belongs to an old friend."

"Impossible. Look, human, that horn belonged to-"

"Queen Susan the Gentle." I finished, running my fingers along the intricate lion carning along the end of the horn. "I know."

"How did you know?" The badger said.

"Like I said, she's an old friend."

"Nonsense, Queen Susan disappeared-"

"1,288 years ago. I know." I said firmly. Nikabrik scoffed.

"That's impo-"

"If you say impossible, I will shove this horn up your-"

"That's enough!" the badger cut in, setting down a few bowls of soup, then pointed to me. "You. Sit. Now." He said firmly. I lowered down onto one of the small chairs, glaring at the dwarf. The badger sat down next to me, then motioned for Nikabrik to sit down. "Now, we're going to have a nice, civil conversation about all of this. Starting with names, you already know Nikabrik. And I am Trufflehunter. What is your name, Telmarine?"

"I am no Telmarine." I spat. "You'll find that I am as Narnian as either of you. I am Annabelle the true." Trufflehunter's eyes widened and he shot out of his seat, bowing low to the ground.

"My queen!" He exclaimed.

"Now wait just one second." Nikabrik grumbled, "The Queen Annabelle was murdered in the Battle for Cair Paravel."

"Then how can I prove it to you?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning forward.

"Perhaps you could tell us the future!" Trufflehunter suggested. I scoffed.

"I can't do it on command. Why do you think I fainted?"

"So you had a vision?" Nikabrik asked, "What did you see?"

"The Kings and Queens of Old being called back to Narnia, with this." I held up Susan's horn, "Just as the legend states."

"So then the next chosen king is...?" Nikabrik asked. I pointed to the still unconscious Caspian. "Him?! He's a Telmarine!" He spat.

"Their blood may run through his veins, but he is not one of them. It is him who will lead Narnia."

"I still think we should get rid of him." Nikabrik snapped. "The both of you."

"We can't kill him now, not after bandaging its head." Trufflehunter protested. "It would be like murdering a guest." I couldn't help but chuckle at the kind old badger.

"Ah, and how do you think his friends are treating their guest?"

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing." Trufflehunter said, solemnly.

"The other dwarf?" I questioned. Trufflehunter nodded sadly. "I'm so sorry." Suddenly, Caspian jumped up from the bed, bolting for the door. Trufflehunter jumped, dropping his bowl of soup on the floor. Nikabrik stood in the way of Caspian and the door. The prince pulled a hot poker from the fire, blocking Nikabrik's sword. I watched calmly, bringing another spoonful of soup to my mouth.

"See? I told you we should've killed him!" Nikabrik snapped.

"You know why we can't! Trufflehunter exclaimed.

If you're taking a vote, I'm with them." Caspian said, nodding at the badger.

"He's our only chance at taking Narnia back." I added.

"You don't have a part in this." Nikabrik snapped at me.

"I don't have a part in this? So me being tortured for nearly 1,300 years means nothing?" I shot back, rising from my seat.

"That's right! I don't care who you claim to be or who he is!" Nikabrik shouted, swinging his sword again, only for me to grab his wrists and disarm him.

"That's enough, Nikabrik! Or do I have to sit on your head again?" Trufflehunter scolded. Nikabrik stopped struggling against me. "Now, look what you made me do! I spent half the morning on that soup." Trufflehunter bent down and began cleaning the mess on the floor.

"Wh-what are you?" Caspian asked, finally processing the two creatures in front of him.

"It's funny. You'd think more people would recognize a badger when they saw one." Trufflehunter joked, scooping out another bowl of soup for Caspian.

"No, I mean... You're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct." Caspian said.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Nikabrik snapped. Trufflehunter set down the bowl on the table.

"Here we are. Still hot." He said proudly.

"Since when did we become a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?" Nikabrik spat.

"He's not a soldier." I cut in. Trufflehunter and Nikabrik looked to me, but I just nodded to Caspian.

"I'm Prince Caspian... the tenth." He said awkwardly.

"Then what are you doing here?" Nikabrik asked.

"Running away. My uncle has always wanted my throne. I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own." Caspian explained.

"Well, this changes things." Trufflehunter murmured.

"Yes... It means we won't have to kill you ourselves." Nikabrik hissed.

"You're right." Caspian grabbed hold of his armor and began to put it on.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked him.

"My uncle will not stop until I am dead." Caspian said. He moved to open the door, but I put my hand on it to stop him.

"You're meant to save us!"

"What do you mean?" I held up the horn.

"Don't you know what this it?"

****

I walked next to Caspian through the woods. I listened closely to every sound, feeling vulnerable without my weapons or proper clothing to be treking through the woods. My bare feet were becoming sore and calloused, but we had to keep moving. A cracking tree branch made me stop and I grabbed hold of Caspian's arm. He came to a stop and I nodded to a tree just behind us, a smirk on my face. Caspian sighed.

"We can hear you." He called out. From behind the tree came Nikabrik and Trufflehunter. 

"I just think we should wait for the kings and queens." Caspian and I continued to walk. "Fine, go then! See if the others will be as understanding."

"Or maybe I'll come with you. I want to see you explain things to the minotaurs." Caspian stopped and looked back.

"Minotaurs... they're real?" I rolled my eyes and turned back around. 

"Of course they're real." I said. 

"And very bad tempered." Trufflehunter added.

"Yeah, not to mention big." Nikabrik said. 

"Huge." Trufflehunter agreed. 

"Neither one of you are helping." I snapped at the two. 

"What about centaurs? Do they still exist?" Caspian asked. 

"Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side." Trufflehunter admitted. "But there's no telling what the others will do." I folded my arms. 

"They'll listen to me. I am your queen after all." I said, raising my brow. 

"You've also been missing for hundreds of years. How many will actually believe that you are some how still alive." Nikabrik glared up at me. 

"I'm immortal." I said simply.

"Oh yeah right. And I'm human." Nikabrik spat back. 

"I'm telling you the truth!" I snapped. 

"What about Aslan?" Caspian suddenly asked, causing all of us to look at him then back at each other. 

"How do you know so much about us?" Nikabrik asked. 

"Stories." Caspian answered, suddenly feeling awkward at the attention.  

"Wait a minute... Your father told you stories about Narnia?" Trufflehunter asked hopefully. 

"No, my professor... And I think I have you to thank for that." Caspian said, looking at me. I smiled and gave him a nod. "Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking." Caspian told the two Narnians before walking off. I headed off after him. Trufflehunter sniffed the air. 

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked. 

"Human." The badger said. Nikabrik pointed to both me and Caspian. 

"Them?" 

"No... them!" Trufflehunter exclaimed, pointing to several Telmarine soldiers who suddenly appeared out of the trees. 

"There they are!" One of them shouted.

"Run!" We all took off as arrows began to wiz passed us.  Next to me, Trufflehunter fell, an arrow in his side. Caspian and I turned back to get him.

"Go! I got him!" Caspian said, I nodded and ran after Nikabrik. The soldiers stopped and took aim. 

"Caspian!" I shouted, trying to warn him. Suddenly the ferns rustle, and a soldier falls, his cry cut off. Caspian and I looked at each other in confusion. The prince grabbed hold of Trufflehunter and ran after me and Nikabrik. The other soldiers moved to pursue us, but are taken down in the same mysterious fashion as the other soldier. Setting Trufflehunter down gently next to Nikabrik, Caspian then turned and drew his sword.

"Get him out of here." Caspian instructed Nikabrik as he began walking back towards the soldiers. Another soldier fell. The last one threw down his crossbow, drew his sword, and started swinging wildly at the ferns around him.

"Where are you?!" He exclaimed before falling to the ground. I grabbed hold of a broken tree branch for defense. The rustle in the ferns started coming towards Caspian, then something flipped out of the ferns and knocked Caspian down. A sword flies into the air, lands in a mouses hand, who pointed at Caspian.

"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!" The mouse demanded. Caspian stared in shock. 

"You are a mouse." Caspian stated. I walked foward, chuckling at the sight of the heroic mouse.  

"I was hoping for something a little more original." The mouse sighed. "Come on, pick up your sword." Caspian looked over at his sword, lying on the ground beside him then back at the mouse. 

"Uh, no thanks." He said. 

"Pick it up! I will not fight an unarmed man."

"Which is why I will live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse." 

"I said I wouldn't fight you. I didn't say I'd let you live!" The mouse threatened. 

"Reepicheep, stay your blade!" Trufflehunter ordered. The mouse looked up in surprise. 

"Trufflehunter? I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption!" The mouse said incredulously. 

"He doesn't. Go ahead." Nikabrik cut in. 

"Reepicheep, he's the one that blew the horn!" Trufflehunter explained. Reepicheep stared at Caspian.

"What?"

"Then let him bring it forward." A deep voice spoke as four centaurs appeared over the hill. "This is the reason we have gathered." The one in the middle said. 

"I-I don't have it." Caspian stuttered, looking over at me. I brought out the horn, holding it out for the centaur to see. He stared at me intensely, a smile forming on his face. He then bowed his head, crossing an arm over his chest. 

"My Queen." He said, "Long did we fear you had perished in the hands of the Telmarines." I gave Nikabrik a pointed look. 

"What is your name, good soldier?" I asked.

"Glenstorm, your majesty."