[A] An Ominous Horizon {Plot - Part One} [Finished]

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Character of the Month
Prince Caspian

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Played by Cara

"Cara has managed to...create a character that is both mythical and life-like. Impulsive, moody, and yet kind and good-hearted, Caspian is just beginning to show the makings of a true leader."
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[Prince Caspian]

Part One

Caspian woke early that morning, the dampness in the air slightly unnerving. The last thing they needed at present was a storm, though if a little bit of rain was to come their way, who was he to fight it? He could do nothing about it and worrying over such an unpredictable thing as the rain or a storm was a foolish thing indeed. Still, it seemed as though he was worrying about everything as of late, and the prospect of disagreeable weather was going to nag at him for the rest of the day, he was certain. Climbing from his bed, he could not help but sigh at the memory of his old life. Indeed, he was happy to be here and happy to help but...

He missed his younger days; carefree days with nothing more to worry about then whether or not his tutors lessons would run long. He could remember soft, fluffy pillows and delicious cakes and pastries. His mouth watered at the mere memory. And of course there were the parties - elaborate parties in which Caspian was always looked up with an adoring smile when he was younger, and then with hope when he was a little older. Every woman with young daughters hoped to parade their girls around before him in the slim chance he might take a liking to one of them. After all, did not everyone wish to further their status? To marry a royal, a prince, the heir to Narnia no less... what an honour that would be!

Caspian had taken very little interest in any of them, much to both his uncle's dismay and the dismay of the many advisors and nobles of the court. That wasn't to say he hadn't found any of them pretty, but he certainly hadn't found any of them to be genuine, to be actually interested in him. He had known from a young age he would be doomed to have a wife chosen for him by his uncle - his own wishes in a wife were far too high to be attainable, or so he was told. So he never saw much use in actively looking.

He left his tent after a quick breakfast of toast and eggs - someone had left him his food outside his tent. Probably in order to let the young Prince sleep... it was obvious that he needed it. When he chanced a glance up at the sky, he bit his lip in concern. Above the camp and to the west, dark storm clouds were gathering. He could feel the cooling of the wind and shivered. Not a good sign, not a good sign at all. Still, the gathering storm was a ways away yet; they had some time to make sure all the tents were put down properly and that everything was put in it's place.

Still... a storm? A most ominous sign indeed. How long would it last? Would it cause much damage to the camp? Everything that they had here they needed; they weren't living in luxury, surrounded by extras. No, they had only the necessities and to lose anything at this point would be absolutely horrible. Frowning slightly, Caspian glanced around the camp at the beings he had come to view as friends, as family. He never would have thought such a thing possible - there were flying horses, dwarves, unicorns, bears, giants, mice... but despite the petty arguments, everyone stood together when it was most important. They were all fighting this battle together; Caspian was not on his own in this. It was a good feeling.

Wondering what the best thing to do would be, Caspian glanced around feeling quite useless indeed. He really did not know much about this whole war thing - if he had had to do all of this on his own, they would have failed miserably by now. But there were so many here who were far more knowledgeable than him... he was forever indebted to them.

Not wishing to stand there with trouble brewing in the sky, he set off to seek the advice of someone who might know better what ought to be done before the storm approached. He knew one thing: he wouldn't wish to still be standing outside his tent when the rain started to fall.

[Indy]

The soft blades of grass covered the ground of the camp, many places the grass had been ripped entirely away, due to various reasons, may it be hurried feet or horses hooves. On one of these spots, Halcyon found himself sparring against a faun. The size of the centaur was larger than that of the faun, but the creature was holding his own against Halcyon. His disadvantage was that his bulk kept him from being as quick as the faun.

Steel banged against steel as Halcyon parried a blow, shoving the faun backwards as he tripped to the side, his hooves thumping heavily on the ground. The mock battle had been going on for some time, and the fatigue of the faun and Halcyon was apparent. None of them seemed ready to give in though. The faun charged him and with some difficulty he parried the blow and stepped to the side to avoid the charge. His plan didn?t work well though, as the faun rasped him across the side, indicating that Halcyon has lost the battle.

He brought the sword down and let his sword hand hang limply down his side, feeling knackered and sweaty. Halcyon gave the faun a solid handshake, smiling pleasantly.

?Excellent sparring session, Jerun,? he complimented. ?You?re a mighty opponent.? Jerun laughed, taking the sword in Halcyons hand and putting it along with his on a nearby weapons rack.

?You hold you own, Halcyon,? Jerun said. ?I?ve never seen someone use some of those manoeuvres, not traditional are they??

Halcyon kicked the ground idly with one of his front hooves, shaking his head. ?No, I?ve never had traditional combat training, so I just make things up as I go most of the time.? He grinned as Jerun shook his head.

?We should do it again some time, Halcyon, maybe I can teach you some real moves.?

He laughed at that. ?Sure, you old goat,? he said, grinning. Jerun shook his head with a smile and wandered off, leaving Halcyon alone in the sparring ring. He left as two others moved to claim the ring for themselves. Training was important; everyone seemed to be steeling themselves for battle, he understood why, most of Narnia did.

Halcyon was a fairly recent addition to the camp; he hadn?t been involved until he?d accidentally stumbled upon it. It was a cause he liked, one he was happy to join, but he felt more than a little out of place.

He turned his gaze up to the skies and saw the ominous clouds. They hadn?t been there when the sparring match with Jerun had started, but he hadn?t exactly been paying attention to the weather. He shivered slightly, not liking the look of the clouds at all. As someone who had spent a fair amount of time outside, he knew what sort of weather clouds like that were heralding.

He quickened his pace into a quick walk, weaving through the camp and idly wondering what sort of preparation would be happening to minimize the damage towards the camp. He knew a few tricks to make sure they didn?t drown like rats in the oncoming rain. Halcyon wasn?t the one calling the shots however, and he wasn?t entirely sure who to suggest it to either.

[KnightofNarnia]

Cross sat up from the green moist grass he was resting upon. He was taking a nap to rest from his morning workout routine. He would've slept a bit more but something held his inner being in suspense, it kept him restless all morning.

He was looking at the trees to his north, slowly changing his view to the sky above him. Ominous clouds like those usually meant trouble; well that's what he heard anyways.

Well He was new to the resistance force having joined very recently, so far things seemed to run quite smoothly considering the circumstances. He was anxious to get started with whatever task would be assigned to him, most preferably a task seen as physically demanding.

Cross stretched his legs before standing right up. Looking at the sky brought a sense of terror to his mind. Rain was most desirable of course but the wind and clouds were enough to alarm him that something was not right. He didn't know very much about storms or weather systems but what he did know was that something was going to take a turn for the worst.

Raindrops fell gently on his face; it was cold just like the chill that came from the wind. Every storm has its smooth beginnings; it?s when the storm breaks the silence and peace that marks the start of havoc however. Cross wasn't wearing much to begin with and if out too long in this weather he would be bound to get sick.

Although the rain had started, it was only a slight drizzle. It would be a little bit of rain and then a rest, but it will pick up though as much more time passes on.

With the sight of lightning far off in the distance he ran towards the camp, it was time the preparations for an unwelcome weather system began. He had ideas on how to minimize any potential damages to the camp but without ever trying them out he wouldn't know if it would work against the ever approaching storm.

[Prince Caspian]

There was nervousness in his step as he crossed the camp - though it would only be noticeable to the most observant. This was his intention - those attentive enough to notice might be those wise enough to help. Those who could not notice were probably better off not knowing that their Prince worried over a storm. Caspian knew though, despite his little experience with the temper of nature, that this was no simple, ordinary storm. There was a tension that hung in the air - the feeling of danger, of destruction. This was going to be a powerful, merciless storm and they had better secure the camp and find a safe place to hide away else they were ruined.

But where would they hide everyone away? Surely the mice could find shelter easily enough - even the dwarves and the humans and the horses. But what about those creatures who were significantly larger? Where would he house the giant, for instance?

Bringing his hands to his head, Caspian lightly massaged his temples with his fingers for but a moment before continuing on his way. First things first, they needed to make sure that everything was tied down. Necessary supplies could be piled into the tunnels under the hill covering the remains of the Stone Table, he supposed. Supplies and weaponry. They could probably fit a good deal of the army within as well, at least, he was hoping.

He need not worry about the Naiads and Dryads on their side; their shelter was easy enough. But what to do with everyone else...?

Caspian stopped short, glancing around. Others were beginning to notice the rapidly approaching storm as well. There was pointing, hesitation, and glancing around in wonderment of what to do.

"What are your orders, sire?"

Startled from his observations, Caspian took a deep breath and turned around. "Greetings Glenstorm. In the wake of the oncoming storm there are very few things that we can do. We must secure the camp and get everyone away from the rain. It would never do for our army to fall ill."

"Agreed. How shall we secure the camp?"

Caspian paused, studying the hastily erected tents. He would have liked to take them all down and hide them away, but that did not look as though it was going to be possible with the speed the storm was arriving. "Take down as many of the tents as possible," he instructed quickly, glancing around. "Get as much help as you can. The ones that cannot be taken down need to be tied to... whatever you can. Trees, mostly I would suppose, just so we don't lose them."

"Yes, sire, I shall do as you bid." The centaur bowed low and raced off towards a cluster of helpless looking creatures standing and staring at the clouds.

Spotting two familiar faces just off in the distance, Caspian hurried towards them. "Halcyon! Sir Cross! Friends! There is trouble brewing and we must secure the camp and scout shelter for the army. Have either of you any suggestions? I would gladly hear them."

[Indy]

When the drizzle started, Halcyon shook his coat, small droplets showering down from him as he did so. It was currently remaining simply a light drizzle, but judging by the approaching clouds, it would grow worse as time passed. That meant working quick would be key for their preparations. He saw creatures stopping up and staring up at the clouds, most couldn?t judge what would come by looking at the skies, he saw a few who knew what they were doing and a few orders shouted around.

Breaking into a light trot, he marched through the camp, coming with a few pointers to people working. Up ahead, he saw another centaur speaking with Prince Caspian, Glenstorm was his name, Halcyon didn?t know him well, but he was a good centaur, honourable like most other Narnians. Glenstorm soon rushed off, most likely to do what Prince Caspian had ordered.

"Halcyon! Sir Cross! Friends!?

He saw Caspian come towards him, and a human knight he hadn?t seen before, most likely this Sir Cross the prince was calling to. Halcyon sped up his pace, hurrying over to the prince who had called his name.

?Yes, sire?? He queried, gazing at Caspian with attentive eyes.

?Have either of you any suggestions? I would gladly hear them."

?Of course, sire,? Halcyon affirmed, he did indeed have some suggestions. ?We should no doubt take down the tents that we have time to take down, the rest will have to be secured to the trees and boulders, so the storm won?t run off with them.? It was one of the most basic things to do, really, but the prince had asked for suggestions, and Halcyon would be sharing what came to mind.

?Those we cannot bring down, we should dig trenches around, not too deep, but deep enough so that they lead any excess water away. If we don?t, the area might flood, the storm clouds look to be carrying quite a load,? he gestured vaguely to the clouds. ?Any important equipment and most of the soldiers can be moved into the tunnels in the hill, but I assume you?ve already thought of that?? He donned a sheepish grin, feeling he was pointing out the obvious to someone who already knew, but he continued.

?There are some caves scattered around in the forest, those could be of help to anyone who can?t find room in the hill.? Halcyon gave a firm nod to himself, as he cast a gaze over to the nearby forest. ?The forest on its own is a good cover by default, as the trees will create some form of natural cover.?

[KnightofNarnia]

"Halcyon! Sir Cross! Friends!?

Caspian had called him, what were the odds he would remember his name? With so many people in camp he wondered if he would recognize him but apparently he knew well who he was.
Cross approached as well as the Centaur, Halcyon. He was going to ask sometime soon if he wouldn't mind sparring for practice, Cross never actually fought anyone and he wanted to see how well his training routine served.

Caspian was with the other Centaur, the strong and honourable one that almost everyone knew in camp. It always felt weird around centaurs; their strength intimidated him as they were always so big in comparison to a human being.

Klivian provided much in response to Caspian's question on what they should do for the storm that has started. Cross had ideas but none as good as Klivian, he did mention something though.
"An idea, your majesty, came to mind. The Giants shouldn't be affected as much as the others, their great size would help them in the mud and their strength could be used in helping us transport much of our important resources to the caves."
It was all he had to offer as an opinion...

"I mean not to interrupt this important matter but Prince Caspian; I have another matter in need of attention. One that may take priority over this one seeing it would not take much time and quickly we could resume this important discussion."
He sighed, "It's in regards to a prisoner who was caught spying the land, I hid him in the bushes. I'm afraid he is not conscious sire, what should we do? The quicker the better so we may prepare for this storm."

[Prince Caspian]

It was with a smile that Caspian met up with both Sir Cross and Halcyon. It seemed that they both had some suggestions as to how to minimize storm damage, for which he was thankful. Halcyon mentioned a couple of things that he had already requested of Glenstorm, though he had a few new ideas as well. Trenches, for one, though as to how much time they had before the storm hit, he was uncertain. Though if all the Narnians pitched in... who knew how much they could accomplish?

"Trenches are an excellent idea, Halcyon," He said thoughtfully, glancing around the camp to get a better idea for space and time. "Yes, supplies will be hidden in the tunnels... I hadn't thought of the caves. Sir Cross?" He turned his attention then to the other standing before him, wondering if he might have anything to add - though if not, that was fine too.

Sir Cross had little to add, though he did say that the Giants would be better for transporting things as the mud might not bother them quite as much as everyone else. They were, after all, far stronger. Caspian's only concern was the slight clumsiness of one of the Giants in particular. Nevertheless, it was a valid and quite reasonable idea.

Cross then apologized for changing the subject, but said he had something of a good deal of importance. This caught Caspian's attention and he nodded his approval. "Do tell, Cross." He listened thoughtfully as Cross told him of a prisoner, unconscious and hidden away in the bushes. A prisoner? That could be bad, for Caspian hardly knew what to do to keep his own people safe - but he very well couldn't leave anyone out in the forest to weather this storm on their own, man of Miraz or not.

"I suppose there isn't any option but bring him to the camp," Caspian said slowly, glancing worriedly towards the sky. "We can't leave him out there on his own, not unconscious. This is going to be a vicious storm and I would rather not be responsible for an unnecessary casualty."

Looking out towards the forest, Caspian nodded shortly. "Bring him back here, and we shall set someone to guard him - perhaps a little deeper within the tunnels so he cannot cause any trouble. Are there any other questions concerning the matter? Oh, and Halcyon, I would appreciate if you could round up some of the army to do as you had suggested and dig some trenches. Perhaps around the camp, leading out towards the forest? Whatever you deem best, really."

[KnightofNarnia]

Upon hearing the Prince's request to bring the Telmarine to him he began to wonder how things may very well turn out.
Cross knew it was a good idea to bring him to Caspian, a heart such as Caspian's is rare to find and valuable indeed. This was the shining example of a future King of Narnia, in all his goodness.

Cross ran off the scene quickly only to find that the Telmarine was being used as a toy to the mice. They were poking him, tapping him, making the poor fellow a horrible 'object' for play and fun.
He flicked them away as he picked up his body, quickly he did run to the Prince.

Time was running and now the storm was frightening Cross, it was bad before but it just got worse. He couldn't imagine how powerful the winds would be, how often lightning would strike menacingly close. It was going to be a show of absolute raw power unleashing its wrath upon the land...

The Telmarine fell to the ground with a thump, right before Caspian's presence. He did not want to guard the prisoner, as much as it would benefit his skills in maintaining a prisoner and possibly attaining important information it still did not seem like a job fit for him.
Cross wanted to help transport the goods, he wanted to take charge with some of the arrangements and prove useful to the camp and its forces.

"Prince, here is the prisoner."
He sighed, "If I may, I'd like to take up the most difficult task there is to help out the camp. I do have what it takes; you can trust me and my loyalty. Whether it be assisting Halcyon or Glenstorm, I'll do it quick and effectively."

He stood quietly, awaiting his response.

[Prince Caspian]

A prisoner! Of all the things that they didn?t need! Caspian hadn?t any clue who he was going to set to watch the Telmarine, but he knew he was going to have to make that judgement call quickly. This was no time for tarrying over decisions that, while important, were not as important as the approaching storm. Because, as far as he could tell, they had maybe an hour to get out of the weather before things got quite disastrous.

Sir Cross hurried away and Caspian looked at Halcyon with a shrug. What in the world was he supposed to do with a prisoner!? He watched rather helplessly in the direction that Cross had gone, hoping the young man would be quick. He couldn?t stand there forever, but he certainly could just leave.

After what seemed like hours ? but couldn?t really have been more than a few minutes ? Cross returned pulling along the unconscious prisoner. The man looked oddly familiar at the moment ? though that shouldn?t have surprised Caspian. He had been the Crown Prince in his uncle?s kingdom, he should have known everyone. Still, he did not think much of it as he looked from the captive to Cross. Cross requested that he be allowed to assist Glenstorm or perhaps Halcyon.

Caspian, mind racing, nodded. ?Yes, yes, Halcyon, Cross, first check to make certain that our supplies are being taken into the tunnels. If that is already being seen to and handled appropriately, do the best you can to dig some trenches to lead water away from the camp. We haven?t much longer before things really start to get out of hand, so work as quickly as you possibly can. I?ll? I?ll figure out what to do with this one here.?

Surveying the task at hand, Caspian wondered how effect he would be in dragging the man along towards the tunnels. Probably not immensely effective, the more that he thought about it. He was decently strong ? but strong enough to get Adimon ?

Adimon?

That explained why he thought he knew the man! Stunned, he forgot the approaching storm for but a moment as he stared blankly down at the man laying rather awkwardly on the ground.

[Adimon Tescar]

If Adimon had been awake, being dragged a mile and then dropped unceremoniously on the ground would have been quite unpleasant. It was a good thing he had been unconscious, for when he did regain consciousness, he hurt enough already.

The King's Private Secretary awoke to find himself in a rather unpleasant position on the ground.  He was on his back, his head turned to the left. His arms and legs seemed like they had been flung about into a placement that would give him the least amount of comfort.  More than that, a rock dug into his back, his head throbbed and he felt like he had taken a bad beating.  He didn't bother trying to shift into a more reasonable posture. It seemed like it would take too much effort too move a limb.

Instead, he moved his eyes. Where was he?  He couldn't seem to remember how he had gotten to be lying on the floor.  Looking around, he saw he was in the middle of some sort of campsite. Tents stood in an orderly fashion, and he saw people rushing between them looking very intent on getting something done in a hurry. No not just people. Most of them were creatures that were very much NOT human. It was like something out of a nightmare.  Adimon's face crinkled in disgust. A few of them glanced his way before rushing on with their tasks, and the looks they gave him were not very friendly. He could not have told you why they didn't like him, but he knew he didn't like them either.

Somehow, he knew that there was an army camped here, but whose was it? And how did he get here? Trying to think back, Adimon just grew more confused. I don't even know who I am, he realized with a shock. He tried hard to remember something, anything, about himself -- his name, where he came from, what he looked like, what he did, how he got here -- but such intense thought proved useless in doing anything but increasing his headache. Ok, enough of that, then.  He'd just have to wait and see if any memory came back to him on its own.

A glance at the sky told Adimon that all the running about was probably in order to prepare for a dangerous storm.  For a second, he puzzled over how he knew that, but couldn't remember anything about himself. But then, brushing that thought aside, he turned to a more pressing problem. What was he to do now? An experiment in moving his legs sent a wave of pain crashing through his head.  Alright, that wouldn't work. He could try asking for help, but none of those people seemed especially inclined to help him. And quite frankly, he hoped the creatures would stay far away. So he'd have to figure out what to do on his own.  He would come up with something, he was sure.  First, he needed to see what else was around him.

That would require moving his head.  Well, he'd do it quickly then, and get the pain over with.  In one hurried motion, he turned his head to the other side.  He had to close his eyes for a few seconds from the searing pain, but he survived.  Opening his eyes again, he found someone standing over him.  It was a young man -- a soldier -- with a look of authority about him.  Adimon did not recognize him.  He looked somewhat shocked to see Adimon, and not entirely happy. But he hadn't killed Adimon yet, which would have been easy since Adimon was in no position to defend himself. And at least he was human. So maybe this man could tell him something.

The first words Adimon tried to form came out in a groan. He tried again. "Where am I?" It was said in a hoarse whisper, but at least it was intelligible.

[Paern Silverhoof]

Paern licked the last droplets of dew from a velvet green leaf, his large tongue wrapping around the vegetation but leaving it intact. He was not hungry, merely thirsty. He had been scouting around the general area for a few hours now, since well before dawn. As a unicorn, he was as obvious as a winged horse, his horn emerging into the pale half-light of the morning as a beacon of his strangeness. However, here at the camp, there was little to be afraid of, and so he carried his head proud and high when he walked. It was as day was winding in that the first tendrils of the storm were picked up by flared nostrils. Paern was not one to be picky with the weather, but as the steel grey clouds began to roll in, he wondered if perhaps he should back down from the wilderness and seek out shelter instead. With that thought solidifying in his mind, Paern picked up his white hooves and began a steady trot back towards the camp.

Hardly a beast of burden, Paern was no human either, and he saw no need to seek out shelter from one of their puny canvas caves that smelt horrendously stale after only a day of inhabiting. Instead he usually settled for a middle ground ? he would hover around the edges of the tent-ground; as far as possible from the stench but near enough to savour the safety they provided. Today, however, he paid no heed to trifling things such as bad smells. With the first waves of the storm hot on his heels, Paern danced into Aslan's How with a skittishness he was not accustomed to, and which he tried to hide with an aloof stare at anyone who so much as glanced in his direction. Still, even as he tried to quell his nerves, they got the better of him, and Paern squeezed between some of the tents, weaving slowly towards the middle of the campground. On his way he wreaked minor havoc ? kicking a pot here or there, knocking out a peg, fraying a rope with his horn as his head was tossed up and down in agitation.

As he got closer, however, he noticed a rather sinister display on show. A... Telmarian? Paern's snorts came out louder than ever, and he pranced to the side, all but squashing a tent (which quickly rebound once his bulk was hastily positioned elsewhere) before settling down to watch with a large, brown-eyed glare.

[Nikki!]

The smell of electricity was everywhere. Elba looked up, her brow beading with sweat. With one heaving motion she threw the last of the canvas tent towards one of the Giants who stood in an imposing ring around the frantic Narnians. She looked towards a small Nymph who was carefully carting away the bandages, salves and other supplies that had been nestled in the sick bay tent. Elba stretched, her muscles aching. She needed sleep, but that wasn't an option now. And who could sleep when a storm raged overhead. A few drops spattered on the girl's skin and she smiled.

"Milday?" a small rabbit asked in a loud voice "At the edge of the Camp, I believe there is a wounded human. His Highness Caspian is tending to him but I believe-"

Elba stroked the rabbit's fur and nodded, her resolve doubled.

"Alright. Tell Robien that I'll be over to help with the trenches as soon as I'm finished." she said, already leaving the scene "And thank you!"

With her bag in hand the girl walked around the chaos, trying her best not to hinder anything. The rain was getting stronger and out of the corner of her eye she was lightning flash. She quickened, knowing that they needed to have every man and creature to help that could. Whomever this was, hopefully she could get them up and ready to move. Any casualties were huge blow to the Old Narnians and as a healer it was one of her responsibilites to stave off those casualties as best as possible. She gripped the bag tightly and hoped that there would be a recovery instead of a burial. Her hair flipped in the wet winds and she bowed around a Giantess's leg, her eyes stinging with the wind.

"The Prince!" she called up through the gale "Have you seen-"

The Giantess pointed North and Elba saw him, half standing half leaning over the wounded man. She ran upward, already rummaging through her bag. But when she got close enough her resolve seemed to flutter away. This man was wearing the livery of a Telmarian, Miraz's own to be exact. She let out a hiss of breath and came to a hault her eyes wide with confusion and forboding. Why was a Telmarian here in the midst of an Old Narnian strong hold? And why was he laying listless on the ground?

Then he moved, very jerkily and Elba notice that he must have been in acute pain. She wiped the rain from her face and raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"Where am I?"

She looked to the Prince and gave a deep bow before smiling half heartedly.

"I would tell him your Highness but I'm afraid I might say somthing rude." she said softly "But I think I could tend to him without speaking."

She held up her bag and looked at Caspian questioningly. Elba was no monster but in any other circumstances she might leave the Telmarian to suffer. She waited...

[Prince Caspian]

There was a moment of stillness as Caspian stared down at the groaning Adimon, his mouth agape. What was his uncle?s advisor doing here? Of all the people who might have been sent off to spy, why Adimon? Wasn?t the man a little more valuable to the unlawful king than that? Caspian had always thought so ? though to send him off on his own was certainly a sign otherwise. Not that Caspian would go any easier on him, important to his uncle or not. He was a Telmarine, he was against him, and he was most certainly the enemy.

None of it made sense. That was the problem.

Adimon spoke, asking where he was and Caspian shook his head just as a young woman appeared at his side. She was carrying a bag and also looked startled to see a man dressed in Telmarine armour laying on the ground of a Narnian camp. And the clouds just kept rolling closer, shadowing danger over the group of them.

He nodded at the girl, giving her his permission to tend to the man. He could not very well let Adimon lay there and die, much as, at the moment, he would have very much liked to do so. Still, it hardly seemed right.

Motioning for one of the centaurs to keep watch over Adimon and keep him from causing any trouble or harm, Caspian stalked off to make sure that everything was going as it should. Just as he had instructed, tents were being taken down and hidden away from the strengthening gale. The heavy rain stung his cheeks as he hurried through the camp, pleased at how well the Narnians pulled together in a time of crisis.

This was definitely going to get interesting. Especially if the Telmarines weathered the storm better than they. If they lost too many supplies? they would be at the mercy of their enemies. Not a good place to be in, especially when at war.

His nervous pacing could not be stilled and he returned to the injured Adimon to see how things were coming along. Dismissing the centaur who had stayed guard over the man, Caspian took a deep breath and studied him. He was certainly glad that Adimon had not been able to cause any harm to Sir Cross, or anyone else.

What was he supposed to do with him now, though? Shelter him with the rest of the Narnians? But would that not endanger the lives of those who trusted him to lead them to victory? He couldn?t very well cause them any more difficultly than they were already facing. But he could not leave Adimon out to weather the storm in such a condition either. What was he to do?

He supposed he could always make sure the man was tied up well enough to keep from causing any harm, then send him back to Miraz when the storm passed. For while he?d like to send him away right now, there was no guarantee that he would make it back alive. Besides, who knew if they could get something out of him, or use him as a bargaining tool.

Adimon would stay. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. Caspian could only hope, as he watched the woman tend to Adimon.

[Nikki!]

She saw the worry in Caspian's eyes and tried her best to look more confident than she was. Elba leaned forward and tried to kneel down without making a total fool of herself. The hem of her dress was already soaked and she felt a shiver run down her spine. The weather was already bad. She needed to tend to the Telmarian and get him to sheltar so she could go on with her duties.

"Can you move your limbs?" she asked curtly "Arms? Legs? Anything?"

She bareley waited for an answer and pulled out her bandges, finding some clean at the bottom of the bag. His head was bleeding slightly and she quckly wrapped it, trying her best not to let anymore dirt or mud into it. The salve would burn a little, probably alot. But she felt no resmore for it. She recognized the man from her brief trip to Narnia, he was some sort of advisor to the King. Her heart skipped.

"A spy then?" she asked more to herself than anyone else "Maybe they should have picked one more limber."

She heard the Prince coming from behind her and turned, running a hand through her hair. The rain was picking up and she knew that this already injured Telmarian would suffer more in the gale and the element. She poked and prodded at his arms and legs, looking for breaks or fractures. His reflexes were fine and she thought he could walk.

"He's probably weak." she told Caspian through the howling wind "I think he can walk though. But we'll have to keep him dry, I think he already has a low fever."

She stood up, dusted herself off, collected her things and held a hand out to the Telmarian, her hair now soaking wet.

"At least try to stand."

[Claire]

<sup>Lirain watched the darkening sky with an apprehensive expression, lips set in a grim line as she secured the tent she?d been assigned to fix. All they?d asked her to do was patch up a tear that had somehow formed in the side of it and even that simple chore had proven to be infuriatingly difficult. Having lived in the wilderness for so long meant that one eventually forgot how to handle such things as needles and thread. It went without saying the task had taken her far longer than it should have and time had passed so swiftly she hadn?t noticed the dramatic change of the weather until a man?s frantic shouting commanded her attention and forced her to look up. She couldn?t see very much at first but when she raised herself to her feet the armour of the Telmarine man was easily recognizable, even at a distance.  Sparing a moment to gauge the intensity of the storm that the grey clouds promised, the redheaded Nymph grasped her tools firmly within her hand and strode quickly in the direction of the Prince, the girl and the wounded soldier.

The girl she wasn?t completely familiar with, but judging by the instructions she was giving and her brief examination it appeared that she was a Healer of sorts. The other boy who watched with a furrowed brow however she knew quite well; not personally mind, but one would have to have been living in a cave to have no inkling of who Prince Caspian was. In a way he stood as their saviour, the boy that would guide all of Narnia to peace and prosperity. Lirain simply could not bring herself to accept that he could so freely offer such salvation being just that ? a boy. She could not sense anything special about him. In fact ? from what she?d observed ? he preferred to remain in his tent a good deal of the time, planning and conversing with his scouts. What he didn?t appear to realize was that there were other less apparent factors he would have to consider before claiming a small victory, even if those factors came in the form of involuntary allies. She waited quietly for a verdict and then directed her attention to Caspian who appeared thoughtful and troubled. And as he should be, this was one decision she would not allow him to live down unless he gave a valid reason. The safety of the camp and the people that inhabited it were at stake, and having once been solidly associated with the enemy, it wouldn't bode well for him to begin treating them with kindness and respect. After all, they had done nothing to earn any such generosity.

Growing impatient, Lirain flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder and shifted her weight to her other foot. ?Kill him,? she announced coolly. ?He will only prove to be a liability. Perhaps the Telmarine will begin taking us more seriously if we show them that we can be just as unkind.? She did not wait for any sort of reaction, whether positive or negative. To be honest, she cared very little of what anyone thought aside from the Prince himself. It was he who wielded the power that would determine the fate of the man that lay before their feet. Though she was unaware as to what he had done wrong, he had stumbled into their territory and should face the consequences. One of their own wouldn?t have been treated any differently should the situation have been reversed. The sight of her mother wasting away spurred on her anger and resentment towards the humans that had overrun their land, and that was quite unfortunate for their captive. Again her eyes returned to the Prince?s face, gaze full of expectancy ? as though she were daring him to oppose her professed idea.</sup>

[Adimon Tescar]

Just as Adimon asked his question, a woman came up and asked permission to tend to him.  She obviously didn't like him, and did not answer his question. Still, as she began to work on him, he found that she knew what she was doing.  As she checked the extent of his injuries, he winced often, but clenched his jaw and did not cry out.  It hurt, but it would not kill him. 

"Can you move your limbs? Arms? Legs? Anything?"

Adimon tried, and discovered that his main problem was his head.  Everything else might be bruised and cut, but the only real problem he felt was that he had a terrible headache that got worse whenever he moved. So his main source of injury must have been a blow to the head, which would explain why his memory was gone. Once again, he wondered how he knew all these facts, but yet still couldn't remember anything about who he was.

No one seemed in any hurry to tell him any information either.  If this was an army camp as he suspected, then he was obviously a soldier in the opposing army. He heard the healer wondering aloud if he was a spy. Was he?  It didn't ring any bells, but it didn't sound wrong, either. He thought about asking them for more information, but decided it would be fruitless. If he were the enemy, they weren't going to give him any information about the camp.  Asking for any other type of information would probably be pointless as well. They probably wouldn't know much about who he was, because if he had been anyone of importance, they would have killed him already.

As she worked, the young man walked away, and a beast that was half human and half horse took his place.  So as he had guessed, the man was in some sort of position of authority.  Adimon closed his eyes, both from the pain and so as not to have to look at the centaur.  The fact that the creature looked half human made him only worse in Adimon's eyes; it seemed to be degrading to the entire human race to have a human head on such a body.

The healer finished working, saying that Adimon could probably walk but had a low fever.  Good, nothing too serious. She then asked Adimon to try to stand, and he  opened his eyes.  To his relief, the centaur was gone, and the man was back.  Grabbing a hold of the woman's hand, he attempted to get up.  The first try didn't go so well, and he flopped back down, trying to gain control of the pain.  He wasn't going to say he couldn't move, though.  If there was a storm coming, he didn't want to give them any excuse for leaving him out here. And he definitely didn't want them getting some creature over here to carry him. 

So he tried again. Using the woman's arm, he lurched into an upright position and leaned on her for support. She was surprisingly strong for a female.   Another voice spoke, and he looked to see another woman he had missed before. Well, I'm beginning to be quite popular, he thought sarcastically.  At her words, he simply gave a mental shrug, though he tucked the word "Telmarine" into his mind for later consideration, as that was apparently what he was.  The only thing that surprised him was that no one had mentioned getting rid of him earlier.  Since all of his strength and concentration was going into staying upright, he gave no indication that he had heard her comment. Easier that way.

Instead, he addressed the woman, his voice still not up to full strength.  "Thank you. I'm not sure how long I can stay up, though." Might as well be polite, since whatever he thought of their army, his life depended on their good will.  He toyed briefly with the idea of letting them know he had lost his memory, but decided not to mention it yet. It wouldn't change anything; he'd still be the enemy.  And right now, he needed all the strength he could muster if he was going to walk.

[Nikki!]

?Kill him,? she announced coolly. ?He will only prove to be a liability. Perhaps the Telmarine will begin taking us more seriously if we show them that we can be just as unkind.?

The voice startled her and she turned to see a pretty woman standing above them. She had seen the woman around the camp and seemed to remember she was some sort of half breed. She was beautiful, that much Elba could see, but he cold words shocked the girl. Elba agreed with her! She shook the thoughts from her head and let the man pull himself up.

"Killing him might not be the best idea." she said, eyeing the man suspiciously "I don't think we've seen half of what the Telmarians can do. A dead spy might mean a real scuffle. And with the storm coming..."

She paused and tried to steady the Telmarian. She could see he was in pain and the Healer in her felt deep pity, but the warrior in her felt nothing. He was a spy, he had been caught. In war that was enough for a death sentance. But this wasn't any ordinary war.

"Thank you. I'm not sure how long I can stay up, though."

She turned to Caspian, unsure of what to do next. Move him to sheltar and guard him seemed the best thing to do. But what could they get out of the Telmarian's with a spy to ransom? Her mind whirred and clicked with frantic speed but finally she decided she wouldn't try and make any decisions with strategy.

"To one of the trenches then?" she asked "Your Highness?"

[Prince Caspian]

He still didn?t know what to do with Adimon and he couldn?t help but wonder if he was crazy to let the man live. He didn?t seem like he really knew what was going on, but that could definitely be a trick. Caspian didn?t know Adimon that well, but he had seen the man around enough and knew that he was very high in Miraz?s ranks. Why he was here was still stumping Caspian.

Caught completely off guard by the striking young woman who approached and said, quite coldly, that they ought to kill him, Caspian?s gaze slowly moved to meet hers. ?Kill him, you say?? He returned, his own voice just as cold. Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention back to Adimon and frowned. Adimon was being helped to his feet by the woman who had come to his aid.

?Why should I kill him?? Caspian said, turning his attention away. ?Why should I stoop to the level of the very ones who have oppressed you for so many years? I will not kill him; he can be of use to us later.? He knew that he would suffer some criticism for this move, whether openly or behind his back but he did not care. Not only was he certain that they could get some information out of Adimon, but he could not stoop to murder. If they met on the battlefield, that was another story. But right now, it was his duty to assist ? though only in the barest of ways.

?We will not kill him, I know him, he is important to Miraz. He can be a bargaining piece ? we must just keep him far away from everyone else, and far away from our supplies.? Caspian glanced around with a sigh. ?He isn?t just a spy. He?s the advisor. Killing him would most definitely result in a scuffle ? or worse. We can?t just kill him ? no matter how much any of us want to.?

Looking pointedly at the young woman who had come upon them and demanded that they kill him without much warning, Caspian folded his hands behind his back. ?We must get him into one of the caves, tied securely and guarded. I wouldn?t desecrate Aslan?s How with his presence though I cannot in good conscious leave him out here to die. Who will take him, or must I do it myself??
 

[Eve Fairfew]

Golden leaves hung off of the branches of the trees, and dead ones littered the ground. It was indefinitely still, a fool could tell that, unless they were blind, and even then they would have been able to tell still from the chill. A storm was slowly enveloping the surrounding land, her home, much to Eve's unemotional reaction toward it, and one would have little trouble telling that it was upon the way.

Eve's nose was numb from the cold, as were her toes and fingers. Most people would describe the chill wind as that of something harsh and unfeeling, but Eve, internally at least, didn't think so. Cold maybe... indefinitely; but never harsh. Or maybe the cold just didn't affect her the way that it did to some of the other people in the town, as Eve had been born and raised in a somewhat chilly are, and was not completely oblivious to the weather conditions, though, as of the current, she might had seemed as an outsider. Yes, that might be it. She heard something from her far left, something that in all truth any normal human would not have heard.

With a glance over her shoulder, Eve ran a hand through her loose, dark hair, now hanging around her shoulders, surprisingly alive despite the humidity in the air. After a moment or so, Eve turned and walked slowly toward the speech that she heard from that direction. Moving fluidly across the ground, around the trees and shrubs that she came across, and in sight of a smaller group of people speaking. With a brief look of curiosity, Eve walked just to the end of them, completely silent, as though her footsteps had been absorbed by the earth itself. ?Take who?? she asked finally, having just heard the last few words of the conversation.

[Claire]

<sup>It had been the answer she?d expected, but that did not mean it pleased her. Glancing down at the young girl that was tending to the man?s wounds, she took a moment to examine his face. It looked weathered and he seemed confused, but she refused to be fooled so easily. Turning back to the Prince, she lifted her chin in a haughty sort of manner that would have been appropriate for a Lady of court and smiled bitterly. ?Is this how it is going to be in the heat of battle, Highness?? the word was obviously awkward falling from her lips and her scathing tone did not help to amend the sarcasm that lingered after she had spoken. It should have been apparent at that point her dislike for their leader.

?If providing adequate protection for your people is considered stooping to their level, I am convinced my opinion of you was not misguided after all. He is an enemy, and one that would not hesitate to kill one of our own should we have strayed too far from the boundary.? Her voice was hard but retained a strange sort of feminine quality renowned amongst such creatures as the Nymphs. ?Obviously he cannot be of that much use to Miraz if he managed to wind up lost, unaccompanied and as vulnerable as he is now. Either he did something wrong and was shunned by his people or it is a trap. Why else would he be here in this state. He won?t be of any help to us like this at all, and what makes you so confident he will provide us with the answers we need? If he is as loyal and highly-esteemed as you say, he will do everything in his power to remain true to his leader.?   Finished for the moment, she folded her arms and allowed the minute silence to fill the small circle of people.

None of them said anything, just looked on in curiosity with anxious expressions. The fact was Lirain knew some of them felt the same. One would be able to tell simply by their body language over the past few days. Nothing was certain except for the revenge they sought so desperately.

?You should not allow your former ties to these people to make your decisions for you.?</sup>