The Last Tree In Narnia

5. Rescue Attempt

After another day without food and water, Rhea was really beginning to suffer.
All of the leaves in her hair had turned brown as they began to wilt.
Her whole body ached and she felt too tired to move.
As she went to sleep that night on the cold stone floor, she wondered whether or not she would wake up the next morning.
She hadn't been asleep long when she was awoken by the sound of the dungeon door opening.
Footsteps sounded down the stone steps, and the door of the jail cell beside her swung open.

Rhea could hear the sound of voices, so she opened her eyes to try and see what was going on.
Despite the lack of light, as a tree, she could see quite well in the dark.
She could see that there was a Telmarine unlocking Cornelius's chains, and as she looked closer she saw it was Prince Caspian, the boy she had seen in the woods several days earlier.
Once the professor was free, Caspian began to open Rhea's cell.
"It's alright. I mean you no harm" whispered Caspian, as he entered her cell, and crouched down beside her.
He then began to unlock the chains around Rhea's wrists, allowing her full access to her hands once more.

"Are you Rhea?" Asked Caspian.
"Yes" answered Rhea quietly.
Caspian smiled, "Trumpkin sent me down here to find you".
"So, he is alive?" Questioned Rhea.
"Most definately"
"Good. I was so scared I would never see him again"
"He is very worried about you. But once this is over, you will be reunited with him"
"I can't wait to see him when I get out of here, and thank him for trying to protect me"
"Then let's go. Do you think you can walk?"
"Yes".

Rhea attempted to stand up, but her feeble legs crumbled underneath her.
She was embarressed that she couldn't even stand, in front of such an important person.
But several days in a cell, had severely weakened her.
"Maybe I can't walk afterall" she admitted quietly.
"Don't worry, I'll help you" promised Caspian.
Rhea placed her arm around his shoulder, as he placed his around her waist and helped her to stand.
Together, they walked out of the cell, where Cornelius was waiting for them.
"You had better get out of here. I didn't help you escape the castle, just so you could get caught breaking back in to set me free" said Cornelius.
"Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing" reassured Caspian.

"You mustn't let Miraz find you here" warned Cornelius.
"He'll learn that I'm here soon enough. When this is all over, we shall give him your cell to sleep in" grinned Caspian.
"Something tells me that this is not just a jail break" frowned Cornelius.
"No. We are taking the castle. There's an army of Narnians waiting outside to overthrow those in the castle. We will make my uncle suffer for what he has done"
"Miraz may be a tyrant, but he isn't an idiot. So please, don't underestimate him, like your father did"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry... There is so much I haven't told you about your father's death".

Cornelius lowered his head sadly, as Caspian frowned.
"Take Rhea to the stables, and get yourselves out of here, while I talk to my uncle" instructed Caspian.
"I cannot carry her, in my weakened condition" admitted Cornelius.
"Fine then. I will take her with me, while you prepare some horses for us, that we can use to escape on"
"Confronting your uncle, will not bring your father back, and it will not make you feel any happier"
"We"ll see".

Caspian left the dungeons, half dragging, half carrying Rhea beside him.
Since she couldn't walk unaided, she had no choice but to walk with him through the maze like castle.
Eventually they stopped outside of a bedroom, so that Caspian could withdraw his sword.
He then opened the doors, and placed Rhea on the floor, where she would be safe.
Caspian raised his sword, and approached the bed on which his uncle and aunt were lying on.
He tapped his uncle's chest with the sword, causing him to wake up and chuckle when he saw Caspian.

"Thank goodness, you're safe" said Miraz in a mocking voice.
"Get up" ordered Caspian.
Miraz obliged, but as he got up, he intentionally woke up his wife.
"Caspian? What are you doing?" Asked the woman.
"I should think it obvious dear. You know, some families might call this inappropriate behaviour" replied Miraz, as Caspian placed his sword tip on his uncle's throat.
"That doesn't seem to have stopped you" spat Caspian.
"But you are not like me. You know, the first time you have shown any backbone, and it's such a waste" reminded Miraz.

"Put the sword down Caspian" ordered Miraz's wife; Prunaprismia, as she removed a crossbow from under the bed, and pointed it as Caspian.
"I don't want to do this" she continued.
Suddenly the doors burst open, and Rhea jumped as two figures entered the room.
"We don't want you to either" announced a young woman, holding a bow with an arrow pulled against the string.

Rhea looked closer at the woman and the young boy beside her, as she tried to work out who they were.
She gasped as she realised that they were King Peter and Queen Susan. The old kings and queens of Narnia.
They were the people all Narnians believed would rescue them from years of oppression. And Rhea couldn't believe that she was in their presence.
King Peter looked just as magnificent, as she had imagined. And despite his young age, he looked ferocious as he held his sword tightly in his hand.
"Your majesties" said Rhea, as she bowed at their feet.
"There is no need for that" replied Peter, awkwardly.

Miraz sighed and placed his hands on his hips, "Really? This is supposed to be a private room".
Rhea pushed herself into a standing position, using a nearby chair to help her, as she felt embarrassed sitting in a clump on the floor in front of Susan and Peter.
"What are you doing Caspian? You are supposed to be at the gatehouse" reminded Peter, as he glared at Caspian.
"No! Tonight, for once, I want the truth... Did you kill my father?" Questioned Caspian, as he pushed his sword hard against Miraz's neck.

"Finally we get to it... We Telmarine's would have nothing, if we hadn't taken it. Your father knew that as much as anyone" admitted Miraz.
"You said your brother died in his sleep" frowned Prunaprismia, as she lowered her crossbow slightly.
"That was more or less true" mumbled Miraz.
"How could you kill your own brother?"
"For the same reason that you will pull that trigger. For our son!".
Caspian pushed the sword harder, making Prunaprismia raise her crossbow again.
"Stop. Caspian, this won't make things any better" insisted Susan.

Miraz looked over at his wife and smiled, "You need to make a choice dear. Do you want our son to be king? Or do you want him to grow up like Caspian here? Fatherless?".
Rhea could tell what was going to happen before it did.
Caspian may be holding a sword to his uncle's throat, but it was his aunt who held the power in the situation. And Rhea knew there was nothing a mother wouldn't do for her child.
As Prunaprismia pulled the trigger on the crossbow, Rhea summoned all her strength and jumped in front of Caspian, to shield him from danger.

Rhea winced as the crossbow bolt hit her shoulder, and she fell foward into Caspian's arms, who helped lower her towards the ground.
Miraz used this distraction to slip away out the side door.
"You shouldn't have done that" Caspian said to Rhea, as he watched green blood ooze out of her wound.
"My skin is tougher than yours. I can easily take a small wound like this, without sustaining too much damage. Once I'm back in the forest, my wound will heal quickly, you'll see" reassured Rhea.

Peter sheefed his sword, and headed to the door.
"Get her out of here. And this time, no detours" instructed Peter.
"Peter, no, we have to call this off while we can. We've lost the element of suprise, so we cannot win this fight" admitted Susan.
"Our troops are just outside, come on, we can still do this" encouraged Peter.
Susan sighed and ran out of the room after her brother.
Caspian helped Rhea off the ground, and together they hobbled back through the castle, towards the stables, where Cornelius was waiting for them.