Helena Pevensie (Caspian Love Story)

11. The Marsh-Wiggle

"Owls ahoy! What is it?" a voice called in response to the owl's summons. "Is the king dead? Has an enemy landed in Narnia? Is it a flood? Or dragons?"

"The older one will explain it all to you," Glimfeather said. "For now, will you allow these younger two somewhere to sleep?" The marsh-wiggled quickly consented and disappeared with the children somewhere while Helena said farewell to the owls. Once the marsh-wiggle returned, he set to building a fire, while Helena settled on the ground, which after some testing she had discovered to be dry.

"What is your name, sir?" Helena asked.

"Puddleglum's my name," he said. "But don't worry if you forget it. I can always tell you again." Helena smiled at that. The fire was well built up by now and she could see him better. He had a greyish green complexion and long grey hair with very long ears, arms, and legs with webbed fingers and toes.

Once he had settled down, Helena began, "My name is Helena. I am the twin sister of High King Peter and elder sister to Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy. I and my cousin, the boy who came with me, travelled with King Caspian years ago to the end of the world." The marsh-wiggle nodded. "The two of us as well as Jill, the girl, were sent by Aslan to rescue Prince Rilian. We are to travel north to an ancient city of giants where we will find writing that holds some kinds of instructions for us to follow. That is all we really know."

"Seems awful close to winter for a journey up north," Puddleglum remarked. "But if Aslan said so, I suppose there isn't much else for it."

"Will you help us?" Helena asked desperately.

"Of course I'll help," Puddleglum said. "Nothing much else to do 'round here. Might as well, you see."

"Thank you, good Puddleglum," Helena said with a wide, gracious smile.

"Say nothing more about it," he replied, poking the fire a little. "Now, how about we two go down into the wigwam and try to get some sleep. Not saying I think we'll get any sleep now, though. Does no good to have hopes too high."

Helena frowned at this but made no reply as he led her down into the wigwam and showed her a place to sleep. With a quiet thank you as the children were already asleep, Helena lay down and soon was fast asleep.

.

Helena slept in rather late the next morning. So late, in fact, that by the time she had climbed out of the wigwam, Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum were already sitting down to a rather hearty meal of some kind of eel stew.

"Good morning," she said with a cheery smile, coming to sit between the children and Puddleglum. They each gave an equally cheery reply, aside from Puddleglum.

Instead, he said quietly, as though under his breath, "Might turn to rain." Helena ate happily with the others and was more than ready to begin a discussion about setting out. They each quickly agreed as to the importance of weapons but while Eustace had the sword left for him at Cair Paravel and Puddleglum's second best bow, leaving Puddleglum himself with his best bow and his sword, Jill was left with only her hunting knife which she had brought with her. As for Helena, Puddleglum had conscented to go to one of the neighboring marsh-wiggles who he said was some kind of cousin and borrow one of his swords.

This Helena strapped to her waist along with the knife she had taken from Cair Paravel which, with a little help from Puddleglum, she had fixed to her innerforearm in its sheath. They divided the packs easily enough with both Helena and Puddleglum carrying two blankets and some stores of food while Jill carried the tinderbox, some biscuit, and what remained of their breakfast. Eustace carried extra blankets and some hard cheese that wouldn't spoil.

By the time they sat down to dinner that night, each were excited for the morning to come for, despite Puddleglum's meloncolly attitude, each had much hope for the days to come.

As they went to bed that night, each was a mess of nervous excitement.