The High Queen of Narnia

Chapter 7

Edmund was the first to land on the castle of Telmar as one of Solomon's brothers brought him down so he could use his torch to signal the rest of their army.

Elodie, Susan, Peter, Trumpkin and Caspian were the next to come down after Edmund sent the first signal, Elodie riding on Solomon's back while the others were held in the claws of his brothers as they neared the castle under the cover of night. The others forgot how used Elodie was to flying and how much she trusted Solomon as she stood on his back and the griffin dropped into a dive, Caspian following close. But while the prince hung from the griffin with one hand as he used the other to strike down a guard, they watched in complete shock as Elodie leapt off of Solomon as she brought her axe down on another guard, dropping into a roll so she didn't break her legs before she went vaulting over the trellis walls and back onto Solomon who was ready and waiting to catch her.

He was the first to land as Elodie slid off his back and Susan shot an arrow at the guard who'd been about to shoot at Edmund before the rest of the griffin's dropped them off and then disappeared into the night, but not before Elodie addressed her griffin. "Keep an eye on Edmund. If he gets trapped, you may be his only way out."

"As you command, my queen," he nodded diligently before he leapt off the walls and vanished into the clouds. However, her fond expression promptly disappeared as she saw the rope Caspian had thrown off the edge of the walls they stood upon and began to slide down it and onto the ledge outside the window of his Professor's chambers, someone they were assured was on their side as he'd helped Caspian escape Telmar before his uncle could kill him. Peter went down next before Susan helped Elodie over the wall and then she slowly began to slide down the distance between the wall and the window.

Yet, when she stepped inside, the Professors room was empty as Caspian picked up a pair of spectacles. "I have to find him," he insisted.

"You don't have time. You need to get the gate open," Peter reminded him.

"You wouldn't even be here without him. And neither would I," Caspian pointed out as Elodie placed a hand on her brother's arm.

"We can do both. Divide and conquer," she said and Caspian gave her a grateful look that she didn't see, but Susan did.

"You and I can deal with Miraz. Ellie, you go with Caspian. Who knows how many guards will stand between you and the professor," Susan suggested.

"And we can still get to the gate in time," Caspian persisted.

"Lead the way," Elodie invited and he nodded as he headed out the door, the girl on his heels made no sound on the stone floors. As they split up and Trumpkin headed for the gatehouse, Elodie was about to round a corner before Caspian's arm shot out to hold her back. Her body was pressed to his as she peered around the corner to see the two guards that stood before a set of locked wooden doors.

"The dungeons are through those doors. That's where the professor will be, but we need the key from their belts," he explained, trying not to focus on the fact that her hand was on his arm before she stood up straight and unhooked her axe from her hip.

"Leave that to me," she grinned as she rounded the corner before Caspian could stop her and she let out a whistle as the guards turned sharply to her. She slung her axe casually on her shoulder as she gave them a wicked grin. "Prince Caspian, the tenth, sends his regards," she taunted before the guards charged at her. Their spears were no match for her axe though. The blade was strong enough to block their spear tips and eventually cut one in half. But the guards didn't stop just because they were weaponless. One grabbed her from behind, using the spear to brace himself as the other forced her axe from her hand, not that she really cared, because while they were interested in the weapon in her one hand, they didn't see the other hand swipe the keys from their belt. Gripping the keys tightly, she grabbed onto the spear that was across her chest and pushed her legs up as she slammed them into the chest of the guard that was about to strike at her with her own axe. The guard that held her then tried to crush her windpipe by moving the spear up to her neck, but that was his own mistake. Because rather than struggle and fight back, Elodie simply reached behind her as she secured her hands around his head and jumped a little to get some momentum before she brought the man flying over her shoulder and into the ground.