The Return of the Pevensies (sequel to The Fifth Pevensie)

Chapter 10: The most stupid plan in history

Jake found me on the roof of the How a couple of hours later. The How didn't really have a roof, since it was built like a giant staircase on all sides. But I called it the roof anyways. It was a calming place to be. The only other person I saw was a faun that stood on guard.

"Hey," Jake said and sat down beside me. I shivered. I'd been sitting here for at least an hour now, and it wasn't very warm. The sun had set and I had forgotten to put on my cloak. It was still in my room. He put his arm around me and with that his cloak.

"Hi," I said. We sat like that for some time. I enjoyed the silence out here. I looked out over the forest. It was fall, and the forest looked like it was on fire with all its different colours. Whenever I breathed out, my breath froze in the air and became a cloud of smoke.

"Emily, Peter told me to tell you that he was going to have some planning-meeting in the Stone Table cave," Jake said after a while. "He wanted you to come."

"Why?" I asked. "Do I have to go?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I guess not, if you don't want to." I sighed and stood up.

"I probably should go," I said. "What did you see?" I was now talking to the guard. He seemed a bit concerned when he told me about the man he just saw in the forest, a Telmarine soldier. I nodded and told him that I would tell Caspian about it.

I went inside the How again and was followed by Jake. I nearly ran through the tunnels down to the Stone Table. It was worrying that the Telmarines knew that we were here. How did they know? Well, I guess it isn't so hard to figure out. It's the only place to hide inside in miles.

"Caspian! Peter!" I shouted when I entered the room. "A Telmarine has been spotted in the forest!"

"How do they know where we are?" Caspian said. "How did they find us?"

"Well, it isn't very hard to. I mean, this is the only place to be inside in miles." I said. I looked around. The room was crowded, mostly with people I knew. Ironhoof was there and I avoided his gaze. I took Jake's hand and led him towards the Stone Table, where Lucy sat.

"Hi Lucy," I said and leaned against the table.

"Hi, Em. Hi, Jake," she said and looked at Peter. "I think he's about to begin." She was right.

"It's only a matter of time," Peter begun. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way."

He walked around a little in the now quiet room.

"That means those same men aren't protecting his castle," he said.

"What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" Reepicheep asked. I think he meant Peter, but both Caspian and Peter answered.

"We need to get ready for..." Peter said.

"To start planning for..." Caspian said at the same time. They looked at each other and Peter took the word.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us," Peter said, still looking at Caspian.

"But that's crazy. No one has ever taken that castle," Caspian said.

"There's always a first time," Peter said. I just couldn't decide what irritated me most- his attitude or the things he said.

"We'll have the element of surprise," the red haired dwarf said. I think Lucy told me his name was Trumpkin.

"But we have the advantage here!" Caspian said. I was on his side here. Attacking the most protected castle in Narnia seemed like a crazy idea to me.

"If we dig in we could probably hold them off indefinitely," Susan said. I saw how Caspian looked at her and smiled. Someone is in love.

"I, for one, feel safer underground," Trufflehunter said.

"Look. I appreciate what you've done here, but this isn't a fortress. It's a tomb," Peter said to Caspian. I sighed.

"Can't people stop calling this a tomb? It's a temple to Aslan," I said loudly.

"Tomb, temple, it's not a big difference," Peter said.

"Yes. And if they're smart, the Telmarines will just wait and starve us out," Edmund said.

"There is food stored," I said. Jake looked at me.

"We'll run out of food eventually, Emily," he said. The squirrel, Pattertwig, spoke up.

"We can collect nuts!" he said proudly.

"Yes! And throw them at the Telmarines," Reepicheep said sarcastically. "Shut up!"

"I think you know where I stand, sire," he said and bowed slightly to Peter. I looked at Peter and saw that he looked determined. He would probably do this.

"If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" Peter asked Glenstorm.

"Or die trying, my liege," he answered. I stared at him with wide eyes. What? Did he just say that he agreed to Peter's plan? I thought he was smart!

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy said. I looked at her.

"Sorry?" I heard Peter say.

"Well, you're all acting like there's only two options. Dying here, or dying there," Lucy said.

"I'm not sure if you've been listening, Lucy," Peter said.

"No, you're not listening. Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?" she said.

"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," Peter said.

"Peter!" I cried out. "You have no rights to talk like that! Aslan is not a tame lion, and things never happen the same way twice! This is the most stupid plan I've ever heard of! Why aren't you listening to Caspian? He actually knows something here!"

"You know, I liked you better when you didn't speak at all," Peter said to me. I walked a step backwards, shaken by his words.

"That's unfortunate," I said. "Because I am going to continue talking. And I have to say that I am not agreeing with you on this. I'm not coming with you."

"What? Emily, you have to!" Edmund said. I spun around and looked at him.

"Edmund, you have no rights to force me into doing something I do not want. None of you have. I am not going," I said and left the room.