WAR OF HEARTS ━ prince caspian x

six

˗ˏˋCHAPTER SIXˊˎ-

***

"IT'S ONLY A matter of time," Peter started the next morning, eyes glancing around the room where they were all gathered together. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" Reep asked from the crowd.

"We need to get ready for—" Peter began, but at the same time, Caspian spoke up. "To start planning for—" The two boys immediately stopped to stare at each other in silence, and Wren shared a brief look with Susan, who looked as annoyed as she did. Finally, Caspian slowly nodded his head, gesturing for the other leader to go on.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."

"Well, that's a foul plan," Wren huffed to herself. "I mean, honestly does anyone around here actually plot things out?"

"That's crazy," Caspian accused, oblivious to her comment. "No one has ever taken that castle."

"There's always a first time," Peter retorted.

"We'll have the element of surprise," Trumpkin tried to reason.

"But we have the advantage here," Caspian argued.

Susan stood up, "if we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely. Wren is right, we have to have some sort of solid plan. Marching in there isn't going to work out well for us. You remember what happened last time."

"I, for one, feel safer underground," the badger, who Wren learned his name to be Trufflehunter, admitted.

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

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

"Personally, I think it'd be wise to listen to the guy who's literally lived inside the castle his entire life," Wren piped up, and Peter scowled at her. Caspian offered her a grateful smile, but yet again, it appeared as if her opinion was going to be tossed away.

"We can collect nuts," one of the squirrels suggested.

"Yes," Reep nodded his head eagerly, but his tone was dipped in sarcasm. "And throw them at the Telmarines! Shut up. I think you know where I stand, Sire."

Peter glanced to the centaurs. "If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

"Or die trying, my Liege." He bowed his head.

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy's soft voice interrupted. "You're all acting like there's only two options. Dying here, or dying there."

"I'm not sure you've been listening-"

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

Peter's jaw clenched as he turned away. "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough. It's time to get ready. We'll storm the castle tonight."

***

The plan was set in stone, and although it sounded pretty foolproof, Wren still had a clenching feeling in her gut. Maybe if was because everyone else surrounding her had experienced a war of some sort at least once in their life, and had a general idea of what was going to happen, or maybe it was because she was currently being held by the claws of a weird bird thing, soaring over the night sky. She decided she'd figure it out later.