Royalty's Homecoming

02

MIRAZ' CASTLE

Glozelle and his men rode back across the bridge.

Miraz stop on a balcony with Prunaprismia, the baby in his arms. He spied Glozelle and his men returning and handed the baby to her.

He walked into the stables and Glozelle said, "Wait, my lord! It is not what you think."

"Then what is it?" Miraz asked.

"We're not exactly sure." He nodded to a soldier, who removed the cloth on a horse and Miraz' eyes widened.

"Impossible."

Miraz and Glozelle exchanged glances.

GREAT HALL

The Telmarine lords debated.

"I warned this council when it put its trust in Miraz... there would be consequences," Sopespian said.

"No, no," a council member argued. "We cannot accuse the Lord Protector without proof!"

"How long are we going to continue to hide behind the excuse? Until every seat in this chamber is empty?" another council member asked.

The doors opened and Miraz entered before saying, "Lords of the council, my apologies for being late. I was not aware we were in session."

"No doubt you were otherwise occupied," Sopespian retorted.

"My lord?"

"Ever since the death of Caspian the ninth, you have behaved as if you were king. And not it seems behind these walls, even Prince Caspian has gone missing," a council member informed.

"My deepest condolences, Lord Miraz," Sopespian apologised. "Imagine losing your nephew, the rightful heir to the throne, on the very night your wife has blessed you with a son."

"Thank you, Lord Sopespian," Miraz said. "Your compassion is a boon in such troubled times."

"I trust you can tell us how such a tragedy could have occurred."

"That is the most disturbing news of all. Our beloved Caspian was abducted... by Narnians!"

"You go too far, Miraz!" a second council member told him. "You expect us to stand by while you blame such a blatant crime on fairytales?"

Miraz signaled to Glozelle and he opened the door. Two soldiers brought Trumpkin in. The Telmarine lords gasped.

Miraz spoke. "We forget, my lords, Narnia was once a savage land. Fearsome creatures roamed free. Much of of forefather's blood was shed to exterminate this vermin. - Or so we thought. But while we've been bickering amongst ourselves, they've been breeding, like cockroaches under a rock. Growing stronger. Watching us. Waiting to STRIKE!" He hit Trumpkin, which displaced the gag.

"And you wonder why we don't like you," Trumpkin retorted.

"Well I intend to strike back. Even if I have to cut down the entire forest. I assure you. I will find Prince Caspian, and finish what our ancestors began."

CAIR PARAVEL RUINS

Lucy asked, "What happened here?"

"Catapults," Edmund and Ginny answered, looking back.

"What?" Peter asked.

"This didn't just happen," Edmund said. "Cair Paravel was attacked."

Peter and Edmund ran over to a wall and pushed it back to reveal a door. The two of them broke the door down and Peter tore off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around a stick he'd picked up.