Chapter 8
"So, tell me more about life here before the "Great War." What was it like?" Prince Caspian asked, watching as I fed the fire with sticks and kindling.
"There was a lot of trading going on," I said, looking up at him, the fire crackling and making obscure shapes across his face. "They didn't have the walls up, so the people of the forest were free to go into the town."
"Then how did the humans protect themselves if there was a fight?" he asked. "Aren't giants rude and scary and evil?"
"Not really evil," I replied, shaking my head. I went to clutch my gem only to realize that it wasn't there and sighed, longingly. "They are actually a nice group of people unless they drink Brima."
"Brima?" Prince Caspian asked, furrowing his brows. "What is that?"
"It's an Elvish concoction," I replied, shrugging my shoulder. "It's really strong. Stronger than our strongest beer."
"Seriously?" Prince Caspian asked, and I nodded. "Have you had it?"
I shook my head. "I have heard about it. I am too young to drink." I didn't tell him that I did go into a pub every now and then for a meeting with Jonah.
"But, what about fights?" he asked. "Who stops them?"
"There used to be a thing called Dragon Riders," I said. I watched as Rowa bounded towards us with a couple of rabbits in her mouth. "But, there are none left."
Rowa dropped them at my feet before moving behind. She flicked her ears back against her head when I mentioned the Dragon Riders.
"Are you going to eat those?" Prince Caspian asked. "You know that you are going to be beheaded, right?"
"Are you hungry?" I asked, starting to skin the rabbits. "Those berries won't fill you up until the morning." I paused and narrowed my eyes at the blue-eyed male. "Are you going to tell your father?"
"I am not going to tell my father, but yes, I am hungry. I could eat a horse."
Ren looked up from where he was eating and snorted. He flicked his ears back and bared his teeth at the Prince.
"I wouldn't suggest that," I said. I finished skinning the rabbits before cutting them up into chunks. "Horses do not taste good. Dire Wolves on the other hand..." I smirked at my wolf hybrid when she growled and walked away from me.
Prince Caspian chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think that she would taste good either." He watched as I placed the meat into the pot and set the pot on the fire. "What is that going to be?"
"Rabbit stew," I replied. I stood and wiped my hands on jeans before going over to my basket where I had bowls and spoons. "It'll fill you up until you get back to the palace."
"What about you?" Prince Caspian asked, watching me. "Will you have enough to eat when you get back?"
I shook my head no. "It doesn't matter," I said, washing the bowls and spoons in the creek near where I had set up camp. "I am used to it." I handed him the bowl and spoon when it was cleaned and went back to where I had been sitting.
The Prince frowned and nodded his head. "What are you doing now?" he asked, watching as I was scraping the rest of the meat and fat off of the skin.
"I am going to gift it to the Gods," I replied. "Pray for food and good fortune for my people."
"What do you mean your people?" he asked. He wasn't trying to be rude, I could, but it stung when he said it like that.
"Someone has to care for the poor," I replied, looking at him. I looked down and finished scraping everything off. I removed the pot from the fire and tossed the rest of the meat into the fire, silently praying for the poor.
"Wow," Prince Caspian said, watching as the fire turned a different color. "Does that mean they will do something?"
I shrugged, putting the food back onto the fire and stirring it. "I don't know," I replied, honestly. I went to touch my stone again but stopped, remembering that I had given it to the Dwarves. "I know that they accept the offering."
The Prince nodded his head. "Why do you keep reaching to touch your neck?" he asked.
I looked down and cleared my throat, my face turning a bit red. "I keep wanting to touch the necklace," I said. "It's a habit that I do sometimes."
He nodded his head, looking rather guilty. "I'm..."
I shook my head. "I knew what I was doing, Your Highness," I said. "There is no need to apologize."
"Then let me make it up to you," he said. He stood and walked around the fire, and Rowa and Ren lifted their heads and looked at him.
"How?" I asked, sitting back on my haunches. I signaled the two of them to relax, keeping my eyes trained on the Prince, and they both grumbled but did.
Prince Caspian reached under his shirt and pulled something from underneath his shirt. "Here," he said, unclipping it from his neck and handing it to me. "I have a couple of these."
Hesitantly, I reached my hand out and let him drop the necklace into it. I studied the sword and felt this power coming off of it. "Where'd you get this?" I asked.
"It was a gift. Why?"
"It has power coming off of it." I studied the necklace and turned it around to see some inscribing on the back. 'Let the one who wears this be guarded by the sword. -SN' I said.
"You can read that?" Prince Caspian asked. "I just thought it was symbols."
"No, no," I said, furrowing my brows in confusion. "It's... the Elvish language. Why you would have it, I don't know." I looked at Rowa. "Come here and look at this."
Rowa grumbled and stood. She walked over to us and looked at the necklace. She touched it with her nose and backed up growling, shaking her head. There was a big welt on her nose, and I could tell that it was bubbling.
"Ro, don't," I warned, seeing her try to lick it. "Here," I said, trying to hand it back to him.
Prince Caspian shook his head. "It's yours now," he said, putting his hands behind his back.
"At least hold it so I can put some salve on Rowa's nose, Your Highness," I said, annoyance filling my voice.
"Caspian is fine," he said. He held his hand out, and I dropped it into it. "Why did it hurt her?"
"I think it is made from something called Moon Stone. Elves harvest it on the night of a full moon." I went to my basket and pulled out some salve before going over to her. "It's a rare metal and is very powerful." I stuck my finger in the salve and placed it on her nose.
Rowa closed her eyes and what sounded like a purr come out of her mouth.
"Feel better?" I asked, and she nodded. "I think you should keep it on you, Your Highness," I said. "Whoever this SN person knew what they were doing."
"But, you gave your necklace up for me," he said. "And, as I said, I have a couple of these." He walked over to me, his blue eyes staring at me with such intensity that it made my heart jump into my throat. "Please."
I looked at Rowa when she nudged my shoulder and watched as she nodded her head. I took a deep breath and nodded my head, turning to look at him. "Ok," I said. I turned around facing my Dire Wolf hybrid and moved my hair out of the way. "Can you put it on me?" I asked.
"Of course," Caspian said. He moved closer to me, his heat caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up at attention. He placed the necklace around my neck, his fingers grazing across the back of my neck.
"Thank you," I whispered. I started to feel uncomfortable and stepped out of his heat.
I placed the necklace underneath my shirt, the magic thumping to the beat of my own heart.
I cleared my throat and turned towards him.
"Um... make sure that you put another one on.
Whoever this SN took a liking to you. We don't want to offend them. "
Caspian nodded his head, and I had a feeling that he was blushing as well. "Of course," he said. He cleared his throat.
"I am going to make sure that the food is ready. Excuse me, Your Highness." I ducked towards the fire and felt like I could breathe again.
"It's Caspian," he said. There was this playful annoyance in his voice, and I couldn't help but smile a bit. "Please, call me that. I insist."