Chapter Twenty Three - Through the Dusty Gate

Kathryn looked deep into Edmund’s face. There was something there that was different. Something that he had seen, something that had changed the way he looked out on life. She wondered, but decided against saying anything to him. He would tell her in his own time if he needed too. Until then she would not comment.

Edmund glanced over at Kathryn as he ate his breakfast. She must know, he thought, she would know. He sighed inwardly, he did not want to explain it to her yet. In time he would have to, if only he could keep her from asking until he was ready. But to his surprise, the next words spoken came not from Kathryn, but from Jessica.

“What is wrong Edmund?” Jessica asked. “You seem tired, as if you saw a ghost or something. What happened?”
“Jessica,” Kathryn said quietly. “Do not pry. Have you not learned from when you were younger?”
“No,” Edmund said with a sigh, and realized that Jessica was right to ask. Though he was confused at the fact that Kathryn did not push it. He had thought he knew her. “She is right to ask.”
“Only if you are ready to tell, Edmund,” came Kathryn’s soft voice.

There was a pause and Edmund did not respond, but neither did Jessica push it. Klicati and Yoran and Mara could be heard a little ways a way talking in hushed voices to each other about something. Then Edmund turned towards Kathryn.

“Lady Kathryn,” he said quietly, “may I please talk to you, alone?”
“Yes, Edmund,” came her soft answer. She stood up, and followed him a little bit away. There she waited for him to begin to talk to her.
“I had a dream last night,” he continued. “A vision of sorts. They are looking for me, my lady. I must go to them. Otherwise I will put you all in danger. It must be this way.”
“Who is looking for you?”
“The Duke. DiCaprio wants me, he knows I have the Stone of the King, and he wants it. He would not care who else was with me, he would only kill them. It is me who he wants, and he wants me alive. I can not put you all in such danger.”
“Edmund, it was my idea to go. I knew the danger involved, and I was willing to risk it. Jessica knows the danger, and Yoran. I know that Mara and Klicati know, or they would not have offered to go with us. Do not worry. We will stay with you.”
Edmund nodded. “Very well. At least for now, I will stay. But it may be that I need to go. He is looking for me, and I can’t hide from him forever.”

Kathryn smiled, and they turned back towards where the others were waiting. Quickly cleaning up from breakfast, they mounted Mara again, and she once more flew into the sky. Jessica turned to her sister.

“What is it like to see again?” asked Jessica.
“It is as if I have stepped through the dusty gate and into the courtyard beyond. I have left the dust behind, and seen something sparkling clean. A ray of sunshine has pierced my darkness, a light shines in the night.”


“Are we going to break up camp yet, sir?” asked Sir Evyn.
“No, we are not,” came Sir Paulo’s answer.
“What do you mean we are not?” Sir Flavus cried incredulously.
“I mean that we are going to be staying here. We are not breaking up camp.”
“But the king gave orders!” interrupted Geminad.
“The king gave orders, and I am overruling them. He gave me charge of the army and the battle. I am not going to allow the enemy to choose the battleground. This is a well defensible area. It will make it harder for our opposition. It is easier this way for us to fight, and it will give us a better chance at actually defeating DiCaprio and the army of the Seventeens.”
“Sir Paulo does have a point,” agreed Taliesin. “This is an easily defensible area. We will have more of an advantage here, than we would if we came upon DiCaprio’s army unexpectedly. We do not know where they are, so we do not know if we will have a good place to fight or not. At least here we know the territory and know where our weaknesses are.”
“Which is exactly why we are not breaking up camp, and exactly why we are staying here. I want scouts to go and find all possible weaknesses. I want to strengthen our defences, and I want to eliminate weaknesses. Sir Thanet, I want you and Sir Martin to go and examine all possible weaknesses, no matter how small they are. Sir Bedwyr and Sir Geminad and Sir Flavus will take scouts and position them in the places they feel would be best, and in doubtful ones as well. I do not want to take chances with this. Sir Taliesin, Sir Taran, and Sir Caspian, you three are to make sure that the army is ready for battle. Reposition the camp if you need to. But get the army ready to fight. Sir Rupert, Sir Thanet, and Sir Evyn, you are to remain here, and we will discuss possible strategy plans while looking at different maps of the outlying area. You all have your jobs to do. Let us prepare to fight!”

With nods of acknowledgement, smart salutes, and yes sirs, the knights departed to their various ways. Sir Paulo pulled some maps out of satchel and spread them open, placing a few books on the edges to keep them flat. As he and Thanet and Rupert and Evyn all looked over the maps and discussed strategy after strategy, they could hear the muffled voices of Taliesin, Caspian, and Taran as they directed the repositioning of the camp and preparations for battle.

Some of the soldiers were already practicing with their swords, and the clang and crash of steel against steel could be heard. The whistle of arrows as they flew from their strings to the targets on the far side of camp was also heard. Bows were strung and unstrung, tightened and loosened as they prepared to fight. The blacksmiths were busy, hammering steel, shoeing horses, sharpening blades, repairing dents. The camp was alive and humming. They would not surrender, and they would not die without a fight.

“Is the army ready to move?” asked Orlando DiCaprio to the former lieutenant Pevensie, now General Pevensie.
“Yes, my lord King Orlando. We are prepare to move when needed.”
“Very good. Make ready to leave within three hours.”
“Yes, my lord King Orlando.”
“Dismissed, General.”

With a nod and a bow General Pevensie backed out and headed out to go ensure that the army was all packed and completely ready to leave.

“What have you learned now, Draziw?” asked DiCaprio as he turned towards the Varnhyme.
“The boy knows that you want him.”
“So, are you saying he will not come to Ge’irdae? Are you saying what you saw before was a lie?”
“No, it is not a lie. He will still come to Ge’irdae. But remember that the future is always in motion. Choices made affect how it will turn out. I cannot control the future. I can but see possible futures. It is not perfect.”
“You better see to it that he comes to Ge’irdae. If he does not come, many people will be very upset. I will NOT have him get away from me. Come now, we must ride. I intend to hold Aiulindale very soon.”

Two men in long cloaks walked into the Red Raven. They walked over towards the bartender and rested their arms on the counter.

“Can I help ye?” asked the bartender as he came up to them.
“Yeah,” said the first one. “I want a Trydean. On the rocks.”
“And ye, sir?”
“Hmm,” said the second. “I think I will take a Maxwell. Plain.”
“Here ye go. That would be two clarens for each, lads.”

The first man tossed three clarens on the counter, and the second man added one claren to the pile. With a nod, they took their drinks and turned to find a table to sit at. Most were crowded, save for one in the corner, that had only two men sitting at it. Heading that direction they greeted the two men in the style of Aiulindale, with a short bow.

“Do you mind if we sit here? The Raven is a bit crowded today,” said the first man.

The brown hooded men sitting at the table exchanged glances and then nodded. With nods of thanks and another short bow, the two men joined the hooded ones at the table.