The aggressive screams of the Narnians swept over Caspian all at once, and doubt crept into his mind. But, when he glanced at Brocéliande, the faun smiled gently at him and a wave of determination washed over him.

"All this horn proves is they've stolen yet another thing from us!" cried Nikabrik.

"I didn't steal anything."

"Didn't teal anything?" thundered a minotaur further. "Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken?"

"Our homes!" cried Glenstorm's companion, Windmane.

"Our land!"

"Our Freedom!" yelled a faun.

"Our lives!" added a satyr.

"You stole Narnia!"

Caspian felt concern come over him again. "You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?"

"Accountable...and punishable" Nikabrik growled as he approached. Brocéliande stepped forward in his turn, his hand on the hilt of his sword and his cold gaze, ready to protect the prince.

"Ha! That is rich coming from you, dwarf," Reepicheep exclaimed, approaching in turn, disdaining his little sword. "Have you forgotten it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?!"

"And I'd gladly do it again, if it would rid us of these barbarians," said Nikabrik, pushing back the small sword with his hand.

Some Narnians frowned, reluctant to follow him if he took that road. Horror stories during the reign of the Witch Jadis were still told in Narnian circles, and few of them wanted to see those painful times again.

"Then it's lucky that it is not in your power to bring her back," declared Trufflehunter, limping towards them. "Or are you suggesting that we ask this boy to go against Aslan now?"

A jaguar roared menacingly as screams rang out again.

"Some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well..." started Trufflehunter when the Narnians had calmed down. "That Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was King."

"He's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?!" cried Nikabrik, urging someone in the crowd to shoot an arrow at Caspian, whom Brocéliande parried with his sword.

"So, if I follow your reasoning, Nikabrik, we should punish him for everything his people have done to us?" Brocéliande asked, brandishing his sword at the dwarf, urging everyone to shut up. "Do you really believe that we should punish him for the crimes committed by his ancestors?"

Cries of affirmation resounded, prompting Brocéliande to clench his fists. "So, still according to what you tell me, we should get rid of the dwarves, the minotaurs, the tigers, the wolves and the giants? Because, after all, they are the ones who rallied behind the Witch Jadis."

They fell silent, and the prince glanced gratefully at the faun.

"You cannot accuse him of the mistakes made by his people, just as you cannot blame a minotaur for the actions of his ancestors. I understand your anger, your pain, your resentment. The Telmarines killed my father, my brother and my uncle, but I welcomed this boy into my home because I overstepped those feelings. We have to at least be willing to hear what he has to say, he has that horn, and as Trufflehunter has so well said, Narnia only knew peace when a son of Adam was king. We must listen to him. We cannot afford to let this chance offered by Aslan slip away in order to finally free ourselves from the reign of terror of the Telmarines."

Silence invaded the Narnians, and Caspian glanced thankfully at Brocéliande, who had reasoned his people.

"I can help you" started Caspian despite Nikabrik's hating glare.

"It's a trick!" someone shouted.

"At least hear him out!" retorted a wolf, who had been touched by Brocéliande's speech.

"Go ahead, we'll listen to you!" adds a faun in height.

"Behond this woods, I'm a prince," Caspian began, growing more and more confident in the face of the attentive gazes of the Narnians. "The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine! Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us."

A slight silence followed his words when Glenstorm intervened. "It is true," declared the centaur, advancing slowly in the formed circle. "The time is right. I watch the skies... for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, et Alambil, the Lady of Peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now here, a son of Adam has come forth.. to offer us back to our freedom."

"Is this possible?" asked a red squirrel, Pattertwig, in a nearby tree. "Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean really?"

"Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals... or dwarves... or centaurs. Yet here you are in strength and numbers that we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it bought us together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours."

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I..." Glenstorm began, brandishing his sword. "Offer you our swords."

All the Narnians followed their example, raising their swords in the prince's direction.

"And we offer you our lives, unreservedly," added Reepicheep in a curtsy.

Caspian glanced at all the Narnians surrounding him, and felt invigorated.

"Miraz's army will not be far behind us, sire," warned Trufflehunter.

"If we are to be ready for them, we need to hurry to find soldiers ans weapons," said Caspian before looking at Brocéliande. "I'm sure they will be here soon."

oOo

Caspian came to sit next to Brocéliande, who was sharpening the point of one of his arrows. The prince had just visited Aslan's mausoleum and had a plan in place with Glenstorm and other talking animals. The faun had remained on the stairs, listening intently. 

Brocéliande folded his paws to make room for the Telmarine as he placed the arrow in his quiver. The prince glanced at the faun who watched the sons of Glenstorm chat together as they prepared to recruit as many Narnians as possible with the help of the little animals, including Pattertwig.

"I didn't thank you for standing up for me in front of the Narnians," Caspian said, and Brocéliande turned his head to him. "Nor for stopping that arrow. And I'm sorry for your family."

"You don't have to apologize or thank me. I gave you my allegiance, and I promised to protect you. Whether from the Telmarines, or my people."

Caspian was silent for a moment, astonished. "Why?"

Brocéliande raised his eyebrows. "Why what?"

"Why do you trust me like that? Nikabrik said it, my people took everything from you... you, in particular, lost your whole family through our fault."

The faun grabbed the prince's shoulders, gazing into his. "You can't be serious."

"Well..."

"Caspian, I refuse to let you lose confidence in your abilities because of Nikabrik. You don't have to listen to such nonsense!" Broceliander almost snarled. "Caspian, what I want you to understand is that we are ready to follow you. You have the support of the centaurs and the minotaurs, two of the most feared Narnian species. I believe in you, Caspian, and not only because you are our last hope. I believe in you because Cornelius does, and I trust his judgment. I know that you will do everything in your power to bring us victory. "

Caspian felt a warmth wash over him, and he smiled, touched. "Thank you Brocé."

"You don't have to thank me for telling the right truth."

Caspian just smiled as Reepicheep approached. "The group is ready, Your Highness."

"Alright, let's go."

oOo

"What are you doing ?" murmured Brocéliande, seeing Caspian carving with a blade the outer door of the cart which contained the weapons they had just stolen.

"I am leaving a message for my uncle," replied the prince, contemplating his work.

You were right to fear the woods. 

X

Brocéliande cocked his head to the side, before sitting up, his ears moving slowly. "We have to hurry, they can come back any minute."

Caspian nodded, and followed the fauns, minotaurs, satyrs, talking animals and Glenstorm. They were near the constructions of the Beruna Bridge, and had stolen all kinds of sword and metal merchandise with the intention of melting it. Reepicheep, Trufflehunter, dwarves, two fauns, and several talking animals had acted as a diversion to force the soldiers away, but they could return at any time.

They crossed the river despite the strong current, the water reaching them to the collarbones for the fauns and Caspian, to the torso for the minotaur and the satyr, and to the junction of their horse body for the centaurs. Caspian felt his foot slip and was about to fall under the water when Brocéliande ran a hand behind his back to hold him.

"Thank you," Caspian whispered, almost entirely glued to the faun who nodded as they continued forward.

They got to the other side, then headed for Aslan's hill. They passed the panting Narnians in charge of the diversion, and decided to take a break until the next day.