k。 id be just as pleased … or very nearly … at finding hes my father even if he wasnt a king。 even though education and all sorts of horrible things are going to happen to me。 but you want the story。 well； corin and i were twins。 and about a week after we were both born； apparently； they took us to a wise old centaur in narnia to be blessed or something。 now this centaur was a prophet as a good many centaurs are。 perhaps you havent seen any centaurs yet？ there were some in the battle yesterday。 most remarkable people； but i cant say i feel quite at home with them yet。 i say； aravis； there are going to be a lot of things to get used to in these northern countries。”
〃yes； there are；〃 said aravis。 〃but get on with the story。”
〃well； as soon as he saw corin and me； it seems this centaur looked at me and said； a day will e when that boy will save archenland from the deadliest danger in which ever she lay。 so of course my father and mother were very pleased。 but there was someone present who wasnt。 this was a chap called the lord bar who had been fathers lord chancellor。 and apparently hed done something wrong … bezzling or some word like that … i didnt understand that part very well … and father had had to dismiss him。 but nothing else was done to him and he was allowed to go on living in archenland。 but he must have been as bad as he could be； for it came out afterwards he had been in the pay of the tisroc and had sent a lot of secret information to tashbaan。 so as soon as he heard i was going to save archenland from a great danger he decided i must be put out of the
way。 well； he succeeded in kidnapping me （i dont exactly know how） and rode away down the winding arrow to the coast。 hed had everything prepared and there was a ship manned with his own followers lying ready for him and he put out to sea with me on board。 but father got wind of it； though not quite in time； and was after him as quickly as he could。 the lord bar was already at sea when father reached the coast； but not out of sight。 and father was embarked in one of his own warships within twenty minutes。
〃it must have been a wonderful chase。 they were six days following bars galleon and brought her to battle on the seventh。 it was a great sea…fight （i heard a lot about it yesterday evening） from ten oclock in the morning till sunset。 our people took the ship in the end。 but i wasnt there。 the lord bar himself had been killed in the battle。 but one of his men said that； early that morning； as soon as he saw he was certain to be overhauled； bar had given me to one of his knights and sent us both away in the ships boat。 and that boat was never seen again。 but of course that was the same boat that aslan （he seems to be at the back of all the stories） pushed ashore at the right place for arsheesh to pick me up。 i wish i knew that knights name； for he must have kept me alive and starved himself to do it。”
〃i suppose aslan would say that was part of someone elses story；〃 said aravis。
〃i was forgetting that；〃 said cor。
〃and i wonder how the prophecy will work out；〃 said aravis； 〃and what the great danger is that youre to save archenland from。”
〃well；〃 said cor rather awkwardly； 〃they seem to think ive done it already。”
aravis clapped her hands。 〃why； of course！〃 she said。 〃how stupid i am。 and how wonderful！ archenland can never be in much greater danger than it was when rabadash had crossed the arrow with his two hundred horse and you hadnt yet got through with your message。 dont you feel proud？”
〃i think i feel a bit scared；〃 said cor。
〃and youll be living at anvard now；〃 said aravis rather wistfully。
〃oh！〃 said cor； 〃id nearly forgotten what i came about。 father wants you to e and live with us。 he says theres been no lady in the court （they call it the court； i dont know why） since mother died。 do； aravis。 youll like father … and corin。 theyre not like me； theyve been properly brought up。 you neednt be afraid that …”
〃oh stop it；〃 said aravis； 〃or well have a real fight。 of course ill e。”
〃now lets go and see the horses；〃 said cor。
there was a great and joyous meeting between bree and cor； and bree； who was still in a rather subdued frame of mind； agreed to set out for anvard at once： he and hwin would cross into narnia on the following day。 all four bade an affectionate farewell to the hermit and promised that they would soon visit him again。 by about the middle of the morning they were on their way。 the horses had expected that aravis and cor would ride； but cor explained that except in war； where everyone must do what he can do best； no one in narnia or archenland ever dreamed of mounting a talking horse。
this reminded poor bree again of how little he knew about narnian customs and what dreadful mistakes he might make。 so while hwin strolled along in a happy dream； bree got more nervous and more self…conscious with every step he took。
〃buck up； bree；〃 said cor。 〃its far worse for me than for you。 you arent going to be educated。 i shall be learning reading and writing and heraldry and dancing and history and music while youll be galloping and rolling on the hills of narnia to your hearts content。”
〃but thats just the point；〃 groaned bree。 〃do talking horses roll？ supposing they dont？
i cant bear to give it up。 what do you think； hwin？”
〃im going to roll anyway；〃 said hwin。 〃i dont suppose any of them will care two lumps of sugar whether you roll or not。”
〃are we near that castle？〃 said bree to cor。
〃round the next bend；〃 said the prince。
〃well；〃 said bree； 〃im going to have a good one now： it may be the last。 wait for me a minute。”
it was five minutes before he rose again； blowing hard and covered with bits of bracken。
〃now im ready；〃 he said in a voice of profound gloom。 〃lead on； prince cor； narnia and the north。”
but he looked more like a horse going to a funeral than a long…lost captive returning to home and freedom。
。d 。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
，＿
rabadash the ridiculous
the next turn of the road… brought them out from among the trees and there； across green lawns； sheltered from the north wind by the high wooded ridge at its back； they saw the castle of anvard。 it was very old and built of a warm； reddish…brown stone。
before they had reached the gate king lune came out to meet them； not looking at all like araviss idea of a king and wearing the oldest of old clothes； for he had just e from making a round of the kennels with his huntsman and had only stopped for a moment to wash his doggy hands。 but the bow with which he greeted aravis as he took her hand would have been stately enough for an emperor。
〃little lady；〃 he said； 〃we bid you very heartily wele。 if my dear wife were still alive we could make you better cheer but could not do it with a better will。 and i am sorry that you have had misfortunes and been driven from your fathers house； which cannot but be a grief to you。 my son cor has told me about your adventures together and all your valour。”
〃it was he who did all that； sir；〃 said aravis。 〃why； he rushed at a lion to save me。”
〃eh； whats that？〃 said king lune； his face brightening。 〃i havent heard that part of the story。”
then aravis told it。 and cor； who had very much wanted the story to be known； though he felt he couldnt tell it himself； didnt enjoy it so much as he had expected； and indeed felt rather foolish。 but his father enjoyed it very much indeed and in the course of the next few weeks told it to so many people that cor wished it had never happened。
then the king turned to hwin and bree and was just as polite to them as to aravis； and asked them a lot of questions about their families and where they had lived in narnia before they had been captured。 the horses were rather tongue…tied for they werent yet used to being talked to as equals by humans grown…up humans； that is。 they didnt mind aravis and cor。
presently queen lucy came out from the castle and joined them and king lune said to aravis； 〃my dear； here is a loving friend of our house； and she has been seeing that your apartments are put to rights for you better than i could have done it。”
〃youd like to e and see them； wouldnt you？〃 said lucy； kissing aravis。 they liked each other at once and soon went away together to talk about araviss bedroom and araviss boudoir and about getting clothes for her； and all the sort of things girls do talk about on such an occasion。
after lunch； which they had on the terrace （it was cold birds and cold game pie and wine and bread and cheese）； king lune ruffled up his brow and heaved a sigh and said； 〃heigh…ho！ we have still that sorry creature rabadash on our hands； my friends； and must needs resolve what to do with him。”
lucy was sitting on the kings right and aravis on his left。 king edmund sat at one end of the table and the lord darrin faced him at the other。 dar and peridan and cor and corin were on the same side as the king。
〃your majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head；〃 said peridan。 〃such an assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins。”
〃it is very true；〃 said edmund。 〃but even a traitor may men