Rooms 513 and 413, Thursday Morning
Seely
Not having stopped running since the preserve, Seely pounded on the door of 513.
Peter
Peter got up lazily to open the door and blinked as the least likely person ever to come to his room stood there. "Booth," he said, frowning slightly at the half-dressed boy. "What's wrong?"
Seely
Calormen," Seely replied brusquely, panting and leaning heavily against the door-frame. "How do I get there?"
Peter
He straightened immediately, feeling more King of Narnia than a schoolboy hearing those words. "Come inside, Booth," Peter glanced back over his shoulder, frowning. "Where's Aravis? Why aren't you asking her?"
Seely
Seely expression was an odd mix of lost and confused, and wanting to cut a bitch. "Men in the woods," he replied, tracking a set of bloodied footprints into Peter's room. "I tried to catch them, but they had horses."
Peter
"Calormenes?" Peter asked, pulling out his desk chair and gesturing Seely into it. "In the Preserve?" He was thinking quickly, trying to plot out the best course of action and hauling his shield and bag out from under the bed at the same time. "They must have come from the Wood. We should be able to follow them back that way if Aslan allows it."
Seely
"They took her," Seely said helplessly as he sat. "She was screaming and then she wasn't."
Peter
He swallowed, worrying about the girl he'd claimed under his protection and feeling more empathy for Booth than he'd ever expected. "Definitely the Wood then. Wonder how the bastards found out about it. We'll follow them through as soon as you get cleaned up and we manage some supplies. We can track her to Calormen if we need. It shouldn't be too difficult once we're through."
Seely
Seely looked up at Peter. "Quickly," he said. "They might...he hit her."
Peter
Peter nodded sharply, glad his bag was still packed from camping last week. He slung that and his shield over his shoulder. "Let's go. You need your feet wrapped or shoes at least and a change of clothes possibly. I need my sword, and we should stop by her room to get her a change of clothes and her scimitar."
Seely
"Right," Seely nodded, standing. "Our rooms are close to each other at least."
Peter
Leading the way out of the room, Peter gestured for Seely to lead down to his room. "Once we get into Narnia, we can grab our own horses and cut through Archenland to Calormene. We might even be able to catch up with them before they hit the desert."
Seely
"I'd like that," Seely said, as he headed for the stairs, his tone indicating that they wouldn't.
Peter
Peter nodded shortly. "Me too," he agreed, worrying about both Aravis and trying to cross the desert without remounts or a guide.
Seely
"Her room's closer," Seely said softly when they reached the fourth floor. "We should go there first."
Peter
"Sounds good," Peter said, giving Seely a look that he wasn't going to admit was worried. He stopped outside the door to her room then glanced at Seely. "You have a key?"
Seely
Seely shook his head. "Back in the tent, I didn't think to go back and get them," he said, and knocked on the door. "Maybe Karal's in."
Karal
Karal was indeed in, and distracted, having been deeply engrossed in a book.
He blinked at them both as he opened the door, frowning a little. "Seely? Peter? Is everything all right?"
Seely
"They took Aravis," Seely said, as if that was all the explanation needed to show that things were most definitely not alright.
Peter
Peter nodded to Karal. "From Calormen through the Woods," he explained. "We're going after her. Just need to bother you for a few minutes to get her a change or two of clothes."
Karal
"They took..." Karal automatically stepped out of the way, trying to process that. It was a lot to have sprung on you when you were distracted. "They took her. Who is they? When, why? And wait," he held out a hand, "you are going after her? Only you?"
Seely
"Calormenes," Seely replied distractedly, going over to her wardrobe and looking for her riding clothes. "This morning. Yeah."
Peter
Everything Seely said was correct so Peter just nodded. "It's in my world," he said. "We'll be able to track her without a problem."
Karal
Karal bit his lip, scared for Aravis, then turned away, started pulling out clothes of his own. "Then I am coming as well. Aravis is my friend. I can not fight, but I have some experience as an ambassador, and I have a horse. Trenor can carry supplies and Aravis's clothes. I will not slow you down."
:You're doing what?!: Altra sat up straight on the bed. Karal ignored him.
Seely
"Great," Seely nodded. "So the three of us can get going as soon as I get my stuff. We should probably bring Ata too, since we can't take the time to find someone to look after him."
Peter
Peter eyed Karal more carefully, weighing the benefits of not having to argue about it with the problems of having someone to protect in the group.
"Fine," he agreed. "I'll head down to the salle and get my sword and Aravis' scmitar and we'll meet back here in five minutes. Then we're heading to the Preserve."
Karal
Karal nodded, more than willing to defer to Peter. "I will need time to saddle Trenor, so I can go now, meet you at the Preserve."
:You also need more people.: Altra glared at all three of them, then turned to Karal. :Three people, three children, are not enough. Think, Karal, don't just go haring off into danger.:
"Who else, then?" he answered out loud. "Gavin?"
Seely
Seely blinked. "I'm not Gavin."
Shh, he was having a stressful morning.
Peter
"Who else for what?" Peter asked, looking at Karal sharply.
Karal
Karal shook his head. There would be time enough to explain Altra later. "We should not go alone. There are others who would aid us. Gavin. Gavin would wish to come. And he can fight."
:And someone sensible, for Vkandis' sake! Not another foolish boy. Hermione. She's sensible. She won't run off and do stupid things.: Altra hesitated, then said, :And Aravis may be glad of another female, when we get her back.:
"And Hermione," he added, though less certainly. "Aravis may be glad of female companionship."
Seely
"She might like Rikku along too then," Seely said softly. "She lets Rikku hug her."
Peter
Peter nodded shortly and stuffed back the inclination to add Willow to the group. "That sounds reasonable," he agreed, realising the wisdom of the suggestions and nodding to Karal. "Let's try to get them all here, and we can explain quickly, not lose too much time."
Karal
Nodding, he quickly shoved some clothing into a bag and reached for his boots, sitting down to lace them. "I will seek out Gavin," he offered. Altra had already jumped off the bed and walked to the door. Karal followed the 'cat. "It will not take me long to find him."
Seely
Seely nodded, clutching Aravis's clothes to his chest. "I'll just go get my things."
Peter
"Good," Peter said. "I'll get the weapons. I'll bang on Hermione and Rikku's door." He nodded to the other two boys. "Shall we meet back by Trenor's stall?"
Karal
"I will meet you there, hopefully with Gavin in tow." With one quick look at Seely, and what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Karal hitched his bag higher and followed Altra out the door.
Seely
Seely nodded and headed for the door. "Yeah, Trenor's stall," he repeated as he went down to his room.
Peter
Peter took a breath and closed the door gently behind him as he headed first to Rikku and Hermione's room then down to the weapons' locker.
[ooc: follows this post. Preplayed with once_a_king and vkandis_son. For broadcast, but NFI, OOC good, void where prohibited, etc.]