rey； and the trees black。 there was a certain amount of wind … a hushing； ruffling sort of wind which meant that rain was ing soon。
the owl wheeled round so that the castle was now ahead of them。 very few of the windows showed lights。 they flew right over it； northwards； crossing the river： the air grew colder； and jill thought she could see the white reflection of the owl in the water beneath her。 but soon they were on the north bank of the river； flying above wooded country。
the owl snapped at something which jill couldnt see。
〃oh； dont； please！〃 said jill。 〃dont jerk like that。 you nearly threw me off。”
〃i beg your pardon；〃 said the owl。 〃i was just nabbing a bat。 theres nothing so sustaining； in a small way； as a nice plump little bat。 shall i catch you one？”
〃no； thanks；〃 said jill with a shudder。
he was flying a little lower now and a large； black looking object was looming up towards them。 jill had just time to see that it was a tower … a partly ruinous tower； with a lot of ivy on it； she thought … when she found herself ducking to avoid the archway of a window； as the owl squeezed with her through the ivied cobwebby opening； out of the fresh； grey night into a dark place inside the top of the tower。 it was rather fusty inside
and； the moment she slipped off the owls back； she knew （as one usually does somehow）
that it was quite crowded and when voices began saying out of the darkness from every direction 〃tuwhoo！ tu…whoo！〃 she knew it was crowded with owls。 she was rather relieved when a very different voice said： 〃is that you； pole？”
〃is that you； scrubb？〃 said jill。
〃now；〃 said glimfeather； 〃i think were all here。 let us hold a parliament of owls。”
〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo。 true for you。 thats the right thing to do；〃 said several voices。
〃half a moment；〃 said scrubbs voice。 〃theres something i want to say first。”
〃do； do； do；〃 said the owls； and jill said； 〃fire ahead。”
〃i suppose all you chaps…owls； i mean；〃 said scrubb； 〃i suppose you all know that king caspian the tenth； in his young days； sailed to the eastern end of the world。 well； i was with him on that journey： with him and reepicheep the mouse； and the lord drinian and all of them。 i know it sounds hard to believe； but people dont grow older in our world at the same speed as they do in yours。 and what i want to say is this； that im the kings man； and if this parliament of owls is any sort of plot against the king； im having nothing to do with it。”
〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo； were all the kings owls too；〃 said the owls。
〃whats it all about then？〃 said scrubb。
〃its only this；〃 said glimfeather。 〃that if the lord regent； the dwarf trumpkin； hears you are going to look for the lost prince； he wont let you start。 hed keep you under lock and key sooner。”
〃great scott！〃 said scrubb。 〃you dont mean that trumpkin is a traitor？ i used to hear a lot about him in the old days； at sea。 caspian … the king； i mean … trusted him absolutely。”
〃oh no；〃 said a voice。 〃trumpkins no traitor。 but more than thirty champions （knights； centaurs； good giants； and all sorts） have at one time or another set out to look for the lost prince； and none of them have ever e back。 and at last the king said he was not going to have all the bravest narnians destroyed in the search for his son。 and now nobody is allowed to go。”
〃but surely hed let us go；〃 said scrubb。 〃when he knew who i was and who had sent me。”
（〃sent both of us；〃 put in jill。）
〃yes；〃 said glimfeather； 〃i think； very likely； he would。 but the kings away。 and trumpkin will stick to the rules。 hes as true as steel； but hes deaf as a post and very peppery。 you could never make him see that this might be the time for making an exception to the rule。”
〃you might think hed take some notice of us； because were owls and everyone knows how wise owls are；〃 said someone else。 〃but hes so old now hed only say； ‘youre a mere chick。 i remember you when you were an egg。 dont e trying to teach me； sir。
crabs and crumpets！“
this owl imitated trumpkins voice rather well； and there were sounds of owlish laughter all round。 the children began to see that the narnians all felt about trumpkin as people feel at school about some crusty teacher； whom everyone is a little afraid of and everyone makes fun of and nobody really dislikes。
〃how long is the king going to be away？〃 asked scrubb。
〃if only we knew！〃 said glimfeather。 〃you see； there has been a rumour lately that aslan himself has been seen in the islands … in terebinthia； i think it was。 and the king said he would make one more attempt before he died to see aslan face to face again； and ask his advice about who is to be king after him。 but were all afraid that； if he doesnt meet aslan in terebinthia； hell go on east； to seven isles and lone islands … and on and on。 he never talks about it； but we all know he has never forgotten that voyage to the worlds end。 im sure in his heart of hearts he wants to go there again。”
〃then theres no good waiting for him to e back？〃 said jill。
〃no； no good；〃 said the owl。 〃oh； what a to…do！ if only you two had known and spoken to him at once！ hed have arranged everything … probably given you an army to go with you in search of the prince。”
jill kept quiet at this and hoped scrubb would be sporting enough not to tell all the owls why this hadnt happened。 he was； or very nearly。 that is； he only muttered under his breath； 〃well； it wasnt my fault；〃 before saying out loud： 〃very well。 well have to manage without it。 but theres just one thing more i want to know。 if this owls parliament； as you call it； is all fair and above board and means no mischief； why does it have to be so jolly secret… meeting in a ruin in dead of night； and all that？”
〃tu…whoo！ tu…whoo！〃 hooted several owls。 〃where should we meet？ when would anyone meet except at night？”
〃you see；〃 explained glimfeather； 〃most of the creatures in narnia have such unnatural habits。 they do things by day； in broad blazing sunlight （ugh！） when everyone ought to
be asleep。 and； as a result； at night theyre so blind and stupid that you cant get a word out of them。 so we owls have got into the habit of meeting at sensible hours； on our own； when we want to talk about things。”
〃i see；〃 said scrubb。 〃well now； lets get on。 tell us all about the lost prince。〃 then an old owl； not glimfeather； related the story。
about ten years ago； it appeared； when rilian； the son of caspian； was a very young knight； he rode with the queen his mother on a may morning in the north parts of narnia。
they had many squires and ladies with them and all wore garlands of fresh leaves on their heads； and horns at their sides； but they had no hounds with them； for they were maying； not hunting。 in the warm part of the day they came to a pleasant glade where a fountain flowed freshly out of the earth； and there they dismounted and ate and drank and were merry。 after a time the queen felt sleepy； and they spread cloaks for her on the grassy bank； and prince rilian with the rest of the party went a little way from her； that their tales and laughter might not wake her。 and so； presently； a great serpent came out of the thick wood and stung the queen in her hand。 all heard her cry out and rushed towards her； and rilian was first at her side。 he saw the worm gliding away from her and made after it with his sword drawn。 it was great； shining； and as green as poison； so that he could see it well： but it glided away into thick bushes and he could not e at it。 so he returned to his mother； and found them all busy about her。
but they were busy in vain； for at the first glance of her face rilian knew that no physic in the world would do her good。 as long as the life was in her she seemed to be trying hard to tell him something。 but she could not speak clearly and； whatever her message was； she died without delivering it。 it was then hardly ten minutes since they had first heard her cry。
they carried the dead queen back to cair paravel； and she was bitterly mourned by rilian and by the king； and by all narnia。 she had been a great lady； wise and gracious and happy； king caspians bride whom he had brought home from the eastern end of the world。 and men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins。 the prince took his mothers death very hardly； as well he might。 after that； he was always riding on the northern marches of narnia； hunting for that venomous worm； to kill it and be avenged。
no one remarked much on this； though the prince came home from these wanderings looking tired and distraught。 but about a month after the queens death； some said they could see a change in him。 there was a look in his eyes as of a man who has seen visions； and though he would be out all day； his horse did not bear the signs of hard riding。 his chief friend among the older courtiers was the lord driman； he who had been his fathers captain on that great voyage to the east parts of the earth。
one evening drinian said to the prince； 〃your highness must soon give over seeking the worm。 there is no true vengeance on a witless brute as there might be on a man。 you weary