Destrier



"Destrier has always served me well. You are in good hands." "Or hooves."

- Caspian and Susan

Destrier was the black horse that belonged to Caspian X.

He was born and bred in Narnia, but was just an ordinary dumb horse, and not a talking one.

Biography
Immediately after the birth of Miraz and Prunaprismia's son; Cornelius, Caspian's tutor, realised that the birth put Caspian's life in danger:

"As long as [Miraz] had no children of his own, he was willing enough that you should be King after he died...Now that he has a son of his own he will want his own son to be the next King. You are in the way. He'll clear you out of the way."

- Cornelius to Caspian

To save Caspian's life, Cornelius had Destrier saddled and gave him to Caspian so that he could flee from the castle in the middle of the night. As he continued to ride, a lightning storm caused Destrier to bolt in fright. Caspian kept hold of Destrier as they rode, but eventually knocked his head into a tree, and he fell off and lost consciousness just outside Trufflehunter's Cave. Trufflehunter took Caspian in and cared for him, but Destrier fled back to Miraz's Castle, accidentally alerting the Telmarines to Caspian's escape.

Adaptations
In the 2008 movie, Destrier's role in Caspian's initial escape is the same, but Caspian later reclaims him after the Battle of Miraz's Castle. He uses him to retreat with the army when Peter signals the retreat.

Shortly after, Caspian lends Destrier to Susan and Lucy when they leave Aslan's How to look for Aslan.

Later in the movie, Caspian rides a black horse, which may be Destrier, into the Telmarine Castle after the Second Battle of Beruna.

Trivia

 * "Destrier" is an archaic English word meaning "War-Horse".