The gate leading outside of Miraz's castle shut right in front of Peter's horse, causing the horse to flail upwards. Peter smashed into one of his fellow Narnians as he landed onto the stoned castle grounds. He heard the whistling of arrows fly into his people as he managed to gather the helplessness of the situation around him. They were trapped.

He heard Susan yelling his name, but could not see her with his people trying to claw their way out of the sealed gate. The person he had fallen into, a faun, helped him to his feet. I am going to die in here, Peter realized. Panic filled Peter's heart once he came to this conclusion. He didn't want to die, not like this. Doesn't matter, I am King, I need to help my people, he reasoned with himself, trying to remain calm. He heard the bridge closing behind him, sealing them in the castle even more.

"No, your majesty," the faun was horrified, and it seemed only after the faun spoke did the remaining Narnians realize that their King was among them. Miraz's men continued hailing arrows at them. He only had one option to save his people, even if that meant dying himself.

He pushed passed his people into the opening, holding his hands up after he put his sword back in his sheath, only to hear a "hold your fire" order ring out from one of Miraz's captains. Peter looked around: archers surrounded them and infantrymen held swords and spears on the ground. He caught sight of Miraz after he came down the balcony's stone steps to meet Peter, causing Peter to lower his arms once they were only a few feet away from one another.

The guard on Miraz's left made a hand gesture, and all of the archers moved their aim to Peter. There were gasps coming from behind Peter after this. Peter felt every eye in the castle was trained on Miraz and him. The archers were to keep his people in check; they wanted no attempts to save Peter or to kill Miraz.

His fellow lords and guards surrounded Miraz when he approached. His face held in a wicked grin, his eyes danced over Peter. He must have known Peter was out of options, this was a desperate plea coming out of Peter's mouth, "Miraz, I ask you to let my people go. Do not punish them for my mistake. Take my life, but spare theirs." Even though Miraz was no King, Peter hoped that Miraz would understand mercy, even if it were only as a soldier.

The Narnians protested behind him, shouting that he could not do that, that their king needed to save himself. Their protests would not sway Peter. He had accepted that he was going to die because of his failure, now he just wished it were only he who would pay this price.

Miraz's face lit up with interest and malice at Peter's people addressing him as "King". Miraz made a small gesture with his head, and two guards came over to Peter, grabbing him by the arms. The Narnians yelled angrily at this, but not one of them moved.

Peter did not fight the guards as they bound his wrists behind his back with tightly tied rope. They dragged Peter forward, shoving him to his knees in front of Miraz. Once Peter steadied himself, he reached Miraz's eyes while Miraz towered over him. That grin did not leave Miraz's face.

"Your plan has failed," Miraz simply put. "Your people followed you into a battle they could not have hoped to win."

"They were only here because I gave the order. Allow them to leave unharmed, you may do what you wish to me, but give my people their lives."

Miraz seemed intrigued to say the least, "I already have you, boy. You have nothing to bargain with me."

"I plead you to have mercy on my people," Peter said, trying to not allow being called "boy" insult him too much. He needed to save his people because it was the last thing he was going to be able to do in this life. "Punish me alone for this."

Miraz crouched down, cupping Peter's chin with his hand before vigorously grabbing Peter's cheeks with his fingers, driving his nails into Peter's face as he forced Peter to look into his eyes.

Miraz's voice spoke with a superiority and an unreadable intent, "Now, now, your majesty, I am not a cruel man. I understand mercy. Very well, I will punish you for this crime alone."

Miraz released Peter's face. Relief poured over him, he did not even have time to be afraid for himself.

"Seize him," Miraz's voice called out once Miraz was walking away.

His guards grabbed hold of Peter, holstering him up to his feet; they turned him back around to face his people who all nervously looked to their king. Peter tried to look reassuring, brave, at least for his people.

"There is just one more thing." Miraz stopped in his tracks as he said this. He turned back on his heels. He returned to Peter's side, whispering in Peter's ear, causing him to shudder under the grasps of the two guards. "Your punishment will not be death." Peter's eyes widened as Miraz leaned back, a malicious smile plastered on his face. "Take the king to the dungeons when you are done," Miraz ordered one of the guards holding him. Miraz turned to leave, when he added, "Oh, and make sure he watches."

Miraz left Peter's side to head back in his castle, only confusing Peter for a moment before he heard a distant guard yell, "Archers, on the ready!" The archers returned their attention back to the Narnians.

"No!" Peter shouted. Peter struggled against the guards, not for himself, but for his people. He could not just watch his people die. "Miraz, spare their lives, you said—" Miraz stopped where he was, looking back at Peter wickedly.

"This is why boys are not kings," Miraz chided him. "Now, you will pay for your mistake." He gave the order, and all the archers opened fire at the Narnians.

"Please, stop!" Peter cried out, watching as each of the arrows pierced his people.

The Narnians tried to charge Miraz or to save Peter, it really did not matter which. Most were cut down with arrows, others by the swords of Miraz's guards.

"Stop! You don't have to do this!" Peter pleaded, but no one responded to his pleas.

Peter tried to look away only for a new pair of hands to yank his head back by his hair. Tears erupted from his eyes as he was forced to watch in horror his own people being slaughtered right before his eyes.

Edmund knew the raid went horrendously long before he got onto the Gryphon's back. He just hoped everyone got out unharmed. He no longer heard the sounds of a battle, just the shouts from a distance. The Gryphon, Ergon and Edmund flew high above the castle. Edmund knew that this battle was long over; he could no longer help anymore.

They flew over the courtyard to head back to the How, and that is when he saw one of the worst things he could ever imagine: Bodies of Narnians littered the courtyard; some were still alive as arrows soared into them.

While that was enough to make Edmund's heart to break, what he saw by Miraz's guards made him want to pass out. Even at this distance, Edmund knew it was Peter: three guards held him, making him watch as they killed the trapped Narnians. He heard Peter's pleas for them to stop. His brother's voice was already hoarse from him yelling at this murder.

"Peter!" Edmund yelled in horror as the last Narnian fell, unmoving. They escaped the courtyard's view. Edmund yanked on Ergon's hair to make him go back, but Ergon would not budge. "We have to go back!"

"No, your majesty, we cannot risk trying to save King Peter," Ergon refused. "We cannot lose both of you."

"Please, turn back, we don't have to go down there, please, I have to see what they are going to do to him," Edmund pleaded as tears were near his eyes. I need to know if they are going to kill him, his mind terrifyingly thought of this.

Ergon reluctantly turned back around. They soared over the courtyard once more as Edmund watched the three guards dragging Peter away, Peter fighting with them every step of the way. One guard punched Peter, causing him to double over, which let the guards get a better hold of him.

"No," Edmund whispered. "We have to save him." Ergon refused. Edmund reached inside his boot for his dagger, aiming as carefully as he could. "Fine, then, I am going to make the man who punched him regret it." Ergon protested, but only too late.

Edmund fired the knife, landing directly in the back of the guard that punched Peter, who had his fist raised as if to punch Peter again. The guard yelled in surprise. Peter's head looked up to Edmund. The guards holding him did the same. They called for the archers to shoot Edmund and Ergon down.

"Ed! Get out of here!" Peter warned as Edmund saw the threat of the archers. Peter's efforts to escape seemed to double, but to no avail. Ergon dodged the arrows; Edmund saw Peter yelling towards them, begging them to leave. The last Edmund saw of Peter was him thrashing against Miraz's guards as they dragged him inside the castle. The door slamming shut behind them cut off all of Peter's yells for Edmund.

"Peter!" Edmund yelled for his brother. Ergon and Edmund were then out of sight of the castle. No longer in danger of the arrows, and more crucially, no longer able to rescue Peter. "Please, Ergon," Edmund begged softly.

"I am so sorry, your majesty," Ergon spoke gently as they flew over the forests towards the How.

Edmund's mind could not even focus on trying to come up with a plan for now what they should do. He could not even process it. Instead, Edmund cried for his brother, buried his face in Ergon's mane. The remainder of their flight was in silence, only Edmund's sobs could be heard.