Edmund signaled for his siblings and Caspian to be flown in by the griffins with his torch. He stepped back from the ledge and watched from the tower as they flew by and took down several night guards. He smiled when Susan took out an archer who had noticed his flashlight and was taking aim at him.

Edmund waited impatiently for the next signal, twirling his torch around. It fell from his hands when he was startled by a sudden scream. The torch flew over the edge and landed with a thud, alerting a nearby guard on the balcony below.

Edmund cursed himself and watched angrily as the guard walked towards his torch and picked it up to study it. The man flipped the switch and the torch illuminated his face and the new technology startled him enough to stun his movements. Edmund took the chance and leapt over the edge behind the man and started to fight with the guard. They both drew their swords and clanged them together in defense of themselves.

After a while Edmund had been backed into the edge and below was at least a fifty foot fall to solid concrete. He held his sword in front of his face, keeping his opponents sword inches away. He heard someone call his name and turned to see Peter fighting his own guards.

"Ed, send the signal!"

Edmund grunted and threw the man off him, "I'm a little busy Pete!"

The guard slammed into Edmund then and his sword slide from his grasp. The guard took his chance and swung the sword in an attempt to cut Ed's head off. Luckily his reaction time was quick and he ducked the blow, bending down to pick up the only weapon in sight. He grabbed his torch, that was still on and hit the man twice in the head, knocking him out.

Edmund immediately turned it back on and signaled for the awaiting army to take the castle. He heard one soldier roar and smiled to himself as the army rushed easily into the castle gates. They cut down most Tel-marines in their path and made it through to the main castle. All Edmund could do was watch so he decided to get a better view. He crept along the rooftops, making sure he wasn't seen by any archers or soldiers that could shoot him down or send someone after him. Edmund reached a slanted roof and hung over the edge so he was just able to see the battle raging on below him. He spotted most people he knew and smiled at their skills during battle, then his smile faded and his expression turned into fear and concern.

Just below him was a small balcony lined with archers all pointed at his allies. His heart stopped when he noticed Peter had an archer pointed right at him. He wanted to warn Peter but his brother was deep in battle and probably would not hear him or it could be too late. Edmund did not see another option, he slide down the roof and landed squarely on the archer's back. The force sent him toppling over the edge and to the ground below while enticing a scream from the guard. The scream caught Peter's attention and he turned to Edmund, his face was full of concern and fear.

"Ed!"

Edmund was confused at first. He turned to see a line of archers looking right at him, they broke from their shock and turned their crossbows on Ed. He was frozen and then his adrenaline kicked in and he bolted for the door, diving through the entrance. He fell to the ground and closed the door with his foot. He tried to stand but fell with a cry of pain. Looking down he saw an arrow sticking out of his leg but what worried him was the arrow in his side.

Edmund heard banging on the door and knew it wouldn't hold for long. He stumbled to his feet and stifled another cry of pain and a sudden onset of dizziness. Edmund looked around and saw a staircase going up. The door behind him was giving way and he stumbled up the staircase. He slammed the door and shoved his torch into the lock. Two guards began banging on that door and Ed knew he was no match for the guards in his state.

Looking over the edge he saw no griffin and a huge drop to rocks and waves, he wouldn't survive a fall like that. He turned around just as the door was flung open and the guards stepped onto the small balcony. They had their swords drawn on him and Ed couldn't grab the hilt in time to block a blow from either guards. He slowly slide down the wall and placed a hand on his side, it was his pathetic attempt to stop the worst of the bleeding.

To Edmunds' surprise the guards did not strike him down. They smiled ruthfully and sheathed their swords. "Well it looks like your gonna die today kid." He sighed in thought. "But how do we kill you?" The man grabbed Edmund's collar and pulled him to stand up. Edmund winced with the pain in both his side and his leg. It just seemed to make the man laugh.

He slammed Ed up against the ledge and teetered him over it, the only thing keeping him up was the man holding his shirt and his limp grasp of the wall. The man smirked and released his grip on Edmund's shirt, Ed gasped and fell over the edge. He clung to the wall desperately, the pain in his side becoming too much to bear. His hand began to act on its own and release the wall. Ed felt the wind as he fell and then a solid force hit him in the back. All the air escaped his lungs and he gasped for air.

He clutched to the solid force and felt feathers in his hands. Suddenly he realized this was the griffin and he was talking to him. "King Edmund are you alright?"

Edmund could barely find the energy to speak, "Thanks...arrow wounds." Then he drifted into unconsciousness. The griffin continued his flight to get help for the young king.

The army had retreated after suffering great losses, and had to head out extremely deterred and spirits low. The army was not sure their leaders had made the right decision this time. They began to lose their faith in the plans and orders of their kings and queens.

Edmund woke to a shifting weight underneath him and nearly toppled off the griffin. "King Edmund, are you alright?"

Edmund was weak and could barely speak, "Are we close to the How?"

"We will be there in a few moments."

"Then no, I need Lucy when we get there."

"I understand, you have been bleeding a lot and your breathing has been uneven. I am flying as fast as I can."

"Thank you..."

"It is my duty, my king."

"Edmund...just Edmund."

"Of course, Edmund it would bring me much relief if you would stay awake."

"I...will try. What...is...your...name?"

"My name is Trevor."

"Nice...to...meet...you."

The griffin sent a call of warning as the How came into view.

"We have made it to the How, Edmund."

There was no answer and Trevor began to worry for his king. He landed just ahead of the army in the field, he made the landing as soft as he could. He called another warning to the soldiers that had stayed behind and Queen Lucy stepped past them and ran to the griffin.

"What happened?"

"The battle did not go well, my Queen."

She teared up when she saw Edmund and helped the griffin slide him to the grass. Both arrows still stuck out of the boy, one in his right side and the other in his upper leg. Blood covered the boy's body and soaked the arrows. Lucy pulled the arrow from her brother's leg and to her surprise there was no reaction and that scared her.

"Edmund?"

There was no answer and the young king's head lolled lifelessly to the side, Lucy sighed in relief when she realized he was still breathing, no matter how shallow and uneven it was. Suddenly Peter and Susan joined her, both had tears running down their faces as they looked to their unconscious brother.

"Oh, Ed. You weren't suppose to get hurt."

Lucy and Susan both pulled out the arrow from Edmund's side and he gasped, his eyes flying open. They were glazed over with pain and confusion. Lucy quickly pulled her cordial out and allowed two drops into his mouth. Edmund closed his eyes and his breathing calmed, he opened his eyes a few seconds later and smiled. "Thanks...shouldn't you be helping the wounded Lucy?" She smiled brightly, "That's what I was doing, Edmund." She hugged her brother and quickly stood and attended to the other injured soldiers.

Edmund looked at his older siblings, both had tear marks down their faces and were starring at him. Suddenly Susan pulled him into a hug and Peter wrapped his arms around both of them. "I thought I lost you Ed. I saw you push that archer...and then they all turned on you. Why can't you just worry about yourself?"

Edmund was taken aback by this show of emotion. "Well I wouldn't be a good brother if I just watched you get killed when I could have done something."

The group pulled away from each other and Susan smiled. "You two are always going to get hurt protecting each other and it is getting very stressful."

The boys laughed because they knew she was right. They would always protect each other, no matter what.