The cold Narnian air filled Peter's lungs as he gazed around the courtyard. All around him, creatures, Narnian creatures that had lived in fear for centuries died at the Telmarine's hands. Their blood covered the stone ground of the courtyard, seeping through the grooves of each stone. Each one had fought hard and perished. Their plan had failed, his plan had failed. And they were all going to die because of it.
The death surrounding him was pushed from Peter's mind as his shoulder burst with excruciating pain. His shoulder lurched forward by the force. Peter reached back, touching the wood shaft of an arrow. It pierced his shoulder, embedding itself deep into his muscle. Peter cringed at the pain.
Peter gasped and looked where the arrow had come from. He threw himself to the ground to avoid the edge of a Telmarine blade. The impact onto the ground snapped the arrow in his shoulder, causing more pain. With his sword in hand, Peter sprang to his feet, impaling the Telmarine.
"Fall back!" Peter ordered. He jogged through the courtyard, repeating his order to all those still fighting. He pulled some toward the opened gate.
Above the courtyard, Peter could see the army of Telmarine archers taking aim. They would be slaughtered in minutes. Then Peter heard the galloping of horses. He turned to find Caspian riding through the courtyard with an elderly man behind him. Caspian held the reins to a third horse, riding toward Peter. He tossed Peter the reins of the horse without stopping.
Peter ran along side his horse. He grabbed the saddle and jumped onto the saddle of the horse. His shoulder screamed in pain form the sudden movement. He adjusted the reins in his hands, directing the horse toward the lowering gate. Peter could feel the blood crawling down the back of his shirt, soaking all it could reach.
The wind blew at high speed around Peter. He glanced over his shoulder. Telmarine archers opened fire on the courtyard, killing anyone still below. Arrows flew passed Peter, embedding themselves into other Narnian's and Telmarine's. Peter watched as the Minotaur holding the gate was shot in the arm. He groaned, but still held the gate high.
Peter cleared the gate just as another arrow shot the Minotaur. The creature gave up its strength and collapsed. The gate slammed down onto its back, containing all Narnian's who had yet to escape. Peter turned in horror. He watched as Narnian's attempted to climb the gate to escape. Many fell from the gate as arrows pierced their backs.
"Peter the bridge!" someone cried.
Peter turned again. Ahead of him, the bridge to the castle was rising from the road. If it raised too high, Peter's fate would be the same as the trapped Narnian's. Peter took one final glance back to the trapped Narnian's. He could see one Centaur nod and turn back to fight. Peter kicked the horse in the side. The horse burst into a run toward the bridge. The horse galloped up the bridge and leapt into the air.
As Peter rode out with the survivors, he could hear the sound of the Narnian's who hadn't escaped. Their cried carried through the air, to all who were within its reach. Peter gripped the reins tightly, wishing he could forget the sound. So many had died. They had failed.
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