Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia characters and themes do not belong to me, I'm just borrowing them from C.S. Lewis.

"Peter, what has gotten into you?"

It would be true to say that this last year had changed Peter Pevensie. At this moment, his mother was putting ice on a fresh bruise over top of Peter's right eye. He had gotten into a fight with a boy down the road just a little while ago and was reeling from the repercussions of it. He barely felt the pain of his new wounds, only the emotions that accompanied them.

"This is your third fight this holiday alone. Not to mention all the ones while you were at school, and the ones before that. What is going on?" Mrs. Pevensie was very worried about her oldest child, and this Peter knew, but he could not tell her what was really going on with him. She would never understand, and he had no idea where to start.

"Nothing, mum. It's nothing."

It was not, in fact, nothing. It was actually everything. Peter had been home for one year, one year since he had toppled out of the wardrobe, one year since he had left Narnia and lost everything. He had not felt any happiness since. On the contrary, all that he really felt was anger these days. It overtook him to the point that some days he actually frightened his siblings. They did not know what would push him over the edge. At first he felt okay being back, knowing that one day he would return. As time went on and their waiting went on that okay feeling turned to sadness, which quickly turned to frustration and then fury.

In Narnia, he had been a King. He had the respect of all of his beloved people. He knew so much and had seen so much. He had grown into a man for Aslan's sake! To come back to England as a young boy once more was not something he had ever expected nor wished for. There was no one to share with his wisdom. He was just a common school boy once more with not a single ounce of authority over anyone. It had been a year, and he no longer held the belief that he would ever return to Narnia, though he so desperately wanted to go home.

"This isn't about a girl is it darling? You know, before your father and I got married, he tried the tough guy thing to impress me."

"No, mum!" Peter got up and stormed away from her. "This has nothing to do with a girl!" He was getting angry again. He could feel himself being carried away by it. That was the thing. He always knew when he was getting too angry, but he never seemed to be able to do anything about it.

"Then what is it, Peter? I'm just trying to understand." Mrs. Pevensie sounded very distraught, and also a little defeated.

"I don't want to talk about it." With that being said, Peter left the room and stormed out of the house. He went out to the stream behind their house to be alone. He was not on his own for long though. Soon, Edmund was joining him.

"You're driving mum mental, you know," he said, his arms crossed over his chest.

"It doesn't matter," Peter mumbled while skipping a rock across the stream.

Edmund shook his head at his brother. "Of course it matters, Pete. There are rules here, ones we have to follow."

"Ones I didn't make or agree to!" Peter countered.

"You're not a king here. Neither am I. We don't get to make the rules. We're not in Narnia anymore. We don't know if we'll ever get back. It's time to accept it and get on with life."

"I didn't choose that!" Peter roared, turning around on Edmund and shoving him away from him. "I didn't choose to come back! I lost everything!"

Peter was towering over his younger brother, but Edmund would not back down. He shoved him back and shouted, "I lost it too, Peter! So did Susan. So did Lucy. But we're all trying to move on. We have to do the best with what we're given. You're not making this any easier on any of us."

Peter lost it at that point. He sunk down onto a log and put his face in his hands. He was not ashamed to cry in front of his brother, or his sisters for that matter. They had gone through too much together to get embarrassed by tears now. Edmund gave him a moment and then took a seat by his side. He put a hand lightly on his shoulder and said in a whisper, "It's okay, Pete. I miss it too. We're all trying to deal with the loss."

Peter said nothing in response, and Edmund did not prompt him to. Once he was ready, the boys walked back up to the house, and Peter apologized to their mother for his behavior. He promised to try to control his rage better. However, he made sure not to promise that it would never happen again. Though he would try, he was not sure if he would be able to control his anger. He did not have that much faith in himself.

Night times in Narnia seemed to grow much darker much earlier. This gave the Telmarine castle an even more haunting demeanor. The Professor had gotten Airies into the castle with no problem, but that did not mean that she was not absolutely terrified. She knew that she should not be here, that it was not safe for her here. But she also knew that it did not matter that it was dangerous. If she succeeded, her family would return to her. She was waiting in the stables with two horses by her side. It was eerie and quiet, and Airies kept her arms wrapped tight around herself. The nerves were starting to kick in now.

"I have brought you someone who knows this land better than anyone I have ever met," she heard an old male voice say. Seconds later, Professor Cornelius came running around the corner followed by a boy who looked to be about the same age as she. He had dark hair that hung over his eyes and a handsome face: Prince Caspian.

After he put his mail on, the half-dwarf introduced the two of them to each other. "Can we trust her?" Caspian whispered. "She is the daughter of Aslan, yes," Cornelius answered. Airies blushed at her title, as she so often did when it was used. The Narnians, when speaking of their history, had taken to calling her that. Caspian's eyes widened at the realization of who was standing in front of him. It was his first real proof that Narnians actually existed.

"It's an honor, your Highness," Caspian said but Airies shook her head. "Please, you're the prince, the honor is mine."

Airies jumped onto her horse as the professor gave Caspian Susan's horn. "Only use this if you are in grave danger. If you use it help is always sure to come. Now go, quickly now, my prince!" Airies waited, growing more impatient as Caspian and the professor exchanged more goodbyes. Her black horse stamped its hooves. A horn blew outside. "Caspian, we have to go now!" she hissed, and then the two were off. "Where are we going?" Caspian questioned. "To the woods!"

It did not take long for the castle guards to realize what Caspian was up to. They were soon chasing after the two fugitives. Caspian and Airies made their way over the gate as calls of, "A son! A son! Lady Prunaprismia has henceforth given King Miraz a son!" echoed behind them. Airies urged her horse on as more hooves could be heard galloping behind them. "Hurry, Caspian!" She prompted. She had not expected Miraz to catch on so quickly, or rather she hoped that he would not. This was not what she wanted. They needed just a little bit more time to make it safely to the woods.

They came to a river, and both of their horses halted and whinnied nervously. "We have to cross. The deepest parts of the forest are straight through there," Airies told him, and urged her horse into the water. "Are you mad?" Caspian cried, seeing how deep the water was. "No, but you will be if you don't follow!" she responded over her shoulder. Caspian looked back only once before following her across the river.

As they traveled into the woods, the soldiers did the opposite of what Airies had expected; they followed them. And they were gaining on them. Airies made a split second decision. She jumped off her horse and doubled back.

"What are you doing?" Caspian hissed.

"Continue north. I'll catch up. Don't hang back," she ordered before slapping his horse on its rear. The horse shot forward, taking an unwilling Caspian with it.

Airies ran towards the soldiers. There were only four. She could take them. She took care of two easily enough. She brought down the first one with a quick slash to his side, and the second with a slash to his neck. The third, however, had an arrow. He shot it perfectly and it landed on point in her right shoulder, causing her to drop her sword. As she was vulnerable, the soldier grabbed her and held his sword to her throat. The fourth soldier slowly got off his horse and made his way towards her.

"General Glozelle," she growled, recognizing him immediately.

"Narnia's bitch," he greeted. "The king will be very glad to see you. Now tell me, where is the prince?"

As an answer, Airies spat on the ground at his feet. General Glozelle looked down, then back up, and nodded at the other soldier, who promptly dug his sword deeper into her neck. Airies barely even winced. "Go ahead, give me another scar. He is long gone and safe from you. You'll never find him now."

"We'll see," the general gloated right before an arrow whizzed past his head. "Put her in irons. I'll deal with that."

As soon as the general disappeared into the bushes, something flew at the other two, growling and snarling. It was a wolf! It took out the soldier with ease, chomping down once on his neck. The wolf then turned around and looked at Airies who had fallen to the ground. "Thorin, oh Thorin!" Airies cried happily at seeing her familiar again.

"M'lady," his deep voice barked, but she could tell that he was happy too. Airies then pulled out the arrow from her shoulder and winced slightly. "Come, your prince is injured, but he is safe," Thorin told her.

Airies sighed with relief. She had done her job.