Cane's last duel
They jabbed. They ran. They thought of their next attack. Cane was winning. He had jabbed his father's knee so the king was limping.
He limped over to Cane jabbed at him. He got Cane's sword and jabbed at his arm. Cane cried out. Nian was a fierce fighter. Cane was fourteen and Nian looked like he was in his fifties. He had more training.
With no sword, the prince had nothing to fight with. His father grabbed the sword and threw it out of the square. He charged Cane with his sword held out. Cane collaped with blood swimming out of new wound. Nian punted him in the head. The king raised his fists in the air. The Tamians roared. Rodney did not know how a man could be pleased with killing his son.
The Tamians walked away, looking pleased. Edmund had turned and someone was coming up behind him. He had his sword raised.
"FATHER!" yelled Rodney.
"What?" Edmund yelled. It was to late. The man had already sunk his sword in his back. He pulled his sword out and ran.
It was a riot. Tamians and Calormenes running for a fight. Then, a man on a horse came in from the woods, he looked like Dalan. Rodney rode up to him.
"Who are you?"
"I am King Dalan I." said the man.
"King Edmund and Prince Cane have just been murdered." Rodney cried.
"What? Who are you?"
"I am King Edmund's son, Prince Rodney."
"I have brought someone who can help." Then Rodney heard a magnificent roar. It was almost ear shattering. He saw all the Tamians and Calormenes running away. All the Narnians and Archenlanders seemed to stay though. The roaring stopped and a lion moved forward. Rodney knew not to run although he wanted to.
"Hello young Prince." said a calm voice.
"Who said that?" he asked.
"Aslan did." Dalan pointed to the lion. "Aslan the Great Lion, the creator of Narnia. The son of the Emporer-beyond-the-sea."
"Walk. We must speak to the people." Aslan said.
They walked from the woods to the castle. As they walked, people looked in awe. People were standing in front of the castle chanting, "Queen Liana. Queen Liana. Queen Liana."
Liana walked out. She spoke, "People. I am not your Queen. My brother, Rodney is the King."
"Who is Rodney?" someone asked.
"I am Rodney, son of Edmund Pevensie II." Rodney said, walking up beside Liana.
"How?" they asked.
Rodney told his story. When he was finished, they started chanting, "King Rodney. King Rodney. King Rodney."
Aslan moved forward. His giant paws made no noise as he walked. "Young Rodney. I asked this question to your grandfather. Do you think that you are ready to be King?"
"No. I don't think I am ready to be King yet. I wish I were, but I am not."
"And that's what makes you ready. You said you wern't ready. Most men would have said they were ready, making them not ready. But saying you weren't ready, makes you ready."
"So I am king?"
"Yes. King Rodney Caspian Matthews. The orphaned king."
The chanting continued. A woman walked out of the castle. She looked like Liana, an older looking Liana.
"My king and step-son." She said.
"What?"
"I am Queen Rose, your father's wife and your step-mother."
That was why she looked like Liana, she was Liana's mother.
"Let's see your castle." Rose said.
Rodney followed her into the castle.
"I see Liana showed you the weapon room."
"Yeah."
"How old are you Rodney?"
"Thirteen and a half."
"How long have you been an orphan?"
"One day. My mother was murdered this morning and dad, not even an hour ago." Rodney said lowering his head. "Wait. Where's Cornilium?"
"Oh. I found him in here injured and sent him upstairs. I can take you to him, if you want?"
"Yes."
Rose started forward up a staircase. The hall that she led him down was full of paintings. At the last door on the right, she opened the door. In he walked and saw Cornilium laying on the bed reading a book.
"Hello Prince Rodney." he said.
"Um. Cornilium. It's King Rodney. Edmund died."
"How."
Rodney told him. It was hard to hold back the tears. He told of what he saw, the duel, his father's death and Aslan's roar. Cornilium was patient and cooperative (Rodney had to stop a few times for he was crying).
Finally after a while, Rose had the chef prepare a great feast of wine, fruits, vegtables, meats and breads. It was the greatest feast Rodney had ever eaten. After the feat Rodney was taken up to the kings room. He dressed in his new night clothes and went to bed.
He was dreaming about what he would do. Aslan told him he would have a coronation before he was fully king. Since he didn't know what that was, Aslan explained that it was when he offically became king.
