Chapter 9:

After fifteen minutes, Peter and Holly were finally pried apart. Edmund was just short of finding a crowbar. Peter suggested that he have a one-on-one combat battle with Miraz. Miraz had been tricked into accepting it and now everyone was gathered for the moment of truth.

"Be careful." Holly told Peter before giving him a quick kiss just before he went into the arena to face Miraz.

"She really loves him." Margaret told Edmund as she realized it.

"What tipped you off?" Edmund asked sarcastically. "The twenty minute kiss yesterday?"

Suddenly, swords clashed. The battle had begun.

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Margaret was confused. She had never seen anything like this. So, she cheered whenever the Old Narnians cheered. She looked over at Holly who looked ready to start crying.

"Holly?" Margaret asked.

"It should be me." Holly said. "I look like a boy in full armor. I could have taken Peter's place."

"But the cheering…"

"His shield!" Holly told her. "Edmund. You see it!"

"I do." Edmund confirmed. "Probably sprained."

"What's going on now?" Caspian asked.

"They've agreed to a time-out." Edmund said.

The group rushed up to Peter, Holly in the lead.

"You're hurt!" she told the High King.

"Just a sprain." Peter said wiping some sweat from his forehead.

"Peter…" Holly pleaded as she wrapped his hand.

"No Holly. I won't go full armor."

He knew what she wanted. The Battle of Beurena was not the last time she used her nameless knight routine.

"But…" she argued.

"No buts. Holly. I love you. And I don't want to see you hurt." Peter said.

"YOU'LL GET KILLED!" she argued with tears in her eyes. "Do you think I ENJOY watching you not use your shield properly?!"

"Of course not." Peter said gently. "But Miraz is strong. I've got to get back out there."

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before walking over to Edmund so he could give his brother some instructions. Holly looked at the ground with tears in her eyes. She felt as if something was going to happen during Round 2. Peter was tired, hot, and wounded.

Swords clashing brought Holly back to reality. She smiled softly to herself as she watched Peter stay out of reach. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to tire out Miraz.

Suddenly, her husband took a blow to his helmet. He staggered and tripped.

"KILL HIM!" the Telmarians yelled.

Holly couldn't watch as she snuck off into the forest and got dressed in full armor and waited for the signal.

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Peter moved out of the way and used Miraz as a ladder to pull himself up. He didn't even realize Holly was missing until the full scale battle.

"Margaret! Where's Holly?" he asked as he fought.

"How should I know?" Margaret asked as she fended off a Telmarian. "She's your wife. Last I saw her, you were about to be killed."

"Peter!" Edmund called. "That knight's here."

"Knight?" Peter asked looking in that direction and seeing Holly fighting without showing mercy.

"The one from the legends?" Caspian asked.

'She must not know I'm alive' Peter thought

Suddenly there was a roar. The fighting stopped. Before Holly could start back up, she spotted Peter and ran to him before embracing him like no tomorrow.

"It's okay." Peter whispered as he heard her sobbing underneath her helmet.

He gently pulled her away and took off her helmet giving Edmund, Caspian, and the others a shock as he revealed the heroic knight from the legends who was usually the backbone of Peter's victories to be the High Queen.

Holly turned her bracelet to turn her clothes back into the medieval garb that she had been wearing when they met.

"Thank Aslan you're alive." Holly sobbed as she embraced him again.

"The knight from the legends is the High Queen." Trumpkin said to himself. "Okay. I have a new respect for females."

"What kept you?" Margaret asked the dwarf.

"PETER! EDMUND!" two female voices called.

"OVER HERE!" Edmund called to his sisters.

Susan and Lucy ran over to their brothers. They stopped short when they saw Peter hugging a familiar redhead.

"HOLLY!" Lucy cried out as she recognized the American.

Holly pulled away from Peter and hugged Lucy.

"We missed you." Lucy told her.

"Some more than others." Susan added giving Peter a smirk.

"Uh…Holly?" Margaret asked starring at Aslan.

Holly looked up to see what had scarred her friend. The High Queen smiled when she saw Aslan. She released Lucy and walked up to Aslan before kneeling.

"Aslan." Holly said. "It does my heart well to see you once more."

"Rise Child." Aslan told her. "All is well."

"Aslan." Peter introduced. "This is Caspian."

"Welcome Prince. Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?"

"I don't think I do Sir." Caspian said truthfully. "I'm only a kid."

"Good. IF you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not. Therefore, under us and under the High King, you shall be King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands. You and your heirs while your race last."

"Aslan. If I may…" Holly stated pulling Margaret to the lion. "This is my best friend."

"Welcome to Narnia, Margaret Lewis." Aslan greeted.

"Hi." Margaret said nervously. She then turned to Holly.

"Told you so." Holly said.

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At the party,

"So, when did the knight first appear?" Caspian asked Peter and Holly.

The two looked at each other.

Flashback

It was just before the first Battle of Burena, Holly sat up straight on Aslan as they made their way to the cliffs. Everyone looked down in horror as the battle continued.

Determined, Holly got down off of the great Lion.

"Holly!" Susan called out as Holly ran to some boulders with an idea formulating in her head.

"I'll be careful." She told everyone. "Aslan?"

"I will give the order when time." Aslan reassured her.

She smiled feeling more mature than ever. She ran behind a bolder and turned her wardrobe bracelet to what seemed to be a suite of armor. Gold armor ran from her bracelet up her arm and around her body. A sword hung from her side and a helmet sat on her head. She pulled out the sword and went another way so that her future sister-in-laws wouldn't see her fight.

End Flashback.

"THAT'S where you went!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Yes. I found Peter fighting the witch and decided to assist the High King." Holly finished.

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After heading home, Margaret and Holly tumbled out of Holly's closet.

"That was…interesting." Margaret said before turning to Holly.

Holly was crying.

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked.

"Remember when Aslan wanted to talk to me, Peter, and Susan alone?" Holly asked.

"Yes."

"He was telling us that we will never return." She sobbed. "I'll never see Peter again."

TBC