Lucy fiddled with her cordial as she waited in the Stone Table room. She heard something and rushed outside. The army returned.

Caspian saw Lucy and immediately yelled for her, "Lucy! Come quick!"

Lucy saw Caspian getting off his horse with an unconscious Richelle in his arms. She gasped loudly, "Richelle," and raced forward as Caspian was laying Richelle on the ground, holding her in his arms, cradling her.

When Edmund and Jo landed, she caught sight of Richelle and went to lunge for her sister when Edmund grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against him. She tried to fight out of his arms and get to her sister but his grip wasn't wavering.

Peter looked over solemnly and saw Jo in his brother's arms. He knew it was stupid but he felt the jealousy flare up dangerously inside him, adding to the grief of seeing his sister-in-law so close to death and losing all those good men back at the castle.

Lucy knelt down by Richelle's side, "We need to remove the arrow first."

Caspian frowned down at Richelle's blank face and reached for the wood. He broke it quickly, jolting Richelle awake with a scream. Caspian's eyes became wet and apologetic as he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Richelle, I'll make this quick."

Richelle clenched her teeth in pain and breathed heavily. Caspian pressed his hand into the wood and pushed it swiftly through Richelle's torso, making her scream out again. Lucy reached out to finish pulling the arrow out and and quickly opened her cordial. She tilted Richelle's head back and poured the drop in her mouth.

Richelle's eyes closed. Caspian thought his heart stopped when she stopped moving. Lucy and Jo both looked ready to cry.

Suddenly Richelle's lunged upwards and started coughing, gasping violently. Caspian grabbed her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her forehead in relief. Richelle eventually calmed down as Lucy hugged her from the other side. Jo broke away from Edmund and tackled her twin from behind her, "You die again, and I'll kill you."

Richelle gave a tearful laugh, "Deal."

Caspian helped her stand up and looked down at her, "You were supposed to be safe."

Richelle gave a tired shrug, "Tried my best."

Caspian hesitantly cupped her face with his right hand, "Don't do that again. Ever."

Richelle gazed into his eyes and slowly nodded. Caspian then drew her into his arms, gently. Richelle sighed happily.

Lucy looked around at the sad faces, "What happened?"

Peter squared his shoulders and glared, "Ask him." He nodded to Caspian.

"Peter," Jo chastised.

"Me?" Caspian broke away from Richelle and glared at Peter in shock, "You could have called it off. There was still time."

Peter turned on him, "No, there wasn't thanks to you. If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now."

"And if you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian shot.

"You called us, remember?" Peter reminded.

"My first mistake."

Richelle felt her heart fall into her toes when Caspian said that. She knew that he said it out of anger at Peter but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"No," Peter disagreed, "Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people."

Peter started to walk away. Richelle could see the rage building in Caspian's face as he screamed, "HEY!" startling her and Lucy, "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia!"

Once again Peter's face hardened as he turned around and he caught sight of a tear tracking down Richelle's face. This was hurting her. And he loved her like a real sister. He knew she was the most sensitive of them and he hated seeing her hurt. He knew he should stop this fight. But his anger at Caspian for saying the core things that hurt her won over.

"You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to it than Miraz does! You, him, your father..." rage contorted on Caspian's face, "Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"

Peter walked passed him, towards the How, when Caspian let out a startling yell and drew his sword. Peter followed suit.

When they pointed their swords at each other Jo marched up to them and stood in between them, "Stop it!" She glared at them both in turn, "You're both acting like overgrown children. You both need to get a grip on yourselves if we have any chance of turning things around. Now put the swords away."

The boys reluctantly lowered their weapons. Jo turned to Peter while Caspian walked into the How. Her shoulders sagged as she sighed lowly. Peter felt immense guilt when he saw the tiredness and sorrow in her eyes. She was emotionally drained.

Richelle wiped tears from her face and stood on her shaky feet and Jo walked over to help her. "You know he didn't mean it," Jo told Richelle quietly.

Richelle sighed, "No he didn't."

Jo walked Richelle into the How. She shot Peter a look when they passed him. Peter turned to look after her with a hollow feeling in his chest. He imagined that he'd be deliriously happy forever after being reunited with Jo. But things just kept coming up and ruining what he thought should be the best time of his life in a year.

Richelle pulled away from Jo when they got to the small hallway, "You don't need to walk me anymore. I think I need to talk to him on my own."

Jo hesitated, "If you're sure..."

Richelle nodded confidently, "I am. I'll see you later."

Richelle turned and walked when she heard, "...I am yours, my king."

Richelle, feeling a rush of jealousy, ran into the How only to see Caspian holding out his cut hand to none other than the White Witch encased in some sort of ice chamber.

Richelle ran into the How and knocked Caspian down and out of the circle, "No, don't!"

The werewolf made to attack Richelle but the Witch put her hand up to stop it. It froze.

Caspian looked up from the ground alarmed as Richelle stared coldly up at the Witch. The White Witch smiled sweetly, nothing but contempt in her eyes, "Ah... Richelle... I almost mistook you for your sister. You know, the real warrior. The one I killed."

"She lived." Richelle answered shortly, "You didn't. And you won't this time either."

"Oh yes it had been years since we've seen each other last," The Witch ignored her answer, "You've done some growing up. No longer are you the small scared girl who ran away from the battle to save Narnia."

"I didn't run away," Richelle rebuked, "I was with Aslan, you know, the one who defeated you in a second after you spent centuries trying to win. Ring up any memories, perhaps?"

"You know you can't do this alone..."

"STOP!" Peter, Edmund and Trumpkin ran into the room and drew their swords. The werewolf crawled over the Stone Table and attacked. Nikabrik and Trumpkin's blades clashed noisily.

The hag knocked Peter's sword out of his hand as Edmund swung at the werewolf. The werewolf howled as Jo stabbed him with her sword. Lucy came up behind Nikabrik with her dagger but he twisted her arm and was about to stab when Jo kicked him in the head. Lucy fell to the floor.

Peter kicked the hag into a pillar and she fell.

Nikabrik hesitated in attacking again but then Trumpkin stabbed him in the back.

Richelle started tearing up as the Witch said, "All your friends, family, the boy you love will die without my help. You know that..."

Peter rushed to his sister-in-law and stood in front of her, sword raised at the Witch, "Get away from her!"

The White Witch fell back a little, "Peter dear... I have missed you. Come, just one drop." She reached towards him. "You know you can't do this alone."

Peter hesitated and then lowered his sword a little. Richelle looked at him like he was mad. The Witch groaned and screeched as the ice wall shattered. Edmund stood behind with his sword still drawn. "I know. You had it sorted."

Edmund walked away. Peter looked to see Jo looking at him with an unbelieving look and appalled emotion in her eyes. Peter felt his heart crush in his chest at messing things up with her again. He felt so stupid.

Richelle wiped at her eyes as Caspian stood and went over to her. He reached for her and took her in his arms. She didn't reach for him back. She stood still with her arms by her sides. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Maybe you were right..." Richelle whispered, almost as if to herself, "...maybe it was a mistake that you called us here."

Caspian felt like his heart was about to fall out of his stomach as she pulled herself out of his arms and ran out of the room. Jo followed behind her.

Emotional turmoil. Very sad. But necessary.

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RegalGirl94