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When Kristina and Edmund came back to give everyone the news everyone prepared for what was up ahead. The Narnians prepared for battle anyway in case anything were to happen, Peter geared up for his death match with Miraz, and Lucy and Susan were preparing to leave. While Kristina waited for Peter and Edmund to come she tried to block any negative thoughts coming to her mind, knowing that she had to have faith in Peter. Which, she did with all her heart.
"He'll be all right," Katie said comforting her sister. "He is a King after all."
"I know I just can't help being so worried."
Abruptly Katie asked, "Do you ever get annoyed that the only title we can give ourselves is that our grandfather was the first man to ever set foot in Narnia?"
Surprised Kristina looked at her sister. It had never occurred to her that Katie was feeling the same way she did. "Yes. Maybe after all this is over we'll get a title of our own."
"I hope so. I'm getting tired of everyone questioning why we're here. Anyways I'll be outside with the archers." The two sisters hugged and Katie exited the How.
Silently Peter and Edmund walked over to Kristina as she waited. "Ready?" Kristina asked.
"Yes," Peter answered.
"Lets go then."
Silently the three walked out of the entrance of Aslan's How as a crowd of Narnians cheered Peter on. Peter walked in the middle while Kristina was on his left and Edmund (who was carrying Peter's sword) his right. When they walked over Miraz was already there along with his general and council members, as his army several yards away cheered as well. The centaurs awaited the three and nodded at Peter as he turned around with them holding his sword. When they approached Miraz stood out of his chair. Edmund offered Peter his sword and he took it, which caused the Narnians to cheer again. Silently Edmund set the sheath down. Saying something to his men, Miraz put his helmet and took his sword walking over and Peter approached as well.
"There is still time to surrender," Miraz offered.
"Well feel free," Peter retorted.
"How many more must die for the throne?"
"Just one," Peter answered pulling his helmet down.
As the men shouted Peter ran and jumped off a ruin striking down on Miraz their swords hitting and shields bashing. When he landed, Peter lunged his sword at Miraz, but he shielded it and then whammed his shield into Peter's head causing him to grown in pain.
The fight continued to go on and as each minute passed it became more and more intense. Peter and Miraz continued to use strike after strike but they either dodged it or blocked it with their shield. Finally Peter managed to attack Miraz from behind after he had just attempted to dodge a blow from Peter. Attacked two more times, Miraz dodged each strike and countered by whacking Peter with his shield knocking his helmet off in the process. Quickly Miraz slashed at Peter's neck, which he barely dodged, but then cut at Miraz's leg. Yelling and growling, the two lunged at each other and Miraz swooped at Peter's legs making him flip over on his back, but he quickly got back up. Darting at Miraz, they continued to strike at each other each time the other blocking the blow with their shields. Blocking a blow, Miraz tripped Peter. As Peter lay on the ground, Miraz viciously and forcefully stomped on Peter's shield causing it to move up painfully pulling on Peter's arm, as he yelled in pain. Still on the ground he thrust his sword at Miraz, who shielded the strike. Then Miraz swooped his sword at Peter, but he rolled away dodging it and raising his sword against one blow. Their swords clashed with Peter still lying down on the ground. Quickly Peter thrust his sword at Miraz's shield causing him to fall down on his back. The two got up, when a horse came into view behind Miraz. It was Caspian and Susan.
"Does his Highness need a respite?" Miraz asked tauntingly.
"Five minutes?" Peter asked.
"Three!"
Turning back around the two limped back and Kristina could see that Peter was wincing in pain. Walking over Edmund picked up Peter's helm and guided Peter back over to where the others were.
"Lucy?" Peter asked Susan worriedly.
"She got through," Susan replied. "With a little help."
"Thanks," Peter said to Caspian.
"Well, you were busy," Caspian stated.
"You better get up there," Peter said to Susan nodding at where the archers and Katie were posted. "Just in case. I don't expect the Telmarines will keep their word."
Susan just hugged Peter as he protested in pain. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Peter said out of breath.
"Be careful."
"Keep smiling," Edmund said eyeing the Narnians. With a force smiled on his face Peter turned to face the Narnians and raised his sword and they cheered loudly in response.
When Caspian pulled Peter's shield off his arms he yelled in pain. "I think it's dislocated," Peter told them mainly Edmund. "What do you think happens back home if you die here?" Peter asked as Edmund walked over to help him with his arm.
Edmund and Kristina shared worried looks, but focused back on Peter. It was bad enough that Kristina feared for Peter as she watched him fight for his life, Miraz was a brutal opponent, but it didn't help to hear Peter voicing his own doubt.
Looking up at Edmund, Peter said, "You know you've always been there and I've never really—" he yelled in pain as Edmund cut him off by twisting his shoulder back in place.
"Save it for later," Edmund said hurriedly walking away.
"Kristina." Struggling Peter stood up to face Kristina.
"Peter don't," Kristina said trying to discourage Peter. She didn't want to hear depressing words pouring out of Peter's mouth as if they were his last. Ignoring her Peter pulled Kristina to him and kissed her deeply.
After he pulled away he said, "I love you."
"I love you too." While under normal circumstances people would advise them they were moving too fast, but the two might never get another chance to tell the other that. They meant it as well. Both of them. Peter loved Kristina more than anything, and Kristina could never love anyone more than she loved Peter. Sadly the two had to part as Peter walked away taking his sword. When Edmund offered Peter his helmet, he just shook his head and walked towards Miraz again, the crowd cheering him on. Trying not to weep for everyone to see, Kristina made a poor attempt to hold back her tears. Sadly she wasn't successful and Caspian and Edmund both put their hands on each of her shoulders for support as some tears leaked from her eyes. Silently she gave the two a look of appreciation and they nodded in response.
Miraz thrust aside his offered helmet and limped over to Peter. Swiftly Peter ran over to strike at Miraz, but he thrust the blow aside with his shield. Their swords continued to swing at the other, but they both defended themselves well. Violently Miraz thrashed his shield at Peter and he attacked him with his shield again, but this time Peter shielded himself from the blow. Their swords clashed and Miraz whacked Peter in the face with his shield, causing him to yell in pain. Peter slashed his sword at him, but Miraz was able to avoid each blow and countered by spinning around thrusting his sword and shield at Peter pushing him violently into a stone ruin. As Peter crashed into the ruin he fell down to the ground. While he tried to get up Miraz attempted a sword strike, but Peter took his chance and swooped Miraz's legs, tripping him. On the ground Miraz was able to shield himself from another sword strike from Peter and attempted to crawl away and get up just as Peter came running at him. Their arms entangled as their swords pressed against each other and Miraz docked to avoid a blow from Peter. Strike after strike Peter continued to swing at Miraz, but he shielded himself every time. Then Peter narrowly missed Miraz going in between his arm. Immediately Miraz grabbed Peter's sword out of his hands and discarded it, punching Peter in the face and then using his shield to hit him. Once again he used his shield to hit Peter, but this time he braced himself for it and grabbed the shield and spun around putting in painfully behind Miraz's back. Miraz countered by elbowing Peter in the face, grabbing him, and then throwing him into a stone ruin on the ground. While Peter tried to recover himself Miraz grabbed his sword and swung at Peter, who dodged it just in time. Without a shield Peter had to use his gauntlets to defend against Miraz's sword strikes. Violently Peter punched Miraz in the face and even harder once again where he had cut his leg earlier.
"Respite," Miraz pleaded on his knees as the crowd cheered and Peter prepared to punch him again. "Respite."
"Now's not the time for chivalry Peter," Edmund yelled to his brother.
For several seconds everyone waited tensely to see what Peter would decide to do. He decided to give him his break and walk away, but Miraz grabbed his sword and ran at Peter.
"Look out!" Edmund yelled, while Kristina simultaneously yelled, "Behind you!"
Just in time Peter turned around to dodge the blow, and dodged again as Miraz swung a second time, then he swiftly grabbed Miraz's sword, spun it around and stabbed Miraz. In shock and pain Miraz fell to his knees as Peter pulled the sword out. Everyone waited as Peter had his sword prepared to kill him, but did nothing.
"What's the matter boy?" Miraz taunted. "Too cowardly to take a life?"
"It's not mine to take," Peter responded turning around to face Caspian as he still had the sword pointed at Miraz. Walking over Caspian took the sword from Peter, and Peter walked back to Edmund and Kristina. As lightly as she possibly could, Kristina hugged Peter and he tried the best he could to hug her back. Then the two let go and turned to see what decision Caspian was going to make: revenge or mercy?
"Perhaps I was wrong," Miraz said as Caspian raised the sword at him. "Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine King after all." Lowering his head and closing his eyes Miraz awaited Caspian's fatal strike.
Yelling with intense rage Caspian thrust the sword down, but not at Miraz. Surprisingly the sword went down in front of him straight into the ground. "Not one like you," Caspian said. "Keep your life. But I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom." The crowd cheered with joy as Caspian walked back to stand with the others and Edmund clasped a hand on his shoulder when he walked past them.
Then one of the men grabbed Miraz and thrust an arrow into him, killing him off. As Miraz fell to the ground everyone just stared in shock and surprise.
"Treachery!" the man yelled grabbing and raising the sword. "They shot him! They murdered our King!"
"Be ready!" Peter ordered to his troops.
"These Telmarines are really starting to sicken me," Kristina muttered pulling out her sword.
"Peter!" Caspian yelled pointing. Immediately Peter, Edmund, and Kristina spun around to see a soldier darting towards them. Sword ready, Peter ran at him and their swords clashed a few times, then Peter swung his sword at the man's neck beheading him.
"Go!" Peter yelled to the Narnians, as Kristina and Edmund followed him to the front of the battlefield.
The catapults were loaded and large spheres of stone came flying at them, heaps of dust surrounding where they landed. Shortly after, the first line of soldiers came marching. With a look from Peter Caspian and the centaur darted into the How disappearing from sight to lead the troops that were to attack underground. A horn played and Peter started counting.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, get ready!"
As the Telmarines continued to charge the ground underneath them started to crack and separate. If falling down in collapsed ground and getting knocked of their horses wasn't enough to anger the Telmarines, the shower of arrows that followed should have been enough.
"Charge!" Peter yelled, as Edmund jumped onto a horse and rode towards the Telmarines. Yelling their battle cries the Narnians came running.
Darting towards the solider Kristina sliced her sword fiercely at the Telmarines. Hearing of the terrible things they had done was one things, but seeing it was much worse. They had lied and cheated. Miraz tried to kill Peter after he honorably showed him mercy and one of his men killed Miraz blaming it on the Narnians so they could still have their land. It made Kristina sick and disgusted causing her to discard all mercy. Every man she attacked she killed more brutally then she had before at the castle out of anger and rage. Peter realized that at the rate they were going as more soldiers came to march over, that they were going to be defeated if they didn't retreat.
"Back to the How!" Peter ordered.
Everyone ran as fast as they could to the How for shelter as boulders came flying by them. Several feet away from the entrance Kristina froze in her tracks when she saw the top of the entrance crumbling away, but Peter grabbed onto her not realizing that she had stopped. Sadly some Narnians didn't notice and got pummeled by several large rocks at the entrance blocking off their escape.
Looking up they saw that Susan had fallen, but Trumpkin grabbed her just in time and Susan was able to safely land on the ground. Sighing with relief Peter, Caspian, and Kristina turned around to see that the Narnians had started fighting once again since their escape route had been cut off. The three looked at each other knowing just what it was they were about to do. Make their last stand. Winning or losing was no longer important. Killing every single soldier they possibly could was. They weren't going to go down without a fight. Edmund, Katie and Susan joined them pulling out their weapons and giving them the same look while the rest of the Narnians stood behind them.