Chapter 12
The Narnian camp was a mess of chaos. The troops were running every which way preparing for the Telmarine attack that now seemed inevitable.
Erza was moving throughout the chaos barking orders every which way.
Soon a scout called for her attention. "The Telmarine troops have crossed Beruna, your majesty. They are setting up a base of operations a few yards from shore."
Erza grimaced at this news as her Nakama and Caspian ran over having completed their jobs. "We're running out of time," she said to them. "There is no way we'll be able to complete the preparations in time."
Caspian frowned, then looked as though an idea struck him. "If I may?" he said drawing attention towards himself. "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer, but as King, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time."
Erza gave Caspian a calculating look. "What did you have in mind?"
Caspian explained his plan and how to go about it. In Telmarine tradition there was the possibility of a single combat duel in order to wager the victory over the entire war.
Gray thought it over to himself. "Yeah, that could work."
"Aye sir!" cheered Happy
"I wanna do it!" said Natsu eagerly.
Caspian shook his head. "No, your fighting style is to magic dependant. If you were to use any magic against Miraz he would win by claiming you cheated. And as much as I want to get revenge for my father, I cannot do it, as a challenge from me would not be taken seriously. It has to be a sword duel, and there is only one here qualified to take the challenge."
He looked over at Erza with admiration clear in his gaze. She and him had had a spar after their scare raid, he had, obviously, been thoroughly trounced in five seconds, and it had done nothing to dissuade his affections for her.
"You liiiike her," Happy whispered in his ear, making the Prince's face flush.
Erza smiled at his complement and said, "Actually, Gray is quite handy with a blade himself, but I would rather be the one to face this challenge. I'll do it."
Caspian nodded. "Then we will need three carriers to go and submit the challenge to my Uncle."
"And what's to say they won't be killed on sight?" asked Gray skeptically.
"If they carry green branches then the enemy will know they are there to talk, not fight. And to kill them without cause would be a stain on their honor," replied Caspian.
"And what of they don't care about honor?" Gray muttered to himself.
"I'll go," Lucy volunteered.
"No way," Natsu shot her down instantly.
"Aye," agreed Happy
Lucy glared at them. "Yes way. It can't be Erza, since she's the one issuing the challenge. It can't be Caspian, because I doubt even honor would stop them from hurting him if he walks right into their camp. And out of all of the three of us, which of us happens to have more than a shred of diplomacy and manners, hmm?"
The Fairy Tail boys conceded defeat at that. It was no secret that this is the kind of work that Lucy out shone them in. Neither of them was ever able to keep their tempers in check enough to give a solid debate without punching someone.
Lucy gave them a smug grin, feeling she'd won her point.
"It's still too dangerous," Natsu protested.
"It's not like I'm going alone," said Lucy. "Who's going with me?"
"I'll go," Happy volunteered, raising his paw. "And if anything goes wrong I could fly Lucy out of there."
Erza shook her head. "We need the Telmarines to know that we're serious. To do that we need Lucy's guard to be able to strike fear into their hearts. I know you mean well, Happy, but you're not very threatening in appearance."
Happy slumped down and pouted.
"If you want to look intimidating, you should send the giant," said Gray.
"Wimbleweather?" asked Caspian. "He's not very smart."
"It doesn't matter so long as he keeps his mouth shut, he looks menacing enough that no one will mess with him," replied Gray.
Natsu growled, still not liking that Lucy was being sent into danger without her Nakama as back up. "We're also sending Glenstorm," he said moodily. "I've seen him spar with Erza, he's tough."
Erza nodded, "That will do fine. Let's write the challenge." She turned to Lucy and held out one of her old Narnian dresses. "And we'll also need to make you look like a Queen again."
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The Telmarines were just putting the finishing touches on their new base camp when they were greeted by the sight of a giant and a centaur escorting a beautiful young Lady wearing a blue gown and a tiara into their camp, all of which were carrying branches symbolizing a ceasefire.
After hearing why they were there, the Lady, who it seemed was the fabled Queen Lucy the Radiant, was escorted to an open tent where Miraz and his Lords sat waiting.
Lucy opened the scroll she carried and read aloud. "'I, Erza Scarlet the Gallant, Queen of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Empress of the Lone Islands. In order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do here by challenge the Usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender.'"
When Lucy finished she gave the men a charming smile and rolled up the parchment and put it away, looking for all the world like she hadn't been talking about war and bloodshed mere seconds ago.
Miraz glared at the girl, while shifting in his seat uncomfortably (The itching powder was still in effect). "Tell me, Princess Lucy-"
"Queen," said Lucy offhandedly.
Miraz looked mildly taken aback by the correction. "Pardon me?" he asked.
She gave him a sweet smile. "It's Queen Lucy Heartfilia, actually, the same as Erza. But of course a learned man of history like you already knew that."
Miraz scowled and Lord Sopespian brought up his hand to cover a snicker. In one sentence Lucy had not only rebuked Miraz, but also made him look uneducated, both in ways that could not be called upon without making him look even more so.
"Why?" asked Miraz to get them back on topic. "Why would we risk such a proposal when our armies could wipe you out by nightfall?"
"Oh is that so? You have already underestimated our numbers once. Just over a week ago, to you, Narnians were extinct," said Lucy, still wearing her charming smile. "Besides, from what our scouts have been reporting, your men seem rather… skittish whenever one of our people come to say hello."
One of Miraz's Lords whispered something like, "Hello, my ass." And Miraz looked even more enraged at the girl for rubbing salt in the wounds of their troubles, but still could not call Lucy on it.
"And so you will be extinct again," he said evenly, keeping his temper in check.
"So, then, no worries, right?" asked Lucy, clasping her hands behind her back and looking like an innocent girl. "You have no reason to be scared of one little fight."
Miraz laughed as if Lucy had just told a hilarious joke. "This is not a question of bravery," he said.
Lucy stopped smiling and tilted her head curiously. "So you're saying you're not afraid of Erza? You're not scared you'll be beaten by a girl in front of your men?"
There was a pause, and Miraz's smile was wiped off his face as all his Lords turned to look at him for his answer. If he refused that would be as good as admitting defeat to his enemies, for fear of a young woman no less. But if he accepted, there was a possibility he would loose to Erza, and die.
Miraz leaned forward and said furiously, "I didn't say I refused."
"You shall have our support, your majesty, whatever your decision," said one Lord that Lucy didn't know the name of.
"Sire," spoke up Lord Sopespian, "our military advantage alone provides the perfect excuse to avoid what might otherwise be-"
"I'm not avoiding anything!" snapped Miraz, standing up in anger. It was clear to him that some of his Lords did not believe he could win this fight, and he was intent to prove them wrong.
Lord Sopespian looked partially taken aback. "I was merely pointing out that my Lord is well within his rights to refuse."
"His majesty would never refuse," spoke up Lord Glozelle, who had been brooding in a corner up until now. "He relishes the chance to show the people the courage of their King."
Miraz shot the man a furious look before rounding on Lucy, who looked back at him innocently. He was now trapped into this fight, and refusing would be nothing but an act of cowardice, something he could not afford in front of his already distrusting men.
"You," he said, lifting his sword and pointing it in her direction for emphasis. "You should hope your friend's sword is sharper than her pen."
"Actually I penned this," she said cheerfully. "What Erza actually said was much less… eloquent. Kings Natsu and Gray also tried to add in several insults to your faults as well."
She turned to leave, but Miraz called after her. "Faults," he asked, "what faults could they possibly know of."
Lucy shrugged. "Oh, the stick you seem to have shoved up your rear for one thing, the fact that your face smells like fish, you apparently have more vanity than the peacocks, and you constantly fidget like you have ants in your pants to name a few."
Miraz was now gaping, and his Lords all appeared to be extremely amused.
Seeing that her work here was done, Lucy waved and said a cheerful, "See you in a couple hours," before leaving the camp, once again flanked by Glenstorm and Wimbleweather.
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When she returned to the Stone Table, she told her friends what had happened. Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Caspian were highly amused by how Lucy had played Miraz for a fool, then full out insulted him before she left, but Erza was more concerned with what would happen after the duel.
"I don't doubt that Miraz plans to cheat. And even after the duel there is no way the Telmarines will keep their word and surrender," she said, sobering the mood.
"Yeah, but we can beat them," said Natsu enthusiastically.
"Aye! They're going down!" cheered Happy
"But at what price?" asked Gray, seeing Erza's point.
"They're right," said Caspian. "Even with the sabotage we have done to my Uncle's armies, we are still drastically out numbered. Even if we attain victory it will not likely be a one worth celebrating."
"What we need," said Erza, thinking hard, "is a trump card."
A thoughtful silence fell on the group.
Natsu closed his eyes and strained his brain to try to find a solution. Finally he groaned. "If only the trees would wake up already. Then we'd have all the reinforcements we could want."
"But we still don't know what could wake them," said Gray, knowing that Natsu was right about that.
"Perhaps Aslan could," said Caspian wistfully. "I have heard stories of his power. If you all are real he must be as well."
"Aye, he is," said Happy. "We've seen him do all sorts of cool things."
Suddenly Lucy gasped as an occurrence that she had put out of her mind came roaring back to her. "I saw him!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "In the woods on the other side of Beruna! I saw him when Natsu and I sicked Aquarius on the bridge!"
Natsu looked at her in surprise. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"It was only for a second, so I thought I might be seeing things," said Lucy with a shrug. "And I figured if he was here, why hasn't he come to help us out yet?"
"Maybe he can't help us until someone seeks him out first," suggested Gray.
Erza sighed, "That sounds like one of the things that lion would do."
"Then we need someone to go and get him," said Caspian. "Who will go?"
"We'll all be needed here for the fight that's sure to come," said Erza. "And it would be difficult for anyone to sneak past the Telmarines to get to him."
"Not if they go by air," said Happy, spreading his wings and doing a loop-d-loop. "I could go find him and be back here in a few minutes. Just leave it to me."
"Are you sure, buddy?" asked Natsu. "Do you wanna take someone with you."
The Exceed shook his head. "I fly faster without the deadweight." He then drew his dagger and took a heroic pose. "Besides no Telmarine is gonna wanna mess with Happy the Nekomander."
Natsu grinned at his friend. "Can't say no to that."
"If you're sure, then go," said Erza.
"I saw Aslan upstream. You'll know where it is because a tree was knocked down on our side when Aquarius took a shot at Natsu," said Lucy.
"Aye sir," called Happy as he flew off to find the Great Lion.
Once he was gone, Team Natsu and Caspian went back to preparations for the coming battle, hoping what they did would be enough.
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A/N Sorry this is so late, there I kept getting an error message whenever I tried to access my account stuff. So it finally occurred to them to ask Aslan for help, but that's really to be expected. Plenty of action coming next chapter. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that good stuff.
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