Dear Reviewers,

Wow! So many reviews! Thank-you tons of tons!

Here's my news:

I really like the idea of restrooms and music, but I've never had access to a public-pay toilet so we'll have to see. Perhaps along the lines of Strange Things Happen in Outhouses with Ipods or something? I have an excellent plot bunny involving an outhouse…and an ipod…

I know, I know, I am really tempted to make this a Mary Sue but I just can't do it! I may beat myself up for life and it will change the whole tone of the story.

In order to satisfy readers begging for a little romance, perhaps in the sequel I can put in a little 'crush' but a decision to just 'remain friends'? Would my avid anti-Sue fans be horrified? I want everyone's opinion on this one. It's slightly difficult. I won't do it if people threaten to not read this anymore.

Anyway, thank-you for the quantity—and quality—of your supportive reviews. Looking forward to that chapter, Sky Pirate!

Much Love,

Pippin

Important Notice:

If any of you have not seen "Harry Potter Puppet Pals & the Mysterious Ticking Noise" on YouTube then look it up before you read this. You'll recognize it by the puppets with a red curtain and blue backdrop. (there will be quirky music and insane laughter)

Chapter 14,

Duel of the Fates

The light blinded me when I was led out of the dim woods. The sun was shining brilliantly behind a gray screen of clouds. The clouds were bunching up thicker and then fading away entirely, and then were back again. The ground was moist from the rainfall that morning, and mist rose from the places where the sun glared its hottest.

I looked at the Telmarine who stopped me and was busy retying my hands behind my back, taking extra care to make sure the ropes about my wrists were taut and uncomfortable.

"Mmmnnn?" I whined like a puppy.

The Telmarine rolled his eyes and pulled the gag onto my chin. "Be quick now!"

"What is that mysterious ticking noise?" I asked him.

The Telmarine looked from right to left. "I do not hear anything."

"Snape, Snape, Severus Snape," I began to sing.

"Pardon?" said the Telmarine.

"DUMBLEDORE!" I erupted.

"That's it! No more nonsense for you!" the Telmarine slid the gag back up and stuffed it in my mouth. "I ought to have know you were only being foolish!"

"Ron, Ron, Ron Wushluh!" I managed to hum.

The Telmarine gave my hands an impolite jerk and shoved me all the way to the ruins, where I sat on a ledge facing the small, flagstone courtyard. Grass grew up in between the cracks and the sun glares on unmercifully ahead. A throne was placed between two standing stones for Miraz. I looked on the huge crowd of Narnians gathered by the How entrance with jealously, wishing I was among them instead of with these bloody pirates. Miraz came tromping up and settled in his throne, looking grim.

Suddenly all the Narnians exploded into cheers, hoots, howls, screams, growls, and every kind of applause you can imagine. The Telmarines, likewise, erupted into manly yells that couldn't quite amount to the same volume.

Edmund and Peter came out the How, completely decked out in ceremonial looking armor. Neither of them smiled. Peter looked so stern and focused he appeared to have aged a decade. Edmund looked highly uncertain, but also appeared to be concentrating.

I began to cheer as loudly as I could, stomping my feet to make up for my inability to clap. They arrived on the edge of the ruins.

"If it should appear to be going poorly…" said Miraz quietly to someone who—I think—was named Sopespian. Miraz gave a knowing nod and looked at Sopespian's crossbow.

Sopespian looked down as his own weapon, then back at Miraz. "Understood, your Majesty."

"NOO!" I screeched. "Mahurdthut! Youc'nt dofutt! Trechray!"

Miraz looked down at me where I perched close enough to continually poke his feet if I so chose to. "You would be wise to hold your tongue," he said curtly. "Otherwise we may just cut it out."

I replied, "Youfununnubumblebah!"

"Regardless of how this turns out," Miraz said, smiling down at me. "I've grown rather fond of you. I have no intention of letting you back to them alive if I cannot keep you as Plan C for bargaining. In fact, I suspect that the Narnian King Edmund is fond of you too."

I looked over at my friends. Both Peter and Edmund were watching the exchange with concern. My eye-conversation with them did nothing.

"He seems like a noble boy," Miraz continued, "He may gladly turn himself over to us in exchange for your life."

I stood up quickly and kicked him in the shin. Miraz grunted with surprise and I let out a cry of exasperation. I did little than stub my toes on his armor. My special little guard shoved me back to the ground.

"Sit down, prisoner!" he barked, and both Peter and Ed tensed. Peter drew his sword from the sheath that Edmund held for him and took a step forward. All the Narnians cheered a second round.

Miraz chuckled and stood. "I hope you are not disappointed," he hissed to Glozelle and Sopespian, "If I survive!" he drew his sword and took a few steps forward as well.

All focus was on Peter and Miraz now. They skirted the edge of the courtyard, watching eachother in silence. They're sizing eachother up, noting weak points in the armor, and will probably do some trash talking.

"There is still time to surrender," Miraz taunted. Told ya.

"Well feel free," Peter said darkly, never breaking eye-contact.

"How many more must die for the throne?" Miraz asked, his voice silky and smooth like an over concerned grandfather.

"Just one," Peter pulled down his helmet cover and began to pick up speed during which he walked around the edge. He ran up a chunk of the ruins and leapt high, coming down on Miraz from above. The first blows were laid. They drew back from eachother like matching magnets and circled again. Peter attacked again and swung his sword from above. Miraz took this opportunity to bash his shield in Peter's face. Peter fell backwards but quickly regained his footing.

Then they were at it again. They seemed to be taking turns: Here, Peter, hit my shield. Okay, Miraz, I will hit your shield. Now you can hit mine. Thanks Peter, now you can hit mine again! Back and forth, back and forth, each person was raining a blow on the other but each time it was blocked by the others' shield.

Suddenly Miraz twisted and did something different—it looked as if he nearly slit Peter's throat. Peter threw his head back and whirled, neatly drawing his blade across Miraz's back. Miraz threw back his head this time and howled in pain, running forward to get out of Peter's range. He turned to face him again, and there was a small pause in which they regarded eachother again. I had been holding my breath for so long that I finally let it out in this break.

Miraz lunged for Peter again, but Peter anticipated it and jumped off the ground, using his blade to slap away Miraz's own. He landed behind Miraz and Miraz whirled around again, frustrated. Peter was agile and was using it to his advantage.

Miraz made a move to behead Peter, but he ducked again. But when he came up from ducking, Miraz threw his shield forward and bashed him in the head a second time. Peter cried out as his helmet fell from his head and clattered to the ground. Miraz tried to behead him for the third time, and this time Peter drew back instead of ducking. His chain mail hood slipped down, leaving his gold-haired head unprotected.

Miraz was becoming predictable. For the fourth time, he swung his blade to decapitate Peter. Peter knelt quickly and threw his sword across Miraz's knees. He succeeded in slicing him in the side of his right leg. Miraz yelled in pain and put a hand to his knee. They backed away from eachother, Miraz looked desperately to Sopespian. Apparently he believed this duel of the fates was going badly.

In my opinion, it was going rather well.

Sopespian did nothing, but merely inclined his head as if to say, "Keep going. It's positively splendid."

Peter gave an intense shout of "Aaagh!" and Miraz lunged for him, sword at chest height. As Peter ran for him, at the last minute, Miraz changed angles and swung low, catching the blade across Peter's shins. Peter had to leap high to avoid Miraz's sword but the blow caught him anyhow. He somersaulted through the air and landed on his hands and knees. Luckily, Miraz was backing away and giving him time to right himself.

Peter jumped back to his feet. His face was pale and sweat dripped down his head. His eyes betrayed no emotion except a fiery will to win. Miraz was looking older by the minute.

They leapt to eachother again, each landing a blow on the others' shield. Then their blades collided with a shrill ring. Miraz suddenly kicked Peter's heel and knocked his legs from beneath him. Peter crashed to the ground on his back, his limbs splaying in all directions. His neck and head was completely unguarded.

Miraz was moving too quickly to think about taking advantage of it. Instead, he stomped on Peter's shield. Peter held it so tightly that it drove his wrist down with the shield. With a wrenching cry of pain, Peter's elbow popped into a contorted angle that no joints should ever do.

I could see Edmund's face going from concerned to horribly afraid. He was almost as pale as Peter.

With a shout betraying the undoubted pain in his arm, Peter threw his sword up but Miraz blocked the blow. Miraz swooped down to finish him off, but Peter rolled away and succeeded in blocking the blow. He kept rolling, each time he came up it was just in time for his sword to meet Miraz's with a clang. He kept rolling. Some of the Telmarines were beginning to shout "Coward!" Miraz was giving pursuit.

Just then, Peter changed direction and rolled right into Miraz's legs. Miraz tripped over Peter's body and fell headfirst onto the ground beside him. Peter took this opportunity to struggle to his feet, and this time, he had the advantage.

But he couldn't do it. With each breath, Peter's voice came out in a strangled whimper. Miraz scrambled off of the ground as well, holding his shield gingerly over his leg wound. Peter gazed out over Miraz's shoulder, surprise registering.

I followed his gaze and saw Caspian approaching on horseback, with Susan riding behind him. Her arms were wrapped around his waist and it looked like she had put on makeup—or maybe she just looked a little starry-eyed. They came out of the woods and thundered across the plain. Peter was gasping for breath now.

"Does his Highness need a respite?" Miraz slurred tauntingly.

"Five minutes?" Peter choked, almost unable to get the words out.

"THREE!" snapped Miraz, not quite willing Peter to have his way in anything.

They circled eachother, each one suspecting treachery. Peter grimaced and finally turned away, putting a hand to his arm and limping to his side of the lists. Miraz limped likewise over to the Lords and I.

I took this opportunity to scoot a little closer to Miraz's makeshift throne. There was a piece of the armrest that stuck out about face height. I leaned discreetly to the side, slipped the sharp piece over the hanky, and tried to stand up. The force of it pulled the hanky from my mouth and I could speak again. However, I kept my mouth shut so no one would hopefully notice. The gag was now wrapped around my chin, but it was too tight and I couldn't get it any lower. But I was thankful because my mouth was getting awfully sore.

Edmund ran over to help Peter walk back to his side. Caspian and Susan began talking to Peter in hushed tones, and Peter's face changed from horrified to grateful. Whatever kind of devilries they were planning, it was going well. I wondered if it had something to do with Lucy's undying idea that Aslan was coming soon. Perhaps that is why I didn't see her around? If she were here at all, she'd be standing right next to Edmund.

Miraz shouted something to Sopespian in his thick accent, and I couldn't tell what he said. Miraz was obviously quite cranky. He slumped down in his little throne, his breath rasping in pain.

I looked back to Peter and Edmund. Susan gave Peter a hug and drew back quickly, looking at his arm. Edmund gestured and said something, and Peter saluted the Narnian army, holding his sword high. He was gritting his teeth in a fake, worn smile. The Narnians' burst into contagious cheers.

I cheered too.

"How does he look to you?" asked Miraz to, who I assume, was Glozelle.

"Young," he replied shortly.

Sopespian was busily wrapping Miraz's knee wound. "But your Majesty is doing extremely well," he said with forced kindness, "For his age." He jerked the bandage too tight and Miraz growled at him.

Likewise, Edmund and Peter were talking to eachother in low tones, and suddenly Edmund jerked Peter's injured arm back to its proper place. Peter cried, "Oh!" but I could tell it immediately felt better than before.

I looked over at Miraz. "Wassup?" I couldn't help asking. "So how do you feel? May I sing at your funeral?"

Miraz glared down at me and backhanded me in the face with his full armored hand.

"AGH!" I screeched, jerking back. My eyes began to water just because of the impact. I threw my hands over my tender nose, which was already bleeding profusely. "Miraz," I screeched, "YOU SUCK!"

Edmund and Peter both looked over.

"Hey!" Edmund suddenly shouted. He took a step forward but Peter held him back.

"Ed, don't," he urged.

"He broke our bargain!" Edmund growled.

"General? Caspian? Somebody?" Peter said desperately, holding his brother back.

The Centaur came around the ruins towards our side of the lists.

"Your Highness," he said respectively to Miraz when he arrived, "You have broken your side of the bargain regarding the girl. We can break ours likewise. Why do we not take her completely out of the situation?"

"Fine, fine," Miraz said distractedly. "I don't care any more." He had his eyes on Peter, looking edgier than ever before. "Just take her out of here. She will be no use to us when I win."

The Centaur held out a large, brown hand. I took it and he helped me to my feet like a perfect gentleman. Keep a hold on my hand, he began leading me back to Peter and Edmund's side of the lists. I had to trot to keep up with his long horse strides. His hand gripped mine firmly.

When we reached Ed, he was offering Peter the helmet he'd retrieved. Peter refused it and began to move back into the courtyard.

"Good luck, Pete," I called to him. He gave me a short smile over his shoulder.

Edmund turned to me. "Your turn," he said, giving me a huge hug. It was like hugging an iron lamppost. His armor didn't do much for embraces.

"Now sit down," he said.

"I assure you, I am perfectly capable of…"

"Sit down," Edmund repeated.

"But Ed, I want to watch…"

"Sit down, you idiot!" Edmund shoved me to the stone bench. He went around behind and began working at the gag knot. He untied it in a second.

I watched Miraz also refuse his helmet from Sopespian. He didn't want to be outdone by the Narnian king.

"Here," Edmund said, pressing the hanky against my nose. "Lean your head back."

I did as I was told and tried to watch Peter and Miraz approach eachother at the same time, which was rather difficult. My nose was throbbing and I could feel the hanky slowly becoming soaked.

Peter launched for Miraz, showing he was a lot more energetic than he looked. Miraz stumbled under his sudden attack, and the two of them were soon entangled. I could not tell one blade from another. Miraz used the brunt of his shield against Peter's injured arm, and Peter gasped.

I gasped likewise. Was this ever going to end?

Sorry it's a bit of a cliffie, but I wanted to end the chapter before I left. I wanted a little something for you guys to read while I'm gone. I am leaving tomorrow for a camping trip and will be gone for a week. I will see you (er, uh, imagine you) when I get back!

Love, Pippin

PS: Happy 4th of July!