A/n: The title of this chapter is inspired by the song "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink and you can listen to it while reading this chapter.

~Narrator's POV~

One year had come and gone since Kalyn and Caleb had stepped foot onto Narnian soil. Well, a bad way to mark that anniversary was spending time apart from their loved ones. As Caspian and Caleb and the soldiers they led were drafted out with drums and solemn wishes for victory, Kalyn and Marina had to keep this place running. Every day they had to make sure they had enough medical equipment and other supplies to cure injured soldiers.

While almost all the men were gone to war, the women began to take up some of the men's jobs so that industry output wouldn't completely come to a standstill. Marina had also managed to assemble dozens of women who could work alongside the dedicated fauns as healers.

Still, the Dawn Treader project pretty much had to be halted because the shipbuilders couldn't possibly make much progress when all the workers had to devote their time to fight for their country instead. Kalyn would spend all her spare time trying to pray to Aslan in hope that innocent lives would not be lost because Narnian & Telmarine soldiers had to repress the Calormene aggressors.

Sometimes Doctor Cornelius would make a public appearance and give speeches to boost the morale at the home front and Kalyn trusted that Caspian would probably be doing the same thing at their camps. Kalyn somehow knew that it was planned out, in Caspian's destiny, that he would not lose his life in a war. He was supposed to go on the voyage still, and live a happy life. Kalyn had hoped that that part wouldn't be altered.

At the end of the day Kalyn believed that Aslan would bring justice and since Narnians/Telmarines/Archenlanders weren't the greedy, foolish ones attacking other countries, they would be kept safe. As for Calormen's destiny, well, let's just say the good will be rewarded and the bad will be punished in Aslan's time and to his disposition.

The leopards and jaguars and cheetahs and panthers were entrusted with the task of delivering injured soldiers back to either the healing tent, if the medical supplies sufficed, or if the wounds were too serious they would be transferred to a proper hospital operated by Kalyn and Marina and their delegates.

A couple weeks later, approximately a dozen Telmarine soldiers were sent home because they had broken their backs when they fell off the horses. A jaguar reported to Kalyn that the Calormenes never had much knowledge about Telmarines so the Telmarine trebuchets worked very well. Each and every kind of weapon was exerted to its full use – whether it be fire axes used by warriors larger in size such as the minotaurs and the satyrs or the flamethrower which was newly developed and as much as it was a little testy it still worked, as luck would have it.

Kalyn remembered Caleb enthusiastically describing to her every sort of melee the army was going to be equipped with: stiletto knives with serrated blades, machetes, maces, and the list went on. Even Trumpkin and the dwarves invented their own brass knuckles so that they could put up a good fight and maim their attackers in spite of their disadvantage when it came to size. This meant that although they didn't have guns and tanks and bombs as the modern Earthlings did, they would likely be triumphant.

According to what the warriors resting on the bunks were saying, assuming they were neither engrossed in mindless dreaming nor delirious, the Calormenes seemed to have underestimated the power of the Archenlanders.

"It appears they never learnt their lesson," Marina concluded with scorn. "Calormenes always thought us weak. That was why we had decisive victory and their bottoms were kicked at the Battle of Anvard many centuries ago."

"Tell me the full story, please. I've only ever heard bits and pieces from it." Kalyn requested.

Marina's Archenlander pride made her beam. "The battle was a surprise attack on the Archenlander forces at Anvard by the unwise Rabadash. However, due to the early warning of Prince Cor, King Lune was able to establish moderate defenses on the castle. Prince Cor then sent word to the Narnians at Cair Paravel."

"And that's where King Edmund and Queen Lucy rode at the head of a relief column to Anvard's aid and brought with them a strong, effective team of rescuers. Am I right?" Kalyn grinned as if she was taking a history quiz.

"Right you are." Marina continued to explain. "Rabadash assaulted the castle just after dark on the first day of the battle. However, with the gates closed and archers on the battlements, he withdrew by early morning. He then built a battering ram from trees in the nearby forests and began an assault on the main gate."

"Wrong move." Kalyn added.

"By mid-morning, the Narnian relief column arrived over the pass and fell on Rabadash's rear. The cats attacked on the left flank, quickly killing most of the Calormene mounts. However, Rabadash reformed a line of about one hundred cavalry and charged the Narnian line. By leaving the gate, he exposed his rear to attack from the castle. Lune and the Archenlander mounted knights rode out from Anvard. Meanwhile the giants fell on Rabadash's right flank as the cats closed in on his left. Hemmed in, Rabadash had no chance. Within minutes the entire force was either killed or had surrendered." Marina summarized the story she was always proud to tell.

"Rabadash's not a very smart or clever man, is he?" Kalyn commented.

"If you can call him a man. After all Aslan did turn him into a donkey and that was a curse he had to come to terms with for being such an arse." Marina retorted.

"You know, I can't help but think that if you could ever meet King Edmund and Queen Lucy you'd have loads and heaps to talk about with them." Kalyn blurted.

"You and your wishful thinking, Kalyn." Marina rolled her eyes. "You know that's impossible."

"Didn't Aslan specifically say that it was King Edmund and Queen Lucy who were meant to return?" Kalyn pointed out.

"Yes I suppose so. But who knows when they'll return? What if they return every millennium? I'll be dead by then." Marina threw her hands up in the air.

"But you do want to meet them, don't you? I, for one, would very much like to." Kalyn pressed on.

"Of course I want to meet them! Who wouldn't want to meet the ancient sovereigns?" Marina cried.

"If you're lucky enough they might pop up in the middle of nowhere and we can go on an adventure together." Kalyn hinted, but then was a little saddened by the fact that the Dawn Treader would probably drop Marina off at Archenland first before reaching the region where two Pevensies and one Scrubb were supposed to turn up.

Marina couldn't help but giggle. "You're being silly. Or is that how all lovesick women think?"

"I'm not lovesick. You miss Caspian too, don't you?" Kalyn shot back at Marina, though not maliciously.

"Everybody does." Marina shrugged. "He'd better not get himself into any trouble. Nobody is willing to risk his safety except the man himself!"

"I think he and Caleb will be fine." Kalyn stated.

"I don't think I'd be able to understand how you feel. I don't have siblings or a man who loves me and cares for me." Marina pouted.

"Trust me, Marina, you deserve to be loved as much as I do. You'll find someone. And I know everyone says that but it's true. It's just a facet of your destiny and you have to wait patiently for it." Kalyn spoke philosophically.

"You're an inspiration, you know?" Marina grinned.

Kalyn giggled. "And just because you don't have siblings or any family doesn't mean you can't be happy. Caspian's uncle wasn't the best parent there is, but look where he is now. At least you and your cousin are on good terms."

"You're right. As always." Marina admitted. "Well, when Caspian returns and all things are settled, I must ask him about the monarchs of Narnia's Golden Age. As an Archenlander I do believe I am exceedingly interested in Narnia and its history too."

Kalyn beamed to herself, deciding to keep secret the little conversation she had with Caspian a few months ago about the Pevensie siblings.

The war with Calormen lasted a month and of course, the Calormenes suffered great losses and a large number of casualties so Prince Rabastan had to lower his ego and surrender to King Caspian. A treaty was signed and now Calormen mustn't invade Narnia anymore and Archenland was safe. Caspian had thanked Nain and he was set to return to Cair Paravel in probably less than a fortnight.

As the last batch of wounded warriors was transported to the care units under Kalyn, one specific soldier was whimpering in pain while the fauns removed his armor and tried to fix his dislocated shoulder. Word was passed to Kalyn that the man was none other than her brother Caleb.

She rushed to his side. "Caleb? Can you hear me?"

As he gave no response, Kalyn turned to a faun. "I'm gonna need Queen Lucy's healing cordial. Immediately."

As another faun fixed Caleb's joints and tendons Caleb hissed in pain but he quickly lost the energy to make further sounds. Kalyn was able to trickle a drop of the healing cordial into Caleb's mouth, but his chest had stopped heaving.

"Caleb?" Kalyn called, expecting the medicine to take effect, but Caleb just lied motionlessly on the bed.

"Caleb. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Caleb!" Kalyn shook his other arm, nudging him, trying to detect any signs of movement.

"Darn it, Caleb, I demand that you wake up right this instant!" Kalyn cried out desperately.

"Forgive me, my lady. Queen Lucy's healing cordial cannot reverse a state of death. It can only work its magic if the patient is still alive." A faun bowed his head and spoke.

"I don't believe you!" Kalyn exclaimed not at the faun but at Caleb who began to laugh uncontrollably.

"You wrench! I will kill you!" Kalyn saw a needle at the corner of her eye.

"Okay! I'm sorry!" Caleb was still laughing.

"No you're not! Do you think it's funny? My emotions obviously mean nothing to you!" Kalyn glared at Caleb.

"Don't act like you're the first heart I've ever broken." Caleb chuckled, not feeling much shame for pulling an untimely prank on his sister.

"Ugh!" Kalyn groaned in exasperation and left the tent.

"Please talk to me, sis. I'm sorry." Caleb said.

"Apology not accepted." Kalyn said stubbornly.

"Cut me some slack. The bloody prince tried to get back at me for the other day." Caleb explained.

"But I thought you were good with one-on-one combats." Kalyn looked appalled.

"I am. But I was involved in a three-on-one fight. Sticks and stones nearly broke my bones; you can't expect chains and whips to excite me. Lucky I didn't get hit by an arrow." Caleb still managed to crack jokes.

"You poor thing." Kalyn shook her head. "How are you feeling now? Better? You're treated with magic. I expect you to heal well."

"Yeah, never better." Caleb replied, then peeked outside the room to see that Caspian was coming their way from a distance afar.

"Oh, I guess your hubby's on his way to come see you." Caleb teased, as Kalyn glared at him again. "I best be off. You know where to find me!" And with that he exited her room through his own.

A/n: Hope y'all aren't too disappointed with the lack of Caslyn in this chapter! I needed Kalyn and Caleb to have some sibling time too…right? So let me know what you think about this chapter please in your reviews, and if you have any ideas that you think might fit the characters in my story do tell me! I'll credit you for it! Thank you!