Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing Narnia related (though I wish I did!). Only original characters are mine.

AN: A bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the chapter, so prepare for some surprises! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 14: For King and Country:

"I hate the desert," I grumbled to Fang, who lay on a carpet across the tent from me.

At least I had my own tent –the fighters (which were both male and female of many different races) slept either on the ground, or shared a small tent with a few others. I felt rather guilty having a tent all to myself, but Caspian pointed out that I had Fang with me, and Roan was literally always right outside my 'door,' so that he could come inside when it rained.

'Not that there's much rain here in the desert,' I thought with a sigh.

I'd somehow managed to survive the ten-day trek through the Narnian countryside, which wasn't so bad considering we had been traveling at a rather slow, but steady pace. But to my annoyance, each night, my tent was set up within twenty feet of Caspian's, rather than with the army. I guess it was for my own protection, but considering that every male here was chivalrous to a fault, and the females were bore no hostilities towards me, there was no fear of my being harmed by anyone. I might have scandalized the humans with my choice of wearing breeches while riding, but since the female fighters were in armor and heavily armed, anyone's disapproval and anger was relatively short-lived.

I would have protested Caspian's little show of favoritism with a tent near his, but I'd learned quite early not to question the King's orders, particularly in front of his subjects. There was no way I was going to undermine his authority –it was never a good idea to make a monarch look bad!

The trip through Narnia had been uneventful -we rode all day, resting occasionally for a meal or a breath, and continued onwards until just before dark. As I was a friend of the King's, I was allowed within his little social circle, and as such, was able to eat whatever he was having (which tended to be a bit better than what the soldiers got). However, I was not allowed to be 'alone' with the King, unless Fang or Roan were there to play chaperone. It was ridiculous, but given the etiquette they all lived by, it was necessary.

And so the days passed, uneventful and rather dull. Our journey through Archenland, however, was another story.

Except for my own memory and the odd tidbits I'd read in the Professor's library, I knew next to nothing about Narnia's southern neighbor, and had been rather nervous about going through the mountain pass and on into the rather hilly kingdom. Caspian said that the current ruler was King Nain, and that the letters they'd exchanged were kind and friendly. King Nain had even given permission for us to ride through his nation so that we could reach the Great Desert quickly, rather than taking the very long way around.

When we arrived at the capital city of Anvard, King Nain was there to greet us. Archenland was not a wealthy country, but they were far from poor –as such, they welcomed us with fresh supplies to restock what had been consumed during the journey, and the offer of smiths to help go over the weaponry we carried with us. Caspian had accepted all of these, and was completely understanding of his fellow king's hesitancy to joining the battle.

"Gladly would I provide as many warriors as you need for this endeavor, but the population of my realm is not as large as Narnia's. I dare not think what would happen should I lose all of the men provided to you," King Nain said over dinner. He had invited Caspian to dine with him, and as such, all of the Narnian councilors as well. I had somehow gotten an invitation (probably because I was Caspian's traveling historian), but as long as I got a wonderful meal at an actual table, rather than in the dirt beside a campfire, I didn't mind.

Caspian had said that he understood, and didn't blame King Nain in the least. "War is a horrible thing, and I would not dare to take every able bodied from you," he said. "However, I would like as many as can be spared. If the Calormen army wins against us, you will be the first place they will conquer, and I know you do not wish for that to happen. You won against them in King Peter's time, but who knows what will happen with this war?"

King Nain's eyes narrowed, but it was not out of anger against Caspian; it was against the Calormen people, and it was clear that he did not want to risk an invasion any more that Caspian did. By the time we were ready to depart three days later, we had added several hundred fighters to our army, the banners of Narnia waving alongside those of Archenland.

And so we had marched here, to the desert, where I was now sitting on a cushioned little stool at a small table with my writing desk on it. The only other items in the tent were the rug where Fang slept, and a small fold-out bed frame with some canvas stretched over it, which had my sleeping bag on it. There was also a small table beside my makeshift bed (which held three cups and a pitcher), and two rough wooden racks: one that held my knives, and one with Roan's saddle on it. In the corner were my travel packs. Very basic stuff, and it was all I pretty much needed out here in the middle of nowhere.

In case anyone couldn't tell, hot climates did not agree with me, especially when sand was involved. As it was, we were currently perched at the edge of the desert, at a very good spot that had a plentiful water source, so there was no fear of going thirsty. Actually, we were camped at the edge of a small cluster of mountains that jutted into the Great Desert –lucky for us, these mountains had a strong river running from it to the Winding Arrow River, which ran along Archenland's southern border, and separated it from the desert.

Caspian considered this place a good sign. There was water, the ground was more firm than sandy, and we had perfect places for Griffins to perch and keep a sharp eye out for our enemy. Since the capitol city of Tashbaan was a short distance away, the Griffins were invaluable in being able to spot the Calormen army before they were too close. So far, we only knew that they had mobilized, and settled a short distance outside of Tashbaan, which was still a good march away from our own army.

But unlike the others, my tent had been carefully and strategically placed as far away from the Calormen army as possible, as had Caspian's. No one was willing to risk the King's safety (except for the man himself), and Caspian wasn't willing to risk my safety, so we were placed near one another at the back of the tents. Luckily, we were perched up on a rise in the ground, so we could look out over our own army, and still vaguely see Tashbaan in the distance.

Glaring at my writing desk, I tried to think of a way to keep myself from begin bored to death, but was interrupted by Fang lifting his head and sniffing. "Someone's coming," he said. Since he wasn't racing to the door flap of the tent, teeth bared, I knew it had to be a friend, or at least a Narnian.

"May I enter?" called a familiar voice. It was Caspian.

I immediately called for him to come in, which he quickly did, bringing with him a warm wind from the desert as he left the tent flap open.

"What brings you here?" I asked, going to pour him a cup of water.

The hot desert winds could sometimes be stifling, and I had to constantly urge everyone to drink water, to keep from drying out. Even though we were technically at the edge of a mountain range, it wasn't the cool, green temperate climate of Narnia, so everyone had to keep themselves hydrated.

Caspian accepted the cup and took a seat on the floor beside Fang, a move that was decidedly not 'king-like.' "I received word an hour ago from the leader of the Calormen army," he said, reaching out to give Fang a scratch on the head. "They have declared that the Narnian army must retreat, and give way to them, or else."

He smirked at me. "They also called us barbarians, and said that they would "put us in our place" for interfering with their endeavors to go northwards."

I rolled my eyes. "Rather overly dramatic, don't you think?" Shaking my head, I looked at him very carefully. "So, what did you say in return? I assume the messenger sent to you was given a return message from you to their leader?"

He hesitated. "Actually, he turned and left the moment I finished reading the message aloud to those around me. The letter ended with them saying that, if it is to be war that we desire, we simply have to raise all of our banners at once. Then, the next day, there will be a war."

Okay, I knew where this was going. "So it will be war at dawn, then?" I whispered, looking down at the ground.

"Yes," he confirmed. Then he hesitated a moment, causing me to look at him. "I wish for you to remain here, away from danger," Caspian said, the sad, guild-ridden expression on his face surprising me. "You were right about my being foolish in bringing you with me, Ali. I had not thought that they would truly fight once they saw the size of our army and realized that we are strong and united. I am sorry."

I rushed to his side and put a comforting hand on his arm. "I was angry, and did think you foolish at first," I said honestly, "But I am no longer so. And to be quite honest, if I were skilled and experienced enough, I would ride into battle at your side, like the others."

Something softened in Caspian's gaze as he reached up to take my hand and squeeze it. "And given the choice, I would gladly accept you as one of my soldiers," he softly replied. "But I cannot risk your life in such a way. I will keep back one or two guards for you, to keep you safe. Promise that you will stay here, and go no closer to the battle?"

Though I wasn't happy about it, I gave him my word. The relief on Caspian's face spoke volumes, and I knew that it was the right answer.

As soon as Caspian had left my tent to order the banners to be unfurled, I stepped out of the tent, Fang at my heels, and headed for the cooking area. A Centaur named Silvermane was the camp chef, and the instant he saw me, he went to one of the three bubbling cauldrons and dished up a bowl of steaming hot vegetable stew for me.

Like all Centaurs, Silvermane was tall, broad-shouldered, strong, and quick on his feet. There was one big difference between him and the others of his kind –though he was still young, his hair and coat were silvery white-blonde in color, and the reason for his name.

But Silvermane wasn't just the camp cook; he was also a crack-shot archer, with knives and sword as a close second. He had been my archery instructor the whole ride south, teaching me to shoot from Roan's back while my horse was standing still or in motion. Needless to say, I was now a hell of a lot better at archery than I had been before.

Smiling, I accepted the stew without question. As the banners went up around us, Silvermane sighed. "And so it begins, my dear Ali," he said, voice noble and soft at the same time. "Has the King ordered you to stay behind?"

I nodded, my face clearly showing my unhappiness at it all. "I just worry that something will happen to him when I'm not looking," I muttered, spooning some broth into my mouth.

Silvermane reached out and gently gripped my shoulder. "Though you have come far in your training, it is not yet time for you to be in battle," he said, very teacher-like. "Pray that this is the last time war comes to us in this lifetime, and that you need never know it." He had been involved in the War between the Telmarines and Narnians, and already seen too much death.

"I swore to keep away from the battlefield," I assured him. "Don't worry; I'm sure everything will be fine."

Inside, though, I wasn't so sure. I had a sort of 'instinct' when it came to bad things happening –my stomach always went into knots, creating a twisting sensation that wasn't quite nausea and not quite pain, and the worse the discomfort was, the worse the upcoming situation would be. I hadn't had it the day I'd been hit by that vehicle, but then, I'd been so anxious over my argument with my friends that I wouldn't have been able to sense or feel anything else.

Right now, my gut instinct was telling me that something extremely bad was going to happen tomorrow, and that I would have to break my promise to my friend and king. That didn't sit well with me –I'd always kept my promises in the past, and I really didn't want to start breaking them now.

'But I have no choice,' I reasoned with myself. 'If Caspian is in danger, it is my duty to protect him. If my keeping a promise ends in him getting killed, I'll never forgive myself.'

And if I broke my promise, at least Caspian would be alive and able to forgive me later –hopefully, anyway.

Finishing my stew, I returned to my tent to be sure that my knives were sharp and ready for tomorrow. Silvermane had been teaching me to shoot with a bow from the supply carts, so I didn't have one of my own. Oh, well. I'd have to ask for some armor, just in case, and hopefully it would fit right.

I sighed. There was so much to do, and not enough time to do it!

Watching the army form ranks, I swallowed hard and felt my leather chest cover shift as I tried to get comfortable in my saddle. I wasn't strong enough for metal armor, but the leather piece seemed tough and strong, so I wasn't too badly off. I had arm guards, shin guards, strong leather shoulder covers, and a leather cover on my back. There was a neck guard as well, and a light helmet. At my sides were my knives, and there were two spare ones in each boot.

But the crown of my weaponry lay on my back. The first was a quiver full of red fletched arrows, and with it was the most famous bow in all of Narnia: Queen Susan's own magical bow. It was her quiver as well, and I honestly could not believe that they had been brought along on this journey. Apparently Caspian had thought it might be useful in a war, and he'd brought them locked up in a small trunk, just in case.

This morning, as everyone had begun to prepare for battle, Caspian himself had stopped by my tent and presented me with these treasures. His reason for giving them to me was the fact that I was the least experienced fighter in the army, and he felt it would do be good to have Susan's weapons in reach. Well, he had King Peter's sword, so why not? Besides, I did feel better having them, and it gave me a nice boost in confidence, which I needed very badly.

Still, I was scared out of my wits. War was a horrible thing, and I knew that some of the fighters out there would not be returning home. However, if we won this day, peace would reign over Narnia for a long time indeed –and that was a good reason to fight.

At my left, Silvermane shifted from hoof to hoof. "I do not like it," he muttered. "You are an able fighter, and are armed with Queen Susan's own bow, which will never miss its target. You should be with the other archers, not hiding here!"

"I agree," Roan said, looking over his shoulder at me. "And even if you were with the archers, you would not be defenseless. I would be with you, as would Fang, and I could easily get you out of danger. It isn't right for you to be cast aside like this, not when the King needs every warrior to help win the battle."

To my right, Fang was silent, but no less angry than the others. He, too, thought I should fight, and I didn't blame him –armed with Queen Susan's bow, I knew there would be no chance I could miss my targets, and that I should be out there with the others. Yes, I was scared, but this was war –why should I be given special treatment when others were marching to their deaths?

Above us circled a handful of Griffons, one of which was named Quickfeather, who was one of my 'guards' during the battle. She was as fast as her name indicated, and hovered above the raised area where I sat upon Roan's back, looking out and down upon the Narnian army. Caspian rode before his warriors, preparing them for what was to come. A mile or so away, the Calormen army stood ready to charge at the signal. It was very nerve-wracking.

Gritting my teeth, I practically jumped at the sound of horns sounding from both armies. The battle had begun.

An hour later, my nerves were completely shot, and there was a monstrous nagging feeling in my gut.

"I don't like it," I said aloud, watching the fighting going on below. "I have a bad feeling, as though something horrible is going to happen to the King, and I need to be there to make sure it doesn't."

Silvermane looked at me, fire in his black eyes. "Then we must go, even if it does break your word to the king," he said, absolute certainty in his eyes.

I stared at him. "You believe me?" I blurted out, surprised.

He smiled at my surprised expression. "Indeed. There are times when we Centaurs experience such a thing, and when we do, we know what must be carried out. Come, let us go. Quickfeather will keep a look out from above while we try to reach the king."

Since Caspian was mounted and wearing leather-and-gold armor, he was going to be hard to miss, even by me. Besides, Fang knew Caspian's scent like the back of his paw, and could lead me to him.

Nodding, I looked at my friends. "Let's go."

It was clear where Caspian was –at the front of the battle, with his finest warriors fighting against the Calormen leaders and their best. Since it was faster to go around the battling armies than to wade through them, I decided to take the long route, though it wasn't exactly easy.

I can honestly say that riding into a seething mass of fighting warriors is just as thrilling as it looks on television, but at the same time, it was scary as hell. Silvermane kept me safe from stray blows aimed at me by Calormen warriors, and Fang made sure that anyone who saw him knew that he could tear their face off with his teeth. Roan was no placid pony, either, and he was happy to deal a blow with his hooves to any Calormen fighter who tried to kick a Narnian while they were down.

I tried to close my ears to the goings on around me, but it was hard. There were battle cries, cries filled with fear, pain, sorrow, and anger, and the sound of weapons clashing against one another. It was war, pure and simple, and it took all of my willpower to focus on finding Caspian and not break down weeping at the senselessness of it all.

At last, after what felt like ages, I saw him fighting what looked like a Calormen general (or their equivalent). I turned to Silvermane, to signal that I had found Caspian, but he was already engaged in battle with three Calormen cavalrymen.

'Looks like it's up to me,' I thought, gritting by teeth and urging Roan forward as I dropped the reins so that I could draw my knives.

I'd never had to kill another human being before, and I decided that, today, I would only kill when absolutely necessary. Instead, when a Calormen rushed at me, I did my best to wound or maim, but not kill. Fang had no qualms about it, nor did Roan, but I did, and so I tried my best to not go against my beliefs.

It took some time, but eventually, I made my way to Caspian's side, warding off anyone who tried to get at him while his back was turned. When he noticed what I was doing, he gave me a brief glare of anger, but didn't order me away. That was probably because he was too busy kicking some serious butt, and the Calormen fighters around him were starting to get desperately afraid.

I don't know what made me turn to look around, but I was glad I did. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man draw his bow, and felt my heart drop. The razor-sharp point was aimed straight at me –no, not at me, behind me!

Kicking Roan sharply in the sides, I urged him forward, putting myself between Caspian and the archer just as the shot let loose. The battlefield was so full of sound that the arrow's flight through the air didn't reach my ears until it was inches away.

Time seemed to warp around me, either running too fast, too slow, or standing utterly still. I watched as the arrow came towards me, my mind not registering it until I heard the thud of it piercing through the leather armor that had been meant to protect me.

Intense pain exploded in my left shoulder, the momentum of the arrow nearly knocking me out of the saddle as it hit. I gasped, my eyes filling with tears as I tried to hang onto the saddle horn. Roan neighed, my name mixed in with his cry as he shifted and dance around, doing his best to keep me in the saddle.

Something snarled angrily from my right, and I saw a streak of grey-black race through the fighting armies, somehow avoiding getting caught up in the clusters of fighting warriors. Through the painful haze that hung in front of my eyes, I saw Fang leap and sink his teeth into the Calormen's throat, bringing the man down in seconds.

And for a while, that was the last thing I knew, my eyes closing as I slumped forward over Roan's neck.

AN: Cliffhanger! Please don't hate me, the next chapter will be up soon, I promise. Please be kind and review!