Hey guys, how is it going?
Here it's the second and last part of chapter 13. I will upload chapters 14 and 15 all through the day so stay tuned!
If you want to read any of my other fics, as always, you can go to my wattpad account (username: bornthisway2012)
Disclaimer: Read chapter 1.
Chapter 13 part b.
"The Rise Of The Hero. The Rise Of The Evil"
Third Person POV.
Miraz had never been a man to believe in fate, destiny or those kind of things. In his opinion, those things were pure nonsense; things that people desperately clung onto in order to have more strength in difficult times.
On the other hand, however, he had always known that sometimes, people get what they want in the end because it was the only right. That was not destiny, no, because destiny sometimes allows people to have things they don't deserve. Look at the Kings and Queens of Old, for the example.
Because of this, it's safe to assume that when Miraz learned that he was going to be King, he wasn't surprised at all. He had always known that people like him in the end get what they want because they deserve it.
Miraz walked towards the throne, ecstatic because from this moment, the throne would be rightfully his, as it always should have been.
King Miraz the Protector. Yes, it sounded right.
The bad thing about this was that, in a few weeks, they would all go towards this 'How', like the legends usually named it, to end the Narnians once and for all. At least he would get a few weeks to enjoy this luxury before going to kill the devilish creatures that should have never messed with him. Not with the now King of Narnia.
That's why he had asked for all the support he could gather from other countries.
"Beruna pledges its troops for the battle!" one of the lords- Miraz couldn't care less about who- announced as he slowly walked towards the throne, where his brother had unfairly sat on for so many years "Galma pledges it's troops for the battle!"
The finest archers of the whole world came from Beruna and Galma. He had been clever enough to ask armies from those places.
"Tashbaan pledges it's troops for the battle!" the lord continued exclaiming as Miraz arrived to the bottom of the stairs that led to the throne. So close… "Ettinsmor pledges it's troops for the battle!"
Miraz knelt and Lord Glozelle placed the crown on Miraz's head, where it should have always been. After all, at the end of the day, he was the Protector, not his brother or nephew.
Protector of Narnia.
Protector of its people.
And, because of that, he had to end with the intruders who dared destroy Narnia's peace.
Miraz raised and turned around to face Narnia's lords, who immediately bowed at the new king.
Miraz smirked. This was what he had always wanted.
Now he and his wife, the new queen, were supposed to go to the Throne's Room' balcony, so people would be able to see them and celebrate the arrival of the new King and Queen of Narnia, the arrival of a New Age.
"Long live the King!" the people cheered as soon as King Miraz and Queen Prunaprisma stepped into the balcony.
Miraz almost smiled. He was King, respected among his people and feared among his lords.
If only…if only his nephew and his five ridiculous friends would just die already.
He would certainly declare war to Archenland as soon as he finished the Old Narnians.
But now, now he deserved to enjoy.
"Long Live the King!"
Adrien's POV
*Flashback*
"How come you're still outside, little one? You should be in bed already" my sister, Lya, said as she sat beside me on the bench in the backyard of our house, facing the forest.
"I don't want to go to sleep" I replied exasperatedly even though I was beginning to notice that every time I blinked, my eyes would stay closed for longer than usual "I want to wait for papa"
Lya studied me for a long moment "You're angry at him, aren't you?"
I didn't want to discuss this with her but the alternative was to invent something so I sighed "Why can't he stay safe with us? Why does he have to go and fight against the telmarines when so many other fathers don't? Do we mean so little to him?"
"Of course not, Adrien!" Lya gasped and grabbed my hand. I looked up at her to see her smiling reassuringly at me "Look, Papa loves us more than anything and that´s why he fights against the intruders: to give us, his children, the chance to live in a better Narnia, a Narnia in which peace will reign" she paused and looked at me before sighing and kneeling before me "I know you´re too young to start thinking about this but I guess you would know sooner or later. Besides, you´re too clever and mature for your own good so you would´ve found out anyways. Our family was the first among the centaurs to organize raids and battles against our enemy. Our great grandfather was the first one and since then, all of us sooner or later have to take a choice"
"And what is it?" I asked anxiously and Lya chuckled slightly.
"We have to choose between remaining safe with our family but being slaves of our enemy, or fight against them in the hope of giving our family a better future but risking your life"
I stayed silent for a few minutes, not knowing what to think. Obviously, I knew Lya was talking about an important matter but I just couldn´t help to think that she was overreacting. She was talking as if making that choice was extremely difficult, as if it would somehow save or destroy the world.
In my opinion, you could choose whatever you wanted to do.
Which is why I was so mad at my father.
But maybe, this is why I couldn´t choose yet: because I was too young and didn´t understand well what exactly did a war imply.
"Why did papa chose to fight and not to stay with us?" I asked and Lya grimaced.
"Maybe it´s a curse. Maybe we all feel as if we should always do the honorable thing" Lya shrugged "Maybe we all want to be heroes"
I nodded absmindently. I didn´t understand it all now, but I was sure I would understand when I get older.
"Will you stay with me Lya? Would you be my sister instead of a hero?"
Lya laughed and hugged me "Of course my boy, I reckon that there are too many heroes in this family"
I hugged her back and closed my eyes, glad to know that if my brother and father died, my sister would stay with me.
*End Flashback*
I understood too late that everybody lies sooner or later.
My sister made her choice soon after that night. She joined my father and brother in the war against everyone´s will.
When I reminded her of what she had promised me that night, she told me that eventually, I wouldn´t care when I was older for I would also join them.
But then, my dear family was dead.
"Adrien? What happened?"
Beth´s voice brought back to the present, making me remember that I had another family now, as loving and valiant as the last one.
I forced myself to act as if nothing had happened. It was okay to grieve, that much I knew, but I wasn´t about to weep about my family´s death for the rest of my days. I had to be strong like them and move on "It´s fine, I´m only tired. Personally, I blame all the training you, Kings and Queens, force me to do everyday"
Beth laughed but her eyes were suspicious. Obviously.
"Aren´t you funny, young boy"
"Well, I try" I smirked and after bowing mockingly, I left to find Ed and force him to teach me a few tricks with the sword.
When my sister told me that I would choose to join them, I had thought that she was insane. But now, at the eve of a battle that would decide everything- because it was obvious that the telmarines would come and try to end us all- I had to agree with my sister.
It may be dangerous and I may lose my life; but I was not going to remain behind while my sister and the rest risked their lives to give me and the other Narnians a better future.
My family had never said no to a fight against evil and I was not going to be the exception. I might be 9 years old, but who cares? Lu was crowned when she was 11 and Ed fought in his first battle when he was 12.
Now, I only had to get Beth to agree.
"Were you always a better swordfighter than Pete?" I asked Ed as I swung my sword at his legs. He easily jumped and swung his sword at my neck, which I blocked and tried in vain to throw aside.
"I guess that not at first because, when we first came here, Pete had the strength and the body of a young man, while I was a simple boy. But then I grew up , became stronger and eventually I was better swordfighter than Pete" Ed as he, somehow made me throw my sword away "good job, mate, you are getting better"
"Why, thank you" I bowed and we smiled at each other.
A sudden exclamation made us look towards the How´s direction, from where Caspian, Pete and an eagle (which was resting on Pete´s shoulder) were coming, presumably to us. Looking closer, we realized that the eagle had golden eyes. Ed and I rolled our eyes jokingly. The eagle flew away from Pete and Caspian and towards us, landing a few feet from us, only to disappear, leaving Beth in her place.
"Impressive, as always. Apparently, you´ve taken a liking into flying animals" Ed commented as he sheathed his sword. I sheathed mine as well; happy to know that the hour-and-a-half´ training session with the best male warrior of Narnia was finally over.
"Professor Cornelius has been pushing me to master my newfound skills so I figured that I might as well use them in the way I prefer to" Beth smiled and wrapped an arm around me. Ah, the brotherly love "And, seriously, mates, you ought to fly someday, it´s one of the best experiences in the world"
"Brag about it, won´t you?" Pete said sardonically and Caspian chuckled lowly.
And it was as if, at that moment, Ed had remembered he hated the prince´s guts. Personally, I was surprised it had taken more than 30 seconds for him to remember.
"Sorry but, is everybody going insane around here? What on Earth are you doing here!?" Ed growled at Caspian before looking furiously at Beth "How come you are taking a stroll with him as if nothing had happened!? Maybe you don´t care about what he did to you because you are amazingly selfless but, may I remind you that he FUCKING hurt your brother and si-?"
"Believe me Ed, I´m perfectly aware of that" Beth cut him off calmly though her hand on my shoulder tensed for a second, as if freaking out again for my wellbeing. I huffed quietly and looked at an ashamed Caspian. I was starting to feel pity for him "The reason I brought him and Pete is because I need you three. You see, Professor Cornelius told me that even though I´m already using some of my powers, the only way I can master my skills in time for the battle is by allowing myself to be ruled by the part of myself that is Daughter of the King of Kings, my true nature"
Beth rolled her eyes at that.
"What is that?" Pete asked as he leaned on a rock. I quickly joined him. The training had worn me off more than what I wanted to admit.
"I think Professor Cornelius showed me something about it once. Wasn´t it called Aslan´s Daughter State or something?" Caspian asked.
Beth nodded "Professor Cornelius said that it was a layer of my mind in which, when I approached it, would allow me to use all my powers as if I had used them ever since I was born. Basically, I would be able to use them expertly…discover new ones…be really powerful…and all that shit that sounds really creepy. The problem is that, even though it will be as easy as breathing eventually, the first time is really difficult to reach it because I need to go through a situation of great stress and tension in order to…activate that sleepy part of me"
"So basically, what you are saying is that you will turn into a ruthless killing machine" Ed stated as he raised an eyebrow in worry. Poor lad, surely having a supernatural girlfriend wasn´t an easy thing "Not sure I like it"
Pete and Beth rolled their eyes.
"That´s the thing about this state, Ed, I will be able to control all my powers. The rest of the time I will be my normal self but when I need it, I will know how to use my powers expertly. That will be the only different thing from now on, alright? I need you trust me in this one, love"
By the time she had stopped speaking, she was in front of Ed looking at him dead in the eyes. They weren´t touching but the tension between them was huge.
Finally, Ed nodded, wrapped an arm around Beth´s shoulders and kissed her head.
I bit my lip. How on Earth would I get to go to battle with all of them approving?
I didn´t like the idea but it seemed as if the only way to enter into battle was without them knowing.
"Okay, I understand everything…but where do us three enter in this whole thing?" Caspian asked.
"Oh, that´s actually easy to answer" Beth said as she unsheathed her sword "After thinking a lot, I came with the idea that if you three- obviously Adrien will have nothing to do with this- 'attacked' me and I imagined that you three were my enemies, maybe I would reach that damned state"
Pete smirked and unsheathed his sword before positioning himself a few feet away from my sister. Caspian followed him a few moments later, looking unsure.
Ed looked at Beth for a long moment before unsheathing a scimitar, which I only noticed he had also with him "Go easy on her"
Beth smirked.
I sat on the rock I was leaning and readied myself for a good show. My sister was sure to kick the boy´s arses.
For one second, all four of them stood still, evaluating the others. The two kings of Old, the Prince heir to the throne and the girl that turned out to be a Narnian Queen by bloodline tensed and prepared to attack.
But it took that moment precisely for someone else to appear.
Someone I had seen before.
Someone who was pure evil.
"My child, you seriously think this will get you to master your skills? I´m dreadfully sorry but I must warn you that you´re probably much more stupid than I ever thought you could be" Beth´s 'first father' said as he leaned on a tall rock behind Beth. He was wearing a black armor and his black sword was unsheathed. I gulped against my will.
If I knew one thing at that moment, was that my sister recognized that voice. Her golden eyes flashed dangerously before she turned around.
"What are you doing here?" she spat, her voice calm and powerful.
"To help you master your powers, of course!" the man…who reminded me of the demons I was told about when I was younger and didn´t want to eat the food "Don´t you think it would be an excellent way to spend time together?"
"Oh, cry me a river" Beth growled. By now, Ed and Pete were at Beth´s sides while Caspian was protecting me "Get out of this world. NOW!"
Caspian and I jumped, ´cause Beth´s voice had changed into a lion´s roar.
"Well, well, we´re already getting somewhere!" the demon-like´ man smirked and walked a step closer. Ed raised his sword higher "Now, let me show you how we do things at my world"
"Why would you help me?" Beth asked "You and your people would love to see all of us dead"
"I can´t argue with that" the man shrugged "but your powers will come in handy later. Remember, magic comes with a price. But now, let´s begin, shall we?"
Those words being said, Caspian and Pete suddenly fell to the ground coughing, gasping for and grabbing desperately their necks, as if there was something choking them.
Or someone.
I knelt besides Caspian while Ed did the same besides his brother. We tried to help them but there was nothing we could do…
"Stop it!" Beth cried and tried in vain to stab the bastard "Why are you doing this!?"
"It´s quite simple Beth, reach Aslan´s daughter´state, claim your true nature and I will stop harming your brothers and leave"
Immediately after he pronounced that word, I felt as if a pair of claws grasped my throat and painfully slowly left me without air.
It hurt.
Beth started crying and rested her hands on Pete´s heart as she started muttering words that I recognized, only- God- knows-how, as Gaelic.
With my last minutes of life, I saw how Ed swung his sword at the son of a bitch, only to be dodged by him…the bastard then stabbed Ed and threw him aside, leaving him unconscious…
The demon knelt besides Beth "You know what? It´s funny how I ended all your siblings´ lives and you weren´t able to do anything about it" the chokes were quieting; Caspian and Pete were about to die…and I was sure to follow them…Beth was starting to glow…or was that me hallucinating? "Three of your brothers are dying right at this moment…and your Archenlandian brother is alive but captive in my world. Who should I kill now? Your two narnian sisters or your English brother? Or should I finish what I started a moment ago and kill the epic love of your life?"
"NO!"
With that roar, Beth turned into a Lion and tried to lunge at her first ´father´. He laughed "My job here is done. Well done, my child; I´ll see you soon"
And he disappeared in a short burst of darkness.
Luckily, I had free way to breathe again so I choked and sat up, gasping for air. I heard two other groups of gasps so I smiled, knowing that Pete and Caspian were also okay.
Ed, however…
The lion exploded in a long burst of light and Beth stood there for a second before running to Ed, who looked frightengly pale.
"Ed! Damn it, Ed, wake up!" she cried and knelt beside him, putting his head on her lap. I struggled to get up and went towards them slowly, still enjoying the air entering my lungs.
I arrived at the same time as Pete and Caspian "What is happening to him?" Pete asked worriedly as he also knelt next to his brother.
"I think he is poisoned" Beth answered shakily without taking her gaze out of her boyfriend. She looked about three seconds from crying but didn´t, thing I admired her for "But I know how to save him… and it comes with a prize, obviously"
And then, we three were witness of how Beth rested her hands on Ed´s heart and gasped in intense pain.
"What are you doing?" I asked and tried to stop her but Caspian didn´t let me move.
Beth eventually quietened and looked at me "Don´t ask me to live in a world without him, mate, is just not possible. The poison was lethal; I had to save him so I took the poison out of his organism and is now in me"
I widened my eyes in horror. I was NOT going to lose my sister!
"Are you insane!?" Caspian yelled "Now you´re going to die!"
"I´m not going to die now" Beth said, sighing in relief after noticing that Ed was gaining color "I´m not entirely human, obviously, so I have more time to find a way out of this. Years, maybe even decades. And I assure you that I will find a cure in that time"
Pete grabbed one of Beth´s hands "Well, as much as I hate this, you have saved two of my siblings in one day. We were blessed the day we met you, Queen Elizabeth"
She started to protest but in that moment, Ed opened his eyes. I smiled against my will; I was worrying sick with this new turn of events. But then, a voice spoke in my mind (and I´m sure that in Caspian´s and Peter´s too).
Don´t tell him a word about this. I will tell him myself, but later.
I growled.
"What happened?" Ed asked quietly as he tried to sit. Beth pushed him down and left a hand resting on Ed's cheek.
"He stabbed you, Ed" Pete said and looked at Beth "Who was him?"
"My… let's call him father, in absence of a better term, back when I was in England. Jack is his name" Beth answered rather reluctantly and looked at Ed "How do you feel?"
"I´m fine" Ed smiled "Did it work at least?"
Beth looked at us before smiling down at him and sighing "Of course, Ed, it worked. You worried me to death for a moment, mate"
I glared at Beth. I was so killing her for risking her life.
Edmund´s POV
I was the first to admit that at complicated situations (like when you're stabbed and suddenly, you're about to die) you sometimes can't differentiate what's real, what is really happening or almost anything rather than the pain you're feeling and the common last thoughts that almost anyone would have if they were to endure a similar situation.
However, I was sure of one thing: every time I was stabbed felt…different, to say the least, from what I felt when Beth's 'father', Jack, stabbed me.
When the blade entered my body, it was as if an unexpected fire poured from it, reaching every part of my body, filling every cell with fire, venom and pain, until it slowly consumed my body 'till the point it was reduced to a pitying pile of gray and dull ashes.
I may be some boy who was crowned King of a country in another world rather than Earth when he was 12 by a talking Lion and one year later (in Earth's time) returned to his country and fell in love with an English girl who lived in the year 2012 (in England) but later turned out to be Narnian and the daughter of the earlier mentioned Lion, but I can assure this: all the pain that blade made me feel? It was not usual or normal, at least not for me.
When I woke up, Beth told me that since she now also had healing powers, she healed me, not leaving the slightest scar but, honestly, I was still perfectly able to recognize when my girlfriend was lying.
Now, the question was: why would she lie?
As much as I wanted to, I couldn't ask her what was she hiding. Apparently, Jack told her that Thor of Archenland, presumably dead for two years, was actually alive and was kept prisoner in Jack's world, whatever that world was.
I sighed exasperatedly as I tried to adjust my sword properly. It was useless to worry about that now.
"I understand any other kind of problem related to your armor, but really: is it that hard to adjust your sword's belt around your hip?" her voice called and I turned towards the entrance of my room, finding Beth leaning against it, an amused smile on her face.
"Talking about impossible things, is it that hard for you to stop stalking me?" I showed my tongue at her playfully. Beth laughed and after hesitating for a second, she ran into my now opened arms.
"I almost lost you but here you are, attacking me with your witty words. Fuck you, Ed, fuck you" Beth muttered against my shoulder.
"I'm alright, love" I couldn't help to smile at the 'fuck you' "You should know that, you were the one to save me"
Beth pulled away and looked at me, pretending to be serious "And don't you forget it"
"Can I ask you something?" I asked her as I guided her to sit on my bed. As unlikely as it seems, I was not implying anything at all.
"Sure" she said but grew concerned when she looked at me "Is everything okay?"
I didn't answer for a long moment. Did I really want to find out? Was she really lying? Maybe she wasn't lying after all, or maybe she was lying to protect me but I had this instinct, this annoyingly strong instinct that what she was hiding from me was something I would be interested in knowing.
"Is there any chance you are hiding anything from me?" I asked and Beth's sudden widened eyes supposed the confirmation of my suspicions. I stopped looking at her while I continued talking "Back when…Jack appeared and stabbed me…I mean, I've been stabbed before but this time…it felt different, as if something dark, lethal was getting inside me and killing me from the inside. My blood, my bones…everything burned so much…and I just know that what was causing that couldn't end as fast as it did. Not with me alive, at least"
"Well, maybe Aslan had something to do with that, I've heard He has done it before" Beth shrugged smiling but then huffed and rolled her eyes when she noticed my expression "I seriously don't know why do I bother lying to you. You know me too damn well. Would you believe me if I told you that it's nothing to worry about? You know, just for the record, I'm saying the truth there"
I threw her a lop-sided smile and grabbed her hand. If I had to admit, she was cute when she struggled to make a excuse "Tell me"
Beth looked unsurely at me for a long moment before groaning "You're right, it was different from the other times you've been stabbed. His sword must have been soaked in poison because you were dying so, so fast. I…I could feel it. Damn it, for a moment I actually thought it was too late to save you"
Beth looked about to cry and I was starting to actually worry. I touched her cheek and she closed her eyes, leaning into the touch "What happened then?"
"It was the only way, Ed" Beth looked at me fearfully…of my reaction?
And then, I figured it out.
If there was something I learned from the few classes Oreius gave us to 'be safer' was that you can't just throw poison away when it's inside a person or animal and I was clearly alive therefore, Beth (because it's the only one who could have ever done it) took the poison out of me before it was too late.
But I didn't have it…and no one else had (of that I was sure, since Beth would never put the poison inside another person)…there was only one person who could have it.
Oh no.
When I thought I would finally have peace.
"You have got to be shitting me! How the fuck are you even alive!?" I yelled and stood up. She stood up too but I made sure to keep the distance between us. Why did she have to keep making sacrifices!? "You said that I would have been dead within seconds, then HOW COME YOU'RE ALIVE!?"
"DON'T YOU DARE YELL AT ME!" Beth also screamed; her golden eyes shined dangerously. About me, I was starting to see red "It's obvious I'm not entirely human; I don't know what I am exactly…as weird as that sounds but the thing is that I have years, maybe even decades to find a cure!"
"But you're dying, aren't you?!" I asked exasperatedly and Beth closed her eyes.
"Technically, yes" she finally whispered and I growled "I will just ask Aslan- I will ask my father about the cure for this kind of poison and then I will live a long and merry life!"
"And what if you only see Aslan when you die and leave to His Country, huh!?" I asked hysterically. I haven't been that pissed off in my entire life "You shouldn't have done this Beth!"
I wanted to leave but when I turned to do so, Beth grabbed my wrist "What was the alternative, huh!? Letting you die? No way in hell I was going to let that happen! What about your siblings!? What about your people, your family!? What about me!? You can't just do what it takes to assure my safety, without thinking of collateral damage! Don't be selfish!"
I only turned around to look at her after I heard those words.
She had done exactly the same fucking thing she was screaming I shouldn't do!
And she dared call ME selfish!?
"Well, you can try not to be a complete hypocrite!" I screamed and her eyes flared dangerously "You just did all that when you risked your life saving me! Why do you care anyway? You can put that shitty excuse about my siblings and my people but what about you huh? Love is not permanent, sweetheart; you would so get over me sooner or later!"
"Oh, don't you dare imply that, Edmund, you don't have a fucking idea of what I feel-"
"C'mon Beth, tell me! What is it? Why can't you just let me go? Why?"
Beth groaned frustrated and tried to get away from me but I was just too damn angered so I kept asking her and annoying her.
And at last, she exploded.
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" She screamed. Immediately, we were no longer angered or at least, I couldn't remember anything else but that. Beth looked at me with tears in her eyes, all the anger left from them but not the fire from them or from her words…they just sounded so true. It seemed too good to be true "I love you, Ed and I know it's too soon…and I'm scared shitless…but the truth it's simply that, and that's the reason I can't let you go like you want me to"
It only took me a second before walking towards her and grabbing her face between my hands. She smiled as a lonely tear rolled down her cheek.
"I love you" I told her and she breathed deeply "You changed my whole life, you changed me. Before I met you, I never thought I could bring myself to love a girl as much as I love you and it scares me so much. You make everything so better…and I'm afraid of losing you, I can't lose you-"
"You won't" Beth said as she wrapped her arms around my neck, looking me right into my eyes "Even if I don't find a cure, an antidote, I will fight, I will fight for you to stay with you, until my very last breath"
I nodded and rested my forehead against hers "…I guess I would have done exactly the same thing for you"
Beth chuckled and raised an eyebrow "I don't know, would you?"
"Without hesitating. As you would so I guess this is something we will have to guess used to, though I certainly don't like it" I replied "I'm sorry for yelling at you"
"And I'm sorry for worrying you and hiding the truth from you" Beth said "I guess no person likes their couple to risk their life for them, right? You know, now that apologies are over and we have overcome our fight with an even stronger relationship, I believe it's the time for you to kiss me"
"Why do I have to? I thought that from the so modern England you come, you women fight for equal rights for both genders and that means equal treatment" I looked at Beth defiantly.
"Oh, you are just unbelievable" Beth laughed before kissing me "You get hurt at the hunt and I swear I'm killing you with my bare hands"
"Oh dear, look at me, I'm shaking!" I mocked her before pulling her into a long and slow kiss "I love you"
And in that moment, the door opened to reveal a worried Su.
"Dear Aslan, Adrien just told me what happened outside! Are you guys okay?" She exclaimed concernedly as she crashed us both into a hug "I can swear I heard you two arguing a while ago, was it about this? You're better than that!"
"We're fine, Su, don't fret" Beth said as she hugged Su back.
"And we worked it out so don't worry about it either" I smiled to myself.
After Su finally let us go, Beth adjusted her quiver (she had surely left her sword in the girl's room) "I must go, I intend to start taking care of Adrien's education; I won't have an ignorant brother. However, I'd appreciate if no creature apart from us knew about the poison' thing and that stuff. There is no need to worry everyone unnecessarily"
We nodded and Beth smiled before kissing me shortly "Love you, Ed"
I winked at her and after smiling amusedly at Su, she left.
After a few minutes, Su was finally able to speak "Oh. My. God"
I laughed.
Caspian's POV
*One Month Later*
For some reason, every time I dreamed about Lucy, that taking place more and more frequently, it always began in my uncle's castle that night everything went to hell.
Not a single time did I get to see her face; I never got to talk to her or to apologize for disappointing her when she was the one to trust me the longest.
I always felt the same things whenever I dreamed about her: I felt her disappointment towards me, her pain, her grief. And the only thing I always got to see before the drowning dark surrounded me, was a glimpse of her bloodied corpse lying right in the middle of the bloody raid, surrounded by others nameless corpses.
And, after a long and everlasting moment of being choked up by the total darkness, I get to wake up, only then to remember that Lu is alive, that she didn't go through any pain.
However, as much as I am relieved in that moment, I can't get myself to fall asleep again, so I always end up in the non-artificial balcony, which I think has become my family's favorite place. Well, at least, I unfortunately do know for a fact that Beth and Ed hang out here extremely often.
Like every other night, I only felt relaxed when I sat on a rock and gazed at the nocturne sky and the silent and dark forest. As usual, my thoughts wandered over to my siblings.
A month had passed since the White Witch turned me into this wicked version of myself. In this month, I had recovered Susan's trust, and I had never lost Lucy's (which I kind of had expected it but still, it was quite the relief).
About the rest, since Peter had never trusted me, and that wasn't changing anytime soon, Ed and Beth were the only ones who had yet to forgive me in order to get things as similar to the way they used to be.
My two best friends. Now that was a tough task.
However, Adrien was trying to convince them and for that, I was going to be eternally in debt with him.
Soon enough, however, my thoughts wandered over my father's death, and that's what I was thinking about when Professor Cornelius sat beside me.
"I never thought I would see the day you were willingly up at sunrise, my boy" he chuckled as he patted my shoulder, effectively snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up, surprised to find that the sun had risen indeed "What are you doing up so early?"
I gazed at him before looking again at the forest. I had never had the chance, until now, to ask him all I wanted to know about my father. We two had never been alone until that moment and I certainly didn't want anyone else hearing me talk about my father's death when that was what screwed the raid up in the first place.
The only problem was, however, that I didn't have the slightest idea of where to begin.
"Why did you never tell me?" I finally asked him "I'm his son, I deserved-I deserve the right to know anything related to him and his death"
"You weren't supposed to know that until you were out of that castle, Caspian" he answered as he rested a hand on my shoulder. It was supposed to be comforting but, in that moment, I was feeling the anger building up so I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax "Didn't you see what happened when I told you? If I had told you while you were still living in that castle, you would have tried the same thing as in the raid and therefore, you would have been dead within seconds. We wouldn't have got any chance to form any kind of revolution and we wouldn't have got the Kings and Queens of Old back!"
I shook my head exasperatedly. The last thing I needed was to be told about my importance here when I had just proved to be a complete ass "Don't start with that, Professor, we all know that's not true. Peter was right, we don't know whether the plan would have worked or not. Because of me, because I allowed myself to be driven my anger, over seven hundred fellow narnians are now dead. I'm no king' material, Narnia would be damned if I was King!"
"Even Kings and Queens aren't perfect, Caspian. You've made a mistake, dear boy, but you weren't the only one, you didn't mean it, and now you regret more than anything else" Professor said with a smile. He had been much happier ever since he got here "My mother was a Black Dwarf from the Northern Mountains. I risked my life all this time ever since I met you so that one day…you would get to be a better King than those who preceded you. And I'm still sure that that's what will happen"
I snorted "I appreciate all what you did for me, dear Professor, but I couldn't even leave my family unharmed! I hurt Beth, Su and Adrien…" I trailed off and sighed "I guess it's safe to assume that I've failed you, my friend"
Professor Cornelius looked at me, still with a smile on his face. His eyes were full of wisdom "Everything I told you and everything I didn't, it was just because I wanted to give you the best chance to a life where you have everything you want. I believe in you, Caspian, and that won't change. You have now the chance to become one of the most noble contradictions in history, you have a chance to become the Telmarine who Saved Narnia"
Before I could answer, that if I still had the ability of tongue, Professor Cornelius raised and patted my back as he left "Now you have to believe in yourself as much as we all do"
Beth's POV
After lunch, I became too restless to stay inside. Somehow, I could feel the telmarines coming, as if they were the dark itself, and now everything was growing blacker.
The others were having a meeting but, since I wasn't needed, I decided to skip it and now here I was, outside the How, picking up the weapons left on the grass, for some reason I wouldn't be able to understand, and watching carefully the forest.
"What's with all the weapons?" Ed asked as he and Su reached me. He immediately took all the weapons from me and I mentally rolled my eyes, immediately understanding the reason behind it. Okay, so I was dying and it was an understandable subject of concern but technically, weren't we all dying? I was just dying faster than them! It's as if I had suddenly turned into a weak and useless girl!
"You tell me, Ed, I was not the one in charge of any of the trainings today" I said as I gazed around, looking for any weapon I had missed to pick "How did the meeting go?"
"Nothing too interesting" Ed shrugged it off as we gave the weapons to a pair of centaurs who were going to armory. Susan and I exchanged an exasperated glance. In our language, what Ed said meant that they decided something dangerous and life' risking for myself so he was trying to avoid the subject "What were you doing outside?"
"What happened in the meeting, Beth" Susan interfered and Ed glared at her. I hid a laugh "Is that we split the troops and decided who will leader each group"
"Well, that's quite interesting" I threw a smirk at Su and wrapped an arm around Ed's waist. He huffed slightly but brought me closer "Well, I believe it's safe to assume you're in charge of the archers, Su"
"Of course" Su nodded as she straightened "Pete and Ed are in charge of the group that is going to be outside the How, and Caspian and you will each leader a group of the two that will be waiting inside"
"Whoa, I was not expecting that" I said, genuinely surprised that I had been chosen for such a big task, especially considering the fact that Ed had been in the meeting, and that was another reason why I had chosen to skip the meeting: I didn't want to argue with him "What about Lu? Where are you guys planning to hide her?"
Su and Ed smiled and the latter answered after kissing my forehead "Supposing the telmarines don't surround us- which we assume won't since they are too arrogant for their own good- Lu will guide the ones who are leaving, the ones who cannot fight. She was kind of resigned about it, luckily"
"Remind me to ask her to keep an eye on Adrien. I have the feeling he will want to join the battle" I said, mostly to myself "He is a professional when it comes to getting into trouble"
"You sure? I mean, he didn't show any interest when we were discussing the strategies for the battle" Ed said and wrapped an arm around my shoulders "Don't you think you are overreacting, love?"
"Ed, being Adrien as enthusiastic as he is with his training and with fighting, don't you think he would have shown more interest, whether he was to fight or not?" Su asked and looked at me as I started to feel sick "He was trying to deceive us, wasn't him? You are right, Beth, he is planning to fight"
"Damn it!" I growled and buried my face in my hands for a short moment before looking up at them "Glenstorm told me this story of a family of centaurs that led the revolution before us all came here. He said that it was some kind of tradition in that family to choose, when they reached a certain age, whether to fight or not against our enemy. They all chose to fight, it's in their blood to be warriors, but currently there's only one alive member of that family"
"Adrien" Ed stated and I nodded "look, what if you let him fight? He is a good swordfighter, excellent actually. We could use his help"
Susan and I glared at him before I hissed in an overly-sweet' tone "Indeed, love, and you should also let Lu fight in the battle. She is a good fighter, excellent actually and we could all use her help"
Ed stared at me for a long moment before bowing her head and chuckling "Point taken, Beth"
"Why thank you, love" I smirked at him and bowed mockingly.
And in that moment, the sun hid behind the forest.
I had felt them as soon as were close to us and now that they were about to come out of it, meters away from us, it was as if they were breathing down my neck, terrifying and unnerving.
"They are here" I said as I gave a few steps forward, staring at the forest "They are here!"
Su and Ed stood beside me "What are you talking about? I don't see-Oh"
Line after line of men were exiting the forest and coming towards us. Men in silver armors, with horses and behind them…
"Catapults" Ed breathed as we exchanged a look full of hidden fear. I clutched his hand.
"Su, blow your horn, everyone will know what it means" I looked at her. She had never looked so pale so I rest a hand on her shoulder "Everything will be alright sis, just go inside"
Su nodded and smile wearingly before leaving "I'll find Caspian"
"Ed" I said and turned to him "go and find Pete and Lu. And Adrien"
Ed grabbed my face between his hands as the horn echoed all the way out of the How and Narnians started exiting it "What are you going to do love?"
"I have to make sure that everyone goes inside" I said and rolled my eyes at his look before resting my hands on his "I will bring someone with me, okay? Don't fret"
"I love you, Beth" Ed whispered and kissed me "Everything is going to be alright"
I caressed his cheek with my hand and smiled "I know. I love you, Ed. I'll be inside in a moment"
After he left, though, I didn't force anyone inside, not the grown-ups at least.
"Is Your Majesty ready for the battle?" Reepicheep asked me as he climbed on a rock beside me. His sword shined slightly even though the sun was already hidden "We are about to make history"
I chuckled slightly.
"Indeed we are, Reep, indeed we are" I said without taking my gaze out of the forest. The reason of this was that I was waiting to see the one who led them all.
And when he appeared with a golden armor, unlike the rest, I tried something I hadn't done since I claimed the Daughter of Aslan's State.
I knew the telmarines had heard about Aslan. And that they feared Him.
So I wanted them to know that, even if my father wasn't physically here, his daughter was and would not give up until Narnians won their freedom back.
So I turned into a lion.
And I roared.
Peter's POV
To say that my day had gone terrible would be the understatement of the year.
Again, I dreamed with the vision the White Witch personally made for me to torture me, so I went to breakfast already in a bad mood and, after a lousy day in every possible aspect you could ever possible imagine, I went to the Stone Table Room, place I recently found out had the power to make me feel at ease.
As I sat on the Stone Table, I couldn't help to look at Aslan's carving, now weakly lightened by the fire below it, as if something bad was about to happen.
All this thing of not believing the enough in Aslan brought a lot of questions and now that I had had time to think a lot about said issue, I had found out in the month or so that had passed since the incident that I was growing more and more concerned about the subject.
Here in Narnia, my faith faltered for a split moment and in that moment I screwed it up but I still believed and if my mistake had been unforgivable, I would now be in England, right?
But I knew the time would come when I wasn't going to be needed here anymore so I would have to leave, never to return. I knew there was the possibility of ending up in Aslan's Country if I believed in Him and in Narnia but that's the thing, what if I stopped believing? What if I became as logical as Susan and preferred dull and boring'England? What if I never saw Aslan again?
I shook my head exasperatedly to get rid of those thoughts. Aslan helps those who remained loyal to him. I just had to be strong.
I sighed as I heard someone coming. I was going to miss this place so much.
"Pete?" Lu asked as she sat beside me. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer without taking my gaze out of Aslan's carving.
"I'm positive you don't have an idea of how lucky you are, sis" I told her and immediately felt her eyes on me.
"What do you mean Pete?" She asked and I almost snorted; wasn't it obvious? "For the record, I haven't come to argue about not fighting-"
"What I mean" I cut her off with a laugh "Is that you are lucky to have seen Him"
Lu smiled understandingly "You could have seen Him if you wanted to"
I nodded slowly "It's just… I guess I was embarrassed of the asshole I had been in England and here and didn't want to hear what He had to say about it…" I trailed off and sighed "I wish he had just given me some sort of proof, you know, something to hold on to"
"Perhaps we're the ones who need to prove ourselves to Him, Pete" Lu said and grabbed my hand "And, just for the record, you have us all to hold on to"
And there it was the reason why Lu was the bravest of us all and the biggest believer in Narnia and Aslan.
However, before I had the chance to tell her that or anything, for that matter, Ed appeared.
"Didn't you hear Su's horn?" Ed asked exasperatedly as he appeared in front of us with Adrien "What are you, deaf!?"
"Easy there, mate, we were caught up talking!" Lu exclaimed and seemed about to snap at them but, seeing their pale and serious faces, I shushed her.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Pete, Lu" Adrien replied "You better come quickly"
Only when I stood beside my siblings, Caspian and Adrien in the archer's spot for the battle was that I understood that there were more important matter than my personal saving.
"Where's Beth?" I asked without taking my gaze out of the enemy.
"At the entrance, said she had to do something" Ed replied and in that moment, we heard the roar "That's my girl"
I smiled slightly. That roar, just like her father's breathe, had given me the bravery and faith I needed.
The enemy was much more numerous but with Aslan on our side, who cared about numbers?
Stay tuned! Cheers for reading!