Disclaimer: I own Vaslin, but nothing else.
Chapter 9:
"Do you think we'll find him?" Lucy asked as she climbed atop a horse, behind Susan.
"If anyone can find Aslan, you can." Vaslin told her from where he stood beside Caspian. His ankle had been healed with Lucy's cordial. "And if I know you at all, I know you'll find him."
"Can't you come with us, Vaslin?" She asked him hopefully.
"No. I'm needed here, in the case something goes wrong." He gave her a small smile. "Good luck, my Queen. Both of you."
"You too." Lucy called after him, as he vanished to the main part of the How.
Vaslin smiled to himself at her words. He hurried through the current Narnian sanctuary, knowing that any moment now Peter would be approaching Miraz. He would be there to watch. He so desperately wished that he could help, but Edmund had told him that it was single combat to the death. He hoped that Peter could outfight the Telmarine King.
The former wolf was standing amongst the Narnians alongside the top of the stairs when Peter and Edmund emerged from within the How. Both brothers wore their armor, but the High King's outfit was completed with his helmet and a shield on his arm. He was prepared to fight for Narnia's freedom.
Miraz and a few of his generals were waiting at some ruins not far outside. The armies of Telmarines behind them cheered for their King, whilst the Narnians cheered for theirs. Glenstorm was waiting and gave Peter a nod of respect as he approached.
Vaslin came to stand beside the centaur, wanting to be near the duel should an opportunity that wouldn't violate the rules come up for him to be of assistance.
Miraz stood up from where he was seated opposite of Peter.
Peter drew his sword from the sheath Edmund held. The Narnian creatures cheered.
The Telmarine leader pulled on his helmet and drew his own weapon, taking a shield from one of his men. He stepped forward into what would be their battlefield, as did Peter.
"There is still time to surrender." Miraz told the boy, his voice muffled by the mask of his helmet.
"Well, feel free." The High King of Narnia shot back.
"How many more must die for the throne?" The man asked.
"Just one." Peter pulled down the front of his helmet and leapt into action.
He climbed atop of a fallen pillar for height and leapt off of it as Miraz charger, their swords each clashing with the other's shield. The crowd cheered. As the pair of fighters steadied themselves, they turned to swing at each other again. Peter's head snapped back as his opponent's shield slammed into it.
The duel raged on with a ferocity that Vaslin couldn't remember ever seeing before; except maybe for when Aslan had leapt on top of Jadis, so long ago. Both fighters traded blow for blow, neither drawing blood for a long time. Edmund smiled from where he stood beside Vaslin and Glenstorm.
Peter was the one to draw first blood, his sword catching Miraz under the arm. The Telmarine retaliated by slamming his sword across the boy's face, knocking his helmet from his head. Peter cried out at the impact, but recovered in time to step back from a sword swipe at his neck. His sword cut across Miraz's leg and the gold armored man gasped in agony.
The Telmarine leader hesitated before growling and swinging at Peter's feet as he charged. The High King was tripped, flipping over to land on his back. He quickly rolled to his hands and knees, however, and stood back up.
Peter blocked another attack with his shield. He and Miraz exchanged blows for a moment, but he was ultimately thrown to the ground again. The Telmarine stepped on his opponent's shield, causing Peter's arm to bend the wrong way. The boy cried out as a crack came from his arm, Vaslin stiffening in worry. Edmund, too, grimaced from beside him.
The High King swung at Miraz, making him step back. With his shield no longer under the other man's boot, Peter rolled away from him. On his back, he parried a few more swings from Miraz. Then, he slammed his sword against the Telmarine leader's so hard that the man lost balance and tripped over him, falling to the ground as well.
As the two opponents got to their feet, Caspian and Susan emerged from the forest, atop a horse different than the one Susan and Lucy had left on. Lucy wasn't with the pair.
"Does His Highness need a respite?" Miraz asked Peter.
"Five minutes?" The High King offered, voice trembling in pain.
"Three!" The Telmarine King decided.
As Miraz limped to his men, Edmund assisted Peter off of the battlefield. Susan and Caspian joined Glenstorm and Vaslin.
"Lucy?" Peter asked worriedly, noticing their sister wasn't near.
"She got through. With a little help." Susan assured him with a glance at the prince.
Vaslin let out a breath of relief, grateful of Caspian for once.
"Thanks." Peter told him.
"Well, you were busy." The prince pointed out.
"Better get up there, just in case." The High King ordered Susan, nodding to the top of the How. "I don't expect the Telmarines will keep their word."
The High Queen pulled her brother into a hug, causing him to gasp in pain. "Sorry."
"It's alright."
"Be careful."
"Keep smiling." Edmund ordered, clearly wanting to reassure the other Narnians that nothing was too out of control.
As Susan raced off towards her post atop the How, Peter pulled a forced smile and raised his sword. The Narnians cheered.
As the High King sat down, he gasped in pain. "I think it's dislocated."
Edmund came to his side to prepare to push his shoulder back in place.
"What do you think happens back home if you die here?" Peter wondered.
The younger King and the former wolf both glanced at him in horror at the possibility of him dying.
"You know, you've always been there, and I never really-" The blonde haired boy cried out as his shoulder was pushed back into place.
"Save it for later." Edmund advised, handing his brother his sword again.
Miraz stood up as the High King did.
When offered his helmet, Peter shook his head.
"You can do this." Vaslin told him.
"I hope so" was the reply.
Across the battlefield, Miraz pushed his own helmet aside. He stepped forward, favoring his cut leg. Peter raced towards the Telmarine leader, being the first to lash out. His opponent blocked. The High King cried out as Miraz bashed their shields, making the boy's injured arm ache. The shield next collided with his face, a yowl of pain escaping him.
They fought for a long moment, but Miraz was stronger. He managed to knock Peter into a pillar, knocking the boy over and disorienting him. The Telmarine leader attacked again, whilst his opponent still lay on the ground. Peter managed to block, albeit sloppily, eventually managing to knock Miraz's feet out from underneath him.
They both got up as fast as they could, fighting again. Peter managed to rid of Miraz's sword, throwing his own shield away to put more power behind his swings. He slammed his sword down on Miraz's shield as the Telmarine used the only thing he held to fight back.
The High King's sword slid between his opponent's body and arm, getting caught and pulled from his grasp. Miraz's forearm slammed across his face, then his shield did. Peter managed to get ahold of the Telmarine's shield on the next attack, both fighting over which direction it would go.
That's when Peter spun around with the shield above their heads, twisting Miraz's arms to pin the shield against the man's back. The Telmarine's elbow connected with the boy's face, knocking him back. The shield fell to the ground and Miraz slammed Peter's stomach into part of the ruins. He used the spare moment to retrieve one of their swords from the ground.
Peter leapt aside just in time, the sword hitting the stone where he'd been a moment ago. He used the armor on his forearms to block another swing. He punched Miraz across the face, distracting him long enough to be able to kick his injured leg right on the cut.
The Telmarine King gasped in agony, staggering back before falling over. "Respite! Respite."
The Narnians cheered.
The High King approached him with raised fists.
"Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter!" Edmund called.
But Peter hesitated and lowered his arms. Believing there to be a respite, he turned his back to Miraz.
What's he doing? Vaslin wondered in disbelief.
At the same time, Miraz grasped his sword from the ground and got up, swinging at Peter from behind.
"Look out!" Edmund and Vaslin shouted together.
The High King whipped around, dodging to his right. He caught the Telmarine's sword as he swung again, tearing the weapon from his grasp. Spinning around, Peter stabbed Miraz at an angle under his chestplate.
The swordsman half the Telmarine leader's age withdrew the sword. A gasping Miraz fell to his knees. Peter stood, prepared to slash off the man's head. But, again, he hesitated.
The onlookers were silent.
"What's the matter, boy?" Miraz taunted. "Too cowardly to take a life?"
"It's not mine to take." Peter lowered his weapon and turned, holding it out for Caspian to take.
The prince swallowed, but came forward. He took the weapon from the High King's grasp and stalked up to Miraz, holding the weapon to the throat of the man who had ruined his life.