"I wish Aslan had turned up before it came to this," Trumpkin said.
"So do I," Trufflehunter said. "But look behind you."
"Crows and crockery!" the Dwarf muttered as soon as he had done so. "What are they? Huge people, beautiful people, like gods and goddesses and giants. Hundreds and thousands of them, closing in behind us. What are they?"
"It's the Dryads and Hamadryads and Silvans," Trufflehunter said. "Aslan has waked them."
"Humph!" the Dwarf said. "That'll be very useful if the enemy try any treachery. But it won't help the High King very much if Miraz proves handier with his sword."
The Badger said nothing, for now Peter and Miraz were entering the lists from opposite ends, both on foot, both in chain shirts, with helmets and shields.
They advanced till they were close together. Both bowed and seemed to speak, but it was impossible to hear what they said.
Next moment the two swords flashed in the sunlight. For a second the clash could be heard but it was immediately drowned because both armies began shouting like crowds at a football match.
"Well done, Peter, oh, well done!" Edmund shouted as he saw Miraz reel back a whole pace and a half.
"Follow it up, quick!" And Peter did, and for a few seconds it looked as if the fight might be won. But then Miraz pulled himself together, began to make real use of his height and weight.
"Miraz! Miraz! The King! The King!" came the roar of the Telmarines.
Caspian, Edmund and Arvid grew white with sickening anxiety.
"Peter is taking some dreadful knocks," Arvid said.
"Hullo!" Caspian said. "What's happening now?"
"Both falling apart," Edmund said. "A bit blown, I expect. Watch. Ah, now they're beginning again, more scientifically this time. Circling round and round, feeling each other's defences."
"I'm afraid this Miraz knows his work," the Doctor muttered.
But hardly had he said this when there was such a clapping and baying and throwing up of hoods among the Old Narnians that it was nearly deafening.
"What was it? What was it?" the Doctor asked. "My old eyes missed it."
"The High King has pricked him in the arm-pit," Caspian said, still clapping. "Just where the arm-hole of the hauberk let the point through. First blood."
"It's looking ugly again now, though," Arvid said.
"Peter's not using his shield properly." Edmund said. "He must be hurt in the left arm."
It was only too true. Everyone could see that Peter's shield hung limp. The shouting of the Telmarines redoubled.
"You've seen more battles than I," Caspian said. "Is there any chance now?"
"Precious little," Edmund said. "I suppose he might just do it. With luck."
"Oh, why did we let it happen at all?" Caspian said.
Suddenly all the shouting on both sides died down. Edmund was puzzled for a moment. Then he said, "Oh, I see. They've both agreed to a rest. Come on, Doctor. You and I may be able to do something for the High King."
They ran down to the lists and Peter came outside the ropes to meet them, his face red and sweaty, his chest heaving.
"Is your left arm wounded?" Edmund asked.
"It's not exactly a wound," Peter said. "I got the full weight of his shoulder on my shield, like a load of bricks, and the rim of the shield drove into my wrist. I don't think it's broken, but it might be a sprain. If you could tie it up very tight I think I could manage."
While they were doing this, Edmund asked anxiously, "What do you think of him, Peter?"
"Tough," Peter said. "Very tough. I have a chance if I can keep him on the hop till his weight and short wind come against him, in this hot sun too. To tell the truth, I haven't much chance else. Give my love to, to everyone at home, Ed, if he gets me. Here he comes into the lists again. So long, old chap. Good-bye, Doctor. And I say, Ed, say something specially nice to Trumpkin. He's been a brick."
Edmund couldn't speak. He walked back with the Doctor to his own lines with a sick feeling in his stomach.
But the new bout went well. Peter now seemed to be able to make some use of his shield, and he certainly made good use of his feet. He was almost playing Tig with Miraz now, keeping out of range, shifting his ground, making the enemy work.
"Coward!" the Telmarines booed. "Why dont you stand up to him? Don't you like it, eh? Thought you'd come to fight, not dance. Yah!"
"Oh, I do hope he won't listen to them," Arvid said.
"Not he," Edmund said. "You don't know him, Oh!"
Miraz had got in a blow at last, on Peter's helmet. Peter staggered, slipped sideways and fell on one knee. The roar of the Telmarines rose like the noise of the sea.
"Now, Miraz," they yelled. "Now. Quick! Quick! Kill him."
But indeed there was no need to egg the usurper on. He was on top of Peter already. Edmund bit his lips till the blood came, as the sword flashed down on Peter. It looked as if it would slash off his head. Thank heavens! it had glanced down his right shoulder. The Dwarf-wrought mail was sound and did not break.
"Great Scott!" Edmund cried. "He's up again. Peter, go it, Peter."
"I couldn't see what happened," the Doctor said. "How did he do it?"
"Grabbed Miraz's arm as it came down," Trumpkin said, dancing with delight. "There's a man for you! Uses his enemy's arm as a ladder. The High King! The High King! Up, Old Narnia!"
"Look," Trufflehunter said. "Miraz is angry. It is good."
They were certainly at it hammer and tongs now: such a flurry of blows that it seemed impossible for either not to be killed. As the excitement grew, the shouting almost died away. The spectators were holding their breath. It was most horrible and most magnificent.
A great shout arose from the Old Narnians. Miraz was down, not struck by Peter, but face downwards, having tripped on a tussock. Peter stepped back, waiting for him to rise.
"Oh bother, bother, bother," Edmund said to himself. "Need he be as gentlemanly as all that? I suppose he must. Comes of being a Knight and a High King. I suppose it is what Aslan would like. But that brute will be up again in a minute and then—"
But "that brute" never rose. The Lords Glozelle and Sopespian had their own plans ready. As soon as they saw their King down they leaped into the lists crying, "Treachery! Treachery! The Narnian traitor has stabbed him in the back while he lay helpless. To arms! To arms, Telmar!"
Peter hardly understood what was happening. He saw two big men running towards him with drawn swords. Then the third Telmarine had leaped over the ropes on his left.
"To arms, Narnia! Treachery!" Peter shouted.
If all three had set upon him at once he would never have spoken again. But Glozelle stopped to stab his own King dead where he lay: "That's for your insult, this morning," he whispered as the blade went home.
Peter swung to face Sopespian, slashed his legs from under him and, with the back-cut of the same stroke, walloped off his head.
Edmund and Arvid were now by Peter side. As they fought alongside Peter Edmund was crying, "Narnia, Narnia! The Lion!"
The whole Telmarine army was rushing towards them. But now the Giant was stamping forward, stooping low and swinging his club. The Centaurs charged. Twang, twang behind and hiss, hiss overhead came the archery of Dwarfs. Trumpkin was fighting at his left. Full battle was joined.
"Come back, Reepicheep, you little ass!" Peter shouted. "You'll only be killed. This is no place for mice."
But the ridiculous little creatures were dancing in and out among the feet of both armies, jabbing with their swords. Many a Telmarine warrior that day felt his foot suddenly pierced as if by a dozen skewers, hopped on one leg cursing the pain, and fell as often as not. If he fell, the mice finished him off; if he did not, someone else did.
Arvid was not as skilled of a fighter as Peter and Edmund. He was making no use at all of his shield causing his whole side to be exposed. He hadn't the faintest idea what to do with his sword. He was waving it wildly hoping to hit one of the Telmarines. Arvid felt his sword being knocked out of his hand. Then he went down.
Almost before the old Narnians were really warmed to their work they found the enemy giving way. Tough-looking warriors turned white, gazed in terror not on the Old Narnians but on something behind them, and then flung down their weapons, shrieking, "The Wood! The Wood! The end of the world!"
But soon neither their cries nor the sound of weapons could be heard any more, for both were drowned in the ocean-like roar of the Awakened Trees as they plunged through the ranks of Peter's army, and then on, in pursuit of the Telmarines.
To the Telmarines it felt as though they were standing at the edge of a great wood on a high ridge when a wild south-wester broke over it in full fury on an autumn evening however instead of the wood being fixed in one place it was rushing at them.
It was a little alarming even for the Narnians. In a few minutes all Miraz's followers were running down to the Great River in the hope of crossing the bridge to the town of Beruna and there defending themselves behind ramparts and closed gates.
They reached the river, but there was no bridge. It had disappeared since yesterday. Then utter panic and horror fell upon them and they all surrendered.
But what had happened to the bridge?