Chapter 21
Peter was riding hard and his mount was showing it. Leaning down he patted the horse's neck. "Please we must keep going,"
Maybe it was more sentient than it first seemed or maybe it sensed the desperation in his tone but the horse drove onward with a new energy. It was clear that Oreius was having a hard time keeping up and so Peter's panic gave way to clear thought and he rubbed the mount once more. "Pace yourself we have a long way to go,"
He hoped that he was wrong.
…
Bryson was leaning on his training to keep himself still as Bryson beat Falaah in front of him. Whether this was meant to punish Falaah for running or him helping her was unknown. What made it worse was that Rabdash had insisted that Bryson and only Bryson was present.
Each strike drew out a new cry of pain and Bryson's hand twitched closer to his sword only to stop from his training. He was ordered to get Rabdash home and to prevent war at any cost.
He was nearing his breaking point when one of the scouts sounded the horn for full alert. This was what Bryson was praying for. His secret message had made it to High King Peter. The response was a Narnian horn of greater volume maybe even two or three.
Bryson had fought Narnian infantry if the High King's force was anything like his brother's then they may very well be able to run roughshod over the whole camp killing every Calormen soldier they found in less than ten minutes.
Moving to the door Bryson saw High King Peter for the first time. He was mounted on his horse and in half of his armour. Not bothering to stop his mount Peter jumped off and hit the ground running. One soldier made to stop him only to freeze when Peter fixed him with a wrathful gaze.
The entourage followed much slower and less threatening. As the High King made it to the center of the camp. " RABDASH!" Peter roared at the camp. " FACE ME NOW OR I WILL BURN THIS CAMP TO THE GROUND."
If Rabdash was afraid of what seemed to be an outraged lion masquerading as a man pacing in his front yard then he wasn't showing it.
"YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE FLOWER WOULD YOU." Rabdash shouted, dragging Falaah out by her hair.
When Peter saw this his state or anger seemed to somehow change from rage to a righteous and unabated fury. "Now that I have your attention I have a proposition for you." Rabdash said getting closer to Peter than Bryson would like.
Peter offered no answer simply seething while trying not to savagely beat Rabdash to death. "You can leave my camp and leave us in peace or you can fight me for this near worthless piece of flesh." as he spoke he shoved Falaah forward by her hair.
"Absolutely." Peter growled taking his shield from his back and hanging it from his arm. As his right hand reached for his sword Rabdash turned to Bryson. "Will you fight in my stead. I seemed to have mildly injured my shoulder correcting the actions of this wretched wench."
His tone made it clear that this was his plan the whole time. He wanted Bryson to kill Peter in order to allow him to either have his war or return home with the head of a fallen king and kingdom unwilling to fight.
"Of course your majesty let me speak with my second in command for a moment." Bryson responded formally before turning to his left and muttering something to the man who nodded and stepped back from the center.
Drawing his own scimitar Bryson stepped forward to Peter and with a mutual nod the battle was on. They were both doing this out of love and for the love of the same person.
…
Oreius made a fact of watching Peter with one eye and the calormen lieutenant with the other. The lieutenant was approaching from a semi-blind angle. Peter and Bryson were moving at a speed that was hard to track; it reminded him of when Peter had destroyed the white witch.
"Centaur," the lieutenant whispered from his side. "I have word from my commander, Rabdash plans to have his men kill you if my commander loses. We do not want this and will protect you and your men with our lives if this happens but you must not draw your weapons. Doing so would be seen as an act of war,"
Oreius went to ask why he should trust them but the lieutenant seemed to be gone just as fast as he had appeared. Looking around, Oreius saw several men positioned in the crowd of soldiers who seemed to be looking around and assigning which of the mad princes men would need to be killed first.
Oreius cringed in pain when Bryson drove his boot into Peter's shield exposing the back of the high king's shoulder which Bryson quickly chopped down on dislocating the joint and making Peter drop his shield.
Yet Peter made his pay for it swinging around and bringing his blade down to cleave through Bryson's now exposed head. The Sanjaris commander sidestepped but still took the brunt of the blow of his collar bone making him drop his sword before drawing his dagger in his buckler hand.
It had seemed a very even fight but Peter was getting the better of it. He was still armed with a sword and his breathing was still steady while Bryson's was rough.
Bryson went in for a backhand hoping to bind Peter's blade in his chainmail only to stop when he felt the tip of Rhindon rest in his throat. This was the same position that Peter was in with a Calormen captain less than a month ago.
"Peace, Falaah for your life and the peace we all want?" Peter asked hoping that Bryson would be wiser than the captain. It may seem like Peter was asking for more than he was giving but Bryson knew what war between the Narnians and the Empire would be like. Short and very bloody with many, many dead Calormen.
Falaah was a small price to weigh against the entire Empire. Stepping Back Bryson answered "these terms are acceptable, we will leave within the day,"
Rabdash's men went for their swords but the only ones that managed to draw them were almost as quickly shot by the archers that Bryson had waiting for such matters.
Rabdash, realizing that his plan wasn't working, grabbed a horn and blasted it as loud as he could. He was waiting for what he knew was supposed to respond but it never came . He tried again but instead of the calormen horns he was rewarded with a tired chuckle. The source was an old grey wolf that had been completely unnoticed by the Calormen.
"That ambush isn't coming your highness." he said circling the mad prince. "My queen will be here soon to explain." Peter recognized the wolf as the second in command to Maugrim. That alone told Peter who was coming. This matched with the loud roar of a minotaur announcing that "Queen Lucy of Narnia" had arrived.
And arrive she did followed by her general axe in hand. If any of the Calormen thought about attacking the newcomer the minotaur and werewolf walking behind her on her right and left discouraged them.
"You must be Rabdash." she said to the fuming prince. "You sir are an ass, run home while you can and beg your father for mercy." without another word Lucy turned to Peter like a mother who had just admonished her unruly child.
"My wolves tell me that the storm is gone, do you know how this happened?" she asked.
Before Peter could answer Rabdash yelled in frustration taking a bow from one of his men and drawing an arrow on Falaah. If nothing else he was getting his payback.
Thinking fast and knowing that he still couldn't move his left arm Peter dropped his sword and dragged Falaah behind him shielding her with his back. The arrow would practically ignore his chainmail and kill him but that didn't matter.
Peter heard shouting he heard the sound of an arrow being fired and he heard the sound of a broadhead ripping through flesh. But he felt nothing. Turning around he saw Rabdash falling to his knees with an arrow sticking out of his neck. Following the arrow back to its source revealed Bryson handing the bow back to one of his archers.
'I was ordered to prevent war at any cost," he explained both to the dieing prince and to the confused Narnians. "We will be out of the country inside of two days but we will need time to break down our camp. Also I have heard that Rabdash ordered poisoned arrows to be used on your brother." snapping his hand at one of his men the soldier quickly produced a small bottle. "This should cure that but be careful it is very hard to make."
Peter accepted the vial before turning to leave with the matter settled. Between men such as him and Bryson there was no need for words in moments such as these. Grabbing Rhindon, Peter looked to Falaah.
The last time they had spoken he had accused her of trying to kill his brother, betraying his trust, and he had threatened to kill her. He had no right to ask for forgiveness but he still needed to try. Because a life without her wouldn't have been a life worth living.
"Falaah I…" in hindsight he would laugh at how hard of a task this was for him. He had praised Edmund for being able to take ownership of his errors and now he was fighting much harder to do the same. "Falaah I'm so sorry, I…" in spite of the crowd that was watching them there he let the tears fall and his voice crack. "I'm so sorry, I love you and I made a horrific mistake, if you can't come with me I understand but please, at least let me know if you can forgive me."
Everyone was trying not to cry at this point. Including Bryson much to the shock of his men.
"Of course I forgive you Peter," Falaah said walking the short distance to him. Resting one of her hands on his face she gently kissed him leaning back to say. "Let's go home."
…
Edmund's caretakers had waited for the satyrs to return from Cair Paravel. Once they had the choice to return to the safety of its walls was made. The timing was fortuitous since as they reached the main gate so did the High King and his company. Quickly dismounting from his horse Peter ran to his brother's side uncapping the vial from Bryson he hesitated.
In the end he trusted Bryson. He had saved both his life and Falaah', and he was in his right to do neither. Pouring the contents down his brother's throat there was a short pause before Edmund opened his eyes and sat up. The mixing of the cordial with the antidote had finally allowed the magic to go to work. Clutching at his chest Edmund's eyes went wide with fear. "Peter, Cetus and the other's,"
Peter placed a consoling hand on his brother's chest. "I know Ed, we will send out a group to bury them once we get things settled here."
Helping the young king to his feet Peter walked back through the gates of Cair Paravel with Falaah's hand intertwined with his own he went to face whatever the world had to throw at them. That is until he entered into the main hall and found Simon and Susan sharing one of the thrones, Susan contentedly leaning against her husband waiting for Peter to arrive.
Peter's right hand went to reach for his sword but Falaah refused to release it, not permitting him to do so. When he looked at her she fixed with a gaze that needed no words. Love could come from anywhere. It could be obvious to everyone or it could come out of nowhere.
And so ends our tale. High King Peter Pevenise would go on to rule beside Wife, Falaah Pevensie the first, Queen of Narnia. Susan beside Simon Moses Novac, High Prince or Narnia.
Edmund would grow both in wisdom and wit one day going on a sabbatical to Archenland only to return married to a tavern owner nearly twelve years his elder. She would go on to be Princess Lisa Hatcher Pevensie.
Lucy would be the last to marry of the four. She had been waiting for someone special and eventually she got her chance. After returning to the Empire Bryson was rewarded for his loyal service by the Tisroc making him the next prince of the Empire. There were a few who dissent the raising for a common man to the next in line to the throne but they were all dealt with one way or another. It was then that ten years after the events of this tale Bryson the first Tisroc of the Calormen Empire returned to Narnia to speak with his cousin and discuss a trade deal.
Those events lead to the marriage of Lucy Pevensie of Narnia to Bryson the first of the Calomen Empire but that is another story for a different time. So long, farewell, and thank you for your time.