"Alright?" Susan asked hesitantly as she handed Peter his helmet, something of a sad frown on her face.

Peter swallowed hard and slowly nodded. "I think so." He mumbled.

Susan stared at him for a couple of seconds before sighing sadly. "We will win this battle." She said gently, placing a hand on her brothers shoulder. "I promise you we will."

Peter nodded somewhat firmly. "We have to." He whispered. "For everyones sake. For Edmund's sake."

Susan gave him a sad smile and a small nod before she grabbed her bow and arrow. "For Edmunds sake." She copied.

Edmund swallowed hard as he slowly sat down against a tree, taking a deep breath and letting his eyes slip shut for just a second.

It wasn't long before they were snapping open again, after Edmund had heard something.

It sounded like the russle of a bush, and his heart immediately skipped a beat.

Standing slowly and drawing his sword, he pointed it ahead of him and slowly continued walking, his heart pounding.

He walked for around ten minutes, making sure no one was following him before allowing himself to relax and put his sword away, although his hands were still shaking a little.

After half an hour he'd relaxed completely, and kicked a stone as he walked, sighing a little before glancing ahead of him.

The woods carried on for miles from what he could see, and if he was honest he found himself thinking that he probably would've preferred to stay behind with Peter.

Walking through the woods, alone and with the threat of the witches followers being nearby, made him more scared than he probably even realised. At least back home and Cair he would have Peter to protect him and keep him safe, whereas out here, he was unprotected, and only had a sword in means of defense, and even now he wasn't exactly the best swordsman in Narnia, granted according to the Narnians he was good, better than Peter anyway, but it was winter and he was cold, his fingers already numb, and that just made this situation a whole lot worse.

He understood though, why Peter had sent him away. He only wanted to protect him, and if he was honest with himself, Edmund knew he had been right. Peter might not of been able to protect him from the witches followers, not if they were all after him, there would be too many of them. And while Edmund had no doubt that Peter would've fought them off until his last breath , there was still a very small chance that Edmund still would've been alive by the end of the battle.

There was also another reason Edmund had left. It wasn't just to obey his brother, or even to just protect himself. He'd left to protect Peter too.

If Edmund had stayed behind, there was no doubt that Peter would've done everything he physically could to protect his younger brother, and what with the witches followers after Edmund, Edmund had no doubt that if Peter had tried to protect him, he would've ended up getting seriously hurt... or worse.

But without Edmund there, Peter could concentrate on protecting himself.

He wondered for a moment if he had let the girls fight, before frowning. Never in a million years would Peter let a 12 year old Lucy fight in a battle. Edmund knew that Lucy would try and use the excuse that he was 12 at the battle of Beruna, but he also knew that Peter wouldn't change his mind just because of that.

He might've let Susan fight, but he definitely would not let Lucy.

With a sigh Edmund rubbed at his eyes, blinking back sleep and pulling his cloak tightly around him, shivering in the breeze and forcing back any memories that were trying to make themselves known.

He could do this. He could get through a day or two, he had to. For his own sake as well as his siblings.

"They're almost here you're majesties." Orious said hesitantly as he walked up to Susan and Peter, who were stood at the front of the army that had assembled outside of Cair, ready to defend the castle as best they could.

Peter took a deep breath, unsheathing his sword. "We can do this." He choked.

Susan nodded. "Of course we can." She said, gripping her bow tightly in her hand.

"May I ask, where King Edmund is?" Orious asked suddenly, a frown making Its way onto his face.

Peter stared at him for a while. "I suppose you can be trusted." He said quietly. "We sent him away from the castle to protect him."

Orious stared at him for a moment. "A wise decision." He said with a nod.

"The witches followers cannot know!" Peter said quickly, but quietly so that no one else would be able to hear. "As far as they know, the hag succeeded in killing Edmund."

"Well, what will you tell the rest of the Narnians?" Orious asked. "They're sure to be confused if they overhear that, and give away that he isn't actually dead."

Peter hesitated for a little while, before turning to the army. "Everyone listen up!" He shouted, bringing everyone to silence. "I want everyone to listen carefully to what I'm about to say. As far as anyone is concerned, King Edmund is dead."

Everyone looked so confused that Susan almsot laughed.

"If anyone asks, King Edmund was killed by a hag." Peter shouted. "And if anyone says anything other than that if asked, then I will kill them personally."

Susan sighed slightly, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder to calm him down.

Peter glanced at her before sighing. "I will, and don't think I won't." He finished firmly before turning back around.

And it was then that he caught sight of the witches followers. "This is it." He choked, watching as they slowly got closer.

"We can do this." Susan said, grabbing an arrow quickly.

Peter nodded. "For Narnia's sake. And for Edmund's sake."

Hi guys! I'm so sorry that I didn't update last week or yesterday!! I've just been kinda busy with Christmas and everything. But I'm hopefully after this chapter back to updating every Tuesday! xx

Also, I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! xx