Full title of chapter: It Cannot Be Anymore Beautiful (1)

"Maugrim?! Dead?!"

"Aslan will be after us! You better fly, your majesty! You better fly!"

"Silence! There need be no flying! You! Go fetch my werewolves and the spirits of all dark trees! And I, I shall summon the others to come to me, as speedily as they can! Come to me all who are evil! Come ghouls and goblins! Freaks, sprites, woozes, nettings, bats, witches, minotaurs, and black dwarves! Fetch all who's evil works for me! We will fight! Have I not still the wand? Shall not the ranks of the enemy turn to stone, even as they come? Come to me, evil! Four thrones in Cair Paravel. How if only three were filled? That would not fulfill the prophecy!"

"Yet, it might be better to keep this one. For bargaining with."

"Yes. And have him rescued?!"

"Then we better do what we have to do then at once!"

"I want the sacrifice on the Stone Table. That is the proper place. That is where such things have always been done before."

"Could be a long time before the Stone Table is again put to its proper use."

"Then let it be done now! And here!"

Ginnarbrik hands the witch a dagger.

"Prepare the victim!"

She goes over to a large rock and sharpens the blade, while Ginnarbrik gets Edmund ready. Oreius the Centaur and a few fauns charge in and untie Edmund, and they distract the with and Ginnarbrik from killing him. Edmund jumps up on Oreius' back and they ride for the camp.

The next morning, Peter walked out of his tent to look outside. Oreius was outside, and he directed Peter to look up on the hills to see Edmund talking to Aslan. Peter did not know what to think. He was just glad his brother was back. And that he was alive. The girls came walking out of their tent, and Ivar came running up.

"Edmund!"

"Wait, Lucy. Wait till he's done talking to Aslan."

Edmund came walking down the hill, and even though Peter was still upset with him for betraying the family, he still loved his brother. Aslan followed up behind him.

"What's done is done. There is no need to speak to Edmund about what has passed."

"Hello-."

"Oh, Edmund!"

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling kind of tired."

"Get some rest. And Ed, try not to wander off again."

"I'll go see about breakfast for all of us."

"Thanks, Kayla."

"I'll go with her."

"Are you sure you're not rushing this with her, Ivar?"

"We're just going to walk and talk."

Ivar ran to catch up with Kayla, much to Kayla's disappointment and delight.

"Just you?"

"Yes, it's just me."

"I would have thought Lucy would want to come with me."

"Are you mad that I'm the one going with you?"

"No. No, not really."

"Not really?"

"Yes, not really."

"Then, you are mad at me about something. What is it?"

"Yesterday, when we were sparring. When I had you cornered. The way you looked at me. Why did you look at me like that?"

"You looked at me the same way, Kayla. Keep that in mind. So, I can ask you the same question. And why did you call me handsome? You have never ever said that I'm handsome, or good looking, or anything of that sort. Why now?"

"Ivar, you know how I am. I don't have an answer for everything. This is one of those situations that I don't have an explanation for."

"Then my answer is the same as yours. I decided to look into your eyes, and I liked what I saw."

Ivar walked to the feasting tent by himself, wondering if he gave too much away with his last response to Kayla. He carried a table and some cushions outside so that they could eat outside. Kayla came in to get the food for everyone. Peter came to help Ivar carry the table outside. He could feel the tension.

"Something happen between you two?"

"Between you and I, Peter, I don't know what happened. She seems to be mad at me for looking into her eyes on the sparring field yesterday, or at least the fact that I can't give her answer as to why I did so."

"Everyone saw it happen, Ivar. Everyone also saw her look into your eyes."

"I asked her about it, and she said she doesn't have an explanation either. I also asked why she called me handsome. Her answer was the same then."

"I just hope a full-scale battle does not erupt between the two of you."

"Yeah, we've got too much on our hands already."

"Well, let's go get the others for breakfast."

"I'll admit, the only time Kayla does not look pretty is when she's eating. She is a messy eater."

"No one is supposed to look pretty when they're eating, Ivar."

"I suppose your right."

"Edmund! Lucy! Susan! Time to eat!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

Peter had guessed that Edmund had no eaten good since the meal at the Beaver's dam, and he was right.

"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Edmund."

"Then you better pack some for the journey."

"So, we're going home?"

"You four are. You girls and Edmund."

"Woah, Peter! Hold your Arabian stallions right there! No one makes decisions for me! No one! I can take care of myself!"

"I promised I would keep you all safe, and there's no reason I can't stay and help And Ivar, too."

"Peter, you are missing the point. With just you here, then everything is pointless!"

"They need us! All six of us!"

"Lucy, it's too dangerous. You were almost attacked by wolves; Edmund was almost killed!"

"Which is why we have to stay."

"I'm siding with Edmund for once, Peter."

"What?"

"He has a valid point. And so does Kayla. We don't work without the other. If it was just you and I to stay, what could we do? There are four thrones in Cair Paravel, not two. And I'm not even one of the ones that is supposed to sit in those thrones. In the book Mr. Tumnus gave to Kayla, it said that the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve that will sit in those thrones are of the Narnian dynasty. That, is you four Pevensies. Even though my ancestors have been wiped out, I still have a place here."

"And I have my own throne to take back. After I eat, I'm going to talk to Athair about that. I need more answers. The details this book doesn't tell me."

"I've seen what the White Witch can do, and I've helped her do it. We can't leave everyone behind to suffer for it. The prophecy says four thrones, and four thrones shall be filled by the ones who are supposed to sit in them."

"Well, I guess that's it then."

"Where are you going, Su?"

"To get in some practice."

"I'm going to find Athair."

For once in his life, Peter had to admit that the younger ones were right.