ANNABELL

"COMMANDER," a voice called out as they walked into my throne room where I was sat on my throne, twirling my dagger on the armrest.

I looked up to see Caspian walking into the room and as he went to bowed towards me, I held up my hand. "You don't need to bow. I've never been comfortable with the bowing," I informed him as I smiled towards him.

He nodded and I noticed he was shuffling on his feet which made me ask; "What's wrong Caspian?"

The Telmarine prince didn't answer my question before he turned towards the entrance of the room. Four figures entered the room which caused my smile to fall from my face. "Annabell?!" Lucy cried out when her eyes meet mine.

The other Pevensies remained silent as they stared at me with wide eyes. I, however, remained silent as I narrowed my eyes at them and continued twirling my dagger on the armrest. "How are you alive?" Susan asked as she walked towards me but was stopped by Granir, a male minotaur, moving towards her with his axe raised slightly.

I held out my hand which stopped Granir from moving towards Susan. "Commander..." I interrupted Granir by stabbing my dagger into the armrest and throwing up both my hands before ordering; "Leave us."

Those beside Caspian, the Pevensie and myself left the throne room. I stood up from my throne and stepped down from the raised platform. Lucy smiled brightly before rushing towards me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I, however, didn't hug her back as my arms remained by my side. "How ARE you alive?" Edmund asked when Lucy pulled away from me.

"Aslan used magic to keep me young," I answered in a cold tone as I walked over to the tablet in the room where had my plans laid out on it.

I flipped through my plans, ignoring those in the room with me. "They called you Commander," Susan commented as she moved to stand beside me and look down at my plans.

"A commander led their people through times of war," I snapped as I threw the plans that were in my hands onto the table.

I turned on my feet and walked back over to my throne. I removed my dagger from the art rest and placed it back in its sheath on my left thigh. As I went to walk out of the room, I was stopped by someone grabbing onto my upper arm. My head whipped around to see Peter who the one was grabbed my arm. "Let go of me," I snarled towards him as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What happened to you?" he asked as he stared down at me in surprise.

His question caused me to scoff before I ripped my arm out of his grip and snapped; "A lot has happened in the past 1300 years."

We remained staring down at each other in silence before the sounds of hooves hitting the ground making us turn our heads towards the entrance to a male faun running into the throne room. "Commander, Telmarine soldier was sighted outside the permitter," he informed me making me shake my head.

"Gather everyone by the Stone Table," I ordered him as I walked towards him.

"Annabell, what's going on?" I heard Susan ask me which made me stop and look at her over my shoulder.

"We're at war," was all I said before I walked out of the throne room, leaving the Pevensies alone.

"It's only a matter of time. Miraz' men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle," Peter spoke to those gathered by the Stone Table.

I was sat on the Stone Table with Lucy sitting behind me. "What do you propose we do, Sire?" Reepicheep asked which made both Caspian and Peter step forward.

"We..." Caspian began as Peter also spoke; "Our..."

Peter looked over with a hard gaze which made Caspian take a slight step back in surrender. "Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us," Peter spoke which made me scoff.

"But that's crazy, no one has ever taken that castle," Caspian explained to Peter as he looked over at me for help.

"There's always a first time for everything," Peter remarked back as he looked over at me in judgement.

I let out another scoff as I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "And we'll have the element of surprise," Trumpkin, the dwarf that was saved from the Telmarine by the Pevensies, added.

"But we have the advantage here," Caspian spoke before I spoke up; "The element of surprise will only get us so far and if one thing doesn't go according to plan, we will not have a back plan. Many lives will be lost if we fail."

Peter and I stared each other down as he had forgotten I had more experience in planning battle strategies then he did. Back in the Golden Age, I handled the more politicly side of Narnia while he and Edmund handled the military.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely," Susan offered a strategy, but I shook my head.

"I, for one, feel safer underground," Trufflehunter spoke up making me smile slightly towards me.

"Look, I appreciate what you've done, but this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb," Peter said to Caspian as I jumped down from the Stone Table to stand between them.

"Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart, they'll just starve us out," Edmund added which I agreed.

Although I didn't agree with Peter's plan to storm the Telmarine Castle, I knew we couldn't stay here as the Telmarines knew where we were. "We could collect nuts!" Pattertwig, an excited squirrel, exclaiming loudly which made Reepicheep reply sarcastically; "Oh yes, and throw them at the Telmarines!"

The warrior mouse then scowled down at the Pattertwig and barked; "Shut up!"

"Enough, Reepicheep," I called out the mouse who smiled sheepishly and gave me a small bow.

"I'm sorry, Commander," he said to me before he turned to Peter and spoke; "I think you know where I stand on this, Sire."

"If I can get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" Peter asked Glenstorm as he approached the centaur.

Glenstorm looked towards Caspian and I before looking towards Peter and replying; "Or die trying, my liege."

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy stated which caused everyone to look towards her.

"Sorry?" Peter asked his sister as his eyes narrowed in confusion at her statement.

"Well, you're all acting like there are only two options: Dying here, or dying there," Lucy explained which I agreed with her.

"I'm not sure you have been listening..." Lucy cut off Peter; "No, you're not listening. Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

Her words caused everyone to grow silent as they looked between the two siblings. "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," Peter spoke in a harsh, cold tone which caused me to stare at him in disbelief.

"Your disbelief in Aslan is what keeping him away," I snapped at him before walking over to him and whispering to him; "I may have been left alone for over a thousand years...but my hope never faded."

I didn't give him a chance to respond as I walked out of the room to prepare myself for the raid. Let's hope that Peter's plan doesn't get us killed.