I: 'and though i'm down, i'll be coming back fighting'

It was one of the rare times when Lucy would tag along with Edmund to negotiate with the surrounding countries. It had taken quite a lot of pleading and berating on her part, with Edmund giving exasperated excuses until he ran out of them. Finally, she was allowed to accompany him, under orders from the High King to not stray from Edmund's side.

She hadn't for the entire journey. Almost to the point where Edmund was pretty sure she was doing it just to be cheeky. She hadn't missed a step when they were crossing the Koltin River, with its glittering banks and rushes full of cheerful otters. Nor when they entered the neutral camp and attendants tried to put them in different tents— 'I'd like to stay with my brother, if you don't mind. I've got a promise to keep.' She did draw the line at excretory matters.

The treaty went as well as it could've. Lucy, in all her charisma, managed to win the favour of the tribal lords in a way that Edmund never would've fathomed. They started on their journey home in the best of spirits, with the brightest of hopes.

They were crossing through the Alicant Pass when they were ambushed. No more than twenty-something men, armed with daggers and swords. The bright blue symbol of the Talowryns betrayed their loyalties.

Despite their matched numbers, the Talowryns were as equally passionate in battle as the Narnians. They fought with the same skilled fervour that had Edmund drawing up the sword of a fallen man— there was too much fray to tell if it was Narnian or Talowrynian— and fighting with both hands.

He was so caught up in the motions, in the mindless dance of ruthless survival, that it wasn't until she screamed that he noticed that she was in danger.

'Edmund!' she shrieked.

Instantly, his head snapped towards her. It was a foolish move, he knew. There was only one thing that could distract a Pevensie in a fight: a sibling in need.

Before his mistake could turn into his defeat, he shoved his swords carelessly into his enemies, not caring if his blades landed to kill, not incapacitate.

Before Lucy could scream his name again, his blades were against her adversary's throat. He stared the ambusher down, chest heaving. The fight died around him and he was aware of only this miscreant and his sister, her fear evident only by the shake of her hands and her eyes. 'Drop your dagger,' he snarled.

The man tried to scoff and was met with the points of Edmund's swords. 'And what if I don't?' he ground out. 'Such a pretty little throat on such a pretty little girl.' His grip tightened on her arm.

Edmund's swords pushed further until Edmund swore that he could feel his horrid heart beat through the metal.

He gave a strained gurgle of a laugh. 'What are you gonna do about it, boy king?' he mocked.

A thousand consequences ran through Edmund's head. Lucy with her throat slashed, Lucy on the ground, motionless, Lucy with a blood-stained shirt, Lucy dead, dead, dead.

His gaze met with Lucy's, a fraction of a millisecond, but she understood.

Lucy dug her nails into his wrist, ducking under the way of his blade as Edmund, in a single, smooth movement, thrust forward with both swords.

The Talowrynian fell forward and chaos exploded.

And they were up, Lucy Pevensie with the discarded dagger in one hand and veins full of adrenaline. They bore their way through the rest of the ambush, Lucy striking to maim and Edmund with not a single care.

The Just King and the Valiant Queen, back to back, extracting judgement with their teeth bared and battle cries on their tongues.

When the last Talowrynian fell, and the grass was damp with the aftermath, Edmund dropped his swords and fell into Lucy. He wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her shoulders. 'By Aslan,' he gasped, his voice ragged. 'I thought I was about to lose you.'

In kind, Lucy wrapped her arms around him, pressing her forehead against the front of his shirt. 'Don't be ridiculous,' she said, her voice shaking. 'We've got the cordial.'

Edmund didn't say anything, only squeezed his eyes shut and held on tighter.