Just and Magnificent
Chapter 5: Courage and Despair
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, but I sure wish I did!
Summary: Peter rides to Cair Paravel with Edmund. Susan falters after such a long battle. Beaver learns a frightening truth.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has written feedback and reviews. They make me want to write even more. And I'm enjoying my first foray into Narnia a great deal. This story is set in the movieverse of Narnia, and this chapter takes place a year after the battle with Jadis. With Peter and Edmund riding to Cair Paravel in an effort to stop the nameless evil. Please Read and Review!
ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH
"We're almost there, Peter. We should be able to see Cair Paravel when we reach the next hill." Edmund said as he signaled one of his fallen griffon to scout ahead, "They will no doubt be aware of our presence, Peter."
Peter held on, oblivious to the fact he was almost about to ride into battle. He wished their march to Cair Paravel could last forever. As they drew nearer to the borders of Cair Paravel, Peter felt torn between his duty and his desire to be with Edmund. If only there was no battle. If only there was no army marching behind him. If only it were him and Edmund, for just a while. For just a very long while.
"Edmund … do you know how hard it is for me to be a king right now?"
"Why, Peter?" Edmund asked as he rode hard at the head of the Fallen Army.
"Because if I were just … me, Ed. I would have no trouble at all telling you to ride west and never look back. The closer we get to battle … the closer I get to losing you all over again."
Peter was about to speak again when he and Edmund reached the summit of a hill, giving them a clear view of Cair Paravel. Smoke filled the sky as the great city of Cair Paravel ran awash with fire. Peter could not believe his great city had fallen so fast and in such a spectacular fashion. His first glimpses of this nameless evil were fearsome and disturbing. Though it was too far for Peter to make out any great detail, what he saw looked like a mass of unnatural black and white, swirling through the sea of Narnia's red and gold army.
In the city itself, it was almost impossible to distinguish any area of dominance by the Narnian Army. Peter could see that much of the Narnian Army had grouped on the western outer city, while on the east another army prepared to enter the city. An army Peter recognized as that of the Shian Kingomd, led by Princess Eris.
As if on instinct, both king's faces were solemn and intent. Their time together seemed to have passed by in an instant, and now their duty bound them to a different focus. As if he'd sensed his presence, Peter's unicorn emerged from the trees and galloped to Peter's side.
"Peter, your steed." Edmund noted as Peter's unicorn ran to his side, "Time for you to lead your army."
With one swift motion, Edmund lifted Peter off his horse and onto his unicorn. Taken aback by Edmund's new found strength, Peter stared at him wide eyed.
"Edmund, when did you ever get so strong?"
"I'm only half dead, Peter." Edmund smiled, "And I've had an awful lot of time to do nothing but train and fight, train and fight. All in preparation for this battle. And you could say that being half dead comes with certain … unnatural benefits. All of which I'd give up if it meant I could breathe for you again, Peter."
"I will hold you to that, Ed." Peter said confidently as he kept pace with Edmund, "I will not let you go so easily."
"I should hope not, Peter."
"Just and Magnificent." Peter smiled, "That's us."
"Unfortunately it will have to be Just Edmund from this point on, Peter." Edmund said motioning toward the east of Cair Paravel, "I suggest you ride over and help your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend." Peter snapped angrily, "She's just a friend."
"For now." Edmund smiled, "Plenty of time to change that. Nevertheless, get over there. We will take the north, while you lead her army in from the east. I have this end under control, Peter. We do things a little differently than you might."
"No, Ed. Let me ride beside you. If you are to leave … after this battle is won, then I wish to ride beside you one more time at least. What do you say? Just and Magnificent." Peter smiled, "We'd be unstoppable."
"Peter, we are unstoppable." smiled a confident Edmund, "I'll always ride with you, Peter. Even when I'm not here. But I do believe it is best for you to ride with the living and not the dead. Trust me on this, Peter."
"As you wish, King Edmund." Peter sighed, "And Ed, try not to get yourself killed again."
"Peter, are you trying to be funny?" grinned Edmund, "It is you who should be careful. Perhaps you should let me fight this battle for you. They can't kill me twice, Peter."
"You've fought enough battles for me on your own, Edmund. This one we fight together. I will see you when we meet in victory, King Edmund the Just."
Peter rode away reluctantly, his head constantly looking back to Edmund. It was then that the strangest sight beheld Peter. Edmund placed his helmet back on his head, as did the rest of the army. An army of wraith began pouring out of Cair Paravel's northern tower as if expecting Edmund's arrival. They rushed toward the Fallen Army of Beruna, almost tempting Peter to turn back and rejoin Edmund. However, as he watched the Fallen Army begin marching forward, he soon understood why he could not join them. They moved as one, almost merging with the air itself. They rushed forward and met the nameless evil in a battle worthy of good and evil itself.
Peter swelled up with pride seeing Edmund ride into battle like a fearless warrior. He had once underestimated the courage of his brother, but he'd proven Peter wrong on so many levels. Peter now found himself trying to live up to the selfless nature that embodied Edmund. He rode hard toward the army of the Shian Kingdom, eager to join the battle himself by the side of Princess Eris. He felt uncomfortably aware that Edmund may in fact be trying to nudge Peter into someone else's love, but he would not have it. As lovely and virtuous as Princess Eris was, she simply was not Edmund. And for Peter, he would have no other.
A BATTLE TO SAVE THE LIGHT, A SACRIFICE TO SAVE A QUEEN
Cair Paravel raged into the night with blood curdling screams and short lived victory cries. The city had never seen a battle within it's walls the likes of which it saw today. No section of the city was spared the heat of battle. The nameless evil seemed unstoppable. Even with the added help of the Shian Kingdom and the Fallen Army of Beruna, the Narnian Army still had not purged it's capital city of the nameless evil. Though they tried with every ounce of their being.
High King Peter the Magnificent rode valiantly in from the eastern outer city, with Princess Eris and the Shian Kingdom right behind him. After several hours, he successfully pincered the east and west of Cair Paravel, managing to unite a faction of the Narnian Army led by General Oerius, with the Shian Kingdom's forces. Susan managed to hold the southern end of Cair Paravel, but not without a heavy toll. As the army that had spent the most time in this battle already, her forces had suffered the most.
Amazingly, Susan had successfully managed to filter out the surviving civilians of Cair Paravel to a stronghold outside the city, where Queen Lucy's forces provided aid to the sick and injured. No one doubted Susan's courage or her ability to lead, but the great toll of this battle on her kingdom had weakened her spirit and her resolve.
While Susan struggled in the south, the nameless evil seemed to have pushed to the northern end of the city. King Edmund the Just inflicted the most damage upon the nameless evil. He and his Fallen Army of Beruna were like a machine that would not stop. They were as unnatural themselves as the nameless evil. Led by a king dressed as dark and fearsome as the night, they brought terror down on the wraiths of the nameless evil.
Yet still in the south, the true and living Narnian Army slowly began to falter. Queen Susan was racked with pain from battle, her body screaming at her to stop. She had ignored it's cries for so long, but she could feel herself failing. Every swing of her sword took longer to recover from. Every knock from her feet by a wraith would feel like a deathblow.
"Peter!" Susan cried, her eyes covered in dried blood as she fell back against a wall.
In the last hour, Susan sensed a renewed vigor in the nameless evil's attacks on her personally. She had so far been unable to meet Peter, but word had spread between the two camps with Peter ordering her to retreat. She would do no such thing. Yet she still cried out, hoping her brother would come and ease her agony. She would not leave her army without a leader, but if he came then she might at least retreat to Lucy's aid. So that she might recover enough to return to battle.
But as the battle waged on fiercer, she felt a sense of doom fall upon her and her compatriots. Once again she'd been cornered and her battalion had been split apart from the main army. Susan knew she was a target and that the nameless evil were seeking her out. Her battalion had been slowly but surely cut down till only she remained with the ever loyal fox, Rask. Beaver had suffered a gaping wound and Susan ordered his return to the outer city where Lucy could treat him.
And though Susan had fought to her last breath, she finally began to concede defeat. Her army might prevail, but it would do so without her. For between her and her army, stood a hundred wraith. She'd fought numbers beyond any normal soldier's capacity, but she knew her fortune now ran short.
Barely able to stand after fighting off a demon giant, Susan ordered Rask to escape as a wave of wraiths rushed her. She pulled out her horn to blow it, but the wraiths were too swift upon her. Smashing her sword upon her attackers Susan managed to fend the first wave off with the help of the fiendishly clever Rask. It only seemed to prolong the inevitable. The wraiths knew both Susan and the fox were cornered, and took their time moving in for the final kill.
"I will not retreat, Majesty. I will not leave your side. If my fate is to join the great hereafter, I will do so with honor. You have shown me what true courage is today, Majesty. And for that, I thank you." Rask said with a last bow.
"Rask." Susan sobbed, her tears washing away the dirt and blood on her face, "I should want to thank you for staying with me through this battle. Forgive me for failing you and Narnia."
"You have failed no one, Majesty. And if there is one miracle owing to me for this life, I pray that this is it." Rask said with a snarl at his enemies, "Run, Majesty!"
Rask charged forward and tore into the wraith. He clawed and ripped at any flesh he could sink his teeth into. His efforts were not in vain. He provided a gap in the wraiths line big enough for Susan to run through. She did so, but not before grabbing Rask by the tail and dragging him with her. She managed to find an empty room that she quickly pulled herself into, locking the door behind her.
"I guess I did have one miracle owing to me after all." Rask sighed, his breathing heavy and labored.
Only now did Susan realize a trail of blood marked Rask's path along the ground. He whimpered and moaned as his life slowly faded. Susan fell to his side and held his head as he smiled up at her. In one short moment, the twinkle in the fox's eyes turned dim. He had given his life for her. One of many today who had done similar.
Broken and weary, Susan cried into the fox's coat. She gently stroked the fur on his head as the large wooden door was smashed open by a demon giant who glared down at Susan. She barely even moved as the room was swarmed with wraith. They surrounded Susan as she continued crying over her lost friend. She resigned herself to her fate as the demon giant held his mighty axe aloft. In that moment, she thought of her family and how she hoped somehow, someday, she might be with them again. It was the last thought she had.
A BEAVER OF A TALE
Beaver coughed and spluttered as he was stretchered into the makeshift infirmary for the Narnian soldiers and civilians. He called out for Queen Susan, delirious and unintelligible. He was placed next to one of hundreds of other creatures who filled this particular tent, all waiting for treatment.
"Beaver!" Lucy called as she rushed to his side.
Her supply of fireflower cordial had been pushed to extremes with this being the third battle for the Narnian Army in less than a week. She had seen so much suffering that her heart could bare it no more. She rushed to her friend's side and did her best to comfort him.
"I'm sorry, Beaver. There are so many wounded … I have nothing to give you. But I will return soon, I promise."
"Wait! Lucy!" Beaver coughed, "You have … have to … listen. Rask … told me …"
"Told you what, Beaver?"
"It's a trap, Lucy. It's all a trap. She's here, Lucy."
"Who?"
Beaver coughed and spluttered up blood, his fur a motley red. He struggled to breathe and Lucy held his hand anxiously. She willed him to live, and her healing nature gave him the calm he needed to last a little longer. Finally, he spoke again, his eyes distant and horrified.
"Jadis …"
"But …" Lucy said in disbelief, "She's dead. Aslan killed her."
"Her power doesn't end at death, Lucy. The seers told Rask and Oerius. They told them the truth about everything that's been happening lately. She still has great power. She wants to undo the prophecy and live again. She's planned all of this. It's all been one giant trap. All she needs … to live again." Beaver said as he began to lose consciousness, "All she needs …"
"What, Beaver? What does she need?"
"A traitor …"
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Notes: Things are heating up in the final showdown at Cair Paravel. The battle will be over soon. And so could this story. Peter and Edmund are now fighting for Cair Paravel. Susan has finally succumbed. While Lucy has learned some information that will impact the end of this story. Peter is as determined as ever to find a way to keep Edmund with him. The answer is right in front of him, will he realize before it's too late? Will Aslan's words come back to haunt him?
