Early the next morning, Kari woke to find Edmund and Oreius standing by Aslan's tent. "What's going on, Ed?"
He looked at her, then at the tent where Peter came out and stood before the layout plans of the battle.
"She's right. He's gone."
"Who's gone, Peter?"
He looked at Kari and she knew at once what the matter was. "No..." She looked back at Edmund, then at Oreius. She could feel the anguish and fear they both held.
Edmund looked at his brother. "Then you'll have to lead us."
Peter looked at him.
"Peter, there's an army out there and it's ready to follow you."
Peter looked away. "I can't."
His brother shook his head. "Aslan believed you could. So do I."
Peter looked back at Edmund.
Oreius bowed his head. "The Witch's army is nearing, sire. What are your orders?"
Without Aslan to lead them, the Narnians were very skeptical of there even being a chance at victory. But Peter stood up and did his best to reassure them, giving a speech that calmed them and then gave the orders they needed in order to prepare for the upcoming battle.
And when the time for battle came, Kari stood next to Peter, with Oreius on his other side. The griffin who had been scouting the battlefield ahead landed next to them and reported in.
"They come, Your Highness, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own." A griffon said to him.
Oreius looked at him and grunted. "Numbers do not win a battle."
Peter looked at his second in command. "No. But I bet they help."
Feeling the army a bit on edge, Kari poured as much energy as she could spare into them. She felt them relax and looked at Peter. "I've done all I can to help the others relax, Highness."
He looked at her puzzled.
She smiled and looked away. "I'll explain after the battle." Her smile faded, though, as she knew there was a good chance they might not live to see the end of this war. "If we don't make it..."
He grabbed Kari by the arm and pulled her up onto the unicorn's back, sitting her in front of him. "We'll make it through. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
Kari turned and looked at him. He smiled, wrapping one arm around her waist and drawing his sword with the other. Oreius drew his sword as well, while the griffin prepared to take flight.
They looked out in the distance as Jadis' army advanced. As they stopped, Peter looked back at Edmund, who stood with the archers, waiting on the cliff for Peter's orders. He signaled to his brother as the minotaur ordered his troops to charge. The griffins were off, as well as many other birds from the forest. Peter hugged Kari closer and looked at Oreius.
"Are you with me?"
The centaur nodded. "To the death."
Peter leaned in and murmured in Kari's ear, "Are you?"
Kari looked back at the future High King of Narnia. "Always, sire." Kari felt that he was reassured as they looked back to the battlefield.
He lifted his sword and in a booming voice, Peter cried, "For Narnia, and for Aslan!"
They charged forward and the wild cats ran ahead. Peter put down his visor and tightened his grip only slightly on Kari. When They came close to the enemy, they prepared themselves as best they could for the battle of a lifetime.
Jadis and her army were getting closer and Edmund's que had come. He raised his sword and shouted, "Fire!", as a female centaur archer fired a flaming arrow that exploded into a phoenix. The firebird screeched its war cry and circled in front of their army. It lit the field on fire, blocking Jadis' army from getting any closer and it seemed to be working, but the Witch's foul icy magic soon extinguished it.
"Peter, what do you we do now?"
He hugged Kari tight. "It'll be fine. I promised you we'd make it through this war and we will."
Kari squeezed his armored hand. "Then, let's finish this once and for all."
When the phoenix fire failed, Peter and his army drew them to the rocks. They had planned on trapping them, hoping to gain the upper hand against their enemy. Withdrawing to the rocks gave Edmund and his archers a chance to fire at the enemy, reducing their numbers.
Ginarrbrik shot the unicorn and Peter and Kari went tumbling to the ground. Oreius and one of the rhinos charged past them and towards Jadis. Peter yelled for them to stop, but they pressed on.
Kari pulled him back when he tried to go after them. "No, Peter. You can't save them now."
He tensed and Kari poured a bit more energy into him. They looked around and saw that they were going to lose. He yelled for Edmund to get the girls and go back home.
Kari saw Edmund run up the hill with Mr. Beaver, then turn around and run straight for the Witch. "Peter!" He didn't hear her, though. Kari tried to ward off the onslaught of the enemies as they tried to get to Peter and when they weren't coming for her, she looked back to Edmund- seeing him smash the Witch's wand, only to get stabbed in the stomach with it.
"Edmund!"
Peter heard Kari that time and looked just in time to see his little brother fall to ground. Jadis turned and faced them, cutting down anyone who got in her way. Peter did the same, his blade meeting with those of the Witch's.
"Peter! Be careful!"
While he and Jadis clashed, Kari tried to fight her way to Edmund. When she finally got close, though, it was to no avail. She turned and saw Ginarrbrik shoot an arrow towards her, but she couldn't react in time to stop it and it pierced her stomach. She grunted from the force of the arrow and stumbled to her knees. Peter saw her collapsing to the ground and called out to her.
"KARI!"
Kari heard only his voice and the cries of the warriors around her as she slipped into darkness. "Peter... Aslan... I'm sorry..."
As Kari lost consciousness, the battle continued and just moments later, Susan and Lucy returned with Aslan and reinforcements that had been freed from Jadis' palace of ice. They jumped into the fray to slay their enemy and Aslan quickly ran to put an end to the White Witch once and for all. As Aslan finished of the Witch, Susan and Lucy ran to Peter. Off to the side, though, Ginarrbrik was sneaking up to finish their brother off. Lucy cried out and Susan's perfect aim brought the dwarf down. They ran to their brother and Lucy gave Edmund a drop of the fire flower juice. He came to and Peter pulled him into a hug.
"When are you gonna learn to do as you're told?" Peter asked and they laughed a bit before Peter realized someone was still missing. "Kari! Where's Kari?!" He started looking around the rocks for her before he finally found her, not fifty feet from Edmund. He ran to her side and lifted her into his lap. "Kari, wake up. Please wake up!" He carefully pulled the arrow free and looked to his sister. "Lu, please help her!"
She poured a drop of the juice into Kari's mouth. She was still breathing, but she wouldn't wake.
"Kari, please. Wake up!" Peter begged, tears slipping down his cheeks. He held her in his arms, fearing he had lost her forever. "Come on, Narnia still needs you... I need you..." He leaned down and kissed her. He lingered a moment, then pulled back when he heard her groan and stir in his arms.
"Peter..?"
"Kari!" He hugged her, realized to see her alive and well.
Kari looked at Lucy and nodded. "Thank you, Lucy. You saved my life and those of many others."
She smiled and hugged her, too, along with Susan and Edmund.
"Lucy. There are still many others who need your help as well."
Kari looked at Aslan as he came to join them and watched as Lucy ran off to the others. Susan and Edmund went to look for others as well, helping both Lucy and Aslan. Peter stood and pulled Kari to her feet. She looked at him and found him staring at her, earning him a deep blush from her.
"What?"
He shook his head and pulled her into another hug, this time into one more loving and careful. "Kari, it's over. Like I promised..."
Kari hugged him back. "I know, my King. I know... Thank you..."