Chapter 14: The Next Step
Professor: Hello everyone! Sorry for the long update time, but I want you to know that I have not forgotten this story! I have full plans on finishing it!
Fi: We'll believe that when the last chapter is posted, which, by the way, the chances of happening are 23%.
Professor: Dang, you got some sass today Fi. What's going on?
Fi: I've finished building my surprise years ago, but you haven't updated so I couldn't tell anyone.
Professor: Oh...sorry. Well, you want to tell us now?
Fi: *reveals picture of Hyrule Castle in the world of Skyward Sword*
Professor: H...H-Ho...How did...
Fi: You know, the exchange rate between rupees and dollars is amazing. Especially if you cut costs anyway you can. Like using Gorons to help with labor and stones and not having to pay property taxes due to Zelda not finishing setting up the government yet, not to mention-
Professor: Yeah, yeah, you're crazy smart. Anyway, on with the story! I still own nothing!
...
It was still nighttime when the group got back to Aslan's How, easily slipping past the guards that Miraz had posted to watch the place. Most of the Narnians who saw them looked at them very strangely, but no one approached. Link didn't know if it was them being scared of Fi, him, or the friends he had just rescued (against everyone's wishes of course).
However, the atmosphere did feel different from when he had left. More...strained. Something must have happened. Quickly saying a rushed goodbye to Zelda and Impa, Link ran off down one of the halls, searching for on of the Pevensies. The two girls simply shared one glance before they ran after him.
It didn't take very long for them to find them . In fact it wasn't hard to find almost anyone. They were all at the Stone Table, Lucy healing Caspian's hand. Link looked around and saw a few bodies on the floor, not to mention some rather large ice chunks at the arch on the other end of the room.
Impa raised an eyebrow, "Do we want to know what happened here?"
The rest of the group were looking at them in shock before Susan finally spoke up, "Link, you went to rescue them?!"
"Yes I did."
"Not that we needed it." Zelda giggled, "We were escaping just fine on our own."
Link resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "And I was supposed to know that how?"
Impa was about to respond when Edmund's voice cut her off, "I thought that we had agreed it was too risky to go after them?"
The Hylian simply looked very pointedly at the bodies on the ground and then at himself, who didn't even have a scratch, "Yeah, obviously I was the risk taker tonight."
"What we mean is-"
"It doesn't matter," Peter said, "What's done is done. Move on."
His siblings all looked like they wanted to protest, but a look from him silenced them. Impa asked, "So what did happen here?"
It was Farian who responded, "Nikabrik had some friends who dabbled in dark magic. They tried to convince Caspian, and then Peter, to bring back the White Witch. Almost succeeded too, before Edmund jumped in."
"So, intead of reaching Aslan, they tried a different tactic..." Zelda mused, almost to herself.
"Well, at least its all done and over with now." Trumpkin sighed.
"Not exactly," Caspian spoke up, "We still have a war to fight."
"And no plan," Susan agreed, "We have a way to talk to Miraz with his child, but that's only once. After that, he'd kill us on sight. There's no way he'd surrender during that one meeting." She turned to her siblings, "It was a good plan to take a message to him to try to parley, but we all know that he won't agree to that."
"Oh you figured that out did you?"
They turned to Zelda with surprise on their faces. She just gave them a big bright smile until Edmund broke down and asked, "What do you mean?"
"The reason why I gave Link the baby. So you would have a way to talk to Miraz without him killing you for the sake of the war," she explained, "Although I didn't think you all would try to get him to surrender when you talked to him..."
"Zelda has a plan," Link put in helpfully.
She nodded and quickly explained how the old laws allowed for two champions to battle each other in armed combat.
Susan quickly put her support behind the idea as well, although she didn't hesitate to point out the flaw, "The Narnians won't agree without Miraz actually competing. He'd have to be the champion for the Telmarines and there's no way we can guarantee that."
"I can," Edmund smirked.
The others looked at him in confusion. "What?" he shrugged, "I'm good at provoking people, in case you haven't noticed. Let me deliver the message. I'll get Miraz to fight."
"Sounds good to me." Peter stood up from where he had been leaning against the Stone Table, "But I'm not sending you alone. Rumblebuffin will go with you. He's a giant, they won't try too much with him there."
"I'll go then as well," Zelda said, "Miraz did hire me to be the child's nurse, seems fair I should go to deliver him back."
Caspian shook his head, "No. I know my uncle. If you go, he'll accuse you of planning everything from the start this way. It's better that he doesn't know you were involved until the last possible moment."
"But he already knows," Zelda reasoned, "He did have me thrown into the dungeon after all."
"Let's not anger him unnecessarily then," Impa said, "Besides, you'll be too busy helping build up our defenses here."
"What do you mean?" Trumpkin looked up at the tall armored woman.
"Zelda here saw Miraz's battle plans. I wouldn't put it past them to have some trick up their sleeve so that we'll have to fight anyway."
"You saw his battle plans?" Caspian turned to Zelda in shock.
She smiled shyly, "Well, remember when I ran into you and Link in the castle and gave you the baby, then left for his study? It was for those battle plans. I memorized as much as I could before they caught me."
"We'll take any help we can get." Peter smiled at her, "Let's get started then. We'll find Reepicheep and start planning something out."
Link cleared his throat, "There is one more thing we...that we talked about when coming back."
"What's that?" Lucy asked.
"You."
The siblings all looked at him in confusion.
"We need Lucy to go after Aslan. We're going to need his help and she's one of the only people who have seen him so far."
There was a resounding 'NO' throughout the room, the most vocal being from the blond dwarf who looked ready to attack Link for suggesting the idea.
"We are not sending a little girl past Miraz's guards alone to try to find a myth!"
"It's too dangerous!" Susan agreed.
"I can do it!" Lucy protested.
"No Lu!" Peter told her, "I'm not going home to tell mom that you died in another world!"
"We're in a war, we'll have to take the risk!" she shot back.
"What if she doesn't go alone?" Impa suggested. They turned to her, waiting for the explanation. She just shrugged, "The Sages and I have obviously broken the rules and interacted with you. I'm sure Ruto and Nabooru won't mind breaking a few more and watching out for Lucy. I'll talk to them."
Lucy turned to her oldest brother, "Well?"
Peter was silent before turning back to Impa, "How much do you trust those two?"
"With my life." she said without any hesitation.
Peter took a moment before he sighed and muttered, "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."
Lucy simply squealed in delight and hugged her brother.
...
Rumblebuffin, Edmund, and Impa made their way across the open field hours later in the daylight, holding up a white flag. If you looked through a spyglass, you could see a bundle held in Edmund's arms. Miraz did have a spyglass and that was the very reason that he didn't have the Narnians killed on sight. Despite what people thought, he actually didn't want any harm to come to his son.
When the three of them arrived, Miraz tried immediately to take the child, but suddenly found his way blocked by a tall, armored woman and the dagger in her hand.
"You will have your child at the end of the parley. Not before." Her voice was harsh and cold, "And only if you agree to not kill any member present today for the course and purpose of this meeting. Understand?"
Miraz glared at her, but backed away. He didn't have his sword strapped on right now and this lady looked like she could do some damage with her dagger before his guards could actually stop her.
"What do you want?" he spat out.
"We have a proposal." Edmund said. Impa stepped aside and they received the view of Edmund again (luckliy Rumblebuffin was just outside the door. The tent would not have held someone of his size).
"And what is that?" One of the lords asked, still seated at the table behind Miraz.
"I think its safe to say that no one wants a war that could be avoided, right?" At this question, most of the people in the room nodded, so Edmund continued, "We have looked through the old laws, ones you still follow, and found a solution that benefits both sides and stops as many deaths as possible."
"And what is this solution?"
"A battle of champions." Edmund switched the baby to his other arm and reached into his pocket for a rolled up piece of parchment. He handed it to Impa, who, in turn, gave it to Miraz, "The High King Peter the Magnificent has agreed to abide by the terms listed on the agreement. A champion for the Narnians versus a champion for the Telmarines, winner take all and leaves with control of Narnia and all of its people."
Miraz passed the scroll to the lords at the table, "And why would we do that? We have you beat in numbers and strength and have you cornered underground. All the advantages are with us."
Edmund pretended to think for a moment, "Well...for starters we have your son. We also know that your troops are loyal to Caspian, not to you. And your lords here know that you have a chance to save the lives of their troops and people, but if you choose not to...well you may have us beat in strength, but we can still pack a punch. A lot of people on both sides will die. Turn around and tell them you'd rather have their people die than just have one small armed combat." Edmund ended his statement with a hard glare.
Miraz very pointedly did not turn to face the lords. The silence and tension in the tent could practically be felt. Miraz and Edmund stared at each other for quite a long time, each hoping that the other would make the first move. He wouldn't ever admit it of course, but Miraz did not like this child. He got under his skin. Even more so as he realized that Edmund was right. Groaning to himself, Miraz spun around and reached for the scroll, taking the nearest quill and signing his name at the bottom, showing his agreement.
"Here!" he barked, thrusting it at Impa, "Now give me my son back."
"One more thing." Edmund said as Impa rolled the scroll back up, "We need to know who your champion is, as stated by the old laws."
Not technically true, but Edmund had a feeling that Miraz didn't actually know the old laws that well. Turned out, he was right.
"And who is yours then?" Miraz asked him.
Edmund smiled, "The Narnian champion is our ally Link, from the distant land of Hyrule. High King Peter has agreed to this."
Impa hid her start of surprise at this, waiting for Miraz's response.
Miraz waved it off, "I shall choose Lord Sebastian. He is one of our top warriors. Lord Sebastian, do you agree?"
He turned for confirmation to someone at the table, who simply nodded.
Edmund raised his eyebrow, "Oh, you weren't going to...ok then."
"What do you mean?" Miraz furrowed his eyebrows.
"Well..." Edmund kind of looked at the ground a little, "Not much. I've just heard how, well, you know...terrified all the Narnians were of you. So I'd thought that...with something that decides the fate of the war you would...ya know..." he shrugged his shoulders a little to keep up his act, "Take care of it yourself. Guess I was wrong."
Miraz smirked, "Listen Prince Edmund-"
"It's King actually." he interrupted.
"What?"
"It's King Edmund. Peter's High King," he explained, "Confusing, I know." And he also knew that Miraz would hate to be corrected.
Miraz gave an obviously fake smile, "Ok. KING Edmund. I have no need to fight this battle. Lord Sebastian is more than enough of a challenge for this 'Link'. He is my champion. Tell this to your brother."
"Oh, I will." Edmund shrugged again, "But I just assumed you would do it yourself. I mean, Lord Sebastian may be a great warrior, but aren't you the best? Really says something about your motives if you aren't willing to commit your best to our best. Almost kind of insulting really."
Miraz was about to respond in a snarky comment, but Lord Sebastian himself stood up, "Your highness, I am more than willing to back down and let you fight as the champion. After all, this insult against you can't be ignored."
Another lord stood up, "My lord, I can't help but agree. If you wish to finally put these Narnians in their place, I feel like that you should be the one who defeats their champion."
Before they knew it, the other lords were voicing their agreement.
Miraz turned back to Edmund, face carefully concealing his anger, "Alright then. Tell 'High King' Peter that I shall be the champion."
"Ok." Edmund made sure not to show any outward sense of victory. Quickly, he handed the child back to its father, who was more than happy to finally be reunited, and they left, going back to the How.
About halfway there, Impa leaned in to Edmund's ear and whispered, "I thought Peter was supposed to fight?"
"Peter doesn't hold a candle to Link's sword skills." Edmund said.
"While the statement is true, your reasoning is not." Impa countered.
The king sighed, "Peter doesn't want to tell mom that Lucy died in an alternate world, right? I don't want to tell her that Peter did either. I already talked with Link about it. He's fine fighting Miraz."
"And Peter?"
Edmund shrugged it off, "I'll deal with him. But we need him in top shape to lead the Army if Miraz backs out."
Impa just nodded her agreement to that statement.
Professor: Ok, so that's the end of the chapter! Next one is the battle between Link and Miraz! Yay! Only a few more chapters left in this story.
So I also wanted to explain something. It has come to my attention that a lot of people are upset about the fight between Caspian and Link when the characters first met. I understand this. I'm sorry. Can't really get the point across more than that. Now let me explain. I could try to use facts from the game series and manga and such to justify the decisions such as things people have said or other instances that have affected how the Master Sword was used or who wielded it other than Link. However, even though I could make that argument, I won't. Want to know why? Because I was about 13 or 14 years old when I wrote that chapter. I thought it was a great change of pace and perfect for the plot. I didn't think about the details and I'm not going to take the effort to go back and change it. So have mercy on my tiny, younger self. You can hate this story with a burning passion and tell everyone not to read it if you want. All I ask is that you know that I was a kid when I wrote it, ok? Literally years ago. So please, understand that and keep the foul language to a minimum. There is no need to have that kind of attitude and disrespect, especially on a public site like this. So foul language, insults, and telling people to kill themselves? Not allowed. Understand?
