*Chapter 23 Duels, Deals, and Deceptions*

Hello all! :D Gabby's on break and ready to part-ay like its 1300 BC(before CASPIAN) Haha, Narnian humor. Thank you, thank you, Ill be here all week :D

Wellllllllls I don't got much to say other than thanks to all who reviewed last chappie, and that you all should go check out EPIC by HILLBILLYHUNTERS. The titles pretty self explanatory.

Now, as usual, ENJOY OR DIE, MY PRETTIES.

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Silence rang through the thousands of men gathered to watch the duel. Miraz glared down at Penelope with hatred radiating from his black eyes, the blood dripping from his nose and mouth giving him a truly terrifying appearance. Penelope stared up at him with fearful blue eyes that flashed with a hint of defiance, her grip on Rhindon tightening even further. She was unsure as to what she should do now, and felt her face growing red under the scrutiny of both the Narnians and the Telmarines. Miraz had offered her a respite, and yet she stayed where she was. For all she knew, the second she turned her back to him he could run her through with his sword. And she did not want to seem so willing for the respite and come across as weak in the face of her enemy.

"Well," Miraz hissed. "Are you going to take me up on my generous offer, or would you rather we continue the duel right now? I did not expect you to be in possession of much intelligence, but choosing the latter would be a decision I would think even you would not be so simple as to make."

One of the seconds which stood at his side sneered, and Penelope felt her brows crash together in a furious frown. She very nearly brought her sword through his throat then and there, forever silencing the crude usurper, but the screeching pain in her elbow held her back. Instead she nodded curtly, wincing as she felt fresh blood squeeze from the wound under her chin, and asked,

"How long does his ever doting usurper permit me to rest?"

Miraz's eyes narrowed into two piercing slits, and in response he growled, "Five minutes, no more nor less. And I mean only five minutes. You Narnians seem to have problems upholding your end of bargains."

Penelope had a furious response on her tongue, but took a deep, calming breath and turned away from the Telmarines. As she slowly shuffled back to her side of the arena, she caught part of their conversation.

"Treachery," hissed one of the men lowly. "His majesty should not permit them to get away with this. Something should be done."

"And what do you suggest, Sopespian?" came Miraz's furious response. Then their conversation was drowned out by the uproar coming from the Narnian army, and the dull ringing in Penelope's ears.

Penelope collapsed into a chair Edmund had pulled up for her, weariness coursing through her. She heard frantic voices around her, and turned to see Edmund tearing a cloth into strips to make bandages and Caspian, Susan, and Peter all racing towards her. She noticed something was missing, and at the same moment she and Peter rounded on Susan.

"Lucy?" they both demanded, drawing a wince from their sister at their similar sharp tones.

"Don't worry, she got through," Susan muttered gruffly, glancing at Caspian. Penelope sensed she wasn't sharing something with them, but Peter was past caring as soon as he had established his youngest sister was safe. Penelope saw the slight hurt in Susan's eyes, and silently cursed Peter for his neglect toward the middle Pevensie sister.

"Are you alright?" Penelope asked of her. Susan turned to her with warm appreciation shining in her eyes, and Penelope felt sympathy for her. Susan was often pushed to the side and forgotten, and was definitely at the bottom of the sibling hierarchy. Penelope made a mental note to talk to Peter about the way he treated her sometime.

"I'm alright. The men ambushed us and I stayed behind so Lucy could get away. They didn't hurt me though." replied the beautiful brunette, still looking at Penelope in warmth. Penelope felt fear prick her stomach as she realized how close to dying Susan had come, and regarded warmly just how brave she had been. She glanced at Peter and saw him staring dumbstruck at Susan. Clearly the thought hadn't occurred to him that Susan might have been in danger, too.

Iridescent ran over from where she had been standing with the speculating Narnians. Her expression was clouded, her eyes hard to read.

"They aren't happy," she murmured to the royals, throwing a glance back to the Narnians as Edmund began dressing Penelope's cuts. "They feel like we lied to them."

"But we didn't," Penelope replied indignantly. "We were just doing what we thought was best, and it's not our fault if they gossip so much that it was a risk the Telmarines might overhear the plans." Though her tone was bitter, warm love spread through her at the thought of the chattering Narnians. She could never really be mad at them. They were her people.

"As if telling them that will make the situation better." Iridescent snorted, then she shook her head. "Well what now? The entire plan is ruined."

"There's still a chance," Peter retorted, though he looked as if this was the last thing he was thinking. Iridescent rounded on him.

"Are you kidding? Have you seen the state your sister is in?!" she snarled, jerking her thumb at Penelope, who was clutching her elbow to her and grinding her teeth together. "She's in no shape to continue fighting! She'll die!"

"I'm sitting right here, you know," Penelope remarked bitterly as Edmund grabbed her elbow and prepared to jerk it back into place.

"Brace yourself, Penny," Edmund murmured under his breath to his sister, preparing to pop her displaced joint in place.

"Penelope might be beat up, but she's not going to lose. You saw the way she was fighting! When he was being fair she completely had the upper hand! Just watch, Edmund will fix her up and she'll rest for a bit, and regain her strength, and then we'll get her in there and she'll stomp him!" Peter was insisting, drawing Penelope's attention back to their argument. She was flattered by the absolute trust Peter had in her, but felt it was undeserved. All she felt she had the strength to do at that moment was curl up in a ball and take a nap.

Iridescent snorted contemptuously. "Right. And everything will be fine and dandy, just like it was with that night raid, eh?"

Peter looked as if someone had socked him in the stomach, and his blue eyes flashed with the first flames of fury. Penelope felt cold dread claw its way into her stomach as she watched the two, who were mere moments away from a fight.

"You guys, stop it! This is no time for a-YEEEEEEWOTCH!!!!" she cut off with a yelp of pain as Edmund, who had taken advantage of the distraction, popped her elbow back into place. She glared up at him as he flexed the arm, making sure it was alright with a sheepish look on his face. "Why you-" she began threateningly.

"Sorry, Penny, it had to be done," Edmund replied with a shrug, brown eyes twinkling as he stepped into the arena and grabbed her helmet. Peter was watching her with concern now, blue eyes foggy as he gnawed his bottom lip.

"D'you think we could give her some of Lucy's cordial?" he asked of Susan, who looked hopeful.

"I doubt it," Edmund piped in before she could reply, coming to stand beside his brother. "It only works on fatal wounds, and she's just worn down. Besides, I thought Lucy took it with her when you two rode off to find Aslan."

Peter sighed noisily in response. "Do you think you're alright to keep fighting?" he asked Penelope directly. Everyone turned to her as she sat and listened to her body for a moment, checking the various aches and pains. Her elbow was killing her, and muscles she didn't know she even had were screaming in protest at her every movements, but she knew she had to keep fighting. After a moment, she offered the best response she could.

"For a while longer."

Peter nodded slowly, expression thoughtful. "Well then that settles it," he murmured. He grabbed the sword belt from Edmund and began putting it around his waist, much to everyone's confusion.

"What are you doing?" Susan demanded, watching her brother gear up. He took off the Telmarine helmet and pulled off the brown wig he had been wearing, shaking his blond hair free and brushing his bangs into place.

Peter responded without looking at her. "Penelope can't fight. I'm going to go in and finish the duel for her. After all, they already know it's her fighting."

Penelope rounded on him, anger shining in her eyes. "Excuse me? I'm going to be the one to finish this duel, like I said I would. It defeats the whole purpose of me fighting so you don't get hurt if you end up fighting anyways."

Peter held her angry gaze steadily. "It's too dangerous, and you're hurt. Besides, we're fighting for Narnia to win, and that's not going to happen if you're fighting on a dislocated elbow."

"But Peter, the point is for me to fight!" Penelope insisted. Peter opened his mouth to reply, but before the argument could continue any further, a sharp bark rang out from across the arena.

"Narnians!" The royals turned to see Miraz limping across the arena towards them, flanked by Glozelle and Sopespian. "You have broken one of the oldest Telmarine laws! This cannot go unpunished!"

Silence rang across the field. The group of young royals stared dumbly at the usurper as he came to stand before them, a smug grin on his face.

"And what exactly did we do?" Penelope called, getting to her feet.

"The charge," it was Lord Sopespian who spoke. He had a slow, drawling voice, and he sounded-and looked, for that matter-very bored. "Is impersonating a ruler and going against the agreements of the duel. Impersonating a ruler is one of the highest offenses in Telmarine traditions."

Penelope felt a lump form in her throat. "But we weren't doing it to deceive you.." she said meekly, but the Telmarines seemed not to have heard her.

"Under normal circumstances, we would have the right to kill the impersonator. But, seeing as you are a Narnian, and were therefore unaware of our customs, we have decided to be merciful and spare you," Miraz was saying. He turned his gleaming black eyes on Caspian. "Caspian, on the other hand, knew full well about this tradition, and we are therefore inclined to find the offense inexcusable. We are choosing to end this duel here and take Caspian back to our camp with us as our prisoner. We will continue the duel, in an honorable fashion, on another date."

Edmund was the first to react. "That's ridiculous! You can't have him!" he spat, face flushing in his rage. The others were just as furious. Penelope wanted to murder all three of them for even suggesting it.

"Who are you to deny us our right?" Miraz snarled. There was a ringing as Edmund unsheathed his sword and stepped forward, only to be grabbed and pulled back by Caspian himself.

"Wait, Edmund, he is right." Caspian said softly. Penelope shot him a horrified look to find his face peacefully resigned, his dark brown eyes indecipherable. He couldn't be seriously considering agreeing to this..?

"What do you mean?" Susan gasped, her blue eyes widening.

Iridescent looked incredulous. "Caspian, you can't be serious?"

He looked down at her sternly. "I am. Miraz is right. We have broken their tradition, and it is their right to repayment for the offence. I will go."

"You have got to be kidding me," Peter hissed venomously. "If you agree our entire plan is ruined! You're going to honor them above us?"

Caspian's eyes flashed. "Their armies will attack immediately should they not get what they want. And besides, they are going to call the duel off. Penelope will be able to rest and then when the duel commences she will have more of a chance of winning. You can find someone to take my place in the battle."

Penelope was listening to him in horror. Then, as Peter delivered a cutting reply to him, she stepped away from the group and up to the three Telmarines.

"You can have me instead." she said, her voice steadier than she expected it to be, for which she was grateful. "After all, I am the one who committed the treason."

Miraz's eyes flashed, then gained a calculating gleam as they looked down at the young girl before him. He turned to Sopespian, who nodded with a smirk on his face.

"Very well. We will take the girl as our retribution for the offense against our tradition." Miraz raised his voice so it rang out to both armies. From behind her, Penelope heard a sword being unsheathed, and at that moment Peter jerked her back and stood in front of her.

"Try and take her!" he barked at Miraz, who drew his lip back in a sneer.

"Peter!" Penelope shouted, spinning her twin around to face her. "Stop it! I have to do this."

"No you don't! Penelope, they'll kill you!" Peter cried, his voice breaking. Penelope sensed, through the special bond they felt as twins, that he was thinking back to the raid and her near death at the hands of the Telmarines, and felt her heart break at the pain she knew her brother still felt at the memories of it. But she had to do this.

"I need to protect Caspian." she said. Peter's eyes flashed in fury.

"Why do you always think you need to protect everyone?!" he demanded.

Penelope winced, and when she spoke her voice was wavering. "I just have to. It's my prophecy. I can't let anything happen to Caspian."

At the mention of the prophecy, Peter's shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no changing what she was doing if Aslan had willed it. He stood silently for a moment before turning to Miraz, who was smugly watching the exchange.

"If you kill her.." he began threateningly, although his voice didn't have its usual power. He looked utterly lost for hope, as if he were giving his soul over to the Telmarines along with his sister.

Miraz rolled his eyes. "We will not kill her." he said, shrugging at the sharp looks he got from Sopespian and Glozelle. "And what of the duel?"

After a moment of deliberating silence, Peter answered. "We will meet you again here in three days, again at the high noon. I will fight you, and the prize shall again be total surrender and the freedom of my sister. If we win, you and your armies surrender and you return Penelope without a single scratch or bruise on her. If you win, we will surrender and Penelope is..yours. Do we have an accord?"

Miraz nodded curtly, still smirking cockily. "Very well. And I expect you to keep your word this time," he added with a sneer.

"As do we, regarding Penelope's safety in your camps," Edmund snarled from where he stood.

"Yes, yes, alright. We will be leaving then. Until noon on the third day, High King Peter," Miraz said, sarcasm tainting his tone. Penelope turned to say her goodbyes to her friends, but Glozelle grabbed her arm and tugged her away, following Miraz as he stormed over to a waiting stallion. As her hands were bound with rope and she was hoisted onto the back of the horse behind the general, she turned to catch a final glimpse of the Narnians over her shoulder. Peter, Edmund, Caspian, Susan and Iridescent were all standing exactly as they had been, all frozen to the spot and watching the group as they took off for the Telmarine camp. Penelope kept her eyes on them as they galloped through the field, watching them for as long as she could until the How and all the Narnians disappeared from sight as the trees closed in around their party.

Hope ya liked it. Please review and leave me your thoughts. Love yas! :D