"So I draw my sword with the morning sun"

-East by Sleeping at Last

"Is that tight enough?" Peter asked, taking his hands off his brother's brace.

Edmund nodded, replying, "Perfect. Thanks Pete."

Peter nodded, slinging his shield over his back. The weight was familiar, and it eased just a little of his stress.

On the far side of the tent, his brother picked up a lantern and pushed open the tent flap to leave.

Peter swallowed, took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before he followed Edmund out of the tent.

The lantern cut through the darkness as they crossed the camp. Sir Kanell met them at the southern edge, Phillip beside him.

Peter stopped next to Kanell, letting Edmund check Phillip's saddle fastenings. His brother was silent, simply nodding when he found everything to his satisfaction.

Edmund turned to Kanell, asking, "Everything ready?"

"Yes, your majesty," Kanell replied, his hand resting on his great broadsword. "You were the last thing we were waiting for."

"Sorry I took so long then," Edmund said, shooting Peter a look. "Someone insisted on checking every armor fastening."

Peter sighed. "Really?"

"Nancy," Edmund murmured just loud enough that Peter could hear.

Peter scoffed in mock indignation. "You checked every fastening of my armor first!"

Kanell stifled a laugh, saying, "General Oreius will be glad to know neither of you will have any problems with your armor today."

Peter just smiled to cover up his worry. Susan and Lucy came up behind them.

Lucy went straight to Edmund, hugging him tightly. He patted her back gently, letting Susan straighten his helmet.

"Edmund," Peter said softly.

His brother looked up.

"Be careful, stay out of sight, and wait till—"

Edmund held up his hand, cutting Peter off, "We've been over all of this. You'd better be careful too."

The girls stepped back, and Peter swept his brother into a hug. Edmund returned it tightly, if briefly.

His brother mounted Phillip, and Peter stepped back.

Edmund smiled down on them, then nudged Phillip forward, Kanell at his side. A third of their army followed him out into the darkness, toward London.

Peter watched until his brother's forces passed out of sight.

Susan placed a hand on his shoulder, murmuring so only they could hear, "He'll be fine Peter."

"Aslan willing, you'll be right."

Lucy pulled him away by his hand, gently saying, "Go eat something, and we'll go over plans one more time."

"I ate with Edmund."

Susan said, "then we'll discuss plans after Lucy and I have eaten."

Peter nodded, watching them return to their tent. He then made his way to the war tent, and set about pushing pieces into place on the map.

Captain Liln joined him shortly, helping position the Witch's forces. Peter grabbed a handful of pieces and pushed them into place to represent his brother.

Once Oreius and his sisters joined them, they ran over their plans several times before dispersing to ready themselves for battle.

At dawn, they were in position.

Edmund sighed as snow began to fall yet again. They'd spent every minute since leaving the Narnian camp battling it, whether it was in the form of drifts nearly as tall as Edmund, or whether it was blowing so hard it obscured their vision.

Beneath him, Phillip stamped his foot, saying softly, "I think it's just about dawn."

"King Peter will be in position by now," Kanell said. "We need to speed this up."

On Edmund's other side, Eustace drew his cloak tighter about him, muttering, "It's supposed to by July…"

Edmund shot him a wry glance. "Don't fear, cousin. It will be July again soon enough."

"We have to win first, sire," chirped the little brown bat tuck underneath Edmund's cloak.

"Indeed we do." Edmund peered deeper into the slowly lightening darkness ahead of them. "Here comes Lilnion."

Sure enough, Lilnion came hurrying toward them. She stopped next to Edmund with a grin on her face.

"King Peter has successfully drawn out the Witch's forces."

Edmund nodded, he'd known his brother would hold up his end of the plan. "Kanell, let's get moving. We need to be in position."

The centaur nodded and moved back to the rest of their troops.

"Where's Sir Giles?" Edmund asked.

Lilnion called over her shoulder as she followed Kanell, "He's holding his position in case anything changes."

Edmund nodded, double checking both his swords were strapped tightly on.

Within ten minutes they were on the move, weaving their way through the streets. The courthouse loomed in front of them, its towers coated in ice and its roof covered in a layer of snow.

Edmund was glad for the small army at his back as they approached. He dismounted, careful to stay out of sight of the guards that still patrolled.

Sir Giles darted across the street, joining Edmund and Kanell in the shadows. Kanell kneeled with some effort so he could hear Giles.

"Her army is gone. The courthouse is sparsely guarded," the fox gasped, out of breath.

"Kanell, take half the force around back. We'll meet in the middle."

The centaur nodded and stood, leaving.

Edmund straightened.

Giles gave him a nod, "I'll establish a communication line between you."

"Thank you Giles."

The fox darted off again.

Edmund gently took the bat in his hands. "Twilith, please tell my brother we've reached the courthouse and it's sparsely guarded."

The little bat nodded, and Edmund gently threw the bat into the air.

Lilnion joined him shortly, two knives in her hands.

She nodded toward the guards at the door, raising an eyebrow.

Edmund drew Shafelm and nodded.

The two of them crept across the courtyard, sticking to the edges and the shadows.

Edmund crept up behind one of the guards, raised his sword and hit the guard over the head.

Lilnion pinned the other guard down, and Edmund settled the point of Shafelm under the guard's chin.

The hag stared up at him in shock.

"Now," Edmund said. "I want to know where the Jadis' soldiers are, and you're going to tell me."

Peter ducked under an axe, bringing up his sword to slice off the arm of the minotaur it belonged to. The minotaur roared, and he took the chance to finish it off.

He leveled his sword again, stepping away from the body. Oreius came skidding to a halt beside him, only one sword drawn. In the other was a little brown bat; one of Edmund's messengers if Peter wasn't mistaken.

"King Edmund has taken the courthouse," Oreius said breathlessly.

Peter grinned, giving his general a nod. He spared a quick glance around the battlefield. Susan was closer to their rear line, dealing out damage with a regiment of archers. Where Lucy was, he didn't know, but he had every faith that if something had happened to her, he'd hear about it.

Peter put in, "We've made a sizable dent."

Oreius' eyes gleamed as he tossed the bat back into the air. "She underestimated us."

"It likely helps that we–" Peter paused to slice down a hag going for his general's flank, "-that we've got grown monarchs instead of children."

"And a far more experienced army."

Peter nodded. "Better tell the girls. Jadis will likely call for a retreat soon."

Oreius nodded, plunging back into the fray. Peter followed, heading toward the worst of the fighting.

He was certain that's where he'd find her. And if he had his way, she'd be dead before Edmund ever got there.

It didn't take him long to spot Jadis. She pivoted, turning a leopard to stone as it lunged for her legs. Nearly a regiment's worth of stone statues was in her wake. To his horror, he spotted Captain Celer among them.

Peter's grip tightened on his sword, his wrath flaring. It had been nearly twenty-five years since he'd fought her, at least for him. For Jadis, it had been maybe a month. She'd expect him to be young and sloppy. Inexperienced.

By Aslan, she was in for a surprise.

"Jadis!" he roared, letting his voice carry over the battle.

The Witch turned, her eyes narrowing as they landed on him. But something in her expression shifted as she caught sight of his bloodied sword gripped in one hand, shield in the other and the blazing anger behind his eyes.

Lifting her wand to the sky that was still filled with storm clouds, she cried, "Fall back!"

Peter sliced down a hag, plowing his way toward Jadis. Somewhere behind him, he heard one of his sisters shout something, and a single gryphon streaked toward the city, surpassing the Witch's forces as they retreated.

With a roar, a minotaur came at him. Peter barely ducked its club. He danced to the side, ducking another swing.

Pivoting, Peter dealt the minotaur a deep slice on its leg, then another on its side. Satisfied that he'd hindered its movement, he went on the offensive. Rhindon was a blur as he attacked, and within ten seconds, the minotaur was dead.

Off to his right, Susan shouted, "After them!"

Panting, he turned to look for the Witch, but couldn't spot her through the press of retreating soldiers.

He growled, tightening his grip on Rhindon. He was supposed to engage her as her forces were retreating. If he didn't, there was a possibility she could run into Edmund.

The thought of what she could do to his brother sent shivers down Peter's spine.

"Majesty!"

Edmund started at the call, turning. Sir Kanell was galloping toward him. Phillip and Giles hurried out of his way.

"Gryphon incoming!" Kanell said.

That was all Edmund needed to hear. The Just King hurried closer to the edge of the city, swinging himself up onto Phillip.

"Everyone in position?" Edmund asked.

Kanell nodded. "We're ready."

The soldiers parted to let them both through to the front of the line, and Edmund drew his sword. He held his breath, watching as the Witch's forces came over a hill, intent upon their retreat.

Otim, the Witch's general, saw them first; a line of Narnians spread out before him, blocking their path to the city. Cutting off their retreat.

And behind them, Edmund's siblings, closing in with the rest of the Narnian army.

Otim let out a roar, and charged.

Beside Edmund, Kanell drew his twin broadswords.

Edmund raised Shafelm, and for the first time in nearly twenty-five years, Edmund yelled,

"For Narnia! And for Aslan!"

Peter charged into the backside of the Witch's forces, Rhindon swinging. He sliced through them, his eyes locked on Jadis.

He vaguely registered Oreius and Lucy plowing through anyone who tried to come at him while his vision was tunneled.

Peter didn't let his focus waver, and he crashed into Jadis with a shout, slamming her back with his shield.

She staggered away from him, pivoting to bring her sword down on his head.

Peter brought Rhindon to parry, launching himself at her again. His flurry of blows drove her back several steps.

"What," he said breathlessly, "not what you expected?"

Jadis snarled, thrusting her wand at him.

Peter dive rolled out of the way, keeping his eyes on the wand as he jumped back to his feet. One hit from that and he'd be done, turned to stone.

He dodged the wand again, feeling exhaustion begin to drag at his limbs. He ignored it, launching a flurry of blows at Jadis.

She blocked most of them, and used both her wand and her sword to shove him away.

Peter staggered back, nearly losing his footing on the snowy ground. He swore, failing his arms to keep from falling.

Jadis swirled her wand, hissing, "You will die." She aimed her wand straight at Peter.

Ice and snow shot directly into his face and Peter cried out as it froze around his eyes. He dropped to one knee, sword tumbling from his grasp.

He could hear Jadis cackling as he clawed at the ice covering his face, burning his skin with how cold it was. She grabbed him by his tunic, yanking him around to face her and pulling his shield off his arm.

The ice was beginning to spread, creeping down his face as she said, "Peter, dear, did you really think you could win."

His nose froze over, making his voice nasally as he shot back, "Narnia can still win without me." He forced a smirk, channeling his little brother. "Beauty of having four rulers."

She dropped him. "I believe your death will be a lovely incentive to surrender."

Peter hardly heard her as his mouth froze over and he couldn't breath. Slowly, darkness began to creep into the corners of his vision.

Faintly, as he began to pass out, he heard one last voice.

"Hello Jadis."

Terror coursed through Edmund's veins as he saw his brother, laying flat on his back, sword and shield discarded. He forced himself to stay calm.

With her back turned to him, Jadis stepped forward, wand held out toward Peter.

Edmund said, voice even, "Hello Jadis."

She turned, eyeing him, wand still pointed at Peter.

"Hello Edmund, dear," she said. "Come to join me?"

He leveled Shafelm at her. "Step away from my brother."

"You're too late to save him."

Edmund spared one glance at Peter. His heart nearly stopped.

Peter's chest wasn't moving.

His brother wasn't breathing.

Red began to cloud Edmund's vision. Any ounce of fear he'd had when he'd arrived vanished.

With a yell of pure anger and heartbreak, he launched himself at Jadis. He caught her off guard with his swift blows from both swords.

She barely kept up with him as he dealt blow after blow.

A cut to her arm, a gash on her leg. Slowly, as he worked out his anger, an idea began to form.

The sounds of the battle faded back in, shouting and screaming. He spotted Lucy out of the corner of his eye.

"Get Peter!" he shouted, ducking a swing of the Witch's sword.

"Ed-"

"Just do it!" he yelled back, jumping out of the way of Jadis' wand.

She snarled, and her sword swung for his legs.

Edmund tried to jump, but discovered very quickly that a combination of ground churned up from your brother's fight and a braced leg don't really let you jump very well.

The Witch's sword struck his brace, and he could feel the support crumbling away.

He backpedaled, breathing hard. He spun Shafelm, gears turning in his head. Edmund's eyes flicked for the briefest moment to the wand.

He grinned.

"You will never beat me," Jadis called to him as they circled each other.

Edmund paced his breath, saving his strength. His leg felt far weaker without the brace, but he forced himself to keep going. "Your hundred years of winter should've taught you that one can never truly beat Narnia," he fired back.

Her eyes flashed. "You forget that I've already killed your pathetic brother, just as I'll kill you for your treachery."

Edmund's chest tightened, but he shoved the feeling away. Not now. He couldn't think of that now. He took a deep breath. He could think later, after this was over.

"No, you've forgotten something, Jadis. I've had twenty-five years to ponder our last fight. The only traitor I ever was, was a traitor to Narnia. But a traitor may mend."

He stopped circling, dropping his second sword. He bent, picking up Rhindon. His brother's sword felt heavy in his grasp, but he leveled it and Shafelm at Jadis.

"I've known one that did."

He lunged forward, twisting Jadis' sword out of her hand as their blades met. Her eyes widened in surprise as he danced around her, pouring every bit of strength into his bad leg to keep it going just a little longer.

His next blow chopped her hand clean off. Her wand fell as she screamed.

Edmund abandoned both his swords, diving for the wand. His fingers closed around it. Closing his eyes, he thrust it upward, toward Jadis.

Everything went silent. Slowly, he dared to open his eyes.

Above him was a stone statue, Jadis' face frozen in fear.

She was dead.

And so was Peter.

Oh you guys are gonna hate me...

I'm not sorry. You get an epilogue in a few days.

I'd also like to know if you'd like a sequel, because I've got a few ideas.