I am so sorry this is late, but I need to finish this story, so I will as well as The Just (I completely forgot about them – sorry!) Here's the next chapter, but since I haven't updated in ages I made it a bit longer and I hope to update again at the weekend.

Peter had wasted no time in calling his whole army together. He spilt them up into groups, giving Susan the archers, himself those that would be involved in a main charge and Lucy a plan for any that may be injured during the battle or for those that were injured right now, so that they would be able to fight.

Caspian had remained wondering since Peter had given him nothing to do, although he did eventually find his own thing to do and headed down onto the grass lands where the archers were.

There were a few fallen trees on the ground and the Telmarine soldier hid behind them, moving slightly across before standing absolutely still as numerous arrows were fired at it by fauns, satyr's and dwarfs. Susan watched them carefully, bow held in her hand. She didn't think that any of those arrows had connected.

"No," Trufflehunter called over to them all - confirming Susan's thoughts – as he moved the fake Telmarine soldier to look at it from a different angle, "Not a scratch."

"It's alright," Susan called out loudly to the training archers before (in a slightly quieter voice) adding, "Mine wasn't built in a day."

"How long did it take?" A satyr asked Susan

"What's wrong?" Asked the faun that stood next to it.

"It's just a phrase." Susan replied. Just after she had finished speaking an arrow flew past them and hit their fake Telmarine solider on the right side of its chest.

"Hey!" Trufflehunter called out, having not been ready for any of the training creatures to fire again without Susan's command.

"Nice shot," Susan said before turning her head to look at both sides of her at her row of archers, "Which one of you-"

"Look around, Your Majesty," Said a voice from behind them. Although the comment had been directed to Susan, they all turned around to look, "I thought you could use some help."

"Things are well in hand, thank you." Susan replied as Caspian moved to stand next to her - her eyes looking him up and down a few times.

"I didn't mean to suggest otherwise." Caspian told her and it took a moment before Susan replied to that.

"I suppose you could do better."

"Pick a target." He told her as he placed another arrow into his Telmarine crossbow. Susan looked around and quickly picked her target.

"Do you see that pine cone?"

"No problem." Caspian replied before aiming up towards it.

"No," Susan said as she moved to be just behind him, before moving his crossbow from where he was aiming, "That one."

Caspian lowered his crossbow as he looked at it before looking at Susan and back at it, "Are you sure that's not an acorn?" He asked.

"Too far for you?" Susan questioned as Caspian looked at her before determinedly turning back to his target, raising his crossbow and firing at the pine cone. He only missed it by centimetres.

"Not bad." Susan told him as he lowered his crossbow

"Well I was trained by the finest in the Telmarine army."

"Well," Susan started, "If that's the best they've got," She paused while she raised her bow and pointed at her target.

"We might stand a chance after all." Her arrow flew through the air and took down its target swiftly landing on the grass behind the trees, the pine cone stuck on the middle of the arrow after being torn down by it.

The Telmarine soldier who had been watching the group train had never seen archery of that standard before. His horse whinnied as he kicked it into a canter, the chunky armour on both the horse and the soldier clunked as they cantered off.

Trufflehunter turned a head, his fake soldier still held in between his paws. Still holding the thing, he ducked down out of the way as two arrows flew past him.

Susan and Caspian also heard this and looked on at where Susan's arrow had just landed before glancing at each other before reaching for their arrows and firing them in succession of each other's.

Susan fired hers first and Caspian followed shortly after. Both of the arrows flew through the trees and missed the fleeing horse and soldier. Trufflehunter raised his head back up and looked behind him before looking back at Susan and Caspian.

From the looks on their face he could tell that they had missed.

Edmund blinked his eyes open and before he could even look around he was aware of a form of danger. Something moved to the side of him and he immediately lashed out, sitting up and grabbing a hold of whatever was to his right. There was a voice that he recognised speaking to him before he let go of his grip on them and instead reached for his ribs that ached at the quick movements he had just made.

There was a light grip on his shoulders and Edmund leaned back, breathing in deeply as he tried not to make any noise from the pain, not knowing quite where he was made him cautious not to make any noise that he didn't need to or any unneeded actions.

"Calm down, Edmund, otherwise you will injure yourself further." The voice of Lord Glozelle reached his ears once again as he lent against the Lord while he caught his breath. It dawned on him then, that it must have been the Lord that was with him now that he had attacked.

Edmund lent forward and turned his head over his shoulder to look at the Telmarine Lord. It didn't look like he had injured him. Thinking back Edmund could remember that it was Lord Glozelle who had picked him up earlier when he had passed out (if that even was earlier of course, it could have been yesterday for all that he knew.)

"Are you alright?" The Lord asked and Edmund swallowed slightly before answering.

"Yes, thank you," He paused for half a second, "Can I ask what happened? I remember falling or something and then I remember you picking me up."

"There was an injury to your ribs that caused you to fall unconscious. It was bleeding quite heavily, but I managed to stop it and you should be alright now. It looks better than it did earlier, almost as if you heal quickly."

"Thank you," Edmund replied referring to the first part of the Lord's explanation, "I don't even remember getting it, no one injured me I would remember if they did."

"Are you sure that Lord Sopespian didn't do it?"

"He didn't do it, I'm sure. Although I wouldn't put it past him to though," Edmund paused a minute before he spoke again, "What did you say about healing quickly?"

"See for yourself." Lord Glozelle told him, pointing towards his chest. Edmund looked down at the white bandages and carefully removed them before looking at it. The Lord looked at him as well in confusion.

"Earlier you had three bleeding scratches across your ribs."

"Well they're not there now." Edmund replied, confused unless he had seen a real event. The event with the White Witch what if that was actually real, if she had actually come back and faced Peter, Lucy, Susan and Caspian. Maybe the injury that the wolf had dealt him had healed up so quickly, because of the magic that the beast had possessed and the fact that he wasn't really there as such.

"I don't usually heal this quick, even in Narnia." The King of Old started.

"Well I would have loved to heal that quickly if it was me."

"Can I ask why you helped me?" Edmund questioned the Lord, "Why did you ask me if it was Lord Sopespian that injured me?"

"Lord Sopespian is my cousin as well as Lord Gregoire," Edmund didn't think that he had met the Lord that Glozelle had just mentioned, "They both support Miraz and I don't. Well I say that they support him, but they don't really. I wouldn't be surprised if at the first chance that they get that they kill him and take his throne."

"But I helped you, because I don't follow what Miraz is trying to do. This is the Narnians kingdom. You should have seen what Miraz wanted me to do ine these past few days."

"I didn't see it, but could you tell me?" The Just King asked.

"Well he wanted me to kill Caspian first and then when the Narnians had the raid on the castle he wanted me to give the order even though my men were still down there. In the end he gave it, I wouldn't do it."

"At least you know that you're a better man than he is."

"But in a war what does being the better man do?" Lord Glozelle asked and Edmund knew that sometimes in a war or a fight, didn't always ensure your victory in it.

"Speaking of war have you seen anything of Peter?"

"Your brother, King Peter?" Glozelle asked and Edmund nodded, "I'm afraid not, although Miraz has some soldiers spying on them." Edmund looked slightly annoyed at that, but said nothing. Lord Glozelle handed him a shirt to wear and Edmund put it on before he said anything else

A moment later – when Edmund had actually thought of something to say - King Miraz and Lord Sopespian made their way inside of the tent, while the pair were speaking.

"I was thinking w-"

"What were you thinking, Glozelle?" Sopespian asked as he headed over to were Edmund was now sat.

"I was just thinking." The Lord replied, watching the look that his cousin sent him before the Lord looked over at Edmund. He was probably being paranoid that his cousin would hurt the King of Old with Miraz so near, but even so Glozelle watched him closely.

"How is Edmund?" Miraz asked as he looked at the Just King, but Edmund said nothing since the question hadn't been directed to him.

"He is better," Lord Glozelle paused a moment and Edmund wondered whether he was even going to bother with the address, but a moment later after Miraz's glares he added the simple, "My Lord."

"Strange since he hadn't seemed at all well."

"Well it was just some form of…" Lord Glozelle trailed off. He hadn't actually told anyone what Edmund's passing out had been about and the King had no injury to prove that it had ever been there, so he told a small lie, "Some form of exhaustion I would guess." Edmund gave him a curious look, however he said nothing.

"Well we will see you later than Glozelle." Miraz and Sopespian left the tent and Edmund looked at Glozelle for a moment.

"You didn't want to call him 'My Lord' did you?" He asked finally.

"No I didn't," He looked down at his hands, almost like he was trying to decide what he was best to do or not do and Edmund wondered what he was thinking off, "I have to get you out of here." Edmund just watched as he got up and started to move around the tent, while he waited for an explanation.

"Miraz wants to use you to get to the Narnians. I think he believes that they won't fight him if he has you."

"They won't. Peter wouldn't let them."

"I thought that. But I had to suggest that you would be useful against the Narnians or Sopespian would have killed you, but I didn't think Miraz would think in that way."

"It's alright, we just have to make sure that Peter doesn't hear from Miraz that you have me here."

"That is why you need to leave." Lord Glozelle carefully took a hold of Edmund's arm and helped him up to make sure that he was steady on his feet. Looking over their shoulders almost all the time Lord Glozelle made sure that Edmund left the tent without being noticed. After Edmund was gone he moved away to go and find Miraz and Lord Sopespian in the hope that he could keep them talking.

Lucy sat on the ledge watching over everything that was going on below her. She could see – vaguely – where the Telmarines had set up their camp and watched it carefully. She looked for Edmund, however she never saw him. She could see Susan trying to train the archers and not having too much luck at doing so. Lucy saw Caspian head over there and she smiled slightly, but that didn't eliminate her other conflicting feelings.

She could also see a few of those that Peter was working with every once in a while appear from inside of the How. Glenstorm appeared a few times and she thought of the centaurs that she had known in the Golden Age. A small touch was placed on her shoulder and she turned around to see Trumpkin stood behind her.

He sat down next to her, his small legs hanging over the edge slightly.

"Are you alright Your Majesty?" He asked.

"I would be better if I knew where Edmund was," She replied, "I mean what if when this is all over we still haven't found him?"

"It would be easier to find him once this is over."

"But what if Peter, Susan and I get whisked off home again without him, what would we do? Narnian time moves quicker than ours and if we returned again, Edmund could have died by then."

"Don't think like that, Your Majesty, I'm sure that you can find him." Trumpkin replied and she looked back out onto the field, noticing that Susan and Caspian had left, but that the archers were still practising.

"Aslan would be able to."

"Yeah well Aslan isn't here."

"So we have to find him then." She replied as she stood up and walked off back into the How.

Edmund crept behind the trees as quietly as he could. He was almost out, he just had one selection of tents left to go and then he knew exactly where he would be headed since the Telmarines had practically brought him to his brother and sisters.

One of the tents though belonged to Lord Sopespian who – as Edmund passed him – reached out and grabbed the thin King around the waist pulling him back onto the grounds of the Telmarine camp. He shouted out in pain as his arm was pulled behind his back.

Lord Glozelle looked up when he heard the shout and Miraz rose from his chair. The pair (followed by Lord Gregoire) headed outside to see Lord Sopespian dragging Edmund along. He was dragging the boy by the waist and had Edmund's arm pulled behind his back.

Miraz drew his sword, "What's going on Sopespian?"

"I caught him trying to escape, My Lord."

"Release him." Miraz spoke as he lowered his sword down to his side. The Lord did nothing for a moment before releasing the King with a small push in Miraz's direction. Edmund had no balance on his feet as he hadn't expected to be pushed when Miraz had said 'let go.'

Glozelle moved quickly and caught Edmund before he hit the ground and held the young King up before looking over at his cousin.

"Next time you bring the matter to me first a-" Miraz was cut of midsentence by one of the Telmarine guards telling him that they had an update on the Narnians. Miraz left to return to his tent in order to hear it and Glozelle glared at Sopespian. Gregoire just watched from behind not really sure what to say, so in the end he too walked away.

"Watch him closer next time will you." Sopespian told him before walking off to join Miraz. Glozelle waited a moment before moving towards his tent with Edmund in tow. They entered the tent and he pointed for Edmund to sit on the makeshift bed.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I thought that I could get you out of here."

"It's alright you tried and…" Edmund trailed off and looked up at the Lord in what looked to be a look of shock, "Did you just call me Your Majesty?"

"Yes My Lord."

"But you do know that you are going against your King?"

"Like I said earlier, I don't follow him," Edmund stared at the Lord when the silence fell for a moment, "Did he hurt you, he must have the way he was dragging you."

"Just my shoulder, I think it's alright, probably just dislocated. I've had worse."

"How much worse could something get?" Lord Glozelle asked as he sat down next to Edmund to look at his shoulder.

"I almost died before I had even become a King of Narnia at the White Witches hand. She stabbed me and-" Edmund stopped speaking and replaced that with a small cry of pain as the Lord relocated his left shoulder.

"Sorry Your Majesty."

"It's alright," Edmund replied as he sat back up straight and breathed in, "Also until this is over you may want to pretend that you to, General, are on Miraz's side and not mine."

"Of course."

"I'm going to help Peter, but I will need something in order to do that."

"Tell me, I'll find it." Edmund began to tell the Lord of what he would need and a way to get it and the Lord changed a few of the things that he said to work to a possible advantage.

"They were interrupted by the entrance of a Telmarine soldier telling them that Edmund was needed to read a scroll from Peter. Once the soldier had left, the pair stood up and continued the end of their conversation.

"What do you think your brother has said?"

"He's most probably going to challenge Miraz to something to try and avoid having to fight against his army with his Narnian one. I would hazard a guess though that whatever it is Peter has challenged him to, may actually buy us some time."

Peter looked at Susan and Caspian as they told him what they had seen. Peter sighed and paced around the broken stone table. Susan sat down on the table and placed her bow down on it with a small sigh. Caspian watched carefully as Peter sat down next to her.

"We'll think of something."

"Yes, but how quickly Peter? The Telmarines are watching our every move. They saw me training our archers and we have already seen the size of their army, it's so much bigger than what we have."

"Like Oreius once said, 'Numbers do not win a battle.'"

"No, but they help." Susan replied.

"That's exactly what I said." Peter told her and Caspian saw that the small conversation worth two or three lines had just made Susan smile slightly.

"But Susan's right. They have a bigger army and Miraz is a dangerous man," The oldest Pevensie brother and sister looked at him, "You need to think of a plan quickly."

"I'll think of something." Peter replied and Caspian turned and left the How in such of Doctor Cornelius.

"What are we going to do Peter?" Susan asked, "We can't even find Edmund."

"I'll find him, I promise," The High King paused, "Now about the upcoming fight with the Telmarines. We could do with Edmund here really, he would think of something. But let's think we can-" Peter was cut off by someone else speaking over him.

"We need to find Aslan." Lucy's voice entered the conversation. Susan looked at her younger sister and Peter wondered how long Lucy had been there. Susan voiced that thought for him though.

"How much did you hear Lucy?"

"Enough to know that we need Aslan. Not only can he help us defeat the Telmarines, but he could probably find Edmund. After all he did before." Susan remembered back to how Aslan had found Edmund before and freed him from the White Witch and Peter seemed to be pondering this too. A moment later Susan took a deep breath and looked to Peter.

"Lucy's right, we need to find Aslan." Peter looked at his two sisters and then at the picture of Aslan.

"Well then, my sisters, would you help me plan a battle strategy around your absence?" Lucy smiled and dashed over to sit beside Susan on the stone table as they started talking.

"Cakes and kettledrums. That's your next big plan? Sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest? Alone!" Trumpkin asked the High King as the small council that they had.

"It's our only chance." Peter fought back.

"And she won't be alone." Susan added. Trumpkin walked over to Lucy and looked her in the eye.

"Haven't enough of us died already?" He was referring to Nikabrick, his old friend. Former, old friend.

"Nikabrick was my friend too. But he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I." Trufflehunter spoke gaining the attention and gazes of everyone else.

Reepicheap then drew his sword gaining the shifting attention, "For Aslan."

"For Aslan!" The bear spoke.

"Then I'm going with you." Trumpkin put forward.

"No. We need you here." Lucy said placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"We have to hold them off until Lucy and Susan get back." Peter told the small council.

"If I may…" Caspian started, wanting to put forward and idea to try and redeem himself. He looked to is professor before standing, "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer… but as King he is subject to the traditions… and expectations of is people." Silence fell among them all.

"There is one in particular that may buy us some time." More silence ensured among the group as Caspian explained before claiming that he should be the one to do so, but Peter claimed that it should be him.

The blonde High King knew that if Edmund had been here that he would be physically restraining him from offering to be the one to fight. After all of the decisions had been made Peter wrote out a scroll with some conditions written on it and signed it. He handed it to Glenstorm and gave him some instructions.

They sent Glenstorm and the giant, Wimbleweather to deliver the message and Peter asked the two Narnians to keep an eye out for Edmund, in case he was anywhere near and the two promised their High King that they would, however small the chances seemed that they would find him.

Glenstorm carried the small stem of plant and the scroll that Peter had written and Giant Wimbleweather carried his mallet, in case he would need it. He was actually looking quite forward to clumping a few Telmarines on the head and if Glenstorm was honest then so did he.

"Perhaps they intend to surrender." Lord Sopespian spoke as King Miraz looked through a telescope at the approaching Wimbleweather and Glenstorm, better known as giant and centaur to them.

"No." King Miraz said as he handed Lord Sopespian back the telescope, "They are much too noble for that."

When the pair of Narnians arrived Lord Sopespian took the scroll from them and showed the two where they could wait for the meantime. The Lord took the scroll and called the council. After looking over it for a while, Miraz told Lord Sopespian to get Lord Glozelle and the young Narnian King, since he wasn't able to read the old Narnian hand writing.

Lord Glozelle entered the tent a moment later with Edmund who held a regal pose when they walked in and you could see (even though he was wearing nothing really kingly) that he was one. The Lord stepped back a bit, but Edmund noticed that he was still only a couple paces back – within an arm's reach of him.

The scroll was handed to him and he read it aloud to them all, as no one else could read High King Peter's handwriting. As Edmund read it Lord Glozelle shifted his eyes between Miraz and Edmund.

"I, Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and emperor of the Lone Islands, in order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do hereby challenge the usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender."

"Tell me, Prince Edmund…"

"King." Edmund intercepted.

"Pardon me?" Miraz asked.

"It's King Edmund, actually. Just King, though. Peter's the High King." Seeing their confusion, Edmund spoke again, "I know, it's confusing."

"Why would we risk such a proposal when our armies could wipe you out by nightfall?" Miraz asked. Edmund wasn't quite sure how Miraz would expect him to know why Peter had written what he had, because he hadn't been there when he had, so Edmund improvised based on what he had seen from the Narnian raid on the castle.

"Haven't you already underestimated their numbers? I mean, only a week ago Narnians were extinct."

"And so you will be again." Miraz answered.

"Well then you should have little to fear." Edmund replied, desperate to get the King to fight his brother, hoping that Peter would be able to defeat him. Miraz laughed.

"This is not a question of bravery." That made Edmund smile as he thought of a new thing to say.

"So you're bravely refusing to fight a swordsman half your age?" Miraz looked on at him speechlessly and his whole council looked at him before he leaned forward with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I didn't say I refused."

"You shall have our support, Your Majesty. Whatever your decision." Lord Gregoire told him.

"Sire," Lord Sopespian started, "Our military advance alone provides the perfect excuse to avoid what might otherwise be…" The Lord was forced to trail off as Miraz rose – angrily – from his chair, grabbing his sword from off the map that was on the table at the same time.

"I'm not avoiding anything!" Edmund raised his gaze from looking at Lord Sopespian to raise it over to look at Miraz, his face remaining completely blank.

"I was merely pointing out that my Lord is well within his rights to refuse." Lord Sopespian spoke gesturing with his hand and looking over at his cousin.

"His Majesty would never refuse," Lord Glozelle spoke. Lord Sopespian looked over Miraz, although Edmund thought that he looked slightly disappointed, "He relishes the chance to show the people the courage of their new King." Edmund was looking at the Lord as he also tried to convince Miraz to take Peter's challenge. The Just King of Old turned back to face Miraz when the Lord finished speaking.

The Lord's watched Miraz carefully as he looked down at the map, his sword still held in his hand. Lord Sopespian was watching the stood King carefully, but with some form of entertainment as well. Miraz turned his eyes to Edmund.

"You," He pointed his sword at the young King and Edmund shifted his weight slightly, "You should hope your brother's sword is sharper than his pen." Edmund smiled slightly as he heard the words of agreement leave Miraz's lips, he also allowed himself to breathe a small sigh of relief.

"This is not what I meant, this is my fight." Caspian told Peter as they rounded the corner.

"I think we've already tried that," Peter replied before stopping and turning around to face Caspian, "Look if there is ever going to be peace with the Telmarines, you have to be the one who brings it."

The pair were walking again by when Peter had finished speaking.

"How can I if you won't let me?" The Telmarine Prince questioned the High King of Old.

"Not like this," Peter told him as they headed in towards the stone table and the stone picture of Aslan, "If I don't make it then Narnia's future is in your hands." Peter told him as he come to a stop.

If Miraz was to defeat him then Caspian would have to try and sort out the future of Narnia as he wasn't having Susan and Lucy walking into a battle field of danger without him and the High King didn't have Edmund beside him this time to help him.

In their Golden Age, Edmund had walked onto any battlefield with him and had always advised him onto strategy and had kept him calm. Partly Peter had been kept calm by the fact that Edmund was there with him, because he knew that if he was to die, Edmund would take his place and everything else that was his – including his sword and his crown and not to mention his throne.

But now there was no Edmund to do that if he was to die.

Peter could only hope that they would find him and that he could help Caspian if he was to die. But if Edmund too (although he kept praying to Aslan to forbid this,) was dead it would only be the Pevensie sisters and Caspian who remained.

"And what about your own future?" Caspian asked and Peter could guess that he was referring to his future beyond this world.

"I was thinking about a career in medicine." Peter replied before turning around and looking in at his armour that was laid out on the stone table. The very same armour that he had fought the White Witch in. Reepicheap sat on the table beside it and behind the table stood the eldest of the three Bulgy Bears.

Trumpkin turned around to face him as he entered the room with Caspian following behind.

The small dwarf held out Peter's helmet to him and the High King took it off of him with a two handed grip.

"Your Highness." The bear spoke.

"Yes." Peter answered.

"I'm a bear I am."

"And a fine one I'm sure." Peter replied before turning around.

"But begging your pardon, but tradition holds that you pick your Marshal of the Lists.

"He's right," Caspian spoke, "You need to choose your seconds."

"Don't let him. He'll just fall asleep and suck his paws." Trumpkin told Peter, although everyone else heard him as the dwarf had deliberately spoken loud enough for them to.

"Sire my life is forever at your command, but I have thought perhaps I might be centre of this challenge." Reepicheap added. Trumpkin found his amusing and chuckled.

"As you know my good Reepicheap," Peter started, "Many humans are afraid of mice and it really wouldn't be fair for Miraz to have anything in sight that could further dilute his courage."

"Of course, Your Majesty is the mirror of honour," Reepicheap answered, "And that is exactly what I was thinking." Peter smiled slightly, but he was truly in no real mood for smiling. He had to pick three people or Narnians to be his Marshals of the Lists.

He would always have chosen Glenstorm, but he really wanted Edmund to one of them, however he couldn't have Edmund here and it was upsetting him more than he was letting on to anyone.

Peter turned to Caspian, "Caspian. Tell Glenstorm I want him, Giant Wimbleweather and-"

"Please, Your Majesty."

"It is your right," Peter replied looking at the bear, "And my honour, but you must remember not to suck your paws!" The High King turned around to grab his shield.

"Oh, he's doing it right now!" Trumpkin told them.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Peter asked the Bulgy Bear, who dropped his paw to his side.

"Are you sure that you are?" Caspian asked Peter before anyone else could speak. Peter turned around to face the Prince at first he was smiling slightly, but as he thought about it that smile fell and he dropped his head down towards the floor, blinking a few times.

Maybe he wasn't ready.

Alright I hope this is okay, because I know that I haven't updated this since the 28th January, but I hope that you will still favourite, alert, review and read on and in future I will try to ensure that I don't leave it that long before another update. Thank you for reading and I hope to update again at the weekend.