Chapter 8 Swordplay

The mood hanging over the entire castle was solemn, something Lucy had never felt before while being at Cair Paravel. It was quite unsettling to walk around the corridors with everyone avoiding direct eye contact with her. She tried to greet everyone with a good morning, but inside her head she couldn't help but wonder what was so good about it. Peter didn't remember anything about himself including his family. How could any morning be good with that prospect on her mind?

Still, Lucy walked through the castle tired of being locked up in her room. She arose early before Kendra and started to wander without any purpose. There was no set direction her feet were taking her. She did hesitate a moment at Susan and Edmund's chambers but continued on without disturbing them. Lucy wasn't sure what she would say had she decided to wake them.

While there was an uncomfortable air around the castle, Lucy tried to find peace in the heavy silence. After having walked up and down corridors for just about two hours now, she found herself stopped in front of the throne room. She blinked starring at the closed doors. The guards didn't bother to even turn their heads toward her or bid her morning. Lucy thought it was for the best. No one wanted to mention the High King's memory loss, most of all Lucy.

She opened the doors and stepped inside. Dazed and in her own world it took Lucy a minute to realize someone was standing in the room with her. Her eyes widened, Peter stood with his back to her next to the thrones. He was slowly reaching out to touch one of the arms of the second one in on the left. It was his throne. Lucy lifted the hem of her skirt and walked closer. She tried to crack a smile as she stopped at the bottom of the steps.

"One of them is yours you know." she said quietly.

Peter jumped at the sound of someone else's voice and turned. He let out a small relieved sigh in seeing it was one of the girls from yesterday and not one of those other creatures wandering about. Putting both hands behind his back he flushed a little shaking his head.

"I don't think so." Peter confessed walking down the steps in a fast pace.

Lucy quickly reached out and grabbed Peter's hand. He froze and turned looking slightly alarmed. His expression softened the longer Lucy held his gaze. Peter turned and allowed for the little girl to hold onto his hand. Her touch felt nice.

She licked her lips looking into his eyes, "Is it so hard to believe that you're Peter, High King of Narnia? My brother?"

Peter swallowed looking up at the beautiful stained glass windows behind the four thrones. Slowly he nodded. With a sigh he took his hand out of Lucy's.

"Look, you seem like a nice girl—"

"Lucy." she said hurt that he didn't remember her name, though not too much surprised.

"Lucy. You're a nice girl. But I don't know who you are."

"You don't believe us?" She questioned her eyes now twinkling over with tears.

"No." Peter hesitated, "Even if I am who you say I am. It doesn't really matter does it? I can't remember anything. Say my name is Peter, fine. But this is all nothing to me."

Lucy suddenly turned and marched up to the top of the steps standing next to her throne. She gestured to the picture carved in the back of the headboard.

"That was the cordial Father Christmas gave to me, it can heal any injury. The same cordial I used to heal Edmund, our brother" she moved quickly over to Edmund's throne. "When he was stabbed by the White Witch, Jadis after breaking her wand. And this," to Susan's. "Is the horn Susan used to call for help when she and I were in trouble. This, Peter," finally she moved to Peter's throne jabbing her finger at the image of a sword. "Is Rhindon, your sword given to you by Father Christmas as well. You used it to saved Susan and me, and to help free Narnia from Jadis. 'When Aslan Bares His Teeth, Winter Meets Its Death.'"

Lucy finished, breathing hard starring at Peter. He just looked blankly back at her for the longest time. Eventually his shoulders dropped and he shook his head slightly. He truthfully tried as hard as he could to recall any memory of what she spoke of. But there was nothing, just an empty blank void in his mind. The absence of memories suddenly angered Peter and he shook with frustration ready to burst.

"It doesn't mean anything if I can't remember it!" Peter practically shouted. "All of this," he opened his arms wide his head looking toward the ceiling. "May have had meaning to me once, but not now."

His arms flopped back to his side. Peter half turned ready to leave, but he stopped. Glancing back over his shoulder he saw the sadness in Lucy's expression. Turning back he walked halfway up the steps.

"I want to believe that this is all true. I want to believe that you are my family. Right now, I can honestly say that—" his voice dropped off suddenly. He backed down the steps starring helplessly at Lucy.

Peter didn't like the look on Lucy's face. Something about it rubbed him the wrong way, and inside he felt a need to protect this child with his life. Peter wasn't sure why he was so hesitant to accept everything everyone was telling him. It would be nice to believe he had a family here, and people who loved him. But it was scary to think he had forgotten so much. Peter took a deep breath, Lucy's eyes sparkling with the sunlight that entered through the windows.

"I'll try. I'll try to remember." He concluded, it was only half of a lie.

Lucy's face lit up with a smile. She charged down the steps and flung her arms around Peter's torso. He tensed up for a moment feeling awkward in the hug at first but eventually he gave in to it. Even if he couldn't remember who he was, or who everyone else was maybe he could protect this girl regardless. She was very sweet, someone Peter would like to have as a younger sister. He anxiously smiled down at the top of her head, contemplating whether or not to hug her in return or pat her on the head.

"I'll help you remember Peter. I promise." she said a small tear dripping off her chin.

"Lucy?" Susan's voice echoed gently through the throne room.

Lucy let go of Peter to see Susan walking toward them. As she got closer, Lucy could see slight bags under her eyes. Had Susan slept at all last night, or had she been up pacing in her chamber? Lucy pretended not to notice, she took Peter's hand and gave him a look that told him it would be alright. He looked carefully over at Susan as she approached.

"How long have you been up?" Susan asked her eyes lingering on Peter quizzically for a moment.

"Not too long, only a couple hours." she said trying to stifle a yawn.

"I'm sorry." Peter said, he sounded nervous. It came out almost a shout more than anything. Susan turned her head to look at him full on a bit alarmed but the volume of his voice. Lucy just smirked.

Peter fidgeted, "For my behavior yesterday. I shouldn't have reacted that way. It's just, I don't remember ever seeing as faun before."

"Don't worry about it." Susan said. She wasn't sure where to go from here. It was strange speaking to Peter now. He had no idea what they had been through or who she was. Everything still felt like a terrible nightmare. She stood there forcing a smile to her face. It turned out looking sad instead of cheerful.

"I want to try to remember" he continued. "Everything is blank though."

Susan gave a sharp nod inhaling. "We'll help you Peter."

"Thank you—I'm sorry what was your name again?"

"Susan." she replied. Susan choked back a dry sob and turned to focus on Lucy. "Lu, why don't we leave Peter alone for—"

"No." Peter said grabbing for Susan. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong. I think being around you all more would help me remember."

Susan looked down as Peter's hand enclosed over her arm. He took his hand back but she couldn't help but get the urge to just hug Peter and cry. She smiled.

"Of course, we won't leave you Peter." Lucy said brightly. She was so glad that he wanted to be around them. Even more overjoyed that she now had the task of "fixing" Peter. But where to begin? She could sit him down and tell him everything in all the details she remembered. Then again that would take a long time, and Peter would probably grow tired.

"No one told me we were having a family meeting."

Edmund now joined them, looking just as tired as Susan looked if not worse. His eyes focused on Peter, filled with caution. His hands were behind his back, hiding something. Lucy grinned at Edmund straining her neck to try to glimpse at what he was holding. She took Peter's hand again squeezing it. This time Peter glanced down and smiled back at her. Edmund raised an eyebrow.

"What does he remember?" he spoke as if Peter was not in the room at all.

"Nothing." Susan replied.

"You're Edmund correct?" Peter asked. He stretched his hand out for Edmund to shake. The corners of Edmund's mouth twitched, he didn't take the hand. Peter awkwardly put it back down at his side. "Your sisters—I mean our sisters were just about to help me remember."

"Is that so?" Edmund revealed what he had been holding. Rhindon. Sheathed he handed the sword out to Peter. He gazed at the weapon as if it were a deadly poisonous snake. Edmund motioned for him to take it. Lucy let go of Peter and took a step to the side looking over to Susan, both wondering what Edmund had planned.

Peter took the sword almost dropping it, not used to the weight. This clumsy act made Edmund cringe; he turned and walked to the center of the throne room. Spinning on the balls of his feet Edmund drew his sword. His eyes narrowed on Peter. Peter felt her heart rate pick up in an instant seeing the boy drew a sword on him. He took a few steps back still holding the sword and scabbard in his hands.

"Edmund, what do you think you are doing?" Susan groaned.

"The Peter I know is a great swordsmen and helped me learn everything I now know." Edmund explained, "That kind of knowledge can't just leave you. It's like riding a bike."

"But you've never been good at riding a bike Ed." Lucy shouted across the room.

"Doesn't make the saying any less valid." he retorted. "Besides, Peter was great at riding a bike."

"Edmund come on stop this foolishness." the motherly tone in Susan's voice was over whelming, but Edmund wasn't listening. He was too fixated on Peter.

Peter looked nervously from Susan to Lucy and back to the sword with the lion's head on the butt of the hilt. The two of them looked apprehensive but neither of the girls made a motion for Peter to put the weapon down. Slowly he removed the sword from the scabbard catching his reflection in the blade. There were words etched on both sides in gold. He remembered back to what Lucy had said minutes ago about the things he had done with this sword, all of the great things. Sadly, holding the sword was awkward and foreign. There was nothing familiar about this piece of steel. He looked over to Edmund who waited impatiently.

"Come on Pete, I'll let you have the first go." he offered.

"What?" Peter questioned.

Edmund rocked back and forth his sword raised. Susan and Lucy exchanged looks of uncertainty. Lucy was more frightened, while Susan was just getting angry. She turned back to Edmund ready to talk him out of it. Suddenly he flew across the room closing the distance between him and Peter fast. Lucy let out a shriek of fright, as Edmund's sword looked like it would come crashing down on Peter's head. Peter quickly dodged and backed away still holding Rhindon. His eyes were the size of walnuts. Edmund's swing missed and hit the bottom steps with a clang.

"Edmund!" Susan cried out.

Edmund turned and faced Peter breathing hard. "Fight me Peter."

"You're insane! I don't know how to use this thing." Peter stammered. The sword was heavy for one, and he was hardly able to keep it steady in his hands.

With that Edmund charged again swinging his sword. Lucy covered her eyes afraid to see the outcome.

"Edmund stop this!" Susan screamed as his blade missed Peter's left arm by inches.

"He has to remember Susan!" Edmund burst out, tears suddenly apparent and streaming down his cheeks.

Peter ran again hiding behind a pillar his heart pounding in his chest. Edmund rounded the corner a crazed look in his eyes. Letting out a cry of surprise Peter ducked the blade of Edmund's sword and scrambled out from behind the pillar into the open room.

"Not like this!" Susan said furious. Edmund had gone mad, what did he think to accomplish by almost killing Peter. She stormed after Edmund to grab him but he was swinging the sword wildly now backing Peter to the doors.

With nowhere else to go Peter finally lifted the sword to block Edmund's. And it did just that. He parried. Peter's eyes narrowed, something suddenly came over him. Edmund's sword came again but Peter's came back at it knocking it away. The two were caught in a dazzling display of swordplay for a few moments.

Peter was backed against a pillar. He lifted his foot and planted it in Edmund's gut pushing his back. Edmund tumbled to the floor. Peter ran over twirling the sword in his hand and pointing it squarely at Edmund's chest. Edmund didn't move. Peter's eyes went wide in a state of shock. He backed away lowering the sword to his side.

Susan and Lucy ran over to assist Edmund to his feet but he declined their helping hands. Peter looked at Rhindon. Maybe they were right after all. He was High King of Narnia, and their brother. Peter took several deep breaths to try and calm down. It was reckless what Edmund did and he couldn't help but hate him a little for it. The anger and annoyance toward Edmund seemed familiar.

"Edmund, what were you thinking? You could have killed him." Susan looked as if she were ready to pick up Edmund's sword and have a go at him.

"You're welcome." He murmured grumpily. Edmund took his sword and sheathed it, pushing past his siblings. When he thought they weren't looking Edmund dried his eyes on the sleeve of his tunic before leaving the room.

"I can't believe he just did that." Susan fumed shaking her head. "He could have seriously hurt you." her eyes washed over Peter's for a moment. He was still starring at the spot Edmund had fallen, a look of disbelief on his face. "How could he be so immature."

Susan knew what Edmund had done worked in getting Peter to recall something of his life. It didn't make the way he went about it any less reckless. She was going to kill him next time she saw him. Lucy believed herself to be in the same boat as Susan. She was glad Peter remembered how to use a sword, but was ready to have a row with Ed for nearly chopping Peter's head off.

Lucy placed her hand on Peter's arm. "Are you okay?"

He flinched slightly at her touch, jarred from his thoughts but he nodded in response. Peter let go of Rhindon and let it clang to the floor. He swiftly turned and left the throne room. Lucy's head whipped to Susan who was starring at the doors clearly preoccupied.

Lucy starred down at Rhindon the words, "When He Shakes His Mane We Shall Have Spring Again." starring back up at her. Lucy prayed, silently for Aslan to return and help Peter. She wanted to speak with him; they needed him now more than ever. She knelt down and lifted the sword in her hands. The hilt was still warm and wet from Peter's grip. Lucy walked over to the thrones. She replaced the sword back in its scabbard and leaned it up against Peter's.