Disclaimer: The original disclaimer applies. I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia. C. S Lewis does. But all original characters are mine to claim.
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"Caspian, we want to help!" Edmund exclaimed hotly. "You can't order us to stay here!"
"Ed's right." Peter stated, already pulling a spare sword off the rack of weapons and throwing another one to Edmund. "We're the best warriors you have!"
"I know." Caspian said weakly but seeing his faltering resolve Edmund pounced on him.
"You can't lock us up, you know. We know how to get out."
"You do?" Caspian's eyebrows rose up.
Edmund flushed. "Well…ah….. the last time we were here was a very…. Informative visit you know."
There was silence and then Caspian said incredulously. "You were exploring the castle while Miraz's men attacked us?"
"Well it came in handy." Edmund said defensively as Peter rolled his eyes. "But that's not the point. The point is-"
"The POINT IS THAT YOU CANNOT LOCK ME HERE LIKE THIS, EDMUND PEVENSIE!"
It was Lucy, pounding at the door to one of the tunnels. She was screaming at the top of her voice, in a tone that would have done Susan proud.
"AND YOU, PETER PEVENSIE-"
"Lu, this for your own good!" Peter called. There was a shriek of rage and frustration from inside and Lucy yelled.
"I'M AS COMPETENT AS ANY OF YOU!"
"We know!" Peter said in a maddeningly gentle voice that made Edmund want to hit him. "You're too young!"
"I'M TWO YEARS OLDER THAN THE TIME I FOUGHT IN THE SECOND BATTLE OF BERUNA!"
Peter shook his head in exasperation. "We can't reason with her so I suggest we-"
"Move before Lucy the Bull smashes the door in her rage?" Edmund suggested and there was an outbreak of renewed yelling from behind the door. "Take care of her, Trufflehunter. Beware her girly charms."
The badger looked slightly put out but bowed obediently. Caspian muttered something under his breath and gestured for the brothers to follow him.
As they plunged into another tunnel, one of the centaurs standing at duty galloped up to Caspian. "My lord," He said in a grave voice. "My lord, there is a great problem."
"What is it?" Caspian asked immediately. "What's the problem?"
"There's been a surprise attack on us, my lord. From behind. Not just the Minotaur but werewolves and hags and other evil creatures as well."
Caspian paled. "This is as we dreaded. An alliance between darkness."
Peter grasped his shoulder. "Come on Caspian!" He said urgently. "The Narnians need us. We have to hurry to help them."
"Yes…. Yes." Caspian muttered and they began racing down the tunnel, their footsteps echoing in the hollow space. Peter felt his heart race at an accelerated rate.
If Aslan had sent them, then surely the problem must be grave indeed. He glanced at Edmund and saw his stricken expression. He felt sure that Edmund believed that the White Witch had returned and his younger brother was terrified.
"Through here!" Caspian gasped out breath and as they neared the tunnel gate, he slowed down. Frantically he began pulling at the handle, pushing the door with his might. Peter and Edmund edged beside him, trying to help him.
With another forceful heave the door opened and they plunged out.
Outside it was absolute chaos. The Narnians were scattering and cowering and as Peter shaded his eyes against the glare of the sun, he saw his worst fear come alive.
It was Jadis.
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"Susan Pevensie." Intoned the matron standing in the doorway, her crisp pink uniform freshly starched. "The Headmistress is waiting for you."
The teacher looked up, worriedly and nodded to Susan who walked out, hands clenched and back straight, wondering what on earth had she done.
She asked the matron this but she just scowled and said, frowning. "Do not ask questions, Miss. Pevensie. Do as you are told."
Susan lapsed into silence and obediently followed her hale woman to the Headmistress' office. The matron led her in and firmly shut the door behind her.
A fire burned in the hearth and beside it, scribbling away on a piece of parchment, sat Miss. Black, the owner of London School for Young Ladies. At the sound of the door closing, she looked up and her hazel eyes rested on Susan.
"Miss Pevensie, please sit." She beckoned her forward. "You may leave matron and thank you."
Susan did not look around as the door shut with a sharp click. Miss. Black sighed and shuffled her papers so that some of the mess was cleared.
"You must be wondering why you have been called here." She smiled wanly. "I have a letter from your mother that says you are to come home immediately."
Susan felt ice-cold and clutched the rim of the desk so that her knuckles turned pale. "But why?" She asked. "What has happened?"
"Your mother did not explain. She did however mention that it was something to do with your siblings. Perhaps some family problem?"
But there was a terrible feeling within her. What had happened? Maybe they have gone to Narnia. She thought, her heart leaping but then it sank as a horrible truth set in. But why didn't I go, then?
"Miss. Pevensie? Are you quite well?" Miss. Black reached out to shake her. "I have arranged for your transport. Your belongings have been packed. The matron will accompany you to the gate. You may go now."
Numbly, Susan stood up still immersed in her thoughts. Her long ponytail swished behind her. It can't be. She argued with herself. Aslan would have called me. Why wouldn't he?
Half an hour later, her clothes were packed and she was on her way home. As the vehicle thudded along the gravel and the driver cursed aimlessly, Susan peeked out.
The trees which had been previously covered with autumnal leaves were now bare. Their branches rose up in the wind like skeletons waving goodbye to her.
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There was absolute chaos everywhere. From the eastern side of Telmar; a host of creatures were flooding in. Malicious faces, horribly disfigured, howling in unity and the darkness surged up through the city.
Peter leapt into the panicking soldiers, losing sight of both Edmund and Caspian. His sword was drawn, the blade Rhindon glinting as it wove around: it had been too long, too long since he had held this blade, felt it's ancient power running through him.
Many of the people had realized that they were under siege. As Peter raced through the city, he saw many of them screaming for their loved ones as they shut themselves up in their houses. Women wailed, flapping their skirts, screaming for their children to behave, tugging them into the house. The Narnian soldiers had scattered. Peter had forgotten that Old Narnians were practically non-existent by now. Most of the soldiers were humans, descendants of the early settlers of Telmar.
Jadis' forces rushed up to meet them, lowering their horns, shaking their fists. It seemed as if Jadis had raised all of darkness to help her and Peter saw with a sinking feeling as he looked into the fray, that they were hopelessly outnumbered.
Slashing out with fierce precision, he jumped through the soldiers scattering in different directions: some repelling blows, others falling as they were mortally hit. Peter shook his blond locks out of his eyes and glanced around. It seemed as if more and more of Jadis' soldiers kept coming. No matter how many he killed, how many he injured, they just kept coming in endless repetition.
He dodged a fist shooting out like an awl, straight for his head. He lunged and in one swift motion, the Minotaur fell dead to his feet. Peter turned around and began fighting his way through, looking around desperately for Caspian. He spotted a familiar raven-haired figure in a slight skirmish around the keep of the castle.
"Ed!" He yelled, willing his brother to hear him. "Ed!"
Edmund glanced around and his coffee colored eyes met Peter's. In an instant he was beside him, his own blade splattered with blood.
"Retreat." Peter gasped. "We should retreat. We cannot hold our fort. We must take our people and flee."
Edmund stared at him as if he had lost his wits. Peter grabbed him and shook him hard.
"I heard you!" Edmund yelled. "It's just that-"
He never got to heard what Edmund said because a violent blow hammered on his face. Peter gasped in his breath, his heart pounding. He could feel the blood trickling down his cheek even as he swerved to meet the second blow.
"Don't argue!" He very nearly screamed at his brother. "Go to Caspian!"
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Edmund, wincing, rushing away. Peter hoped against hope that for once his younger brother would obey his orders.
With one massive swipe he cut deep into the armor of the enemy, his face throbbing. He could feel his cheek swelling up making his eyes puffy.
"Peter!" Caspian fought his way through. "What in Aslan's name happened to your face?!"
"Long story." Peter muttered, hoisting his sword and cleanly piercing another enemy's chest. "Ed told you?"
"Yes." Caspian shook his long crow-black locks out of his face, his expression slightly dubious. "Peter, I know we are outnumbered badly, but where will we retreat?"
Peter side-stepped a blow and called out. "To the trees." He inclined his head towards the forest. "Jadis won't dare enter into the forest. They are Aslan's domain."
"Aslan hasn't been much help to us lately." Caspian said, so quietly that Peter was sure he that he wasn't meant to hear it.
"They're the best hope we have." Peter insisted. "We have to regroup and plan strategies. Order a retreat."
When Caspian still looked doubtful, Peter grasped his arm and exerted pressure. "Do you remember the first battle we fought at Telmar."
Caspian stared. Of course he did. It had been a disaster.
Peter swallowed as if admitting something he didn't want to. "I didn't want to retreat. In the end we had to. And with most of my men slaughtered. I learned a very valuable lesson. Jadis will be upon us soon. If we don't retreat now, we will all perish. Who will stop Jadis then? Caspian!"
Caspian shook his head, his eyes overcast like the sky above. But he no longer looked dubious. Peter knew that his confession had effected Caspian and perhaps changed his mind.
"I'll do it. My men are trained to retreat properly. It's the women and children I'm worried about."
"You said that most of them are in the castle. Send Edmund to Lucy and order her to evacuate them from underground."
Caspian steeled himself and drew in a massive breath. Peter watched as he plunged into the group of soldiers, still locked in combat. Within seconds a deep horn blew over the castle grounds.
Peter smashed his fist against his opponent's face, feeling immense satisfaction when he howled and dropped to his knees. He shouted to those beside him, still stunned at the sound of the horn.
"What are you waiting for?" He bellowed, racing around the courtyard. "RETREAT!"
There was a surge of movement as the defenders of Telmar backed away. Peter felt a dull ache inside him as he remembered his siblings, underground. Would they get away safely?
He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and renewed his shouting. Some of the men were still locked in a fight. As Peter scanned the area, he felt his heart stop beating. Over the crest of the town, he saw another squadron of Minotaurs. And in their midst stood Jadis, steadily making her way up the hill, her pace leisurely. With a sick feeling, Peter saw the pleasure in her face as she speared the soldiers lying helplessly on the ground. He raised his sword and made to move forwards when an arm grabbed him from behind.
"No, my lord!" It was an old man, bearded and wizened from age. Despite his haleness, he possessed a grip of steel. He maneuvered Peter's face down so that it was inches from his and gasped out. "You must go! You must! You must lead us! There is nothing but death here! You-"
A great gasp came from his mouth and suddenly, to his horror, blood started seeping from his mouth. The man looked at his chest as if he couldn't believe that the ax had been imbedded in it. Then he crumbled. Peter caught him as he fell and gently laid him to the corner where he would not be trampled upon.
Muttering an oath, he swung around and ruthlessly bore down on the man's murderer.
"Peter!" He heard Caspian call and he saw his friend nearly in the midst of the trees. There was a frantic plea. He looked behind him and saw that Jadis had not yet made her way up. There was still so many men with them. So many.
They would be killed. Despite himself, he hesitated. But Caspian's desperate call came again. He saw many of the Telmarines and Narnians fleeing, clutching bundles of infants or food.
With regret all over his face, he rushed towards the forest, trying to kill any enemy he met. At the very edge he turned back. The gray sky cast a faint murky glisten over everything. The courtyard was filled with the dead and dying. Peter drew in a swift breath and turned around, plunging into darkness.
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Once they were a sufficient distance away from the castle, Caspian ordered a rest. It was already nightfall and the glow from the fires held by some of the men was the only source of light. Wearily Peter cast the fire down and crossing his aching ankles sat down on the mossy floor.
The food that had been brought had already been distributed amongst the women and the children. Now there was scarcely any left. The group that they had with them was a small one, barely one-seventh of the population. But it was a large one none-the-less.
What are we going to do now? Peter thought. Where will we go?
Edmund sat down beside him, curling up like a cat. The fire light reflected in his eyes.
"What do we do now, Peter?" He asked, his question eerily similar to one Peter was thinking.
"We have to find cover. A good one. To plot our next move."
As Peter said this, Caspian appeared holding a few bread pieces. Wordlessly he distributed them. Peter thought that Caspian was more weary than both him and Edmund. There was a fatigue around him that had nothing to do with the recent battle.
"I was wondering if we should go to Aslan's How."
"It was destroyed. And even if we go there, what will prevent Jadis from coming after us?" Edmund countered.
"Cair Paravel." Peter said suddenly.
Caspian stared at him in astonishment and Edmund choked over his bread.
"What?" They said in unison. The tone they used suggested that what they actually wanted to say was: Are you mental?
"Why not?" Peter argued, sitting up properly. "We have to replenish our reserves. We have no weapons, no medicines, no food. Cair Paravel has these stocks. We saw them ourselves."
He saw Edmund nod slowly. Caspian sighed and closed his eyes.
"I don't know what we'll do." He said glumly. "Men, women and children. If it were a smaller group, we could fend for ourselves but not for so many. Cair Paravel is three days from here isn't it?"
Peter nodded, doing a mental calculation. As Caspian went to alert his commanders, Edmund stayed.
"Lu's still mad at us for locking her away."
Despite himself Peter nearly grinned. "I know. She nearly strangled me back there."
Edmund shot him an impish smile and suddenly grew serious, his dark eyes very solemn. "Peter," He whispered. "Why do you really want to go to Cair Paravel?"
Peter eyes him warily. His brother was no fool, he was extremely clever and not to mention, he knew him well.
Finally he settled on the safest answer.
"I told you, we can get supplies from there. We did the last time."
Edmund shook his head but remained mute, biting his lip thoughtfully. As the men rose to collect firewood and set up camp for the night, Peter thought silently what he hadn't said aloud.
Because I want to see my wife's grave at least once.
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The next update will be by the end of the next week, hopefully provided that all goes well… Thank you again for your patience (I know I'm not very regular on the updates) and thank you for your comments that make my day! Keep them coming.
So I end the chapter on the same note as always : Review please!
L. Potter