Note: I don't usually answer anonymous reviews in author's notes, but Book Lover brought up something about the last chapter I thought I should address. (S)he said "But whoa, what's with the Greek gods?...I just can't see Edmund being compared to them. They seem to go against Aslan." The real Greek gods are very much not like Aslan (the Norse gods a little less weird all around). However, if you read "Prince Caspian", the book, you will notice that Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, is present and is a servant of Aslan. So it is not unthinkable that the Greek gods, in Narnia, belong to Aslan. (A shorter answer? It's a metaphor.) Sorry for the long note, but I felt it needed to be said.

Chapter 28


His world was only blue and silver, silver and blue, both turning to delightful red with every swing of his arms. His feet danced, yet were still set on the ground, like a river that flowed far and long but lay trapped in the same earth. So his feet moved, and so silver and blue ran red, and so he laughed at the beauty of it.

Then the ground jerked from beneath his feet. There was no more dancing as his back impacted earth, his laughter cut short as breath left his body. Blackness filled his vision, but it quickly cleared and he blinked as silver and blue were muted to brown, and red flew from sight to be replaced by vibrant, living green. Edmund was shocked back to full awareness as he realized what he was seeing.

Trees. The trees were moving, rustling, roaring as their roots tore up the earth and attacked the Telmarines soldiers, who fled in terror from their nightmares come to life.

One of the trees, a sprite little myrtle following in the wake of the great trees, wrapped a branch around Edmund's hand and gently heaved him to his feet. "I apologize, your majesty. We were going for the Telmarines around you, but your roots were too unstable."

The young king breathed heavily, still trying to wake his mind from its berserk emptiness. Finally, he gasped out a "Thanks". The myrtle nodded and then continued on his way towards the fleeing Telmarines.

"Edmund!" He turned at Susan's frantic call and found himself with an armful of older sister. It was awkward trying to hold her while carrying two swords, but he somehow managed a decent embrace. She pulled back, her eyes frantically surveying his form. "Are you alright? Are you injured?"

Edmund was only paying partial attention to her words, used to her worry as he was, while he appraised the situation on the battlefield. "I'm fine, Su." The Telmarines were in full retreat; the Narnians needed to pursue and cut them down before they regrouped. Where were…Ah, there, whole and hale. "Come on, there's Peter and Caspian."

Without waiting for a response, Edmund took off towards his fellow kings and brothers. He slowed as a great oak tree bellowed and sent his roots flying through the ground, tearing down one of the Telmarine war machines. It was an awesome sight and, for a moment, Edmund just reveled in watching his dormant people, awake and moving. Lucy had done it; she had found Aslan – or, more likely, Aslan had found her – and the Lion had woken the trees from their fearful slumber.

Then Edmund heard Peter speak, and he refocused on his mission. With only a few more steps he was by Peter's side, opposite from Caspian. Both the older kings looked over him, and Susan, with worried eyes, relaxing only when they saw neither was terribly injured. Those Narnians still able to stand and fight gathered near them, all awed at the sight they knew only from stories.

But their work was not yet finished. Feeling the renewed energy in their forces, Peter gave the order to charge after the Telmarines, across the field and towards the Beruna Bridge. Adrenaline coursed through Edmund's veins as he followed his brother, tightly gripping his blood-encrusted swords. The earth still trembled as the trees moved with them, and Edmund expected that more of their brethren waited across the bridge to trap the fleeing enemy.

Unfortunately, the exuberance of the Narnians faltered into alarm as they neared the beginning of the woods and realized that the cavalry and infantry which had held back before were still standing in their way. They were maintaining their lines, not fleeing like the others. Peter lifted his sword to order an attack when…

"Hold!" came Edmund's loud, insistent command. Peter paused and looked at his brother, but Edmund did not meet his gaze. Instead, he saw what distance had hidden from him before: the pikes of the infantry were planted in the earth by hands trembling in fear. Nervous cavalrymen were dismounted and holding the bridles of their terrified horses. Save one.

General Glozelle, sword sheathed and hand out in a steadying command to his troops, looked almost as fearful of the trees and the Narnians as his men. He held himself sternly and bravely, though, and his voice barely wavered as he addressed the Narnian leaders. "Your majesties," he acknowledged with a courteous nod.

Edmund smiled. "Peter, continue the pursuit."

Peter was none-too sure about this course of action. "Edmund…"

"It's alright." He pointed at the division banner, stuck in the ground and lowered. "They've surrendered."

.

Though hesitant, Peter trusted his brother's knowledge and, with Susan, led the majority of the Narnians past Glozelle's troops and into the forest. A few guards remained with Edmund, as did Caspian. Glozelle dismounted his horse, handing the reins to Lord Scythley, who stood beside him. Hesitating only a hair's breadth of a moment, Glozelle knelt in fealty before Caspian. "My lord king, here is your servant and those men whose loyalty is now yours." He looked up at a surprised Caspian. "Majesty, our aid in this battle was only that we did not fight, for in engaging we would not be able to distinguish ally from enemy. By our oaths, it will never happen again that you be in need of aid and we do not answer."

Caspian stepped forward and Glozelle's eyes dropped to the ground in regret, not bearing the sight of the king he had betrayed. Therefore, his shoulders jolted in surprise when Caspian leaned over and took both hands in his, accepting the general's fealty. "May it be so, Lord Glozelle of Woodwatch."

Edmund had to grin at the utter astonishment on Glozelle's face as Caspian not only forgave him, but granted him a title…and Lord Sopespian's lands. Caspian helped Glozelle to his feet, and it was evident that the Telmarine soldiers had relaxed at the sight of this acceptance and honor. Extremely loyal to their general, they would follow his lead in following Caspian. It was a start, the beginning of reconciliation.

However, the war was not over yet. "Caspian." The young king glanced at Edmund, who gave him a look clearly stating that they should be following the others.

Caspian turned back to Glozelle. "Lord Glozelle, please have your men surrender their weapons to these good Narnians. It is only a precaution and they will be returned when peace has been settled." Trusting Glozelle to obey – and rightly so – Edmund and Caspian dashed into the woods, following the obvious path of the battle.

They emerged from the treeline, only to stop short and stare, just as the Narnians around them were doing. It was no wonder, as yet another tale had come alive and was presently tearing apart the Telmarine army as they crossed the Ford: the water-god of the Great River, awoken at last and not happy to have his waters restrained by the wooden bridge. Therefore, Edmund was not surprised to see the bridge suspended in air and broken when the river-god came down on it with all force possible.

As the waters settled and flowed freely once more, the Narnians began cheering as they never had before. The battle, the war, was won! The water-logged and frightened Telmarines no longer had any fight left in them – particularly after the rather impressive death of their leader, Sopespian, at the hands of the river-god – and they began surrendering their weapons in resignation. Those Narnians near Edmund and Caspian were laughing and pounding at their kings' shoulders with happy abandon, respect and control giving way to status-ignorant joy. Hoping they were not doing the same to Peter with his bruised shoulder-blade, Edmund searched for his older brother in the crowd.

When he finally spotted Peter and Susan, they were not looking for him and Caspian as expected. They weren't even moving. Instead, they were looking across the river to the broken end of the bridge where…

Edmund's heart caught in his throat, and the noise of his surroundings dimmed to nothing. Lucy was there, yes, wet and smiling, but she did not capture his attention. Standing next to her, though, larger and more brilliant than Edmund remembered, was a beautiful, golden lion.

Aslan had come.