Author's note: My life would be a lot better if i owned Narnia, but I don't. Everything is the possession of the genius C.S. Lewis. Enjoy!

"Don't be scared, the kings and queens won't let any harm come to you," Mel whispered to me as she helped pull chain mail over my head. My fingers shook so violently that I couldn't tie the laces on the cuirass.

She did it for me.

I pulled on the wrist protectors and fastened them with a deep breath and gulp.

"Mel, I don't think I can do this. What if-""Don't focus on the what if's. All you need to worry about is swinging as hard as you can at anyone that tries to come near you," she told me quickly, trying to prevent the violent images from appearing in my head.

"I'm going to die."

She smacked my shoulder, glaring at me. "Don't start that. I swear to Aslan, Christina, if you die…." She trailed off, making her threat seem even more intimidating. "Besides, I'll be right there beside you."

I helped her pull on her specialized chain mail and arm guards. Then we both set out towards the Stone table cave, where I knew the final stages of planning and preparations were taking place.

"Sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest, alone?"

I looked at Mel as the conversation within the room met our ears. What on earth was trumpkin talking about? I entered the room and leaned against the wall, attempting to make my entrance unknown. It seemed to have worked.

"It's our only chance," Peter argued, looking very apprehensive and worried.

"And she won't be alone."

Susan took a step towards lucy, placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder. I wish I had come in sooner, I burned with curiosity, wondering what they were talking about and what the plan was. All I could guess, as of now, was that Susan and Lucy were going into the darkest parts of the forest for some reason.

"Haven't enough of us died already?" Trumpkin asked lucy, his eyes begging her to stay.

"Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I."

A badger, standing right beside Edmund, spoke, looking remorsefully at the dwarf. I almost smiled at the small twinge of surprise I felt in the back of my mind at seeing him speak. I knew I would never get used to talking animals.

"For Aslan," Reepicheep vowed, unsheathing his sword and crossing it across his chest.

I had to admit, for a mouse, he looked very regal.

"For Aslan," a bear agreed. His voice was deep and slow, sounding exactly as a bear would. I smiled. I had always loved bears. And his thick fur and warm brown coat made him look like an especially large teddy bear.

"Then I'm going with you," trumpkin sighed.

"No, we need you here," Lucy said softly, her voice was soothing, as if to console him. Why would she need to console him? She's the one going into the darkest parts of the forest. She put her hand on trumpkin's shoulder and smiled gently.

"We need to hold them off until Lucy and Susan get back," peter stated.

"If I may?"

I looked at Caspian. He sat on the stairs across the room, his armor on. The old man, who I had found out to be his professor, sat on the steps next to him. As all eyes turned to him, he stood up. I looked away, still somewhat angry for how stupid he was and how badly he damaged Edmund.

"Miraz may be a tyrant, and a murderer, but as a king he is subjected to the traditions and expectations of his people." He walked forward and looked peter directly in the eyes.

"There is one in particular that may buy us some time."

"And what would that be?" Peter questioned.

"Hand to hand combat," Caspian replied immediately. There was a small sparkle in his eyes that I had never seen there before. They were almost mischievous, like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.

And so, peter decided to fight, one on one with Miraz, which scared the crap out of me.

What if he wasn't good enough? Miraz was older than him. What if he was a better fighter than peter? What if he killed him? There I went with those what if's again. Mel was right, I was going to kill myself if I didn't quit worrying about the what if's.

A declaration was written and Edmund had been called on to deliver it directly to Miraz's camp.

This scared me more than Peter's fight did.

It was like they were feeding him directly to the enemy, which they basically were. But, of course, I kept my mouth shut and watched in horror as Glenstorm, Edmund, and some giant prepared to leave.

As he walked towards the door, I called his name.

"Edmund! ED!" I whisper/yelled, waiting for him to see me.

His two guards continued on as he stepped over to me and smiled. He looked excited, like a kid who had just been give a million dollars and set loose in a toy store. He was a military leader. He lived for battle.

"Be careful," I commanded, pulling him into a tight hug.

After only a few seconds I let go, blushed, looked down, and then looked back up. He smiled and pecked the back of my hand quickly before leaving the cave. I winced with every fading footstep I heard.

I didn't stay long after Edmund left.

Peter and Caspian, as well as most of the soldiers, made a battle plan. I couldn't stand it. Not even excusing myself, I slipped out of the cave and walked through the halls. I hoped I knew where I was going; I had only been there once.

After close to twenty minutes of walking aimlessly around the caves I finally found the tunnel.

My feet moved quickly as I made my way up the slope and exited onto the small ledge that Caspian and his professor had been sitting on earlier. I took in a deep breath and sat down with my back against the stone, my feet about a foot away from the ledge.

I allowed my eyes to explore the clearing in front of the Howe.

Telmarines were wandering around the edge of the forest, standing guard for their camp, which was just beyond the line of trees. My chest swelled with worry and anticipation as i thought of what Edmund was doing in that camp at this very moment.

Proposing a fight to the death between Peter and Miraz.

I shook my head and closed my eyes, trying to think about something else.

How was I going to get home? I couldn't stay here forever. But Lucy and Mel had said that only Aslan had the power to send me home, and I had yet to have met him. He probably didn't even know who I was, much less how I got into Narnia, and much, much less how I would be getting home.

My eyes snapped open at that thought.

What if I never went home? What if I was stuck here for the rest of my life?

A movement near the center of the clearing snapped me out of my reverie. The telmarines wouldn't dare venture that close to us unless they were planning an attack, which I sincerely hoped wasn't the case. I stared at the blurry figures, realizing, with great relief, who it was.

Edmund.

I got to my feet as Edmund, Glenstorm, and the giant got closer to the Howe. "Edmund, what happened?" I called once they were in hearing range. "Come down and I'll tell you," he yelled back, what looked like a small smile on his face.

Turning around, I ran through the tunnel and out to the main cave, where he was just entering.

My arms wrapped themselves around his neck in a quick, slightly awkward hug. Then I pulled away, blushed, but smiled nonetheless. "What happened?" I repeated, looking at him. "I have to tell everyone, come on," his hand wrapped around my wrist and he dragged me to the stone table cave.

"Ed!"

Peter, Susan, and Lucy hopped up and hugged him quickly.

I found a seat against the wall on the side of the room and smiled fondly while the brothers and sisters conversed quietly amongst themselves. Other soldiers filed into the room and waited anxiously, wondering what the outcome of the proposal was.

Finally, Edmund stood in the center of the room and eyed everyone seriously.

"Miraz has agreed to the fight," he declared, staring his brother straight in the eyes.

They both seemed to be having a silent conversation for a moment. Then Edmund nodded and looked away. "Lucy, Susan, be prepared to leave first thing in the morning. We need to find Aslan as soon as possible," Peter instructed, looking at his sisters.

"Lucy, please be careful," I whispered, hugging her tightly.

She grinned at me and gave me another quick squeeze before she stuck her foot in the stirrup and swung up onto the horse's back. Next was Susan. She flashed me a weak smile and I gave her a quick, awkward hug before wishing her luck and stepping away from the horse.

"Your majesties."

I stood aside as Caspian entered and bowed his head to the queens on the horse.

"May i?" he wondered, stepping forward and motioning to the horse. I honestly had no idea what he was asking he could do, but both Lucy and Susan nodded. He stepped forward and began fiddling with things on the saddle.

"Destrier has always served me well," he stated, looking up at Lucy and Susan, then back down. "You are in good hands." Once again he looked up then back down, fixing something else on the saddle.

"Or hooves."

I couldn't help but smile at that. Even when she was preparing to ride into a dangerous forest in search of a lion that everyone else believes doesn't exist, she is still bubbly and friendly. Caspian cracked a small smile, which turned serious after only a second.

Then he glanced up at Susan and stared at her for a second.

An unknown emotion bubbled up in my stomach, but I had no name for it. Yes you do…you like him. Do not. Do too. Shut up, I don't have time for this right now. "Good luck," he muttered, still staring at Susan.

She glanced at him then looked away. "Thanks."

"Look," he looked down once again and fumbled around for a second before revealing a white horn in the shape of a lion. "Maybe it is time you had this back." He offered it to Susan. She glanced at it, then away as the horse began to get antsy.

"Why don't you hold onto it? You might need to call me again."

With that she spurred the side of the horse and it trotted off down the cave. I didn't watch them go, as Caspian did, I was too busy trying to maintain my composure at Susan's comment. You might need to call me again.

Was that a lame attempt at flirting? Or just a friendly joke?

Did Susan like Caspian? Why not? He was smart, kind, courteous, chivalrous….not to mention extremely handsome. Of course she liked him. More of that unknown feeling popped up in my chest.

You have no reason to be jealous! He is a prince and she is a queen. You're just some loser from 2010 that showed up here and has gotten in the way of everything. THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT HE WOULD LIKE YOU. GIVE UP. NOW.

I took a deep breath and took a step towards the exit to the cave, to go find Mel.

"Milady?"

I made a small face, whether it was of pleasure or dislike I'm not sure, at the name and turned to face Caspian. "Please, just Christina," I insisted, flashing him a small smile. "Christina," he whispered, as if testing in on his lips. Honestly, I loved the sound of it, my name rolling off his tongue in that perfect accent of his.

I took another step towards the entrance to the cave, preparing to leave.

"I'm worried."

It was so quiet that I thought I had imagined it a first. But when I turned to look at him, to see if he had actually spoken, he was staring at me waiting for a response. I sighed and looked at him sympathetically. Of course he was worried. Who wasn't?

"About…susan?" it was almost hard for me to say her name.

"About the fight."

A wave of relief washed through me, and I tried to focus on what he had said instead of focusing on the fact that his mind wasn't consumed with the gorgeous queen. Or maybe it was, and he was just lying to make conversation.

"I am too," I muttered, not meeting his piercing brown eyes.

We both just stood there silently. I couldn't look him in the eyes, so I settled for looking down, peeking at him behind a curtain of my hair every now and then. After a few moments I began to feel awkward, so I cleared my throat and looked up.

"Well, I hope you don't mind, but I have to go find my friend Melanchaetes."

I nodded my head at him, flashing him a tiny smile, then I left the cave at a brisk walk, hoping to get away before he had the chance to respond.