The High Queen of Narnia

Chapter 14

Both men forwent their helms as they faced each other, Peter striking first as Miraz used his shield to block the strike, guiding Peter's sword away from him. She hated this. She hated that she could do nothing but stand here and watch as a murderer tried to add her twin brother's name to his list.

And when Peter took another hit to the face with Miraz's shield, Elodie inhaled sharply, her hand unconsciously grabbing Caspian's wrist. The prince looked from her to Edmund, the young king's expression telling him that she needed this as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the battle in front of her. And the prince twisted his wrist out of her grip, allowing her hand to slide down into his as he squeezed it supportively and both boys watched as the weights from her shoulders seemed to lift slightly. Weights that only piled back on as Miraz let out an angry cry as he shoved Peter into one of the fallen stone columns and he collapsed onto the ground. Miraz let out another yell as he charged at Peter with his sword raised and Edmund had to take Elodie's other hand to keep her from running forward.

But as usual, her brother came through at the last minute as he met Miraz's sword with his own before the High King swung his legs around in a move he'd seen his sister do a hundred times but never tried himself. He knocked Miraz to the ground as Peter got up, abandoning his shield as Miraz jumped to his feet. Their swords tussled before Peter was able to use his free hand to twist Miraz's blade free from his hand and the golden warrior was left with only his shield to defend himself as Peter wailed on it with his sword.

But the boys had to tighten their grip on Elodie, Caspian moving his body in front of her as he placed his other hand on her hip, holding her back as Miraz was able to trap Peter's blade between his side and his arm as he yanked it from his arm and let it clatter to the floor before his shield met his face again.

"You cannot intervene," he whispered into her ear.

"But Peter -"

"Ellie, Pete will be fine. You know that he's-

"Got it sorted," she sighed as she finished her brother's sentence before both boys hesitantly let her go. Her hands were shaking as she fidgeted with her fingers, trying to calm her nerves that were skyrocketing as Peter grabbed hold of Miraz's shield, twisting under it and holding it behind Miraz's back as the king groaned at the way his arm bent. But it wasn't for long as his armoured elbow met Peter's face as he let go of his shield and forced a dazed Peter back into the same pile of stone as before as he dashed to pick up his fallen sword.

And Peter barely got out of the way as Miraz brought the sword down onto the stone instead of him. Peter used his gauntlets to block Miraz's next strike before bringing his fist down onto the usurper's bandaged injury.

The tyrant cried out in agony, his hands going to his leg as he backed away from Peter, his blade dragging across the ground as he begged, "Respite!"

The Narnian army cheered as Miraz fell to his knees and Peter rose, his fist raised in the air as Miraz repeated his plea.

"End this Peter," Elodie encouraged.

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter!" Edmund reminded him, but Peter lowered his fist as he began to walk away. And Elodie knew it was a bad decision from the second he took his first step towards them.

"PETER!" she screamed at the same time Edmund bellowed,

"Look out!"

And their brother turned around just in time to duck out of the way as Miraz brought his sword down. From there, it was rather easy to wrestle the hilt of the blade from his hand as Peter spun around, dropping to his knees as he forced the sword up into Miraz's chest and through his chainmail. And the tyrant fell to his knees as Peter rose to his feet, Miraz's own sword poised for a killing blow.

"What's the matter, boy?" Miraz groaned. "Too cowardly to take a life?"

Peter only gave Miraz an enraged look. "It's not mine to take," Peter spat through gritted teeth before turning around to where his siblings stood and offered the hilt of Miraz's sword. And all of their eyes turned to Caspian.

He glanced at the cerulean blue of Elodie's eyes before taking his first steps towards his uncle, seeming hesitant at first but the closer he got to his uncle, the angrier he got as his lips set into a hard line and his eyes became cold as his bare hand wrapped around the sword handle. Peter then picked up his own sword as he made his way back to his siblings and Caspian faced the man that killed his father.

He brought the sword up, his free hand resting on the blade to better help his aim and Elodie swore she saw them shake as Miraz dared speak to Caspian after what he'd done.

"Perhaps I was wrong," he muttered. "Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king after all."

And Miraz lowered his head as Caspian let out a furious, yet broken scream before driving the tip of the sword into the ground, into a small patch of grass that had grown between the cracks of the stone circle.

Caspian had tears in his eyes as Miraz looked up and if Elodie had seen them, she would've said they looked like melted chocolate. But even though she didn't see them, she was still unbelievably proud of him because he'd kept his promise. He realised the difference between avenging his father and seeking revenge for his father and more importantly, he realised something else. How different he truly was from Miraz.

"Not one like you," he replied lowly before he stood tall. "I may be a Telmarine, but I could not be more different to you. And it is because of that difference between us that I'm allowing you to keep your life, but, I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom."

With his uncle still alive and the sword still placed in the ground, the Narnians cheered for Caspian as he made his way back over to them and his gaze locked with Elodie who gave him a proud smile. He didn't return it, however, and she understood why. He needed time to process what he'd just done as he walked past them, Edmund clapping him on the back as the prince made his way toward the Howe. And he was halfway there before he turned, before they all turned when they heard someone cry out in pain. And that someone was Miraz.

The golden king stumbled with a Narnian arrow embedded in his back, the lord that was helping him up just watched as Miraz fell to the floor, dead.

"Treachery!" the lord bellowed and Elodie's eyes widened. Not even she would've seen this coming, perhaps not even Aslan. "They shot him!" the lord proclaimed as he picked up Miraz's sword that Caspian left standing and thrust it into the air. "They murdered our king!"

"Be ready!" Peter shouted to his army before they watched Caspian's body language change.

"Peter!" Caspian shouted in worry, and they turned to see a Telmarine guard running at them and Elodie had enough of sitting on the sidelines.

She pushed Peter back as she drew her axe and she charged, her back bending as she avoided the first strike and jumped out of the way of the second before she moved to offence. In all of two moves, the guard had fallen for good. She kicked his sword arm out of the way before she brought her axe down and the guard crumpled to the floor.

"Go!" she ordered, and the bear ran as the troops prepared for battle, Peter and Edmund joining their sister as she stood on Telmar's side of the stone circle to survey their army.

And then the catapults began to launch.