A Case of the Writer's Block

A Time in Camelot (2)

So for this one I did Caspian but I'm thinking it'll be a better dilemma if the Pevensies were involved instead (you'll see what I mean once you read it). Since I put them in the 3rd one, I decided on Caspian for this one (this one was written second but I'm posting it first because I'm posting the three in order of how much focus/attention they got. Least to most). I abandoned it because it was getting too long and it got darker than I meant.

Unfortunately, Ana is in for a bit of a rough time in this one. Whoops... (this one was written at night and those always seem to be my darker storylines...) So I'm posting trigger warnings with it. Maybe I should beat Merlin up a bit instead?

This one changes POVs a lot, so I've used the name of the character it changes to as the transition. The POV doesn't change every time, but since there are time skips, I needed something for the transitions. But I feel like it takes away a bit of the mystery/suspense of who's "talking," so maybe I should stick with something more boring. Thoughts?

As with previous, this one also has all my original comments.

𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷

Summary (so far, subject to change): In order to save the King's life, Ana makes a sacrifice. When she winds up in Camelot, Arthur learns that magic maybe isn't all bad. But even there, Ana's struggles are far from over and Caspian begins to realize just how much she is willing to suffer for his sake.

TW: violence, abuse, strangulation, mentions/allusions to torture

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"Which will it be, missy?" the mercenary sneered. "Which one will you save?"

Ana could only stare, wondering how they got into this situation. They had fought off most of the mercenaries that had ambushed them, but in a surprising turn of events, they forced Caspian and Thaddeus (maybe Peter/Lucy and Edmund??) up against the ledge. Disarming them and forcing them closer to the edge of a long drop, Ana was trying to work out how to save them both. Logically, she had to save Caspian—he was the King after all—but she wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing she condemned Thaddeus to his death.

It was those thoughts that had been interrupted when they forced her to choose. Either Caspian or Thaddeus. She couldn't shoot the mercenaries to save them. They had them precariously balanced on the edge so that if she shot one, their captive would fall off the cliff. And while she could perhaps shoot the second, it was likely they would just push their other captive off as well before she had a chance. Both would be lost. Even as Phoenix she couldn't save two grown men ((people??)) in time. And that was if she could get both shots off and run towards the cliff before the remaining mercenaries moved in.

"I'm waiting," the mercenary hissed, pushing Caspian ever-so-slightly closer to the edge and Ana realized she had been silent too long.
"What proof do I have that you won't just toss them both off either way?" she asked, not knowing if picking Caspian would actually save him.
"You don't," the man sneered. "But if you don't we'll send them both down the cliff and into the lovely ravine below."
Wait... Ana thought. Why would they be so willing to kill Caspian? Don't they know he's the King? She decided to test that. "If you're so willing to kill them, then you're not after them at all."
"What makes you so sure of that?" the second one countered.
"Because you wouldn't be threatening them like that. You want me—Or something I can get you."
The first one chuckled. "Clever girl."
"Then if it's me you want, I will go with you without a fight," Ana said, lowering her weapons. "On one condition."
"Yes?" the second inquired.
"You let them both go. I know there's no way I can get out of this. You get me either way. But if you harm them, I will fight you every step of the way. I will try to run any chance I get, regardless of how you punish me for it. I'll do whatever it takes to make your lives as miserable as I can," she warned. "But! If you allow them to go free, I will cooperate. I won't fight back and I won't try to run. You have my word. And that is worth a lot more than yours ever could."
"Ana," Caspian hissed in warning, but she refused to look at him.