Accidentally Falling | Narnia

49 | preparations

Two days later, as Peter had predicted, King Lune's army from Archenland came. He spared thousands of men to fight with the King of Narnia against Caspian and the Witch's army. His twin sons, Cor and Corin, led the army themselves. Seeing the both of them, Peter couldn't help but remember the first war he led against the Witch together with his own twin brother. His twin brother who would be on the other side of the battlefield in the morrow.

That afternoon, Peter was to leave Cair Paravel for the plains of Beruna where the Narnian army, together with the Archenlanders, was encamped waiting for him. One of his eagle scouts had reported to him that morning that the Witch's army is nearing and it was only a matter of time before they would be upon the Narnians. Susan and Edmund would be accompanying him.

As he had also predicted, Edmund and Susan got into a heated fight because of that. Susan didn't want her brother. Edmund agreed, on the condition that Susan would stay at Cair too. Susan refused, saying she wouldn't just "sit back" and let the Narnians fight for their life because of something that she had done. Edmund wanted to reason with her again that none of that was her fault but he had already done it numerous times now to know that Susan wouldn't listen so instead, he told her he didn't want her to fight because he didn't want to see her get hurt and because wars are ugly affairs, especially for girls. Enraged by the word 'girls', it took all of Susan's willpower not to punch him.

Finally, because neither would back down, they decided they would both fight.

Though, the youngest Pevensie didn't even stand a chance when she asked if she could come.

Before leaving, Peter made sure the castle was well defended. Although the eagle scouts assured him that there were no other of the Witch's troops that were going any other path than what her army had taken, Peter was not taking any chances. And it seemed that Susan had read his mind. She left the Horn of Narnia in the possession of Mr. Tumnus, making him promise to blow the horn if they'd need any help. Peter figured at first that they would be in need of it in the battlefield, but since Cair Paravel is the capital of Narnia and the downfall of it would also be the downfall of the land, he knew that Susan made the right choice.

Peter and Susan didn't get the chance to talk again after their conversation (though conversation was an overstatement) in the council room. The King of Narnia had planned to approach her before he went down to the treasure chambers to retrieve his armor but he didn't get the chance to see her. As he donned his armor (silver ringmail with the gold lion against red on his chest; silver pauldrons, gauntlets, grieves, and helmet) and strapped his sword, Rhindon, around his waist and his silver shield with a blood red lion in the middle on his back, he thought about what he would say to her. Considering how their previous encounter ended, Peter was in a panic to grope proper words immediately if he wanted to talk to her again before the fighting starts. It would not do for him to die and leaving his relationship with the daughter of Eve unsettled.

As he and Edmund waited for Susan in the courtyard, him feeding Flisk with apples and Edmund saddling his brown horse he had taken to call Phillip, Peter kept looking at the Tree of Protection. The apple tree no longer has any leaves nor any branches. The only thing that remained of the tree that previously guarded the whole of Narnia from evil forces was its dead bark.

Peter wondered if there was still any hope for the tree. Or if Aslan would let him go on a quest to the very edge of Narnia in the west to retrieve another apple and replace the dead Tree of Protection.

His thoughts were cut short by Susan emerging from Cair Paravel's oaken double front doors.

Her long raven hair was tied on an elegant braid. She was wearing a red ankle-length skirt and a brown leather was strapped around her bodice over her ringmail. Her white quiver filled with her bow and red-feathered arrows was on her back.