Always || Edmund Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia) [1]

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

POSTED 6/17/19

Mary should've been on cloud nine after she and Edmund shared that brief but special moment, but things were going south for the Narnians. The Telmarines had many more armies to spare whereas they were being taken down little by little. When the griffins in the air were shot one by one, Peter knew that he couldn't afford to lose more lives. They just couldn't win. He turned away from the battle and searched for Susan, locking eyes with his sister still situated on top of Aslan's How.

"Lucy?" he asked worriedly. Susan could read his lips and the look on his face was enough to tell her what he had asked. She scanned the crowd briefly, but there wasn't any sign of her. With a disappointed expression, she shook her head.

Peter looked back at the latest army approaching them. They had no choice left.

"Back to the How!" he declared. The Narnians quickly obeyed and made their retreat.

Edmund looked at Mary and stuck his hand out for her to take. She grasped it and he pulled her up with ease to sit behind him. After wrapping her arms around Edmund's waist, the boy slapped the reigns of his horse to gallop back into the How.

"Cut off their escape!" Lord Sopespian ordered upon seeing them attempt to leave. The Telmarines released numerous catapults in a row, successfully destroying the How's entrance. Edmund pulled the reigns back when he noticed the How start to crumble. His horse neighed and raised its to front legs, halting in its steps. Edmund and Mary watched sadly as some of the Narnians became victims of the destruction of the How, the debris falling down on them and burying them before they could even realize it.

Peter's eyes widened and his heart tugged painfully. Susan had almost fallen off during this as well, but Trumpkin tried to hold on to her. Caspian and Peter, who now stood next to one another, shared worried looks. Thankfully, she had fallen down on another landing safely.

"There's no way out," Mary pointed out to Edmund. He forced the horse to face the battle once again and they watched the scene unfold before them. Edmund turned his head ever so slightly to glance at Mary. No words were needed to be said as they knew what they had to do now. He hopped off of his horse first, lending a hand to Mary once again for her to climb down as well. Then, the two of them rushed to stand next to Peter, Caspian, and Susan.

On the other side of the field, Sopespian smiled wickedly.

"Crush them all."

The Narnian troops continued to fight until their last breath. No matter how badly they were outnumbered, they didn't give up. It moved Mary to see the Narnians remain so brave and noble and she promised herself she would do the same.

Edmund left his crossbow on his horse, glanced at Peter, then unsheathed his sword to signal that he was ready. Peter nodded at each one of them — his brother, Susan, Caspian, and even Mary — before staring at the battle before him determinedly. With the High King of Narnia in the lead, they charged back into the battle.

Mary felt Reepicheep jump onto her shoulder as she ran towards the Telmarines. The two shared determined looks at one another as they fought off the first few men that approached them. Reepicheep jumped onto the face of one of them while Mary sliced her sword across his chest. The mouse then jumped off of the soldier and attacked another while Mary fought off a different one as well. So many things were going on at once that she didn't really know was happening; she was just swinging, kicking, hitting, and dodging. It never seemed to end, though. As tired as she was, the adrenaline and determination running through her veins kept her going. But the next set of soldiers that Sopespian ordered were closing in on them. Mary wondered if this was the end for them.