ignite me / p. pevensie

chapter eight

Edmund and Rowyn shared a pained look.

They had been awoken at dawn to the news that Aslan was dead. That Jadis had killed him.

It took everything Rowyn had to not burn the world around her with fire when she heard the news. But she didn't. She bottled it up.

Every emotion she felt from the event was placed into the burning fire in her chest that one day, she would rain down upon someone. Rowyn prayed that the person would be Jadis.

Peter walked out of Aslan's tent. "They're right . . . he's gone." He rested his hands on the table in front of them. It held a map of Narnia, showing pins at all the possible areas that they could plan an attack.

Edmund glanced at the centaur behind them then to Rowyn. "Then you'll have to lead us." He told Rowyn.

Her eyes widened and when she opened her mouth to speak, Peter cut her off. "You're Queen. You should be the one to do it." His voice was grave and full of pain.

Rowyn placed her hand on his. "You both are going to be Kings too," They both looked at her with shock in their eyes. "And Lucy and Susan—they will be Queens as well . . . I can't lead these people on my own. I'm only fourteen for Gods-sake—we lead together . . . all of us." Peter looked at her and smiled along with Edmund. Rowyn removed her hand from his and placed it on the edge of the table, right in front of Peter. "There is an army out there ready to follow us—Aslan believed we could do this. I don't think he would've done what he did if he didn't . . . So what are our orders, King Peter? King Edmund?"

....

The sound of a griffin flying over top of Rowyn made her smile despite the nerves that flooded her stomach. She sat beside Peter on a deep red stallion.

Both of the boys tried to have her stay by Edmund up with the archers but she refused.

"A Queen doesn't shy away from a battle." Rowyn had told them. Peter admired the way she refused to stay behind while her soldiers risked their lives at the heart of battle.

He just prayed that she survived.

Rowyn's palms burned into the black saddle that she sat on when she saw the Witch emerge from the hill a few miles away.

She turned towards Peter. "You with me?" She questioned the blond.

Peter gave her an admirable smile. "To whatever end." They shared a small smile and then both placed the front of their helmets down.

Rowyn turned to Edmund, who she could hardly see, just to make sure he was there with her.

She couldn't explain it, but Edmund felt like a brother she had never had and given what they had been through together, she knew their friendship would only grow.

Instead, Rowyn raised her hand, focusing all of her thoughts on an object. It took a moment, but a flame appeared in her palm. She stifled a smile and concentrated harder.

The flame then morphed into a sword of white, blinding fire.

The entirety of the Narnian army erupted in cheers and battle-cries. Her heart slammed against her rib-cage like a wild animal when she saw the enormous army of the White Witch running towards them.

She waved the sword forward and the griffin flew towards the army, dropping heavy boulders onto her men. Although it didn't do much to their numbers, she knew it was still going to help.

"For Narnia!" Rowyn shouted with Peter, holding the sword above her head. "And for Aslan!" And then her heels dug into the side of her horse and the war began.