ignite me / p. pevensie

chapter twenty-one

 "Prince Rabadash made a plan to invade Archenland," Oreius reported to the five monarchs who stood around a large stone table that held a map of Narnia. "Luckily the King was warned before anything could occur."

Rowyn looked up at the centaur. "Who warned them?"

"A boy named Shasta." A new voice called, resulting in the monarchs turning around. "The King and Queen went to Anvard. They are safe as of right now." Aslan spoke.

Lucy smiled at the lion and ran up to hug his mane. "Where have you been?" She questioned the lion.

"Now is no time for questions like that, dear one." Aslan looked up at Rowyn. "I must speak with you, Fireheart."

Rowyn nodded, ignoring Peter's intense stare, and followed the lion out of the room and down away from the castle. "Can they be saved?"

"They're suffering," Aslan told her as the warm ocean breeze flicked by them. "but yes, they can be . . . but only with your fire."

Rowyn stopped moving and her hands dropped down to her sides. "Is there any other way? I can't slaughter an entire country."

Aslan turned to her, his golden mane practically glowing in the warm July sun. "There is a way, but you must figure that out for yourself."

Rowyn's shoulders slumped. "Of course," She sighed out. "Nothing worth while is easy." Aslan nodded. Rowyn moved to look out at the vast ocean beside Cair Paravel. "Is there anything you can do? To help Susan, I mean."

"Yes," He nodded and Rowyn smiled in relief. "I spoke with her this morning and blessed her—took away the majority of the pain, but her anger for Prince Rabadash is something that wouldn't go away."

Rowyn nodded. "If they're suffering and I'm able to bring them back . . . would they even wish to live anymore?"

Aslan moved to stand beside her and Rowyn placed a hand on his mane. "We will only know that once they can speak for themselves again . . . but if they come back and wish for death, you can decide whether or not to grant it."

Rowyn shook her head. "Not for Prince Rabadash and King Tisroc . . . if they survive, Susan will get her justice—get her honor back."

Aslan nodded. "Whatever you deem is best, Fireheart." Rowyn soon became lost in thought as she ran through every possible way to help Calormene and rid them of their curses—of their suffering. "It would seem you two should talk." The lion said looking behind him.

Rowyn didn't need to turn around to know that Peter was there. "Thank you, Aslan."

The lion nodded. "You have the knowledge of what you must do . . . you just need to find it within your own head." Rowyn sighed and nodded before the lion walked away and disappeared from sight.

"You're right about them, aren't you?" Peter questioned, coming to take the place that Aslan once held. Rowyn kept her gaze on the sea as she nodded. "I'm sorry, Ro . . . I lost my temper."

She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize about wanting justice for your sister . . . I would be the same way—I am the same way." She took a deep breath. "Even if they are saved, I won't let Rabadash live, but that doesn't mean I will allow the rest of his country to suffer—to be enslaved."

Peter placed his hand onto hers. "I want to help you-"

Rowyn shook her head. "No, I won't let you and your siblings get in danger for what I must do . . . but you can get men ready to fight. I'm not sure if they will end up being needed but just in case, okay?" She turned to him and he nodded.

"Of course," Peter told her. "Susan and I will go out with the men . . . so she can be there when it's time." Rowyn knew what he meant.

She nodded and turned around to head back for the castle, but she stopped a few feet away from where she had once stood. "I'm in love with you, Pete." She turned around to face him. "I just—I need you to know that." Peter opened his mouth to speak. "Don't say anything back, please . . . I don't want to know if you feel the same yet. Tell me after." And then she continued her return to the castle and prepared herself for what she would have to do.

....

That night, Peter couldn't sleep. He could stop thinking of what she had confessed to him.

I'm in love with you, Peter.

He wanted to tell her—needed her to know that he was completely and unbelievably in love with her.

And so, Peter found himself in front of her bedroom door, his hand raised, ready to knock.

Tell me after.

But he needed her to know now. Peter didn't know what Rowyn would have to do, but he knew that it would be dangerous—that she could be killed. And the thought of her dying without knowing that he loved her—

The thought alone was enough for shivers to trace down his spine. And so he knocked.

Silence.

He knocked again, a little loud. "Rowyn?" He asked through the wood.

Nothing.

Panic filled Peter so his hand twisted the handle and he stepped inside the room. It was cold from the open balcony door and quiet from the lack of a person in it. Peter's eyes fell on a small note resting on her bed beneath a small rock to keep it in place.

I'm sorry but I have to do this. I have to save them, whether it kills me or not—I cannot rest while they suffer. Please don't follow me. I won't have any of our men nor any of you dying for me—for something I must do.

I love you all,

Rowyn Archeron Galathynius

And that's when Peter ran out the door to inform his siblings and disobey the High Queens orders.