(1) BEAUTIFUL // Edmund Pevensie

THIEF, LIAR, TELMARINES

THE NARNIANS SCREAMED in the dark, firing curses and insults towards the pair that stood in the middle of the large circle that the creatures had created. Caspian and Catherine stood side-by-side, uneasily looking out upon the Narnian's that scowled towards them, snapping their teeth and spitting out offences with a fiery passion saved only for the cruellest Telmarines. Catherine felt her heart slam to the bottom of her chest.

Thief. Liar. Kill them. Telmarines. Liar.

Each of the words hit her individually as if they were from a dear, personal friend. They were words that Catherine had spent her entire life trying to run from, to convince herself and the people around her that she was not. Because Catherine was not a liar, and she was not a thief. But as the Narnian's continued to scorn her and her blood, she couldn't help but shrink back at the realization that she, in fact, was a Telmarine. And her people had taken away the Narnian's lives, their family, and their whole way of living. She felt awful.

She was a thief. And she was a liar. And she had done this to them.

As the Narnian's continued to swear profusely at her, each scream and yell shattering her heart a little, she tried to ignore them the best she could, blanking out from their shouts just like she had done with Caspian's cries, after their parents were killed at sea. She couldn't find the energy to do it, properly, her mind continuing to tick, tick, tick-

She felt Caspian gently link his hands with hers, an attempt to distract her. He had gently touched her hand, allowing her to subtly wrap her entire palm around his pinky finger – the small contact reminder her that she was not alone and that he was there to help her. That she didn't need to use the dagger, because Caspian was here. It was alright, it was alright. Caspian is here.

'All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!' Nikabrik called out, making Catherine's face fall.

Nikabrik was right, there was no other reasonable explanation why the Professor had the Narnian's magic horn without having stolen it from them. Although it was incredibly uncharacteristic of him, Catherine believed he had good intentions and opened her mouth to defend her friend, before Caspian spoke up instead, his jaw clicking into place.

'We didn't steal anything!' He said, and Catherine felt his anger flow through her, connected from their enjoined fingers. She pleaded for him to calm down, knowing he had a habit of making things worse, and hoped that he would manage to hear her thoughts and her secret message could be transmitted.

Another spur of insults was thrown at them.

Thief. Liar. Kill them. Telmarines. Liar.

'Didn't steal anything?' A Narnian called out, making the siblings pivot around to face him. 'Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken from us?'

Catherine closed her eyes in pain. She really didn't want to hear it, she knew it all already.

'Our home!'

'Our land!'

'Our freedom!'

'Our villages!'

'Our lives!'

The latter created a loud and violent cheer and chant from the crowds that surrounded them and Catherine's heart pounded unnaturally in her chest, her ribs feeling as though they were going to shatter and break from the heavy vibrations. Caspian grasped onto her, tighter, but it did little to relive the tension and anxiety that roared in her stomach.

They were right, of course. The Telmarines had taken everything from the Narnians, and then continued their rampage on any of the ones left, forcing them to hide for centuries while the Telmarines sat, protected by their weapons and armoured stone walls, toasting over a cooked-Minotaur's head that they ate for dinner and made sure not to look it in the eyes. Catherine shut her eyes, tighter once more, and attempted to throw the memories and words she was being forced to say by her uncle, from her mind.