back, again | prince caspian

thirteen

It all escalated in a heartbeat. I released my hug with Edmund, my chest still tight from lingering adrenaline, and scanned the battlefield. The air was thick with smoke and dust, the clang of swords echoing like distant thunder.

Caspian stood frozen, his grip on his sword wavering, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Time seemed suspended as I caught sight of Miraz. His usual arrogance had slipped, replaced by a brittle veneer of disappointment—a dark irony that made the moment feel even heavier.

Then, like a clap of thunder, Caspian's scream shattered the tense silence. "No! He can't—" The sound pierced through me, and I knew immediately: he had reached the point of no return, the fateful choice to strike down the usurper, the murderer of his kin.

Peter nudged me gently, his eyes urging me to focus back on the duel. My gaze darted to Caspian, sword poised above the ground, frozen in the unbearable weight of his decision. Miraz, enraged yet vulnerable, glared back with a desperate intensity, the rage in his eyes mingling with the shock of the crowd.

"Be ready," I murmured, voice low but firm, enough for Peter and Edmund to hear. "They might not accept defeat quietly." A shiver ran down my spine as I noticed one of Miraz's men lingering too close, shadowing every movement. Something about him felt wrong.

Caspian finally stepped forward, resolve hardening his features. "I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom!" he declared, voice ringing with both authority and hope. A smile broke across his face as his dark eyes met mine, and instinctively, I returned it. Behind me, the Narnians' cheers rose, swelling with renewed courage.

But the fleeting relief shattered. The suspicious man I'd noticed moved suddenly, advancing toward Miraz. My heart thudded violently in my chest as I realized the danger too late.

A sharp grunt escaped Miraz's lips as a red arrow—Susan's arrow—pierced his side. My stomach dropped. Shock froze me in place.

"He did something!" I shouted, disbelief cracking my voice. My gaze swept across the battlefield, and I saw the horror mirrored on the faces of Edmund and Peter.

Miraz staggered, his eyes wide with disbelief, life draining from his features as the crowd fell into stunned silence. The man smirked, a grotesque glee twisting his face, before spinning and mounting a horse to flee toward the remaining Telmarine soldiers.

"Quickly! Be ready!" Peter barked, his voice cutting through the stunned quiet. Archers readied their bows, eyes fixed on the retreating figure, waiting for the signal.

Caspian grabbed my hand, his grip firm and urgent, dragging me back from the frontline.

"No! I'm part of the frontline!" I protested, digging my heels into the dirt, my pulse pounding with frustration.

"I know, but Peter and Edmund said I can't let you," he insisted, voice steady but edged with worry. "I can't take that risk."

I opened my mouth to argue, to fight back, but a massive minotaur stepped in front of me, blocking my path. My frustration bubbled hotter, chest tightening as I realized the reality: even in the heat of battle, some would try to protect me from what I could handle. My hands flexed on my sword, and I took a breath, preparing for what came next.

"Sorry, Your Majesty, but Prince Caspian ordered us to keep you safe," the minotaur said, genuine apology in his eyes. I felt a flicker of frustration but nodded, glancing back to see Edmund and Peter already engaged with a Telmarine soldier, their swords flashing in the sunlight.

Then resolve surged through me. I lunged forward, gripping the hem of my dress to reach my pocket knife. In one swift motion, I hurled it at the soldier. The blade found its mark with a sickening thud, embedding itself in his chest.

Peter and Edmund spun around, eyes widening in disbelief at my boldness. Their expressions faltered, as if they hadn't expected me to take the fight so directly.

"Hi," I said simply, my glare sharper than any words.

"Right—uh, we're sorry," Peter stammered, but I ignored him. My attention snapped upward as a cascade of rocks thundered down from the cliffs.

"Shut up and look at this!" I barked, pointing to the airborne stones. "Quickly, let's move!" I ushered them toward a shielded area, my voice cutting through the din of chaos.

A massive boulder struck a group of Narnians at the rear, and I locked eyes with Susan across the battlefield. She gave me a thumbs-up, and I nodded firmly in return. We were ready.

Positioned between Edmund and Peter, swords gripped tightly, I felt the heartbeat of the battlefield thrumming in my chest. The first wave of rocks loomed closer, and Edmund looked at me, confusion and fear mingling in his eyes.

Peter's gaze darted to the side, and I followed, spotting Caspian surveying the chaos. His face flickered with humor and bewilderment, and I offered him a nod of encouragement. He returned it with a determined smile before turning back to confront the enemies.

"Count with me!" Peter shouted, his voice steady amid the roar of the battle.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Five..."

"Six..."

"Seven..."

"Eight..."

"Nine!" I called, voice rising above the din, heart hammering in my chest.

"Get ready!" Peter barked.

The ground trembled as the archers released their arrows, a deadly storm raining down on the Telmarines. Screams and shouts filled the air as soldiers scrambled for cover, ranks thinning under the precise volley.

Adrenaline surged through me, hot and electrifying, propelling me forward. Edmund leapt onto a ramp to reach a horse, and I followed without hesitation, breaking Peter's orders but feeling every pulse of the battlefield in my bones. The chaos was ours to command, and for a moment, the world narrowed to the heat of action and the fire of courage.

"You aren't supposed to be riding!" Caspian shouted, his voice slicing through the clamor of clashing swords and the frantic cries of the battlefield. Dust and sweat clung to his brow, yet his eyes burned with unwavering resolve. I ignored him, fixing my gaze on the approaching soldier, whose sword gleamed ominously in the dappled sunlight.

My boots sank into the soft earth as I braced myself, muscles coiling with tension. The soldier lunged, his armor clanking, the air vibrating with the force of his swing. Instinct surged through me—heart hammering, breath catching—and I struck. The steel sang as it cut through the air, my blade piercing his torso with a sickening yet precise thunk, emerging at his back. He crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud. I kicked the lifeless body aside, dismounting in one fluid motion, my chest heaving, pulse pounding like war drums.

"Caspian!" I cried, my voice raw with urgency, carrying over the cacophony of the battlefield—the clash of swords, the thrum of hooves, the cries of soldiers both Narnians and Telmarines alike.

A rush of relief and fear collided in my chest as Caspian appeared, galloping toward me, mane and cloak whipping in the wind. I extended my hands instinctively, meeting his with a silent, urgent understanding. The horses thundered beneath us, pounding the earth, dust and grit spraying into the chaotic air, mingling with the scent of sweat, iron, and smoke.

"Take me to Edmund!" I commanded, voice firm, steady despite the adrenaline coursing through every vein. Caspian's dark eyes locked on mine, a flicker of amusement and determination dancing across his features before he tightened his grip on the reins. With a surge, he spurred his horse forward, cutting through the fray with a controlled fury, weaving past fallen soldiers and flying arrows as the battle surged around us.

I held on, every nerve alight, as the world blurred into motion—screams, the metallic clang of steel, the hiss of arrows, and the rhythmic pounding of hooves creating a symphony of chaos. Each heartbeat echoed the same truth: this was not merely a fight for survival—it was a fight for the soul of Narnia.

The wind tore at my hair, the dust stung my eyes, yet I felt alive in a way that nothing else could capture. The fight was far from over, but I would face it head-on. Whatever it took, we would reclaim our kingdom.