Soldier's Heart (a Narnia novella)

Chapter 1: Ghost

It had been a split-second decision. To wound, not to kill. She didn't have time for any more thought than that. An arrow was trained at her brother. She had to do something. So she shot for the man's shoulder, maybe his arm. Something that would stop him, give them enough time to react. Something to keep his arrow from sinking into Peter's back. But when her arrow pierced the man's armor and he thudded to the ground, she realized her aim was not as true as she'd hoped. Something was desperately wrong. She had not shot to injure.

She ran towards him, over the bodies scattered on the battlefield, praying she was wrong. Praying she had only hit his shoulder—but the way he twisted, the way he fell, the way he had screamed out. She could have sworn she watched the arrow sink into his chest. She dropped to her knees beside him, the blood-drenched grass sliding her forward.

"No, no, no," she whispered under her breath, looking at where the arrow had lodged itself. It was right near his heart. She couldn't pull it out, that would be a death sentence.

The man groaned and tried to look at Lucy.

"Shh, don't move," she said. "I'm right here. I've got you."

He mumbled something Lucy couldn't hear, and she gently slid his helmet off.

His face was clean-shaven. His eyes were wide and dark. He couldn't have been any more than 20.

Lucy felt her throat begin to close.

"Maia," he cried out, in a thick Calormen accent, "Maia, where is my maia?" tears were streaming down his face, and blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

"Who is maia?" she asked gently.

"Maia," he said again, miserably, "mother. I told her I would make her proud. I told her I would avenge my father."

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes. "I'm Queen Lucy, what is your name?"

"Ahmit," he choked out. "You are the Queen of Narnia?"

"Yes."

"Why are you helping me? I tried to kill your brother. To avenge my father."

Lucy stroked Ahmit's hair. "Because I hurt you, and I didn't mean to."

Ahmit looked at her in confusion. "Yes, you did. I shot at your brother. You shot at me. This is a battlefield."

"The battle is over," Lucy said. "I didn't want to hurt you any more than I had to. I didn't mean to hurt you this badly."

"I am going to die." It wasn't a question.

"No," Lucy said, shaking her head. "No, I am going to take care of you. I am going to send you back to your mother."

"I am going to die. I told my mother I would avenge my father or die. I will die an honorable death, for my country."

"Ahmit, don't say that. You aren't going to die." Tears were streaming freely down Lucy's cheeks now, and her hands were covered in the boy's blood.

"It is okay if I die," He said, looking into her eyes. "It is an honor to die in the arms of so great a lady."

Lucy choked on a sob.

"You did good," He said, looking up at Lucy. "You fought for your country. I did good. I will die for my country. Do not weep, Lady." Ahmit's eyes rolled back into his head and he went limp in Lucy's arms.

"No!" she shouted, shaking him a little. His brown irises refocused on her for a moment, and she breathed a sigh of relief, reaching for her cordial.

Then she remembered.