I Believe (Sequel to 'Believe in Me')

Eight: Battle at the How

Eight: Battle at the How

The catapults launched boulder after boulder and the ground shook beneath Daraya. Looking down at Peter he gave a tight smile, although their attention quickly returned to the Telmarines. 

The cavalry charged, and Lilith sprung the blades on the arms of her bow, prior to drawing and knocking an arrow, while holding ten or so in her hand. Daraya shifted uneasily underneath her as they all waited for the enemy calvary to reach the optimum spot. Peter looked back as Caspian, and him, Lilith and Glenstorm took this as their cue, all three of them rounding to ride back into the How. 

     "Narnians!" Caspian shouted to the assembled soldiers, picking up a torch as he went past. "Charge!"

Him and Lilith turned their mounts to start galloping around pillars, Lilith to grabbing a torch for Daraya's benefit. "One, two, three..." Her and Caspian started counting quietly. 

        "Get ready!" Lilith called over her shoulder as they neared ten. 

     "Now!" Caspian and her yelled and on their word the giants and centaurs started knocking out the pillars holding the roof of the tunnel up. 

Rocks started falling and she could hear the cries of horses and men as the ground gave out beneath them. However she couldn't dwell on that as she assisted Daraya in navigating the soil and stone as it fell. She didn't want her mount to injury herself, neither did she want to be crushed. 

     "Now!" Lilith heard Susan shout as the Narnians reached the end of the tunnel. She knew then that it would be raining arrows on horse and man in the pits. She pitied those poor animals, although she did not dwell on it as they two dwarves lowered a platform, to allow the Narnians under the earth to emerge.  

Wasting no time Lilith loosed an arrow, smiling secretly as it found its mark. Swiftly she knocked another and let it loose. There was hardly any delay between shots, and Lilith was glad that none strayed from their designated path as she released her wings. 

At a gallop she entered the fray, firing the last arrow she held, she chose not to draw any more as she stabbed downwards to kill a Telmarine. Lilith didn't bother to count how many soldiers she killed from Daraya's back, however even with each kill she knew that this was merely the cavalry, the infantry was still waiting to attack.

Hearing a caw she looked up to see the griffins clutching dwarves. Glancing over to the enemy she watched unable to help as the infantry started forward, and torpedo like arrows were rained down on the griffins. Where was Lucy with the trees or the reinforcements?

     "Back to the How!" Lilith heard Peter shout from god knew where. As much as she wanted to continue fighting as she sliced the blade of her bow's upper arm across a Telmarine's back, she also knew retreating to the How was the safest option. 

Turning Daraya, she ignored the horse's protests as they cantered towards Peter and Caspian, rocks falling all around them. They were trying to cut them off, and as Lilith neared the entrance she realised that they would succeed as boulders pounded the stone entrance. Daraya pulled up, her hooves skidding on the grass as they halted next to Peter, their way in now cut off. 

Hearing a small scream, Lilith looked up only to now see Susan clutching to Trumpkin's hand as she dangled over the edge of the archer's stone. The dwarf swung her and Lilith let out a sigh as she landed on what was before the stone above the entrance. Turning to Peter, she gave him a determined look prior to spinning back to face the oncoming army. They would have to fight to the last man now. There was no holing up in the How until Lucy returned.