Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Jewel of Narnia Series)

Chapter 20: From Victory to Disaster

As Peter and Mara pulled away from the kiss, they both shared smiles. They both kept their hands on each other's faces, staring into each other's eyes. Mara then brushed Peter's hair out of his face and whispered, "Go get him." Peter whispered to her, "Mara, I want you to go with Susan and the archers. Please, you'll be safer with them than here. I have a feeling something might go wrong." Mara sighed and whispered, finally agreeing with him, "Alright, but promise me, that you'll be okay. If you die, I'll bring you back then kill you again myself." Peter chuckled and whispered, "I will do my best and I'll let you do that, love." Then, the couple shared one last kiss before pulling away again. When they did, Peter watched as Mara turned and raced back to the entrance of the How. Once he was certain that she was with Susan and Trumpkin, he turned back to the situation at hand and walked back to the center to meet Miraz in the middle. Only this time, Miraz didn't have a helmet. No words were exchanged between the two Kings and immediately clashed their swords against each other. With each blow, it seemed that anger had fueled Miraz as his blows came back stronger. From the How, Mara watched with complete worry as Miraz pushed her beloved fiancé with his shield, knocking him down a few times. She worried that with Miraz's age and experience, Peter wouldn't have a chance. However, her worry was set aside when Peter finally got up and blocked each blow, even managing to get Miraz's sword away from him. This time, anger had fueled Peter and had managed to get Miraz's shield with his own blows. Unfortunately, Miraz was then able to get Peter's sword out of his grasp and smacked the young teenager in his face. Mara let out gasp, her hands instantly going to her mouth. Susan raced over to her side and wrapped her arms around her, comforting her. Mara could only watch helplessly as Miraz had Peter cornered against the rocks.

By some luck, Peter had then punched Miraz in his wound, making the man yell out in pain. Mara was then able to relax as Miraz held his arm out to Peter, as a sign of surrender. Edmund then shouted, from his spot by Caspian, "Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter!!!" Peter hesitated and glanced up at the How, his eyes landing on Mara. She shook her head at him, in a way of telling him not to take a life. Miraz may be a tyrant but she knew that he still had a family. A wife and a son who was waiting back home for his return. If she wanted to get Narnia back, she wanted it to do with the right way: with less amount of bloodshed as possible. Caspian shouted, grabbing Peter's attention, "Peter!!" Caspian had notice that Miraz was standing up with his sword in hand and worry overcame him. He was then able to grab his friend's sword and slid it across the floor to Peter. Peter then turned around just in time when Miraz stood with his sword in the air. The young King, however, moved his sword and stabbed the older King. Miraz let out a yell, his eyes going wide. Peter then pulled his sword out from Miraz's side where he stabbed him, causing Miraz to put his hands on his wound. Peter glared at Miraz and whispered, "That was for Mara, Aslan, Aria, and Narnia." He then raised his sword in the air but paused when he remembered the look in Mara's eyes from before. Miraz looked at him smugly and said, "What's the matter, boy? Too cowardly to take a life?" Peter narrowed his eyes and replied, "It's not mine to take." He turned to Caspian and walked over to him, holding his sword out to him. Caspian stared at Peter in shock, glancing between him and the sword. The Prince paused before taking the sword from his friend and walked towards Miraz. Peter took his place next to his brother who brought him into a side hug. Peter then turned around to look at Mara who smiled at him proudly. She nodded at him, which he returned.

Peter turned back to watch as Caspian stood in front of Miraz, facing his uncle. He watched intently as Caspian raised his sword, waiting to strike. Miraz smirked at his nephew and said, "Perhaps I was wrong, maybe you do have the makings of a Telmeraine King after all." Caspian then let out a loud scream, moving his sword as if he was going to stab his tyrant uncle. From the How, Mara closed her eyes, waiting for the sound of death. However, the only sound that came was Caspian stabbing the ground with Peter's sword. She opened her eyes to see that Caspian was having a stare off with his uncle. Caspian glared at Miraz and said, "Not like you. *Tears then brimmed Caspian's eyes* Keep your life, but I'm giving the Narnian's back their kingdom." Caspian grabbed Peter's sword, turning to walk back to the others, and gave Peter back his sword. In doing so, the Narnian's cheered in triumph. Mara smiled and let out a sigh of relief as Susan cheered next to her, pulling her into her side. The young Queen looked at Trumpkin who smiled brightly at her and bowed to her. Miraz's men then rushed over to him to help him, easing him to his feet. He glared at the soldier and said to him, pushing him, "I'll deal with you later when this is over." The soldier replied, bowing his head, "It is over."

Suddenly, an arrow was plunged into Miraz's back, killing him instantly. Mara's eyes widened when she noticed the arrow had looked like one of Susan's. She turned to Susan, shocked and terrified, who only shook her head; silently saying it wasn't her. The soilder then shouted, grabbing his sword and racing back to his side, "Treachery!!! They shot him!! They murdered our King!!" Peter's eyes widened and shouted, turning to his troops, "Be ready!!!" His eyes landed on Mara who had grabbed her own bow and arrows, readying herself. Their eyes met with each other, their gaze lingering. It was Caspian who broke the couple's gaze, grabbing Peter's attention. Caspian turned to Peter and said, seeing a Telmeraine soldier run towards them, "Peter............." Peter nodded and replied, "I got him!" He then stepped forward and empaled the Telemeraine soldier with his sword, killing him. He turned to Caspian and shouted to him, "Go!!" That was when the battle began.