Everything is Different (A Prince Caspian Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Ashlyn's POV

Dressed fully in armor, I follow the creatures at the back of the army.  I must be very quiet.  Luckily, they don't suspect anything.

We wait at the edge of the forest.  I see the griffin that Edmund is on fly overhead and land on one of the castle's turrets.

"Psst," someone says.  I jump and turn in the direction of the sound.  "It's me, Kaede."

"Oh, hi," I say.

"So you ended up coming," she says.

"If Peter finds out, he'll kill me."

"If the Telmarines don't do it first," she says grimly.

"Let's not think about that," I say.

"Yeah."

We wait in silence for the signal.  Edmund has already gave the other signal, the one for Peter, Susan, Caspian, Trumpkin, and Reepicheep.

A light switches on from Edmund's turret, but it doesn't blink like it's supposed to, it just waves around.  The light goes out for a minute, then blinks again.

"Charge!" Glenstorm shouts from the head of the army.  We cross the bridge and run under the gate, which is still rising.  A bell rings.

"They know we're here!" I hear Peter's voice.  There are shouts, and Telmarine soldiers with crossbows line the walls of the courtyard.

"Take aim!" one of them yells.  More Telmarine foot soldiers flood the courtyard.

"Fire!" the commander yells.  Something heavy hits me in the side, knocking me over.  At the same time, an arrow flies over me, right where my heart would have been.  I turn to face my attacker, ready to punch them in the face, but the face I'm about to punch is very familiar.

"Peter!" I gasp.

"I told you not to come!" he shouts.  He gets up, roughly grabs my arm, and pushes me toward the gate.  "Get out of here."

"But ―" I protest, but he cuts me off.

"Now."  He turns around and charges back off into battle.  I turn around and attack the nearest Telmarine soldier, taking my anger out on him.

"Close the gate!" the Telmarine commander shouts.  The gate begins to lower itself.  A minotaur runs and stands underneath it, holding it up.

"Fall back!" I hear Peter shout.  "Retreat!"

Some of the army runs back to the gate and makes it out, but most of it keeps fighting.  I attempt to knock out the soldier I'm fighting, but he won't fall.  I frantically speed up.  I have to get out of here!  

A roar sounds from the gate, and I see the minotaur has been shot in the leg.  I hit the Telmarine soldier in the head with the hilt of my sword, and he crumples.  I sprint to the gate, but the minotaur falls before I get there.  The gate slams down on its body.  The last one to get through is Reepicheep.  

I see Peter on his horse on the other side of the gate.  He looks back at us.  He looks at the group that's waiting for him to join it on the other side of the drawbridge.  He turns and looks at us again with a torn expression on his face.  He sees me and tries to get his horse to go over to the gate, but it won't.

"Peter!" Caspian shouts.  "The bridge!"  I look past Peter and see the drawbridge beginning to close up.  Peter looks back at us, and I see tears on his face.

"Peter, go!" I shout.  He tears his gaze away from the gate and turns on his horse.  Both of them disappear over the bridge.  I turn to look away.  The rest of my comrades are falling, shot by the Telmarines.  I listen as my last hope rides away.  A desperate plan forms in my mind.  I hope this works.