The Path of the Brave [Edmund Pevensie]

Chapter II: Bedtime Stories

"Kings and Queens? Of Narnia? What, like the bedtime stories?"

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The little man wouldn't stop starring directly at the men rowing the boat. He was pretty angry. It was probably the fact that they were about to die.

"This is deep enough, Nathaniel," One of the guards said, letting the rows down so the boat would settle nicely, and they could kill them fast. He reached out to Alexandra's neck, twirling the golden necklace with his finger. She tried to pull back, her blood boiling at the act. The man looked into her eyes, realizing it was important. "Hard gold, is it?" She furrowed her eyebrows, a you-wouldn't-dare-stare going straight his way. But he did, he did dare. He snapped the necklace off of her and held it. "They'll give me at least something for this." The grin on his face made Alex grow even angrier. That was her father's. The last thing she could ever get from him. And he had the nerve to sell it for a couple of pennies.

"Let's get the little guy off first, he won't stop staring." He said, carelessly putting the necklace on his back pocket. They got the little fierce man by the feet and hands; his mouth, just as Alex's, was covered with cloth so nobody would hear them scream for help. The count to his death started, and the girl started to understand his anger. Dying with such impotence, not being able to do shit but drown. It was cruel.

"3, 2, 1... ¡AH!" An arrow hit Nathaniel right in the shoulder. He tumbled off the boat, the little man falling right after him. 

"Drop him!" Someone said in the distance.

Somehow the other soldier managed to stay on board for a little longer. Just a couple of seconds, though. Another red arrow flew straight at him, hitting him in the leg. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Alex heard from the shore, but could barely see a couple of dots on the beach.

The man jumped offboard, her reliquary landing in the water a couple of meters away from the boat. At the sight of the golden piece sinking, she jumped without hesitation. The impact of entering the water head-first made her gag untie, leaving her mouth available to bite onto the chain. She swam -- if barely kicking one's feet can even be considered swimming-- as deep as the necklace got, not giving up on it. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen, but she could swear it was shining...

Just when she felt her head was about to explode due to the pressure, a hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her upwards. She tried to kick and move her hands, to free herself from the stranger's grip and get the reliquary at any cost. But that just emptied her energy supply faster.

Her consciousness slipped further away every inch they got closer to the surface, her father's gift with it. Not only was she about to die by the hand of the guard, but she had lost the only thing she had left too; Caspian was nowhere to be seen, her father was most probably dead, and she couldn't return home as a fugitive. Those thoughts, and the lack of oxygen, made her finally close her eyes.