Our Long Awaited Return Book #8

Chapter 20 I can't and I won't

Verity's pov

When we reached the how, Peter came out immediately to see what Miraz's answer was. He saw my distressed face. "What happened, Key?"

I ran into his arms and burst into tears. My brother held me tight.

"Lord Raven tied her to a chair and was about to kill her had we not come," Edmund explained.

"I suppose you've heard of him?" Andrew inquired.

"Yes," Peter replied as he led me inside the how with a strong arm around me.

"And Miraz accepted the challenge," Edmund told him.

"What's wrong?" Susan asked as Lucy, Ruth, and she came toward us.

Caspian and Leona followed behind them.

"Miraz has accepted," Edmund explained.

"No, what's happened to Verity? She looks like she's been in a fight. Those bruises on her face are awful," Ruth said.

"Lord Raven just made me sit in a chair. He was rough with it," I replied, trying to hide my fear.

"Oh, it was worse than that," Andrew shook his head. "If we hadn't come at that time, he'd have killed her."

"Lord Raven?" Caspian inquired. "Stay away from him. Ever since the death of his father, he's been blaming it on his younger cousin, Thornea. Everyone calls him crazy because every girl he sees with blonde hair and brown eyes, he's convinced it's Thornea."

"So there are tons of girls like me in danger, even Ruth," I said. "But why is he after me?"

"You are the closest one who looks like her," Leona answered.

"He's not done with me yet," I told him. "He threatened that he'd have vengeance tomorrow."

What Peter said next was unexpected. "I think Verity should go with Lucy instead."

Susan nodded in agreement.

"No," I protested. "You need me in the battle. I've got it all figured out."

"Peter, let her, if she is careful..." Andrew put in, laying a hand on my shoulder.

"No," Susan put her foot down. "You're only 14 years old, Key; we can't lose you."

"Neither can we, Peter," I put in. "Look, only Miraz's marshals have a chance of killing me. I'm sure he won't choose Lord Raven, who probably won't be able to see me up front with the other of Peter's marshals."

"Do we have another choice?" asked Ruth, hoping there was an answer.

"She's right; she has to take that risk," Peter nodded. "Without her strategy last time, we could have lost more men."

"It wasn't just my strategy," I replied. "It was all of us."

"Peter," Susan grabbed his arm. "Andrew," she then grabbed his arm and dragged them away. "I need to talk to both of you."

Lucy ran over to me. "Wish you'd just listen to Susan, Key."

I put an arm around her. "But I need to help the others; they need me. With ideas I use from our world, I can compose a good strategy that will help us win."

"But suppose you die?" Ruth asked as she stepped over to squeeze my hand.

"Then I'll go to heaven; just trust Aslan, you two; that's one lesson you taught me," I explained, softly ruffling her hair.

I wiped a few tears away. "We'll all have to die someday."

Edmund put his arm around me and another around Ruth. "But you're young, Verity. Don't think of dying now."

When Susan, Peter, and Andrew returned, I waited for their answer.

"Be careful, Key," was Peter's only response.

"You, too, you know," I replied.

I stepped over to squeeze my elder brother's hand gently. "Thanks." He answered. "Now go, you have the battle to plan, and I have a duel to prepare for."

I grinned at him as I went to the room of the Stone Table, with Caspian, Edmund, Andrew, and Ruth following.

Leona listened in as her brother and four of the Pevensies planned the battle.

"So I got a good look at the catapults," Verity explained as she unrolled a large piece of paper, revealing a picture of a catapult. "They aren't as strong as they look."

She paused and looked at each of them.

"Don't look at me, you said I was terrible at this," Ruth replied.

"That was when I was a brat; I think you are really good," Verity told her, squeezing her hand.

"That's the first time you've complimented any of us," Edmund teased.

"Oh, really," she replied, annoyed.

"She has," Andrew answered, "Many times."

So what do we do? Leona asked, forgetting that she wasn't involved in the meeting, but to her surprise, Verity didn't seem angry at her.

"Remember what we did with the griffins at our first battle, Drew, Ed, Ruth?" she asked her siblings.

"We used griffins and made them fly with rocks, which they threw down at the witch's army," Ruth grinned.

"We can use the same method for the catapults," Andrew stated, "However, that barely gives us an advantage."

"We could find out a way to slow them down," Caspian suggested. "There's a series of columns that hold up the ground underneath the how; if we could do it fast enough and break the columns while the Telmarines are charging, the ground will cave in underneath them."

"Brilliant. You and Glenstorm can be in charge of that, Peter, if he makes it," Verity swallowed hard, "And if I do, too, Andrew and Edmund can lead the battle up front. Ruth, you'll be with the archers with Leona and Trumpkin."

"Alright," Ruth answered cheerfully.

"And you will make it," Andrew squeezed her hand, "Don't you worry, Key."

Verity's pov.

After everyone left I sat down at the stone table, hugging my knees as I looked at the picture of Aslan. It was quiet, with no one in the room, and I liked it that way - the calm and quiet.

"You looked ready to drop," Peter told me as he approached me. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

"You should get some sleep," I retorted, my eyes drooping tired, "You know you have a duel to fight tomorrow."

"Come on," he lifted me into his arms and carried me to an empty bedroom. I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes. I was too tired to protest about him carrying me, maybe this would be the last time he'd ever do it. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck just when he lowered me into a bed and covered me in a blanket.

"Pete!" I whispered as he began to leave for his room, "Can you stay here, please?"

"You're not afraid to sleep by yourself," he teased.

"No," I shook my head, "I'm just afraid I'll lose you, my big brother."

"Alright," he settled down beside me, wrapping the blanket more tightly around me, "Just this once."

I closed my eyes and pressed my face against his shoulder, holding tightly to his arm which was wrapped around me.