INCIPIENT ➵ EDMUND PEVENSIE

26 | A Sacrifice Without Reward

26 | A SACRIFICE WITHOUT REWARD

They are cornered.

    "I don't recall this many rascals," says Edmund, faltering slightly as he notes the burning heat radiating from his amulet. 

    This wouldn't end well at all.

    Elliott lunges at one of the men, but is held back by the king himself.

    "We're outnumbered. Don't even try," he warns.

    As he backs up against the gap in the parapet, he pulls her along, maintaining a considerable distance between the armed men inching their way and themselves.

    "Why are you resisting me?" he questions.

    She shudders when she eyes the darkness beyond the edge they stand so precariously on, "If there's one phobia I have, it's the fear of heights."

    "Hand us the girl," the Telmarines demand, but the two budge not one inch.

    "Tell me, do you trust me?" asks Edmund under his breath, soft enough for only his ally to heed. They flinch at the Telmarines drawing their swords, "Peter said I have a way out of this hell. And he wasn't lying. But we're going to have to jump."

    "I was about to say yes, Edmund," whispers Elliott in reply.

    "Why, if there's one exciting thing in life, it's free-falling from the hands of your enem-"

    She is snatched from his grasp fore he finishes his words, a sword-point then struck at the skin of his neck.

    Elliott kicks off a struggle instantaneously, prodding at her detainer and many others with her blade. With a tactic she tackles the men - who possess builds much bigger than hers - flying her hand up to where inches of exposed skin lay-

    Only to elicit no death from her supposed victims.

    Edmund, horrified at the turn of events, soon grasps the situation and jumps into action.

    But against a hoard of Telmarines, the chance they stand is almost null.

    One wounds Elliott's upper arm with a slash of his sword, and Edmund, bereaved of an instrument of defence, nabs the same blade from the opponent's grip.

    He slices at the next soldier, not striking anywhere vital-

    And the soldier drops dead onto himself.

     Confused, but, the king relishes the opportunity to make a sprint towards Elliott, strategically occupied at the edge of the platform. Lunging at her, he sets a hold on her frame, and with the accumulated momentum, forces her off the infrastructure together with himself, setting off her scream of terror.

    But they are caught under the wrath of gravity for nothing more than a split second.

    A strong pull chokes Edmund round the neck - his collar has been hooked from behind by men.