Just Magnificent

15) DUELS & DANGER

CHAPTER 15: DUELS & DANGER

Edmund pushed past some of the Narnians as he hurried outside to the duelling ground. "Peter!" Edmund yelled as he caught sight of his brother walking up to Miraz. Peter turned to face Edmund, and worried slightly as he hadn't meant for his brother to have realised what he had done. "What in the world are you thinking?!" Edmund shouted as he rushed over to his brother. "I'm doing what has to be done. I'm duelling Miraz" Peter insisted as he drew his sword. "Pete, you can barely walk" Edmund argued. "How do you think I got out of the how? ...that's right, by walking" peter pointed out with a slight smile. "I had some more of lucys cordial and I'm feeling a little better. I can do this, Ed. Please...trust me on this..." he said, in a quieter tone. Edmund sighed and glanced down at the floor. He wanted to protect peter but at the same time, he knew peter was extremely stubborn when it came to fighting for the Narnians and his family. "...okay...but if anything happens to you...if you die..." Edmund started. "I won't die..." peter interrupted. "IF you die..." Edmund repeated. "Then I'm gonna kill you..." he said with a slight smile, implying he wasn't being serious

Peter laughed slightly. "You can't kill me if I'm already dead" he added. "Are we going to get on with it?" Miraz shouted from the other side of the duelling ground. Peter turned to him and nodded. He glanced to Edmund and gave him a weak smile. Edmund could tell his brother wasn't up to this, health wise, but there was nothing he could do to stop him now.

Edmund stood back as peter and Miraz circled the ground for a while, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Eventually, Peter made the first move and kicked off a rock to jump at Miraz with his sword. Annoyingly, Miraz blocked it with his shield. Edmund glanced over at Jadis, who he feared had plans of her own. She didn't care about Miraz and the Telmarines. Edmund knew full well that if Miraz won, she would just kill Miraz and take the throne for herself...and there was no way in hell Edmund was going to let that happen.

After about 10 minutes, Miraz and Peter hadn't been awfully injured, but they both looked tired. Peter glanced up at Jadis, who was glaring back at him from Miraz's side of the duelling ground. Peter was then caught off guard as Miraz used his sword to trip Peter up, onto the ground. Peter barely had time to move, when miraz's foot collided with peters shield, causing his arm to bend back and his shoulder to dislocate. Peter let out a cry of pain as he felt his arm make a small cracking noise. Edmund was extremely close to running over to his brother, and seriously had to stop himself.

Only a few minutes later, miraz's knee had also been hurt so they agreed on a 3 minute break. Edmund sighed with relief but his relief faded away when he saw the pain on his brothers face as he walked back over to him. "Pete..." Edmund said as he helped into a chair. "You okay?" He asked. "I..I think it's dislocated" he answered, referring to his shoulder. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Edmund asked. Peter thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes...I have to.." peter said with a small nod. After a pause he then spoke again. "What do you think happens back home, if we die here?" He asked. Edmund looked at him sympathetically, sad that peter was already questioning his own death. "You know you've always been there" peter then addressed Edmund. "And I never really..." Peter was suddenly cut off by Edmund relocating his shoulder. Peter let out a small cry of pain. Edmund sighed. "Save it for later" he said, giving his brother some courage. Edmund refused to believe his brother would die today. But what's about to happen next, surprised even Edmund.

Edmund had offered peter his helmet and peter just shook his head, not wanting it. Peter walked back into the field, once again coming face to face with Miraz. Jadis suddenly stepped forward. "What is this?" Peter asked, in an exhausted tone. "If you really are a noble high king, then you shouldn't have a problem fighting both me and Miraz..." Jadis said with a smirk. Peter shook his head slightly. "You can't just change the rules, Jadis..." peter said. "I'm a queen...of course I can" she responded. Peter barely had time to respond when Miraz quickly grabbed him. "I can easily end this..." Jadis said as she raised her wand to stab peter. Peter shut his eyes,  waiting for death. Just as Jadis was about to stab peter with her wand, a sword collided with her wand, steering it away from peter. Edmund had now stepped in. Jadis turned to face him. "This is a fight between, me, Miraz and the so-called high king. Know your place" Jadis said as she walked closer to Edmund. At first, edmund backed away out of fear. After all, she had put him through a lot. But his fear didn't last long. He glanced at his brother as he finally got out of mirazs grasp and started to fight him again. "I'm a king...I can change the rules if I want..." Edmund echoed her own words back to her before swinging his sword at her. Jadis easily dodged it and went to stab Edmund with her wand, which he also dodged. "It won't be as easy as last time" he taunted as the two started to fight using their swords and wand. Peter had a split second of time to glance over at Edmund. Peter immediately became worried. The last time his brother had fought the witch, Edmund had almost died. His worry faded slightly when he saw Edmund fighting confidently. He was so proud of his brother. He was quickly distracted by Miraz, who tried to charge at Peter with his sword, which peter easily blocked with his shield.

Edmund was surprised of how 'not terrified' he was. He was fighting the person who had haunted his dreams...or more like nightmares...for many years and after what she had put him through last time they went to Narnia, he knew he couldn't back down to her now. After a few minutes, the four were still at it and no one seems to be injured or backing down. Jadis suddenly hit Edmund across the face, which brought back a wave of traumatic memories. He was then slammed against a rock as her wand was at his throat. As she was about to bring the wand down on him, a small dagger suddenly flew through the air and hit Jadis in the shoulder, causing her to let go of Edmund. Edmund, who had recognised the small dagger, looked in the direction of Lucy, who had just saved his life. Lucy, being the valiant queen she was, walked closer to the duelling ground, which made Edmund extremely worried for her safety. "I think you'll find that they're two queens in Narnia, and that's me and my sister" Lucy said, no fear in her eyes. "Now get away from my brothers!"  Jadis glared angrily at Lucy as she got up and turned her wand to face her. She picked up a sword from the ground and walked towards Lucy. "Lucy!" Edmund yelled from behind Jadis. As Jadis raised her sword to kill Lucy, Caspian suddenly leaped him and covered Lucy to protect her. Since he had a shield on his back, the sword hit against it, not hurting him. Caspian glanced down at Lucy. "Go...find aslan" he said. Lucy nodded and rushed off to get a horse.  Lucy had thought Susan was going with her, but since she was occupied with the archers, Lucy knew she had to do this one alone.

Edmund got up off the floor just as Jadis turned to face him again. Miraz walked up next to Jadis as peter walked to Edmund side. The four now faced other, waiting for one of the sides to make a move. "You tried to kill my sister..." Edmund said angrily to Jadis. Peter glared at the two of this. "Let's end this" Peter said, aggressively and confidently. He gave Edmund a nod before the two of them ran at Jadis and Miraz, ready to fight to the death.

[ ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER OOOH]

[ also, even though this story clearly isn't over yet, I really wanna write a prequel to this once it's over. Maybe the first adventure in Narnia with an AU twist like this one. I could write the Pevensies before Narnia and in Narnia (: please comment your opinions and ideas ]