𝙸𝚁𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴. ➪ 𝙴. 𝙿𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚎

𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

Lucy was stood outside of the How when the remaining troops returned. She winced at the glum looks and low numbers. "What happened?" she asked.
"Ask him," Peter snapped, glaring at Caspian.
It seemed none of them had really noticed Phillis' lack of presence. They all assumed she was at the back of the line or had already returned to the How. "Peter," Susan rolled her eyes.
"Me?" Caspian said. "You could of called it off. There was still time."
"No. There wasn't. Thanks to you," said Peter. "If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now."
"If you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian yelled.
"You called us, remember?" Peter raised his voice.
"My first mistake."
"No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people."
"Hey! I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."
"You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to lead it than Miraz does. You, him, your father... Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"
The two pulled their swords on each other. Before they managed to cut each other's heads off, Edmund yelled, "Stop it!"
Glenstorm lowered an injured Trumpkin into Edmund's arms, who placed him gently on the ground. Without a moment to lose, Lucy dashed forward with her cordial. With a gasp, Trumpkin said, "What you all standing around for? Telmarines will be here soon enough. Phillis was right. Thank you, my dear little friend."
At the mention of her name, Lucy said, "Where is Phillis?"
"She's not here?" Susan asked.
"No, of course not," Lucy furrowed her eyebrows.
The realisation that Phillis hadn't returned dawned on them. Edmund was angry at everyone, tears spilled from his eyes. Elmer looked up at Peter. "This is your fault!" he screamed.
"You agreed!" Peter yelled back.
"Peter, just shut up!" Edmund shouted, his voice straining.
Edmund had grabbed Peter's shirt collar. "Just accept what you've done! Who was checking to make sure she was okay? No one! How could you let this happen? What have you done?"
Edmund went to punch Peter, but Susan grabbed him, pulling him away from the eldest Pevensie. Elmer was on the ground, sobbing into the stone. Lucy hugged him tightly, tears falling from her eyes too. Peter looked scared of Edmund, fear glistened in his eyes. As for Edmund's eyes? They'd turned dark. Scarily dark.
"Just stop," Elmer sobbed. "Please. Just stop."
Edmund turned to look at Elmer, before sending one last glare at Peter before storming into Aslan's How.

Phillis had waited until daylight, when the bodies were being cleared out to make her move. She hid behind a pillar, trying not to leave any blood trails, for she was bleeding from her thigh and her stomach.
She'd bought herself a spare few seconds using her flute. But soon enough, the soldiers had awoken. She crept into the stone castle - it was nowhere near as nice as Cair Paravel had been. But she wasn't here to critique Telmar taste. She'd had to silently cut down a few guards, but she'd managed to reach a window. Just as Phillis swung it open, a sweaty hand grabbed her and pulled her into a cell in the dungeons. When she opened her eyes, she saw a guard and Miraz himself. "You must be Queen Phillis. The pleasure is all mine," he said with a wicked grin.
Phillis spat at him, rolling her eyes. "You're going to answer some questions, and in return, I won't kill you. I'll use you as bait, then kill you."
"How generous," Phillis grunted.
"Quite," he sniggered. "Now, tell me: how many troops do you have?"
"I don't know. You probably killed all of them," she knew he hadn't, but she hoped it would help him underestimate the power of Narnians.
"Of course I did. I'm powerful," he replied.
"Power comes in many forms, Miraz," she said.
Just as she said this, she pulled out her flute and played a short tune. He tried to unlock the cell door to get it off her. He raised his sword, slicing her cheek. Before he could do any further damage, he and the guard fell to the ground, fast asleep. She used her next seconds wisely. She clambered out of the closest window and fell to the rocks below. It was only a metre's drop. She slid down them, careful not to tear any wounds open any further. Blood trickled down her cheek.
Within five minutes, she'd reached the forest below. It was going to be a tiresome, painful journey, but she was determined to make it back to the How. Back to Edmund.