LADYLIKE : narnia (on hold)

five

DIANYA CLUTCHED ONTO the griffin as it flew her over the Telmarine castle she had once called home. All was still as she landed on the roof her griffin set her upon. She murmured a quiet thank you before hopping down onto the ledge. Reyva and Gretal landed on the ledges opposite her and nodded their heads towards the gatehouse. Alice was with Edmund on a nearby tower signalling the troops.

Reyva and Gretal made their way over to the Telmarine princess with their weapons ready. "Come on," Dianya whispered harshly waving her hand for them to follow her. "We have to get that gate open."

The three women rushed down to the wheel next to the gate and pulled on it. It did them no good when two Telmarine guards approached them swords in hand. The three women readied themselves for the battle to come until one soldier struck down the other. The man, or boy, quickly took off his helmet.

"Gregson?" Reyva asked quietly as she strode up to her cousin with a grin painted on her lips. The cousins embraced causing Dianya to smile. "I knew you would come through for us."

Their reunion was interrupted by Peter, Caspian, Susan, and Alice rushing towards them. "Alice, why aren't you with Ed?" Dianya asked the Queen with confusion.

"Plans changed." Alice said simply as she joined Peter in turning the wheel with a strained groan.

"Peter! Alice! It's too late." Susan told them hastily as Telmarine soldiers began to grab their weapons.

"We have to call it off while we can." Reyva told the King and Queen as she glanced back and forth between Peter and Alice and the Telmarines.

"No!" Alice cried out as she tugged on the wheel. Reyva brandished her staff as a Telmarine came near her.

"We can still do this!" Peter snapped as he continued to turn the wheel not looking back. "Help us!" Susan, Caspian, and Gretal all looked at each other before going to help the two stubborn rulers.

"Exactly who are you doing this for, Peter?" Gretal snapped as she stood by Caspian turning the wheel. Peter only glanced at her with an annoyed expression. Dianya, Reyva, and Gregson looked at each other as the Telmarines came towards them and yet Edmund had given no signal.

The group turned around as their reinforcements charged through the gate. It seemed that Edmund had pulled through and gotten the job done after all. "For Narnia!" Peter shouted as he and the others charged into battle.

Reyva knocked a Telmarine back with a her staff and into Dianya who stabbed him. The two nodded to each other with smirks and set off to fight alone. Alice set off towards the tower where she had last seen Edmund. "Edmund!" She called out and she breathed a sogh of relief as Edmund's head popped over the side of the tower looking down at her.

"Alice!" He grinned and she took it upon herself to climb up the wall as both Miraz and Dianya looked on. Alice narrowly dodged as a minotaur fell from a high tower and onto the stone below. She looked down to look at its body in rage and she glared up at a smirking Miraz. Alice climbed faster and higher towards Edmund who was panicking away from the door. She pushed herself up and over the edge and tackled him in an embrace. "What are you doing up here? Did you-" He looked down at the courtyard below. "Did you climb all the way up here to save me?"

"Yes." Alice nodded frantically as she took his hands. Telmarine soldiers took notice of them and they gasped before Edmund ran leading Alice away from the soldiers.

"Fall back!" Reyva heard Peter cry out before kicking a Telmarine back. "We need to retreat! Now!" Peter pointed his sword at his sister. "Go! Get her out of here! Back to the gate! Go!" Glenstorm reached out a hand to Susan who took it and swung onto his back with ease. Gretal covered Gregson as he rode past her on a stolen horse and steadily approaching the wounded Dianya.

"Be careful, cousin." Reyva warned Gregson who nodded and grabbed onto Dianya who had been injured by a blade and he rode off with her in his grasp.

"Caspian!" Susan called out to Peter as she rode away.

"I'll find him!" Peter swung his sword into another Telmarine with a grunt. Gretal joined him by his side with a nod and stabbed a Telmarine in the side and then chest.

The door swung open as two Telmarine soldiers held their swords at Alice and Edmund. Edmund took Alice's hand and the two backed up onto the ledge looking behind them cautiously. The two fell back causing the Telmarines to look down for the King and Queen. Two griffins instead shot up carrying the two.

Caspian broke through the stable door with three stolen horses, one carrying him, and another the Professor. The third was empty meant for Peter. Peter hid behind the horse as they mad etheir way to the gate. Caspian held his hand out to Gretal who looked at it with disdain. "I would rather die."

"If you don't take it," Caspian looked down at her pleadingly. "You will."

"Then, I shall die amongst the brave Narnians who are willing to die for our homeland." Caspian took her hand and dragged her onto the horse.

"You will do no such thing." Caspian murmured as Peter climbed onto the third and final horse. Gretal swung her legs onto Caspian's horse without complaint and threw a knife at an incoming Telmarine soldier. They made it through the gate well enough, but that was when the gate fell.

Gretal whipped her head around to see the remaining Narnian troops trapped behind the gates and telling them to run, Reyva among them. Reyva simply smiled softly and nodded her wellwishes. It would be the first time that Gretal would cry, but certainly not the last.

Alice flew her griffin alongside Edmund's over the silent courtyard. Reyva was crawling over to the gate and Alice slowed her griffin down to grab her slowing dying form. Edmund shared a look with Alice as they flew right behind Peter as he galloped away on his horse with the rest of troops following behond somberly.