𝐒𝐡𝐞 - A Narnian Prophecy || Peter Pevensie

Chapter 27 ~ 'Ever Played 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'?'

Lilith and Alia found themselves practically backed up against the wall of the courtyard, the very same one she was almost hung in, Lilith recalled as the troops quietened their last-minute commotions and lined up in their formation.

There were a few moments where nothing happened; the three hundred and fifty soldiers, the High King and his Advisor all stood in a dutiful silence.

It felt as if the entirety of Narnia was holding their breath.

As united as the army had been in silencing, united did they stand to a readied attention, all seeing the eagle swoop, soaring in front of Cair Paravel's entrance, right in front of the High King. It dropped through the air almost as fast as the bodies would throughout the remainder of that day.

"Ready!" Peter bellowed, raising his sword and turning Aidren to his soldiers, "We march from the Town. No one charge until I order! Back regiment- you are to follow your Crown Princess and Alia of Tircon to the beaches, they command you from now."

It was then that ninety Narnian soldiers, made up considerably of Centaurs, turned and saluted to Lilith and Alia, the former raising an apprehensive hand of greeting.

"So, I take it we head to the beach down the back way?" Lilith muttered to Alia as discreetly as possible once Peter, Oreius and the rest of the Army had begun their march down to the lower town.

Alia had even less clue than the Crown Princess did. "There's a back way to the beach?"

Lilith cursed under her breath.

The redhead had no idea how to march, and so she simply took through the gardens of Cair Paravel as if it was any other stroll and as if she was alone, not with ninety soldiers at her heel. She'd missed the Gardens, even if most of the flowers had wilted and browned in the cooler temperatures.

As they marched (or walked, in Lilith's case), Alia suggested formations that might be of use on such a narrow stretch of beach. All were valid and well thought of, especially as they could only have been heard second-hand from her brother. Lilith decided that after the battle, she might just recommend Alia for a knighthood, and was sure that the Centauress would get it, even if she did still have a Hut to mind and dinners to prepare.

It turned out that the back way to the beach had not been the best choice. The path was narrower than Lilith had remembered, which slowed things considerably as the soldier's insisted on marching down the long but thin, stone stairway.

Eventually, however, they made it.

The beach felt as if it was a million miles away from Cair Paravel. Here, there was peace. Waves caressed the shore, the clear blue above them, that supported the sun, was untainted and the smell of the salt in the air steered Lilith once more back to carefree, modern-day, childhood memories.

But she was a world away from those. Literally.

"They're waiting for orders." Alia told Lilith, the redhead turning from the vast view of the sea and to their regiment.

"Yes, of course." The Crown Princess tugged a smile onto her lips and straightened her back as she faced the soldiers, "I want you in lines, stretching across the beach. We are here as a defence to keep the enemy from surrounding Cair Paravel completely. This is not the frontline- we should not see many try to pass- but any that do, take no prisoners."

Peter had been kind to her, that much became clear to Lilith as the Centaur-heavy regiment took formation seamlessly, holding themselves tall as the Centauress and Crown Princess stood before them, ready to lead as if heading into the main battle.

~~~

"No one's spotted a thing, Sire." An owl west of Cair Paravel informed the Just King.