Favorite of the King

Chapter 43

They crested a hill presently. The Narnian and Telmarine armies were scattered below them, locked in a bloody battle. Creatures fell left and right. Yvaine swallowed, still trying to form a plan.

Hooves beat upon the ground behind them. Batur appeared at their side, riding a horse. The rest of the Telmarine soldiers were with him. "Out of those who stayed, these will fight with Narnia," Batur explained.

Yvaine nodded and continued to watch the armies. She was searching for anyone familiar. So far, she'd spotted General Oreius, Lycyries, and the faun, Orion. A second later, she caught sight of Susan and Evolet running across the field. They were loosing arrows at every turn.

"Yvaine," Aslan prompted gently. She nodded, narrowing her eyes. Aslan's great maw opened up in a thunderous roar.

The fighting below them halted immediately. Telmarines and Narnians alike stared up the slope at them. A familiar chestnut horse reared onto her hind legs. Nutmeg whinnied and slammed her head into a Telmarine. The confusion wore off and the fighting began again. Aslan charged down the slope towards the battle.

Narnians backed away when they charged through the armies. Yvaine kept her eyes peeled for Hakan, Peter, and Edmund. She didn't have to search long. The three of them were locked in battle a short distance away.

Peter spotted them a second before they arrived. Aslan skidded to a stop and Yvaine jumped off his back. Peter's eyes widened in shock. He shook his head and tossed a second sword to her. Yvaine caught it and recognized the blade as her own.

Hakan and Edmund were still dueling. Yvaine raised her sword and pointed it towards them. "Hakan!" She shouted. Aslan roared once more, catching their attention. Edmund's mouth fell open and he froze.

"Impossible!" Hakan growled. His gaze flickered towards Aslan. For a moment, he looked uncertain, but the look was short lived.

"Enough of this. Narnia will never be yours! You insist upon war when peaceful solutions have always existed!" Yvaine made sure her voice rang clearly. A few Telmarines ceased fighting and appeared to be listening. "Are you so willing to waste lives like that?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Explain it to us, then. Why must you take Narnia? Telmar has fewer citizens than Narnia. The land is not crowded. The people are not unhappy. Why must you expand the country?" Yvaine pressed.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Girl." Hakan lunged at her and brought his sword arching down.

Yvaine whipped hers up and parried the blow. She slipped beneath Hakan's arm and kicked his back. He stumbled forward a few paces, but recovered himself. Dirt flew towards Yvaine's eyes. She raised an arm to shield them. Hakan slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. She rolled as his sword buried itself in the dirt.

Edmund started towards them, but she held up a hand. "No, let me do this!" He hesitated, but Aslan nodded and he fell back.

Yvaine blocked and launched an attack of her own. She pressed her blade against Hakan's. His sword was shrieking beneath the pressure. Yvaine pushed harder. Hakan butted his head into her nose. She staggered back, then dropped her sword and rolled between his legs as he swung at her neck.

Yvaine popped up behind him and curled her hand into a fist. She landed a few blows around his shoulder blades and his upper arm. His hand slacked for a second and his sword fell. Yvaine grabbed both swords and reversed one of them in her grasp. Hakan faced her, wiping blood from his mouth.

"It seems I underestimated you," he muttered. "It doesn't matter, though. My army outnumbers Narnia's."

"Surrender," Yvaine ordered.