The Call To The Old - An Edmund Pevensie fanfiction

Chapter thirty

Talia entered the tomb of Aslan, a morbid smile upon her face. Perhaps one would consider it concerning to see a face of almost happiness plastered onto a girl, who had just caused so much pain. She did not feel concerned at her emotions. She felt proud- she had used magic, successfully, and on the one person who had dealt her a far greater share of pain and agony. What she had done to him was nothing to what he had done to her, and her friends.

Talia stalked around the tomb, collecting her battle garments and sword; she was right in what she had predicted earlier, and she felt it even stronger now- Miraz would not be one to go down so easily, his army would fight. There was no way that the Telmarines would keep their word. Her years of Telmarine experience had taught her this, and perhaps if she were in their situation, she would do the same; she was far less noble than the Pevensie siblings, the chivalry she had recognised within Peter did not flow within her. In fact, the only reason she did not kill Miraz herself was because she wanted Caspian to take his revenge. Caspian had grown and changed since meeting with the Narnians, and this was something that Talia strongly took note of- when the pair were younger, he yearned for his chance to avenge the way Miraz and Talia's father had treated them, but the Narnians had taught him a kindness he had not yet experienced in such masses. Every man he interacted with previously had taught him how to kill, to fight, to punish- and now he was taught real lessons, he observed Peter's chivalry; Edmund's desire for fairness; and although initially reserved to the idea, he grew to love hearing a woman's voice in conversations of battle strategy. Both Talia and Caspian, although they despised it, assimilated into the beliefs of the Telmarines; and although, Talia rejected it slightly more, and taught herself to fight and to have her own opinions, it was never something she shared outwardly. The pair never felt as though they would truly fit into the Telmarine society they were brought up in, they tried to force themselves to share the same beliefs as those around them, and some of them did stick, as it would with anyone, if you get told something over and over again, you begin to adopt that narrative also. But they never truly fit in, and that was something everyone could recognise. But here, with the Narnians Talia and Caspian finally felt at home. So, when Talia picked up her sword, that once upon a time she had taken from Edmund's chest, back and Cair Paravel, she was willing to die by that sword, she was ready to sacrifice her life for the Narnians who had taught her freedom. And Caspian was just the same.

Upon hearing an uproar of shouts from outside, Talia quickened her pace to a run to see what all the commotion was about. She jogged out of the entrance to the tomb to be greeted with the distant sight of Miraz lying cold on the floor, an arrow in his side. Her eyes widened with shock, as she turned to look up to the Narnian archers that stood on the ledge above her.

"Treachery!" Lord Sopespian, one of Miraz's advisors yelled out, "They shot him! They murdered our King!"

Talia grew increasingly confused, her hand tight upon her sword. She continued to run forward, "What's happened?" she called to Caspian who had begun to walk towards her.

"Sopespian. He killed Miraz." Caspian blurted in between breaths.

Anxiety rose in the girl, she jogged past her old friend towards Peter and Edmund.

"Talia!" Edmund exclaimed when seeing her. He reached out his hand, pulling her closer. "They're blaming his murder on us."

"Be ready!" Peter interjected, shouting his command towards the small but mighty Narnian army that stood behind them. Talia and Edmund turned to face them also, sending encouraging looks towards their army. An anger rose within Talia, some of them would die. They would die such unnecessary deaths, of which they certainly did not deserve.