Two Pieces of a Broken Heart | Edmund Pevensie

Chapter. 3

"Drop him!"

Aliyah looked up quickly and saw Susan released an arrow from her bow as she reached out to take another arrow from her quiver, aiming at two soldiers with another diminutive human in the boat. Both she and Lucy were catching up from behind as she saw Peter and Edmund already had their swords drawn by their side.

"That's a dwarf." Lucy explained to her as she noticed Aliyah looking at the boat strangely.

"Su, I don't think that's a wise choice of word to use." Aliyah whispered to her. To her dismay, the two soldiers did what as they were told and dropped the poor dwarf into the water. She saw her friend released the second arrow, perfectly shooting at one of the soldiers. She did not expect to witness death in such a short time even though she knew she definitely will get to experience the feeling of killing someone for survival here in this new world.

Peter immediately dived into the water and rescued the drowning dwarf while Edmund went forward to pull the boat to shore. After Peter had successfully saved the dwarf, he carried him with all his might to bring themselves back to where his siblings and Aliyah were. Lucy instantly used her dagger to cut off the ropes that were tying around the dwarf's hands and legs. Aliyah stood behind watching them in action with a worried look.

"Drop him?!" said the dwarf in fury as he threw the ropes on the sand with a huff, "That's the best you can come up with."

"She's just trying to help." Aliyah defended her friend.

"A simple 'thank you' would suffice." Susan added on.

"Are you alright?" asked Aliyah, moving closer to the dwarf to check on him as she tried to understand his situation. Besides, he just had a narrow escape from death.

"Stop there!" the dwarf snapped at Aliyah.

Edmund quickly moved forward and pulled Aliyah behind him protectively as he stood in between them. "You could have been drowned by now if we didn't save you in time."

He spoke with a dark and dangerous tone. Something that Aliyah did not remember hearing him speak in this manner before.

"They were doing fine drowning me without your help." said the dwarf, stubbornly.

"Maybe we should have let them." Peter replied him, straightforwardly. He felt that his efforts had gone down the drain despite risking his life saving the ungrateful dwarf. Furthermore, he could not stand the others being rude to his siblings and his friend.

"Why were they trying to kill you anyway? What's your name?" asked Lucy as she tried to decrease the tension between her brothers and the dwarf.

"They're Telmarines." the dwarf replied, coldly, "That's what they do and my name is Trumpkin."

"Telmarines? In Narnia?" asked Edmund.

"Where have you been for the last few hundred years?" said Trumpkin, sort of questioning the four royals in front of him.

"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy told him while Susan handed over Peter's sword back to him and Trumpkin saw it. He could not believe his eyes. Thousands of questions came up to his mind as he began to feel curious at this group of young people who saved him earlier on. He then took a look at Susan's bow and the arrows she was carrying.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. You're it? You're the Kings and Queens of Old?" said Trumpkin as he felt hope returned once again. He turned and pointed his finger at Aliyah, "And you are?"

"She's with us and is our friend." Edmund replied before anyone could answer the dwarf's question.

"Any friend of the Kings and Queens are my friend too." Trumpkin told her as he bowed slightly to Aliyah who returned it back awkwardly.

"High King Peter, the Magnificent." Peter introduced himself and he let out his hand while Trumpkin just stood there, not knowing what to do next.

"You probably could have left off the last bit." Susan reminded him while Edmund turned away, trying to hide his smile.

"Probably." Trumpkin laughed for the first time as he agreed with his Queen.

"You might be surprised." said Peter and he drew out his sword.

"Oh, you don't want to do that boy." warned Trumpkin, shaking his head as he understood what Peter meant.

"Not me. Him." Peter looked at Edmund and he smiled gratefully in return as he drew his sword, getting ready for the friendly spar.

"Is there any way to stop them?" Aliyah asked Lucy, looking concerned.

"Don't worry." she assured her friend, "Edmund is the best swordsman in Narnia. I've never seen anyone defeat him before."

Aliyah raised an eyebrow at Lucy's comment and stared at the boy in front of her who is looking rather at ease. Trumpkin took over Peter's sword and he dropped it on the sand, giving people the impression that he could not fight well. However, out of a sudden, Trumpkin swung Peter's sword at Edmund who nearly jumped in shock. He ducked Trumpkin's attack but was hit by him on the eye using the pommel of the sword.

"Edmund!" Lucy shouted alertly.

"Oh, you're alright?" mocked Trumpkin as he continued to swing the heavy sword at Edmund again.

Luckily, Edmund was fast enough to dodge it and he went behind Trumpkin and gave him a whack on his back, bringing a chuckle from Lucy. Both of them were already serious about it as they began to circling around each other, waiting for one of them to make the next move. Trumpkin took the chance to swing the sword at Edmund's feet but he was quick enough to jump and prevent himself from losing one or both of his legs. Edmund went on to make an attack on Trumpkin, slashing his sword as he defended all of Edmund's moves. The sound of the swords, clanking each other made the other four excited and curious who would be the winner but it deep down, they already knew who will win at the very end. It went on and on as Edmund began to increase his speed and managed to send Trumpkin's sword flying off onto the sand. He stood there, with both of his arms raised, pointing his sword at Trumpkin who was staring back at him in shock.