Come Home - E. Pevensie [2]

11 - The Battle

Sighing as I finished buckling and strapping on my armor, I ran my eyes over my appearance in the dusty mirror. My hair was pulled tightly into a french braid, as it always is for battle. Back then, I wore heavy and often oversize chainmail, which somewhat weighed me down. Now, the chainmail and metal armor was fit to my form and no longer restrained my movement.

My leather pants had been replaced with metal guards, much to my distaste. They made it much more difficult to bend my knees and, no matter how much I tightened them, never sat flush against my legs. I scowled at them in the mirror as my hand absently scratched at the cloth lion sewn on my front.

"Stop making that face. I can't have you going out there in leather pants, you nit." Edmund smirked from my door. I increased my sour face as I met his eyes through the mirror.

"Have Susan and Lucy left already?" I asked, still not turning to face him yet. Instead, I fumbled with my sword belt, frowning as I instinctively reached for my daggers. I often forgot that I lost them during the raid. Edmund stepped further into the room and nodded.

"Yes. They promised they'll see you afterward. Caspian will be following them shortly." He had moved closer to me now, his chest pressing against my back as his arms slithered around my waist. I leaned back into him, fiddling with the ends of my blonde hair.

"I wish, just once, that we could come to Narnia and not have to fight." I sighed. Edmund tapped my waist, to which I stood straighter and turned to face him.

"Look at the bright side, love. No other sixteen-year-olds back in Finchley could say they've fought in two wars." He grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah, because so many could say they've fought in one."

His grin faltered and he raised a hand to brush my cheek. "Don't worry, we'll be okay. We always are."

I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes. "We're always okay when we have Aslan. And a lot more soldiers than now." I sighed. Being pessimistic was not usually my kind of energy, but the outcome of this fight was not looking to be in our favor.

"Lucy will find him," Edmund assured. "And perhaps the Telmarines will keep to their word. Miraz may be their king now, but they might feel different when he's dead."

My eyes shot to his, and a small laugh escaped when he shrugged innocently to my incredulous look.

"Maybe. But in case they aren't," I lifted my head to meet Edmund's eyes. They were already trained on my face intensely. "Please be safe. I can't lose anyone to this." I whispered. Edmund nodded and wiped a stray tear that had slipped from my eyelashes.

"I will, I promise. Besides, you've got nothing to worry about. The best swordsman in Narnia, remember?" He smirked. I laughed with an eye roll as his hands dragged up and down my arms softly. His grin faded and he leaned closer.

"Be careful, too. I finally got you, I'm not gonna give you up that easy." I nodded and brought my lips to his, smiling into the kiss as he drew me closer.

"I love you." I murmured against his lips. Edmund pulled back enough to see my eyes and hold my cheeks.

"I love you more." He grinned.

With a last quick glance at my body armor in the mirror, I took Edmund's hand and left my room. Caspian hurried past us as we walked out of the door, pulling a horse behind him. The girls must have taken his.

"Wait, Cas!" I called. He stopped at my voice, his hair flying around and in his eyes as his head turned. I released Edmund's hand and walked to Caspian, wrapping my hands around his neck. He gripped my waist tightly with one arm while the other kept hold of the horse's reins.