She Who Has Received The Roar- Edmund Pevensie Fanfiction

20~ Tactics

The walk to the telmarine camp was brief but treacherous, it was as if narnia had begun to attack back, branches sticking and poking out, scraping the cenataurs and slicing the bare flesh of the cyclops. Tree roots lay like traps, knitted into the foiliage tripping us up repeatedly. The woods were a warning: go no further...

We reached the camp, all of us on edge and weary. The two cenataurs engaged with the camp guards, showing them Peter's Royal seal to confirm authenticity and truth. The guards, after consulting with another telmarine general, hesitantly let us pass, cautious of our every movement, observing our entire beings as we were escorted towards Miraz and his council.

"Your majesty," one of the guards announced as we reached a blue tinted, makeshift tent of sorts, built of hanging tapestries and furnished with thick rugs underneath heavy mahogany tables. " an enemy group has come in peace, they claim they have a proposal for you"
Behind the dark wooden tables on intricate throne like chairs sat a dozen men, dressed in silver studded armour and pale tinted leather. The man in the centre, who I assumed was miraz, nodded his head subtly, he sat on a chair about a foot taller than any other object in the tent, this chair was carved with extreme precision, covered in engraved swords and crowns and other weapons, I'm not sure why I was looking for it because this was a telmarine camp after all but I was surprised to see that there was no lion present in any of the carvings, I guess I had become accustomed to narnian furniture, and the seemingly violent attributes of telmarine designs caught me off guard. It was at that point I realised just how different narnians were to telmarines.
Miraz sat even more upright than he was already, with difficulty and a clunk due to the excessive amount of weapons attached to his waist.

"Welcome, welcome" he said with a smile that failed to reach his eyes and continued "Lets hear this proposal" wafting his hand as if deterring a fly.

I hated him. He clearly had no regard for anyone but himself and believed his existence superior. I looked at Edmund as he unraveled a scroll with royal seal and, upon clearing his throat began to read aloud...

"I peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High king of Narnia, Lord of cair paravel and emperor of the lone islands, in order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do herby challenge the usurper Miraz to a single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender."

As Edmund rolled the scroll back into place, miraz leaned forward menacingly.
"Tell me prince Edmund-"

"King." Edmund corrected without looking up from the scroll he has just finished rolling.

Miraz sat back, and almost swallowed the rest of his sentence. "Uh- pardon me?" He asked clearly at the end of his tether, I noticed his hands began to grip  at the end of his arm rests, nickles turning white the leather of his armour creaking against the wood.

"Its King Edmund, actually." He continued finally looking up and meeting the sharp glare that peirced out from within miraz, although this did not phase him for he spoke again almost smugly aware of how much he was making miraz's skin crawl "just king though, Peter's the high king." I looked at Edmund, worried he was pushing it with his wit. "I know, it's confusing." He finished with a false sympathetic tone.

Miraz tilted his head in absolute torment and flated his nostrils in disgust, exhaling harshly as not to escalate the situation.
"Why would we risk such a proposal, when our armies" he gestured in the direction of visable soilders outside the tent "could wipe you out by nightfall?"

"Haven't you already underestimated our numbers," Edmund replied raising his eyebrows "I mean, only a week ago, narnians were extinct."

"And so you will be extinct again" miraz replied harshly and his council chuckled at the thought.