The Line of Duty

Chapter 8

Aras bolted upright in her restless sleep, a sharp pain in her heart. He's gone. The only father-like figure she'd ever known, Aslan was gone. A ragged sob shook from her chest as the realisation that she would never see him again sunk in. She knew that what little sleep she had, would not return to her, so she rose from her cot and walked out of her tent. She wandered around the camp, the crisp wind dried the tears on her cheeks, only to have them replaced when she found herself standing before the great Lion's tent. 

"May he find peace in the next life." Aras sighed and closed her eyes, a heavy wind blew through the trees and danced through her hair. Aras turned her head and watched the petals of the dryad flutter by and towards the tent where Peter and Edmund slept. 'Susan and Lucy!'  Aras ran into the Queens' tent to find the beds empty.

Just as she entered, Peter and Edmund ran in behind her in search of their sisters. They looks across their faces said they both knew. Peter opened his mouth to tell her, but she cut him off abruptly.

"I know, I felt it."

The three walked out of the tent silently, no words could console them. Oreius waited outside the Kings' tents.

"She's right. He's gone." Peter sighed.

Oreius bowed his head respectfully.

"Then you'll have to lead us." Edmund stated. Peter said nothing in reply. "Peter, there's a whole army out there and it's ready to follow you."

"I can't."

"Aslan believed you could." Aras spoke up, "And so do I."

"The Witch's army is nearing, sire. What are your orders?" Oreius asked.

Peter took a heavy breath and look at Aras who nodded her head then looked at the map before him.

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The armies of Narnia stood across the plains of Beruna, with Peter, Orieus and Aras at the lead. Peter looked up as the Gryphon came to land on the other side of Aras. 

"They come, you highness, in numbers and weapons far greater then our own." The Gryphon warned.

"Numbers do not win a battle." Orieus reprimanded. 

"No, but I bet they help." The young King all but groaned.

The Witch and her Army came into their view, Aras swallowed hard at the golden mane the Witch wore around her neck. A tense silence settled over the battlefield as the Witch and her armies awaited the Narnian's move. Peter shifted on the back of his unicorn, his eyes finding Edmund's who nodded the slightest. Peter removed his sword and held it in the air as his challenge to the Witch, the roars and cheers of his army supporting him. 

The Witch's General roared and lead the charge of the Witch's army. Peter moved his hand, and a flock of Gryphons flew overhead carrying rocks and dropping them over the Witch's army. They retaliated by shooting as many as they could from the skies.

Peter took a deep breath and looked to Aras on his right, "Are you with me?"

Aras held his gaze and gave a comforting smile, "Always."

Peter returned the smile as much as he could then turned to Oreius.

"To the death." The Centaur swore. 

Peter lower the mask of his helmet and raised his sword high, the silver blade glinting in the sunlight, "For Narnia!! And For Aslan!!"

The Narnians roared a battle cry and charged into battle, running until they clashed with the Witch's forces. Aras fought hard from astride Arlo, keeping herself close to Peter should he need her help. Aras drove her sword into a Minotaur, but in its dying moments pulled her from Arlo's back. She rolled with the momentum and sprung to her feet. Her hand reached behind her and pulled the staff from her back, with a quick twist she realised the blades and threw herself back into the fight.