APRICITY • e. pevensie

chapter twelve

"Cakes and kettledrums. Thats your next big plan?" Trumpkin asks in shock, "sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest? Alone!"

Peter had told us a few minutes ago that he came up with a new plan. That plan was to send Lucy, Susan and I into the woods to try and find Aslan. Trumpkin, being the grumpy dwarf he is, is disagreeing with the whole idea. If you ask me, he's started caring for Lucy ever since she saved his life. Yeah, sending us into the darkest parts of the woods might be a little dangerous, but Aslan won't let anything happen to us, he cares about us to much.

"It's our only chance." Peter tells him.

"Besides, she won't be alone." I remind him. Trumpkin stands in front of Lucy holding a sad expression,

"Haven't enough of us died already." He asks with sorrow.

"Nikabrik was my friend to, but he lost hope," Badger tells him, " Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I."

"For Aslan." Reepicheep says, drawing his sword and holding it over his heart.

"For Alsan!" The bear on the wall repeats.

Lucy and Peter stare at each other for a few seconds before she turns back to Trumpkin.

"Then I'm going with you." He says.

"No. we need you here." Lucy tells him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"We have to hold them off until Lucy, Susan, and Anna get back.

"If I may..." Caspian speaks up. He glances at the professor before he stands up, " Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer..." he trails off looking at each and every one of us, "... but as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time."

And he starts to tell us his plan.

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Okay, so Caspians plan wasn't as good as I thought. His plan was to send my boyfriend and I to challenge Miraz to a sword fight, to the death for Peter.

So here we are, standing before Miraz and his council. Edmund unrolls the scroll and begins to read from it.

"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 abdominal effusion of blood, do hereby challenge the usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. Te reward shall be total surrender." Edmund reads aloud.

"Tell me, Prince Edmund..."

"King." Edmund corrects his mistake.

"Pardon me?"

"It's King Edmund, Actually." I tell him, smiling.

"Just "King" though. Peter's the high king." Edmund continues. Miraz gives us a confused look and I mentally laugh.

"It's confusing, I know." I snicker.

"Why would you risk such a proposal when our armies could wipe you out by nightfall?" Miraz questions.

"Haven't you already underestimated our numbers?" Edmund asks him, "I mean, only a week ago Narnians were extinct."

"And so you will be again." Miraz says. I roll my eyes at him.

"Well then, you should have little to fear." I tell him. He Laughs loudy.

"This is not a question of bravery." He states.

"So you're bravely refusing to fight a swordsman half your age?" Edmund asks, smirking. Good lord he looks good when he smirks- Not the time!

"I didn't say I refused" Miraz says through clenched teeth. He stands up holding onto the edge of the table tightly.

"You shall have our support, your majesty." The council member to his left tells him, "what're your decision."

"Sire, our military advantage alone provides the perfect excuse to refuse." The council member to his right speaks up, "what otherwise might be.."

"I'm not avoiding anything!" Miraz shouts at him.

"I was merely pointing out." the poor man says, "that my lord is well withing his rights to refuse."

"His majesty would never refuse." the guard behind speaks up, " he relishes the chance to show his people the courage of their new king."

"You." Miras points his sword at Edmund, "you should hope that your brothers sword is sharper than his pen."

Edmund and I smirk at each other, knowing that our plan had worked.