make it right ➞ edmund pevensie; the chronicles of narnia [editing]

SEVEN.

"Good, because we're going to need every sword we can get," Peter turns back to address Caspian.

"Well, then you will probably be wanting yours back," Caspian replies, handing Peter's sword to him.

Peter sheaths it back sharply, and they move to join the group of Narnians on their trek. Cady falls into step with Edmund as Caspian and Peter lead their group towards Aslan's How.

"You and your brother look strikingly different, no wonder Peter didn't realise he is Caspian," Edmund comments. "I suppose he's around Susan's age."

"Well, he takes after our father, and I take after my mother," Cady turns to him, waving her arms around to describe her parents in full. "Mum came from the Great Eastern Ocean, she was part of an expedition from Dragon Island to Narnia. Father fell in love at first sight and married her, despite the arrangements of the royal family."

"How curious," Edmund replies, staring at Caspian.

Cady waves when Caspian looks back at them with a smile on his face, saying to Edmund, "Well, I'm just glad that he's safe and sound."

"Me too." Edmund looks over to her with a smile. Cady laughs and misses the way his gaze lingers on her longer when the blonde jogs up to join her brother at the front.

Caspian throws an arm around Cady as they arrive at an empty grassland just outside the woods past Beruna. The How is at the opposite side of the earth, centaurs stand by each side of the entrance, holding up their swords above their heads in a welcoming ceremony as they approach the camp.

The Kings and Queens of old fall into a sense of familiarity immediately, leading them into the How. Cady and Caspian stop and linger behind, following the four a couple of steps behind. They arrive in an armoury of sorts, where creatures that Cady didn't know existed smith on metal, spar in training, and pack up supplies in the large underground space.

"It may not be what you're used to, but it is defensible," Caspian explains as they look around the camp.

"Peter, you may want to see this," Susan calls them over at the corner of the chamber. The five follow Caspian into a tunnel, where paintings and carvings of stories from the White Witch's reign to their Golden Age line the walls.

"It's us," Susan says, running a hand over the art.

"What is this place?" Lucy asks, marvelling the engravings.

Caspian knits his eyebrows together in disbelief, "You don't know?" He grabs a torch from the side, lighting the way as he heads them further down the tunnel and emerging into a tall deep cave.

He dips the torch into oil and the entire chamber lights up, fire running along the sides of the room and revealing carvings of centaurs, satyrs, and other creatures. Carved on the middle slate, is a stunning engraving of a great lion, the Great Lion. And in the middle of the room stands a cracked stone table.

"Aslan's Table," Cady murmurs, glancing around the ancient structure in awe. Her professor's stories only brushed the surface of her expectations, the chamber more glorious than his words can ever do justice.

Lucy runs a hand along the table, looking back at her siblings sadly. "He must know what he's doing."

There is a long pause before Peter replies, "I think it's up to us now."

Cady jolts when a hand clamps over her shoulder, her hand already reaching for her weapons until she sees her brother's worried face looking down at her. "I need to tell you something," Caspian says, nodding back at the hallway from where they came from.

Cady purses her lips. Whatever he has to say, it has to be bad news, one look at him and Cady knows that something isn't right.

"Caspian, what is it?" Cady asks when Caspian slows to a stop. "Is something wrong?"

Her brother doesn't dare meet her eyes. "It's Miraz. He's the reason we had to leave."

"I don't understand." She scrunches up her face. "Why? How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Back at the castle." Caspian grits his teeth, finally turning to look Cady in the eye. "He tried to have me killed."

"Why? He would never do that." She shakes her head, unable to believe that her uncle could do such things to his family.

"I watched with my own two eyes," Caspian explains, his eyes searching for Cady's as the younger girl wraps her arms around herself in a self hug. "He had Glozelle and his men come into my room, and they shot arrows at the bed."

"I–I don't understand," Cady stutters. Her brain is spinning, she needs to sit down. Her arms tighten around herself. It isn't until Caspian presses his palms to her face does she realise that she has started crying. Cady can't meet his warm brown eyes, avoiding his glance even when Caspian presses his hands on her arms to calm her.

"He wants us dead, Cadence," her brother grabs her hands. "Why else did we have to flee?"

Cady's mind reels, moments of her and her uncle flash before her eyes. Uncle Miraz teaching her the proper way to hold a sword, Uncle Miraz helping her with the homework Doctor Cornelius would give them when they were younger, Uncle Miraz training her on how to toss a dagger, Uncle Miraz reading her bedtime stories about his adventures when Cady couldn't fall asleep.

"So everything he told me, told us, were all lies?" Cady staggers back, barely catching herself with the dusty wall.

"I don't know, Cady," Caspian replies, holding her steady. "I don't know."