Favorite of the King

Chapter 40

    The sun was just a sliver in the sky when Yvaine stepped into Peter and Edmund's tent. Peter wasn't there; he'd already left to ready the horses. Edmund was sleeping. He woke at the sound of her footsteps.

    "Has the fighting started again?" He mumbled, looking half asleep.

    "No, not yet." Yvaine sat down beside him.

    "Where are you going, then?" He eyed her armor and tunic, and her sword strapped to her hips.

    Peter hasn't told him what the new plan is, Yvaine realized. Of course he wouldn't. Edmund would want to come and he's still in no shape to. She scratched her head, then grabbed her braid and coiled it into a bun. "Peter and I came up with a new plan. We're going to see if it might work."

    "He didn't mention it to me." Edmund knit his brows.

    "He hasn't had time. Susan is coming with us, but Lucy will be by later. I'm sure she'll fill you in." Yvaine kissed him and stood. "I love you."

    Edmund smiled at that. She could still see a hint of pain in his gaze, though. "I love you too."

    She left the tent and met Susan at the edge of the camp. Peter rode towards them on his horse. Nutmeg and another horse were with him. Susan mounted the second one and Yvaine swung onto Nutmeg.

    They set a quick pace down towards the battlefield. It was still littered with debris. All of the Narnian bodies had been gathered and were being prepared for burial. The same couldn't be said for the Telmarine soldiers. Yvaine wondered if King Hakan had forbidden their retrieval. Her father wouldn't have left dead men on a battlefield otherwise.

    "Are you certain he'll accept?" Susan asked.

    Peter shook his head. "I'm certain of nothing."

    "We have to try." They both looked towards Yvaine as she spoke. "It's better than letting everyone die."

    They fell silent again and rode on. Nutmeg slowed when they reached the Telmarine's side of the battlefield. Peter looked around, then continued forward. "We'll go to their camp. There's no one here yet, except scouts I'd assume."

    "I'm sure King Hakan already knows we're coming," Yvaine agreed.

    The Telmarine camp wasn't far. They had set themselves up closer to the battlefield than the Narnians had. Yvaine quickly spotted King Hakan's tent. The Telmarine flag flew above it. Several of the lords' tents surrounded his. Their personal flags graced the tops of their tents.

    Telmarine soldiers surrounded the six of them, but no one raised a weapon. Nutmeg snorted nervously, her ears flicking back and forth. Yvaine patted her neck. They stopped in front of King Hakan's tent. Several of the lords had already gathered. Yvaine saw her father, from the corner of her eye. He looked vaguely confused. Yvaine dismounted when Peter and Susan did.

    The tent flaps opened and King Hakan appeared, already wearing his armor. "Have you come to surrender?" He sneered. "The death of your brother must have knocked some sense into you."

    "King Edmund is not dead," Peter replied, his voice eerily calm. A surprised look crossed Hakan's face. "Many others were not so lucky. We will not surrender to you and I know you will not negotiate with us." Hakan narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth, as if to speak. Peter continued before he could. "But I don't want to throw away the lives of my subjects. I'm certain you don't want to either. Many more could die before someone gains the upper hand. We have devised a way to avoid such casualties."