Upon returning to the How, Chloe wanted to see Susan and Lucy off and was able to catch them at the last minute. Caspian had offered to let them use his horse, and was even offering Susan her horn back.
"Why don't you hold on to it," she told him, pulling on the reigns, "You might need to call me again," she flirted before galloping away.
Chloe snorted as she heard Lucy teasing her sister, she walked up behind Caspian and clapped his shoulder with her hand, "As much amusement as I receive watching the flirtatious exchange between you and Susan, we have a battle to prepare for," She teased dragging him away with laughter. The lighthearted banter was quickly extinguished as Peter emerged in battle armour, "Are you ready?" She asked him.
"As I'll ever be."
And so, they walked to the field where Miraz was waiting for them. Narnians stood at the entrance to the How cheering for their King's victory. On the other side of the battlefield sat Miraz and his men who were cheering for him. Caspian stayed behind and waited until they'd reached the arena before slipping away while Chloe, Edmund and Peter met up with Glenstorm and the Bulgy Bear.
Edmund did his best to stay calm but Chloe could feel his nerves as if they were her own. When they'd arrived, Edmund offered Peter his sword and when he unsheathed it there was a roar coming from the Narnians. Edmund placed the empty sheath on the ground and immediately reached for Chloe's hand, giving it a tight squeeze.
"I hope you won't be too disappointed when I survive," Miraz asked as he was given his hideous helmet. Peter said nothing as he met Miraz in the middle of the arena. The two of them circled each other, "There is still time to surrender," he reminded.
Peter's eyes were piercing as he responded, "Well feel free."
"How many more must die for the throne?" Miraz questioned.
"Just. One." Peter stated, lowering his helmet to cover his face and readying his sword.
With a yell, he lunged, administering the first blow of the battle. Both sides began cheering for their leader while Glenstorm, Edmund, and Chloe just watched silently. Little did they know that Miraz had men patrolling the wood, and they were after Susan and Lucy. To ensure her sister's plan succeeded, Susan ordered Lucy to go on without her. She would handle the soldiers by herself...or so she thought. For Caspian had slipped away from the battle to help her.
"You sure you don't need that horn?" He teased, helping her up onto his horse.
💜
Meanwhile, the battle continued. Peter was holding his own very well, as was expected. Glenstorm exchanged approving looks with Edmund and Chloe as they watched. Miraz swung his sword, Peter ducked. But when he lifted his head up, Miraz slammed his shield against Peter's face, knocking his helmet off.
Peter dodged another attack, slashing his sword at Miraz's leg drawing blood. A yell came from the old man as he put his hand on his leg. Peter was sweating a lot, and it was clear Miraz didn't have the stamina to keep it up for long. He swiped his sword at Peter's legs, but he dodged, rolling out of the way. Taking it to his advantage, Miraz stomped his foot onto Peter's shield, his arm was still through the loops and Chloe watched as it bent more than it should, Peter's scream ripping through the air.
"He dislocated it," she whispered, tightening her grip on Edmund's hand.
That left Peter with only one good arm. He rolled away from Miraz's attacks, using his dominant arm to swing his sword. Before rolling back and knocking Miraz to the ground next to him.
The two men got to their feet, breathing deeply, when in the distance a horse's neigh was heard. Caspian had returned with Susan.
"Does His Highness need a respite?" Miraz gasped, trying to catch his breath without appearing weak.
Peter gasped, "Five minutes?" He offered, knowing it would benefit the both of them.
"Three!" Miraz rebutted before limping over to his men so they could tend to his wounds.
Chloe and Edmund rushed to help Peter into a chair as Caspian and Susan joined worried, "Lucy?" He gasped when he got closer to his sister.
"She got through...with a little help," she motioned to Caspian.
Peter nodded, "Thanks," he breathed sincerely.
"Well, you were busy," he shrugged.
Chloe helped him down slowly, "Drink something," she ordered conjuring some water into a goblet for him before looking to Susan, "You should get on some elevation," she glanced back to Miraz who was speaking incoherently to his General, "Something tells me they won't give up so easily."
She nodded before going to Peter and bringing him in for a one-armed hug. He hissed in pain and she quickly released him apologizing, "Be careful," she cautioned.
"I will."
Edmund looked behind them at all the Narnians watching nervously, "Keep smiling," he cautioned wanting to keep their spirits up.
As Susan ran back to the How, Peter forced a smile and lifted his sword. The Narnians cheered for their King. Caspian helped him off with his shield, Peter was in a lot of pain, "Edmund, pop it back in place," she asked him silently kicking herself for not asking Lucy for her healing cordial before she left.
As Edmund examined his arm, Peter looked out at the battlefield numbly, "What do you think happens back home if you die here?" He asked the both of them. Edmund and Chloe looked at each other, the only time they'd asked themselves that question was back when the White Witch had almost killed him. Peter looked to his brother and his friend, "You've always been there, and I never really- OW!" He hissed as Edmund forced his shoulder back to its proper place.
"Save it for later," he huffed before giving him back his sword.
Chloe offered him his helmet but Peter kindly refused. Upon seeing his opponent return to the arena without a helmet, Miraz roughly shoved his away when it was offered to him. The battle resumed in full force. This would be the end, no more breaks, no more stops.
Miraz was striking with force, using his size to his advantage. He'd slammed Peter against the floor again but this time Peter weaved his legs around Miraz and tripped him on his back. When the both of them got to their feet, Peter had discarded his shield, swiping his sword at Miraz's weak points, before wrenching his sword from him. With two swords, Peter slashed them at Miraz, only to be blocked by his shield.
Seeing an opening, Peter tried to stab him in the side, but Miraz blocked, and punched Peter, causing him to lose his only weapons. It appeared then that Miraz had the advantage, using the shield to attack. However, Peter grabbed it, and with it still looped on Miraz's arm, Peter twisted it behind his back. Screams came from both men, but before Peter could proceed, Miraz elbowed him in the face, forcing him to let go.
With Peter momentarily stunned, Miraz grabbed a sword, poised to attack. But by then Peter's vision had cleared up and used his armour to deflect the attacks, instead, punching Miraz's injured leg. The old man let out a painful yell, backing away.
"Respite! Respite!" He gasped, on his knees and his hand up to Peter.
Peter, being the gentleman he was, hesitated, "Now's not the time for chivalry Peter!" Edmund yelled to his brother, but Chloe grabbed his arm softly, silencing him.
Peter wasn't the person who would attack an unarmed man, nor one who was clearly defeated. He felt there was no more need to attack, and began to walk back to his side. Miraz took the opportunity, with Peter's back to him, to grab a sword and lunge. A coward's move.
"PETER!" Chloe screamed.
He was prepared, Peter turned and wrestled the sword from Miraz and plunged it into his side, a gasp coming from the man. Miraz knelt on the ground, hand over his wound. But Peter wouldn't deliver the final blow.
"What's the matter, boy?" Miraz hissed, "Too cowardly to take a life?"
Chloe was angered at the man's words. A coward is someone who attacks another when their back is turned. Peter, lowered the sword and glared at him, "It's not mine to take."
With that he turned to the others, looking right at Caspian, and extended his sword. Slowly, the prince approached, taking the sword from Peter and faced his uncle. Slowly Caspian raised the sword, locking eyes with his uncle, ready to take his life.
"Perhaps I was wrong," Miraz spoke, "Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king after all."
Caspian shook with anger at his words, and Chloe understood why. The Telmarines had done nothing but destroy what was once a beautiful land, and being told he was like them was something he did not want. Miraz lowered his head, as though waiting to die. But Caspian, more than anything, wanted to prove him wrong. He wanted to be a good king. With a scream, Caspian dug the sword into the ground before his uncle, sparing his life.
Miraz looked up, confused. Caspian's eyes watered as he spat at his uncle, "Not one like you," he stood up straighter, looking down at the pathetic man, "Keep your life. But I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom," Caspian looked back to the Telmarine court before turning and reuniting with his family.
The Narnians cheered their victory. Chloe sighed in relief as she hugged Edmund, the boy kissing her head. However, the moment was a short lived. Suddenly, a sharp gasp came from Miraz, and looking back there was an arrow in his side...one of Susan's arrows.
Miraz slumped to the ground face first, and outrage sparked from the Telmarines, "Treachery! They shot him! They murdered our king!"
Not a single archer had let loose an arrow, but there was no time for explanations, "Be ready!" Peter yelled to the troops. One of the courts men charged, this time it was Chloe who attacked, lighting her staff and slashing it across the man's torso and delivering a deadly blow across his face.
The other Telmarines had rejoined their army, and the catapults had been armed. One boulder landed not-twenty feet next to the arena, while the other landed much closer to the Narnian soldiers. It started raining boulders, taking out some of the Narnians instantly, and the impact made the earth shake.
The Narnians that were waiting in the How looked up at their hiding spot in worry. Outside Chloe looked to Edmund and Peter, "Well, we prepared for this..." she reminded them, "Let's just hope it works," she whispered to herself was they watched the cavalry charge across the field.
"Chloe! Now!" She heard Caspian call.
With a nod she turned, but before she could run, Edmund grabbed her arm and brought her in for a desperate kiss, her hand immediately went to his cheek. It was quick and he immediately let her go, they had a plan to execute.
Gripping her staff tightly she sprinted to Caspian who helped her onto the back of his horse. They, along with Glenstorm galloped into the How to fetch the other soldiers.
"Narnians! Charge!" Caspian yelled leading the soldiers into the tombs.
One of Glenstorm's sons signaled the others with the horn, they needed to know how much time they had, "One....two...three...four..." Chloe counted as she readied herself. When she'd arrived to ten, she, along with the giants on their side, began to destroy the pillars holding up the tunnels. With a wave of her hand, purple mist would shoot out, hitting the pillar and forcing it to collapse. Giants, minotaurs, and centaurs followed, and once enough of the pillars were down, the tunnel started to cave in- the Telmarines riding above them falling right into the hole.
It was then that the archers unleashed their arrows, taking out even more of the soldiers was they tried to climb back onto solid ground.
Edmund felt an enormous sense of pride in Chloe as he hopped on his own stead to join the battle. Chloe and Caspian resurfaced with the other Narnians from a secret ramp they'd made previously. Once they'd joined the fray, Chloe hopped off the horse to attack on foot.
The Narnians had the element of surprise, they'd prepared for this. Chloe was swinging her staff around her body with ease and precision as she attacked one soldier after another. From her peripheral she could see Peter fighting, Caspian swinging his sword on horseback, and Edmund shooting arrows from a crossbow. They seemed to be holding their own, for a bit.
The rest of the Telmarine army started marching toward them. And their numbers greatly overpowered the Narnians they had on the ground. The signal was given to those up top and gryphons flew overhead with dwarfs firing arrows. The creatures dodged the boulders as best as they could but the troops kept marching. Telmarines brought out more war machines, they had a large one that fired arrows. They shot down some of the gryphons with ease.
Peter realized they were running low on options, he looked up to where Susan was positioned with the other archers, "Lucy?" She shook her head.
With Lucy not back yet, the only other option was to bring the fight to closed quarters, "Back to the How!" Chloe ordered.
To cut them off, the Telmarines fired their catapults right at the How. Chloe gasped as she saw stones from the How falling on some of her soldiers. She grunted as she tried to force the large stones away from the entrance. With every stone falling on her invisible shield it felt like more weight on her shoulders. She was so focused she almost hadn't noticed a Telmarine sneaking up behind her.
"Chloe!" Caspian yelled slicing at the soldier before dragging her back to Peter.
He'd broken her concentration, and she watched as the entrance to the How caved in on itself. Susan had almost fallen off the unstable landing, but Trumpkin caught her arm and helped ease her onto another rock so she could join her brother.
Edmund ran to Chloe's side, first checking to make sure she was all right. Besides a few cuts, bruises and being out of breath she was fine. Then, the five of them nodded to one another; Peter, Edmund, and Caspian brandished their swords, Susan put an arrow in her bow, and Chloe twirled her staff with both hands.
The question Peter prompted earlier was forgotten, they were prepared to fight for their people even if the cost was their lives.