For the first time in a long time, Demetria woke up amongst think blankets and plush pillows. Despite being a prisoner, she was still related to Miraz and that meant she was to be treated like royalty. A midnight blue dress sat on a nearby trunk. Slipping it over her head, she found she had missed wearing nice dresses. The sounds of men preparing for battle filled the air and brought her back down to reality. Somebody was to die today, whether it be Miraz or Peter, somebody would die today and she would be forced to watch. It was Glozelle that fetched her from her tent.
"Well look at you." He said tilting her chin up with his hand, it was like he was inspecting her. "Just as beautiful as your mother was. Much more spirited then her though."
"Remove your hands from me." Demetria commanded, leaving no room for argument. His hand dropped and he bowed.
"Yes, of course your highness." He said straightening then offered her his arm. She merely glared.
"Come now Princess Demetria." He said with a smile, "We are on the same side. We both dislike Miraz."
"Yes, but we have different approaches on how to handle him." Demetria said calmly, "You choose to scheme in secret, hiding like a cockroach beneath a rock." He glared at her before walking out of the tent, and she followed. Two horses awaited them, one a chestnut brown and the other white. Both were armored. Glozelle mounted the brown while Demetria hesitated to climb on the white. She was afraid of riding. Her mother had been killed by a horse. However, she pulled her courage together and mounted. Uneasily she nudged the horse into following Glozelle before they joined Miraz and Lord Sopesian.
"Ready my daughter?" Miraz asked and she glared.
"I am ready to see the Narnians emerge from this war victorious." She said and he laughed, armor clinking as his black horse shifted.
"Well, I am afraid you will never get to see that dream come true." He said and kicked his horse into a trot.
#
The two Kings met just outside of the hill, their armies cheering behind them. Demetria dismounted and immediately went to go speak with Edmund and Caspian, but Glozelle grabbed her by the wrist.
"Not yet." He muttered, and she nodded. Looking to Edmund he gave her a small sad smile. Glenstorm was there too, standing beside Peter. Caspian wasn't there. The tension in the air was thick and her peace and courage were quickly fading until she saw something out of the corner of her eye. The lion was prowling just beyond the tree line, his muscles rippling beneath his fur coat. He looked to her, their eyes met and she stood a little taller as peace, courage, strength, and hope blossomed inside of her. Miraz walked out to meet Peter halfway, sword drawn. They spoke to each other, quietly so that she was unable to hear before Peter jumped up on a boulder and down on Miraz, his sword hitting Miraz's shield. Blades clashed, again and again, the cheers of the armies becoming louder and louder with each blow. Demetria holds her breath until she saw that Glozelle was holding a crossbow.
"If you have any intention of using that," She nodded to him, "Just make sure you hit Miraz." He smirked and nodded. Demetria turned her attention back to the battle. Peter hit Miraz in the back. Miraz knocked off Peter's helmet, and then his coif. Peter swung low, cutting Miraz's leg. Miraz glanced at Glozelle, probably wondering why an arrow hadn't impaled Peter. Miraz swung, and Peter fell over but quickly recovered. Miraz tripped Peter, and then stepped on his shield. Peter let out a yell that made Demetria grimace. Miraz swung ag Peter's throat, but the young king rolled out of the way. Peter kept rolling and blocking until he stopped, tripping Miraz. Both quickly got up, breathing heavily. They must have agreed to rest for a moment because each went limping back to their side. Demetria turned and grabbed a bandage from a saddlebag and tossed it at Miraz.
"Consider this payback for all the times I had to tend to my own cuts as a child." She said and the two men that had come with them backed away. Just then Caspian rode by, Susan sitting behind him. Both took a double glance as they passed her and she just nodded. Nervously she knitted her hair into a braid as she watched Edmund help Peter with his arm. Then it is back to the battle. Neither of the kings accept their helmets as they walk back out and blades clash again. Peter attacked quickly, but Miraz just parries. Miraz started hitting Peter with his shield, a low move. Peter fell, and Miraz ran towards him. Peter blocked a blow and then tripped Miraz. They both recovered. Peter knocked Miraz's sword out of his hand. They continue fighting, Miraz using his shield. Peter attempted to stab Miraz but failed. Miraz knocked Peter's sword out of his hand. Miraz tried to slam his shield into Peter, but Peter catches it. Peter twists Miraz' shield behind him, it wasn't the best move but it gave the younger man an advantage until Miraz elbowed Peter in the face and then pushed him into a pillar. Miraz picked up his sword and swings, but Peter blocks it with his vambraces. This was not looking good. Demetria looked to Edmund, he was frowning deeply. Peter stood up and punches Miraz' wounded leg. Miraz yelled and fell down, dropping his sword.
"Respite! Respite!" He yelled as Peter prepared to punch the man.
"Now is no time for chivalry Peter!" Edmund yells, his hand on the hilt of his own sword. Peter hesitated before he turned and walked away.
"Peter!" Demetria yelled as Miraz grabbed his sword and lunged at the young man. Peter responded quickly, dodging the blow to grab the sword, twist it around, and stab Miraz beneath the arm. Miraz gasped and fell to his knees. Demetria pressed her hands against her mouth as she watched with wide eyes. She felt no fear for Miraz's death, only anticipation as to what would happen. Miraz said something and Peter answered by passing the sword to Caspian. Caspian looked like he was preparing to slay Miraz, but instead of driving the blade into his uncle, drove it into the soft dirt between the stones. The battle was over. Lord Sopesian went out to help Miraz to his feet while Demetria ran past both of them and into Caspian's arms.
"You had me so worried." Edmund said as she looked to him. There was worry and hurt in his eyes.
"You do anything like that again." Peter said and she looked to him without letting go of her cousin, "And there is no way I will even consider taking you back with us." She smiled, but that same smile disappeared at Lord Sopesian's voice.
"Treachery!" He yelled, dropping Miraz's limp body to the round, one of Susan's arrows sticking from the dead man's back. "They shot him! They murdered our king! To arms!" Sopesian and Gozelle mounted their horses as race back to rally their army. Edmund grabbed Demetria by the arms and pulled her close.
"I want you to go and wait inside the Stone Table room." He said, looking her in the eye. She nodded before he pressed a very brief kiss against her lips. Demetria struggled not to return the kiss. He quickly pushed her towards the entrance to the hill. "Go!" She nodded and ran, her skirts getting tangled up in her legs. Inside, the first she met was none other than Reepicheep.
"Running from the battle I see." He said and she flinched. Something began to make the hill shake, dust and pebbles raining down on them.
"I don't-" She stopped before wrapping her braid up into a bun and grabbing the sword a nearby faun handed her. She glanced at Reepicheep. "If I die, because you guilt tripped me for hiding, you'll be the one to explain that to Edmund and Caspian." She quickly ducked behind a Minotaur as Caspian came riding in on his horse and gestured for them to follow him through the tunnels that snaked beneath the battlefield. It was then that Demetria realized as she was running, that the tunnels she thought were to provide enough space for the troops were actually a defense. A few began smashing the pillars that held the earth above them. A giant sinkhole formed, Telemarine troops falling in, while the Narnians emerged out into the sun. Demetria was lost in the battle. Her muscles seemed to move of their own accord, blocking every blow that a soldier attempted to deliver. He attempted a move that fully extended his arm and she saw her chance. She brought her sword down with all her might on his wrist and the sword fell from his hand. The whole battle was a blur of colors and sounds. Another solider lunged at her and just like before, Demetria blocked every blow she could, biding her time until she could attack. The whole time she was mentally cursing her long skirts. Then, something she didn't completely expect happened. Tree's began fighting off the soldiers. The tree's roots grabbed the Telemarines and tossed them into the air. Somewhere amidst the chaos, she heard a horn. The Telemarines began to retreat. Panting she followed the other troops, getting glimpses of Caspian, Edmund and Peter. They chased the Telemarines all the way down to the river. They were truly desperate to get away, but froze at the sight of Lucy on the opposite shore beside a lion. The same lion that Demetria had walked with. Demetria lowered her sword as she watched. Sopesian let out a yell and charged, but brought his horse to a stop when the lion roared. The water of the river began to churn and shape a giant, bearded man. The waterman, grabbed the bridge between his fingers and lifts it up as men began jumping. Only Sopesian remained, his horse surprisingly calm as it rider swings it sword wildly. The river god seemed to have enough and collapsed over Sopesian, washing him away. The Narnian army fell silent for a moment before letting out a victory yell. The war had been won.