β’ chapter seven
The events escalated quickly. Before she knew it, the Telmarines found out about their attack, taking away that element of surprise that they had in advantage.
"Peter!" she heard Susan yelling the name of her brother.
"Our army is just outside!"
Sarina sprinted after Peter, who dashed through the courtyard, deftly slashing at two Telmarine soldiers in his path.
"Now, Ed, now! Signal the troops!" Peter shouted, urgency in his voice.
Meanwhile, atop the tower, Edmund grappled with a soldier, clearly struggling. "I'm a little busy right now, Pete!" he replied. While Edmund struggled at the top of the tower, Sarina rushed to Peter's side, who was desperately trying to open the gate.
"It's too late, Peter! We have to call it off while we still can!" Susan urged, "No! I can still do this! Help me!" Peter insisted. Susan and Caspian joined him, straining against the heavy wheel that would open the gate.
"Just who exactly are you doing this for, Peter?" Susan asked, but Peter did not reply.
As they continued to turn the wheel, up above, Edmund shook his torch vigorously, desperate to get it lit while Glenstorm and the restless army shifted anxiously, waiting for the signal.
At last, the torch flared to life and Edmund flashed it signaling the army outside. Glenstorm let out a powerful shout, rallying the Narnians to charge into the castle. The minotaur, Asterius, led the way using his horns to smash through the first gate.
The Narnians surged past Peter, Susan, Sarina, and Caspian, drawing their weapons and racing to join the battle ahead.
"For Narnia!" Peter's cry echoed and the Narnians surged forwards, with their swords clashing against the Telmarine soldiers. Sarina spotted a Telmarine soldier with his crossbow aimed at Peter. In a swift movement, she hurled her dagger, striking the Telmarine squarely in the shoulder.
She focused on her own fight, but still observed the situation around her. Peter is engaged in his own fight on the stairs, Susan is also taking down the soldiers approaching her, and Caspian slashing down the Telmarines, his people, as they attack him.
"Get that gate closed!"
With that command, the gate starts to close. Asterius, the minotaur, runs over and holds the gate open. He is struggling, the pressure must be too much but he is doing everything that he can to keep it open for his comrades. But they can't retreat yet, not without Peter's orders of retreat.
Sarina rushed to the minotaur, she pulled her wand hoping that no one would see what she would do from this chaos. She pointed her wand to the gate and chanted, "Levitare Stasis!"
The minotaur's eyes widened in surprise, feeling light. He looked at the gate that stopped on closing. He glanced at Sarina who was standing in front of him, her wand brandished, pointing to the gate. She turned away and started to run to the Narnians who needed help. She knows that her cover is now blown, but she doesn't really have time to deal with it right now. Peter is yet to release an order of retreat and it's already freakin' obvious that their side is losing. The least that she could do is to lessen their casualties.
"Susan!" she called. Susan turned her head to her and before she could speak Sarina already spoke first.
"Convince Peter to retreat! This is a losing game now. I'll help the other Narnians to retreat!"
Susan didn't need to be told twice and rushed to find her brother. While Sarina used a basic cast to deal a small amount of damage to the soldiers, just enough to throw them aback.
"Get to Asterius! Go! Go!" she vaguely said, urging the Narnians to head to the gate and retreat despite Peter's lack of command. Thankfully, they did not question her orders and obeyed, leaving the soldiers that they're fighting. When they turn around, Sarina casted a basic spell, rendering them unable to move.
Meanwhile, Peter raced through the ranks of Narnians, urging everyone to retreat. now In the midst of the turmoil, Glenstorm scooped up Susan and swung her onto his back, carrying her to safety.
"Peter! Sarina's still helping the others!" Susan called out, her voice laced with urgency.
"I'll find her!" Peter promised, determination etched on his face.
Caspian and the Professor emerged from the fray, with the prince holding the reins of an extra horse. His eyes darted through the chaos, desperately searching for the familiar flash of bright white hair amidst the crowd.
"Sarina!" he called out.
Sarina turned at the sound of his voice, her eyes lighting up as she spotted him. With a swift motion, Caspian reached for her, lifting her effortlessly onto the horse behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her heart pounding as they galloped toward the gate, evading the soldiers who struggled to block their path.
"Don't let them escape!" Miraz bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise as he rallied his men.
With a fierce glare, Sarina turned to face the King. "Titillando!" she whispered, casting a tickling hex in his direction. Miraz erupted into uncontrollable laughter, leaving his soldiers bewildered as they watched their King succumb to the spell.
Sarina smirked, her eyes scanning their surroundings. Though there were casualties, she was relieved to see that many had managed to escape, battered but alive. And for her, that's what matters the most.
Β°β’β’β’Β°
As they reached the How, Sarina spotted Lucy waiting, her cordial clutched tightly in her hand. The tension in the air was palpable.
"What happened?" Lucy asked, her eyes darting between the group.
Peter turned to Caspian, his frustration evident. "Ask him."
"Peter..." Susan interjected.
Caspian stepped forward, his voice rising. "Me? You could have called it off! There was still time!"
"No, there wasn't," Peter shot back, his anger boiling over. "If you'd stuck to the plan, those soldiers might still be alive right now."
"And if you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian retorted.
Peter's voice hardened, "You called us, remember?"
Caspian scowled, his hands clenched into fists, "My first mistake."
"No," Peter snapped, "your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people."
"Hey! I am not the one who abandoned Narnia!" Caspian yelled, his face now flushed with anger.
"You invaded Narnia!" Peter shot back, his voice echoing in the How. "You have no more right to it than Miraz does! You, him, your father... Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"
The two young men glared at each other, their swords drawn and ready to clash.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Sarina shouted, stepping between them. "Quit acting like children and start acting your age! You're both leaders, for Merlin's sake!"
"Don't interfere, Sarina. You don't know anything about Narnia!" Peter barked at her. Sarina brushed off the remark, after all, she knew it was true. But Caspian felt differently.
"Don't you dare yell at her!" Caspian snapped, ready to lunge at Peter again, but Sarina held him back, "She saved the lives of the Narnians! While you hesitated to give orders, she guided them to safety and helped them retreat! And what did you do? You're still itching for a fight as if you're confident your plan will work!"
"Enough! Both of you!" Sarina and Susan stood firm, blocking Caspian and Peter from advancing. Just then, Glenstorm laid down an injured Trumpkin. The argument faded as they all turned their attention to Lucy, who rushed over and offered the dwarf a drop of her cordial. He opened his eyes, taking in the concerned faces surrounding him.
"What are you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough!" Trumpkin exclaimed.
Lucy smiled down at him, relief washing over her.
"Thank you, my dear little friend," Trumpkin said to Lucy, gratitude shining in his eyes.
Caspian looked down and he met Sarina's eyes. Finally, he is calm.
"Get yourself treated," is what she said before going inside the How, following Lucy and Trumpkin. She did not look back, but she could feel his eyes on the back of her head.
Β°β’β’β’Β°
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