β’ chapter eleven
As Sarina and Lucy galloped through the dense forest, the sound of hooves echoed behind themβthe Telmarine soldiers were in hot pursuit.
"They've seen us!" Lucy shouted, urgency lacing her voice. Sarina pulled her horse to a sudden stop and dismounted.
"What are you doing?" Lucy exclaimed, confusion flickering across her face.
"I'm sorry, Lu. It looks like you'll be going alone after all," Sarina replied. With one last glance at her cousin, Lucy rode off, disappearing into the trees.
Sarina turned to face the advancing Telmarines, a confident smirk curling her lips. She pulled her wand from her dress pocket and gripped her dagger tightly in her left hand. As the soldiers approached, she unleashed a hex, her magic immobilizing them as they tumbled from their horses. With swift precision, she slashed at those who got too close, the dagger dancing in her hands.
Sarina's heart raced as she fought against the encroaching soldiers, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Just when she thought she had the situation under control, a Telmarine soldier managed to break through her defenses, tackling her to the ground. Panic surged within her as she struggled, the weight of her assailant pinning her down.
Out of nowhere, Caspian appeared, he charged like a Prince Charming coming to the rescue. Relief washed over Sarina, mingling with a rush of emotions she hadn't fully recognized until that momentβadmiration, gratitude, and something deeper that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
His gaze locked onto hersβ his eyes dark and intense, radiating a confidence that filled her with hope. As he engaged the soldier, Sarina felt a flicker of warmth blossom in her chest. With swift precision, Caspian dispatched the Telmarine, his movements fluid and powerful. The soldier crumpled to the ground, leaving Sarina momentarily breathless.
"It seems fairytales are true in one regard," she said out loud, her voice cutting through the chaos. Sarina felt a warmth spread through her. She couldn't help but smile, feeling both grateful and exhilarated at the same time.
"Which is?" he asked.
"That a prince will save a damsel in distress," she teased, her heart racing.
Caspian extended his hand toward her. "Hop on, my damsel in distress."
"Not in distress," she countered with a playful grin, "but I'll let you for once, my prince."
A surge of confidence washed over Sarina, fueled by the brightness of Caspian's dark eyes and the warmth of his smile. She accepted his hand, feeling familiar butterflies flutter in her stomach as he helped her onto the horse behind him. Their faces drew close, eyes locking, breaths mingling in the charged air. Just a slight movement, and their lips could touch. And they both yearned for that moment.
But Sarina turned her head away, breaking the spell. "Let'sβlet's go," she stammered, placing her arms around Caspian's waist.
He nodded, and they set off into the forest, the tension still crackling between them. Both felt the warmth of their earlier closeness, wondering what might have happened if they had let that moment linger just a little longer. As Caspian and Sarina rode back to the How, the silence between them was heavy, filled with an unspoken tension that crackled in the air. Sarina could feel her heart racing. Upon their arrival, Susan's gaze caught them immediately.
"Are you alright? Where's Lucy?" she asked, her concern evident for her younger sister.
"Lucy is fine," Sarina replied, assuring her while trying to steady her voice despite the butterflies swirling in her stomach. "She got through. The Telmarines followed us into the forest, but we fought them off."
As Caspian helped her down from the horse, his hands lingered on her waist longer than necessary, sending a rush of warmth through her. Sarina fought to maintain her composure, but she couldn't help glancing at Susan, whose knowing wink made her eyes widen in silent protest. Sarina's expression clearly conveyed her plea for discretion, but Susan simply shrugged, a playful smile on her lips as she stepped away and pulled Sarina out of Caspian's grasp.
Caspian watched them, his gaze lingering on Sarina as the two girls moved toward Peter. From his spot, Peter caught sight of Miraz and turned his attention back to his cousin and Caspian. He noted the tension in the prince's eyes, but now wasn't the time to address it.
"Does his highness need a respite?" Miraz drawled.
"Five minutes?" Peter suggested.
"Three," Miraz replied, and the two limped back to their respective sides.
"Lucy..." Peter began, "She got through... with a little help," Sarina interjected, glancing at Caspian.
"Thanks," Peter said, nodding to Caspian.
"Well, you were busy," Caspian replied, his voice steady, though his eyes remained on Sarina. Peter turned to Susan.
"Better get up there, just in case. I don't expect the Telmarines to keep their word."
Susan wrapped her arms around Peter in a quick hug, causing him to wince slightly. "Sorry," she murmured.
"It's alright," he assured her, his expression softening.
"Take care," she said before turning to join the others.
Edmund leaned closer to Peter, "Keep smiling," he urged. Peter raised his sword, forcing a smile for the Narnians, who cheered in response.
Peter cradled his arm, groaning in pain. Edmund glanced over to Sarina prompting her to examine Peter's injury. As she looked closely, her expression shifted to concern.
Peter winced in pain, "I think it's dislocated," he said, his voice strained. Edmund nodded. "I think so too."
"Yeah, it is." Sarina confirmed and nodded her head to Edmund who was holding Peter's arm.
Peter's thoughts raced. "What do you think happens back home if you die here? You've always been there for me. I never reallyβ" Sarina signaled Edmund to bring it back to place while Peter was occupied talking. "βAww!" he interrupted himself as another wave of pain hit.
"Save it for later," Edmund advised, cutting him off.
As Peter and Miraz engaged in a heated exchange of blows, the air crackled with tension. Sarina's heart raced, and her eyes were glued to the fierce duel between her cousin and the current Telmarine king. Each clash of swords sent a jolt through her, and the sight of Peter dodging Miraz's fierce attacks made her stomach twist in knots.
In a moment of instinct, Sarina's hand slowly reached out towards Caspian's beside her, desperate for comfort and reassurance amid the chaos.
To her relief, Caspian's strong hand enveloped hers, holding it tightly. His grip was firm and steady, a silent promise that she wasn't alone in this. Sarina felt a wave of warmth spread through her, easing some of the tension coiling within her chest. Everytime Peter is hurt, she squeezes his hand tighter, drawing courage from the connection between them. She felt anchored, able to breathe even as her heart raced with every blow exchanged.
"It will be alright." he whispered to her. Sarina nodded, "He will win this, right?"
"Yes, he will."
Sarina watched as Peter punched Miraz's injured leg. The Telmarine king cried out in pain, falling to the ground and dropping his sword.
"Respite! Respite!" Miraz begged, his voice weak.
"Now's no time for chivalry, Pete!" Edmund urged Peter.
Peter hesitated, his opponent holding up his hand, seeming to be surrendering. Peter lowered his arm and started to walk away. But just as he turned his back, Miraz grabbed his sword and lunged at Peter.
"Look out!" Sarina and Edmund yelled together. Peter barely dodged the attack, then quickly grabbed the sword, twisted it, and stabbed Miraz in the arm. Miraz fell to his knees, gasping in pain.
Peter stood over him, the sword still in his hand. Miraz, with a cruel smirk he taunted, "What's the matter, boy? Too cowardly to take a life?"
Peter shook his head. "It's not mine to take." He looked at Caspian, who understood what he meant. Sarina tightened her grip on Caspian's hand, her eyes communicating a silent message. Caspian met her gaze, saying that he wasn't alone in this fight. In that moment, he silently expressed his gratitude for having her by his side.
Caspian stepped forward, accepting the sword from Peter. Sarina's eyes never left his back and watched as Caspian raised the sword slowly.
"Perhaps I was wrong," Miraz said, "It seems you have the makings of a good Telmarine king after all."
Caspian raised the sword high, then screamed and plunged it... into the ground.
"Not one like you," he declared. "Keep your life, but I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom."
Caspian walked away, the cheers of the Narnians ringing in his ears. Sarina stood nearby, her heart swelling with both pride and relief. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him; he had displayed not just strength but also deep compassion. In that moment, it became clear not just to her but even to the Narnians that he truly is a king.
The prince's eyes found hers as he started to walk towards where she was when Sarina noticed from the corner of her eyes the way Miraz's men stabbed his king, with Susan's arrow.
"Treachery! They shot him! They murdered our king! To arms!"
Her eyes widened the moment that the man yelled those words. The man held the sword pierced in the ground and ran back to the side where the Telmarine soldiers were. Peter spun around, "Be ready!"
The Narnians braced themselves for the inevitable battle. Susan, alongside the fauns, dwarves, and centaurs, took their positions on the rockslide above, their bows drawn. Caspian yelled a warning to Peter when one of the soldiers charged at him with his sword raised, Peter quickly sent the soldier into the ground, unfazed by his actions.
"Go!" Peter ordered. Caspian, mounted on his horse, led another towards Sarina, offering her the reins. With a nod to the prince, she mounted onto the horse while the Telmarines sent boulders to the How. Sarina glanced back to see both Peter and Edmund unmoved by the attack. The Telmarines began their advance, but none of the Narnians moved away from their positions. Sarina steeled herself, her grip tightening to the reins.
Peter glanced back at Caspian as he rode into the How, where hundreds of Narnians awaited.
"Narnians! Charge!" Caspian shouted, leading the way. Sarina followed not far behind him. The Narnians surged forward, rushing down the tunnel beneath the battlefield.
"One, two, three..." Peter counted, focused and steady.
"Four, five, six..."
"Archers to the ready!" Susan called, and the Narnian archers prepared their arrows.
"Seven, eight, nine... Get ready!" Peter urged, his heart racing with anticipation. Hoping that their plan will work out.
"Take your aim!" Susan commanded, eyes fixed on the target.
"Now!" Caspian shouted and the Narnians attacked.
The Narnians underground were hard at work, smashing the stone pillars with all their might. The earth shook more violently, Sarina now pulled her wand from her dress pocket. She doesn't care now if someone will find out she is a witch. She will not let the resolve of the Narnians and her cousins go to waste.
"STOP!"
Her voice was loud, making the Narnians look at her. Caspian glanced at Sarina and was about to ask why she made them stop, "You all will charge ahead, don't smash any stone pillars. Just charge ahead near the next entrance and wait for me. " she ordered, her tone leaving them no chance of retorting when she charged ahead with her horse to the center of the underground, leaving the Narnians confused.
"Sarina!" Caspian called out, but the girl didn't look back. Feeling confused, he decided to take action.
"Do what she said!" he commanded the Narnians, and they surged ahead.
"What's happening, Your Majesty?" a centaur asked, noticing Caspian's uncertainty. He had no clue what Sarina was planning, but it seemed like she had a strategy to destroy the stone pillars.
"Let's follow her lead for now," he replied, and the centaur nodded, passing the message to the others.
As they approached the next entrance, the sounds of battle cries from the Telmarines echoed from above, signaling that the fight was raging. Sarina stopped and shouted, "Move! Move! Move! Make sure no one is in the center!" Caspian, though unsure, helped her relay the orders.
"Is everyone here? Is the area clear?" she asked, and Caspian confirmed it was.
"Good. Now stay back and prepare for the next step of the plan," she instructed, turning back to her wand. She quickly added, "And cover your ears!"
Sarina closed her eyes, concentrating hard. She needed this spell to be powerful enough to destroy everything in one go. After a moment, she opened her eyes and shouted, "BOMBARDA!"
A loud explosion erupted, and the Narnians and Caspian covered their ears as the stone pillars shattered before them. The ground shook, and Sarina turned urgently. "Turn around!" she yelled at Caspian, who had been too stunned to react. He snapped back to reality and obeyed her command. The Narnians, seeing what happened, quickly rushed to the other entrance.
The plan was straightforward: Peter and the others above would lure the Telmarine soldiers to the center of the grassy field, while Caspian's team would destroy the pillars beneath them, trapping the enemy. However, since the underground area was so vast, it could take longer than expected. To save the Narnians' strength and resources, Sarina decided to use her powerful spell instead.
"Let's go!" she urged Caspian, who promptly led the Narnians to the platform. Two dwarves lowered the platform, and Caspian guided the Narnians out into the sunlight, circling around to face the Telmarine cavalry.
Sarina stood at the edge of the clearing, her heart pounding as chaos erupted around her. Telmarine soldiers marched, brandishing swords and shouting, their harsh voices drowning out the cries of the talking animals and dryads caught in their path. In the midst of the fray, she could see a young faun, wide-eyed and trembling, backed against a tree as a soldier advanced on him.
With a quick glance to the sky, Sarina spotted griffins plummeting, their wings struggling against the boulders being hurled at them. The sight filled her with a mix of fear and determination. She could feel the magic flowing from the grimoire Aslan had given her, its energy pulsing just beneath the surface of her skin. But uncertainty gnawed at herβ the spells in the grimoire were unfamiliar. She hadn't had a chance to study it. What if she failed?
"No," she thought, shaking her head. There are lives at stake.
Drawing a deep breath, Sarina focused on the faun. "Stupefy!" she shouted, the spell leaping from her wand and striking the soldier, who fell to the ground, momentarily dazed. The faun blinked at her in surprise.
"I thought I was done for!" he gasped, his voice shaky.
"Stay safe!" Sarina urged, pushing him towards the trees before turning her attention to the group of dryads nearby, who were huddled together. They were surrounded by a group of soldiers.
"Get back!" she shouted, raising her wand again. "Expelliarmus!" The soldiers' weapons flew from their hands, clattering to the ground. The dryads stared wide-eyed, their emerald leaves shimmering as they broke free.
"Thank you, friend of the Kings and Queens of Old." one of the dryads exclaimed, her voice melodious. "We owe you our lives!"
"Just go! Find safety!" Sarina replied, her heart swelling as they fled into the cover of the trees.
Next, her eyes fell on a young centaur, cornered and desperately trying to defend himself against a soldier's sword. He was brave, but outmatched.
"No!" Sarina cried, rushing forward, "Protego!"
A shield erupted in front of the centaur just in time, deflecting the attack, "Petrificus Totalus!" She then immobilized the soldier in front of the centaur.
"I thought I was over!" she heard him say, "Just keep moving!" Sarina said to him, watching as he galloped away. Suddenly, she heard a terrible screech overhead. Two griffins were struggling against the weight of a massive boulder, their wings flapping furiously. Sarina's heart raced. She raised her wand, "Leviosa!"
With a flick of her wrist, the boulder lifted off the griffins, allowing them to soar into the air once more. They took to the sky, their wings beating strongly as they ascended into the clouds.
The battle raged on. Peter glanced up at Susan, but she shook her head, signaling that their younger sister is yet to be seen.
"Lucy..." Peter said, his voice filled with concern. He looked over at the advancing Telmarine army and raised his sword high. "Back to the How!"
At his command, the Narnians began to retreat toward Aslan's How.
"Cut off their escape!" Sopespian shouted to his soldiers.
The Telmarine trebuchets launched heavy rocks toward the How, and debris tumbled down, blocking the entrance. As rocks rained down, the archers scrambled to avoid the falling rubble.
Sarina focused on the catapults, realizing that if she could destroy them, their chances of winning would improve. With determination, she charged forward, casting a body-bind spell, Petrificus Totalus, to freeze any enemies in her path. Afterward, she used a disillusionment charm to hide herself, allowing her to move unnoticed toward the catapults.
Once she reached them, she countedβthere were twenty in total. Assessing the area, she spotted her path and, still cloaked by the charm, charged again. She raised her wand and cast a fire-making spell.
"Incendio!" Fire erupted from her wand, igniting the catapults. As the flames spread, she also used Bombarda to blow apart the boulders nearby. She kept casting spells, working methodically until all the trebuchet were ablaze and the boulders lay in shattered pieces around her.
She looked around, trying to find Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Caspian in the crowd when the Telmarine soldiers started to retreat. Then she realized why.
"I guess I'll really believe Lucy when she says something unbelievable." she said under her breath and grinned. In front of her, are the walking trees, pushing the soldiers away. The trees are driving them out. Sarina mounted back to her horse and
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