Edmund's POV 

"I, Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands, in order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do hereby challenge the usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender."I rolled up the scroll, staring intently at Miraz, where he sat at the center of his council table. Miraz was in deep thought, processing what I had just said. 

"Tell me, Prince Edmund—"

"King." I corrected. Miraz raised a brow.  

"Pardon?" He said through clenched teeth. 

"It's King Edmund actually. Just king though. Peter is the High King." I explained. Miraz blinked at me. "I know, it's confusing." Miraz shook his head, glancing at the men sitting around him.

"Why would we risk such a proposal when our army could wipe you out by nightfall?" Miraz asked, motioning around to the soldiers preparing for battle outside of the tent. 

"Haven't you already underestimated our numbers?" I asked. "Only a week ago, Narnians were extinct." 

"And so you will be again." Miraz said, her gaze unwavering and his voice strained. 

"Then you should have little to fear." I said. Miraz laughed, though the emotion didn't seem to reach his cold eyes as he looked around at his council men who chuckled with him.

"This is not a question of bravery." He said, holding his head high.

"So you're bravely refusing to fight a swordsman half your age?" I asked, smiling smugly at him. Miraz' own smile faded and he sat forward in his chair. 

"I didn't say I refused." He said darkly.

"You shall have our support, your majesty,whatever your decision." One Telmarine soldier to his left spoke up. But the man directly to Miraz' right, Sopespian spoke up. 

"Sire, our military advantage alone allows us the perfect excuse to avoid—" Miraz stood up before Sopespian could finish, grabbing his sword. 

"I am not avoiding anything!" Miraz shouted. 

"I am merely pointing out that my lord is well within his rights to refuse." Sopespian finished. From behind me, Glozelle cleared his throat slightly, causing everyone to look at him. 

"His majesty would never refuse. He relishes the chance to show his people the bravery of their new king." I looked back at Miraz. The Telmarine thought for a moment before pointing his sword at me. For a moment, I thought he might refuse. I kept a tight hold on the hilt of my sword, taking note of Glenstorm waiting just outside the tent. Could we take on the whole of the Telmarine army without the help of the rest of the Narnians?

"You had better hope your brother's sword is sharper than his tongue." Miraz spat. I smiled. 

****

Susan's POV

I climbed onto Caspian's horse, pulling Lucy up behind me. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. Caspian patted his horse's mane gently, passing the reigns to me. I took them, holding them tightly to stop my hands from shaking. I ran the plan over and over again in my head. It would work. It had to. 

"Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands." Caspian reassured as he must've noticed  adjusting the stirrups.

"Or hooves." Lucy joked, to which Caspian smiled for a moment, then looked to me. 

"Good luck." He said with a nod.

"Thanks." I said shortly, staring straight ahead to try and ignore the nerves flooding through my body.  Caspian then reached into his bag and pulled out my ivory horn, holding it up to me. 

"Maybe it is time you had this back." He said. I looked down at him and pursed my lips.

"Why don't you hold onto it?" I said before adding, "You might need to call me again." Caspian's lit up and I flicked the reigns, riding down the tunnel.

"You might need to call me again?" Lucy laughed, her voice echoing loudly against the stone. 

"Oh, shut up." I grumbled, feeling heat rush to my cheeks. 

**** 

Peter's POV

"This is not what I meant." Caspian protested, following me through the tunnel to where my armor had been placed. "This is my fight."

"I think we had already tried that." I said back to him. Caspian slowed to a slight stop and looked over at me. I turned to look at me. "Look, if there is ever going to be peace with the Telmarines, you need to be the one to bring it." I explained, continuing to walk. 

"How can I if you won't let me?" Caspian pointed out. 

"Not like this..." I murmured. "If I don't make it... Narnia's future is in your hands." I reached the room and turned to look at Caspian, who had a somber look on his face.

"And what about your own future?" He asked.

"I was thinking about a career in medicine." I said, my voice distant as I thought about the medical books I begged my mother for last Christmas. Now they may remain stacked on my bookshelf, collecting dust, never touched again. I turned around and looked at my armor that Trumpkin was laying out. 

"I was thinking more along the lines of your future with Annabelle." Caspian murmured. I let out a short laugh. 

"I don't know where you have been for the last week, Caspian, but Annabelle cannot stand the sight of me." 

"She's worried about you facing Miraz."

"She told you that, did she? Seeing as the both of you are so close." I said through clenched teeth. 

"She didn't need to. It doesn't take a genius to see her distress when you decided to challenge Miraz." Caspian said. 

"Then I must be blind." I muttered.

"Talk to her, before you regret it." Caspian said. I didn't turn as I heard his footsteps fade down the tunnel. Trumpkin followed him out and I was left to my own thoughts. I changed out of my leather tunic and pulled the coat of chain mail over my head. I then put my red tunic on and got to work on my armor.

My hands shook as I tried to buckle the spaulder over my shoulder. I let out a groan in frustration and slammed it back onto the table. My heart beat out of my chest and I suddenly felt dizzy. I placed my hands on table and leaned forward, my stomach turning.

I'm going to hurl.

"Need any help?" A quiet voice spoke up behind me. I turned to see Annabelle standing in the doorway. She was dressed in her old Narnian armor, a coat of chain mail underneath a white tunic and an armor corset. She had shoulders buckled over her shoulders and leather bracers were strapped tightly around her wrists. Her hair was pulled back tightly in a braid that trailed down one shoulder, ending just below her waist.

"Um... yeah, it's been a while since I've had to wear it." I finally said, realizing that I had just been staring at her in silence. Annabelle stepped fully into the room and walked around me to grab the spaulder I had slammed on the table. 

"Turn around." She instructed. I did so and she strapped it to my right shoulder, buckling it tightly before grabbing the other one and doing the same to my left shoulder. She quietly pieced together my armor, her brow furrowed and her lips pursed in concentration. I didn't dare speak, not wanting this to end in another argument.

She was working on the bracers when she suddenly froze, keeping a hold on my arm. She kept her eyes downcast, seemingly deep in thought.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. Her eyes darted up to meet mine.

"Promise me-" She cut herself off, her eyes filling with tears. I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Promise what?" I asked. Her grip on my arm tightened, stepping closer.

"Promise me you won't die." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Well I'll try not to." I replied, giving her a small smile.

"I'm serious, Peter." She said through clenched teeth. My smile faded and I stared at her for a second.

"I promise." I murmured. In one moment, Annabelle released my arm and placed her hands on either side of my face, pulling me down. Then her lips were on mine. I immediately wrapped one arm around her waist and while my other hand cupped her face gently. The world left my mind. Thoughts of the coming duel, the possibility of battle, the future of Narnia. Everything, gone.

Annabelle pulled away first, but remained still in my embrace. I rested my forehead against hers and opened my eyes. She stared up at me, tears falling down her cheeks. I wiped some away with my thumb and just like that, our past offenses towards each other were gone and we were the same people we were before all of this. She laid her head on my chest and held onto my tightly. I felt warm tears soak through my tunic. Realization suddenly hit me. 

"You saw me die... didn't you?" I asked, resting my chin on the top of her head. 

"Every time I close my eyes, I see it. And your screams echo in my head every second." She whispered. I lifted her chin, so I could look her in the eye. 

"I promise I will come back to you, Annabelle Rox. Nothing will ever separate us again."