CHAPTER NINE
vol i — family feud

THEY HAD GOTTEN no reply from Peter, the boy too focused on making sure he could prove himself. Alex paused a second, not knowing if she should go and help the boy or stand there and watch him ultimately kill himself. The better half of her had her feet moving towards Peter, her brain picking up on what she was doing the second her hands reached the metal. Alex felt the shiver from the metal run down her spine but she shook it off, knowing that she had something more important to do. As she helped turn the wheel, her muscles started to strain, tightening with each push that she gave, the strain leaving slightly when the others came to join. A loud shout filled the air, the girl flinching before she realized who it was, Glenstorm. He was leading a charge, his sword held high up in the air as he ran forward, Narnians following his lead.

"For Narnia!" Peter shouted. The Pevensie siblings all abandoned the wheel, which allowed the gate to open, alone. Alexandra and Caspian hurried to get it tied off, worried that it would slip and fall, trapping them inside the courtyard.

Her mind immediately when to the dark haired boy at her side, her body rushing over to him, planting a kiss on his lips. She held his face in her hands, their foreheads touching as she looked him in the eye. "Stay alive please." Caspian didn't know how to respond, instead reaching down to place another chaste kiss on her lips before taking off into the chaos.

Alexandra rushes off into the crowd, heading straight for a Telmarine soldier, her sword raised. The two swords clash together, Alex using all of her strength to push him backwards, a smile covering her lips as she realized she overpowered him. Training for hours with Caspian did do something. Her sword slashed his chest, a wound so deep that he would bleed out in seconds. Alex stumbled back slightly shocked, knowing she had never killed anyone, but she didn't stay still for too long. Kill or be killed. Her head spun around at the sound of Caspian's yell, immediately taking notice of the dark blood that was covering his white shirt. A shirt that once symbolized their innocence with how clean it was, now covered in dirt and blood, just showing how deep they were.

Alexandra doesn't think twice, taking a dagger out of her belt and hurling it towards the soldier that was going after Caspian. The Telmarine fell instantly, the dagger hitting his heart as it embedded into his back. Caspian looked over at her, mouthing a thank you before reaching down to grab the dagger and sprinting off into a different direction. As everyone is fighting for their lives, Asterius let's out a large scream, catching the attention of everyone. Everyone who stood for the Narnians watched as they watched what happened to him. Caspian knew that he needed to get Alex out of there, the arrows raining from the sky were going to end up getting her killed on accident. He ran off in the opposite direction, heading for their horses as Alex could feel her muscles growing tired. Her body was covered in blood, most of it not belonging to her.

"Fall back! Retreat!"
"Caspian!"
"I'll find him!"
"Alex!

Alexandra turned her head to Caspian on Destier, holding the reigns for Regulus and another horse. She runs at full speed, hopping onto Regulus, while Peter grabbed the other horse. Alex and Caspian worked together to get Cornelius on the back of Destier, racing out of the castle, only to hear the gate slam behind them. Alex looked behind her, noticing Peter hesitating. She had to choke back a sob as she noticed Asterius dead on the ground, all the other Narnians stuck behind the gate, ready to fight until their dying breath. As they headed back towards the How, the reality of what just happened only settling deeper into her mind. All of the blood and lives lost. All of the scars that would last a lifetime. Alexandra wasn't able to comprehend what had happened, only pressing on her side as she had a gash, one that she hadn't noticed until the adrenaline wore off.

She could see that Peter was upset and saying something under his breath, which made her mentally say a few things, not wanting the so called king to hear her. In all honesty he wasn't much of king, his rule was that great and Peter always let him having to better than everyone else get the best of him. She truly understood the numbers of how many they had lost when they reached the How, taking a moment to look at everyone who was behind her, petrified at the number of people they were losing everyday to Miraz.