33

KISS OF LIFE

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Alexandra walked out of the How several minutes after Lucy and Susan had left on Caspian's horse Destrier. She noticed how Peter was unsheathing his sword from the scabbard that Edmund held. The two brothers had an unspoken goodbye if things were to go wrong during the duel. But Alex and Peter had yet to say theirs.

She quickly approached his side; lips tasting sweet.

"If, at any chance during the fight, you get the opportunity to call for a break, do it," she told him, not meeting his eyes but staring at Miraz as he conversed with Glozelle in hushed tones.

"Why?"

"There is no time for questions, Peter," she scolded slightly before meeting his ocean blue eyes, "Just promise me."

"I promise."

She smiled. The simple action caught his attention. "Are you wearing makeup? In all the time I've known you, you have never once worn lipstick."

She rolled her eyes, "Just win the fight and come back to me."

"Of course, my love," he nodded, letting her pull the front of his helmet down. She was reluctant to let her hand leave the iron that covered his cheek, but she soon stepped back to stand between Glenstorm and Edmund.

Miraz and Peter began to circle around each other to search for weaknesses in their opponent. There were some words shared between the two but they were muffled by their helmets and soon enough Peter was leaping from a fallen pillar and bringing his sword down on Miraz's shield.

It felt as if it had gone on for hours, days even. Miraz would slash up and down at Peter and the High King would, more often than not, block them with his shield. Then Peter would do the same, getting a few lucky kicks and hits with the hilt of his sword.

Suddenly, Miraz brought the shield across Peter's face and knocked the helmet from his head and immediately went with a slash for the throat; which Peter thankfully was able to dodge. It was then that everything started to speed up for Alex. All the grunts of pain and whips of the weapons through the air began to merge into one. She did, however, manage to catch Miraz's cry as Peter slashed his leg and drew blood. Then it was Peter's turn to cry out in pain as his opponent stomped down on the shield and bent his arm backwards until a pop was heard.

Caspian and Susan riding in on a horse through the forest caught Peter's attention, causing Miraz to call for a three minute respite. His eyes were wide when he noticed that Lucy wasn't with his sister or Caspian.

"Lucy?"

"She got through... with a little help," Susan gestured her head towards Caspian who fumbled with his belt.

"Thanks," the High King nodded towards Caspian.

"Well, you were busy."

"Cut the small talk," Alexandra cut in, sending a certain look to Susan who immediately caught on having heard her earlier talk with Lucy.

"Well, you better get on up there," they all looked to the rock ledge where the rest of the archers were waiting with arrows locked in place just in case, "I don't expect the Telmarines will keep their word."

"Glozelle looks rather restless with that crossbow," Alex nodded to confirm his suspicion.

Susan embraced her brother, apologising for the pain she caused after she heard his wince.

"Keep smiling," Edmund nodded as Alexandra pulled Peter aside so they could sit on the column.

They looked at each other for a few seconds, just taking in the other's face; their eyes, their nose... their lips.

"Do you trust me, Peter?" She asked. He could feel her hand snaking around the back of his neck and into his golden hair, sending his mind into over drive despite his bruised and aching body.

"Always," he replied and felt her fingertips in his hair.

"Then kiss me."

At first he was confused. But he could see that her lips were a deeper shade of pink then he remembered, they would almost glisten under the sun. Then it hit him. He should have known that she would never wear makeup, she hated it as much as she hated wearing dresses.

So he did. He kissed her passionately, deeply, regretfully. He put every ounce of his emotion into that one embrace, making sure that when they were done she would know that he didn't mean to be angry at her when they first reunited, that she understood that she was all he needed. 

He poured everything into the embrace; each time he would wake with a nightmare; every lonely day in London; the restless thoughts of losing her; and all his love.

And as they kissed, he could feel his wounds healing: his arm popping back into place, his split lip closing and his heart now fluttering with love once more. Although his body was still sore from all the punches and kicks, he felt much better.

"You're a genius," he spoke once their lips disconnected. He wiped the rest of the healing cordial from his lips with the back of his hand.

"There's no time for compliments right now, you can thank me later," she smirked, she too wiped the rest from her lips with her hand, "You should focus on winning. But just because the healing cordial makes you feel stronger, your arm is still healing; try to minimise how much it gets knocked about and pretend it hurts so they don't catch on."

He pecked her lips once more with his.

"I'm going to say something now because if life has taught me anything, it's that time isn't promised-" he started only for her to shake her head.

"Don't say it," she bit her cheek, "Don't say it until we've won and I can say it back without fearing I'll lose you a second later."

He nodded, standing and thrusting his sword into the air in the direction of his army to lift their spirits and so they knew that he was well. They all roared, squeaked and howled in pleasure.

Alexandra let got of Peter's hand after giving it a slight squeeze and approached Reepicheep who was at the front of the army, sword in hand. He looked pleased to see her.

"I see what you did," he nodded.

"After that night at Castle of Caspian... I didn't want to not have a back up plan," she spoke proudly, "And in my defence, Lucy's healing cordial was never explicitly ruled out during the meeting with Miraz."

Reepicheep just smiled at her, "You really are as valiant as the stories made you out to be."

"As valiant as a centaur?" she asked.

"More."

"As valiant as a lion?"

"More."

"As valiant as a mouse?"

"Just about," he grinned.

"Thank you, Pipsqueak," she laughed at him. Their eyes setting on Peter who took his sword in his hand and approached Miraz once more. "I should get back to the duel."

He nodded his head and watched her leave. "As valiant as a mouse..." he chuckled to himself.

Alexandra watched as Miraz and Peter approached each other for the second time that day, both of them refusing to wear their helmets. The two were quick to continue the battle. Slashes, kicks, punches and groans of pain all taking place right in front of the onlookers. At times Peter would knock the sword from Miraz's hands and in others Miraz would knock the sword from Peter's hands.

It was evident that Miraz was growing tired by the second, they could all tell by his lousy footwork and weak attacks. Moreover, the two swordsmen started to use their shields as a means to strike; hitting their opponent across the face or twisting their arms around.

Even with her strong intent to watch the fight carefully in hopes that Miraz would fall to his knees in defeat at the hands of Peter. But with each punch and elbow to the face, she became doubtful. So much so that her leg started to bounce up and down anxiously. It all stopped once Peter hit the wound he had previously created on Miraz's tight' knocking him to one knee.

Miraz tried calling for yet another respite so he could regain his balance and most likely have his men ambush the Narnian army in an act of tyranny.

"Now is not the time for chivalry Peter!" Edmund called out, stepping forward.

Peter looked down at Miraz. Sword raised. But he walked away. 

Miraz took this as his opportunity, taking his sword from the stone floor and lunging for the High King once his back was turned.

"Peter!" Alex called out, wanting ever do deeply to run to his side and protect him, even though she knew she didn't always need to save him. 

Miraz may have been fast, but Peter was faster. He hooked the tip of his sword around the hilt of Miraz's weapon and flicked his wrist to hear the clash as the Telmarine sword hit the pillars. With a swift turn and a battle cry, Peter thrust his sword through Miraz's armour and into his abdomen. The Usurper fell to his knees.

"What's the matter, boy?" he spat, blood beginning to stain his lips, "Too cowardly to take a life?"

"It's not mine to take," he replied, passing the blade to Caspian so that he could avenge his fallen father. Alex turned to face Caspian, noticing how his eyes were trained upon his uncle. The very uncle who had failed to raise him and treat him as his own son as he had promised his brother as he drove his sword through his sleeping chest.

"Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king after all," Miraz smirked through his bloodied lips and teeth.

Caspian took the blade and let out a battle cry, lining the sword downwards and thrusting it hard enough that it stuck in the stone.

"Not one like you," he spat at his uncle and turned away, approaching the Pevensie siblings and Alexandra who had been holding tightly onto Peter's hand the whole time. "Keep your life. But I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom."

The Narnian crowds cheered and waved their weapons up to the skies above in victory. For they had won against not just one tyrant ruler, but two.

Alex smiled to Caspian, "You showed more honour in a second than many have tried to achieve over their entire lifetime. You will make a glorious King, Caspian."

He had tears in his eyes and Peter had a small wound on his head from the shield in the second round. Despite their differences, they still managed to meet each other's eyes and share a nod. Alexandra, however, looked past his shoulder and watched as a Telmarine advisor to Miraz, Glozelle's brother, approached the king and helped him up. The two shared a few words before a Narnian arrow, most likely retrieved during the ambush at Castle Caspian, was revealed and shoved into Miraz's chest.

Alexandra's hand immediately went to her axe as Peter put his hand on her shoulder protectively.

"Treachery! They shot him!" Glozelle's brother, Sopespian, shouted towards his own army that waited across the field, "They murdered our king!"

"They've just declared war," she felt her lip curl upward in both disgust and anger. Her axe flew towards the only Telmarine soldier left in the duel arena as the others had left on horseback to command their armies. His head fell shortly to the floor after the axe returned to her hand.

"Be ready!" Peter shouted at his army before turning to Alexandra, "Stay at my side this time. We don't need you making any more sacrifices to save the day. Especially when I just got you back."

She smiled, "I wouldn't dream of it."

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Welcome to the Final Battle!