The Trials of King Edmund - Chapter Ten
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bungakertasThe Trials of King Edmund - Chapter Ten
Disclaimer and general Author's Notes are in the first entry, which is linked at the bottom.
Edmund was still in the dismals when Lucy returned from seeing Thornbut safely into the care of three dwarves who lived nearby. After a quick glance around she said, “But where is his goosecap highness?”
Edmund cast about, wishing he would see Corin—and desperately wishing he would see Cor—but finally had to say, “Not in the front and that’s good news enough. We’ll leave him well alone.” Corin being himself, though, Edmund couldn’t help but suspect they would hear more from the princes before the day was out.
He looked around again and saw that nearly everyone was ready to move, and those who were not were nearly prepared. “Time to go,” he said.
He, Lucy, Peridan, and Dirian all mounted their horses and swung around. Dirian sounded the horn again and the column reassembled and began moving off.
It took most of the rest of the day to push through the mountains to Anvard, but at last, they reached bottom of the last hill in the late afternoon. Edmund looked down the line. “Pass the word. Into positions. But do it quietly.”
The cats stalked off to the left and the six giants over to the right, where all sat down—carefully, so as not to squash anyone—and pulled on pairs of heavy, spiked boots that Edmund did not like to think of being on the wrong end of. He unbuckled his shield from his back and strapped it to his arm before settling back into the saddle and making sure he was quite ready.
As soon as he was finished, he looked around to the rest of the army. And so it seemed, everyone was prepared. He nodded. “All right then. We finish it as quickly as we may, and kill no one you need not. Forward.”
They started up the hill, only going at about half speed. The last rise before Anvard was a low one, however, so the thunder of the horse’s hooves was quickly audible. Edmund signaled to Dirian who winded the trumpet and they sped up into a proper run.
Now they were over the rise, and there were the Calormenes, with a battering ram going at the gates of the castle, just as Sallowpad had reported.
Edmund drew his sword. They were charging downhill, now. One of the Calormenes—Rabadash—gave a signal to the others and fully every man he had not working the ram was mounted and forming a line in five seconds.
They were charging at a flat-out run. A yell broke from somewhere in the Narnian lines, and was echoed from the Calormenes who were headed towards them.
And then they were together with a horrible crash. Edmund swept so hard into the first Calormene he met that he almost unhorsed himself, along with his opponent, and just managed to stay in the saddle before moving onto the man behind him.
This was Corradin, who was an excellent swordsman, and the two of them got in some good blows before being pushed away from each other in the press of the fighting. As Edmund saw, from the corner of his eye, one of the giants go down, he caught a glimpse of Rabadash nearby, with a hideous expression in his face. He moved to go after the man, but it was no good. He couldn’t get to him. Instead, he glanced over to see that the cats had indeed sent the Calormene horses mad with fright and were starting to go after the men on the ram.
Then he saw the worst thing possible. Corin and his double had actually snuck into the battle, and the double—Prince Cor, rather—was worse than confused. The boy was about to be cut to pieces, and clearly had no idea of how to defend himself. Corin was doing better, but he wasn’t nearly aware of his surroundings, and had no notion that Cor was in such deadly danger so close to him. There was no hope for getting his horse that far over to the left, so Edmund was out of the saddle and running full tilt over to them in a second.
Cor fell to the ground and was nearly skewered by a Calormene spear before Edmund managed to cut it to a haft and pull that man off his horse.
“Shield up, you idiot!” he yelled to the child, busy engaging the Calormene who had almost stabbed Cor. Much to Edmund’s shock, it was Ravid, who had drawn his sword almost faster than Edmund could blink and now the two of them were after each other. But Edmund was the better swordsman and got in a stroke that cut open Ravid’s chest. He fell to the ground and Edmund pressed forward, hating himself a little for giving so little thought to killing a man he had actually liked, to some extent, and certainly had many perfectly amiable discussions with.
A company of Narnians who had been unhorsed, or were of the talking dog or bear variety caught up with him and they pressed toward the Anvard gates, which were opening now. King Lune was coming out with the Archenlandish nobles and the Narnian cats behind him.
Corradin loomed up in front of him again, apparently having lost his own horse at some point, and the two of them joined immediately. Corradin pressed him hard. Nearly backwards, and Edmund, knowing such a ferocious offense meant leaving some openings on defense, watched carefully, and as soon as he found an opening, decapitated the man with one stroke.
The Calormenes who were still fighting were now pressed in on every side, and fighting desperately. Edmund found himself fighting with Rabadash at one point, who actually snarled at him, “I’ll have your sister yet, barbarian.”
Edmund did not reply, preferring to spend his energy on fighting. He was pressed on, and into a Calormene whose name he did not know. The man was, however, an excellent swordsman and Edmund found himself hard put to keep up. One stroke came at his head, which he parried, then the next at his feet, and he almost didn’t get to that one in time. The third was headed straight for his chest, and Edmund—having no other option—ducked.
His shield was trapped almost immediately as someone stepped on it, and Edmund’s entire torso was completely unguarded. He tried to tug it free, but the Calormene was about to bring his sword down into Edmund’s heart. Then, quite suddenly, Kerrow leapt out of nowhere, taking the man down by the shoulders. The Calormene, however, was not entirely without his wits and stabbed his sword up into Kerrow’s ribs. The leopard fell, bleeding profusely, and did not rise again.
He had been here before, Edmund knew. There had been other battles. Other friends who had fallen, so red with blood that you almost couldn’t tell which creature was which. Other battles fought, for similarly pointless reasons, which could have so easily been avoided if this person or that one had been less selfish or more thoughtful. Once, he had been the selfish, thoughtless person, and people had died. And yet, somehow, it was always a shock to see them fall. Someone with life and energy and purpose did not simply go still like that. It was not possible that their life could pour out them like water, so easily and so fast.
And the worst of it was, he could not even stop to think on it now, because he had to get up.
And suddenly he was back on his feet, fighting for the gate. The Calormenes were almost entirely defeated now. And Chlamash, the tarkaan he was currently engaging, as soon as he saw it said, “I will surrender! I surrender! Do not harm me!”
Edmund had his sword at the man’s throat in a second. “Drop your weapon!”
Chlamash threw down his sword. Edmund nodded and moved his sword. “Join your fellows. You will not be harmed.”
Edmund looked about himself, and saw that the battle was over everywhere, and stripped off his shield. He was standing on the walkway up to the castle gate with the battering ram beside him. And, must to his shock, King Lune was on the other side.
“Hello, your majesty,” Edmund said.
“Your majesty,” Lune replied, saluting. Then he offered his free hand. “You have my gratitude for your quick assistance.”
Edmund had just touched his hand to shake it when a terrible yell came from behind him. He turned and just got his sword up in time to defend himself against Rabadash’s mad, and utterly pointless, charge.
The battle was over. He could not win. Attacking now, without warning, when Edmund’s back was turned was just short of outright murder.
Rabadash was fighting with more fervor than skill this time, and Edmund felt a cold certainty fill his veins. This battle would never have occurred but for this man’s stupidity, rashness, and utter arrogance. Ravid and Kerrow both would still be alive, and it was all for Rabadash that they were not.
There was no stopping Edmund now. His sword moved almost without his conscious direction, striking, parrying, lunging. He was not even aware of it, as he blocked Rabadash’s blows. His sword no longer felt like a tool, but a part of his own arm.
Rabadash, out of desperation, leaped up to a mounting block against the castle wall, and started laying his sword down at Edmund’s head. But even that wouldn’t last as Edmund heard Lucy’s voice calling the archers to the ready.
Rabadash, clearly sensing that he had made himself a target, leaped off the block in the only direction he had the space—along the wall. As he jumped, he shouted, “The bolt of Tash falls from above!”
Then, much to Edmund’s surprise, his hauberk caught on a hook in the wall, and there the Prince Rabadash was stuck, swinging his sword in the air, fruitlessly trying to get down, and being laughed at by every Narnian and Archenlander (and most of the Calormenes, although they were less obvious about it).
“Let me down, Edmund!” Rabadash yelled. “Let me down and fight me like a king and a man! Or, if you are too much a coward to do that, kill me at once!”
Edmund’s eyebrows rose. This stupid boy attacked a peaceful nation for no reason but his own arrogance and now had the gall to accuse Edmund of cowardice? To say it after Rabadash’s foolishness had brought them to so much death, raised a red film over his vision. It was unbelievable. “Certainly,” Edmund nodded, beginning to raise his sword.
A hand caught his wrist. Edmund looked up to see King Lune, who said, “By your majesty’s leave, no.”
Edmund blinked, caught off guard and feeling wrong-footed.
Lune turned to Rabadash. “Your highness, if you had given that challenge a week ago, I’ll wager there was no one in King Edmund’s dominion, from the High King down to the smallest talking mouse, who would have refused it. But by attacking Anvard, unprovoked, in time of peace, without defiance sent, you have proved yourself no knight, but a traitor. Someone who ought to be whipped by a hangman, rather than permitted to cross swords with any person of honor.” He motioned to several of Anvard’s defenders. “Take him down, bind him, and lock him up inside until our pleasure is further known.”
Edmund looked down at his sword, realizing he had been fully prepared to kill Rabadash simply to satisfy his own anger. If Lune hadn’t stopped him, he would have. And no one in Narnia or Archenland, or even Calormen, would have called it wrong.
And it would have been terribly, terribly wrong to do it. In the midst of a battle was one thing. After battle, out of anger, however, was another matter.
Lune laid a hand on Edmund’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. Edmund gave him a grateful look. Rabadash was carried off, screaming as if he were being tortured, by several strong castle guards.
Corin’s voice broke in then. “Here he is, Father! Here he is!”
And here came Corin, dragging Cor along with him, who was covered in sweat, wearing Thornbut’s armor, and looking not-at-all prepared to meet the king of Archenland.
“Aye,” Lune agreed, “and here you are, at last. And you’ve been in battle, completely contrary to your orders. You are a boy to break a father’s heart! At your age, rod to your backside would suit you better than a sword in your fist.” But, much to Edmund’s dismay, he could see Lune was quite proud of Corin’s disobedience.
“Do not lecture him further, sire, if you will,” Lord Darren of Archenland said, earning himself a glare from Edmund. “His highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your character. And it would grieve your majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault.”
Edmund raised his brows, but said nothing yet.
“Very well,” Lune nodded. “We’ll pass it over for this time. And now…”
So saying, he seized Cor and gave him a monstrous hug, kissing him on both cheeks. Then he set the two boys together in front of everyone and said, “Stand together, boys, and let the whole court see you. Hold up your heads.”
The boys did as ordered, Cor looking very confused. But Edmund, despite how angry he was with Corin—a matter which he would settle as soon as he might, could not contain his grin. They had thought this child lost forever!
“Now, gentlemen,” Lune said to everyone, “look on them both. Has any man any doubts?”
A thunderous cheer went up from everyone there. Lucy, who had apparently been making her way up from the back, came to stand at Edmund’s side, and looked at the two of them and at Lune’s beaming face.
“Prince Cor!” she exclaimed, clapping along with everyone there. “Of course he is!”
“And I let him run away in Tashbaan,” Edmund mused.
Lucy smiled, but it looked a little sad. “It is good to see him back.”
“It is,” Edmund agreed with a sigh. “Kerrow is dead.”
“Oh, Ed,” Lucy said, looking stricken. “So is Lord Dirian.”
Edmund opened his mouth to say something, but gave it up. There was nothing to say. Lucy shook her head and then simply gave her brother a tight hug, which he gratefully returned.
Finally, Edmund released his sister, who gave him a sad smile, and walked over to King Lune. “Your majesty, with your permission, given that your sons were under my command this morning, I think it only fitting that they remain so until I disband the army,” Edmund said.
Lune looked at Edmund and caught the look in his eye. He laughed and said, “Oh, certainly, your majesty. I only ask you remember that Prince Cor has only been so for a few hours now, and treat him accordingly.”
Edmund nodded, with a rather satisfied grin. Neither Prince Cor nor Prince Corin looked reassured at this. “Very well then. Both of you, wait for me over by the guardhouse.”
The two boys moved off. Edmund looked to Lune. “I’ll have Cor back to you by suppertime, sire. Corin, on the other hand, will be busy until morning.”
Lune lifted a brow. “All night?”
“A soldier would be whipped for such flagrant disobedience. We can’t let him get away with it,” Edmund said.
Lune frowned. “You are right, Edmund. Very well.”
Edmund stalked over to the guardhouse, his face like thunder, and was grandly rewarded by seeing Corin blanch at his approach. “You two princes come with me.”
He led them back out of the gate and over near the spot where Rabadash had hung himself up, where Lord Peridan was in conference with Sallowpad and a centaur, who Edmund recognized at second glance as Thunderhoof.
“My friends!” Edmund called, striding up. They all turned. He motioned Corin forward. “Prince Corin here disobeyed his orders today in quite spectacular fashion. Therefore, I want you all to inform everyone in the army with damaged armor, mail, or equipment that it will be to Prince Corin they will report that information. You, your highness, will catalogue all of it, and give that information to the castle smiths, and armor-workers. You will do this by tomorrow at lunch, as well.”
“Tomorrow!” Corin demanded in outrage. “But that will take all night!”
“Indeed it will, your highness,” Peridan answered, supremely unmoved by Corin’s outrage, “and that’s only assuming that you begin this instant that you will be done so quickly.”
“And you had best be sure that your report is accurate,” Thunderhoof agreed, equally unimpressed by the prince’s situation, “since Narnia will be compensating Archenland for our portion of the monies that must go to these reparations, and if you undercalculate, you will cheat your own nation.”
“And if you overcalculate,” Edmund added, with a stern note in his voice, “I shall be displeased.”
Corin swallowed and nodded. Edmund looked down at Cor. “You, your highness, will walk with me.”
Cor nodded, with a very serious and slightly awed expression and followed as Edmund led him back towards the gate. Peridan and Thunderhoof would install Corin in his temporary office, and then he would be unable to leave it even if he tried until he was finished.
“I shall not trouble you with how your father’s heart would have been broken to come so close to gaining you back only to loose you on his doorstep,” Edmund told Cor as they walked.
Cor looked at him curiously.
“I shall not tell you because you do not yet understand why it would be so, and that story is for others to give to you,” he explained. “However, I must say, after fooling a king and a queen and several lords in Tashbaan, and—unless I miss my guess—riding hard across the desert to warn King Lune of Rabadash’s attack, and then traveling into Narnia to call for our help?” Cor hesitated, but then nodded. “After all of that,” Edmund said, “I would not have thought you so easily led by Corin’s foolishness. You just saved two nations and then let that boy talk you into near-suicide?”
“I…” Cor stared at him in shock, apparently not having considered things in quite that light before.
“Yes, and well you should look shocked. After all of that, you can’t have been worried we’d think you a coward?” Edmund said.
“Your majesty…” The boy looked away for a moment and then looked back and said, “I was raised by a fisherman who pretended to be my father but treated me like a slave. He was going to sell me when Bree—a talking horse—talked me into running away. All I know is…fishing, sir. I don’t really care if you think I’m a coward. For all I know, I am. I can’t possibly be this Prince Cor person!”
Edmund shook his head. “There’s no doubt about that. You are the prince. Your father can tell you the rest. And as to only knowing how to fish, I’m afraid, Prince Cor, that your own actions give the lie to that. You saved Archenland, and defied the Prince Rabadash himself!”
Cor looked shocked at this. “When you put it like that, your majesty, it sounds much grander than it was.”
They had passed around to the side of the castle and were now looking south, across the forest, and the direction that Cor had no doubt come with his message. They stopped, both looking at the forest and Edmund looked down at the new prince with a thoughtful expression. “These things always do,” he nodded, “but however grand they were or not in the doing doesn’t change what they are. Which makes your meek agreement to Corin that much more ridiculous. You can defy Rabadash but not Corin? I think you already know which of the two is more dangerous.”
Cor nodded.
“Very well,” Edmund said. “Since you have been a prince now for the space of twenty minutes, you can be pardoned for not thinking like one on this occasion. In the future, do not forget who you are. You are courageous. You ought not to let Corin overmaster you like that.” He laughed. “Not the least because Corin gets in and out of trouble like most of us get in and out of shoes.”
Cor looked at him curiously. “I have never had shoes, your majesty.”
Edmund blinked. “I’m a fool. Prince Cor, you will now.”
Cor looked horrified. “You aren’t a fool, your majesty! You’re the nicest grown-up I’ve ever met! Aside from King Lune, that is.”
That startled a laugh out of Edmund. “Oh dear. I can tell you won’t make things boring. Now then, your father has waited many years for your homecoming. Let’s not keep the two of you separated any longer.”
As they walked back to the gate, Cor suddenly said, “Aravis! And Bree and Hwin! They’re still with the Hermit!”
“Who are they?” Edmund asked.
Cor launched into a brief account of his companions in his travels north, and Edmund’s eyebrows rose as he explained. “It’s too dark to go now, and your father would miss you desperately, but I think you’ll be able to go collect them tomorrow morning.”
Cor nodded. They reentered the gate and Edmund was unsurprised to see Lune waiting there. He walked just a hair faster than normal to Cor and then nodded to Edmund. “Thank you, your majesty, for being so brief.”
“He has been missing a long time, sire,” Edmund said. “I understand.”
Lune nodded. Then he turned to Cor. “I know this must all be hard to believe, but…I have so missed you, my son. If you’ll come with me, I will tell you the story of the worst day of my life and my greatest failure as your king and your father.”
“Your majesty?” Cor asked, sounding shocked.
“It’s all right, Cor. Somehow, telling you this is harder than I thought it would be,” Lune said. He put an arm around Cor’s shoulders and said, “You see, it is my fault that you were not raised here.”
They walked together into Anvard. Edmund, realizing he should allow them some privacy, waited as they moved off.
*~*~*
Author’s Notes: The dialogue from The Horse and His Boy in this chapter runs from “The bolt of Tash falls from above!” (hee!) to “Has any man any doubts?” Edmund’s and Lucy’s first comments are also from the book.
Chapter One - A Proposal is Made to Queen Susan
Chapter Two - Prince Rabadash Arrives in Narnia
Chapter Three - Harfang Sends an Envoy
Chapter Four - The Narnians Hold a Tournament
Chapter Five - A Voyage to Tashbaan
Chapter Six - In the Court of the Tisroc
Chapter Seven - Prince Corin Goes Missing
Chapter Eight - The Plan of Mr. Tumnus
Chapter Nine - Escape to Narnia and the North
Chapter Eleven - King Edmund and Queen Lucy
Chapter Twelve - The Return To Cair Paravel
Disclaimer and general Author's Notes are in the first entry, which is linked at the bottom.
Edmund was still in the dismals when Lucy returned from seeing Thornbut safely into the care of three dwarves who lived nearby. After a quick glance around she said, “But where is his goosecap highness?”
Edmund cast about, wishing he would see Corin—and desperately wishing he would see Cor—but finally had to say, “Not in the front and that’s good news enough. We’ll leave him well alone.” Corin being himself, though, Edmund couldn’t help but suspect they would hear more from the princes before the day was out.
He looked around again and saw that nearly everyone was ready to move, and those who were not were nearly prepared. “Time to go,” he said.
He, Lucy, Peridan, and Dirian all mounted their horses and swung around. Dirian sounded the horn again and the column reassembled and began moving off.
It took most of the rest of the day to push through the mountains to Anvard, but at last, they reached bottom of the last hill in the late afternoon. Edmund looked down the line. “Pass the word. Into positions. But do it quietly.”
The cats stalked off to the left and the six giants over to the right, where all sat down—carefully, so as not to squash anyone—and pulled on pairs of heavy, spiked boots that Edmund did not like to think of being on the wrong end of. He unbuckled his shield from his back and strapped it to his arm before settling back into the saddle and making sure he was quite ready.
As soon as he was finished, he looked around to the rest of the army. And so it seemed, everyone was prepared. He nodded. “All right then. We finish it as quickly as we may, and kill no one you need not. Forward.”
They started up the hill, only going at about half speed. The last rise before Anvard was a low one, however, so the thunder of the horse’s hooves was quickly audible. Edmund signaled to Dirian who winded the trumpet and they sped up into a proper run.
Now they were over the rise, and there were the Calormenes, with a battering ram going at the gates of the castle, just as Sallowpad had reported.
Edmund drew his sword. They were charging downhill, now. One of the Calormenes—Rabadash—gave a signal to the others and fully every man he had not working the ram was mounted and forming a line in five seconds.
They were charging at a flat-out run. A yell broke from somewhere in the Narnian lines, and was echoed from the Calormenes who were headed towards them.
And then they were together with a horrible crash. Edmund swept so hard into the first Calormene he met that he almost unhorsed himself, along with his opponent, and just managed to stay in the saddle before moving onto the man behind him.
This was Corradin, who was an excellent swordsman, and the two of them got in some good blows before being pushed away from each other in the press of the fighting. As Edmund saw, from the corner of his eye, one of the giants go down, he caught a glimpse of Rabadash nearby, with a hideous expression in his face. He moved to go after the man, but it was no good. He couldn’t get to him. Instead, he glanced over to see that the cats had indeed sent the Calormene horses mad with fright and were starting to go after the men on the ram.
Then he saw the worst thing possible. Corin and his double had actually snuck into the battle, and the double—Prince Cor, rather—was worse than confused. The boy was about to be cut to pieces, and clearly had no idea of how to defend himself. Corin was doing better, but he wasn’t nearly aware of his surroundings, and had no notion that Cor was in such deadly danger so close to him. There was no hope for getting his horse that far over to the left, so Edmund was out of the saddle and running full tilt over to them in a second.
Cor fell to the ground and was nearly skewered by a Calormene spear before Edmund managed to cut it to a haft and pull that man off his horse.
“Shield up, you idiot!” he yelled to the child, busy engaging the Calormene who had almost stabbed Cor. Much to Edmund’s shock, it was Ravid, who had drawn his sword almost faster than Edmund could blink and now the two of them were after each other. But Edmund was the better swordsman and got in a stroke that cut open Ravid’s chest. He fell to the ground and Edmund pressed forward, hating himself a little for giving so little thought to killing a man he had actually liked, to some extent, and certainly had many perfectly amiable discussions with.
A company of Narnians who had been unhorsed, or were of the talking dog or bear variety caught up with him and they pressed toward the Anvard gates, which were opening now. King Lune was coming out with the Archenlandish nobles and the Narnian cats behind him.
Corradin loomed up in front of him again, apparently having lost his own horse at some point, and the two of them joined immediately. Corradin pressed him hard. Nearly backwards, and Edmund, knowing such a ferocious offense meant leaving some openings on defense, watched carefully, and as soon as he found an opening, decapitated the man with one stroke.
The Calormenes who were still fighting were now pressed in on every side, and fighting desperately. Edmund found himself fighting with Rabadash at one point, who actually snarled at him, “I’ll have your sister yet, barbarian.”
Edmund did not reply, preferring to spend his energy on fighting. He was pressed on, and into a Calormene whose name he did not know. The man was, however, an excellent swordsman and Edmund found himself hard put to keep up. One stroke came at his head, which he parried, then the next at his feet, and he almost didn’t get to that one in time. The third was headed straight for his chest, and Edmund—having no other option—ducked.
His shield was trapped almost immediately as someone stepped on it, and Edmund’s entire torso was completely unguarded. He tried to tug it free, but the Calormene was about to bring his sword down into Edmund’s heart. Then, quite suddenly, Kerrow leapt out of nowhere, taking the man down by the shoulders. The Calormene, however, was not entirely without his wits and stabbed his sword up into Kerrow’s ribs. The leopard fell, bleeding profusely, and did not rise again.
He had been here before, Edmund knew. There had been other battles. Other friends who had fallen, so red with blood that you almost couldn’t tell which creature was which. Other battles fought, for similarly pointless reasons, which could have so easily been avoided if this person or that one had been less selfish or more thoughtful. Once, he had been the selfish, thoughtless person, and people had died. And yet, somehow, it was always a shock to see them fall. Someone with life and energy and purpose did not simply go still like that. It was not possible that their life could pour out them like water, so easily and so fast.
And the worst of it was, he could not even stop to think on it now, because he had to get up.
And suddenly he was back on his feet, fighting for the gate. The Calormenes were almost entirely defeated now. And Chlamash, the tarkaan he was currently engaging, as soon as he saw it said, “I will surrender! I surrender! Do not harm me!”
Edmund had his sword at the man’s throat in a second. “Drop your weapon!”
Chlamash threw down his sword. Edmund nodded and moved his sword. “Join your fellows. You will not be harmed.”
Edmund looked about himself, and saw that the battle was over everywhere, and stripped off his shield. He was standing on the walkway up to the castle gate with the battering ram beside him. And, must to his shock, King Lune was on the other side.
“Hello, your majesty,” Edmund said.
“Your majesty,” Lune replied, saluting. Then he offered his free hand. “You have my gratitude for your quick assistance.”
Edmund had just touched his hand to shake it when a terrible yell came from behind him. He turned and just got his sword up in time to defend himself against Rabadash’s mad, and utterly pointless, charge.
The battle was over. He could not win. Attacking now, without warning, when Edmund’s back was turned was just short of outright murder.
Rabadash was fighting with more fervor than skill this time, and Edmund felt a cold certainty fill his veins. This battle would never have occurred but for this man’s stupidity, rashness, and utter arrogance. Ravid and Kerrow both would still be alive, and it was all for Rabadash that they were not.
There was no stopping Edmund now. His sword moved almost without his conscious direction, striking, parrying, lunging. He was not even aware of it, as he blocked Rabadash’s blows. His sword no longer felt like a tool, but a part of his own arm.
Rabadash, out of desperation, leaped up to a mounting block against the castle wall, and started laying his sword down at Edmund’s head. But even that wouldn’t last as Edmund heard Lucy’s voice calling the archers to the ready.
Rabadash, clearly sensing that he had made himself a target, leaped off the block in the only direction he had the space—along the wall. As he jumped, he shouted, “The bolt of Tash falls from above!”
Then, much to Edmund’s surprise, his hauberk caught on a hook in the wall, and there the Prince Rabadash was stuck, swinging his sword in the air, fruitlessly trying to get down, and being laughed at by every Narnian and Archenlander (and most of the Calormenes, although they were less obvious about it).
“Let me down, Edmund!” Rabadash yelled. “Let me down and fight me like a king and a man! Or, if you are too much a coward to do that, kill me at once!”
Edmund’s eyebrows rose. This stupid boy attacked a peaceful nation for no reason but his own arrogance and now had the gall to accuse Edmund of cowardice? To say it after Rabadash’s foolishness had brought them to so much death, raised a red film over his vision. It was unbelievable. “Certainly,” Edmund nodded, beginning to raise his sword.
A hand caught his wrist. Edmund looked up to see King Lune, who said, “By your majesty’s leave, no.”
Edmund blinked, caught off guard and feeling wrong-footed.
Lune turned to Rabadash. “Your highness, if you had given that challenge a week ago, I’ll wager there was no one in King Edmund’s dominion, from the High King down to the smallest talking mouse, who would have refused it. But by attacking Anvard, unprovoked, in time of peace, without defiance sent, you have proved yourself no knight, but a traitor. Someone who ought to be whipped by a hangman, rather than permitted to cross swords with any person of honor.” He motioned to several of Anvard’s defenders. “Take him down, bind him, and lock him up inside until our pleasure is further known.”
Edmund looked down at his sword, realizing he had been fully prepared to kill Rabadash simply to satisfy his own anger. If Lune hadn’t stopped him, he would have. And no one in Narnia or Archenland, or even Calormen, would have called it wrong.
And it would have been terribly, terribly wrong to do it. In the midst of a battle was one thing. After battle, out of anger, however, was another matter.
Lune laid a hand on Edmund’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. Edmund gave him a grateful look. Rabadash was carried off, screaming as if he were being tortured, by several strong castle guards.
Corin’s voice broke in then. “Here he is, Father! Here he is!”
And here came Corin, dragging Cor along with him, who was covered in sweat, wearing Thornbut’s armor, and looking not-at-all prepared to meet the king of Archenland.
“Aye,” Lune agreed, “and here you are, at last. And you’ve been in battle, completely contrary to your orders. You are a boy to break a father’s heart! At your age, rod to your backside would suit you better than a sword in your fist.” But, much to Edmund’s dismay, he could see Lune was quite proud of Corin’s disobedience.
“Do not lecture him further, sire, if you will,” Lord Darren of Archenland said, earning himself a glare from Edmund. “His highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your character. And it would grieve your majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault.”
Edmund raised his brows, but said nothing yet.
“Very well,” Lune nodded. “We’ll pass it over for this time. And now…”
So saying, he seized Cor and gave him a monstrous hug, kissing him on both cheeks. Then he set the two boys together in front of everyone and said, “Stand together, boys, and let the whole court see you. Hold up your heads.”
The boys did as ordered, Cor looking very confused. But Edmund, despite how angry he was with Corin—a matter which he would settle as soon as he might, could not contain his grin. They had thought this child lost forever!
“Now, gentlemen,” Lune said to everyone, “look on them both. Has any man any doubts?”
A thunderous cheer went up from everyone there. Lucy, who had apparently been making her way up from the back, came to stand at Edmund’s side, and looked at the two of them and at Lune’s beaming face.
“Prince Cor!” she exclaimed, clapping along with everyone there. “Of course he is!”
“And I let him run away in Tashbaan,” Edmund mused.
Lucy smiled, but it looked a little sad. “It is good to see him back.”
“It is,” Edmund agreed with a sigh. “Kerrow is dead.”
“Oh, Ed,” Lucy said, looking stricken. “So is Lord Dirian.”
Edmund opened his mouth to say something, but gave it up. There was nothing to say. Lucy shook her head and then simply gave her brother a tight hug, which he gratefully returned.
Finally, Edmund released his sister, who gave him a sad smile, and walked over to King Lune. “Your majesty, with your permission, given that your sons were under my command this morning, I think it only fitting that they remain so until I disband the army,” Edmund said.
Lune looked at Edmund and caught the look in his eye. He laughed and said, “Oh, certainly, your majesty. I only ask you remember that Prince Cor has only been so for a few hours now, and treat him accordingly.”
Edmund nodded, with a rather satisfied grin. Neither Prince Cor nor Prince Corin looked reassured at this. “Very well then. Both of you, wait for me over by the guardhouse.”
The two boys moved off. Edmund looked to Lune. “I’ll have Cor back to you by suppertime, sire. Corin, on the other hand, will be busy until morning.”
Lune lifted a brow. “All night?”
“A soldier would be whipped for such flagrant disobedience. We can’t let him get away with it,” Edmund said.
Lune frowned. “You are right, Edmund. Very well.”
Edmund stalked over to the guardhouse, his face like thunder, and was grandly rewarded by seeing Corin blanch at his approach. “You two princes come with me.”
He led them back out of the gate and over near the spot where Rabadash had hung himself up, where Lord Peridan was in conference with Sallowpad and a centaur, who Edmund recognized at second glance as Thunderhoof.
“My friends!” Edmund called, striding up. They all turned. He motioned Corin forward. “Prince Corin here disobeyed his orders today in quite spectacular fashion. Therefore, I want you all to inform everyone in the army with damaged armor, mail, or equipment that it will be to Prince Corin they will report that information. You, your highness, will catalogue all of it, and give that information to the castle smiths, and armor-workers. You will do this by tomorrow at lunch, as well.”
“Tomorrow!” Corin demanded in outrage. “But that will take all night!”
“Indeed it will, your highness,” Peridan answered, supremely unmoved by Corin’s outrage, “and that’s only assuming that you begin this instant that you will be done so quickly.”
“And you had best be sure that your report is accurate,” Thunderhoof agreed, equally unimpressed by the prince’s situation, “since Narnia will be compensating Archenland for our portion of the monies that must go to these reparations, and if you undercalculate, you will cheat your own nation.”
“And if you overcalculate,” Edmund added, with a stern note in his voice, “I shall be displeased.”
Corin swallowed and nodded. Edmund looked down at Cor. “You, your highness, will walk with me.”
Cor nodded, with a very serious and slightly awed expression and followed as Edmund led him back towards the gate. Peridan and Thunderhoof would install Corin in his temporary office, and then he would be unable to leave it even if he tried until he was finished.
“I shall not trouble you with how your father’s heart would have been broken to come so close to gaining you back only to loose you on his doorstep,” Edmund told Cor as they walked.
Cor looked at him curiously.
“I shall not tell you because you do not yet understand why it would be so, and that story is for others to give to you,” he explained. “However, I must say, after fooling a king and a queen and several lords in Tashbaan, and—unless I miss my guess—riding hard across the desert to warn King Lune of Rabadash’s attack, and then traveling into Narnia to call for our help?” Cor hesitated, but then nodded. “After all of that,” Edmund said, “I would not have thought you so easily led by Corin’s foolishness. You just saved two nations and then let that boy talk you into near-suicide?”
“I…” Cor stared at him in shock, apparently not having considered things in quite that light before.
“Yes, and well you should look shocked. After all of that, you can’t have been worried we’d think you a coward?” Edmund said.
“Your majesty…” The boy looked away for a moment and then looked back and said, “I was raised by a fisherman who pretended to be my father but treated me like a slave. He was going to sell me when Bree—a talking horse—talked me into running away. All I know is…fishing, sir. I don’t really care if you think I’m a coward. For all I know, I am. I can’t possibly be this Prince Cor person!”
Edmund shook his head. “There’s no doubt about that. You are the prince. Your father can tell you the rest. And as to only knowing how to fish, I’m afraid, Prince Cor, that your own actions give the lie to that. You saved Archenland, and defied the Prince Rabadash himself!”
Cor looked shocked at this. “When you put it like that, your majesty, it sounds much grander than it was.”
They had passed around to the side of the castle and were now looking south, across the forest, and the direction that Cor had no doubt come with his message. They stopped, both looking at the forest and Edmund looked down at the new prince with a thoughtful expression. “These things always do,” he nodded, “but however grand they were or not in the doing doesn’t change what they are. Which makes your meek agreement to Corin that much more ridiculous. You can defy Rabadash but not Corin? I think you already know which of the two is more dangerous.”
Cor nodded.
“Very well,” Edmund said. “Since you have been a prince now for the space of twenty minutes, you can be pardoned for not thinking like one on this occasion. In the future, do not forget who you are. You are courageous. You ought not to let Corin overmaster you like that.” He laughed. “Not the least because Corin gets in and out of trouble like most of us get in and out of shoes.”
Cor looked at him curiously. “I have never had shoes, your majesty.”
Edmund blinked. “I’m a fool. Prince Cor, you will now.”
Cor looked horrified. “You aren’t a fool, your majesty! You’re the nicest grown-up I’ve ever met! Aside from King Lune, that is.”
That startled a laugh out of Edmund. “Oh dear. I can tell you won’t make things boring. Now then, your father has waited many years for your homecoming. Let’s not keep the two of you separated any longer.”
As they walked back to the gate, Cor suddenly said, “Aravis! And Bree and Hwin! They’re still with the Hermit!”
“Who are they?” Edmund asked.
Cor launched into a brief account of his companions in his travels north, and Edmund’s eyebrows rose as he explained. “It’s too dark to go now, and your father would miss you desperately, but I think you’ll be able to go collect them tomorrow morning.”
Cor nodded. They reentered the gate and Edmund was unsurprised to see Lune waiting there. He walked just a hair faster than normal to Cor and then nodded to Edmund. “Thank you, your majesty, for being so brief.”
“He has been missing a long time, sire,” Edmund said. “I understand.”
Lune nodded. Then he turned to Cor. “I know this must all be hard to believe, but…I have so missed you, my son. If you’ll come with me, I will tell you the story of the worst day of my life and my greatest failure as your king and your father.”
“Your majesty?” Cor asked, sounding shocked.
“It’s all right, Cor. Somehow, telling you this is harder than I thought it would be,” Lune said. He put an arm around Cor’s shoulders and said, “You see, it is my fault that you were not raised here.”
They walked together into Anvard. Edmund, realizing he should allow them some privacy, waited as they moved off.
Author’s Notes: The dialogue from The Horse and His Boy in this chapter runs from “The bolt of Tash falls from above!” (hee!) to “Has any man any doubts?” Edmund’s and Lucy’s first comments are also from the book.
Chapter One - A Proposal is Made to Queen Susan
Chapter Two - Prince Rabadash Arrives in Narnia
Chapter Three - Harfang Sends an Envoy
Chapter Four - The Narnians Hold a Tournament
Chapter Five - A Voyage to Tashbaan
Chapter Six - In the Court of the Tisroc
Chapter Seven - Prince Corin Goes Missing
Chapter Eight - The Plan of Mr. Tumnus
Chapter Nine - Escape to Narnia and the North
Chapter Eleven - King Edmund and Queen Lucy
Chapter Twelve - The Return To Cair Paravel
