"why do you love me?"

-

EIGHT.

"IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME," Peter starts, turning to look around the group gathered in the den. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, your Majesty?" Reepicheep asks, already eager with energy.

"We need to get ready for it–"

"To start planning for–"

Peter and Caspian speak at the same time. The High King's annoyance is evident as he stares at Caspian with an unreadable look, who in return, manages a nod slightly, sinking back.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us," Peter continues.

"But that's crazy, no one has ever taken that castle!" Caspian shakes his head, sharing a worried glance with Cady.

"There's always a first time," comes Peter's reply, not missing a beat.

Cady stands up to speak, crossing her arms as she addresses Peter directly, "This is the Telmar Castle we're talking about, revolts have happened and no one managed to break in." Cady barely catches the way Peter's eyes soften momentarily before he clenches his jaw and turns away, the tips of his ears turning a light pink.

"We'll have the element of surprise," Trumpkin adds, ignoring Cady's words completely. She scowls at his words, crossing her arms and plopping back down on her seat.

Caspian's protest comes immediately: "But we have the advantage here!"

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely," Susan joins in, taking Caspian's side.

"Is he always like this?" Cady whispers to Edmund, nudging him slightly where they sit on a huge flat stone to the side together.

"Peter has always been the stubborn one," the brunet replies, staring at the small group in the middle.

"I, for one, feel safer underground," Trufflehunter, the badger states.

Peter turns to Caspian with an authoritative look in his eyes, a look that Cady knows all too well from the way her Father once glanced at Caspian. It is more a challenge than anything, and Caspian clenches his jaw, eyes narrowing. "Look, I appreciate what you've done here, but this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb," Peter says.

"Yes, and if they're smart, the Telmarines will just wait and starve us out," Edmund chimes in.

"We could collect nuts!" A squirrel pipes up.

"Yes! And throw them at the Telmarines," Reepicheep replies sarcastically. "Shut up! I think you know where I stand, sire."

Peter nods, turning to Glenstorm, the leader of the centaurs. "If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

The centaur looks at Peter, then Caspian, and back to Peter. "Or die trying, my liege."

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy comments. She is sitting on the stone table, listening intently to the group converse on their next move.

"Sorry?" Peter looks over at her in disbelief.

"You're all acting like there's only two options. Dying here, or dying there." She purses her lips, the disagreement showing clearly on her features.

"I'm not sure you've been listening, Lu." Peter cocks his head to the side, irritation lacing his tone.

"No, you're not listening!" Lucy almost scoffs. "Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

The High King curled his lips with icy contempt. "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough."

"Fine, then I'm coming," Cady says determinedly.

"Absolutely not." Caspian's protest comes immediately, "It's too dangerous."

"Look brother, I appreciate your protectiveness but I can handle myself, and you know we need all the help we can get," Cady shoots him down. "I need to do this, I need an explanation from our uncle."

"Good," Peter smiles warmly at her. This time, Cady doesn't miss the way her brother frowns at the High King. "We leave in two days."

The Narnians begin clearing out the room, getting ready for the night raid. Cady stays behind with Caspian and the Kings and Queens, huddling into a circle by the stone table.

Caspian glances at his younger sister. "You're not going."

"You said it yourself, we need every sword, every warrior we have," Cady crosses her arms. "I think I can qualify as a trained warrior."

"She can hold her own," Edmund says, taking Cady's side. "If that still doesn't make you feel better, I'll look after her."

Caspian sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Just be careful, alright? I can't afford to lose anyone else, not anymore."

"You know you'll never get rid of me, right?" Cady manages a grin.

x

CADY'S PAIR OF FALCHIONS CLASH WITH EDMUND'S SWORD, the two panting as they stalk and circle each other, out of breath and sweating up a waterfall.

A small crowd of Narnians have gathered in a circle around them, cheering in anticipation as their training draws attention.

Caspian is outside talking to Peter and Lucy left with a small group of Narnians, catching up on what she has missed. Susan is the only sibling that bothered to watch Cady and Edmund fight.

"Come on, Ed! Don't go easy on her!" Susan pipes up, urging her brother on.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Su," Cady says breathlessly, holding up her falchions in an 'X'.

"Do your worst, princess," Edmund smirks, his hands gripping his sword as he shows off a trick, spinning the weapon around as he waits for the girl to strike.

Cady raises her eyebrows daringly and doesn't hesitate to strike first. The crowd cheers as she brings a falchion down, a strike which Edmund blocks, and then brings down the other.

Edmund blocks that too. And he elbows her in the stomach and proceeds to knock one of her falchions out of Cady's grasp.

It flies towards the crowd and the Narnians gasp as Susan catches it.

"I can beat you with one too, your Majesty." Cady twirls her single falchion as they break apart again.

"Well, princess, I don't need anything to beat you," Edmund smirks, tossing his sword to Susan and gesturing for her to put her weapon down as well.

"So, you wanna do this the hard way?" Cady grins, already handing her remaining falchion to Susan.

The older brunette sighs. "Since when did I become a Christmas tree."

Cady grins wolfishly as she sinks into a battle stance, her fists up and steady. Edmund holds out a hand and gestures for her to come at him.

Cady shoots forward quickly, delivering swift punches to his body without mercy. The boy dodges two expertly but gets hit by the rest of her attacks.

Cady pulls him to her and drives her knee to his stomach, Edmund grunts as he staggers backward.

"Oh! Are you okay?" Cady inches forward cautiously, lowering her stance to check on the king.

Edmund's face is shadowed and Cady catches a hint of a smirk on his features. Before she can move, a fist shoots out, connecting to her shoulder. Cady moves backward, clutching her shoulder before holding up her hands to protect her face instinctively.

The crowd roars as Edmund comes at her with a right hook aimed at her jaw. Cady ducks easily, too easily. He feigns at the last moment and drives his other fist to her side.

Cady clenches her teeth and pushes him back, retaliating with a front kick to his stomach, flipping her hair back just as Edmund whips forward, jabbing her quickly.

Cady darts to the side before returning his punches and performing a roundhouse kick at him. With a smirk, he catches her leg and spins, the momentum dragging her whole body along as she falls on the floor.

Cady lands with a thud, and rolls out of the way when he brings his leg down to strike her. Recovering quickly, she twists her body around and sweeps at his legs.

Edmund barely has the time to jump before she pushes herself up from the ground.

With the momentum, Cady dashes towards him and leaps, grabbing his shoulders and pulling herself up to his shoulder before shifting her weight to her back and dragging him down on the ground. She fixes him into a headlock, her legs crossing across his chest as she holds him down.

He pats her legs as he breathes out, "Okay, I surrender."

Cady releases him with a wild grin, holding out a hand and helping him up. "You got lucky." Edmund grabs a towel from the side as Susan hands him back his sword.

"Can't believe I actually did it, finally," Cady says with a beam, taking her falchions back and sheathing them.

"It was long-overdue." Peter claps a hand on her back, congratulating her with an award-winning smile plastered across his face. "He hasn't lost a single fight since he sparred with me back home."

"So you usually win?" Cady turns to Peter with a smirk.

Peter stares down at her and Cady has to force herself to stand solidly when her legs are turning into jelly. "Is that a challenge?"

"Let's go clean up, we'll be leaving soon," Edmund cuts in.

Cady throws her head back with a laugh and shoots Peter a cheeky wink before making her way to the river out the back. "I'm holding you on to that!"