The next morning, Shinia was up as early as usual.

She and Edmund were the inly ones awake, and she wanted a mock combat with somebody.

"Come on Edmund,  please?" she asked for the millionth time.

"No. You wouldn't dance with me last night."

"That's cuz I've never danced before. "

"You danced with that dwarf!"

"You walked away when I said that I had never danced but he promised to show me how."

"Oh."

"Now will you do a mock combat with me?"

"I guess."

He drew his sword, and the battle began.

For several minutes, the battle went on, until she won.

She had her sword across his throat, and she had stepped forward, making it to where he couldn't move away with ease, and they were only an inch apart, and she noticed, backing away.

"Come on, Shinia. Can't you just let me kiss you once?" Edmund asked exasperatedly.  "I have to leave today."

"I'm sorry Edmund, but you know my issues with trusting someone that much again." she replied, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It would just be once, please."

He stepped forward, taking her hands in his.

"Fine, once, but that's it."

"That'll do."

She didn't get to reply before he slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her. She just stood there and let it happen. Eventually, she pulled away.

"There,  now you can go brag to Peter. I know you two had a bet on whether I would let you or not." she smiled.

"You knew about that?"

Niether of them had noticed Thorin standing by a pillar, watching the whole thing.

"Yes I knew. You talk too loud. Are you guys actually leaving today?"

"Nope. Just said that so you'd let me kiss you."

"Edmund!" she exclaimed, punching him in the arm again.

"What? Did you want me to say yes? Do you want me to leave?"

"No, you're my best friend."

"And I'll never change your mind on that, will I?"

"I'm sorry."

"I love you, Shinia."

"I know, and I don't deserve it, and I have somewhere to be, and I'm rambling again."

"I think it's kinda cute, and bye."

She went to her room, and found Caspian in her room again.

"Something wrong my sister?" he asked, embracing her.

"Edmund is making our friendship awkward again. He told me he was leaving today, just to get me to let him kiss me."

"Do you want me to talk to him for you?"

"I'll leave you to make that decision, cuz I'm going for a walk."

She left, and went to the woods.

In the woods, she ran into the person she feared the most.

"Oh my god, Shad." she  said, hardly daring to breath.

"Yes, Shinia. I'm back. Are you going to run crying to daddy again?" he asked, stepping closer, and stroking her cheek.

Shad was the one who had raped, beat, and tried to kill her.

"My father is dead for your information." she said through clenched teeth.

He punched her in the face, causing her eye to swell.

"Don't talk back to me!"

He kicked her multiple times while she was on the ground, and he picked her up to punch her in the face again.

"Go! Go tell Caspian I'm back! I've been looking forward to a sword fight."

He threw her across the clearing, and once she got back on her feet, she ran all the way to the castle,  and the guards demanded to know what happened.

"I need to talk to my brother now." she panted.

"King Caspian is in conference with King Edmund, High King Peter, and King Thorin."

"Take me to him now! He would want to be interrupted for this."

She was taken to her brother, and she ran to him, in tears.

"Shinia, what's wrong?" Caspian asked.

"Sh-Shad is b-back. He wants to sword fight the best swordsman willing to fight for me. H-he hit me again, and gave me a few fractured ribs."

"Which one of us three will fight for her?" Peter asked, looking to Caspian and Edmund.

"You mean four, and I'll fight for her." Thorin said.

"He said best, so we'll have a competition. Each one of us will go against each one of the others, and the one with the most wins will fight." Edmund said.

"Do I get a say in this guys?" she asked.

"Of course!" the four men chorused.

"Well, in that case, I want Thorin to fight."