Authors Note: All credit for the idea for this story goes to thrufirewithoutaburn I read a story of his recently and decided to make my own version of it. which I guess makes this a fanfic of a fanfic. (fic-ception)

chapter 1

Peter could see that the battle was turning against them. He had already ordered the Narnian army to fall back to the rocks. While the battle was going against them it wasn't as bad of a defeat as Peter had anticipated.

He knew that this would be a defeat before they even met that day, and normally he would have refused to face the Jadis for that reason alone but he needed to both play the part of the foolish youth in order to deceive Jadis and he also needed to gauge how powerful her army was.

He planned to have his soldiers retreat from the beginning but he had underestimated the witch's aggression maybe she knew that he would retreat. Maybe she was acting too brashly since she hadn't actually fought an army in some time.

The reason didn't matter since all that Peter knew was that he was losing and needed to ensure his army survived in order to keep this rebellion going, no this wasn't a rebellion Peter. Jadis was never the queen of Narnia. She was a usurper, a monster who had been running amuck casting the illusion of authority. All the power of Narnia and of God was at the backs of him and his family.

Having reminded himself of that Peter took a survey of his surroundings. His unicorn was doing its part in getting him back to the second line. There they would scatter and head off to separate camps lead by a member of the command staff.

They would need a different style of war in order to win this war. They couldn't fight it like it was a normal war. Aslan had told Peter in private about the power of the deplorable word. If they were to win this war they would need to kill Jadis and then defeat her army.

Peter's focus on his long-term plans had just cost him a dire penalty. A sharp-eyed dwarf armed with crossbow had taken a shot at him but had thankfully aimed too low and instead had run a barbed broadhead through his mounts back leg it still caused the animal to stumble and throw him from its back.

He crashed into the ground and his head smashed against his own gauntlet. He had most certainly suffered an injury from this and his head would hurt for days if he lived.

He wasn't sure how long he laid on the ground unable to move. But when he rose back to his feet he saw that the witch's army was almost upon him. Peter knew that he was dead. His army was in a full retreat and even if they had noticed him they couldn't stop for him he had commanded them not to stop their retreat for anything. For the time being, they had to think of their unit.

He was staggered over to where his sword had fallen and retrieved it before making his way to his dying mount. With a tear in his eye, he ran Rhindon through the suffering creatures temple. It was dying and that was the only thing he could to easy it's passing.

As the witch's army drew nearer he raised Rhindon and readied himself for battle and ultimately death. Edmund was going to live, he knew that. And as long as Edmund lived he would get Susan and Lu out of Narnia. His family would live.

As he readied himself for the first wave to reach him he saw Oreius and Cetus rushing past him with about thirty satyrs and centaurs behind them. Once they were twenty paces ahead of Peter four of the centaurs and satyrs split off and turned back to Peter.

The centaurs and satyrs made up the bulk of the Narnian heavy infantry and cavalry. They the best species for front-line fighting that Peter had. Their only true rivals where the minotaurs to oppose the satyrs and the werewolves to oppose the centaurs.

After the satyrs in the advanced group formed a line and braced behind their shields Oreius and the majority of the centaurs rushed forward.

It was a suicide run but it had a purpose. Every beast slain by those twenty-six centaurs was a beast that would not need to be slain by the remaining twenty-six satyrs. And the longer the satyrs could hold their line the longer the eight who turned back and had since grabbed Peter more time to get Peter away.

By the time Peter's head was clearing he was on a ridge overlooking the battle. He wasn't certain how but Oreius and Cetus had rallied the army and funneled Jadis' army into a choke point. They were holding strong but Jadis was cutting through them like a hot knife through butter.

But that meant she was invested. This may be their best chance to kill her.

He turned to give an order when he saw out of the corner of his eye a gryphon coming in for a landing. It landed in a hurry not bothering to slow down it dragged a trail in the dirt behind it.

"Edmund sends word," the gryphon spoke to Peter. "He says that we must destroy the wand if we are to kill the witch," his message delivered the gryphon bowed its head and said." may I relay a message to him, sir?"

Peter nodded and said. "Tell this to whoever is at the front lines, I will be there as soon as I can but that staff is the key to today being a victory or a defeat."

As the gryphon took off Peter knew that he was wrong, there was little chance that they would win this battle even if the wand was destroyed but they were committed now and this was the only sound course of action.

He mounted a new horse and rode to the front when he arrived he saw Oreius and Cetus duelling Jadis. She was faster but between the two of them, she couldn't get a clean attack at either one without getting killed herself.

That changed when General Otmin of the Witch's army charged in and attacked Oreius dragging him away from the wItch and Cetus. Now it was all Cetus could do to stay alive. He thrust out his spear in a flurry frantically trying to keep Jadis at distance. So far it was the thing that had gotten him this far.

The witch was about to parry one of his thrust and kill him Peter opened his mouth to cry out a warning. He knew it would do Cetus no good, he was already dead.

When suddenly Jadis pulled her attack back as fast as she could. As fast as she pulled back it wasn't fast enough as greatsword came crashing down through it breaking it.

Peter looked and saw Orieus standing twenty feet away. His hands were empty and at his feet lay Otmin with two of the centaurs swords sticking out of his back. It clear that he had thrown his sword in order to both save his friend and to destroy the wand.

He was now unarmed and Jadis knew it. She was running his way with her sword in her hand and a snarl on her face.

Without hesitating Oreius grabbed Otmin's battle axe and went about fighting the now wandless and as such less dangerous White Witch.

Jadis reached Oreius at the same time that Cetus did and she was back to fighting both of them only this time was lacking her wand. While the Witch was more taxed by this fight she still held her own until a thrust from Cetus was parried resulting in the witch throwing a side kick that knocked Cetus back several feet.

She turned back to Oreius only to see Peter's blade come out of nowhere only mere inches from her neck. She managed to dodge the strike but still had a nasty gash on her neck.

As she stepped back she touched her hand to the wound and when the hand came back with red on it she looked at the man she had addressed as "little king" less than a two days ago. He was the first person since she came to Narnia to make bleed for this he was both hated and for the first time in over a millennium feared. She began to fight the boy and they both started to move so fast that to Peter even Orieus and Cetus no longer existed only Jadis they swung, thrust, blocked and parried at such speed that it no longer felt natural.

The fight that seemed more like a dance kept going and seemed like it would keep going until suddenly...

High King Peter sat up in his bed sweat dripping from his swinging arm as he made a furious swipe at were Jadis' head was not a moment ago. Instead, Rhindon only sank into his bedpost. It left a chip in the post alongside all of the others Peter had made the same way. Every night he would dream of the battle and in the middle of his fighting he would wake and strike out at the nearest object.

There was a knocking at the door that told Peter what had woken him this time.

"Please enter," he said hoping he didn't sound as shaken as he was.

The door opened and it was Oreius and who entered the chambers.

"High King, you may wish to see this," he said before he saw that Peter had Rhindon in hand and saw the chips taken out of the bedpost. The centaur kneeled next to the bed before he placed one of his hands on Peter's shoulders. Your majesty, there is no shame in admitting to having the terrors visit you in your sleep. It is a part of war, and talking helps." Oreius looked away as though he was seeing a memory. "It really helps," he said.

He looked back to the teenager before he continued. "You can always talk to me, and I know Cetus feels the same,"

Peter nodded. He understood that he needed help and it only made sense that Orieus and Cetus would provide it. They had trained him for war and now they will teach him how to cope with life after war.

Orieus continued saying. " and believe it or not Otmin can be of great use with them."

Peter thought of the minotaur now in the residing in the Cair Paravel dungeon. Though his wounds where great he lived after Lucy used her fire flower bottle to save him. While he accepted defeat he refused to accept the Pevensie's as his kings and queens and vowed to kill Peter if he ever got the chance to do so.

Getting out of bed Peter put on his royal robes as Oreius asked him. "That brings up what we must do with him, I feel the wisest course of action may be to execute him. As long as he lives the men who followed him may turn on you or your family"

Once his robes were on Peter turned to face the centaur holding his arms out to ask if he had forgotten anything. Oreius straightened one of his lapels while Peter answered him. "I can't order his death," Oreius opened his mouth to say that as a high king he was going to need to give that order someday and that he can't put it off because he feels wrong being the judge but Peter cut him off saying. " I know that he has done terrible things but I think about him and I think back the moment when I learned that Jadis held a legitimate claim to Edmund I would have done anything to save him and I mean anything." he headed for the door as he continued pausing only to buckle Rhindon to his belt. " if I would have done anything to save my brother I can't expect him to kill himself to oppose Jadis. Until me and my family arrived Narnia had no hope of salvation. He was given the choice of running his whole life or siding with the only person who seemed to have any real authority. I can't fault him for either choice."

It had only been a month or two since the Pevensies had been made kings and queens of Narnia but they had adjusted quickly Peter had been acting more and more like a high king every day. Oreius knew that he was right but he still didn't like, but he wasn't meant to. He was a general, not a king.

They made their way to the throne room where Edmund and Cetus along with their surveying party stood waiting for him. The way that Cetus stood told Peter that he was nervous and that worried him. 'Ed, what have you done?' Peter thought to himself.