A/N: This is my first (official) Narnia fanfic, and is based on a TV show concept I came up with for Tumblr. I loved it so much that I decided to write it. This is based just before the White Witch invades Narnia, covers her build to power and the events that unfold as a result. All of this is based on my own ideas; the characters – other than a few – are of my own making and not part of the official Narnia canon. Any mistakes that are made are my own.
The Western Wild an area of dense woodland, with fresh water springs and wild creatures, not the normal kind found in Narnia, but the kinds that could not speak and only acted on a single instinct, the one to survive. The Wildlands were sparsely populated, there were no villages, no homes and no buildings to speak of, the terrain was treacherous and difficult to navigate, many a Narnian had gotten lost in the most Western reaches of their world only for them to disappear altogether
Walking through the woodland was a young woman, around twenty-three years of age. Her blue eyes piercing, looking around for any signs of danger, her wild dark hair pulled back and her cocoa coloured skin partly masked with mud, a means to hide her scent.
Her name was Elena, after a long lost ancestor. She lived a life of exile in the most outlying reaches of Narnia, avoiding any kind of civilisation and choosing to live the life of a nomad.
She looks around, weary and continues on, bounding over loose roots and easily keeping a steady pace despite the sticky ground below, and uneven surfaces before her.
After an hour, she reaches her destination, the northern edge of the forest. Near an area of land with no name, which would later become known as Ettinmoor, inhabited by the fiercest of beasts in the known Narnian world – Giants.
Elena had no quarrel with the Giants, for they had met previously and she had rendered her services to them as a mercenary. They had parted on adequate terms, nevertheless, she did her best to avoid encounters with the people of the North as she near of their ferocity and saw no need to place herself than her current life already did.
Still, here she stood, at the edge of the forest looking upon toward a felled tree just by the Great River. The sight gave her reason to pause and butterflies to disturb her stomach. Elena knew of Dryads and did not like to see one of their people killed, but when she saw the tree before her she felt something more than sorrow. Rather she felt an anxiety; one she could not place and had not felt since the passing of her mother ten years prior.
It all had begun only twelve days ago, while Elena was in the Western March of Narnia getting supplies ready for the long summer ahead where she would spend the majority of her time running errands for the other inhabitants of the Western Wild. However, whilst there she overhead a Narnian soldier, a faun to be precise, speaking of rumours of a dark force rising in the North. At Cair, they were preparing for the worst, fearing that the Calormene Empire was planning a two-pronged assault.
Elena could not believe her ears. She knew of the Calormenes and had met them on many occasions. She knew of their plans to take over Narnia, but she also knew her world and that there was no possibility that the Calormenes could have gathered an army in the North without notice. Such an act would require passing through the Western Wild and would not have escaped her.
As such, she took it upon herself to investigate this rumour and see for herself. Yet, all she could see were the marshlands and the felled tree, no giants, no Narnians and most importantly no Calormenes.
She continued to walk, her destination set as per brisk pace led her to the felled tree.
The tree appeared like no other she had seen, she could tell from the sight that when it was alive it would have been a remarkable sight but now she felt nothing but fear and regret. The green of its leaves had faded to a disturbing brown, and the point of breakage was dark almost black in appearance.
Elena knelt to inspect the tree, it had not been a dryad this much she could see, but the point of breakage was a mystery to her. She had seen trees fall at the hands of humans, disease, beavers, and even lightning but never had she seen such a cause of death as this. The rings of the trees were almost blurred together as if its growth had been disturbed, possibly by some form of disease but externally the tree showed no signs of disease, instead, it looked as though it had been burnt.
This gave Elena a moment to pause, for burning a tree to fell a tree was not something she had come across unless this was some crude method to attempt to purge the disease from the tree.
No, she thought to herself. No being would be that foolish, and it was clear the burning not been made through the fate of nature which meant that the burning was of malicious intent.
Her eyes widened at the thought and she immediately stood straight. Elena looked around her scanned her surroundings quickly and began to sprint back into the forest from whence she came.
The young woman spent hours fleeing from the location of the felled tree, adrenaline and fear pushing her to quicken her pace until she was miles within the deep forest and shaded by the dense trees.
Coming to a halt, she took in a deep breath. She could feel her heart pounding an uneasy rhythm, but this was not from the running but rather from fear as she feared she now knew the cause of the death of the tree and did not bear to think of it.
She looked up, feeling safe and sheltered under the high trees, and she began to make camp.
The fire was made, her food prepared in a crude metal pot of her making, and she sat by the fire eating hungrily directly from the pot on a knitted blanket, a gift from a lifelong past.
Her mind had been occupied until that point, like the creatures that surrounded her she was a wild like being, going off a single instinct – to survive. However, Elena harboured a dark secret, one that she denied to everyone – including herself. Her exile to these woods was no mere accident. It was the life she chose in order to protect herself, and more importantly the people she loved so much. For she felt that if she were to return to those people, she would not be accepted. After all, who in Narnia would harbour a girl who had born out of wedlock and had a Calormene for a father?
Elena looked at her empty pot, seeing the dregs of the water she had used as a part of the stew. Despite the warmth and safety of the forest, she still felt a sense of unease. She pulled her blanket around her in the hoped it would be a source of comfort, as it had for the past two decades but to no avail. The anxiety that sent her heart racing as she looked at the felled tree, still remained in her chest, for she could not be rid of it but only distract herself from it.
She attempted to lie down, knowing that it would do nothing to quell the emotions raging through her and let the exhaustion take her to sleep.
Upon awakening, she saw the burning cinders of her fire, once again remaindering her of the sight she had witnessed a day past. She turned so she could not face such a sight, but the damage was done. For in her dreams she had realised the truth behind her anxiety.
She remembered long ago, in the times when her mother was still alive and they lived in a cottage in The Dancing Lawn, her mother telling her stories of the days long past in Narnia. She spoke of the first Queen and her King Frank, she spoke of their descendants and how they ruled Narnia and later Archenland as well. Most importantly though, she spoke of Narnia's beginnings, and a time when a tree was planted by the hand of Aslan with the promise that it would protect Narnia.
Elena scoffed as she sat up. Once she had believed in Aslan, and while she believed in his existence, she did not feel that he was the solution to all their problems. For turning to such a deity as Aslan for help in every situation only showed a lack of independence and ability to do things for oneself, and if there was one thing that Elena valued it was her independence.
Nevertheless, she could not help shake the feeling that the tree brought upon her. If it were the Tree of Protection, as she feared then it was very possible that Narnia was in danger, and that danger was greater than any army the Calormenes could muster.
There in which lied the problem, and Elena's greatest flaw. Regardless, of how much she claimed she had no feelings toward the Narnians, she could not rid herself of her love for them, her need for them and she could not stand the idea of a threat amassing against them without doing something.
With determination in her heart, she began to pack her things into her leather backpack and pulled on her leather jacket taking care to button it correctly. She then flung the bag over her shoulders and stamped out the remains of her fire.
Therefore, she began to walk, and walk heading back to the Western March hoping that she would make the Lantern Waste before sundown.
The Lantern Waste was an area that was treated, as a miracle in itself, for it had existed since the beginnings of the world. In it was a lamp post that lit the small clearing the trees was believed to be of another world, one in which the Kings and Queens had come, and yet in spite of the differences between the two worlds the lamp post continued to burn as it would in its home world. It was like a beacon of hope, a constant that could always be relied upon.
Elena could not help but think of this as she looked at the fire burning within the glass at the top of the post, and prayed that her plan would work.
She looked around the clearing, once again hoping for she knew that Narnian patrols frequented this area often. After all, who knew what manner of creatures would try and come into Narnia through the Lantern Waste, drawn in to the light to brought.
Soon she heard the sound of a pair of Narnian soldiers conversing and spoon gained sight of them a centaur and a satyr. Upon the sight of the young woman, they came to a halt and drew their weapons, a curved blade for the satyr and a sword for the centaur.
"Declare yourself!" The centaur stated.
Elena took a step towards the pair holding up her hands and saw them sigh in relief.
"A daughter of Eve," the satyr grunted. "In the Lantern Waste, the others will not believe this."
"She is no regular daughter of Eve," the centaur noted, looking her over. "She has a Calormene look about her."
"If I may," Elena interrupted, adopting the tone she reserved for negotiations of pay when doing mercenary work. "I would rather you did not talk as though you are not in my presence, as it is rude to discuss the nature of a lady in her presence."
The pair's eyes widened at this.
"You speak like a Narnian," the Satyr realised.
"It is as if you are of our royal family."
Elena did not speak at this, as she did not want to get involved in that conversation.
"Who may I enquire, daughter of Eve, am I talking to? A Narnian or a Calormene?" the centaur asked.
"Neither," she stated. "And both, I am of both Narnian and Calormene descent. For my name is Elena Hajjar. I am a hunter of the Western Wild. I live amongst the trees and creatures there as it is the place I feel the most comfort."
"Then if I may, Lady Hajjar," the Satyr said. "What is your purpose in Narnia? For if you mean any ill intent towards our fair country then we must take you into custody."
"There will be no need for that." She said and paused. "But I must insist on meeting your superior as soon as you are able, as I have important news that must reach the ears at Cair."
They looked upon one another and then back at Elena.
"What is the nature of this news, daughter of Eve?" the centaur enquired.
She took a deep breath. "It is regarding the rumours in the North, I believe I have information about the forces rising there." She paused. "I am afraid I cannot tell you more, as I wish the news I bring to be heard by a member of the highest rank to ensure that my message to Cair is passed on without misunderstanding."
"And how, pray tell, do we know that you are not lying to us this day?" the Satyr demanded.
"You do not." Elena admitted looking down to the ground. "All I can tell you is that once I called Narnia my home and a good home she was. I mean no ill intent toward to her or her people; rather wish to help you as your people once did me."
"If you would not mind, my Lady," the centaur said. "I would confer with my companion before taking this matter further."
"Very well," she said and watched the two get out of earshot and begin a discussion. From this distance, she could not see what they were saying, but was relieved in noticing that there appeared to be no discourse between them but rather they were working together toward a single conclusion.
Minutes passed and the two came back to Elena.
"We have conversed," the centaur said. "And we have decided that it would be best to take you to our captain, she will be able to ascertain whether you are indeed being truthful and will pass on any information you have to Cair."
For the first time in over a day, Elena's anxiety was eased somewhat and she gave a faint smile to the two Narnian Soldiers.
"Very well, take me to your captain."
A/N: I would like to ask you all that if you have any questions, please ask but I may not answer them all as there is meant to be an element of mystery around this fic, which will be answered in due course. This fic will be updated once a week! Thank you all for reading!