Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia.
A/N: This is a short fanfic based on the movie the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe when the White Witch comes to claim Edmund at Aslan's camp. Written from the Witch's point of view. Reviews are really really appreciated. ;)
"Come. I will speak with you alone."
Aslan turned abruptly and strode into his tent. I hesitated for a moment, knowing He meant me to follow, and then shot an evil and triumphant smile toward Edmund and his siblings. There was nothing the 'king of Narnia', the great lion, could do to save him. Nothing.
As soon as I stepped into the tent, I winced at the bite of warmth in the air, but there was nothing I could do about it. Not now that He had come, anyway. The bed with red and yellow silk sheets in the corner surprised me. I didn't know beasts, even talking ones, or lordly ones like Him, slept on beds.
There was nothing else in the tent. No table, no map. Nothing. But He filled the room. As he paced to and fro across the bright green grass in the tent, His golden light made me blink. The thin tent canvas seemed to close in around me, turning, in my mind, to immovable stone. I reached for my wand, and almost ran back through the tent flap when I remembered it wasn't with me, but then remembered that He could do me no harm.
I waited, but still, He did not speak. Back and forth he paced, until finally, my patience gave out.
"There is no treaty you can make to save the traitor," I said shortly. "His blood is my property. You know this."
The lion sighed.
"Yes," He replied, turning His terrible eyes on me. "I know this to be true."
He said nothing more, so I took a deep breath and said, "The deep magic is very plain. I tempted him, he came willingly to my house, and betrayed not only his brother and sisters, but also the faun. He is mine. Nothing you can do will save him."
I smiled coldly, remembering the ease at which the boy had handed over the information I needed, about the faun, his siblings…all for that wretched sticky candy.
"Nothing?" the lion asked softly.
"Nothing," I replied certainly. There was clearly nothing he could do but hand the traitor over to me. I would have my blood, and Narnia would still be mine. My own. Winter would return, and—
"You are wrong," the great beast murmured, interrupting my thoughts.
"Wrong?" I asked sharply, with a wicked smile. "No. It is my duty to rid my land of these…traitors."
"No," He said, turning His terrible gaze away from me and looking up. "You are wrong because there is something I can do to save him."
A jolt of fear stabbed my heart as I thought hard, trying to recall what He could mean. Finally, after not finding it anywhere in my long memory, I asked hesitatingly, "What do you mean?"
The lion turned and stared at me again.
"The deep magic," He said simply, and then I knew.
The fear disappeared, replaced by a sadistic joy that I had not known since I had entered the tent. He would give up His own life…for the traitor's?
A knowing, evil smile must have appeared on my face just then, for the beast nodded and said, "You will accept My life in place of his?"
"You would give Yourself willingly?" I asked slowly.
The lion hesitated, and then nodded, softly saying, "I would."
I straightened and smiled again. I could almost feel the fresh, cold breeze of coming snow; the icy coldness of winter.
"I accept your offer," I said loudly. "You will come to the Stone Table tonight…alone."
"Agreed," the lion replied unhesitatingly.
"And you will not harm any," I said quickly.
"I give you My word," He said softly.
My heart leapt for joy, and I nodded and said, "Then the traitor is yours."
I turned and strode out of the tent, trying to keep my joy from showing on my face. I went to my litter after glaring once more at Edmund. How I would have loved to spill his blood…traitorous little worm!
"The witch has renounced her claim on your brother's blood," I heard the lion say behind me.
A sudden impulse struck me, and I turned and asked, "How do I know this promise will be kept?"
The terrible eyes turned once more upon me, and the earth seemed to explode as the great beast roared more loudly than I had heard in many years. In His roar, I heard words which I knew no one else would.
"I gave you My word."
Fin.