Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.
Summary: There was sorrow in the night, but triumph comes in the morning.
A/N: This story is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe.
Triumph
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In fear, I had followed Jadis from the Stone Table. In fear, I had stayed with her army. Yet, even that bone-deep fear was not enough to still that voice clamoring with my guilt. The light leaving His eyes haunted me every time I closed my own eyes. Were it not for fear, I do not know that I would have had the courage to make it through the night.
Why? Why had I stood by? Why had I helped? Why had I cheered? Was I so ignorant that now I celebrated the cruel death of an innocent? How far had I been corrupted?
Too far, I told myself, too far to hope for mercy or forgiveness. Yet, I still craved it. I craved the warmth of His Presence as much as I had feared it when I had stood near Him last night. I would still fear it for it would be so easy to burn in His Presence yet…yet it would be a peaceful way to die. Perhaps He-
No, the Great Lion was dead. I had witnessed it myself. There was no more hope. There was only Jadis and her cruelty. Never before had I so bitterly regretted my choice to rebel against my father's teachings. Fool, a thousand times fool!
Now it was too late. I was trapped here and there was nothing I could do to redeem myself. For a moment, I permitted myself the fantasy that someone else would come and rescue me. Yet, that too was foolishness. For had I not forged my own path? Did I not deserve my fate this day? I had and I did.
I scanned the creatures around me. There were so many of us. How many felt torn as I did? I didn't know. I knew only that I dared not rebel against Jadis. I was too firmly entrenched with her now. Horns sounded. I heard the war cry of a Minotaur and then we all started running toward battle…toward death.
My bow was loose in my hand. Yet, I could not bring myself to nock an arrow. I had watched as Ginarrbrik and others aimed their arrows at the Gryphons. I had never seen Gryphons dropping rocks before…I wondered… A coarse guffaw from above was my only warning and I threw myself to the side just in time to avoid being stepped on by one of the Giants. It was too dangerous for my thoughts to wander. I had to stay focused. Another image flashed through my mind, that of the light seeping from golden eyes. I shook it away.
The sound of battle was deafening. I looked on in horror as Narnians cut down Narnians and the Fell creatures who served Jadis were in a near frenzy as they fell upon the Narnian soldiers. I still did not put an arrow to the string as I stopped near a large boulder. The vague idea came to me that perhaps I could hide, survive the battle, and then flee. Would Narnia even be worth living in now that the hope of Aslan was dead?
I glanced over my shoulder. Jadis was still in her chariot. The large Polar Bears dragged it forward and the sunlight gleamed off of her armor, her wand, and the mane she had added to her dress and headdress. The sight filled me with terror. But what could I do? If I fled, she would find me. If I went to the Narnians loyal to Aslan, they would execute me as a traitor. There was no hope.
A screech of rage mixed with a deeper bellow of frustrated pain, dragging my attention away from the chilling sight of Jadis' trophy. A Centaur was on the ground but he was still fighting off a Hag. I stared at the sight. My fingers placed an arrow to the string. I stepped forward slightly and his gaze caught mine. Hard condemnation lay within them. I raised my bow and loosed the arrow.
The Centaur jerked as the Werewolf collapsed on him, my arrow buried in the matted fur of his throat. The Hag looked at me, hatred in her round eyes, as she clacked her beak and screeched, "Traitor!"
I loosed another arrow. Her hateful cries fell silent. The Centaur managed to get to his feet once more. I retreated, unwilling to test how far his gratefulness would extend. I was still on Jadis' side after all.
Yet, as I charged back into the battle, my arrows never sank into those loyal to Aslan. Instead, I turned on my mistress, my queen.
There was the barest sound behind me and I whirled, nocking another arrow and drawing it back. I met the dark gaze of the traitor. His face was pale and, though his armor fit him well, I was abruptly struck with the realization of how young he looked. Younger even than when I had seen him bound so cruelly to a tree. Had Ginarrbrik not been circling him, taunting him, I would have brought him water. His lower lip was split and there were fading bruises on his face. His dark gaze, though, was old. Older than it should have been and then recognition flared in their dark depths. I froze, terror beating a frantic tempo against my ribs. He knew me. He knew whose camp I had been in.
A whisper of a shadow behind him. I raised my bow and loosed. A Goblin fell to the grass beside him, writhing as it grasped at the arrow in its gullet. I didn't wait to see what the young one would do. Instead, I fled to a different part of the battlefield.
Later I saw him confront Jadis. I watched with a cry frozen on my lips as she pierced him with her broken wand and he fell. His brother's tormented yell scraped over my hurting heart. For some reason, I ran toward them. I had watched Oreius be turned to stone already. I watched Gryphons turned to stone and one dashed to pieces as he toppled from the sky. Jadis was unstoppable yet that child, the traitor, had broken her wand. The terrible weapon she had used for so long…shattered.
Now his brother raced toward Jadis. Determination and grief etched into his mad dash. Minotaurs and Ogres fell beneath his wrath. Raising my bow, I took aim for the other creatures who would have stopped him. As I remembered the light fading from golden eyes, innocent blood spilt on the Stone Table, I knew then that I would give my very life to see Jadis fall. I still feared her, yes, but now my own sense of outrage was too great to tolerate her rule any longer.
A deafening roar shook the air. I raised unbelieving eyes to see a fierce golden Lion bounding to the top of the rocky plateau. It could not be. He was dead. I watched Him die.
I never felt the blow. For a moment, I was staring at the impossible and then my legs buckled. I saw blood decorating the grass at my feet as it rushed up to meet me but then darkness took me…
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Warmth I had never experienced before spread through me. It was as though the sun himself had entered my body. I gasped then choked then gasped again. A sweet perfume hung in the air and I sensed…a Presence. Impossible. Warm breath caressed my cheek and ruffled my hair. I opened my eyes to a sea of gold. I inhaled the sweetest perfume I had ever experienced.
Golden paws and the fringe of a mane were before me. I stared in disbelief but my soul seemed to leap with joy. But it was impossible.
"My Child." The words rumbled over me with a heady majesty.
He could not mean me. I had betrayed Him. I had participated in His death. No, He could not mean me.
"My Child, look at Me."
The command was impossible to ignore. I slowly raised my eyes and met the golden gaze of the Great Lion. There should have been contempt, condemnation, something that indicated how I had disappointed Him, but it was not there. I swallowed hard and dropped my gaze as tears burned to escape. "My Lord Aslan, I-"
I choked, unable to speak, as the reality of my guilt and unworthiness pressed down on me as I was confronted with His pure Presence. I hung my head. I did not deserve to be here. I did not deserve to have Him spare me even a glance, much less speak to me!
I drew a hitching breath and gasped, "Forgive me, Aslan, I was there when You came to the Stone Table."
"I know."
I wanted to weep. "I helped shear Your mane."
"I know."
"I rebelled against my father, ignored his attempts to teach me about You, and then I volunteered myself to Jadis' service."
"I know."
Tears escaped, running down my cheeks, as I gazed at His golden paws. I drew a shuddering breath. "I deserve death. My only request is that You mete it out. I would rather die here than anywhere else."
He stepped closer to me, but He did not bite or claw. Instead, He pressed a Lion's kiss to my forehead. "My Child, I know this and all else you have done in your life. I know your sorrows. I know your shame. I know your grief and anger. I know your hope. You need only come to Me and I shall give you comfort and peace."
Comfort and peace. It sounded so wonderful…but I could not escape the fact that I did not deserve it. Heart breaking, I whispered, "I am unworthy of such mercy."
"I will make you worthy."
It seemed so easy, so simple. It seemed too simple. Yet, His promise rang with truth and I knew He would not go back on His word. "How?"
"By making you Mine."
His. I could be His? After all I had done, all I had said, all I had nurtured in my heart, I could still be His?
"What must I do to be Yours?"
"Serve Me. Follow Me. Love Me." He dipped His head toward me, compelling me to meet His gaze, as He asked, "Are you willing to do these things?"
"More than anything, though I do not know how I shall find the strength."
"I will give you My strength."
Bowing down so that my forehead touched the ground, I could only wet His paws with my tears as I pressed kisses to His golden fur. "If it pleases You, My Lord Aslan, I would serve You and no other from this day forward."
The sweet perfume of His mane mingled with His breath as He lowered His head and breathed on me. His rich, golden voice flowed over me as He spoke, "So you shall, My Child. No longer a traitor and servant of Jadis are you. Today you have become Mine. You shall remain Mine forever no matter what trials you go through for those who are Mine cannot be taken from Me."
I had come to Beruna in turmoil but now I would leave in peace. There was only one question left to me. I turned to My Lord Aslan. "Where shall I go now? Command me and it will be done."
He smiled. "Return to your home, My Child, and be reconciled with your father. Tell him all you have seen and heard. When this is accomplished, I will give you another task so keep careful watch for My words and signs."
I had planned to flee the battlefield. I ran that day, yes. However, it was not the flight of fear. Instead my joy at His loving mercy made my feet so light that I could not remain sedate. I ran and danced and laughed as I carried the news of Aslan's return and His triumph over the Witch and death to all who would listen.
OOOOOOO
Inasmuch then as the children have been partakers of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. - Hebrews 2:14-15
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:9-10
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." - John 3:16-17
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A/N: Please Read and Review! It is Sunday! It is Easter Sunday and He is risen! I chose a somewhat different format for my Easter story this year. Instead of focusing on the Four, I focused on a follower of Jadis because in truth we have all been on Her side until at last He came and He freed us out of His merciful love though we did nothing to deserve it. And, we are His forever. I hope and pray that this story has touched you as deeply as it touched me while writing it. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.
A/N2: Have a safe, happy, and joyful Easter today! He is risen!
