Song Per Chapter: 'Goodbye Rose' by Sam Cushion (Youtube name: unofficalscore)

Part One: Chapter Four: Things Gone Amiss

There the boy stood, shivering in the cold and looking around ever so curiously. He walked along the great entrance path and as he neared the doors, they opened for him so he could wander further.

"No, no, no!" Thea pounded her fist into the wall. Looking back out her window the doors below had closed and Edmund was now trapped inside. On the horizon she could make out fleeting figures dashing over mounds of snow that bordered the valley in which the castle sat. Two small stumpy beings and the three taller ones, admittedly one of them was barely taller than the stumpy things. Then it hit her; those weren't any old forms on the hill. They belonged to the Beavers and the left over Pevensies! She felt like shouting, but it was un-necessary, the beavers had pulled back the younglings and began to retreat. They knew, as well as any Narnian with half a brain did, that few escaped the Queen's icy domain once they entered.

With a loud bang on the door Ginarrbrik hurried her to go to bed, she was not invited to the death of Edmund Pevensie. What could she do? She was readying to leave anyway; maybe she could use it as a diversion. But if she left the son of Adam to face Jadis surely that would be morally incorrect and her reputation (which in honesty was untarnished, despite the claims of most Narnians) would go out the window and she would equal the evils of the Queen. There was loud smashing downstairs that sounded much like the slamming of prison bars against their lock. A visit to Mr. Tumnus was out of the question now. The impossible never scared Thea, ever. It was always the possibilities that worried her most. How very possible that she would be killed this very night or even killed once leaving. No, she had to visit Mr. Tumnus, no more questions about it. She assumed it was midnight and prepared to leave when all of a sudden there was a terrible howl from below, not that of a human's, but of a wolf's. Maugrim and his pack were on the move and judging by the Pevensie's arrival, he was off to kill the future kings and queens of Narnia.

Jumping from her bed, she took her cloak off its hanger and wrapped it around herself, ready for the journey. Outside her door, Ginarrbrik was mumbling some sort of comeback about an insult one of the demons had said to him before, which made it that much easier to creak open the door and use the sleeping spell on him. Thea shut the door behind her and made her way ever so quietly down the tower stairs heading towards the target room. There was no one on guard. It was a Saturday night, which meant that most of the scum around this place was underground at the tavern of sorts, not legalized by the White Witch, but not prohibited either.

So sneaking inside she found her way over to her shiny bow and quiver. She slung the quiver over her shoulder, not in the way of her wings in case she needed to take sudden flight. There was a noise outside which made Thea jump and raise her bow in defense, but a little mouse looking for scraps ran past her. She lowered her weapon and continued on.

Nothing would be as hard as her next task, to get down into the prison cells to bid her friend farewell. Her path was heavily blocked; the son of Adam had been locked away in the dungeons as well which meant that the Witch would be nearby at any sign of trouble. Still worth it though!

Peeking around the corner to the entrance of the dungeon she found two Minotaurs standing guard out front, having a right 'old chat. When they weren't paying attention Thea put out her hand and whispered the incantation so silently that it would only last a minute or so, just enough for her to sneak past and for them not to realise that anything had happened. They slumped back onto the wall mid conversation and a smile lit up Thea's face, rushing ever so quickly past them she slid down the banister to reach Mr. Tumnus faster.

Upon entering the dungeons she found many cells, but the one at the end of the hallway belonged to Mr. Tumnus, where his hooves were barely showing. It was colder down here than anywhere else in the palace, supposedly more fit for punishment. She bolted down the end of the hallway and opened the gate that held him inside to find Edmund Pevensie in the same room. Both him and Mr. Tumnus were shackled to the wall, shivering and broken. Edmund almost shrieked and jumped back in fright at the sight of her, he must have thought that she would hurt him. His assumptions were not entirely wrong in their motivations. The White Witch had appeared so kind to him and look what she had done to him, maybe he thought Thea was twice as bad. The rest of Narnia was beside him.

"It's alright," she put her hands out in front of her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Thea?" Mr. Tumnus sat up, "Thea Rose?"

"I'm here!" she responded jumping through the broken barrier that once separated Edmund's section from Mr. Tumnus's cell, "I'm sorry I couldn't get down here sooner." she got close to him and they embraced in a friendly hug.

"You should not be down here..." he shivered, "If the Witch catches you—,"

"Hush. All is well." she settled him untying her cloak to wrap around the freezing faun, "Alas, I am not here to free you." their hands met and she tried to warm them for him.

"I was not expecting so. But to see your face," he smiled and cupped his hand on her cheek, "It has given me new hope."

"I leave, tonight. After here I am making a mad dash from the castle. The Beavers have been informed, but I am afraid that they might not be of much help."

"Why?" Tumnus enquired.

"Maugrim and his police are after them. They have the daughters of Eve and the other son of Adam with them. I saw it with my own two eyes."

"No, why did you risk it all? Why did you come down here before you escaped?" he asked with deep concern in his voice.

"Well, I thought it was obvious, my friend. I could not leave you here without telling you that I'd be back with re-enforcements. Or regret I never said my goodbyes."

"So this is good-bye." he feigned a smile.

"Never a complete goodbye. I am not leaving you here to rot. I will return, once and if I make it to Aslan's camp. I have heard rumours and nothing more but I will search the skies and seek his help. Tumnus, I will come back for you." she said so surely.

"Thank you." Tumnus said, "Here, take your cape. You will need it on your journey."

"Will you be alright?" she questioned him.

"I will suffice." he took the coat off from around him self and attatched it back around the girl's throat, "Best wishes my dear." he kissed her on the forehead. Thea started to cry, her heart racing ever so quickly.

"Hey... hey..." Tumnus's hands took hers instead this time, "Whatever is the matter?"

"Promise me that I will see you again. Don't do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed." she said through tears.

"I didn't think that you cared that much?" his voice trembled, as frightened as she was.

"Of course. Why do think I risked visiting you all those days, walking with you in the woods when I knew it was forbidden. Why do you think I've come down here now and made it my mission to free you from this place with Aslan's aid?"

"I never really put the pieces together." he mumbled.

"I just wish that I could stay here, and make sure that she would never hurt you—,"

"—But we both know your destiny lies elsewhere." he finished her sentence.

"What cruel destiny it is." he wiped her tears away.

"You need to be strong. She will want vengeance and many of her spies will be after you, to kill you. I've seen what you can do, so fight. Fight with all you have and help end her reign."

"I will." she finally allowed herself to smile. With another warm glance the two hugged tightly again and Thea rose, still holding the faun's hand.

"Go." the faun urged her, and she would have if she could. From the top of the stairs came a clacking of heels and the swishing of an oversized dress. In fright Thea hid, in the only place she could. Up.

On the roof she use two daggers she had stolen to hold her in place on the high ceiling. She clung back to Tumnus, her feet barely gripping and her cape hung at her front, so as not to draw attention. Mr. Tumnus and Edmund made careful not to look upwards.

"My wolves tore that dam apart, your little family was nowhere to be found!" Jadis screamed entering the dungeon and lifting Edmund from the collar of his shirt up into the air, "Where are they?!"

"I don't know..." he coughed. She dropped him on the ground and frowned.

"Then you are no longer any use to me," she raised her staff in the air and aimed it towards Edmund's heart.

"Wait they said something about Aslan!" he screamed. Jadis's face dropped and she stepped back suddenly.

"Aslan! Where?"

"He's a stranger and has only been in Narnia a short—," Tumnus tried to stop Edmund but was thumped in the head. Thea bit her tongue and stopped herself from saying anything. Tumnus was staring at Edmund in all his pain, begging, pleading for him not to say anymore.

"I left before I could hear anymore... I wanted to see you again." Edmund replied turning back to the Queen, the unspoken dialogue didn't go un-noticed. She paused and glanced between her two prisoners.

"Guard!" she called.

"Yes, your majesty?" one of the Minotaurs stepped forward.

"Release the Faun." the guard hit his chains and broke them, but not without injuring Tumnus, who cried out in pain as he was dragged before the Queen.

"Do you know why you are here?" she spoke directly at him. He glared up volatilely at her.

"Because I believe in a free Narnia!" he said with defiance. She ignored him. "You're here because he," she pointed her staff at Edmund "—turned you in... for sweeties." Mr. Tumnus's face dropped and his eyes became shallow, all the while he knew not to look upwards. Thea had known this but had not mentioned it, and rightly so. The hope that had seconds ago glimmered in his eyes was completely torn out. If this kid couldn't even resist a sweet from the evil queen, how was there any chance that he and his siblings would restore an entire world!

"Take him..." Jadis smiled and began to walk up the stairs as the Minotaur grabbed him, slung him over his shoulder and left, "Upstairs and ready my sleigh, Edmund misses his family." she laughed.

After Edmund and Tumnus had been taken away Thea fell from the roof, landing on her feet and hiding her daggers. Rushing up the stairs to follow them, she feared for the worst. Upstairs. That was where the stone graveyard was.

"Oh please let me be wrong." Thea panted as she reached the top of the stairs. Her heart was beating out of time and her throat had become dry. There had to be another reason, maybe she needed the Faun to use as bait to make Edmund divulge more about Aslan. She refused to believe that anything would happen to Tumnus. Outright refused. There was a shriek from the other side of the castle and sleigh bells rang as the Witch prepared to make her leave. The big gates opened and Thea could see the sleigh slowly edge out into the distance. All the guards had gone and Thea was the only one left on the higher levels of the castle. She made a detour through the throne room and ran down the perilous stairs into the graveyard. As her foot met the ground from the last step she saw the one sight she had told her self was impossible. Across the other side of the entrance was a stone faun, frozen in a terrible scream.

"No, no, no!" she lost her breath and jumped through the statues to make her way to the stone faun's side. It couldn't be him, no just another faun. But when she looked at the face and the scarf it had wrapped around it, she trembled and fell to her knees in front of it. The solid statue was in fact Mr. Tumnus. She had failed him; she had failed to save him. She tried to stand, to be strong like he said but it was so hard. The look on his face made her crumble every time.

"I'm so sorry. I should have released you and let you run away with me. It wouldn't have mattered if we got caught. At least I could share the same fate as you rather than one of us live while the other is doomed for eternity." she apologised, a single tear running down her now red face.

"What are you doing out of the tower?" a heavy voice suddenly called, Thea turned to see a hideous Goblin hobbling it way over to her. In swiftness she rose and pulled her enchanted dagger from its case and threw it into the air, towards the creature. Before the goblin could react the dagger touched it's heart and it turned to stone. Racing over angrily she pulled the dagger from its place and put it away. She could not help Mr. Tumnus anymore and if she didn't hurry the Queen would come back or more goblins or hags or other evil creatures would come after her.

Pushing the giant doors to the castle open she had her first breath of freedom. Taking a running start and moving her cape out of the way she took flight, never looking back at the hideous place she once called home. No longer 'the ward' of the White Witch. A free, rebellious, title-less inhabitant of Narnia. Free from titles, free from royalty. The sun had begun to rise and if she squinted just hard enough she could make out the same fleeting silhouettes from beforehand making their way across the frozen river.

Authors Note: Okay so I remember what I had to tell you! Thea's outside clothes, the ones that she wearing currently look like snow white's from ONCE UPON A TIME, if you've seen that show. If not google it, they're amazing! Next chapter coming up is called Sly Mr. Fox :)