And the colder the winter
The warmer the spring
The deeper the sorrow
The more our hearts sing
Even when you can't see it
Inside everything
There is Life...
'There Is Life', Alison Krauss
When l arrived back at the camp at midday it was lively. l smiled and slipped off Alrohar's back, unclasping his bridle and saddle. He tossed his head and wandered away to graze near Philip, the calm chestnut stallion.
Setting down Alrohar's tack by a tent, l moved forward to the crowd, still smiling.
"Everything all right, my Lady?" asked Elaya, an elegant leafy tree nymph, floating next to me.
"It's Arneia to you, Elaya," l replied vaguely. "And yes, I just haven't seen so much happiness in such a long time. Is that strange?"
"Of course not, Arneia," Elaya said gently. "I agree. Come and join us."
"I will, but I need to see Aslan first," l agreed, nodding.
l left Elaya and moved forward into the crowd. Work was over for the day, everyone was eating and talking happily. Some of the fauns were playing their pipes cheerfully.
"My lady, did you see them?" a voice called. l glanced around at Kyrin the griffin.
"Perhaps," l replied teasingly, laughing as some of the Narnians moaned.
"You did, what are they like?" Kyrin called back excitedly. Other Narnians turned to listen in anticipation.
"Let me talk to Aslan first," l laughed. "Then maybe I'll tell you!" Kyrin gave me a mock glare as l continued past him towards Aslan's tent.
The lion stood outside it, watching me carefully, his tail flicking lazily back and forth.
"Well," he asked.
"They're safe, or three of them are," l replied, watching Aslan frown.
"Three?"
"The fourth, the boy who met the witch, was not there. I should have questioned but I did not."
Aslan shook his head. "We will find out eventually. They are with the Beavers?"
"Yes. The oldest is Peter, then Susan, the youngest girl is Lucy," l explained. "All three safe, and now protected. You know about their gifts, I suppose?"
"I do. All right, thank you," Aslan nodded. "Go on, go enjoy lunch."
l smiled, knowing he would not join us.
Later that afternoon, l stood atop the hill, surveying the camp below with a smile on my face. My long hair rippled in the breeze, loose strands whipping about my face. Despite the inevitable dark days that l knew lay ahead, l felt inexplicably happy as my family came together. My father, my people and my monarchs were close to the camp now.
l heard pawsteps break into my thoughts behind me and looked around. Aslan padded up to stand at my side.
"What is it?" l asked.
"I want you to do something for me," the great lion replied. "I want you to take Alrohar and ride out and see where they are."
"You're worried, aren't you," l said.
"I want to know how close they are now," Aslan told me firmly. "But yes. I am worried. The Witch undoubtedly knows now and I had hoped they would be here by now."
"How can she know?" l asked. "I mean, she clearly knows about one brother, but all three? Unless he told her. Or they were seen?"
"Possibly, I'm not sure. But I don't think everything is going as smoothly as we had hoped. You said you only saw three?"
"Yes."
"So where is the fourth, and what does the witch know?"
"You suspect a connection," l said knowingly. l knew her adoptive father well.
"Perhaps. That's why I want you to check."
"I should have asked Beaver before, it was stupid not to," l muttered, angry with myself for not realising at the time. l should have been more alert.
"No you did your task," Aslan cut across firmly. "See how close they are, check they're safe and return."
l nodded her head, gave a call, and within moments, Alroharhad cantered up the hill. l swiftly checked my sword, pulled my hood low over my face and leapt astride the stallion. There was no need for tack as l twisted my fingers in his mane and nudged him away.
l met the river and saw that one again it was flowing. Winter was reaching out even further. Within sudden shock, l realised that if the river melted, the king and queens would find it harder to cross.
"Come on Alro," l urged the stallion, using my toes to direct him up the bank at a canter, following the stream backwards towards the still frozen waterfall. What l saw suddenly made my blood go cold as Alro skidded to a halt.
Peter was standing in the middle of the frozen river in the shadow of the fall, Susan and Lucy gripping his strange beaver-like coat, watching the ice breaking away closer and closer. Peter's sword was drawn and the blade tip pointed directly in the direction of a great shaggy grey wolf. l would have recognised Maugrim anywhere, after the Witch l hated him more than any other enemy l possessed. A smaller wolf behind Maugrim had Beaver by the throat, his wife was behind Susan.
"Don't worry about me! Run him through!" Beaver yelled and the wolf tightened his jaws, shaking him slightly.
"Leave now while you can, and your brother leaves with you," Maugrim growled menacingly, taking another paw step towards Peter.
"Stop Peter, maybe we should listen to him!" Susan yelled and l cursed. Whatever happened, they could not listen to Maugrim!
Maugrim didn't seem to agree with me. He chuckled. "Smart girl."
l gritted her teeth and kicked Alrohar forward. My hood fell back, her blonde hair flying loose, but I didn't care. I had to stop them from falling to Maugrim.
"Don't listen to him, kill him! Kill him now!" Beaver yelled, as l drew my swords. Despite the movement of the horse, l slammed and clipped them together above my head before dropping it into my right hand, my left going back to Alrohars mane to pull him up. Alrohar, sensing a wolf nearing his front hooves, rose into a rear, pawing the air with his forehooves.
"Peter, run him through!" l screamed. Everyone looked around at me in shock.
"Swordmaiden," Maugrim snarled in surprise and anger. He span back around to Peter. I had surprised him, I knew, as Alrohar dropped to the ground, snorting. He only had limited time now.
"Come on, this isn't your war," he snarled. "All my queen wants is for your to take your family and go."
"Drop the lies, Maugrim, you're fooling no one," I shouted, as Alrohar danced on his hooves, arching his neck fiercely.
"Look, just because some man in a red suit hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Susan yelled at Peter. "So just drop it!
"No Peter! Narnia needs ya!" Beaver shouted back. "Gut him while you still have a chance!"
"Peter, now!" l called, fingering my blade hilt anxiously. The wolves had backed away from me nervously, and Alrohar was still skipping from hoof to hoof.
"What's it gonna be Son of Adam?" Maugrim asked. "I won't wait forever. And neither will the river."
"The river!" l realised in horror. Aslan had told me to go straight back but l could not ignore this. Yet there was nothing l could do. l knew the ice would not bear my weight as well and Beaver's life was at stake.
"PETER!" Lucy screamed, looking up at the ice sheets above them. They were cracking!
"Hold onto me!" Peter yelled. What was he going to do? l watched in mingled surprise, awe and horror as Peter thrust his sword deep into the ice at his feet. The waterfall gave way.
Ignoring yelping wolves, l kept my eyes fixed on the block of ice where the three siblings crouched, gripping each other. Until the ice went under!
l cantered Alrohar along the riverbank, unsure of where they were. l could not lose them now! If that happened Narnia's hope was lost for good.
And then a sword hilt broke the surface, a hand, Peter's bowed head. They were still clinging on. l breathed a sigh as saw the beavers guiding the ice towards my side of the shore.
But as l watched l saw Lucy slipping backwards as Peter gripped her fur cloak. She fell out of it into the water!
l span Alrohar around, knowing he would not thank me later for what l was going to do. Kicking him on, he leapt, snorting, into the water, and for a moment we were under. l clung to Alrohar's mane, fighting to hold my breath.
And then l felt my head break the surface as Alro paddled with his hooves to keep some restraint against the current.
Seeing Lucy's arm nearby, l made a grab for it, pulling the small girl onto the horse.
"Alright, Alro!" l yelled to the horse over the noise of the water, who began paddling for shore. Looking back over my shoulder l saw Susan and Peter climbing off the ice, Peter pulling his sword from the thick ice.
Reaching the shore, Alrohar scrabbled for a moment, before finding a slight dip in the bank. He pulled himself out and snorted again in discomfort. l smiled briefly, hearing Susan yell behind me.
"What have you done? Lucy! Lucy! "
l slipped off Alrohar, and helped Lucy down. Lucy smiled up gratefully, her teeth chattering as Alrohar vigorously shook himself, casting an annoyed eye over me.
"Come on," l beckoned and we made our way up the bank towards Peter and Susan, who had not yet spotted us.
"Has anyone seen my coat?" Lucy asked as we neared them. Susan and Peter swung around in shock and relief. Peter swung Lucy's soaked coat around her while l wrung out my hair in relief. They were all safe.
"Your brother has you well looked after," Beaver grinned.
"And I don't think you'll be needing those coats any more!" Mrs Beaver smiled, looking behind her. Blossom was sprouting, the grass thickening.
Peter looked back around at me. "Thank you."
l smiled. "It's nothing. And that was a brilliant idea of yours with ice."
Peter grinned, fingering the hilt of his sword.
"Wait, who are you exactly?" Susan asked.
"This," Beaver said proudly, "is the High Lady Arneia, Daughter of Aslan and Swordmaiden of Narnia!"
l laughed. "For want of the full title! But call me Arneia, please!"
"But you're just a kid like us!" Peter gaped. "You led the Narnians for a hundred years?"
l nodded, not sure l wanted to explain now. l wanted them out of here before more wolves showed up.
"But we can't stay here, you have to move out. The camp isn't far now, just a few hills. I must go ahead but I'll see you when you get there."
l hoisted herself back up onto Alrohar, patting his neck. He snorted and shook his neck vigourously. l gave a last smile to them and nudged the stallion away, cantering through the trees and over the crest of the hill. l smiled to myself as the wind played with my wet hair. l felt the Narnians were in good hands!
