Chapter 4: The White Witch..... SHIT!
"Edmund," I called, rushing to catch him in the dark woods, "Where are you going?"
He turned to look at me for a moment and stopped, waiting for me. Once I reached him, I had to lean against a tree, in order to catch my breath.
"You OK?" he asked, coming to my side.
"Yeah, I just have a condition where it's harder to breathe," I gasped, "It's called asthma."
"Asthma," he repeated, "I'll remember that. You should go back."
"Where are you going?" I asked again, this time more seriously, "Peter's going to be pissed when he find out."
"Who cares what Peter thinks?" Edmund spat.
"You should care," I spat right back, "He's your older brother. I'd love to have an older brother!"
"Well, I'll trade with you any day," he sighed, continuing on his way.
He was leaving me all alone, in the dark, quiet woods, at night.
"Wait," I cried, trying to run after him, "I'm sorry, Edmund! Please wait! Please, don't leave me...Oomph! ....Alone...."
I had fallen, face down on the snowy hill. I didn't hear the crunching of snow anymore. I thought that Edmund had left me there. I started to sniffle like a baby.
I'd rather die than ever be left alone, again....
I heard a heavy sigh, followed by a surprisingly affectionate chuckle. I heard snowy footstep coming back down the hill towards me. Someone touched my head.
"Come on," Edmund whispered sweetly, "Get up. I won't leave you here. Why don't I carry you?"
I stopped sniffling immediate, sitting up. Edmund was stroking my hair like I was a child, smiling at me. I foolishly began whipping my eyes with my snow covered sleeve, dusting the snow off my bag.
"I doubt you could carry me," I chuckled, practically jumping to my feet in embarrassment, "Everyone makes fat comments, so I wish you luck."
"I don't think you're fat," Edmund said sincerely, "A slightly larger bone structure doesn't make you fat. Besides, I think you would look odd if you were tiny like Susan. You're much prettier like this."
I was glad that the darkness of the woods hid my bright red cheeks.
"Thanks," I muttered, "I don't hear that often...."
"I don't see why people don't tell you that," he shrugged, offering his back, "Now, come on. It won't hurt to try."
I gingerly climbed onto his back, praying that I wouldn't knock him over. My weight barely phased him. He simply adjusted my body, and we were on our way up the hill. Testosterone was definitely kicking in, which meant that growth spurts probably weren't that far off.
"So, where are we going?" I asked, resting my head on Edmund's broad shoulder.
"Well," he stammered, obviously never having been in close contact with any girl besides his sister, "We're going to meet a friend I made."
"I thought Lucy was the only one who's been here before," I yawned, quickly falling asleep with the rocking motion our uphill climb.
"I came the very second time she was here," he explained, his voice somewhat scattered at times, "And I met someone who's very kind. She's wants to take care of everyone, and she'll have something good for us to eat when we get there."
"Oh," I whispered, sleepily, "OK. I guess it's OK, if you trust her..."
"What do you mean?" he asked, readjusting me.
"I mean, it could all be one, big trap...."
Off I fell, into deep peaceful slumber.
"Pipa, wake up... Pipa, come on, we're here."
I opened my eyes, and they were met with an icy statue garden, of some sort. My feet were frozen, but my body was nice and warm. I had Edmund to thank for that. We both seemed to shiver in unison as we separated, feeling the chilling air for the first time.
"Where are we?" I asked.
It wasn't Edmund who answered.
A vicious wolf, which had been hiding as a statue, jumped from his position and knocked Edmund to the ground. The wolf snarled and snapped at his face.
"Edmund," I yelled in alarm, picking up a frozen tree branch, "Let him go!"
"Come any closer and the boy dies," the angry, talking, animal spat.
"Wait, the Queen asked us to come here," Edmund cried nervously, "I'm a Son of Adam!"
The wolf seemed to back off instantly.
"My apologies, Oh Fortunate Favorite of the Queen," he whined, getting off of Edmund, "Or else, not so fortunate...."
"Well, that was ominous," I said, helping Edmund to his feet, "So, where are we?"
"You'll see," he stammered quickly, grabbing my arm to follow the wolf.
"Wait here," the not-so-nice wolf commanded, running off to somewhere else.
I looked around. We seemed to be in some kind of icy throne room. On the throne itself lay a dreadfully real white fur coat. I scowled at it.
"I'm getting really sick of all these fur coats," I muttered, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth.
Edmund simply nodded in reply, seemingly entranced by the throne. He walked up the little stair case towards it and slowly sat in it.
"Ed, get back over here," I half whispered half shouted, "You're going to get us in trouble!"
But, per norm, I was ignored.
As soon as the words left my mouth, a very tall, very gorgeous woman, with icy blonde hair and frozen blue eyes, stepped out from behind the throne. She had this controlling, calculating air about her, a rather high-and-mighty look on her pale face.
"Do you like it?" she asked Edmund, her soft voice nearly seductive.
Edmund blushed deeply and jumped about six feet into the air, practically hopping down the stairs back to my side. When she looked at me, her frozen eyes were no longer fake and soft, but hard and pointed. I returned her unfriendly stare.
"Who are you?" I asked, scanning her and the rugged looking dwarf next to her.
I really had a bad feeling about this woman.
"I am Jadis, the rightful Queen of Narnia," she answered sharply.
I gasped, shooting Edmund a furious glance, and enjoying watching him cringe beneath it.
Jadis turned her eyes back on Edmund.
"What I asked of you was very simple, was it not, Edmund?" she asked him, her voice sickeningly sweet.
Edmund nodded his head sheepishly.
"Is this one of your sisters?"
Edmund shook his head, and Jadis' face turned sharp as a knife.
"Then how dare you come here?" she screamed raising a sharp ended wand and stalking towards us furiously.
"I'm sorry," he cried, moving to protect me, "They wouldn't listen to me! They never...! I just wanted to see you!"
"Edmund, I asked you for one thing, and one thing only-!"
"Don't yell at him," I shouted, turn her vicious attention towards me.
"How dare you!" she screeched, gearing to attack me as I geared to run.
"Wait! I did bring them half way," he scrambled, pulling me back behind him again, "They're at the dam, with the Beavers!"
Everything literally stopped. Jadis seemed frozen as her heart in place. The scruffy dwarf and I exchanged an uneasy glance, silently agreeing that this could end very badly for Edmund.
"Well, then," Jadis quipped in aggravation, turning away from us, "I suppose you're not completely useless."
My stomach growled loudly at me. Edmund looked at me with concern, and I silently prayed that he would just keep his mouth shut. Of coarse he didn't.
"Wait," he called after Jadis, "Could we please get something to eat?"
I smacked him over the back of his head. Jadis turned, gave us a sickeningly fake, motherly look.
"Ginnabrick, our guests are hungry," she smiled, looking at the dwarf.
The little man grew a frightening grin on his face as he walked towards us. Edmund pulled me in front of him as the dwarf circled behind him.
"This way, for your num-nums," he cackled evilly, sticking the end of a knife up against Edmund's back.
I flinched at the sight. The dwarf pointed the knife at me momentarily before sticking it back up against Edmund. I took that as the notice to get going.
"Maugrim," I heard Jadis called ominously, "You know what to do."
Howls rang through the night....
Shit....