Well here we go. Things is getting interesting, but Susan deserved an insult to her intelligence she was just being smart... Enjoy ~nikki
"Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter asked.
"They'll have taken him to the Witch. You know what they say," Beaver said.
"There's few that go through those gates that actually come out again," I finished for him, even though my heart wrenched at the thought.
Lucy, Peter and Susan were sitting around the beaver's table whilst I huddled into one of the corners with my hot drink. Edmund was standing opposite me and I was keeping my eyes on him…
"Fish'n'Chips?" Mrs Beaver asked, trying to break the tension. I held up my hand to show I wasn't hungry anymore. I'd already had two helpings.
"But there is hope, you two. Lots of hope," I scoffed. Hope was an understatement here I was having fish and chips with my prophesised kings and queens how much more hope do you need!
Beaver seemed to have the same thoughts as me as he choked on his drink in a hurry to answer. "Oh, yeah, there's a right bit more than hope!"
"You're right there!" I chorused, "Aslan is on the move."
The Pevensie's looked at me then back at Beaver probably thinking he had a better explanation which he more than likely did – he always had a better way with words. I tended to be a bit blunt.
Edmund stood up from where he was sitting and made his way to the table. "Who's Aslan?" he asked.
I choked on my drink as I remembered that they didn't know what Beaver thought they knew and he didn't know that they didn't know what he thought they knew (Did you get that?)
Beaver chortled and I made a sign of cutting my neck trying to get him to stop and explain. "Who's Aslan?" he continued, laughing. "You cheeky little blighter!" It wasn't until Mrs Beaver pointed my terrible acting out that he got the idea. "You don't know do you?"
I sighed. Finally!
"We haven't exactly been here long," Peter stated, and he was right but even I forgot in all the excitement that they were new.
"Well, he's only the King of the Whole Wood," Beaver explained. I actually hoped this would drum some sense into Ed's thick skull. "The top geezer," Beaver continued, "The real King of Narnia."
I got up and moved closer to the table I was interested about how Beaver would explain all this. "He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver said.
"But he's just got back!" Beaver continued excitedly, "and he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!"
Uh oh. And here I thought he'd gotten the idea.
"He's waiting for us?" Lucy asked, with a furrowed brow.
"You're bloomin' joking!" Beaver yelled. "They don't even know about the prophecy! Look. Aslan's return, Tumnus's arrest, the Secret Police. It's all happening because of you!" he continued, obviously getting frustrated now.
"You're blaming us?" Susan asked, obviously hurt by our non-accusing statements.
"No! Not blaming. Thanking you," Mrs. Beaver explained.
Unfortunately the siblings looked more confused than ever so I decided to take it from there. "There's a prophecy," I began as they all turned to face me. "When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne the evil time will be over and done."
"You know, that doesn't rhyme," Susan said.
I laid my head against the nearest wall she missed that point completely. "I know it doesn't," I said. "At least I know you missed that point"
She looked hurt as I'd just insulted her intelligence but Lucy had a small smile on her face. I reached round my head and pulled my ponytail free strands of milk chocolate and honey floated around my eyes.
"It has long been foretold," I continued, a bit more content now that they couldn't see the frustration growing on my face. "That two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia," I finished, as I brushed my hair from my eyes and gave them a look I knew they wouldn't mistake.
Which they didn't! (Thank Aslan!) Susan and Peter turned and looked at each other confusion written all over their faces until they got it.
"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asked. I clapped, Mrs. Beaver nodded eagerly and Mr. Beaver stood up to deliver the final piece of news.
"You'd better be, cos Aslan's already fitted out your army."
"Our army?" Lucy said looking at me to which I replied with a nod and her eyes widened.
"Mum sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war," Susan reminded Peter and I knew we had lost.
If Peter was anything like I thought he was then he would take them right back to where they came if that kept them safe from the war in their world rather than drag his siblings into one that wasn't even theirs to start with.
"I think you've made a mistake!" Yeah, well who didn't see that coming. "We're not heroes," he continued.
"We're from Finchley," Susan added, as though it was a decent excuse. The truth plain and simple was they were abandoning us.
"Thank you for your hospitality and protection but we really have to go." Susan stood up and I didn't try to stop her I think I'd finally stopped caring. We'd just lost our best hope.
"No, you can't just leave!" Beaver exclaimed desperately.
"He's right. We have to help Mr. Tumnus," Lucy stated, but I could tell by Peter and Susan's faces they weren't having any of that.
"It's out of our hands," Peter insisted. "I'm sorry."
"Beaver, if they want to go just let them," I sighed, exasperated and close to tears. "We'll just have to think of something else."
"But, Rose…" I buried my face in my hands. So much for the great prophecy.
"I really am," Peter continued knowing he was talking to me, I proceeded to ignore him. "But it's time the four of us were getting home. Ed?"
"Ed?" the anxiety in his voice caused me to look up but Edmund wasn't there. How did I miss it? He was working for her? No he wouldn't. I stood up abruptly, knocking over the chair I had slumped in.
"I'm gonna kill him," Peter exclaimed.
"You might not need to," I lamented. Peter gave me a hard stare and my eyes flicked from the floorboards to him. "The last time…" I trailed off. Closing my eyes thinking back "Jadis…" I muttered my grey eyes burst open, "The Mountains!"