Disclaimer: As usual, anything you recognise, I don't own.

Summary: See previous chapters.

Dedicated to all the victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami disaster, and their families and friends. A friend of mine was in Sri Lanka visiting her family, so please add her to your prayers for a safe return.


Chapter Nine

I have gathered all my forces and now await Aslan at the Stone Table. I am drunk with impending victory, and have tossed all of my cares and precautions to the wind. I should know better, but I am beyond caring.

Finally, I see him approach. For a moment, I think I catch a brief glimpse of the two Daughters of Eve, but I dismiss the matter from my mind.

Instead, I laugh, hearing my servants laugh behind me. I cry to all; both Aslan and my people. "The fool! The fool has come!"

Aslan only stands there, a look of sorrow in his large, dark eyes.

I call to a few of my hags. "Bind him fast."

They hesitate. Even in surrender and submission, Aslan has an imposing presence. Even so, I am getting annoyed at the delay. "Bind him, I say! Bind him."

They obey and drag the wretched lion forward. It is not enough. I want Aslan to be humiliated. I want his pride shattered into a thousand pieces. "Now, let him first… Be shaved!"

This time it is my Minyatur who comes forward to obey my command. I relish in the jeers and taunts that come from my army as the Minyatur steps back from his task.

"Why, it's only a great cat!"

"Is that what we were afraid of?"

They taunt to hide their fear, I know, but still I revel in the laughter. Despite his calm outward appearance, I can see into Aslan's eyes. I look deep, and I see shame, humiliation.

But it is not enough. "Muzzle him!"

I watch with glee as my people obey.

Whilst it is unattractive to gloat, no one here will complain about it, for even the dullest of my minions are not that stupid, so I plan to indulge myself. Besides, great speeches are always expected on fields of victory, and I do not wish to disappoint. I plan to enjoy this. "And now, who has won? Fool! Did you think that by all this you could save the human traitor? As agreed in our pact, I will kill you instead of him, so that the Deep Magic from the dawn of time will be appeased. But, when you are dead, what is to stop me from killing him too? You have given me Narnia, forever!"

There is laughter from my people, but in this moment I am aware of the existence of only two beings: Aslan and myself. I raise the knife. "You have lost your own life, and you have not saved his. In that knowledge, Aslan, despair and DIE!"

I drive the knife down, closing those fathomless eyes forever. I feel the blood spill as the blade enters Aslan's heart; blood that stains the Stone Table. Drums, which had been beating throughout the night, are silent.

I am drunk with victory as I cry to my followers. "Now, follow me all! Let us settle this war, and crush the human vermin and the traitors! Now that the great fool, the cat, lies dead, the whole of Narnia is mine!"

The children of Charn have always loved sports and games. I am the last, with none to compete against, but that does not mean I have allowed my skills to wane. I begin to run, allowing myself to imagine that I race against my Sorcha. I run to where I know the rest of Aslan's people are. They will die, and my victory will be complete!

Now, to War!


Blast and Damnation! Aslan must have warned the Son of Adam about what I might do beforehand. I curse myself for not thinking of this.

Peter has set up scouts, and has armed his people for battle.

I swear under my breath and glare at my dwarf. "We should have gotten here sooner, and attacked by night."

My dwarf is looking at the scene below. "They expect to be attacked in broad daylight. We'll catch them unprepared."

This may be true; it is scarce past dawn. Still, I do not wish to give them the time. I smile. "Form the battle lines. And keep all silent."

My dwarf turns to me. "There may not be many as could keep silent."

If anyone ruins my plans now… I give him my most frigid glare. "They will stay silent or…"

I aim my wand at a random member of my army. Like so many before him, he becomes a stone statue. I trust I have proven my point?

I have, and there is not a sound from my army as they move into position. Despite this, some of the scouts that the Son of Adam posted see us, and set up a warning.

Well, that certainly defeats the purpose of silence. I let out a furious battle-scream in the long forgotten tongue of Charn. We charge.

Hmmm. The Sons of Adam are not all that bad with their weapons. They could certainly do with better instruction, but their ability is fairly good, fueled by necessity and desperation. If developed, they could be dangerous.

If One has an advantage, One should use it as early and as often as possible. I begin turning people to stone, the power coursing through my veins.

Just as I raise my wand for the Nth time, there is a fountain of sparks, and my wand is shorn into two pieces.

In a fury, I turn to see that wretched brat, Edmund, holding a sword and looking pleased with himself.

He may have destroyed my wand's power, but I am still holding the sharp lower half. It no longer channels my magical power, but it will find no resistance in soft, human flesh. He must have realised this from my face, because he pales a second before I drive the remnants of the wand into his abdomen, watching as he falls to the ground, blood staining his clothing.

Nearby, his brother sees, and begins to run towards me. He is likely to loose his head and do something stupid, but even so, I do not wish to be in the same immediate area as him. People are always at their most dangerous when they are mad with grief. Take me for example: I destroyed an entire world!

The boy kneels beside his fallen sibling, then stands up to follow me, a look of vengeance upon his face.

I am at the top of the ridge when I hear someone call for the boy, Peter, to stand back. I know that voice! I freeze where I am standing.

I know that voice, but it is impossible! Aslan is dead! I held the knife that pierced his heart.

Even if it had not, the blood loss would have killed him or at the very least, made him too weak to stand.

Now I remember the strange note in Aslan's voice as we discussed our bargain. I need to pay more attention when my instincts tell me that I am on the verge of being tricked.

Aslan is roaring, and the ridge trembles beneath my feet. I wobble slightly, trying to keep my balance. The cliff shakes harder, and I fall.


Pain flares briefly as my body is dashed upon the rocks, driving my life out. But as my spirit rises from my body, I behold an amazing, and very welcome, sight.

My son-in-law, Brand, stands with his arms around my beloved Sorcha, who holds a small child in her arms.

Sorcha's child, my granddaughter, is passed to her father as Sorcha holds out her arms, welcoming me.

Wonder of wonders! Another young girl stands beside them. She looks so much like me, though not more than ten years old, and with her fathers midnight blue eyes. Do the dead somehow age? Or do they appear as they wish? I cannot imagine a ninety year old woman wishing to stay old and wrinkled forever.

But that is beside the point. I see the afterlife, and it no longer frightens me, for I will be with those I loved. I fly into the embrace, holding both of my treasured daughter tight.

When Sorcha died, I could not cry. When I triumphed over my sister, I would not allow myself to mourn the loss of my only remaining family. Now, finally, I find myself able to grieve for all that was lost. I weep, pouring out all the pain and loneliness that I had both inflicted and suffered safe within the sanctuary of my beloved daughter's arms.

A light begins to shine in the distance. My daughters take my hand and lead me forward with a reassuring smile.

I follow them. Into Death.

Into Peace.

THE END

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A/N - Finally, 'A Reason For Everything' is finished!

Now, to thank my reviewers.

Erin – Thank you so much for your continuous support!

Skylight Oracle – That has got to be one of my most enthusiastic reviews ever. Thanks.

DarkSpyroIke – Thanks for all your positive reviews, and not just in 'A Reason For Everything'. Also, thanks for inspiring me to do the Winter Spell chapter.

Starlit Jewel – Yes, that was basically what gave me the idea and why I wrote the story in the first place. Glad to see that someone else agrees with me.

Misha – Thanks to you as well.

Hikaru – Very weird. But hey, we write fanfiction. That makes us all weird. (My sister's words) Mind dropping a review about what you think about the others

Sira Morgan – Thanks. Doing my best.

Catherine – Define good? No mischief makes life boring. Will do.

Grimm Sister – Thanks for your review. Constructive criticism always helps.

Laer Lalaith – Really? Your favourite C. S. Lewis fic? I'm very flattered.

TrisakAminawn – For chapter Six review: No, she isn't. This chapter made that kind of obvious.
For chapter Eight review: Thanks, personally I quite like Jadis's comments too. The weather is changeable; sunny, rainy, cloudy. Mostly it is sunny and hot; at least in this part of NSW.

For chapter Six review: No, she isn't. This chapter made that kind of obvious.For chapter Eight review: Thanks, personally I quite like Jadis's comments too. The weather is changeable; sunny, rainy, cloudy. Mostly it is sunny and hot; at least in this part of NSW.

Laer2572 – Thanks as always for your reviews. I'm basking in all the praise.

Thress7014 – I'm always glad to hear people's opinion, but please, leave God and the Bible out of this. No offence to anyone, Christian or otherwise, but I believe in the power of Choice, and that everyone is responsible for their own destiny.

Thanks, Nathalia.

– Thank you so much for your continuous support! – That has got to be one of my most enthusiastic reviews ever. Thanks.Thanks for all your positive reviews, and not just in 'A Reason For Everything'. Also, thanks for inspiring me to do the Winter Spell chapter.Yes, that was basically what gave me the idea and why I wrote the story in the first place. Glad to see that someone else agrees with me.Thanks to you as well.Very weird. But hey, we write fanfiction. That makes us all weird. (My sister's words) Mind dropping a review about what you think about the others Thanks. Doing my best.Define good? No mischief makes life boring. Will do.Thanks for your review. Constructive criticism always helps.Really? Your favourite C. S. Lewis fic? I'm very flattered.For chapter Six review: No, she isn't. This chapter made that kind of obvious.For chapter Eight review: Thanks, personally I quite like Jadis's comments too. The weather is changeable; sunny, rainy, cloudy. Mostly it is sunny and hot; at least in this part of NSW.Thanks as always for your reviews. I'm basking in all the praise.I'm always glad to hear people's opinion, but please, leave God and the Bible out of this. No offence to anyone, Christian or otherwise, but I believe in the power of Choice, and that everyone is responsible for their own destiny.