A/N Well guys there isn't more to say than… on with the show! I only own Rachel and anything unrecognisable. ;D

Chapter Eleven~ The Melting Ice Fortress Part One

I felt myself being roughly carried.

"I think I could break a world record for the amount of times I've fainted. It's isn't funny!" I thought to myself.

It was very late, and I was over the shoulder of one of the Minotaurs, most likely Otmin's. I opened my eyes for a moment and saw a castle made of ice. Although I hadn't heard much about the White Witch, it was pretty obvious that this rapidly melting building was her home. I wouldn't have liked to have seen it when it was in its glory!

I quickly closed my eyes as we got closer and closer to the castle gates. They were large and iron: they looked incredibly strong. The gates opened and I stole a glance of the courtyard. It was full of stone statues of all different shapes and sizes. I felt sick as I saw them. Could they have been real animals? Could they have been… Narnians? The last thing I saw before going into the Witch's house was a faun. He looked as if he was in great pain and in his frozen state, looked like he would forever be silently screaming.

It was freezing in that house! I couldn't feel my toes within minutes of being there. It probably didn't help that I was still in my dress and wedge heeled shoes. I kept my eyes closed and all I could hear was Otmin's heavy footsteps.

"Otmin!"

I froze at the voice that echoed through the throne room.

"By your arrival, I assume that you have the girl?"

"Yes your majesty." Otmin said.

"Good. I have waited a long time to see my old… acquaintance."

There was obviously distain in her voice. But why? What did this cold hearted woman want with me? Otmin answered my question.

"Your majesty, with all due respect, what do you want this girl for? Why didn't you want the other two Daughters of Eve instead?"

"Well Otmin, since you are my general, I will tell you. I have met Aslan before, at the dawn of time. I was awoken by a boy known as Digory Kirke and a girl known as Polly Plummer. That was the first time I came across humans and I automatically hated them. Then, I ate an apple that was forbidden, and it gave me power: to live forever, never to grow old or die. After that I ran away and started planning my conquest of Narnia. I was able to round up an army and over time, it was huge. I was nearing victory but one thing stood in my way: the Guardian of Narnia."

My blood turned old. Could the previous Guardian have been my own mother? The Witch continued.

"It had been many generations since I had eaten the apple and the Guardian had many reincarnations of itself over those years. Those reincarnations increased in power over time, each one more powerful than the last. I finally found her and we started fighting, a one on one duel to the death. We were evenly matched, but she did not want to kill me, only 'right what was wrong in my heart'" The Witch spat. She started laughing humourlessly.

"She thought that she could change me and make me into a better person. What a stupid belief to have! I was close to victory, my dark magic overpowering her silly little attempts to 'help me'. I had her on the ground, about to turn her to stone before she started glowing white. She was lifted into the air and the spirits of the previous Guardians appeared. Her light magic over powered me. It had gotten to the stage were I could no longer look at her because she was so bright. When I looked back, she had disappeared. Then Narnia was mine. However, the Guardian, Aslan and the four other humans were the only things I have feared."

Wait a minute. The White Witch is scared of us?

"That was until I found a portal to the human world and found this girls' mother. I brought her here and well, the rest is history."

The witch killed my mother! My blood boiled with anger.

"However, now that Aslan, the four prophesized children and the Guardian have gathered in one place at the same time, their combined efforts could destroy me! That's why I have a plan to get rid of one of them."

I could tell the Witch was smiling.

"How will you do this your majesty?"

"I won't tell you all of it, but I'll tell you basically what will happen. The girl you're holding will be tortured, I'll turn her into one of my works of art and hold her for ransom. The Great Lion will have to agree with my conditions, otherwise he'll lose two of his beloved humans. Then, I will get rid of Aslan and his army will be distraught! Narnia will be mine once again!"

Two? Who's the other one? Why does she want too turn me into a work of art? Whatever it means, I don't like the sound of it!

"Are you sure that the girl is still unconscious?" the witch asked Otmin.

"Yes your majesty. We hit her on the back of the head with the hammer, just like you told us too."

"Good. Bring her to the dungeons and shackle her. Send news of the capture to Abaxrel."

I felt Otmin bow and leave. He walked for what seemed like an age, until another iron gate. He opened it and carried me for a few more seconds, before putting me roughly down and putting the shackles around my feet. It was much colder in that room, a lot colder than anywhere else I had been. It was also very wet.

I wanted to shiver and curl up in a ball to keep myself warm, but I couldn't afford letting Otmin or the Witch know that I was conscious again. Once he had finished, I heard him go out of the room very quickly.

I opened my eyes slowly, just to make sure that the minotaur or the White Witch wasn't standing there, ready to torture me. Was the Witch really going to do that? Was she really the one who took my mother away from me? Why is she going to make me into a work of art? What did it mean?

I curled up in a ball and saw a poor gryphon lying in the cell next to mine. It was awake and looking at me. I was startled, but the beast looked weak and tired. I found my voice.

"Hello." I greeted the gryphon. It looked at me

"Are you a believer in Aslan?" I asked the gold coloured bird.

It nodded.

"How long have you been here?"

It looked at me.

"I have lost track of time in this desolate place, although I do know that she put me in here a few days before a Son of Adam arrived. In fact, he was kept in the same cell that you are in now."

"Really? What was his name?"

"Edmund Pevensie."

I suddenly felt sick and my throat tightened.

"Why was he in here? Did she take him as well?"

"No. He is the one who betrayed the Narnians and his own family."

A wave of rage washed over me.

"What! Edmund Pevensie would never do something like that! He loves his family, and I couldn't think of a more offending and false accusation of him! Don't lie to me!" I was incredibly angry at the creature now. The gryphon flinched and looked hurt.

"With all due respect to the future king, I do believe that he found his way again."

"What happened?" I said through gritted teeth.

The gryphon explained everything to me, from the first time Lucy arrived in Narnia, to when the Witch took Edmund away with her.

"But why is the Witch back here at her castle then? I thought that she would be at her camp, where her army is." I asked, confusedly.

"I overheard her saying to that lummox of a minotaur, that she had unfinished business to attend to. I assume that you are the unfinished business?" he questioned.

"I suppose I am."

The great bird gasped,

"You're not the Guardian, are you? The long lost daughter of Rosé-Ann Marie?"

"As a matter of fact, I am."

The gryphon dipped its head and swooped his wing down, like he was bowing,

"My father was saved by your mother many moons ago. My family are eternally in your debt."

I smiled at one of the kind deeds my mother had perused whilst she was in Narnia.

"I should have known! You have her eyes and hair. You look a lot like her."

I have always been complimented on these features. Although I had inherited her jet-black hair, hers was straight, not curly. It was probably dad's side of the family.

"Thank you er, what is your name?"

"Iron Feather. Yours?"

"Rachel Elfin. Why are you still here if the Witch isn't? Wouldn't she take her prisoners with her?"

"I do not know, Rachel. I was the only one left

Tell me Iron Feather, what happened to my mother?"

Iron feather's face looked angry.

"The White Witch killed her."

My eyes filled with tears. My mother. My kind, ever smiling, beautiful, caring mother. I covered my mouth and started screaming with rage.

Suddenly, a bright light issued from my chest. It started off as a glowing vapour, but then it took the form of…

"Mum!" My voice echoed through the dungeon.

"Shh!" she hushed, putting a glowing finger to my lips.

I was so overjoyed to see her after three long years.

"I thought the Witch killed you!"

"That maybe the case, but remember, along with all Guardians past, I am always alive in you."

She touched my heart. I could feel tears threatening again, but this time, they weren't out of anger, but happiness instead.

She turned to Iron Feather.

"Ah Ronny, we meet again."

The gryphon laughed.

"I'm all grown up now Rosie, not a little hatchling like I once."

"Don't pretend to be all grown up! You're just entering your teenage years!"

"We did meet one hundred years ago, you do know that?"

"I remember it like yesterday Ronny."

"Whoa, so how long can gryphons live for?" I interrupted.

"We can live for more than a millennia, dear child. Maybe two if we're lucky!"

It all went back to mum.

"The main reason I'm here is to tell you that although the Witch can torture you, hurt you and break you, just remember that it won't last forever. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. You have your ancestors power and love behind you, always."

I smiled at her. Typical mum.

"Mum, you're not going to be here for long are you?"

She shook her head sadly.

"I'm afraid not my little honey bee. But don't worry, I'll always be here for you.."

A loud noise came from the stairs and mum gasped.

"It's Jadis! I have to go! Ronny look after my daughter and Rachel, please be careful."

She kissed my forehead before disappearing, mere seconds before the Witch and Otmin came barging in.

"General, unlock them both."

The lumbering beast took out a key and put it into the small keyhole that was on the iron rings around my feet. I looked over to Ronny and sent him a look. A look that said I-don't-know-what's-going-to-happen-but at-least-we'll-there-together.

When the iron rings around my ankles were unlocked, I rubbed them because the shackles dug into them.

"Get up." The witch commanded.

I reluctantly got to my feet, sending her a glare. She could have been a beautiful woman, but cold, hard features etched her face.

When Otmin got Ronny out of his shackles, he went behind us, whilst the witch lead the way. I gently held onto his wing when we climbed endless staircases. We reached the top of the castle, which was flooded and dripping. It could've been beautiful and majestic; now, it's a gradually decreasing ice sculpture. The ground was uneven and looked dangerous to walk on. I could see the surrounding mountains and forests but I was mainly concerned about what I was standing on and what she was going to do to me. It was incredibly dark out here, but then again, it was nighttime.

She looked at me and smiled. It wasn't a nice, warm grin that you would get from a friend, but a cold, evil one. She walked over to me.

"Now Rachel," she whispered into my ear. I shivered,

"We both know that I'm going to win this war and you can't do anything about it! In fact, you're going to help me, once I toughen you up and silence you."

Then, it started.

A/N Well there you have it! Part One is up! Just so you guys know, this is how my maths works. Writing + updating = Happy readers (I hope!) Reading plus REVIEWING = Happy Rachel. Happy Rachel = More writing time. More writing time = more updates. More updates = Happier readers. So please, give me your thoughts! Thanks! P.S, I'm going to edit my story. Some things will be tweaked but just slightly. Sorry if you get emails about it and there's not a new chapter!

Xx Elemental Angel xX