Part Two: Chapter Thirteen: Day Six
Six days had pass since Jadis had destroyed the House of Caspian and it had been six days since she had rebuilt her ice castle atop those ruins. In that time much had happened. She had tasked Lord Glozelle with contacting outlying Telmarine settlements. He had a lot of sway within the West and had seen some of the other Lords flee into the Western Woods when Castle Caspian was destroyed. They would make loyal allies. If not, at least they knew who to strike down first. But every day, as the sun would set, Jadis would retreat to the Northern Towers that extended above the rest of the palace. No one bothered her for fear of what she might do to them. Some people even swore that in the dead of night if you listened carefully crying could be heard. But that was only a rumour.
As for the Narnians inside Aslan's How, much had occurred for them. Edmund and Caspian were pretty much inseparable. They sat during meals in the furthest corner of the How discussing secret plans and ensured that no prying ears knew of their mission. They still were stumped on how exactly they were going to take out Jadis, they had no idea the full extent of her power. So instead of worrying about the details once they were within her ranks, they began to create a new language so that they couldn't get caught. Little gestures and hand signals that when performed could mean a range of things; Meeting points, battle strategies, immediate escape. Edmund had even thought it funny to create a symbol for when they needed to go to the bathroom.
But for all the boys' wit, they had not entirely mastered the art of secrecy. In the middle of the third day Lucy had found herself struck with an incurable boredom. She tried everything to boost her spirits, but the threat of war on the horizon crept back in any time she felt safe. Narnia, this time round, wasn't the most adventurous. So she weaved in and out of the How's corridors. She even hoped to get lost then have to search her way out. She went so deep until that very thing happened. She wasn't frightened, it definitely pushed her boredom to the back of her mind. She tried to remember how she had got in here, tracing her steps. She did this for about half an hour almost ready to give up and call for help. But instead, when she turned a dark corner she could hear the faintest whispering. The voices sounded familiar. One belonging to her brother Edmund and another with a thick accent – Caspian! She went to walk in their direction when she caught onto the end of their conversation.
"So I think we need to be prepared for anything if we join the White Witch." Edmund stated.
"You think she'll make us prove our loyalty?" Caspian asked.
"Probably." Edmund replied, "Last time though she asked me for information. Maybe she'll do the same this time round."
Lucy couldn't believe her ears! Her brother and Prince Caspian were talking about following Jadis the White Witch! Lucy turned on her heel and ran, she didn't care that it might have been back into the depths of the How. With another ten minutes passing and adrenaline pumping through her veins she finally made her way back to the main hall to see Peter and Susan talking with some troops. She ran straight up to them with the strange news.
"We'll keep an eye on them." Susan dropped her voice, after Lucy's confession.
"Don't worry Lu." Peter consoled, "I'm sure it's nothing."
Things between Peter and Caspian since then had not been chummy. There was a brisk tension between the two. Whenever they passed in a hallway their eyes would drop. They barely brought a conversation up with one another unless it was Peter talking about the oncoming Telmarine attack. It all came to a point around lunch on the sixth day.
"Attention!" Peter commanded as the Narnians packed away their swords and shields from training, "Gather everyone near the entrance. We need to make an address."
When everyone was assembled Peter and Susan, with Glenstorm behind, began to speak.
"Tomorrow the Telmarines will be upon us." Susan stated. The crowd erupted into chatter. Arriving late, Caspian and Edmund pushed through the crowd with Lucy in tow unsure of what the talk was about.
"Quiet!" Glenstorm bellowed. The crowd simmered to silence.
"There have been many rumours about the presence of the Witch Witch in Narnia again. Some of them are true." Peter started, "She did promise us safety from the Telmarines. The power to decimate them. But in return we must forfeit our rights as Narnians. With her rule, we would see Narnia thrown back into an eternal winter."
Edmund and Caspian looked between one another, Edmund raised a brow. Caspian coyly nodded back, it was an opportunity to sell their story.
"She did not say any such thing." Caspian retorted. Peter fell silent and all eyes fell onto Caspian, "She never said anything about forfeiting out rights. All she promised was the strike down our enemies."
"She didn't have to." Susan cut Caspian off before he could say more.
"Of course forfeit is what she wants. She thrives off deception. Any help she lends will make us indebted to her. I will fight the White Witch till my dying breath than see her destroy Narnia." Peter declared, slowly walking towards Caspian.
"But your lot let Telmarines destroy it instead." Nikabrik mumbled, "Defenders of Narnia my ass."
"I don't want to hear anymore." Peter shouted coarsely. He'd never raised his voice in the same way, "Come tomorrow morning you stand with us or you can stand in the cells. Whether we are affronted by magic or by swords, we will not give in. This meeting is dismissed."
Caspian grumbled, rolling his eyes. From the corner of his glance he could see Edmund give him a re-affirming nod. If they wanted to plant seeds of belief that they would defer, they'd done a good job. Or at least Caspian had.
"Caspian!" Peter called from across the room as he ushered people back to their posts. Caspian looked in his direction and with a stern hand wave from Peter, he was beckoned by the High Kings side. He obliged but made a point of dragging his feet along.
"What was that?" Peter lowered his voice, but the fury was still present. Caspian shrugged and half-assed a smirk.
"If you have issues with the way things are run around here, bring them to me. Don't air them in front of the entire army." Peter continued.
"I don't like to keep secrets from the people I protect." Caspian shot back.
"It's not secrets. It's just not information they need to know." Peter tried to explain, ushering the last of the people out, "You think I don't know there are people in here who are ready to run to the Witch at the first sign of danger."
"I was referring to the part about the hundreds of slaughtered Telmarines." Caspian let his own voice rise, "You never let your army know about the innocents that were lost."
"They don't care about Telmarine soldiers–."
"I'm not talking about the soldiers, Peter." Again Caspians voice rose, "I'm talking about the people. You forget I too am Telmarine. They are the ones who I vowed to protect. There are families out there broken, homeless–."
"Miraz's pride brought that on them." Peter contested.
"And I hate that he walks free. I hate him more than all of them combined. I discovered he was the man that murdered my father, but that doesn't mean my people should suffer for his crimes."
"I am sorry about your father, but what do you suggest we do?" Peter threw his hands up in the air, "Go out and speak to Miraz as an old friend when he attacks tomorrow?"
"We get a message out. That any man, women or child who seeks refuge will be offered it at Aslan's How. That I, Caspian the Tenth will ensure their safety." Caspian declared. Peter stood back and paused momentarily. His eyes searched Caspian's face looking for some kind of break in his composure. But Caspian was strong to his word.
"I'll get the ravens on it." Peter nodded.
"Thank you." Caspian replied and left the room, down to the deeper chambers of the How to report to Edmund.
They had a spot in between the center of the How and the winding corridors that sprung from it, in a crevice you'd have to be searching for to find. But before Caspian could reach his destination his eyes caught the wall etchings before him. He'd passed many old drawings since arriving here, but most were ill-preserved and barely visible. This one however, was not. He knew what it was almost instantaneous, the old prophecy the Pevensie's had brought to light. The two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve arriving to Narnia to end the Long Winter and end the White Witch's reign. Right beside them was another drawing, slightly larger than the children and the image of the Witch. It was Aslan the Lion. Caspian reached out and let his fingers brush against the paint, his brows furrowed.
"Ain't no Aslan coming to save us now." A tiny voice crept up behind him. Caspian turned with fright to find Nikabrik casually leaning against the adjacent wall.
"What? Did I scare you?" the dwarf chuckled.
"No." Caspian shook, "I just wasn't expecting company this deep in the tunnels."
"I suppose not." Nikabrik let a sneaky smile tug on his lips.
"Why are you lurking around down here?" Caspian tilted his head, one eyebrow raised inquisitively.
"I was following you, actually."
"Really." Caspian folded his arms, "And why was that? Peter sent you to spy on me."
"No, but we do have Peter and his siblings to discuss." Nikabrik replied.
"Go on…"
"Your army's half dead and the rest of them will be soon enough."
"Would you like a congratulations?" Caspian rolled his eyes and went to walk off.
"You want your uncle dead. Well so do we." Nikabrik lowered his voice. Caspian stopped in his place, "You tried one ancient power and it wasn't strong enough. But there is a power even stronger, one that kept even Aslan at bay for 100 years."
"You talk of the Witch." Caspian finished.
"I do, and I sense in your heart you have thought about her too." Nikabrik's enthusiasm rose.
"What do you want then?"
"There is a growing number of us, inside the How. Come tomorrow at dawn we will call the Witch by her true name and restore Narnia to its former glory. We make Miraz pay." Nikabrik smiled evilly, "You can run off to King Peter and tattle. Or you can join us and take a seat at her table. Either way, she's coming."
Caspian didn't respond for a good amount of time. His brain was trying to process the conversation he had just had. Maybe he was naïve, but he didn't realise there were others inside that wanted to get in good with the White Witch; albeit for reasons different than his own. But people nonetheless. This might just be the icing on the cake. From his public argument with Peter and now the chance to get favour from her new followers, the plan was practically organised.
"I'm in." his words came out slowly, the power of them emanated throughout his body. A deal had been struck.
"Then meet us just before dawn at the entrance. It goes without saying, don't get caught. The Witch isn't going to wait for stragglers." And then Nikabrik slunk back into the shadows and left Caspian to his own business.
Caspian did not see Edmund until dinner that eve. As usual the two sat mumbling in the corner. Lucy couldn't help but be curious after what she thought she heard earlier. She had convinced herself she must have heard wrong. There was no way that Edmund and Caspian were about to run off to Jadis… were they?
"Nikabrik came to me." Caspian lowered his voice, playing with the food on his plate, "We leave just before sunrise."
"Do you think people will believe it?" Edmund pondered.
"At this point it's difficult to tell. But I think once we're with her any doubts will be brushed aside." Caspian picked up a carrot in his fingers and plopped it in his mouth.
"Do you think my siblings will be alright?" Edmund bantered on. Caspian glanced sideways to catch Lucy staring them down. She quickly looked away when caught.
"They'll manage just fine without us." Caspian nodded, focusing his stare at Cornelius who sat with the dwarves across the room, "And when the time is right, they'll know the truth."
xxxx
Edmund couldn't sleep. Any time his eyes shut he would fall into a strange and troubling nightmare. Swirls of lightning, ice as sharp as daggers and a fur cloaked figure in a throne room. Maybe he was having second thoughts about the plan Caspian and himself had concocted. There was so much at risk and if for one second Jadis didn't believe them then Edmund and Caspian would be dead and Thea would be trapped inside her own body for eternity. Edmund, couldn't have that on him. No, this plan would work and he had to commit to it to make it happen. Edmund was not one to leave a friend behind.
So far everything was straight forward. They would meet the others at the entrance and call the Witch's true name. She would come and take them back to join her ranks. It wasn't a far stretch of imagination to think she might test the boys on their loyalty. Caspian and Edmund had already discussed the possibilities and had corresponding plans for each. However, Edmund did worry how far he would be pushed. From there it was anyone's guess. Edmund knew he had to prove his theory with the sunrise and somehow felt it was the key to breaking whatever the magic at work was.
In a distant corridor, Nikabrik along with two other dwarves, a wolf and a rather ugly hag, made their way to the exit. It was time. Edmund quietly rose from his sheets and gently gathered his belongings, careful not to wake his siblings who slept around him. Wasn't he thankful that he was the only light sleeper in the family! He slipped into his boots, attached his sword belt to his hip and left. Edmund had been almost right in thinking that his siblings were asleep. But like Edmund, Susan hadn't shut one eye. After Lucy told Susan and Peter about what she heard Edmund planning, Susan had to be wary. She had prayed that it was nothing, but after hearing Edmund sneak away her heart sunk. She rolled over to Peter and shook him with vigour.
"Peter!" she whispered harshly. He groaned and rolled to face her.
"What's going on?" he grumbled.
"It's Edmund." She confessed, "I think it's happening. Tonight."
Edmund made his way to the main hallway, the patter of feet coming in his direction. A torch stick glowed in the hands of Caspian who had made his way up from a separate part of the How.
"I can't believe this is actually happening." Edmund muttered.
"You scared?" Caspian asked softly.
"Unbelievably." Edmund nodded.
"Me too." Caspian replied with a small smile.
Together they walked cautiously but quickly to the front of the How. They were away from sleeping quarters but guards roamed the hallways and had been charged with keeping everyone inside, especially this morning.
Bang! A loud sound rose from the entrance, then another. Feet shuffled, people groaned and the sound of weapons clashing filled their ears. Gripping their own swords they raced out of the corridor to find Nikabrik, the werewolf, the hag and an array of other dark creatures fighting the centaurs and fauns on guard.
"Break for the field!" Nikabrik shouted when he laid eyes on Caspian and then they jutted to Edmund, "It's a trap!"
The creatures dispatched of the guards and made a break away from the Prince and King.
"Wait!" Caspian shouted and ran after the dwarf. Nikabrik reluctantly halted in the archway.
"The Witch is coming and you can't stop it!" he hissed at both.
"You don't understand." Caspian shook his head, "He's not here to stop anything. He's here to come with me."
"You would turn your back on your own family?" Nikabrik rose a brow. Edmund paused a moment, his eyes glanced to the injured guards on the ground. One faun was bleeding out near him. He steeled himself and stared down the dwarf.
"Peter is going to get us all killed because of his pride. I'm just giving us options."
Before anyone could reply, more echoes of back up guards came from the corridors. They needed to be quick before they were captured and thrown in a cell. Nikabrik scowled, then waved them over.
"Come on then. The sun's about to rise."
Outside the Hag stood with a familiar remnant; The icy remains of Jadis' staff. Edmund and Caspian followed Nikabrik out to the following, who eyed them off with the same contempt.
"It's alright." Nikabrik spat, "They're with us."
On the horizon, the first beams of light streamed forth. The Hag rose the staff in the air and began to chant. The sound of distant shouting, and clinking metal, marked the arrival of the next wave of guards from the How.
"STOP!" Shouted a familiar voice. Caspian and Peter spun around to see Peter pushing through the guards, Susan and Lucy in tow. Susan quickly raised her bow and loaded an arrow.
"What the hell are you doing out here Edmund?!" Peter screamed.
"We're in far too deep Peter. We're just kids and we can't fight this war alone!" Edmund shouted back, careful not to let his voice betray him.
The Hag continued to chant, louder and louder. At first it made no sense what she was saying. Her words became clearer as she raised the staff in the air. It began to grow back to its full size. Susan, without hesitation released her arrow and it flew into the air at great speed. Edmund's eyes bulged.
"NO!" Edmund lunged forward, into the arrows path, shielding the Hag. He went to the ground in a second, the arrow lodged into his upper arm. A painful scream filling the air.
"Ed!" Lucy screamed and tried to run forward, Peter yanked on her dress and pulled her back into rank. The sun began to rise higher. Peter gripped his sword and took Lucy's place, running for his brother. The werewolf snarled and bared its frothy teeth.
"Jadis, Rightful Queen of Narnia. Bring us salvation!" Nikabrik screamed into the sky. Instantly above the band of creatures, a mysterious cloud began to form.
Caspian had made his way to Edmund's side to inspect his arm and Edmund gripped his wound firmly, tears forming in his eyes.
"Way to make a point." Caspian chuckled half-heartedly. Edmund looked back at him with one raised brow, but his mouth wouldn't let him smile. The darkness above swirled and the wind ripped through the field, tousling their hair wildly. Lightning churned about.
"All or nothing." Edmund grit through his teeth, trying to stop his arm from bleeding. The skies shook with thunder and the ground below mimicked. The power was enough to knocked Peter off his feet. With a bold strike of lightning the crowd was blinded, their gasps filled the air. At first no one could see anything, their eyes trying to adjust to the flash of light that had just announced the arrival of the Witch herself.
"Well well…." Her voice boomed, confirming Peter's worse fears.
Caspian and Edmund squinted to make sense of the shapely figure standing ahead in the clearing. Cloaked, the figure neared, revealing Jadis in full form. Her eyes darted between Edmund and Caspian, by the side of Nikabrik.
"This is unexpected." Jadis chortled. Clinging to her form hung a dark brown bear pelt, the hood the remnant of the creature's eyes, snout and sharpened teeth. She pulled back her hood to reveal the trademark braided dreadlocks she had sported many years before. Underneath the coat, a tailored navy blue corset and dress sat. Her eyes were dark and unpredictable. The look did not suit Thea's face.
With a small turn of her head she watched Peter rise to his feet, gripping his sword again. He ran with a vigour in him that she had never seen before.
"I will not do battle with you today, son of Adam." She shouted and once more the wind began to whip. Furiously it begun to swirl around her new band of followers. Pulling up dirt and dust as it went, the funnel of air became impossible to see through.
"Edmund!" Peter screamed, finally reaching the tornado-like formation. Peter tried to push through it, unable to open his eyes, the air practically being pulled from his lungs. Dirt, sand and debris lashed his skin, until with one more strike of lightning it all stopped and fell back to the earth.
Susan and Lucy rushed forward trying to see what had happened to their brothers, hearts racing. The dust settled and fallen on his knees, staring outward, was Peter. His face cut up and his spirit in tatters. Caspian, Edmund, Jadis and the other traitors had all disappeared.
"They're gone." Susan gawped when she finally reached Peter's side. She tried to feel the ground in her hand, to understand the weight of what had just taken place, but the dirt fell right through her fingers.
"What just happened…?" Peter said with disbelief, his whole body slumped, "Ed… he… he went with her."
"I don't know." Susan shook her head. She looked behind to see Lucy, frightened and shaken. For once Susan had no idea about how to comfort her, she could barely fathom this on her own. Even further behind, the army began to spill from the How. The whispering and pointing had begun.
"Pete." Susan beckoned, "Get up." Peter stayed silent and did not budge. Susan tried to yank his arm and force him on his feet but he pulled it back and refused to look her in my eyes.
"You said everything would be alright." Lucy muttered softly. Peter sighed and took a moment, before finally getting up to face Lucy. Something in Lucy's words triggered a switch in Peter's mind. He sheathed his sword and brushed some dirt from his clothes, ignoring his stinging cut cheeks.
"We're going to get him back." He said defiantly, "Just like last time."
"Don't you know Peter," Lucy shook her head, her eyes swelling with tears, "Nothing ever happens the same way twice."
Authors Note: This story is very much going to become the 'Adventures of Caspian and Edmund' from here out. While TWOF:AFD will always have Thea, I've enjoy playing with switching POV. We won't outright see Thea for a couple of chapters now, but we'll be getting a lot of Jadis/Thea. This rewrite of PC is turning out to be really fun. Onto the reviews!
hpslyth7lovegood: Thanks for sticking around ;)
Writer for God: Thank you very much for the support. Have a wonderful day/night! Hope you keep on reading and enjoying my work.
1DJollygood: So the northern towers are going to be fun... little spoiler just for you, something in the tower will be the key to taking down Jadis! I'm going to try and really work this material as strongly as I can, since after this its kind of back to cannon. But I really enjoy what I get to play with at the moment.
LovingBOBThePacific: There's nothing worse when writing does become a hassle, which I've struggled with a lot this year. But I'm glad to get back to it every now and again. Thank you always for the wonderful support.
Also, prepare for some of that romance to come into play too! Tell me who you root for? Team Edmund? Or Team Caspian?