Hey everyone, sorry if I keep you waiting, but I had a little bit of a hard time deciding how to write the end of this chapter. Hopefully, you enjoy what I decided on. I want to thank 'elven buddy' for editing this chapter, andeveryone who has either reviewed, either edited, Favorited, or followed it.
Disclaimer: Narnia and all of its character belong to C.S. Lewis.
Chapter 24 Friday, September 16, 1949 around 10:00 AM
Jadis, who's now taken full control of my body, is now making a pot of tea on my stove for my two unfortunate brothers. "Now, I already know what the Traitor would want in his tea, but I'm not too sure about what to give the Little King", she taunts me through her thoughts as she moves away from my stove and starts searching through my cabinets.
Stop this! I don't want you anywhere near them. I tell her or think to her, which is all I can do at the moment.
"You can't stop me, Susan. Your brothers are in my domain now and their deaths are long overdue. But no, I won't kill them right away, first I'll be tying them up and cutting off fingers and toes, making sure they see each other suffer. The Little King will be the first to go; I'll let the Traitor suffer a little more before I rid myself of him." She says and I find myself wishing more and more that I'd never listened to her in the first place. "It's a shame your sister isn't here, but I'll get her soon enough along with the old man, his friend and the other two," she adds as she grabs a few biscuits, putting them on a tray along with the pot of tea and tea cups.
No...I don't want you laying a hand on them. I demand.
"Really Susan, I thought you wanted nothing to do with them. It shouldn't matter to you whether they live or die," she tells me.
She's right, why should it matter what happens to them; they're the ones who rejected me all because I wanted to live my glamorous life instead of being a pawn in their game. Peter has always tried to control my life, even found someone who despises me as much as they do to replace me in the family circle. Edmund ignored me, then pretended to comfort me saying he understood my pain, but really, he just wanted me back under their control. They're the ones who tried to make me go back to that game; they both deserve what's coming to them, but then again, they're not the ones who've taken full control over me and I don't think they would even if they knew how.
"Ed she needs to know what's going on- even if she won't believe it". I hear Peter whisper as she turns towards the couch where their sitting.
"I know, but I've got a...a strange feeling about being here. Like there's something..." I vaguely hear Edmund whisper.
"Tea's ready," Jadis interrupts while entering the room, causing both to turn towards her, or me. "I also have some leftover biscuits I thought you both might like." I watch my brothers intently while putting the tray down on the coffee table as I wonder if either one of them can tell I'm not the one talking to them. However, Peter's twisting his wedding band nervously while Edmund is staring at the tray of biscuits, as though he was unsure about taking one. All in all, they seem to have too much on their minds to notice much.
"Thank you, Susan, that's very kind of you," Peter replies after Jadis sits down in the chair beside the couch.
"Of course, you know I always make my guests feel welcome and it's been a long time since I've seen you both. I'm glad you both finally came to see me." She says softly through her fake smile; at least I think she's smiling, I can't actually tell.
"Well we would've come sooner, but you didn't actually give us an address. We didn't find out where you lived until last week and that was only because Nancy ran into one of your friends." Edmund remarks. If I could turn away in anger right now I would. It's not like any of them ever made me feel welcome when I was with them, why would I then give them my address? I cast my mind back to that night remembering how everyone had been doting over Nancy and completely ignoring me.
"You just didn't give me time to; after what happened the last time we saw each other, you throwing me out, do you really think I'd welcome you into my home so freely?" Jadis mimics my thoughts as I continue to drift into a painful past that I wanted to forget but unfortunately for me, was all I could think about.
"You didn't leave us much of a choice Su, you wouldn't stop arguing with everyone there; it was clear that you didn't want to be there," Peter says calmly, breaking me from my thoughts. "But that didn't mean we never wanted to see you again; we've spent months looking for you. We miss you". I can see the sincerity in his eyes, Peter means every word and yet he is still the one who married that impostor in an attempt to replace me; how can I trust him now?
"And I miss you as well, Peter". The witch answers him while grabbing hold of his hand. "You know that I just get angry sometimes, I never do it on purpose", she adds almost suggestively, for a moment looking at him in an almost lustful way. If it was possible my stomach would be turning right now.
Don't even think about it, I warn her but she seems to be done listening to me and just keeps watching Peter and Edmund, who are staring at each other in confusion. Surely they must know I'd never act this way, they are my brothers after all.
"Are you alright Su?" Peter asks, after turning away from Edmund.
"I've never felt better," she answers, letting go of Peter's hand. "Now, I'm sure there's more to your visit than just rambling about the past." She gets up from my chair and heads to the kitchen, rummaging around looking for my knives. I'm guessing that at this point she's grown tired of them and my heart would be racing if it wasn't frozen. True they were part of the reason I'd wanted her to freeze my heart, but I still didn't want her killing them.
"Actually, there is something we need to talk to you about. Monday night, Ed, Lu and I went to Aunt Polly's for dinner with the other Friends of Narnia". The witch turns towards him and I see they are both standing beside the couch. "I know you don't like talking about Narnia Su, but this is important, so I ask that you hear us out, just this once". Peter insists, of course, they would bring up that game, I think to myself
"Alright, if that important," She tells him, though it's the last thing I want them to talk about, not that I have any choice.
"After dinner, we saw this man or phantom standing in the kitchen. He wouldn't tell us who he was or why he was there but he had this Narnian look and he seemed to be in trouble so we had to find a way to help him." I hear him say vaguely as I think back to my conversation with Lucy. She'd mentioned something about how the Professor felt they should all meet. Peter was trying to make it sound like something big had happened but it was probably just their way of trying to make me believe in that game again.
"You expect me to believe in your tale? You're just as delusional as our childish sister." Jadis remarks and I have to agree with her on that. She turns back to the kitchen to get closer to the knives
"Please, Susan just listen to us! We know you don't believe in Narnia anymore but it is a real place, and right now it could be in grave danger. The others are getting to board the train, while Ed and I will meet them at the nearby train station when we leave here. We have no clue how much time has passed in Narnia; the man we saw could be dead for all we know." Peter says, turning away so I don't see his frustration even though I can still hear it in his voice. Maybe they're telling the truth, I think to myself as Jadis reaches for the knife.
"Even if he is, we still need to give Eustace and Jill the rings, so they can do their part in helping Narnia," Edmund reminds Peter. I watch as Jadis stops and turns towards them.
"Rings, what rings?" She questions them with great interest. I can't say I have any idea what rings would have to do with their infernal game.
"The rings that the Professor and Aunt Polly used to get into the Wood between the Worlds from which they got into Narnia. We dug them up very early yesterday and we're going to give them to Jill and Eustace since it's the only way to get them there." Peter replies. I can see the witch is getting more and more interested in these rings.
The Witch laughs. "Oh really, you still believe in that fairy tale the Professor told us while we were staying with him? You should have realized by now that it was something he made up to get us to start playing that game". she tells them before moving away from the kitchen.
"Susan it wasn't just some story!" Edmund protests. "The Professor's uncle really did have rings that sent both him and Polly to the Woods between the Worlds. Lucy really did find Narnia in a wardrobe and we really were Kings and Queens of that country. We really did see the phantom; we're not making this up" He adds in a tone that makes him sound just as serious as Peter, they're trying really hard to get me back again.
"You can say whatever you want; it won't make me a friend of Narnia." Jadis answers in an angry tone. Having listened to her for so many years, I can see that she's got a bigger plan in mind than just starting an argument. "But you prove the old man's tale if you take the rings out and show that they truly work," she adds, turning back to them.
"Now Susan, I don't think that's a good idea". Peter moves his bag away from me.
"Why not? You want me to believe you, don't you? If the rings actually work then it proves that the 'dear old' Professor's tale is true and it would also prove that our sister really did find a magical land in a wardrobe, as well as the rest of your story." She tempts him, but I can see he's not about to give in, which is a good thing because they're no telling what the witch is planning.
"We don't need to prove anything to you, you've always known it was real," Edmund argues. In a way I know he's right; I've always known the game was a real place and that I was a queen there. However, I was just as much a prisoner there as I am now, or that's what Jadis would have me believe.
"I guess it could seem real to you and our sister, to me, however, it's just a silly dream. However, show me the rings work then I'll know that I'm not dreaming." She says in her soft voice, trying to get them to do her bidding. Looking at Edmund though, I can see he's not buying her lies.
"Why are you so interested in these rings?" Edmund asks.
"Or in wanting us to prove Narnia exists? The past seven years you've always denied it." Peter butts in, just as suspicious as Edmund. I'm sure they're getting close to suspecting the truth though I'm not what they'll do when they find out that truth.
"Don't you want your sister, I mean me, to believe in Narnia again?" Jadis says smoothly, causing them both to go silent. She turns to my older brother. "Peter, I could be that sister you depend on and help keep you from getting overwhelmed." I can see Peter's listening intently, his hand resting on the strap of his bag. I'm not sure where Jadis is going with this. She then turns to my younger brother.
"Edmund, I could be there to listen to your troubles, when you need to talk and comfort you like I used to. I might even make my peace with Lucy and go back to being her loving older sister. Then all four of us could go back to being the family we were destined to be. I could even become a Friend of Narnia and plan our next gathering. All you have to do is show me the rings for me to become that sister." She adds almost sweetly.
I notice Peter's hand is on the flap of his bag as though he were about to open it to get the rings out, while Edmund looks like he would do the same thing. I can tell how much they want what Jadis is offering them. Though what I don't understand is why they would want me; they rejected me and never truly cared about me. Right? I thought they only wanted to control me, just as the witch does, but all they want is to have their sister back.
"No!" Edmund finally breaks the hold her tempting voice has on him, though it seems difficult to do. "Pete, I think we should leave now." His voice breaks the trance Peter's in.
"Right." Peter agrees. "Susan, it was nice visiting you. Thank you for the tea and biscuits, but right now Ed and I have to go meet the others." He and Edmund move towards the door but they aren't fast enough Jadis quickly puts herself, or I should say me, in front of the door to block their leaving. "Susan, Ed and I need to get these rings to Jill and Eustace at the station. I need to ask you to move!"
But she doesn't and as a result, I can see the confusion in their eyes. "Seriously Susan, it was great to see you again and we can come back another day but right now you really need to let us go!" Peter demands.
"Do you really think I'd let you go that easily, Little King?" She says in a deep voice that quite clearly doesn't sound like mine. Peter freezes in place an expression of horror and confusion on his face. He turns to Edmund who also looks horrified though there is also a lot of hurt showing in his face. "You should've shown me the rings, I guess you didn't want your gentle sister back after all".
"You're not our sister, we don't want you back!" Edmund states angrily, her presence seems to be making him very nervous. I'm not sure why but he's acting as though she's haunted his nightmares for years.
"Why Edmund," she walks over to him, putting a hand on his cheek as he cringes. "I thought you would be happier about my return." Suddenly I remember why he's so nervous around her and how he'd once been tricked into selling Peter, Lucy and I in exchange for some candy. "After all, I couldn't have taken your sister without your help". She toys with him causing his face to go even paler than mine.
"No! I didn't want this to happen to her." He yells, taking a few steps back. I can almost see tears in his eyes at the thought of condemning me to her control.
"Didn't you? You remember how you ruined my beautiful wall; you had to have known that I wouldn't give up that easily and had you not struck the wall until I had a proper host, this wouldn't have happened". She says, causing my brother more pain, as my mind travels back to the day where ice had fallen on me when I'd been running after Peter in some sort of cave, I think.
"Don't listen to her Ed; after all, you're not the one Susan was trying to stop from almost making a huge mistake and neither of us knew about her twisted plan". Peter claims while seemly blaming himself for my current condition. Is this more proof that they do care about me? I wonder as Peter turns to me. "Now, where's our sister? What did you do to her?" he demands; I can hear the concern in his voice.
"I merely encouraged her to go after her desires and promised to help her gain back the life of royalty that'd been stripped away. I got her to realize how weak you made her and got her to forget all her memories of her worthless reign". Jadis informs them.
I reflect on the last eight years. In the first year, I was very upset because I'd just been abandoned to a war-torn world where I was just a helpless schoolgirl. When I went to America where I got a small taste of a life filled with glamour. Then I got a letter from Lucy, I'd felt the pain all over again, before finding out the witch was in my mind. She started giving me advice and I got more and more tastes of the life I wanted. One that made more than a helpless schoolgirl. Seven years later I was fully entrenched in that lifestyle and I destroyed anyone who stood in my way, proving to myself that I was not the weak girl Jadis said I was. I wanted to prove that I was nothing like the weak girl my family made me out to be. While all long I was just the witch's host body. I might as well have been turned to stone, I think to myself, which I recall is what the witch was known for in that game.
"Susan is anything but worthless. She did a lot more as Queen than you ever did. She was the one who made sure the needs of all Narnians were met and she promoted peace with other countries. She rarely fought in wars but when she did, nobody in their right mind wanted to mess with her because they knew she wouldn't let the ones she loved get hurt. She was a great Queen and you stripped all that away from her." Edmund fires back, breaking into my thoughts. Did he just call me a great Queen? Did he really just say that I wasn't worthless? I wonder to myself and for a second I feel a slight warm sensation in me.
"I didn't strip her of anything. I may have given her a few suggestions, but your sister made her own choices and has done a lot worse to herself than I did. Just last night she was caught having an affair with her married boss, a few days before that she told your little sister how much she hated her; she was also the one who insisted on ruining the gathering you had a few months back." I listen to Jadis list all of my sins and I start to see my brother's eyes start looking like Mrs. Chesterfield's eyes when she found me with her husband, or Lucy's when I told her to get out of my sight. They look the same as they did every time I insulted them and mocked their beliefs. "She made her own choices to do all of that and she freely allowed me to take over control," Jadis adds.
I wish I could look down in shame; I know her words to be true. I am the one who made all those choices; who ruined my boss's marriage, who caused my friends to go bankrupt, who pushed my family away. True, at the time none of those things seemed wrong at the time and I can't feel any guilt at the moment but I knew it was wrong, I just didn't care. Yet, Looking into their eyes I can see all the pain I caused them and it's very much like the pain I had Jadis freeze over.
"Your sister is mine now; there's nothing you can do to save her," Jadis says, walking to the kitchen as sorrow and anger mix together in my brothers' facial expressions. I can see that neither one can fully accept that I'm forever the witch's prisoner. They must truly care about me, I tell myself and why shouldn't they? We did grow up together and as children, we were a family; we were there for one another. For a second, I could swear I felt my heart give a small beat, maybe I do still care about them.
"I'll kill you right now for what you've done to her," Peter says, his voice filled with much pain and anger.
"Oh, really Peter; I didn't think you'd kill one of your own". Jadis said while grabbing a knife from the rack. Turning, she sees my older brother frozen with fear while my younger brother is taking deep calming breaths. I can see that there is no escape; they're now caught in her death trap along with me. Jadis walks towards them. "Now you will give me the rings and I'll be on my way", she says, a threatening edge to her voice.
For a moment I almost fear that Jadis will stab one of them when suddenly Edmund knocks her to the ground, causing me to let go of the knife. "You're not Susan, you're not Susan," I hear him repeat over and over as he continues to hold her down while Peter uses the knife to cut the strap off his bag in order to use it to tie my wrists together.
However, they underestimate the witch's strength, possibly thinking that she has mine. Soon she pushes them both out of her way as she frees herself and stands up. I see my brothers struggling to get up, I think I can actually start to feel myself become afraid as she strides over to Edmund and grasping his collar throw him across the room as though he were as light as a feather. I hear him hit my bookshelf which falls and pins him to the floor after he lands with a thud.
Then Jadis goes after Peter, who must have hit his head on the coffee table as he's currently rubbing it. I see my hand grabbing his throat, lifting him off his feet. I watch helplessly as Peter gasps for breath, knowing that years of listening to Jadis and living my oh so glamorous life has led to this.
No, stop this! I yell through my thoughts but it only causes her to tighten the grip she has on his throat. Peter's face is becoming paler and paler. Let go of him! I demand. But it's not use; she's going to kill him. No, you can't do this, I won't let you! At that point, Peter looks like he's about to pass out.
Yes, I'm a terrible person for that cliff hanger and even more so because I'm going back to school soon and I'm not sure how fast I can get the next chapter up, but I'll try. So please leave a review, I really liked to know your thoughts on this chapter, or the whole story in general, and have a great day:)