Chapter Twenty-Five: Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time
Peter awoke to the sound of running feet out in the hall and Bain's voice shouting after the noisy passers-by.
"Tilda, you can't have Lucy hide you! You know you have to go home today!"
Peter jerked upward, remembering that the dreaded day had arrived. Bard had announced at dinner several evenings ago that he wished to be back in Dale in time for warm weather to start the rebuilding again, and although Peter had not looked forward to their day of departure, he had graciously offered as much food, cloth, and seedlings as could be spared for Bard to take back to the recovering village. After this, Bard and Peter spent much time talking over trade routes between the two countries that would help make Dale great – and make the distance between Peter and Sigrid a bit more bearable, Peter thought to himself.
He and Sigrid had not kissed again, but they had certainly spent some time together, dancing at parties, making late night snacks in the kitchen, and riding on twin Unicorns. He hated to think that would come to an end in a matter of hours, so he dressed quickly and headed down to breakfast.
"Your Highness," a Faun servant called to him as Peter prepared to enter the Dining Hall, from where he could already hear the voices of Bard, Hélène, Sigrid, and Bilbo, carrying on some very lively story. "Your Royal Siblings requested that you dine in the private study. The cooks have already brought the trays in."
"Thank you," Peter said with a slight bow of his head, dismissing the Faun. He hurriedly made his way to the east-facing chamber, wondering what this was all about. Perhaps Susan, who was always in the mood for a party, had come up with some marvelous farewell party for Bard's family.
As he let himself into the bright, sunlit room, he was surprised to find that his siblings were not alone. Mr. Tumnus was perched on the windowsill, his horned head buried behind a red tome, and Gandalf had shown up again – the Pevensies had become aware of his tendency to disappear for hours or days and reappear without warning – and he had seated himself at the head of the breakfast-laden table. Eustace was also there, which was another rarity.
A few days prior, Kili and Tauriel had married, and Thorin, Fili, Bofur, Bombur, Bifur, Dwalin, and Dain and his army had departed on the following day – with a few of the Dwarves still uncertain about a Dwarf and an Elf living together. However, Thorin had given his blessing, and off the happy couple had gone in search of a dwelling. Once a place had been deemed theirs, Eustace had gone to visit them nearly every day – providing he came back to Cair Parvel at all. Peter had yet to understand how his cousin had gotten on such good terms with the pair, but Tauriel and Kili seemed to adore him like a son.
"Ah, there you are, Peter," Gandalf muttered, buttering a piece of toast. "That only leaves Lucy."
Within another moment, the youngest Pevensie had arrived, pouting about Bain having caught up with her and Tilda. Her mood instantly changed when she noticed the sack on the table before the Wizard's seat.
"Are you finally going to tell us what's in there, Gandalf?" she asked, almost pleadingly, climbing into the chair next to him.
The Wizard's eyes sparkled with mischief. "In good time, dear Lucy. First, help yourself to this feast. Toast, scones, fruit, sardines…I think I should like to breakfast in Narnia more often."
As the five Humans mounded their plates with the strange shaped bread and silvery colored fruit that amazed them as they still were not accustomed to Narnian food, Gandalf beckoned to Tumnus to come over and join them.
"Now," the Wizard began, "by order of the Great Lion, it is time you know why you came to Middle-Earth."
"You mean, it wasn't just to end the Witch's reign?" questioned Susan, her brow furrowing the slightest bit.
Gandalf shook his head. "There is something far greater at stake - a much larger Prophecy that the Prophecy of the Narnian Throne was just a small part of. But there are things in Middle-Earth that have not yet manifested, and it is these things that require your attention and your upmost secrecy."
"Mums the word," Peter promised, then added when he saw the perplexed looks on the Wizard's and Faun's faces, "We'll keep it quiet."
"Mr. Tumnus, should you like to do the honors?"
The Faun propped open the book and began;
"'It began with the forging of the Great Rings: three were given to the Elves, immortal, wisest, fairest of all beings; seven to the Dwarf-lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls; and nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who above all else desire power…'"
"No true," contradicted Peter.
"Not always true," Edmund corrected, jabbing his brother with his elbow. "Let him read."
"'…for within each ring was the power to govern each race. But they were all of them deceived for another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret the master ring to control all others, and into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all.
"'One by one all the free lands fell to the power of the Ring, but there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth. There…' Forgive me, I don't think I can read the accounts of the…fighting."
Lucy patted Tumnus' hand, disheartened by the tears in her friend's eyes. Gandalf nodded understandingly. "Why don't you skip ahead now to Isildur," he suggested.
Tumnus nodded solemnly and skipped ahead a few pages. "Isildur was the son of the king," he explained before reading. "'…and in this moment, he took up his father's sword, shattered though it was, and he cut from the hand of Sauron, every finger, thus freeing the One Ring. Sauron, the enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, was defeated. The Ring passed to Isidur, who had this one chance to destroy the evil forever. The Elf, Elrond of Rivendell, led Isildur into the Mountain to throw the Ring back into the fires from whence it came, but he exited disturbed. For the hearts of Men are easily corrupt, and the Ring of Power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur to his death.'"
Tumnus looked up and Susan gave him an expectant look. "Where do we come in?" she demanded.
"Men and Elves have made no pact to stand together since," the Faun mumbled, flipping to the last few pages. "'The days of Men and Elves will come again when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve take the Narnian Thrones.' Don't you see? After reclaiming Narnia, you are meant to join together the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth."
"Is that why Thorin gave me the Arkenstone?" Peter inquired. "He said it would bind the service of the Dwarves to us."
"Why Thorin up and gave you that stone is a mystery to me," Gandalf muttered.
"You didn't have a hand in that, Gandalf?" questioned Lucy sagely, having gotten used to the Wizard's meddling ways.
The Wizard puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "Of course not. He did it on his own accord…though if he knew anything of this Prophecy is beyond me."
Eustace licked the sweet juice from his silver fruit. "I thought it was just Men and Elves that had to be united?"
"One does not defeat Sauron with only two races. To stand up to him will take all the lands of Arda."
Susan frowned over at the Wizard. "I thought Tumnus said Sauron was defeated."
"Back then, but he has grown in power since," Gandalf explained quickly.
"And how do we know this?" Peter asked.
"I've seen him."
All eyes turned to Lucy.
"You've seen the Dark Lord?" Susan said breathlessly, laced with a doubting tone.
"I have," Lucy put down firmly. "Aslan fought him after the Witch killed him. He said Sauron's spirit is broken, but he hasn't been conquered in body yet."
"That's true enough," the Wizard added. "And that will only happen when the One Ring is cast back into the lava of Mount Doom."
"And just where do we find this Ring?" Susan straightened in her chair.
"That's the Ring I had," Edmund's voice announced softly, though gaining the attention of everyone. "Jadis took it."
"And for the time being, it is lost," Gandalf puffed, sounding weary.
"So…" Peter began slowly, "if we haven't got the Ring to destroy, can we even start to renew the Alliance?"
"That will be where the secrecy comes in," the Wizard pointed out. "To announce that Sauron is back would put up resistance on either side. There are those who are not ready to hear such news. There are some who will not even rally until it is almost too late."
"Then what do we do?" Susan was getting frustrated.
"Build your trust with these nations over time. After many years – "
"Years? Then there won't be a war right off?" asked Edmund.
"Who's to say?" Gandalf shrugged. "It could be next year or a hundred years from now."
"We won't be alive that long," pointed out Eustace.
"I know," sighed the Wizard. "That is why Aslan directed me to go the Garden and bring back the Fruits there that will make you immortal."
"I don't want to be immortal!" suddenly shouted Peter, jumping up, nearly upsetting a pitcher of juice on his end of the table. "Not even if Aslan asked!"
"Peter, can you not hear yourself!" exclaimed Lucy worriedly. "If Aslan asked it, it must be for the good of this world. It'll be for the best."
"How would you like to watch everyone else around you grow old?" Peter paced furiously back and forth. "Elves and Wizards may be immortal, but Humans aren't!"
"Is that what's in the sack then?" Edmund interrupted Peter. "The Fruit?"
Gandalf released a very long, tired sigh, and let the contents of the bag spill out onto the table. Hard white balls rolled around among the platters.
"You were going to feed us golf balls?" inquired Eustace.
"No. I am sorry for the deception, but I feared you would feel in kind to Peter and you would not eat the Silver Apples."
There was a halting silence then Susan gasped, staring down at the apple cores on all of their plates. "What have you done?" she screamed.
The next moment was one of turmoil as both Peter and Susan bolted from the room, tears in their mad faces. Once they had gone, Gandalf sighed wearily again.
"They'll get over it," came from Lucy, breaking the awkward silence that had reigned thickly over the room after her elder siblings left. "Tell me Gandalf, what is this garden?"
"It lies west of here, dear one; too far to walk."
"Has anyone else been there before?" asked Eustace, wondering if this was someplace that could only be reached through magic.
"Well, there once was a boy – a Digory Kirke – who made entrance long ago. He obeyed the sign at the entrance that only a person willing to collect Fruit for another may enter."
Edmund and Lucy straightened at this news. "Did you say Digory Kirke?" asked Edmund while his sister gasped, "Professor Kirke!"
"You've met him in your world?" Gandalf gathered. "Did you use the Rings to get here?"
"There are more rings in this world than a jewelry store in London," Eustace mumbled sarcastically.
"No, we used a wardrobe in a spare room."
Tumnus looked up curiously at Edmund's pronunciation of the Pevensies' world.
Gandalf leaned back in his chair. "I should like to see that wardrobe. I wonder how it came by its magical capabilities – if it had a spell cast on it or if it was something it was made of."
Lucy looked over at the Wizard who seemed lost in thought at that. However, she greatly wanted to know more about the Garden. "Has anyone gotten in who has not obeyed the sign?"
Gandalf came out of his stupor then to address the question. "Oh yes, Jadis herself made entrance and plucked and ate one of the Fruits, giving her eternal life – at least for a time. What she found through the Fruit was her heart's desire, and it in turn led to despair."
Edmund glanced away at the door his older siblings had left through. "Is that what will happen to us?"
The Wizard shook his head. "For those who do as the sign says, the Fruit brings prosperity. Digory brought back one such Fruit and planted it as a Tree of Protection in Narnia to keep evil away."
"Well, it didn't jolly well work," interrupted Eustace.
"It did for many years," Gandalf rebuffed.
"Was Saruman there at the planting of the Tree?" suddenly asked Edmund. "It was just that Saruman mentioned Digory's name to me. I had forgotten that until now."
"Of course he was! It was the founding of Middle-Earth, for goodness sake."
Lucy leaned over toward the Wizard excitedly. "The founding of the world? What was that like?"
Gandalf settled back in his chair. "Eru taught the Ainur to sing great songs, and in time they saw that what they sang had taken shape and made Middle-Earth. But there was one among them who sang a far different song. His name was Melkor – you may have heard him called Morgoth – and it was through him that the lands of Mordor and Charn came to be in Arda."
Lucy wiggled in her chair, feeling as though she somehow knew all this, then she remembered overhearing Professor Kirke in his study.
"Melkor's magic was not strong enough yet to bring the beings he created to life. But he devised a device – a bell – to wake those in sleep there should it be rung. Digory and his friend, whatshername – Polly! – were the ones to fool around with the bell. They told Aslan about waking Jadis and it was then that he decided the Tree must be planted."
"Where did Aslan come from?" piped up Eustace.
"At the beginning of the Time, Eru sent some of the Ainur to earth, and the Elves named them the Valar, which were seven, and the Valiar, the Queens of the Valar, which were seven also. And with them he sent his son Aslan, in the form of a Lion, to lead the Valar. Melkor entered Arda as well, but he was not counted among the Valar." The Wizard ended with a hefty sigh. "As for Saruman the White, he was the only one of the Istari at the planting of the Tree as he was the greatest of the Istari, though it would be many years – after Melkor was defeated and his servant, Sauron, began to grow in power – that the rest of us five would come out of Valinor."
"There are five of you Wizards?" Eustace said between mouthfuls as he had grown hungry again and was devouring a bowl of sweetened oatmeal.
"Yes, there is Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown, and the two Blues – you know I've quite forgotten their names."
Tumnus hefted the heavy red tome from the table. "Begging your pardon, Your Majesties, but the day is getting on, and I must be going."
"Thank you, Tumnus," Gandalf said as the Faun departed out the door.
Edmund picked up the last Silver Apple that remained on the dish. "What is this for? There were six apples, but only five of us to eat them. What's the last one for? Does Aslan want us to plant another tree?"
The Istari shrugged his shoulders. "The Lion did not mention planting one, but he did request that I pick six. Alas, I don't know why."
Shortly after that, Edmund and Eustace left the study to find and visit with Bain before the Esgorath boy had to leave for Dale. Lucy stayed quietly next to the Wizard as he hauled himself up from the table and began toward the door.
"Is there something you were wondering?" he questioned.
The little girl twiddled her thumbs before looking up in awe at the Wizard. "Are you an angel, Gandalf?"
"I don't believe I am familiar with the term." He raised a bushy, white eyebrow. "I am just a humble servant of Manwe. It was at his bidding that I leave Valinor to walk this world and help guide the Free Peoples away from the vice of evil even though…"
Lucy was still close to him as he began to open the door. "Even though what?"
Gandalf pushed the door back in place. "I am very much afraid." He stared down at her and silently marveled at the understanding that looked too old for Lucy's round, young face. "It's you little ones that give me courage."
And they left the room, leaving the last Silver Apple on the plate.
{Section Break}
Peter watched as Sigrid and her siblings splashed each other in the Eastern Sea. Their shoes were scattered over the beach, having been yanked off and thrown away as the siblings dashed madly to the water. Tilda fell down at one point, her face a mixture of surprise from the cold wave and laughter at how funny she assumed she looked. Sigrid squealed with delight as her brothers ganged up against her and she returned the shower of water to them.
Peter felt his heart tighten. A part of him longed to tell Sigrid about what had happened to him, how he would never grow old, and how there was another Silver Apple. (He had gone back to the study later on to apologize to Gandalf and had found the room empty save for the untouched Fruit.) But another part of him knew he could say nothing for Sigrid would hate him should he even suggest that she might live forever without her family.
Bain suddenly stopped splashing to glance up the many terraces of Cair Paravel. He waved and soon Peter realized his own brother, youngest sister and cousin were running down the steps and across the beach to join their friends. It was at this time that Sigrid saw Peter sitting on a rock off to the right side of the beach. As her siblings met up with the younger Royals, Sigrid made her way over to Peter.
"Greetings High King," her voice rang.
Peter forced down the smile that wanted to shine for her.
"Why the long face? Last night when we spoke we said we'd write and find ways to visit each other as often as possible," she reminded him hopefully. "My leaving doesn't seem all that bad when there's always a promise of our meeting again."
The new King took a deep breath. "Sigrid, I don't think it's for the best."
Sigrid's face contorted. "What are you talking about?"
"It's no good, sending creatures on perilous journeys just so you and I can have correspondence. Maybe if there was a road, but it's just mountains."
"But you've promised Da there will be trade between our countries. There will be travelers betwixt us often; coming and going on errands other than just our love letters."
"That's just it: they're love letters, aren't they? Aren't we too young for this? What if you meet someone in Dale you love but you feel you are obligated to me? Or what if I meet someone here? We can't tie each of us to the other."
"But Pete–"
"Good bye, Sigrid," he finished firmly, getting up from his perch and moving back toward the marble steps that led to the first terrace.
Sigrid fought back the hot, stinging tears that burned the rims of her eyes. "If this is love," she sobbed to herself, "then I do not want it."
A.N.: Sorry for the short delay but I have not had much time to write. Anyway, what do you guys think of this chapter? Things are beginning to shift gears toward the Lord of the Rings. Suggestions are still welcomed. I apologize if there are any inconsistencies in this chapter to anything mentioned previously or in reference to The Magician's Nephew and/or The Silmarillion; I did not get to spend as much time rereading the stories as I would have liked. Lastly, I am taking an online class and it is midterms already, so I do not know if I will have a chapter posted next week. I will try to be back with some action soon!
To NotBibleCANON: I hope this answers your question about the relation between Aslan and the Valar.