Chapter Thirty-Seven: Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance

"Peter, where's Edmund?"

Peter looked hopelessly toward Susan. Upon returning to the How, the total of their loss and causalities were calculated, and the number was greater than the High King had expected. The destruction of nearly half his army was a sword plunged through his heart up to the hilt. Hearing Susan announce that Edmund was not among them was a violent twist of the blade that nearly killed him.

"Have you looked everywhere?" Peter demanded, knowing full well that his sister would not come to him until she knew her fears could not be confronted on her own. He fought back tears as he read his sister's face.

"Yes!" she snapped, the tears sliding down her face.

Peter strode hastily across the room to the wounded he had not visited yet. Edmund had to be here; he just had to be. "Let's give it another look."

{Earlier that night}

"Give the order."

General Glozelle stared at his king in shock. "My men are still down there." Nevertheless, he obeyed his superior, and his men-at-arms under him obeyed him, releasing a shower of arrows down into the courtyard, killing both Narnians and Telmarines.

The gate had closed, preventing the last of the Narnians from escaping, but a number of those trapped within the confines of Cair Paravel showed no signs of surrender. Led by a tall woman with bright red hair, the Narnians turned their attention back to the soldiers plaguing them, until Telmarine arrows from above finished off everyone.

Edmund, winging his way on the Gryphon Tauriel had sent to the tower to deliver him from the knights who had chased him up there, was horrified to see the courtyard as nothing more than a heap of bodies. The arrow shafts had ceased flying, and the soldiers were retiring back into the castle, thinking there was not a soul left alive in the flagstone paved area below. Dropping quietly and quickly, Edmund and his mount reached the courtyard to give the dead a look over. Edmund was relieved to not find his brother or sister, but he still recognized many faces, and he thought he was going to be sick if he had to look at one more of his bloodstained friends.

He was about to urge the Gryphon to climb back into the sky when he spied movement. He gazed over at the limp, long figure, holding his breath, wondering if it would move again. It did, raising its head to send him a weary gaze.

"Tauriel." Edmund and the Gryphon were at her side within a second with both helping her onto the half-Eagle's back.

"You…must get…out of here…" she panted.

"Not without you."

Edmund heard a door being opened on the opposite side of the courtyard. The Telmarines were coming out to collect their dead. With a final shove, Edmund got the wounded Elf onto the Gryphon, pulling himself on behind her.

"Look!" shouted a soldier as the Gryphon and his cargo sailed into the sky. An arrow was fired, zipping past Edmund's ear, just missing them.

As they flew back past the balcony where Miraz had been standing earlier, Edmund found that the Telmarine King was there once again. He fixed the dark-haired young man with a disturbing gaze.

"Tell Caspian: We are coming."

High above the castle, Edmund watched the proceedings. The Telmarines were clearing away the dead as fast as they could to make way for warhorses. Outside of Glasswater, Edmund looked at the catapults that had been erected on wheels, and which now had soldiers swarming all around them. Miraz's words truly soaked in as the Narnian king realized what was taking place.

"They mean to follow us while our trail is still fresh," he gasped.

The Elf sighed beside him. "Miraz has everything ready for battle. He meant to set out to war this morning anyway."

Edmund frowned. "And our foolish attack has aided them better than they could have hoped. We've lost a lot of men and arms and are now too beaten to create any kind of defense."

"I think I understand now."

The King stared down at the Elf in the increasing pre-dawn light. "What's that?"

"I understand why my lord Thranduil did not wish to go to war on behalf of the Dwarves."

"I thought Elves did not like Dwarves." Edmund thought back. "But your king did gladly go to war against the Dwarves over a matter of ownership of jewels."

Tauriel shook her head as she leaned uneasily against Edmund. "Don't you see? He only went with an army as a show of force, knowing he could wipe out the Dwarves if they declared war. But when…everything else happened…he hated seeing death. He hated war because you lose the things you love."

Edmund stared out over the forest as it became visible in the light. He remembered one winter at Bag End, listening to the state of the Narnian forests in Gandalf's report of how the Trees had gone so deep within their bark, the spirits within no longer came out. He then looked to the River Rush and saw where Miraz's troops had been building a ford that had changed the course of backwater streams, reconfiguring the landscape. He finally gave one pained glance back at his family's former residence, its once splendid structure now bathed in gore. The Narnia he remembered was no more.

Everything was dead.

{Section Break}

"Are you so glad of that magic horn now, boy? Your Kings and Queens have failed us. Your army's half dead, and those that aren't will be soon enough."

Caspian turned away from the cave paintings of The Four on their Coronation day. He faced the Black Dwarf with a weary and hurt expression. "What do you want?" he asked the long-time doubter. "Congratulations?"

"You want your uncle's blood? So do we," Nikabrik began slowly, his voice raising in strength as he continued. "You want his throne? We can get it for you. You tried one ancient power. It failed. But there is one ancient power that is greater still. One that kept even Aslan at bay for near a hundred years."

Caspian followed the Black Dwarf into the tomb where the cracked Stone Table stood. At first, he thought the two of them were alone until he heard a growling coming from the shadows to the side of the chamber. The Prince drew his sword, stepping forward.

"Who's there?'

A dull, gray voice at which Caspian's flesh crept replied, "I'm hunger. I'm thirst. Where I bite, I hold 'til I die, and even after death they must cut out my mouthful from my enemy's body and bury it with me. I can fast a hundred years and not die. I can lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze. I can drink a river of blood and not burst. Show me your enemies."

Slowly, the hunched figure, clad in a hood and cape came out of the shadows on Caspian's right. At his final sentence, he threw back the hood, revealing his wolf-like head atop his furry body that resembled a Man's. From the left, another figure crept forward, mumbling strange words.

"Worshipful Master of Telmar," she began in a speech Caspian could understand. "Your Majesty, bless his handsome face, has no need to be afraid of an old woman that's nearly doubled up with the rheumatics and hasn't two sticks to put under her kettle. I have some poor little skill in small spells and cantrips that I'd be glad to use against our enemies if it was agreeable to all concerned. For I hate 'em. Oh yes. No one hates better than me."

So, that was what they were: a Werewolf and a Hag. Caspian felt as if a hundred spiders were running over his body. These people before him made him want to bolt out of the room and jump into a lake as if to rinse their presence off of him.

Taking a shaky breath, Caspian gave them all another look. Did he have another choice?

"And you can guarantee Miraz's death?" he asked.

"And more," the Hag assured, bowing with the Werewolf before the Telmarine. "Let the circle be drawn," she ordered before singing in a foreign language once again.

The Werewolf, using his claw, drew a circle around Caspian, and the Hag pulled a blue icicle wand from among the folds of her rags. On the final note of her chant, she thrust the wand into the stone base in front of the carving of Aslan. A sheet of ice filled the space, and a woman appeared within the frigid interior. Caspian's eyes grew, realizing who the person must be.

"Wait!" he shouted, trying to get out of the circle. "This isn't what I wanted."

The Werewolf caught hold of him, stretching the Human's hand toward the Hag, who slipped a knife across it.

"One drop of Adam's blood, and then I am yours, My King," Jadis announced from within her ice wall. She smiled deeply as Caspian's hand was shoved forward. She stuck her hand out of ice to reach his.

Gradually, Caspian came toward the Witch on his own accord, completely enchanted. In his state of compliance, Jadis decided to ask for a gift. "My King, I will do as you command, but I must first ask of a small payment."

"Anything," Caspian whispered in a trance.

"Give me the Ring."

{Section Break}

"Ed!"

The dark haired King barely had time to react before being mobbed by Peter and Susan.

"We thought…" Susan trailed off as she pulled out of the hug so as to give Edmund a thorough study. "You're not hurt?"

"No," Edmund assured, shaking his head. "But Tauriel is wounded horribly. I left her with the nursemaids, but I don't know what they can do for her. Did Lucy leave her cordial?"

Susan nodded. "I think she gave it to Sigrid. I'll go see if I can get it."

"Good," her younger brother answered, though he did not sound enthusiastic at the prospect.

Peter frowned at his brother's downcast face. "Is there something more?"

"Kili's dead."

Susan hurried off to find Sigrid at that, hoping she could tend to the Elf who had become such good friends with them since that day they arrived in Dale. Kili had been just as good a friend, and Susan knew it would be difficult for her to stand before Tauriel and not burst into tears herself. Nevertheless, the Elf deserved some comforting words, and Susan hoped to provide them.

Peter watched his sister run to the other side of the chamber where Sigrid was helping to bandage a Satyr's arm. He saw the blonde woman give her raven haired sister-in-law the circle-shaped container. As Susan went on her way, Sigrid finished what she was doing and came over to Edmund, Peter and Trumpkin, who had joined them.

"Pete, Miraz and his war machines are on their way," Edmund was explaining when Sigrid reached them. "We can't fight them."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Peter looked at his brother with sharp eyes. "Are you saying we should surrender?"

"No." Edmund went silent.

"Peter, you've lost your army." Sigrid placed a hand on her husband's arm. "Do you wish to lose everyone else?"

Peter scanned the chamber, feeling hope escaping out the cracks in the walls. They were defeated.

"Do we just let them all go back into hiding?" He frowned. "They shouldn't have to be forced into hiding in their own country! They shouldn't have died!"

Peter suddenly turned and mounted the stairs that led toward the heart of Aslan's How. Sigrid made to go after him, but Edmund grabbed her wrist.

"Let him go and clear his head."

Sigrid's eyes were the size of saucers. "Caspian's down there."

Edmund did not need any further explanation. He knew who his brother blamed for the night raid – who his brother had blamed for everything that had happened to their beloved homeland.

He ran after Peter, with Trumpkin deciding a few moments later to follow. When Edmund caught up with his brother, he was surprised to find the High King standing outside the corridor that led into the cavern where the Stone Table stood. Peter put a finger to his lips, and both siblings listened intently to the two unfamiliar voices addressing Caspian.

"And you can guarantee Miraz's death?"

"And more. Let the circle be drawn."

Edmund gawked at Peter as the strange chanting echoed up the corridor toward the two. They peeked around the corner to the ice wall and its inhabitant. It seemed to both boys that their air was cut off by an internal icy blast. Caspian was calling upon the very person Peter and Edmund had fought against to deliver Narnia in the first place.

Peter drew his sword. He had always known the Telmarine would eventually betray them.

"Wait! This isn't what I wanted."

Edmund brought forth his weapon as well. He heard Caspian's shout, and a bitter memory of desiring Turkish Delight and not getting what he expected came back to haunt him.

"Stop!" Peter cried as he, Edmund, and Trumpkin ran into the chamber. The Werewolf abandoned the now entranced Caspian to attack Edmund while Peter went after the Hag, who proved to be stronger than she had let on. The Werewolf flipped Edmund completely upside-down, but the Human still managed to nick the beast in the leg. Peter had to resort to fists with the short creature because she had knocked Rhindon out of his grasp.

Meanwhile, Sigrid had decided to make sure Peter and Caspian were not having another row. When she found the Tomb to be the battlefront against strange, hideous beings, she hastily drew her dagger. Trumpkin was fighting Nikabrik, but the Red Dwarf had fallen with the Black one preparing to strike him with his blade. Rushing forward, Sigrid grabbed Nikabrik, only to have the midget painfully twist her arm behind back, preventing her from doing him any harm.

Peter was now wrestling with the Hag on the floor, launching her into the air with a mighty shove of his feet, sending her into one of the stone pillars. Getting to his feet, Peter saw Caspian still standing with his bleeding hand outstretched toward the Witch.

"Get away from him!" Peter slammed into Caspian, knocking the Prince out of the circle. Peter held his sword straight at Jadis.

"Peter, dear," she said sweetly, recovering quickly by the intrusion. "I've missed you."

Caspian sat up, shaking his head to clear it. He stared at his sliced hand, partly wondering how that had happened, partly knowing everything that had transpired and what he had almost done. But the thing that baffled him the most was Jadis' request. How had she known about the Ring?

"…the Nazgul won't stop until they have this Ring." Caspian, standing in Trufflehunter's burrow, stuck the piece of jewelry back in his pocket, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Nikabrik.

Caspian looked around for the evil Dwarf and saw Sigrid on the floor about to be run through by Nikabrik. Unable to get to her aid, Caspian watched in relief as Trumpkin rescued the woman by dispatching the Black Dwarf.

"Come on, Peter," Jadis was urging. "Just one drop. You know you can't do this alone." She pressed her hand through the layers of frost that stood between her and her new captive.

All at once, a blade had shot through her middle. Peter watched in confusion, coming out of his trance, as the Witch was stabbed to oblivion and the wall of ice came crashing down. In its place, rose the mural of the Great Lion, shining brightly in the firelight. Peter stared hard that the carving, then he became aware of Edmund who was holding a bared sword directly behind where Jadis had been stabbed.

"I know," his brother said, "you had it sorted."

As Edmund walked away, Peter went to sit on the edge of the Stone Table. If ever he had felt 'unsorted,' it was now. He cast his eyes toward the depiction of the Lion on the wall, and found he could not look at it entirely, just like when he had first met Aslan. There was so much there to behold, one could not see it all at once; and Peter realized in that moment that he had been blind throughout his entire return trip to Narnia. And what was worse was the knowledge that he had lost the country Aslan had given him to protect.

Sensing that Peter wanted to be alone, and knowing full well that nothing he said would lighten the High King's mood, Caspian began toward the exit. Looking up, he saw that Susan stood in the doorframe, having come looking for her brothers and wound up seeing the end of the battle. She and Caspian stared at one another for a moment; one angry and feeling betrayed, the other ashamed and hurt. Soon, Susan snapped around and marched back the way she had come with Caspian dragging his heels behind.

Edmund and Trumpkin also left a moment later, with the Dwarf in shock at what he had done, as well as still reeling from the revelation that it was Nikabrik who had called up heathen to deliver Narnia. "Nikabrik lost hope," was all he could say.

Peter continued staring up at the Lion. "I think we've all lost hope."

He felt fingers gently brush his sleeve and he turned to see Sigrid sitting down beside him.

"I just wish he'd given me some sort of proof," Peter remarked quietly.

Sigrid rubbed her husband's arm. "Maybe we're the ones who need to prove ourselves to him."

The two sat in silence for a long time before Edmund returned to the cavern with panic written on his face.

"Peter, you'd best come see this."

{Section Break}

Caspian and Doctor Cornelius were standing on one of the ledges at the top of Aslan's How when Peter, Sigrid, Susan and Edmund joined them. The sky overhead was grey and to the south it was the blackest anyone had ever seen the heavens be. Peter hoped this meant that heavy rains, which would prevent the Telmarines from attacking, were on their way. Unfortunately, the professor did not concur with Peter's assumption.

"The Shadow of Mordor grows, and Narnia is at last within its grasp."

A.N.: Hello everyone! Classes are back in session, so uploading chapters may be slow again, but I will do my best. I hope you like this chap, and I hope you like what is to come. We will be in Rivendell in just two more chapters, so hang in there! Please review and tell me what you think.