A/N: Just realised I should have been warning of triggers in this story for physical abuse - sorry about that.
Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, it's a great motivator to see that people are reading and enjoying. I really want to get to the other children and see how they fare in Narnia without Tumnus and the Beavers. Who else might they meet? Also in case you haven't guessed by now - Edmund is one of my favourite characters, I like the complexity of his character and I'm enjoying seeing him grow in this story out of the shadow of his siblings. Anyway, I digress ... on with the story. Let's start with another of my favourite characters - Beaver.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
"So … I told the old girl that the tunnel goes to my mother's house."
"Beaver!"
"She doesn't suspect a thing!"
"When Mrs Beaver finds out, your life won't be worth living!"
"I know Badger old friend" answered the Beaver, grave now. "But life's not exactly a bed of roses anyway. I can't rebel against HER, so instead I play this little game with Mrs Beaver. I pretend to put one over on her and she … she pretends that I've succeeded. It keeps me sane – something has to."
Badger looked sympathetically at his best friend.
"I know Beaver, it's been hard on all of us … one hundred years … "
"And now it seems that Tumnus has been taken. How many more of us will disappear into HER castle? How long does Aslan expect us to wait?" Beaver broke in.
"That's what I was about to tell you Beaver" said Badger excitedly. "Haven't you heard? Aslan is on the move."
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Edmund's grin faded from his face.
"Your Highness?" he asked querulously.
"Yes, My Prince" Oreius answered eagerly. "You are one of the prophesied ones.
When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone
Sits at Cair Paravel in Throne
The evil time will be over and done."
Edmund looked at Oreius disbelievingly and seeing nothing but certainty on the Centaur's face he looked to Tumnus who nodded in confirmation.
"There are four of you Edmund. It has been prophesied that when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve sit on the four Thrones at Cair Paravel, it will not only be the end of the White Witch's reign, but of her life also. That is why you must not tell her that there are four of you!"
"But I'm only ten." Edmund protested. "I'm not a hero!"
Oreius smiled at the boy. "You'd be surprised. Heroes are found in the most unlikely places."
Tumnus nodded. "You just withstood a whipping from the dwarf and interrogation from The White Witch to protect your siblings. Is that not the act of a hero?"
Edmund shifted uncomfortably, all his life he had wanted others to believe in him, to recognise his worth. But now, he just felt like a fraud. How could they believe in him so much? They hardly knew him. Perhaps that was it, when they knew him better, they would realise their mistake. Edmund looked at the hopeful faces of Tumnus and Oreius. When Peter arrived, they would look at him like that, realise that it was Peter who was the hero. In the meantime, it appeared that he was all that they had. He straightened.
"Alright … so how do we get out of here?"
Oreius smiled. "Have you noticed how wide apart the bars on the window are?" he asked.
Edmund frowned at the bars. They were placed about five centimetres apart. Not wide enough for him and most definitely not wide enough for a full-grown faun or Centaur to squeeze through.
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Badger was at Tumnus's house. He went there most days trying to find some clue as to what might have happened to the faun. It had been weeks and there was still no sign or word of him. Beaver, despite his jovial personality was no fool – he knew that Tumnus was in pay of the White Witch - many were.
Even he himself bowed and scraped to the would-be Queen whenever the occasion demanded it. That was how he had managed to keep his house and not have to go into hiding like many of his friends.
He had known the faun for a long time. He had been with him when they brought back news that his father had been captured and turned to stone by the Witch. Had tried to help him survive on his own after. Had seen how easily he had fallen into the traps of the White Witch. First you accept her food, then you do a small favour and before you know it, you are a spy and a traitor and there is no turning back. It was especially easy to fall when you had given up hope as Tumnus had. Given up hope of Aslan ever returning, of the prophesy ever being fulfilled. Beaver was honest enough to himself to admit that he was perilously close to that point himself. One hundred years of tyranny, one hundred years of ice and snow will do that to a person.
Looking around one more time Beaver left Tumnus's cave to begin the trek home. As he went out of the door of the cave, he saw a flash of red disappearing behind a tree at the edge of the clearing.
"Who's there?" Beaver shouted, annoyed to notice that his voice shook slightly. What if it were the Witch's wolves coming back to collect any friends of Tumnus that they could find? Although … red wolves?
Just as Beaver decided to make a run for it a small figure popped up on a rock at the treeline. Beaver gasped, it was a fox!
"You take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!" Beaver said with more bravado than he felt.
"Relax!" answered the Fox jumping down from the rock. "I'm one of the good guys."
"Yeah?" growled Badger, not at all convinced. "Well, you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones!"
"An unfortunate family resemblance." The fox answered with a grimace. "But we can argue breeding later. Right now, I need your help."
"Do you really think I'm going to help you?" sneered Beaver.
"Maybe not" replied the fox. "But what would you say to helping your Prince?"
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Edmund fell to the ground as the Minotaur shoved him into his cell. Only his stubborn streak allowed him to stagger to his feet and glare at the Minotaur defiantly until he left. Then, and only then did he collapse trembling to the floor.
Oreius and Tumnus started to their feet and peered worriedly into Edmund's cell. He had been with the White Witch again. Every day she brought him to her to be questioned. Sometimes the dwarf was there with his whip. Sometimes she was alone – that was almost worse, the Witch was cruel in ways that the dwarf, mean as he was, could hardly imagine.
"He can't last much longer Oreius." Tumnus whispered.
"I know" Oreius answered worriedly. "It is a miracle he has lasted this long!"
"We need to get him out of here." Tumnus insisted.
"Rhua, will be back soon, I know it!"
"It took that Fox two weeks to even find us here Oreius. Even with all the birds we sent out in search of him." Tumnus objected. "What if it takes him another two weeks to muster enough creatures to help us? Edmund will not last that long. And … I don't altogether trust him."
Oreius snorted. "You are one to talk about trust faun!"
"What exactly do you mean by that!" Tumnus demanded bristling.
"I think you know Tumnus …"
Tumnus coloured. Edmund to his credit had said no word of blame about or to Tumnus but he should have known that Oreius would work it out. He attempted to deflect the issue.
"I'm talking about that fox, not me" he protested. "He's way too much like a wolf to be trustworthy."
"Why does everyone misjudge me?" came a mocking voice from the window as Rhua, small fox that he was, easily slipped through the bars.
"Rhua!" exclaimed Oreius with relief.
"The one and only" replied the fox cheekily, jumping down from the window. It was then that he noticed Edmund lying semi-conscious on the floor.
"My Prince!" he exclaimed running to Edmund's side.
Rhua nuzzled Edmund, trying to wake him up and finally resorted to licking the boy's face.
"Urrghh! Rhua, enough!" Edmund complained. "Don't you think I've suffered enough!"
Oreius smiled. It was one of the things he most liked about Edmund. No matter what, the boy kept his humour – it was a sign of great resilience and courage. He would need both.
"What news Rhua?" he asked the fox.
The fox grinned up at them.
Edmund, Oreius and Tumnus listened with rapt attention as Rhua told them about the creatures that he had recruited to assist in their escape: The Beavers, Badger, an old dog fox, satyrs, a dwarf and some fauns. They were all willing to help in a rescue attempt. The problem was their numbers were too few and the creatures too small and timid to attempt a rescue from the castle itself. They would have to think of some way to lure the Witch out of the castle and to take them with her!
"All we need is something important enough to the Witch to make her risk bringing us out of here." Oreius muttered.
"Leave it to me!"
It was Edmund. He had hardly spoken a word since the fox had arrived. He was feeling the weight of responsibility for these creatures. They were willing to face the White Witch. Willing to risk themselves, their very lives, and all for him!
The others turned to Edmund questioningly. He stood up, despite his trembling, aching legs.
"She wants humans?" he asked. "Well then, let's give her humans!"
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Rhua ran through the woods, his heart light and full of hope for the first time since he could remember. And all because of a child! No, he corrected himself. All because of My Prince! As he ran, Rhua was so engrossed in his thoughts that he hardly watched where he was going. That was why he ran straight into …
What had he run into? Rhua thought to himself. Rhua looked up and found himself staring into the last thing he expected – he caught a glimpse of golden mane and large, solemn, overwhelming eyes that took his breath away.
"Aslan" he gasped falling to his belly and laying as close to the ground as he possibly could in subservience to the great lion.
"Arise Rhua." Aslan commanded. "You have been busy, and I am well pleased with you. But I have yet another task for you."
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Edmund stood trembling in front of the White Witch. He almost found himself missing the dwarf and his whip, almost. At least when the dwarf's whip hit you it stung, with something akin to heat. When the Witch struck him the cold from her hand sank into his very soul. He wondered if he would ever be warm again.
"Stop lying to me Edmund!" the Witch shouted accompanying her words with a crushing blow to the side of his head. "I know there are four of you. Do you think I am such a fool that I have not read the prophesies?"
She struck him again, this time knocking him to the floor. And Edmund did what he had not done since the first day that he had been captured. He started to cry. This seemed to enrage the Witch further; strong and cruel herself, she hated any sign of weakness. Striding over to Edmund's prostate, weeping form she hauled him to his feet.
This time when she lifted him, instead of the expected blow she stroked his cheek almost gently and laid a kiss on his brow. Edmund shivered to his core. This was almost worse than the blows, it felt invasive, a violation.
"Tell me what I need to know Edmund" said the Witch, attempting to soften her voice "and this can all be over."
Edmund let out his breath in a long shuddering sigh.
"Alright" he sobbed. "I'll tell you everything. Just please stop hurting me."
The White Witch smiled at Edmund triumphantly.
"Go on." She prompted.
"Well," Edmund began. "You're right of course. There are others … and this is how you can find them … "
