A/N: Moving things along in this chapter. Hope you like. Please review

Disclaimer: I won nothing of Narnia but I DO like to play there!

Edmund sat at the feet of the White Witch as the Sleigh moved through the wintry forest. He shivered, he was cold, beyond cold. He doubted that he would ever be warm again. He did not know when or how it had happened, but it seemed that the Witch's cold had seeped into his very core.

He wished he had never found Narnia. That he had shoved Lucy out of her hiding place after all. Then he would never have gone into that stupid wardrobe. But no. Then Lucy might have stumbled into Narnia. The thought of her in chains, being whipped, facing Jadis ... No, he was glad he had come, glad it was he, not any of his siblings suffering, after all, he had been rotten, perhaps he deserved it … The White Witch, Jadis had told him that he did. That everything that she did to him was only what he himself had earned.

Jadis, the very name sent a shudder through him. He looked up at her and she glanced back contemptuously at him. She had broken him, or so she thought! He had told her that he would lead her to find the others. And she had promised him that when they found them, when she had captured them, he would be set free.

As they continued their journey Edmund noticed that a slight thaw appeared to be setting in. Not that he felt any warmer, but he could see that some of the snow was melting off the trees and the sleigh seemed to be sticking slightly on the track. It was running quite slowly as a result. Which was a good thing for Oreius and Tumnus who were being forced to run in front, the witch's dwarf licking them with his whip as often as he did the reindeers who drew the sleigh.

Edmund shifted slightly, his arms and legs had gone numb from holding them still for so long, but he dared not move. If he moved the ropes that were tied loosely around his wrists and ankles might fall off.

Flashback …

… "I'd like my hands more or less in one piece, Rhua" Edmund objected, wincing as sharp teeth grazed his wrist once again. "Oreius mentioned something about training with a sword and I believe I'd be more skilled with all my fingers still attached!"

"Sorry My Prince!" exclaimed Rhua. My teeth are not really built for nibbling. If only Aslan had made mice speak on the first day, we could have drafted some of them for this work!"

"I'm only joking Rhua" Edmund apologised. "I know you are doing the best you can."

The Minotaur had come that morning and replaced the iron shackles, by which they were attached to the wall and floor, with ropes. Edmund's bonds had been knotted cruelly tightly allowing him no room to move either his hands or his feet. However, while Tumnus's and Oreius's hands had received the same treatment, their legs had been left free – a sure sign that they would be expected to walk.

At least they were going with them. Edmund had told the Witch that he needed Tumnus and Oreius to help him locate the place where she could find the rest of the humans and she had agreed that they could go with them. Rhua, who had been hiding in the shadows, had begun the work on freeing them as soon as the Minotaur had left.

"Nearly there" came Rhua's muffled voice. "There, you're free!"

Once all three's bonds had been removed, they took great care to rearrange the ropes loosely back in such a way as they still looked securely bound …

… End flashback.

Edmund shifted his hands a little more. It would not serve him if his hands and fingers became completely numb. If they were numb, he wouldn't be able to use his knife …

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"One hundred years of winter … one hundred years of hiding … of bowing and scraping to that, that … to keep us safe … and now what … risking it all … attacking a Witch … with so few … we must be mad … we'll all be stone by morning!"

"Do hurry up Mr Beaver!"

"I'm going as fast as I can Mrs Beaver, I'd like to see you hauling this great big pointy thing!"

One of the fauns turned to look at Beaver with a look of amusement. Beaver had been muttering to himself all morning.

"It's a Claymore, a two-handed sword. Oreius will need it! Give it here, I'll carry it for a bit."

Beaver was not the only one who had doubts though. Badger spoke up.

"We're so few, do you think we can do it?"

The old dog fox turned from where he was leading the column.

"We have to." He answered gravely. "Look, I know it's ridiculous. Four woodland creatures, two fauns, two satyrs, a dwarf and a fox attacking an eternal enchantress. Maybe we don't stand a chance. But … Rhua … he said the Prince … the boy is only ten … what chance do you think he has if we don't save him?"

The others looked at the fox chastened. They had spent so much of their lives in hiding, that they had nearly lost the will to fight. Nearly – but not quite! With a new cast of determination on their faces, the little party moved on.

"Besides" the fox threw over his shoulder. "Oreius, Tumnus and the Prince will fight. And Rhua said something about reinforcements."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Here."

"STOP!"

Oreius and Tumnus stumbled to a halt and the dwarf pulled savagely on the reindeers' reigns, who stopped so suddenly that they nearly sat down. The Witch turned to regard Edmund with a frown.

"You are sure?" she asked in a dangerous voice leaning close to his face. "We are nowhere near the lamppost. I thought it was there that Tumnus found you!"

It was all Edmund could do not to shrink away from Jadis. This had to be convincing. There was no way he was going to lead her near to the lamppost, near to the wardrobe door, near to his family. That was why they had chosen this location; it was equally far from the lamppost and the Witch's castle.

"H .. he did, Your Majesty" Edmund answered. "But I had wandered a long way before he found me. This is where I first found myself in Narnia."

"If I find you have lied to me Edmund …"

"No ... really" Edmund insisted. "The door is just over there … I'll show you."

The Witch's pale eyes bored into Edmund's as if she could discover the truth there. She was so engrossed in him, as was the dwarf, that they did not notice Tumnus and Oreius slipping out of their bonds, nor did they notice the two swords that were discretely tossed to them out of the undergrowth at the edge of the clearing.

Grabbing Edmund by the collar, the White Witch hauled him in the direction that he had indicated.

Everything happened at once.

With a fierce growl the old fox leapt out of the undergrowth followed by the other creatures.

Oreius and Tumnus raised their swords and started to advance on the Witch and her dwarf.

"Ware the wand!" shouted Oreius, noticing the Witch raise it in preparation to strike. If she started turning them to stone, they would have no chance.

But the Witch had forgotten about Edmund. When the attack began, she had thrown him to the ground behind her. Sure that the small, broken boy would be no threat.

Later she would reflect that underestimating Edmund was one of the worst mistakes she ever made.

Seeing the danger that his friends were in Edmund hurriedly shook off the loose ropes and struggled to his feet.

The Witch had her wand raised and pointed at Oreius, singling him out as the biggest threat in the group.

Edmund felt like he was moving in slow motion, the White Witch miles away, as he drew the small dagger, that Rhua had given him, out of his boot and lunged.

The Witch's hand opened convulsively as the dagger pierced the muscle in her upper arm, the wand clattered uselessly to the ground.

Jadis spun to see Edmund behind her, a small dagger still gripped in his hand. His friends could only watch, too far away to stop her, as Jadis drew her stone knife and plunged it, straight into Edmund's chest.

Edmund had never felt such pain before, as he fell to the ground, he thought he heard shouts from every direction, the drumming of hoofs and a beating of wings and, stranger still, a scream from the Witch. Later as he drifted into unconsciousness, he had the sensation of being cradled in great, strong arms and felt a swaying motion as if he were on horseback.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Oreius gazed down at the small form cradled protectively in his arms as he galloped. For the first time he realised just how small, how frail Edmund was.

"Please Aslan, save him!"

Edmund was so alive, so full of spark it was sometimes easy to forget he was just a child. A child who had risked his life to save him. It should be the other way around; he should lay his life on the line for his prince."

"Aslan, he's just a child!"

A child who was bleeding to death in his arms.

"Aslan, please let us reach you on time!"

Rhua had assured them that there were healers at Aslan's camp, that they would be able to help Edmund.

He and the rescue party had arrived just as the White Witch had stabbed Edmund. In the confusion that followed they had lost the Witch and the dwarf.

After a quick discussion Oreius and the swifter members of the rescue party had gone ahead, made a desperate dash to Aslan's camp. Oreius only prayed that they would be fast enough.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"HHRrrrr"

"Whaa?"

"HHHHhhhhRR!"

"W … what on Earth?"

"HHHhhhrrrrrrr"

Edmund stirred in his bed and looked around to find out where the alarm was going off … funny he didn't remember setting an alarm. And why didn't Peter turn it off?"

Edmund sat up with a start. At the thought of his brother, it all came rushing back. The wardrobe, Tumnus, The Witch …

"The Witch!"

Gentle hands pushed Edmund back down on the bed.

"Be still Your Highness" said a gentle voice. "You are not yet well enough to rise from your bed. You lost a lot of blood."

"Blood?" Edmund had vague memories of a knife, pain and then blackness.

"Aye My Prince." The voice materialised into a tall, somewhat leafy figure standing over his bed. This must be one of the dryads that Tumnus had mentioned.

"You lost a lot of blood Your Highness." She continued. You were only just brought here in time to be healed. Any later …"

"Edmund, it's just Edmund."

The dryad looked at him gravely. "No, My Prince," she answered. "I'm afraid it will never be 'just Edmund' again." She smiled at him. "My name is Hanna, Your Hi …"

"HHHHHhhhhrrrrrRRR"

Edmund attempted to rise again but was again firmly prevented by soft hands.

"What is that awful noise?" Edmund asked grumpily remembering that it was the noise which had woken him.

The dryad giggled.

"It is Oreius!" she smiled. "He has been keeping half the camp awake with his snoring, but we have not had the heart to waken him. He nearly killed himself getting you here on time."

Edmunds eyes widened as he remembered the hoof beats, the strong arms, the sensation of being on horse-back.

"He saved me!" he said gravely. "You're right Hanna, let him sleep."

"I would get a lot more sleep if there were less talking!" a gruff voice grumbled from the corner.

Oreius rose and came over to the cot where Edmund lay. Both regarded the other silently.

"I'll leave you two alone" said Hanna into the awkward silence which followed, and with a flurry of leaves and a smell of summer, she was gone.

Oreius continued to look at Edmund gravely.

"First lesson of being a Prince of Narnia" he said sternly. "You are no use to Narnia dead!"

Edmund scowled up at the centaur.

"A simple 'thanks' would suffice!"

Oreius's gaze softened.

"Thank you, My Prince. For saving my life," he said his voice thick with emotion. "It is just … we have waited a hundred years for you. We cannot lose you now!"

Edmund did not know what to say to that, thankfully he was saved answering by a voice from the corner. It was Tumnus who had been napping, unseen in a corner.

"Indeed, we cannot!" he said. "Nor can we lose you Oreius. You nearly killed yourself getting here I have been told. I was instructed to send you to the healers tent as soon as you awoke."

With a curt nod Oreius made for the door of the tent. He was called back by a small voice.

"Oreius. Thank you … for getting me here. I owe you my life too!"

A sudden smile softened Oreius's face. He nodded to Edmund and left the tent.

"You know" said Tumnus thoughtfully. "I think that is the first time I have ever seen Oreius smile!"

They both laughed at that. It was good to laugh after the horrors that they had gone through. As they let go and laughed again the laughing almost turned hysterical, almost turned to tears. Edmund drew a sharp breath, his chest suddenly painful with the movement of laughing. He laid his head back on the pillow.

Tumnus sat beside him, trying to work up his courage.

"Edmund, Prince Edmund." Tumnus stopped, unable to come up with the words. The words to tell the boy before him why he had betrayed him. Why he had handed him over to the White Witch to be tortured. He was not even sure himself, or maybe he was and was too afraid to be that honest with himself. Looking into the deep brown eyes that gazed back up at him, Tumnus could only manage one word.

"Sorry."

And for now, that one word was enough. For now.

Hope you liked it. I haven't had Tumnus face up to what he did properly yet as I think it'll take a bit more of a jolt to get him there. Please review. I love the reviews!