Chapter 8: The Witch (Part One)
Author's Note: I'm so sorry Namine, hang in there!
Namine lands face first into snow.
She sputters, pushing herself up, hands growing cold rapidly. She wipes her face down on her sleeve and looks around. The Dark Corridor is already gone. She finds herself in a white wood. The entire area is nothing but trees and snow and buried shrubbery. A cold wind blows falling snow through the creaking branches, making her wrap her arms around herself. She swallows thickly, and knows she has to move. Her clothes aren't the best for the cold, and she can't cast fire magic. She stumbles through the area, wetness sinking through her shoes.
She's not sure what world this is. There was snow in the Land of Dragons, but... she doesn't feel like this is it. There is an oppressiveness in the air, a cold magic overwhelming everything. Even the snow has traces of magic in it, but she's not sure why it calls to her like this. She keeps on moving, pushing branches aside, ducking as one snaps back at her. She feels like there is something watching her, she doesn't like the way her skin crawls. There is the sudden cawing of birds, taking off on the air, large pale featherless ones, not heartless, but she doesn't know the species.
Her teeth chatter as she keeps on moving, trying to rub her arms up and down for warmth. Time ticks away, and the trees never break, they just keep going on and on... but then she finds a trail. She looks down, there's no tire marks, but maybe... sled marks, with tiny hoof-prints? She's not sure on what that might hint at. Cars aren't always useful in snow, so even if they use sleds it may or may not hint at what level of technology this world has. Its her best chance either way, the cold is seeping all through her. Her clothes are soaked with snow, and she really wishes she had a heavy jacket right now. She needs to find someone, anyone.
There is a growl all of the sudden. Namine freezes and slowly turns...
A wolf prowls out of a bush to her left, two more slowly making their way around it.
Namine swallows thickly. Is... is she going to die here?
Then...
Then the wolf speaks. "Well well well, a human, here in Narnia?"
Namine blinks. "W-what?"
"Are you deaf, two-legger?" snaps the wolf.
"I... no," she said, swallowing again.
The wolf grins maliciously. "Humans aren't supposed to be here in Narnia. Yer in trouble little cub."
"I... I was kidnapped and shoved through a portal, I didn't ask to be here," she said defensively.
The wolf cocks its head, sniffing, "You are afraid, but not lying. Still... ain't my call to make. Her majesty ordered any humans to be brought to her, will you come quietly, or do we have to bite in and drag you? I know what I'd prefer..."
Namine shivered. "I... I'll come."
The wolf's lips peels back, revealing so many sharp teeth. "Shame about that, I was hoping you'd chose to be a fugitive. One of you lot, run ahead and announce us. Her majesty doesn't like unannounced arrivals. Best not to test her patience."
Namine watches one of the wolves take off down the path. The lead wolf motions with its head after him. "Move."
Namine starts moving, the other wolf trotting a ways behind her, the other a bit ahead of her, keeping her boxed in. "Who... who is her majesty?"
"Queen Jadis, the Queen of Narnia and Empress of the Lone Islands," said the wolf, before growing snide, "The foolish try to insult her by calling her the White Witch. She finds it amusing."
A witch.
This queen had powers then.
"Do... I mean... if I plead my case, do you think she'd help me go back home?"
The wolf howls with laughter. "Not likely. Not without offering something of value to her. Nothing in this land is free, everything comes with a price. If you want to live, pup, you best be willing to pay whatever she asks."
They walk for a time, but its cold, so cold..., "I-I-Is t-there a-any p-place t-to g-get w-warm?"
The wolf snorts. "You might prefer the numb and cold if she decides your execution, human."
Namine doesn't ask again.
The jingling of something sounds in the distance some time later. Namine barely registers it, at least until some kind of deer slows to a trot and nearly runs her over. She blinks and shakily raises her head, seeing several rows of them attached to a cart. On it is a little man, maybe a dwarf, and behind him...
Cold.
So cold.
Behind the dwarf sits a tall pale woman garbed in white fur robes. Ash blond hair hung down upon her shoulders, and upon her head a white pointed crown. Her coal black eyes watchful and cold. Nothing like Aqua's. The magic in the air, the snow, the cold... she can feel it, tied to this woman. Namine doesn't get much farther in her thoughts before she falls to her knees, curling, shivering nonstop...
Then something metallic touches her lips, and a melodic voice whispers, "You look so cold, drink, little one."
Namine does and...
Oh.
Warmness invades her body, surging through and melting away the cold. She gasps and reaches for the cup, tipping it back and drinking it all. She blinks rapidly, staring down at it. Then looking up to see the woman in white crouched at her side, fur coat extended to cover Namine. "That... that drink had magic in it?"
"Oh?" posed the woman, curious, "You can feel it? That is not quite so common for humans, and yet..."
The woman peers at her closely. "The wolf claimed you are human. My own senses say that is not quite true."
Namine blinks. What?
The woman takes back the cup and hands it to the dwarf before turning back, "The wolf said you were abducted? Are you... alone here?"
"Yes."
The woman tilts her head. "Are there brothers or sisters to come look for you?"
"N-no, just my Master."
"A master," mused the woman, "A training master, or a master of flesh?"
Namine's eyebrows furrow. "Training master, what did you mean by..."
The woman shushes her with a finger to her lips. "You are young yet, let us not defile your youth with such talk."
A hint of tension goes into the woman's shoulders. "Tell me... is your training master alone?"
Namine doesn't like these questions, but, the woman is queen here, and her presence has broken a rule, so she obeys, "No, she has her two fellows still in training and her own former master."
"All human?"
"Yes."
That gets a hum from the woman "Four. Tell me, what are their genders?"
Namine blinks a few times, baffled why she's poking about that. "My master is female, the others male."
The tension fades out, and the woman smiles. "Three Sons of Adams and one Daughter of Eve, not quite the even amount foretold. So not a concern."
Namine gives her a baffled look, but the woman doesn't acknowledge it. Namine's eyes flicker to appraise the wolves and the dwarfs regarding the conversation, still and at the ready. She thinks of what the wolves said. "Are you Queen Jadis?"
"I am."
"The wolves mentioned you," said Namine quietly, "I... they said humans aren't aloud here...," which begged the question what was Jadis then, "But I didn't come here willingly."
"You need not fear little one, as I said... you aren't quite as human as you look."
Namine falters. "I... I'm not?"
But... she had a heart now. Her own body... she couldn't still be...
The woman holds and open palm out in front of Namine, and it glows. Magic pulses over Namine, making her shiver at the frigid touch. "You are part human, to be sure. Yet... the other half... you have light strung through your body, stitching and holding it together, and the outlines of who you are..."
The woman seems puzzled. "If I had to describe it, it almost feels like... nothingness?"
Even with a human body, the inhumanness of what she was still lingers. She doesn't want to give away anything, so she asks, "What... what does that mean?"
"Oh child," muses the woman, smiling, "Your body is a creation of power, stitched together by light and magic and nothingness and flesh that I have not seen before."
The smile grows cold. "What a magnificent little abomination you are."
Namine full on flinches, shoulders hunching.
The woman tisks. "I did not say it was anything to be ashamed of. Yours is not a natural existence, thus an aberration, but an existence none the less. Tell me, little abomination, what is your name?"
How could she make such a foul term sound so fond and endearing? "My name is Namine."
"Namine," tastes the woman, "An interesting name. Which world do you hail from?"
Namine hesitates. "You... you know?"
The woman's smile grows patronizing. "I am the Queen, of course I know of other worlds, I personally came from another to this one so long ago."
"Oh," said Namine, "But... what about the world order?"
Jadis huffs. "Why should I care for such a trifle thing? It exists outside of my domain, let others bicker about how other worlds should function so long as they do so outside my realm. So tell me, which world do you hail from?"
She was from Kairi, so..., "Radiant Garden."
Jadis hums. "A world of light if I recall. I visited it once, so long ago, and decided I would settle on a... less populated place. I rule, uncontested, in Narnia. As such, so long as you reside here, you are my subject, and you will obey."
Her eyes are so cold. "Is that clear, my little abomination?"
Namine swallows. "Yes."
"Yes what?"
She blinks a few times. "Umm... yes... your majesty?"
"Good, now, come, lets retire to my castle, I'm sure I can find a... use... of you."
Namine wants to run.
She wants to run and not look back.
But she can't.
The woman grips her arm tightly and marches her to the sled. The wolves prowl at their heels, and dwarf eyes Namine with a mocking look, fiddling with a knife at its hip. Namine sits next to the queen, and is bundled up in her fur robes, an arm around her shoulders as if they are close. But its not comforting in the slightest. The sleigh is turned around, and they zoom off, the wolves not following behind them.
Jadis settles in comfortably into her seat. "Tell me, are you hungry, little abomination?"
Namine purses her lips. "I ate before I was shoved through the portal."
Jadis hums, only a hint of disappointment there. "Perhaps later then."
Silence reigns aside from the jingling and pounding of hooves from the deer pulling the sleigh. Some time later, they exit the woods, off in the distance is an tall imposing icy snow covered castle, a faint, turquoise light illuminating out of it. They pull up outside, and the Queen dismounts, holding out a hand to Namine. She takes it, and climbs down, but Jadis does not let go, keeping her firmly in her grasp. "Walk with, little abomination."
Namine grits her teeth. But she's not stupid enough to ask her to stop calling her that. If Jadis is anything like Larxene... the response would be taken out of Namine's flesh. The first thing she notes is how... frozen everything is in the castle, and there are sculptures and statues everywhere, but surprisingly no other beings she sees... except...
She stares at one of the statues, eyes furrowing. Jadis stops walking and watches her. "What do you feel, little abomination?"
A sinking feeling enters Namine's stomach. "Those aren't statues."
A soft chuckle escapes Jadis's lips. "No, they are not. My laws are to be obeyed without question, those who fail in this, well, they suffer the punishment, eternally. You wouldn't wish to end up as they are, do you?"
"No your majesty," whispers Namine.
"Very good, come," orders Jadis.
They climb up an unsafe set of frozen stairs, but Jadis's steps are all sure. The woman leads her to a frozen and dark throne room, and lets go of Namine's hand mid-way through, motioning for her to stay as she goes to sit on her throne. Jadis sits down, the regal queen, and stares contemplatively at Namine.
"Power sleeps within you," murmurs the woman, "Only barely touched, barely stirred. You've only just joined your training master, haven't you?"
Namine swallowed. "Y-yes. My master wanted me to work on endurance and basic knowledge first."
Jadis nods. "I see."
The woman snaps her fingers, and a long table suddenly appears, a chair coming into existence behind Namine, scooting forward and making her fall into with a yelp. A massive feast appears before them, and the moment Namine smells it, despite having eaten earlier, she suddenly hungers for it so much. "We shall discuss your stay here, but first, dig in."
Namine reaches forward...
Her finger stop inches from a leg of meat.
She feels it again.
Magic.
It doesn't feel like the warmth magic that the cup had.
Its wrong.
Namine stares at it for some time, wariness and unease warring with the craving...
The abnormal craving...
Why does she want to eat so much, so badly?
And why hasn't Jadis eaten yet?
With great effort, Namine's arm shaking, she pulls her hand back to her lap. "No thank you ma'am. I'm... I'm quite full from earlier."
Rather than be offended, the woman smiles. "Very good, little abomination, very good indeed. If you had so easily fallen for that trap, I would have been... disappointed."
The smile turns patronizing. "You don't wish to disappoint me, do you?"
"...no your majesty," answers Namine, swallowing thickly, "What... what kind of magic is in the food?"
"Addictive magic," answers Jadis cruelly, "The mere smell of it, so enticing. But if you had actually eaten it? Oh, you would have been enthralled to it, to me, willing to do nigh whatever I wished, so needy and desperate, if only for another bite."
Namine leans back in her chair as much as she can away from the table.
Jadis chuckles. "You would have been no more than another pathetic, useless, thrall. But no, you felt something wrong... you have potential, and I admit, I find myself... curious, to see where that potential leads, little abomination."
The woman snaps her fingers again. The food vanishes, and is replaced by a much lighter assortment of food. This, Jadis doesn't refrain from eating, levitating pieces of food to her plate from across the table with barely a flick of her finger. The ease of the magic has Namine wide eyed.
"Impressed, are you?" poses Jadis, after a quick bite.
"...you're very skilled with magic," said Namine quietly.
"I am," agreed Jadis, "While you are the mere hopeful, I am the realization. Now, eat, there is no test this time. I will not be so free with food from here on in, it must be earned. Do you understand?"
"Yes your majesty."
Namine watches the woman's careful, elegant but slow movements, and tries to mirror it as to not offend. There is a flicker of amusement from the woman, but she does not comment. After they are done, Jadis beckons her to follow, and they descend back down the original staircase, down lower... into what is most certainly a dungeon, if the bars and chains are anything to go by.
"Do you approve of your new home, little abomination?" poses Jadis, opening a cell door and motioning her in.
Namine hunches her shoulders and bows her head, walking inside. "...yes your majesty."
Jadis smiles thinly. "Its not much, but you have yet to earn better. Now... chain yourself, your leg."
Namine forces back her tears, sits down, and clicks the manacle to her ankle. It shortens in size until it is tight enough not to be able to slip out of.
"Your training master was careless to lose you," said Jadis softly, kneeling down in front of her and running a gentle hand through Namine's hair before gripping it tightly, earning a whimper from her, "I will not be so careless. Unless I release you from my service, you belong to me. Am I clear?"
"...yes your majest," chokes out Namine.
"Very good, I will return in the morning, until tomorrow, goodnight, little abomination," said Jadis, waiting for a moment, "It is rude to not return the farewell. You do not wish to be rude... do you?"
"No your majesty," whispers Namine, "Goodnight your majesty."
The woman leaves, and its only after, that Namine allows herself to cry in her new White Room.
The following morning, Jadis arrives in light blue silk clothes. With a flick of her wrist, the manacle falls away. "Rise, little abomination, we have much work to do today."
Namine shakily gets to her feet and walks beside the woman, who motions to a side door. "Relieve yourself, I will not be pleased if we have to stop later for such... mortal needs."
After she finishes and exits, she follows behind the woman to the throne room. Jadis sits on her throne, staring at Namine. "...are you hungry, little abomination?"
Namine hasn't forgotten what the woman said last night, figures this is another test, and as much as she hates to say it, "...I haven't earned any food yet."
Jadis smiles. "It is good that you remember, as I do hate to repeat myself. You wouldn't wish for me to repeat myself... would you?"
"No your majesty."
"Very good, now... what do you know of your own powers and abilities? Aside from your ability to detect of course, I already know of this."
The way the woman is looking at Namine, looking through her, makes her hesitant to lie. But she... she can't let the woman know about her potential to use the Keyblade. She's smart enough to know letting the woman get ahold of a potential Keybearer is a terrible idea. So... so... she goes for the useless ability. "I... I was once forced to alter the memories of people connected to a boy I was connected to. I've only ever been able to touch those connected to him though."
And Sora was so very far away not in Narnia, so useless to Jadis.
Rather than look disappointed or displeased, Jadis looks so very interested. It makes Namine's heart sink at the sight of it.
"Memory manipulation," exhales Jadis, looking so very greedy, "Fascinating."
The woman smiles slow and cruel. "Untrained as you are, you could most likely only affect this 'boy' because of the connection. I do, however, doubt that you are absolutely reliant on these connections. Rather, I think you simply do not yet know how to alter memories without them."
Namine stares at her, uneasy. "You... you think so?"
Oh she hopes not. She hopes not, because that might just be as bad as what she feared, if not worse...
"Oh yes," confirmed Jadis, "I'm certain of it. In fact, I sense a rather impressive overall affinity for magic from you. It was the only reason you had my interest, after all. I have very few servants who will have anywhere near your capacity for magic. You will not compare to me, no, you are far, far to young and inexperienced, but... as my eventual right hand... yes... I could see this happening."
Jadis smiles menacingly. "Would you like that, little abomination, to be my treasured tool, my prized weapon, my blessed right hand?"
Its not fair.
Its not fair.
Its just like Marluxia and Larxene, like DiZ...
"Why does this always happen," whispers Namine bitterly, tears in her eyes.
Jadis is there in moments, a thumb brushing away her tears. "Why does what always happen, my little abomination?"
"People only ever want to use me as a tool, or to hurt others," whispered Namine.
Jadis hums. "Because you are weak, others will always take advantage of you. But..."
Jadis cups her chin and tilts her head up. "Serve me well, learn at my feet, and you will become so strong that it will only ever be I who commands you. Would you like this, my little abomination?"
"Do I have a choice?" asked Namine bitterly.
Jadis smiles cruelly, gripping her chin tightly. "No, you do not, and should you so ever think to strike against me..."
The Queen of Narnia leans down to whisper in her ear, "Know that I am Immortal, so you would fail, and suffer eternal punishment as the price to pay."
Its not fair.
"Have I made myself clear, my little abomination?" asked Jadis.
"...yes your majesty," whispers Namine.
"Good, now," said Jandis, hand sliding down from her chin, to her arm, to placing her hand over Namine's and raising it up. "I am going to teach you the basics of magic. Learn them well and swiftly, and you will be rewarded. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and... a pillow and blanket for your room, will be the five boons I grant you. However..."
Jadis whispers coldly to her. "I am not a teacher with unreasonable goals. I can understand difficulty in learning... to a degree. I will allow a few slip ups, but for each time you truly disappoint me today, one of these five boons will be taken away, of your choice, until none remain. Am I not kind and merciful?"
"...yes your majesty."
She will need food, but... the chill from sleeping in that cell has left her jittery, which could impact her and cause failing. She needs at least one meal, and the blanket. She... she'll have to do her best not to fail badly...
"Now," said Jadis, "Listen closely, for I do not like to repeat myself..."