Chapter 9: The Witch (Part two)
Namine only gets the blanket the first day, as she has trouble even drawing out her magic. She only just manages to get a puff of energy to save herself from earning nothing. Her stomach growls at her the entire night, but she is at least warmer. The next day, there is a small fur mat in the center of the throne room that she is ordered to sit on.
"I have audiences to be had today," said Jadis, "I want you to focus on drawing out your magic. To get a feel for it. Between meetings, I want you to be able to call out your magic. Each break in meetings. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, a pillow... and one invigoration potion that you may use at your leisure, are what you may earn today, and do so remember, that I dislike failure."
Namine swallows thickly at the threat. "Invigoration potion?"
"What I gave you when we first met, the warmth and energy it fills you with is not to be treated lightly," advised Jadis, "It even throws off the pangs of hunger, for a time. A valuable thing, is it not?"
Namine considers it, but doesn't answer then. She does answer when she fails the first time, and chooses the potion to give up as the first thing.
Jadis raises a single eyebrow, an unasked explanation.
"The potion is a one time use, it wont offer me anything in the long run," said Namine quietly.
Real food matters more than a potion that smothers hunger and warms her up for a few hours.
Jadis considers it, but merely nods and has her dwarf usher in the next person...
Its a dark ox-man. Namine looks at the beast-man, wide eyed, before it snorts at her and walks past without a care. Namine settles in, sitting cross legged on the mat, trying so desperately to concentrate despite the voices. Especially when the topics are so... fear inducing. Jadis is cold and cruel when she talks about suppressing rebellion, hunting down traitors, keeping control of the populace, and the like. Namine has to force away the voices, breathing deep and focusing, focusing...
"Well, my little abomination?" poses Jadis.
Namine swallows, opens her eyes, finding the ox-man gone, and holds out her hand. A soft illumination of translucent energy appears around her hands.
"Very good," praised Jadis, considering, "I will give you a choice. Maintain my current orders, or... change the game. The new task would be to hold your power outside for as long as possible. I will forgive the earlier favor, and add another boon if you can maintain the energy between meetings. Does this interest you?"
Namine isn't stupid, she isn't arrogant. Its another trap, she's sure to fail trying to maintain her magic on the second day. "Your majesty... I do not think I am experienced enough yet to pass the latter task. I... I respectful stick to your original lesson."
Jadis smiles, amused. "Very well, my little abomination."
Namine manages to earn meals for the rest of the day, and a pillow for her cell.
By the end of the first week, Namine has managed to earn a mat to sleep on, a jacket, and actually warm fur boots. She wouldn't have minded having one of those potions as an emergency thing, but Jadis had mocked her for not taking it when there was the chance and as such it wouldn't be offered again. The woman is as cruel as she is spiteful. She is rare to offer anything that isn't a technical necessity for living in a winter kingdom or a basic right everyone should have. If the boon is temporary in nature, and isn't food, Namine has learnt to have to balance the weight of it VS what else is offered by the time the seven days comes to its close.
Not that Jadis apparently believes in weekend breaks, because Namine is back up in the throne room the following morning. Though actually... Namine isn't even sure of the date at the moment, for all she knows, she already went through the weekend in Narnia. If they even use or acknowledge weekends that way...
"I do believe, my little abomination, that you've progressed enough to begin training the skill I wish you to master," said Jadis upon her throne.
Namine blinks. "The skill?"
"Your ability to manipulate memories."
Namine frowns. "Wouldn't that be more advanced than regular magic?"
Seems like an overreaching place to start with after just learning to actually draw out her magic.
Jadis smiles a mocking smile. "Namine."
Namine tenses instantly. Jadis hasn't used her proper name since they met.
"I am a master of magic myself, why would I need you to learn anything that I can do?" asked Jadis.
"But... how can I defend myself?"
"You won't need to," said Jadis, not even hiding her mocking tone, "My precious little abomination, when we are out from the castle, you will never leave my side without permission, and thus you will always be under my protection. So what need do you have of combat magics?"
Namine swallows.
"Unless you wished to learn such magics for... other... means," posed Jadis, "You wouldn't be planning to betray me... would you?"
"No your majesty!"
"Wise," mocked Jadis, "Especially since according to the Deep Magic, all traitors belong to me to sacrifice at the Stone Table if I so wish. Do remember that, my little abomination, that no one can safeguard you should you betray me and flee, or Narnia will be drowned in fire and water."
Namine's eyes went wide, horrified... and despairing. Was she never going to be free? "I... I'm not..."
"I didn't say you were," said Jadis, smiling, "I was merely... snuffing out such pointless thoughts in advanced."
Jadis chuckled darkly. "Now... I've sent my wolves to secure a target for you to practice your powers over the mind on. Until they arrive, you are to think upon how you have used your memory magic in the past. Especially on how it felt to do so. Consider how I taught you to draw out your magic, and how you might adjust your use of memory magic to use on another besides those connected to you."
To Sora.
But Namine's never corrected that thought, and Jadis has never cared enough to ask.
She does as bid though. Considering the pleasant warmth when she reached out to Sora. Rather than the connection... she considered how she reached out to begin with. Through empty darkness, towards a light that beckoned her home. She was Kairi's Nobody, but she had been born from Sora, it was... complicated. She wonders absently if she could have returned to Sora instead of Kairi, she doesn't honestly know. She wonders if being stuck with Roxas in his prison would have been better than this if it were at all possible.
She wonders, in that darkness she was reaching through, if it was ever a matter of reaching for the only light she saw, or not reaching far enough for more. But... it was so empty, terrifying, to reach out with her mind and find nothing but that one bright light in the distance and everything connected to it. She nibbles on her lower lip in thought, considering it. She tentatively probes around, shivering when she touches nothing, and instinctively shies away from an even darker splotch in her mind...
Wait.
Something akin to dread hits her.
The darkness she reached through wasn't like actual dark Darkness, but empty darkness. Like being in a room with no light to illuminate it.
Then there was a heart of darkness, someone who radiated darkness. Which actually has a sense to it...
Is that dark splotch... Jadis?
It feels like Namine's world was just pulled out from under her. In Castle Oblivion, there had only ever Nobodies she was terrified of, Heartless who'd probably barely even have thoughts let alone memories, or Sora and those already linked to him. Roxas was like her, unique as a Nobody, and connected to Sora. With DiZ... yeah she had never wanted to be anywhere near his mind to begin with. It sinks in then. When had she ever truly had the chance to try her powers on anyone she wasn't terrified of, or already connected to? Outside of a few clumsy attempts when she didn't even have a grounding in magic yet?
She is suddenly, so very terrified of what Marluxia and Larxene could have done with her if Namine had a better grasp of her powers, or magic, back then...
Because she is having the horrible, horrible feeling that this isn't going to be as hard as she thinks.
"Put me down you bloody damn bastard!"
Namine blinks and opens her eyes, turning her head to see a wolf trotting into the room with a mouth full of swearing... beaver? Her stomach twists to see blood matting the Beaver's fur, those teeth sink in deep. The wolf tosses the Beaver out of its mouth in front of Jadis, where the Beaver scowls, wincing, but trying to stand.
"What is the meaning of this!" demands the Beaver before scowling, "...your majesty."
Oh that tone wasn't going to earn the beaver any favors...
Jadis smiles thinly. "Lets dispense with the pleasantries. I've long suspected your little family of being rebels, fools loyal to an absent lion rather than your proper, true queen."
"Right," scoffed the Beaver, "True queen."
Jadis's wand is brought out, its end inches from the beaver's face. "Do so mind yourself, a ferocious little thing you may be, but just a tap is enough."
The Beaver tenses, but goes silent. Jadis withdraws her wand.
"Of course, I've lacked the means to prove this, and since those who openly defy me stay on the move, its such a loathsome bother to bring Narnia's... foolish defiance to a close," continued Jadis.
Namine frowned. Defy her? But... if Jadis was the Queen of Narnia, wouldn't anyone who defied her be traitors? Was Jadis lying, or is Namine not understanding something right?
"Now though...," Jadis smiles mockingly, "I can find the proof I need."
Jadis's eyes flicker to Namine, and the Beaver turns its head towards her. Namine stands petrified, honestly terrified of where this is going. She hadn't considered what Jadis truly meant by 'retrieve a target to practice on'. This isn't someone giving their permission, or saying its okay, or anything like that. She's going to be forced to violate someone's mind.
Like Sora in Castle Oblivion all over again...
The Beaver scoffs. "This one? She looks like she's going to pass out in fright. Looks human, but doesn't smell quite like the stories say they would."
"Because she's not," agreed Jadis, "She is my little abomination, a new Witch of Narnia... a memory witch."
The Beaver doesn't pale, but she gets the feeling if it could it would.
"You've been brought here to help train her," explain Jadis, "Whether you want to or not. Now, my little abomination..."
The Beaver's eyes narrow at the way Namine twitches at the mocking referral.
"...we will start simple," said Jadis, "I want you to reach into his mind and find his name. Wolves, pounce if he tries anything."
Namine swallowed. A name... a name wasn't so bad to use her power to find...
Don't lie to yourself, its going to get worse.
Namine's arms shake, but she closes her eyes non the less and reaches out with her mind and magic. She feels through the empty expanse. It takes her a few minutes to figure out anything new. Jadis is still a large dark splotch in the empty distance between minds, that hasn't changed. She uses that as her base, and she's able to locate the wolves as very faint shades of dark-gray. So hard to see, but once she finds one, its easier to see other brief flickers in hue nearby. But the question is, why is it difficult to find the Beaver? He doesn't shine like Sora does, like those he's connected to, or especially not like Kairi...
She pauses the thought.
Maybe that's where she's going wrong.
There is something about Sora that is special, that shines so brightly, illuminating those he befriends even when they struggle with their darkness like Riku. Sora was special, most certainly not dull or average. The average person, the average being, weren't either light or dark. They were made of both. The average person wasn't going to shine anything like Sora does. The average person wont feel as terribly dark as Jadis does. She had her expectations to high, she wasn't even looking at the problem right.
She opens her eyes, stares at the Beaver contemplative, then her eyes flicker to the wolves, then to Jadis who is watching with calculated patience. Namine stares at the Beaver again, the one in the middle between her and everyone, closes her eyes, and she reaches out in that space between them all...
Oh.
Oh.
Its so stupidly easy.
Namine would be embarrassed if she wasn't terrified.
Nothing is ever going to be like before from here on in, because its easy once she's actually tried, and she knows it now.
She penetrates in, and its odd to grasp a chain of memories not connected to Sora. For the Beaver. Its like... the caress of a memory is like she's touching her fur boots...
"From that look on your face, dare I say success?" posed Jadis.
Namine refocuses...
"Erm... his name is Mr. Beaver," said Namine.
Jadis smirks. "Not very creative, are these simple creatures.
"Oi!" snapped Mr. Beaver.
Jadis ignores him, smiling with predatory focus at Namine. "Take it away from him. Take his very name away from him."
Oh her demands got bad real quick.
She hopes, she prays it isn't as easy with those unconnected with Sora...
But it is.
Just like Roxas and the word picture back in that fake Twilight Town, she plucks Mr. Beaver from a memory, feels all resonances to that name, and smothers them.
Namine opens her eyes, and she feels sick.
"Well, little creature, what is your name?" poses Jadis.
Mr. Beaver scoffed. "Really? You expect me to believe this hogwash? My name is... its... my name is..."
The Beaver opens his mouth, tries to say something, but comes up blank, he looks at Namine in horror, terrified of her. "W-what the heck did you do to me?! How can you take someone's name away?"
Namine takes a step back, shaking her head..., "I..."
Jadis laughs. "Good, good, now my little abomination, I want you to take not the name of his wife from him, but what she looks like. Then, I want to see if we can put someone else in her place."
Just like Namine did with herself and Kairi...
Namine rushes over to the side of the room, kneels down, and pukes in a corner.
Jadis sighs. "Such a weak constitution, we're going to need to work on that. We can't have you getting squeamish out in public, now can we? Resume your practice."
Namine shakes all over, shaking her head back and forth. She doesn't want this, she doesn't want this...
Jadis waits a moment, then a chill enters her tone. "Get up, get back over here, and continue."
"No!" cried out Namine, "Please, I don't... I don't want this..."
Jadis growls and rises to her feet, stalking over and yanking Namine to her feet with a painful grip. "This is the last warning I will give, or you will find yourself without food today."
Namine just keeps shaking her head and shivering.
"Yer a cruel, heartless witch, Jadis," grits out the Beaver.
Jadis ignores him, instead she stares coldly and dispassionately down at Namine. "Hmm. Perhaps I'm being to hasty. You've just begun after all. Perhaps I am expecting to much of you. Perhaps... you need a night without the distraction of food to think about it. Perhaps coming to terms over a cold night without any of the boons you earned will help, hmm?"
Jadis orders the wolves. "Bring the Beaver."
Jadis drags Namine all the way back to her cell and throws her in. With a flick of her wrist, Namine's boots come off, the jacket levitates off her, the blanket pillow and mat fly out as well. All of it is deposited in a separate cell before the chain drags and attaches itself to Namine's ankle. "Think on what it means to serve me, my little abomination, and whether you wish to continue to disappoint me. If that is not enough, then perhaps consider what you will be rewarded with if you serve properly. I had been considering raising your status, giving you a proper servants room rather than a cell. Wouldn't you like that, my little abomination?"
Namine pushes herself as far as the chain will allow into the corner furthest from Jadis.
The witch tsks. "I will return tomorrow morning, enjoy the rest of the cold day and night."
Mr. Beaver is tossed in his own cell, the manacle attached to his tail of all things. Namine takes a long time to force herself back together from her panic, the coldness of her feet being the first thing that draws her focus elsewhere. She finds her old shoes back where she had left them when she got the fur boots, and puts them back on, before she sits down and wraps her arms around her legs.
"I take it ye didn't particularly want to serve the witch?" poses Mr. Beaver cautiously.
"I didn't have a choice," whispered Namine, "I... I'm sorry."
The Beaver considers her for a moment. "As awful as it is, there is always a choice, though yer a bit young to make that kind of decision."
It takes Namine a moment to realize he means accepting her own death rather than serve Jadis. Namine looks away bitterly. She's hardly had the chance to even live, and already she's forced back to these kind of choices?
"Could I get my name back if you don't mind?"
Namine blinks and reaches out, so much easier the second time, and unsmothers the name.
"Mr. Beaver," says Mr. Beaver, repeating himself a few times for surety and comfort, "Ho boy, that's a terrifying power to put in the White Witch's hands. I can resist torture, but not someone slipping into my memories to find information, plant information, or changing things. This... this could... no, this will change everything. Will there even be anyone to help the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve when they arrive?"
Namine can't help it at that despairing tone, she starts crying softly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
Is she going to have to choose to die again to not let Jadis use her for such horrible things? Only this time, there will be no prison in Kairi to go to when she fades... this time she'll just be dead.
"None of that girl, none of that," chides the Beaver gently, "We don't have a lot of time, so you need to listen, alright? Dry those tears. Its cruel, but we don't have time for crying."
Namine sniffles, but obeys. "I don't... is there anything that can even be done? She's the Queen, bad things will happen if someone betrays her..."
Then the earlier thought hits. "But... how can anyone defy her then? Wouldn't that make them all traitors?"
The Beaver scoffs. "Ahh... I see how she got you, wasn't the usual addictive sweets she nabs those other poor sobs with. Just brute force, a lack of information, and options. Not understanding the Deep Magic probably doesn't help either."
Namine rises to her feet and walks over, gazing out of her cell towards Beaver's. "What do you mean?"
"The White Witch," spits the Beaver, "Is a self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia, she's not truthfully one. She was the first to rebel in Narnia, and she's the Emperor's Hangman for it, but she only has authority over traitors and those who willingly follow her. Those who serve others, like Aslan, aren't beholden to her. You know, outside of her just having us killed by her servants anyway."
Namine blinks a few times. "I... I don't... Emperor's Hangman? Whose Aslan?"
"The Emperor-Over-The-Sea is important, but not for right now," explained the Beaver, "As for Aslan, he's... well... he's a lion. Magnificent and wise, but a bit terrifying at times when he gets in a mood. Because he is wild, not tamed, never tamed. He is dangerous, exceptionally dangerous and powerful, but never doubt that he is good. I swear he's got eyes and ears everywhere he knows so much."
He considers her. "He's probably aware of your presence here, as he keeps an eye on the witch. If he knows of your power though... that I'm not sure."
"Finally, it is Aslan, not Jadis, who is the one true King of Narnia over all high kings and queens," explained Mr. Beaver.
Namine absorbed the information and thought it over before asking, "Why doesn't he do something about Jadis?"
"Common question that, of those who don't understand, of those who don't have faith in him," mused Beaver, "Aslan has a reason for most things he does or does not do. Not that we are privy to them unless he feels like telling us. He likes to see if we can do things without him needing to do them for us. Likes to give us the chance to prove who we are at heart, good or evil. That last one especially. While it may seem cruel, there's not better way to see the truth of someone's heart than in the face of adversity."
The Beaver add slyly. "Though in this case, there is a prophecy around the Witch and her fall that he might be waiting for."
He frowns. "But it ain't come to pass yet, the Sons and Daughters aren't here yet, and last I heard from Aslan's last appearance, it won't be for a least another few years yet. Its too early for things to be going to a head in that regard. So..."
Mr. Beaver considers her for a long minute. "So perhaps we'll have to take the future into our own hands. I can tell you don't want to serve her, perhaps that you never wanted to even..."
"I was never given a choice really," muttered Namine.
"Tell me," said the Beaver, gripping the bars in his tiny paws, "What happened?"
"I ended up in Narnia against my will, I wondered around, the wolves found and forced me to go to her or die, then she took me to the castle, alluded to me being turned into a statue if I didn't do what she wanted, tried to trick me into eating her tainted food but I felt it was wrong and refused, she gave me a little non-tainted food then threw me into this cell " said Namine bitterly, "She's been forcing me to learn how to use my magic for her own use."
The Beaver's eyes light up. "Oh ho! So not once, did you ever willingly agree to server her without threat or force behind your actions? Did you accept anything in exchange for your service?"
"I... no?" she thinks on it, thinks on the 'boons' she earned and whether those were really 'gifts' or not, whether she truly had a choice in them aside from suffer or die if she refused to play Jadis's cruel game. She never asked for anything, nor wanted to even be here. So she goes with what she feels, and has a hunch she'll learn one way or another if its right. "No. She's never really asked me to do something or given me something without a threat behind it or implied."
"That's going to come back and bite the witch," said Mr. Beaver, grinning.
"But how? How can I do anything being a 'traitor', except die?"
The Beaver smiles a wide toothy smile. "Tell me, she called you Namine that one time, right? Not that other awful name."
"Namine is my name," she agreed firmly.
"I, Mr. Beaver, faithful servant of Aslan and believer in a free Narnia, do so grant Namine, forgiveness for what she was ordered to do to me, and further grant permission to practice and develop her memory powers on me, with the Deep Magic as my witness," said Mr. Beaver.
Something heavy sets in the air, and all Namine can do is stare wide eye at the Beaver. Confused, and... as much as she hates the feeling, fragile. "...why?"
"Because I understand that sacrifices have to be made to stop that witch, even if that sacrifice is me; you're going to need to really know how your power works to fight her."
Namine stares at the Beaver, and she's humbled. "...how?"
"Tell me, Namine," says Mr. Beaver, chuckling briefly, "What is the difference between being a rebel, and being a traitor?"