Dark Witch
Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia
A/N: Chapter has been altered.
Chapter 10: Battle of Miraz's Castle
It was a two-day journey to reach the borders of Telmar Castle. Or better yet Miraz's castle. As my spies, the ravens, and crows have reported, Miraz has taken over. Even proclaimed that Caspian was a traitor, no longer a Narnian prisoner. Then again, Caspian did have the Narnians steal their supplies and weapons that can arm two regiments.
By nightfall, the invasion began. The plan was simple as Peter would put it. In the first group were Peter, Susan, Edmund, Caspian, Trumpkin, and I would enter the castle by Griffins. We would enter the castle, divided into four groups, Peter and Susan would go after Miraz, Caspian and Trumpkin will go and open the gate while Edmund and I be on the lookout to signal the other forces. The second squad was several Narnians who arrived by griffin being drop off by certain areas around the castle to dispose of the guards. The third squad was Reepicheep, who will lead his men inside through the underground tunnels and deal with the guards. I must remind the noble mouse not to kill all the guards. Of course, he questions about any cats. Then there was the fourth squad under Glenstorm's command. The plan was simple, capture Miraz, open the gates, and raid the castle. Simple as Peter put it.
During the flight, I informed the humans of my telepathic ability. I gave Susan and Caspian charms that way they will keep in contact. Peter was not pleased about the mind-reading, but once more, Edmund assured him, I never abused my powers. It was the only way we can communicate in silence without the risk of exposure.
It wasn't long before we arrived at Telmar. The griffins maneuver around the castle bridges and towers, making sure we were not spotted by the guards. We split up into our groups, Edmund and I headed off first securing one of the towers. A guard was on post, so Edmund took the lead as the griffin got rid of him. Afterward, I took the tower over. Looking up, I see Edmund signaling to the others the coast was evident with the Torch.
In securing the castle, I pulled out a charm. The charm was of a sachet filled with lavender, hops, rosemary, passionflower, chamomile, and valerian herbs along with a magical gem. Securing the objects and tied it up on a silver chain, I spun it around continuously, creating a magical barrier to seduce the Telmarine who are already asleep remained so. It would only take a sudden physical motion to wake them, not a call for help.
We watched the skies, seeing the Griffins set forth into the castle. Time went on, as Glenstorm informed me through the charm that he and his men have secured the city, using the herbal charms in keeping the civilians unconscious. The fewer people in this raid, the better. Also, Reepicheep reported in saying they were inside.
Although, they got a little sidetracked when encountering a cat and tying it up. The image of a cat tied in little rope around the muzzle and hogged linked almost broke concentration. Along with a snort. Several minutes later, I get Susan's mental connection, informing that they were inside; however, there was a change of plans.
"Change of plans," I asked. "What's going on?"
"Professor Cornelius was taken," Caspian joined in.
"Peter and I will go after Miraz," Susan said.
"And I can still get to the gate in time," Caspian assured.
"Fine, right now, we are wasting time. Caspian, if you cannot reach it in time, let me know, and I will do so." I told them both.
"Understood," he said.
Susan discontented the conversation as she and Peter went to find Miraz from the instructions Caspian gave. The Crown Prince went the other way, sensing his aura going down to the dungeons where he assumes Cornelius was being held.
"Caspian," I said. "I'm leaving my trust in your hands. I must know that you can take care of the responsibilities as King."
"I promise you, I will," Caspian assured.
I sincerely hope he keeps his word. If what I am sensing is true in Narnia's earth, the deep magic was fading, and therefore I was fading. The magic of these lands is what keeps me alive. If the magic dies, I will die, and when the time comes, I want my people to be secure. Caspian is the Son of Adam I have foreseen, although the Pevensies broke the hundred years of winter against Jadis. This wasn't a war against a tyrant. No, this war was against two civilizations from the Narnians and the Telmarines.
Connecting to Edmund, I informed him of the change of plans.
Why am I not surprise, Edmund thought.
Either way, everyone is getting into position, I thought back.
Sounds like you doubt this mission, Edmund noted.
Wouldn't you, when we are in enemy territory who hold advanced military weapons, I countered.
True
I was still surprised by the griffins dropping boulders during the Battle of Beruna.
Something from the Blitz
The Blitz?
An enemy attack from my home world, where the Germans dropping bombs all over London. Peter and I almost died when a bomb went off next to our home a year ago.
Why were the Germans attacking London?
Because one dictator believed in purity and domination.
The way Edmund talked about this dictator indicated it was a harsh political discussion. As if this individual has done more than conquering territory. Like there was more blood spilled over hatred. Dropping the subject, we continue to wait at the outpost and kept watch.
Time continued onward when I heard Edmund' thought, "Uh oh."
Edmund, what do mean, uh oh? I asked.
The Torch's light was flickering about at the tower Edmund was resigning. However, the Silver King was on the very top. At the same time, the Torch's light was being illumined three stories down on one of the balconies below. Realizing this would confuse the Narnians hidden in the city, I quickly send a telepathic message to Glenstorm saying false alarm.
Suddenly the bell was ringing, alarming everyone awake. I spun the sachet faster, except the sound of a bell was creating a waking catalyst from its vibrations and the guards who were awake. No doubt, they were disrupting the spell in waking their comrades. The realization hit ...if Peter, Susan, Caspian, and Trumpkin were spotted or captured and the plan was aborted.
Peter appeared rushing out of the castle into the courtyard sword, ready, "Edmund now! Signal the troops."
"I'm a bit busy, Peter!" Edmund shouted.
Leaning over to the ledge to see Edmund was in a duel with a guard who had him pinned. He headbutted the guard, allowing space between as he swung his sword in a heated fight. The guard managed to disarm him as he swung. Luckily, Edmund ducked the blade, picking the torch up and uppercutting the guard to unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Peter disarmed the guards in the guard yard and reached for the lever to open the gate. Caspian and Susan rushed in, not sure what was going on, I did a spell to listen to their conversation.
"Peter!" Susan yelled. "It's too late. We have to call it off while we can."
"No, I can still do this!" Peter countered, still turning the wheel but was struggling. More guards were on their way. "Help me!"
Furious, Susan rushed in to help her brother along with Caspian.
"Exactly who are you doing this for, Peter?" Susan demanded.
Edmund the torch, I yelled at him mentally.
Seconds later, the bridge was dropped, gate open, and the torch finally signally the troops. They were rushed in swords and battle axes at the ready for battle. Peter, Susan, and Caspian turned facing the Telmarine guards, unsheathing their weapons and leading the charge.
"For Narnia!" Peter exclaimed.
"No," I whispered. "This was not part of the plan."
Having a bad feeling, I left my post to join the others. I will not stand here and observe my family being killed off. So, rushing down the stairs till reaching a corridor when guards stopped drawing their swords. The moment they got a better look, their eyes widen to see who they have encountered.
I smirked, pulling my blade, as the dragon ring of Gethen glowed. The energy of his magic confused me as I charged forward. The first guard waved his sword high, exposing his midsection as I sliced through. The second guard swung his in the attack, which was deflected when our blades joined. Swirling around, I forced an opening and pulled my dagger, stabbing him in the stomach.
Turning around the corridor, I marched over when a sharp slash to the back left-side surprised me. I spun around using my sword to slash through the assailant to discover General Glozelle with his bloody sword. I touched my side and moved my hand to see blood.
"You can bleed," General Glozelle whispered.
"Ya think," I said, doing a simple strike from above.
Glozelle parry. Our blades clashed as we fought one another. My style of fighting has been about spinning as I tried to keep my opponent away from me. It wasn't long when our blades clash that we were pinning each other. Our eyes glared at one another. I was just about to move my dagger to stab him when a sharp pain enters my left side above my hip. A gasp escaped as I stared down, seeing a dagger that penetrated through the weakest part of the leather corset.
I parry, forcing Glozelle off before raising my hand and blasting him to the other side of the room. He slammed into the wall knocking him unconscious. I panted, as a groan of pain escaped my lips follow by a curse word. There was no time to pull out the Sun-drop Lilium. So, placing my hand over the wound, casting a numbing spell, followed by an ice spell to secure the injury until further inspection. A sharp inhale later, I joined the battle in the courtyard. At the moment, the Narnians have the lead.
It was utter chaos, like any battle. However, this was not on a battlefield. Now we were fighting in close quarters of the courtyard where anything could happen from the castle's walls.
"Archers!"
Immediately all eyes looked up to see countless archers assembling with their crossbows at the ready.
"Pick a target!"
Edmund slid down the roof, knocking down the archer in command over the wall.
"Ed!" Peter yelled.
Even though Edmund knocked over the squad's leader, he didn't consider the five other bowmen with their crossbows at the ready. Edmund rushed inside, slamming the door shut as the archers took fire.
A sword swung my way, reminding me I was still in battle. Slashing my way through countless guards when the sound of a painful cry caught my attention. I gazed at the source to see Tyrus, a sayter falling towards his death after being shot from a balcony where Miraz, General Glozelle, and other soldiers were. Tyrus was one of the few Sayters who was born during the Telmarines invasion, he grew up in the forest, and made ranks to be in the council.
Anger consumed me as my attacks became more brutal.
The gate began to close suddenly, from a guard who cut down the pully system. Realizing we could be a trap, Asterius, my right-hand general and trusted Minotaur rushed in to stop the gate from closing. He caught the iron door, using all his strength to keep it up.
"Fall back!" Peter ordered. "We need to retreat now!"
"Fall back!" I yelled from the top of my lungs.
Narnians realized the situation, and instead of fighting their way into the castle, they were now fighting their way out. I rushed to help the injured away from the enemy but was too far away from the gate. During the scourge, Glenstorm got a hold of Susan and placing her on his back.
"Caspian!' Susan shouted.
"I'll find him!" Peter promised, then went to order the others. "Go! Get out! Go. Get out! Retreat!"
"Everyone, retreat!" I bellowed as I killed another guard.
I rushed over to Peter.
"Where's Caspian?" Peter asked.
"I don't know," I answered.
Caspian barged out from the stables with Cornelius as they had four horses. But that wasn't the only problem. More archers were appearing. Shoving Peter, we rushed our way to the horses. Peter managed to get on his horse. The moment I reached for the reins of the fourth horse, my wounds reopened, sending a sharp pain to my side. I cried out as the pain stunned me to trip to the ground. In all the chaos, the world spinning from blood loss, I kneeled up to see Peter, Caspian, and Cornelius managed to escape. Rainstorm ran to my aid, helping me up onto his back. Biting my tongue to suppress the pain, we scurry.
Asterius struggled to keep the gate open. When an archer fired shooting the grew minotaur in the thigh and another one in his neck. Unable to withstand the pain, his strength in his arm caved, falling to the ground while the gates crushed his body. The smaller animals managed to escape, however the bigger animals, the Narnians, and I were trapped. What a rain of arrows was shooting at is forced to one location.
Peter, who was at the bridge, stopped turning around to see. His eyes widen, as he and the others watched in dismay.
"Run for your life."
"Save yourselves!"
Glenstorm gazed at his son, giving him a farewell nod. Rainstorm realizing the situation nodded in return. I nodded back to my friend, knowing this was the end. Next, my eyes landed on Peter, who felt guilty.
"Peter, the bridge!" Reepicheep exclaimed.
"Run, you fool," I yelled.
The Golden King realized the bridge was being drawn up. Having no choice, he forced his horse and galloped away from the bloodbath. Barely making to the other side.
I turned around, seeing so much death. Several visions back from the Battle of Beruna, the civil war, the Dark Ages, and the Telmarines returned. No, not again. I can watch more Narnians die. I took a deep breath and got off Rainstorm making my way through the crowd of fear. Standing before my people, I touch my pendant and heath a heavy sigh. I raised my arms once all the Narnians who were trapped are behind me and cast a barrier between us from the smiting arrows. Every arrow bounced off, deflecting as each section of the barrier that disrupted burst in silver light.
"I will not lose my family," I whispered to myself. "I will not watch innocent blood be spilled."
The Telmarine kept firing their arrows. In the storm of iron, I glared at Miraz. He watched amazed in seeing the pure magic.
A voice whispered in my ear, "Parley. Use it."
Unable to comprehend who the voice it belongs to, I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Parley!"
Miraz's eyes widen as if someone said a sacred word. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the archers from firing. I remained to keep the barrier up to ensure the Narnians' safety. Miraz and his men came down from the balcony. They walk with caution approaching the barrier.
"So you know the code of my ancestors," Miraz murmured.
"Parley, I invoked the right of Parley," I panted. "If an adversary demands parley, you can do them no harm until the parley is completed."
"Indeed," Miraz sneered.
It seems there is some honor in him, after all.
"And what are your terms," General Glozelle asked.
"You and your men go back to your castle while mine leave Telmar," I said.
Miraz laughs, "Hah, you think I will let you vermin leave."
"The code," I challenged.
"If you truly have known the code, they are more like guidelines," Miraz said, then looked down to see a pool of blood forming beneath my feet. "And you don't have much time. How long can you last before you die from blood loss?"
He turned around as he and his men return inside. In a furious blind rage, I cast a spell striking the closest soldier and turning him into stone. Miraz and his men were baffled, scourging away in seeing the effects. His brown eyes glared at me.
"Do you know who I am!" I yelled.
"The Dark Witch," he seethed.
"I am more than a Dark Witch," I said. "I am Eirlys, Daughter of the White Witch, Jadis! Queen of Charn! My father Gethen, warlock of Laputa. Their power runs through my veins along with the Deep Magic. I can turn your men to stone and place a curse over your kingdom."
Miraz contemplated the situation. "Try me."
"Very well," I murmured as I turned the next soldier to stone.
Forgive me, Aslan, I thought.
I gazed up at the sky, warning the Narnians to huddle together before casting the eternal winter. The language of Charn seeping through my tongue like a hymn. Clouds above gathered, becoming congested, erupting in thunder and lightning. Miraz continues to watch, keeping a straight face. Adding more power, I deepen the curse as a blizzard appeared where snow and hail poured down onto Telmar.
The numbness and cold slithered up my arm and reached to my shoulder blade. My eyes shimmer silver, as I continued to make the spell. Death is not the enemy. Fear is. And my worse fear is losing my family. I lived for nearly 1400 years, and I would rather die and let my people suffer. No more will they live in the shadows. Securing the forcefield, I cast another spell.
"Wither and decay
End this destiny
Break these earthly chains
And set the spirit free…"
As I sang the incantation, the blood beneath my feet evaporated, turning into red smoke. It seeped through the barrier crawling over towards the Telmarine. It reached the nearest soldiers as they started to feel sick. Coughing horrendously as blood began to drip from their noses and eyes.
"My Lord accepts the deal," General Glozelle begged.
The air became cold with freezing winds and snow piling up. The red smoke continued to reach over to the next soldier. All having a slow, painful death. Once I finish the spell, then Tash shall claim their soul.
"Wither and decay
End this destiny…"
Miraz realizing I was not bluffing and understanding the consequences he scowled.
"Very well," Miraz said, ordering his men back inside.
I stopped the spell, as the red smoke vanished into a puddle of blood. Yet the storm continued to blow over the castle. As the snow pile on in inches. Miraz and those in the courtyard watched as I turned halfway, using magic to lift the gate. The Narnians rushed out, collecting the wounded. Cautiously, I walked backward, never keeping my eyes off Miraz. Once on the other side of the gate, I blasted the drawbridge down, allowing everyone to escape. Rainstorm came over and helped me onto his back before we made our escape.
The Narnians ran through the city, making our escape; however, the others had a massive head start. When we were out of Telmar, I turned the curse to that of a storm and not the eternal winter. It was surprising that Miraz believed in my bluff. Then again, he has witness magic for the first time. Of course, the two men who were turned to stone will return to their original form by sunrise. Although, men who affected by the red smoke shall feel better in a few weeks.
Stepping off Telmar soil, the pain became too much that I fell into unconsciousness.
I know it has been forever since I updated this story. I hope you like the Night Raid.
Parley scene was inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean since the Telmarines were once sea pirates. The Decaying Spell is from Tangled.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!