Note: This is a continuation of my story "Tales of the Golden Age". Some of the characters including Melina and Galen were introduced in that story but you don't have to read that story before reading this one.
It was a beautiful spring day in 1015. Queen Susan the Gentle and her sister-in-law Queen Melina were returning from a ceremony to bless a sacred grove of the dryads. Susan was wearing a violet dress and dark purple cloak that made her blue eyes appear even more vivid. Her long black hair was braided with strands of pearls. Melina wore an emerald green dress and matching cloak and her curly auburn hair was pulled back with gold and emerald hairpieces. Queen Lucy had also accompanied them but she had ridden in the opposite direction to pay a visit to her oldest friend Master Tumnus while the other queens returned to Cair Paravel. The party had stopped for a late lunch near a small lake. Bergink, a dwarf who had long served the royal family, and his cousin Lukgink were busy serving tea to the party.
Queen Melina said, "Dear sister, I was insisting on haste to return to Cair Paravel but this is a pleasant spot to rest and I am feeling a bit tired."
Queen Susan replied "Madam, I agree and to stay for a bit in this lovely spot would be most pleasant. Let us put our tea cups aside and rest briefly on this blanket."
Queen Melina was not certain later if she had even replied to her sister-in-law. She did recall that she fell asleep the moment her eyes closed. When she awoke, the sun was beginning to set. She was annoyed – she had only meant to take a brief nap, not sleep for hours! Why hadn't anyone waken her? She looked around – the rest of their party was asleep. Several of the knights were sleeping sitting against trees. She then realized she was alone on the blanket. She looked around – where was Susan? As the young queen stood up, she was surprised by how tired and heavy her head appeared. She walked over to Lord Peridan and bent to shake his shoulder. It has a long moment, before he opened his eyes. He appeared quite befuddled.
"Lord Peridan, I do not know what has happened but Queen Susan is gone" said Melina.
Peridan shook his head and said "Your Majesty, this sleep is not natural. It is not possible that we were all so tired. Is anyone else missing from our party? Are any of the horses missing." They began to wake the others. Within a few moments, the whole party was awake.
"Queen Susan's horse Snowball is still here. She did not ride off" said Lady Deidre.
"What happened to us?" asked Queen Melina. "This doesn't make sense. Do you think Queen Susan is in danger? Who could harm us in the heart of Narnia?"
Bergink said "Your Majesty, my lords and ladies, my cousin is also missing. But there is no sign of struggle or anyone being forced to leave."
Lord Peridan asked "Did you brew the tea Master Bergink or did your cousin? Was there something to make us sleep in the tea?"
Bergink replied slowly, "My cousin brewed the tea but I can't imagine him harming Queen Susan. I don't understand what could have happened." He began looking through the cooking supplies. "This is strange, this is the bag with tea but it is not opened. I have no idea what Lukgink served us but it was not the tea I packed."
Lord Peridan said "Let us search nearby for the queen while we unravel this mystery."
Lord Peridan sent out six groups and asked each group to search an area of the nearby woods for clues. He sent one knight riding towards Cair Paravel to inform King Peter and King Edmund of what occurred.
Lord Peridan then turned to Master Bergink. "Friend, no one questions your loyalty to the queen. I am, however, troubled about your cousin's choice of beverage and his disappearance with the queen. Of your courtesy, tell me about your cousin so I can understand his motivations."
Master Bergink said "We did not grow up together my lord. I first met him when he came to our family home fifteen years ago after the Battle of Beruna. He had been turned into stone by the White Witch and was rescued by Aslan. During the first twelve years, he was often sullen. He seemed to have a lot of anger inside of him but he was private and did not want to talk about it. He frequently went on long travels. Then about three years ago, his mood improved a great deal. He came to visit me at Cair Paravel and then began to do some work in the armory and stables. He seemed quite content. He was very eager to join us on this trip. I don't understand what could have happened."
Queen Susan opened her eyes to a scene that was quite different than when she closed her eyes to sleep. She was inside a dimly lit cave and her arms and hands were chained to the wall. Her mouth was dry. Her dress was ripped and dirty. Her back and shoulders were sore. The cave was quiet. She could see a fire burning with a cauldron over it. No one was in sight. She heard sounds and dropped her head, pretending to sleep.
"That must have been some sleeping potion, master dwarf. The human still sleeps." The voice was male and cold.
Susan opened her eyes slightly and saw a pale slender man with long ragged hair and beard, several deep scars on his face and long nails. Standing next to the stranger was a dwarf. She recognized the dwarf as Lukgink. Behind them walked two old hags dressed in dirty grey robes. The hags hurried to the cauldron and looked in it. One stirred the contents while the other hag slowly walked back to where Susan was chained.
"It is almost midnight. Now my pretty girl" said the hag, reaching for Susan's hair and pulling her head up.
Susan struggled and the hag banged the young queen's head against the cave wall. Susan cried out from the pain. The pale man and dwarf turned and laughed. The hag, holding a small knife, cut a lock of Susan's hair. She placed the hair in a small black bag and then reached out and made a small cut on Susan's arm. Susan bit her lip and did not cry out again. I will be brave she thought to herself. Peter or Edmund or Lucy would not be crying in pain in this situation. The thought of her siblings did make her feel braver. She knew they would be searching for her. She did not doubt that they would find her. The hag held out a small cup and collected several drops of Susan's blood. The hag hurried back to the cauldron. Susan could feel the small wound continuing to drip blood.
Susan turned and stared at the dwarf. "Why did you betray me Master Lukgink?" demanded the queen.
The dwarf bowed mockingly. "I do not serve the humans at Cair Paraval but rather the true queen of Narnia, Jadis the White Lady."
Susan replied "The White Witch! But she is dead. Why would you serve her? Did she not turn you into stone?"
Lukgink replied "I was proud to serve the White Lady. After Beruna, we all fled and I had no where to go so I made up the story about being turned to stone. My cousin's family took me in and that gave me a base while I searched for others like me."
Susan repeated "But the White Witch is dead. What is the point of kidnapping me? Revenge?"
Lukgink said "A witch is never truly dead. With a great spell and the help of your blood and hair, we will bring her back to life."
"This is a foolish plan. Aslan and my royal brothers will stop you. Set me free Master Lukgink and I will plead mercy for you" said Susan.
The dwarf laughed and said "By the time they find us, it will be too late. You will plead mercy for me Daughter of Eve? You will be pleading for mercy for yourself before we are done here."
The pale man walked to the entrance of the cave and appeared to stiffen for a moment. Then he transformed into a wolf. He padded back into the cave and sniffed Susan's skirt. She tried not to react but couldn't help shuddering.
One of the hags yelled "Get away from her. We need her for two more nights to complete the potion."
The were-wolf snarled and then left the cave in his wolf form. Susan watched the hag take the lock of hair and blood and dropped it into the cauldron. The other hag added several other ingredients and continued to stir the potion. Susan tested the chains and realized there were securely fastened to the wall. She was trapped. She needed to escape – not only for her own safety but to prevent these creatures from raising the evil White Witch.