DISCLAIMER:

The Chronicles of Narnia belongs to C.S. Lewis, not me!

Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Diana Fowley etc. are the creations and property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and the Fox Broadcasting Corporation

The lines I've quoted from the book come in italic.

I'll continue quoting lines from the original story as I want to stick to C.S. Lewis true story. The X-Files characters are just an additional element to the original story. Their presence will bring along some changes but almost all the characters from The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe will be present

Chapter Eight

The Spell Begins to Break

After flying for approximately two hours, Sapphire and Scully decided to have a break. The horses' wings were still hurting from yesterday's journey and Scully could use some rest herself.

"Father Christmas has come at last" said Sapphire. "She has kept him out for a long time, but he has got in at last! The witch's magic is weakening… Can you feel it Daughter of Eve?"

"The wind's softer and warmer. The snow is slowly melting."

"I wasn't actually referring to the climactic changes. Of course the spell is slowly beginning to break; this terrible winter will hopefully come to an end… but somehow I got that strange feeling that there's more to it…"

"Has it something to do with the prophecy? If you know anything that can help us save Mulder and Emily you must tell me!"

"The throne in Cair Paravel has been vacant for many centuries. During hundreds of years we had to endure the Dark Witch's rage… but since you two FBI agents have crossed the threshold to our world everything has changed…" Sapphire had this serious and anxious look on his face when he turned his head away from Scully and stared at the Mountains in front of him while slowly whispering:

Wrong will be right and winter will meet its death

When Adam's Son and Eve's Daughter

Sit at Cair Paravel in throne.

Thanks to them

The evil time will be over and done.

Well… it seems that winter has already started its meeting with death…

The Witch's power is clearly weakening but will this evil time really be over and done as soon as we hope? The events don't fit the prophecy, where are the two lovers that will return Narnia its much-longed-for independence? Where are our new King and Queen?" With these questions still running through his mind Sapphire turned round to face Scully again.

"My dear Daughter of Eve, may I take the liberty to ask you some questions?"

"You don't get the chance to be questioned by a talking horse everyday, so please go on."

"You and agent Mulder are working together at the FBI. For how long have you known each other?"

"Five years more or less, why are you asking?"

"And you've never been more than plain professional partners?"

"We are friends and we trust each other"

"Friendship and Trust… Hmm I would say that these are two very important essentials for a solid relationship"

"Or for a good partnership" replied Scully smiling.

"Then how do you feel about your partnership with agent Mulder?"

"I think that we did some good work during these past years."

"Good work? I don't doubt your professionalism my dear Daughter of Eve; you must have understood me wrong, I was talking about the emotional aspect of your partnership" said Sapphire.

"The X-Files are agent Mulder's life and they have become mine too. We don't see each other very often apart from work."

"You're eluding my questions" said Sapphire.

"Maybe you're asking the wrong ones" replied Scully on a dry tone, and now it was her turn to move round and stare at the Mountains.

"What exactly are we supposed to do if the Dark Witch and Mulder were to appear at the entrance of the Garden of Youth?"

"Prevent them from entering into the castle and hope that our Resistance group will be here soon" explained Sapphire.

"Is this the reason why Father Christmas gave me a bow and a quiver full of arrows; is there going to be a battle?" asked Scully

"I fear there will…"

There was a moment of silence after Sapphire's statement. And in that silence Scully suddenly noticed a strange, sweet, rustling, chattering noise- and yet not so strange, for she'd heard it before- if only she could remember where! Straight away, she forgot all about the upcoming battle and concentrated on the nature of that specific noise.

Then all at once she did remember. It was the noise of running water. All round them though out of sight, there were streams, chattering, murmuring, bubbling, splashing and even (in the distance) roaring.

"Can you hear this Sapphire? That's the sound of running water!"

"…strange how fast things are changing…" said Sapphire fearfully, and yet his heart gave a great leap when he realized the frost was over.

Much nearer there was a drip-drip-drip from the branches of all the trees. And then, as Scully looked at one tree she saw a great load of snow slide off it, and for the first time since she had entered Narnia she saw the dark green of a tree.

"The spell is really breaking! Look, patches of green grass are appearing everywhere!" said Sapphire enthusiastically.

Unless you have looked at a world of snow as long as Sapphire had been looking at it, you will hardly be able to imagine what a relief those green patches were after the endless white.

"Maybe our group will be able to overtake the Dark Witch. Her sledge won't be running as smoothly as usual in this thaw" said Sapphire optimistically.

"I think it's time to be moving on now" said Scully happily "We do not want to lose our lead over them. Do we?"

They both looked at each other and smiled, then with some difficulty Scully got on Sapphire's back and the final journey began.

High above, Scully had a wonderful view of the forest and mountains.

Every moment the patches of green grew bigger and bigger and the patches of snow grew smaller. Every moment more and more of the trees shook off their robes of snow. Soon, wherever you looked, instead of white shapes you saw the dark green of firs or the black prickly branches of bare oaks and beeches and elms. Then the mist turned from white to gold and presently cleared away altogether. Shafts of delicious sunlight struck down on to the forest floor and overhead you could see a blue sky between the tree tops.

When she woke up the following morning, the Witch felt drowsy and feeble. She hadn't slept much this night. The rising temperatures and the trying events of the past 24 hours had disrupted not only her usual routine but also her sensitivity. Her head was aching terribly and she decided to get some fresh air in order to clear her thoughts.

"Servant!" called the Witch sharply while clapping her hands, and instantly a fat dwarf appeared.

"Bring me my dressing gown. I want to take some fresh air"

The dwarf did as ordered and a few instants later the Witch was walking towards her balcony. What she saw once she came out puzzled her completely. The snow was now really melting in earnest and patches of green grass were beginning to appear in every direction.

The fat dwarf had remained just behind the Witch and observed her surprise. "It's no good, your Majesty," said the dwarf. "We can't sledge in this thaw".

"Then we must walk" said the Witch.

"I've heard that a secret Resistance group is on the march towards the Garden of Youth. We shall never overtake them walking" growled the dwarf. "Not with the start they've got."

"Are you my councilor or my slave?" said the Witch. "If I say that we'll walk, then we'll walk".

This bit of fresh air had served her well, as the Witch had undoubtedly recovered her usual bad mood and began to feel stronger and stronger every minute.

She called for Maugrim and the dwarf left her alone. He got back to the other servants, announcing to everyone that they'd be traveling on foot to the Garden of Youth.

Soon the Witch and Maugrim were talking in low tones.

"Is there any chance to stop them from getting to the castle, maybe we could attack them?" asked the Witch.

"No" said the wolf "It is no use now, O Queen. They'll be reaching the Garden of Youth this afternoon"

"Well then… I've heard a rumor that Mulder was not alone at the beavers' house"

"I haven't seen anybody else. Only him and the beavers" explained Maugrim confidently.

"Are you sure? You could have overseen someone, someone not very tall?"

"No your Majesty. There was no one else there"

"Not even a little redhead?" asked the Witch intriguingly.

Maugrim turned his head so that he would not have to look her straight into the eye. Of course he knew that Mulder hadn't been alone at the beaver's house, he had been there with Scully. But what was he supposed to tell her? That there was an other Daughter of Eve here in Narnia, a little redhead which would probably be the cause of the Dark Witch's coming downfall?

He lied and said "Not even a little redhead Your Majesty".

At that moment with a rush and a snarl another wolf rushed up to them.

"I have seen them. A true army! They'll soon be reaching the Garden of Youth! They have killed some of our spies. I was hidden in the thickets and saw it all. Fly! Fly!"

"No", said the Witch. "There need be no flying. Go quickly. Summon all our people to meet me here as speedily as they can. Call out the giants and the werewolves and the spirits of those trees who are on our side. Call the Ghouls, and the Boggles, the Ogres and Minotaurs. Call the Cruels, the Hags, the Spectres, and the people of the Toadstools. We will fight. What? Have I not still my wand? Will not their ranks turn into stone even as they come on? Be off quickly, I have a little thing to finish here while you are away."

The great brute bowed its head, turned, and galloped away.

"Now!" said the Witch, forcing Maugrim to face her again. "What are we to do with those two in the dungeons?"

"It might be better" said Maugrim "to keep them… for bargaining with".

"Yes!" said the Witch "but now we had better prepare our troupes. Go and join the other wolves. I'll get dressed."

At the other end of the house; meanwhile the servants were busy preparing everything for the Dark Witch's special day; Mulder awoke, blinded by the brightness of the daylight.

He gave a little smile, as he remembered fractions of a pleasant dream about a little redhead and a young girl.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and got out of the all too comfortable bed. It's then that he noticed strange noises coming from the courtyard. The noise went –whizz-whizz-whizz. For a moment he couldn't think what it was. Then he realized. It was the sound of a knife being sharpened. At that very moment he heard loud shouts from every direction- a drumming of hoofs and a beating of wings.

"Faster! Faster!" shouted someone.

Mulder went to the window to see what was going on outside. He leaned forward and saw several fat dwarfs running to and fro. They were busy giving orders to some unknown winged creatures who were obviously sharpening different kinds of weapons. There was confusion everywhere.

It was then that Mulder remembered all what had happened: The capture of Emily and Mr. Tumnus, him and Scully searching for them, his meeting with the beavers and his strange encounter with Diana. He had some trouble processing everything, but he could have sworn to remember a snowy landscape. The scenery he was now looking at, however, was everything else than snowy. There was no trace of last night's fog; on the contrary the sky became bluer and bluer and the trees in the courtyard began to come fully alive. The larches and birches were covered with green, the laburnums with gold; and soon the beech trees had put forth their delicate, transparent leaves.

Mulder looked back at the bedroom where he had spent the last night. He was alone. No sign of Scully or Emily. Where was he exactly?

He decided to have a look at the surroundings; maybe this would help him regain his memory. The door of his bedroom led to a large and dark floor. No lights were on and he had difficulties seeing where he was heading.

He kept close to the wall and 50 meters farther he noticed a narrow entrance which led to a staircase, carefully he climbed the stone stairs.

As he continued climbing, he heard someone screaming for help. Mulder hastened his steps. It was the voice of a young.

"Emily is that you?" shouted Mulder, he had almost reached the end of the stairway…

TBC...

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