A/n: sorry for the HUGE delay, got prelims and crap, soooo not fun but I am updating because the English prelim is over! WOOHOO! so this is my happy time and I hope you like it! I also don't own Narnia as much as I wish I did!

The Daughter of the Witch

Chapter 4: Stumbling Across the Unwanted

Mary ran until her lungs stung when she inhaled. She stopped to regain her breath, listening hard to hear if anyone had noticed her escape. Reassured that she was alone she continued walking and walking, breathing deeply, listening closely. She fingered the piece of paper in her pocket and shivered. She wished she'd put on her thick cloak, no matter how dirty it was. She heard something. She spun round, eyes darting everywhere.

"Who follows me? Show yourself!"

She gasped as a bird flew out of the bush and stopped in front of her face. She looked at it curiously and realised that it could be a spy for Aslan. She snatched at it- but it dodged her grasp. It began to fly off, so she followed it, snatching and missing everytime. She leapt for it but landed on a cold hard slope. She looked at the looming forest behind her and slowly climbed to her feet. She hastily scrambled to the top. She could not have prepared herself for what she saw. She was standing in front of THE stone table, the one from the stories. It was bathed in moonlight and looked eerie against the clear sky. It seemed as if the only things awake in Narnia were Mary and the Table. Approaching it, cautiously, Mary began to read the symbols engraved along the side,

When the Prophecy is read,

It shall occur,

But it holds no time limit,

it shall not be rushed.

"That didn't even rhyme! So common!" she snorted.

She turned to walk away but heard a thud and a bright light shone from behind her. She tured around and saw a giant leather book. She looked at the cover and reached out. She felt the engraved words beneath her fingers. She tried to open it. It wouldn't budge. She used both her hands and tugged at the cover.

"Will-you-open?" she said between tugs. She was thrown backward and the book opened. The voice from her dreams filled the surroundings and a gale blew. She got up and walked back to the table. She looked at the book and read the passage,

The Princess of Evil,

The King of Good.

From the same land,

Yet worlds apart.

Shall unite together

Under one banner,

Then the time of Evil shall fall.

She stared at it in confusion. What did choosing a banner have to do with her? What two people? She was highly curious,

"What in the name of my mother are you talking about?"

The book closed

"NO! I need to know, tell me, tell me more!"

She leapt on the table trying to open the book but it had turned to stone. She started trying to tear at it but the rugged stone cut her fingers. Her blood dripped onto the book and it started to sink down into the table. Mary cursed and tried to pull it out again but it only cut into her skin deeper. Then it disappeared into the surrounding stone. It was gone.

"Shit!"

she jumped off the table and looked under it, expecting to find it sitting there. But it wasn't.

"NO!" she screamed over and over until she was hoarse.

She clambered onto the table and tried to find an indent, anything, but there was only the inscription that she had read first. A wave of nausea swept over her but she continued studying the table that was smeared with her blood. She saw an inscription. It read

you must fulfil your prophecy

Her eyes widened in shock as voices around her started chanting

"FULFIL THE PROPHECY MARY! YOU MUST FULFIL IT!"

She turned around to run away and saw Aslan.

"you know what you must do!"

she passed out as he said it and he pulled her onto his back. Aslan turned back towards the forest.

"decision making was never much fun!"

--

Peter couldn't sleep. Everytime he dozed off he seen Edmund and a table and bright lights and sorrowful songs, then blood and crying. Just before dawn, he gave up trying to sleep so he got up and walked into the early morning mist. He drank and splashed his face with water to try to perk him up a little. He started humming the song from his dreams in his deep manly voice, then Aslan appeared before him. Mary was on his back, unconscious and bloody. He went to ask what had happened but Aslan got in before him,

"Quickly get the brandy from the badgers!"

Peter nodded and ran off. He returned to the stream but Aslan wasn't there. He followed the dewy footprints back to his own tent. He peered into his quarters.

"Forgive me Peter, your tent was closer and your bed was still warm!"

"That's quite alright, I brought the brandy."

"Good, pour a little in her mouth!"

Peter went over to his bed and leaned over her cold, frail body. He took the stopper off and parted her lips, blue with the cold. He poured a couple of drops into her mouth but nothing happened. He went to do it again and Aslan nudged his elbow so he was letting it steadily pour into her mouth and down her throat. She sprang up and spluttered. She looked up at Peter then promptly threw up. It landed just next to him and he fell onto the bed with her. When she had finished she fell on top of him and lay there. Peter gently hugged her as she caught her breath. She started to pull upand he let her go.

"Thankyou" she rasped quietly

"er ... that's quite good... I mean alright, I mean..." he trailed off.

An awkward silence fell between them. They forgot Aslan was there. He smiled, it was exactly what he wanted. He growled gently to remind them of his presence. Mary turned around,

"oh Aslan, I need-"

"We shall discuss it later. Peter take her to her tent and sit with her until she recovers."

Peter put her arm over his shoulders and guided her out. She gladly leant on him, his presence was calming and she fell asleep mid-walk. Peter smiled at her, then picked her up and carried her to the tent.

--

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU APOLOGISED! THAT WOLF WAS TRYING TO KILL ME!"

"I understand that but the apology obviously made her feel better and she was much nicer this morning-"

"This IS morning Peter and- oho I get it. Have you two been meeting in private?"

"NO! YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT SUSAN! GET OUT OF MY TENT! AND TAKE LU WITH YOU!"

Susan looked at him with disgust and dragged Lucy out of the tent with her. Peter sighed. He shouldn't have shouted at her like that. He walked out after her and started to speak but was cut short and Susan pointed up the hill. Edmund was talking with Aslan. Lucy and Susan went to run up to him but Peter pulled them back. They turned around looking at him accusingly but Edmund saw them and walked down to them. He stopped in front of them, like a man waiting for sentence in court. His sisters ran to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. They looked at Peter. Peter looked at Edmund strangely.

"you must be tired. Go now and rest."

Edmund, looking slightly upset, started walking towards Peter's tent.

"oh and Edmund..."

he turned to look at Peter,

"... try not to wander off."

They smiled at each other and Edmund disappeared inside the tent. Peter turned around and started walking towards Mary's tent. Susan looked at him walking away.

"Peter where are you going?"

"To watch over Mary. It's a long and complicated story."

As he walked away, Lucy, the picture of innocence, turned to look at her sister.

"one minute the two of them hate each other, the next, they're like an old married couple. I just can't understand it!"

Susan smiled at her younger sister,

"No Luce, I really don't either and do you know something? We probably never will!"

A/n: there we go. Next chapter will be up soon. So now...REVIEW!

love yooooo xxxxx