Chapter Six
Haelyn paced nervously, debating with herself whether she should go through with it. She knew the final battle would occur soon, probably within the next day or two. The children of Adam wouldn't be able to win if the last son of Adam, Edmund, wasn't with them. Aslan's army was searching everywhere for him, but she knew that they wouldn't be able to find him if they didn't know where to look. Jadis' powers were very strong, her cloaking spells rivaled with the best of them.
She groaned to herself as she finished her pacing and headed quickly through the forest. She shouldn't be doing this, she should just give them a way to find him…but even if she did, there was no telling if they would even succeed. She had seen the majority of Jadis' army, compared to Aslan's; they were out numbered both in number and strength.
She shook her head in disbelief, if anything she shouldn't be doing this in broad daylight, but she spent her nights with Peter practicing, so this was the only time she had.
She crept stealthily through the forest, noticing how it got darker and more decrepit as she went along. She was getting closer to Jadis' camp.
She heard a twig crack in the distance a head of her, and quickly jumped into the branches of the dead tree before her. Once of Jadis' guards, probably Maugrim, doing rounds. She hated Maugrim with a passion, almost as much as she hated the witch. Jadis would let her escape the Ice Palace a few times to send Maugrim after her; it was one of her favorite pass times. Haelyn still had scars from when he attacked her…
'That's it!' she thought. She closed her eyes, concentrating. Maugrim stopped his pacing, ears perked as if hearing something in the distance.
"Yes, your highness." He said, before calling his pack to him with a howl and running off in the direction of Aslan's camp.
Haelyn opened her eyes. Her trick had worked; Maugrim had set off for Aslan's camp under the impression that Jadis had ordered him to capture the Daughters of Eve. She found herself hoping, as she jumped out of the tree silently, that Susan and Lucy were safe within the camp…but even if they were not, she had no doubts that they could handle themselves. Sending the wolves at least ensured that someone of Aslan's would follow them and discover the location of Jadis' camp.
She continued on her track, moving farther and farther into the darkening woods till she heard humming. She moved behind a large dead oak tree, glancing around it enough to see who was before her.
It was Ginnabrick, he was walking around what Haelyn assumed to be Edmund, who was tied to a tree and gagged.
"Is our little prince prince uncomfortable?" The dwarf taunted. "Does he want his pillow fluffed? Special treatment for a special boy! Isn't that what you wanted?"
He started to laugh as Edmund's eyes widened. Ginnabrick laughed at his reaction, turning away from him and right against the blade of a sword. The dwarf looked up to see a cloaked figure holding a sword pointed at his throat.
Despite the fact that her face was covered, the dwarf recognized her any way. "You!" he shouted, but it died in his throat as the figure spun him around and gagged him, binding his arms behind him once she finished.
She threw him to the ground and ran over to Edmund, "I'm sorry son of Adam, but I must get you out of here." She said, quickly cutting the ropes around him.
"You…you're the one from the dungeons!" he shouted recognizing her voice.
"Yes, but you must go." She grabbed his arm and ran with him out into the forest, till a sound a good distance ahead of them caught her ear. She stopped.
"What is it?" Edmund asked.
She listened more till she recognized the sound; a small group of Aslan's army was on the move in their direction. "Quick, you must go on!" Edmund just gave her a look. "Just go, trust me!" She pushed him in the direction of the group, before disappearing.
Edmund kept running till he ran into a centaur followed by a few more animals dressed in Aslan's colors.
A figure in a cloak crouched on a thick branch of a large wilting willow tree listening in as Edmund explained that the dwarf had held him captive, back in Jadis' camp. They didn't question him as to how he had escaped, leaving it up to his status as a Son of Adam. Instead half of the group went out in the direction of the camp, intent on getting to the dwarf as a warning to the witch, while the others saw Edmund back safely…
Peter sighed, he had his brother back. It was a shock to wake up to find Edmund back and speaking with Aslan, but he was happy nonetheless. Edmund was sleeping now as Peter prepared himself for another 'training' session with Oreius, although after training with Lyn, as he liked to think of her, he really just saw these sessions as play time. He shook his head better get this over with…
So he headed over to the training area where Oreius was waiting sword in hand. Peter sighed, drawing his own sword and stepping up into combat. They had fought on and off for a few hours, somewhere in that time Aslan had come to observe. Oreius and Peter had locked blades, coming to a stand still, a stalemate, neither willing to back down, but unable to move forward. Oreius was about to call the duel to a draw when Peter did something unexpected. He stuck his foot behind one of Oreius' legs and pulled it from under him, forcing the centaur to kneel with Peter's blade pointed at his throat. Aslan raised an eyebrow.
Oreius looked at the blade then up at Peter. "Very good Son of Adam, you are learning quickly."
He nodded a signal that the training was done for the day, allowing Peter to leave. He walked off to meet his brother and sisters for lunch. He had come to the decision to send them back home.
Oreius rose as soon as Peter was out of sight, still confused as to where that last move had come from. He slowly made his way over to Aslan.
"It seems that Peter is doing well." He said walking with Oreius. "You have taught him well."
"Yes…but…" Oreius trailed as if trying to find the words. "I did not teach him that."
Aslan raised an eyebrow once again as Oreius left to check on the troops.
A breeze stirred up just then, blowing the lion's main gently with it. He closed his eyes, just feeling the magic of the land. He reopened his eyes after a few moments, gaze wandering to the forest beside him. He cocked his head to the side for a moment before walking over into the forest.
He continued walking for a few moments before coming to a stop below a large Rosewood tree. He looked around for a moment finally looking up into the many branches of the aged tree. "I should have known it was you." He said as a figure fell from the tree, landing gracefully before him. "Especially after Peter tripped Oreius."
"Aslan." The cloaked figure said simply.
"Haelyn." The lion replied, walking past her as she turned to join him. "You have been training Peter in weaponry." He said, more a statement than a question.
"Yes," she responded. "It's a good thing too. He would not be ready for the battle at the rate he was going."
"Ahhh, so you feel it too?" He asked.
"Yes," she said, "The war is coming."
"No child," Aslan countered, coming to a stop by a small stream, the same one that Peter had defeated Maugrim by. "The war is here." They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing what to say. "Why do you wear the cloak, Haelyn? You are no longer a prisoner of Ice."
Haelyn sighed, "You know why Aslan, it is light out. Anyone could see."
"Child you must move on what has been done to you." Alsan said, wisdom shining in every word. "It is a part of you yes, but it is not all of you. Do not let it control your life."
He stood and moved to leave, "Aslan!" she called, halting him. "In the Ice Palace, there are reinforcements if you need them."
He nodded before continuing on, leaving Haelyn to consider his words. She stood, peering into the stream. She pulled the hood of the cloak off, staring at her deformed reflection. It was worse in the day; the light reflected every scar, every burn, and every cut. At least at night the burns on her face were not noticeable and she looked normal. Her right cheek, from just below her eye, down her neck were marked with burns.
She looked away, pulling the hood back on and walking away to await training with Peter.
A/N – So…I think I'll only have about two more chapters left. The battle and the coronation.
