ROGUE WARRIOR CHRONICLES
RWC2 - Into the North
The first Just and Magnificent adventure SIDE-SERIES starring and focusing rather wholly on Edmund. DO NOT READ unless you have read Just and Magnificent or you will understand little. This is a side-series that covers the year at the end of Volume 1 of JaM between the Battle for Cair Paravel where Edmund fell and his return to Narnia. It basically covers some of his adventures during that year and of course, his quest to destroy Lejious. If you've read JaM, you already know how this ends, but remember, it's not the destination, it's the journey! It is a very plot and arc heavy story in the JaM!verse as it reveals some rather large hints that already exist in JaM, and hints toward the sequel to JaM, Beyond Magnificent.
Summary: Edmund treks north, deep into Ettinsmoor to meet Aslan.
Warnings: Slash, Incest, Love, Romance, Adventure, Mystery, Action.
Disclaimer: Only characters that are mine are the Pretty Eyes People from Shian! All the rest belong to that master of awesomeness, C.S. Lewis.
Author's Notes: If you don't like slash or incest or allusions to Peter/Edmund, then please do not read or reviewthis. Flames hurt.
TO THE NORTH
For three days Edmund made his way out of Narnia by cover of night. He wore the hood he had been given by the dryad, so as to maintain his anonymity. It had been a difficult trek, with little to eat except berries and fruit. Aslan had not rejoined him, but the dryad told him he was to head north into the dangerous land of Ettinsmoor.
His thoughts had constantly been on Peter, his sisters, and Narnia. A land which he had never truly had time to appreciate and become one with, as his family had. He was one who should have been king, who perhaps might still one day be king. King Edmund the Just, that is what Aslan would have proclaimed him. Yet Edmund wondered how one who betrayed his own family for sweeties could ever be known as just.
When Edmund reached the border to Ettinsmoor, he knew he was once more stepping into dangerous territory. He had heard some rumor of Ettinsmoor's ferocity. He heard of its contrasting lands and people, with some civil giants and many who would sooner eat you than speak with you.
As he stood in the invisible boundary that separated Narnia and Ettinsmoor, Edmund looked back at the land he was once fated to rule over. A land of three monarchs instead of four. The bright sun over Narnia seemed to contrast with an eerie fog over Ettinsmoor.
Edmund felt a pang in his heart for the loves he had left behind. His family, his Peter. All were left in Narnia to begin rebuilding a life without him. A life he hoped would be filled with peace. With one last glance back at Narnia, Edmund turned and continued into the wild north of Ettinsmoor.
For many more cold nights and lonely days, Edmund tracked north. Only his hood and a fire each night kept him warm from the cold. He did not know where he was supposed to go or when he would see Aslan again. He only knew he was to track north, and so that is exactly what he did each day.
Through lonely hills and foreboding forests, Edmund trekked the lands of Ettinsmoor. Edmund found his existence to be incredibly lonely. With no one to talk to and no one except Aslan knowing he was even alive, Edmund sometimes felt as though he was merely a shadow walking the world. And in many ways, he was. A shadow of a being, of a life known as Edmund Pevensie.
He rubbed his arms as a fierce cold wind battered his cloak. His skin was cold to the touch and his eyes were worn with fatigue. Still he staggered on as wind swept dirt and dust about him. He'd never felt so alone in his life. Each step took him further away from the people he loved. The people who didn't even know he was alive.
"Peter …" He gasped brokenly, stumbling onwards, "Peter …"
The images of a man he loved beyond death were what kept him walking. They were what inspired him to trek through the bitter cold, the despairing isolation. When his legs felt as though they would give way, these images of Peter were what made him take that next step.
There were times when Edmund swore he was being watched, even followed. Times when his shadow seemed longer than it should be. Times when he thought he caught a glimpse of himself. Yet there was never anything substantial to these moments of trepidation and fear. He grew to believe that these moments were a result of his exhaustion and weariness, or perhaps ghosts from a fallen past.
On one particularly cold evening when Edmund lay huddled against a rock, shuddering for warmth, he found a sign of hope. That sign came in the form of a lion emerging from the fog. With teeth clattering against the bitter cold, Edmund sat up and stood to his feet.
"As … As … Aslan!" Edmund stuttered as he stumbled forward, falling before the lion, his hood falling back off his head.
"Yes, my son." Aslan said softly as he let out a breath that seemed to pierce the cold night air and fill Edmund with warmth.
Edmund felt the bitter cold being driven from his body and he breathed in relief. He found himself resting in the warmth of Aslan's mane as he recovered himself, before he slowly stood to his feet.
"I was not certain I was doing as I was supposed to, Aslan." Edmund said as he rubbed his arms, "I only continued heading north as I was told, in the hope I would find you."
"You had faith, my son." Aslan said in a soothing voice, "You had faith. Your faith has led you to me."
"Aslan … I don't understand. What is it I am supposed to do? How do I find this enemy?"
"The same way you found me, Son of Adam. With faith."
"But …" Edmund said, eyes pained, "I …"
"Peace, Edmund. In time, you will face him. Before you find him, you will face many obstacles. Some of which may prove harder than you ever imagined possible. There is nothing you cannot overcome, Edmund. Your faith will help you persevere in these difficult times. Believe, Edmund." Aslan spoke as he began pacing slowly around Edmund, "I have a task for you, Son of Adam."
"What is it you require of me, Aslan?"
"To the west there is a small village called Hagglesworth. Two of our marshall bears are being kept there against their will. They were kidnapped and are being prepared as a feast by some of the local ettin. We cannot let our beloved Narnia fall foul, Edmund. Do what you must and if possible, do not reveal your identity. You are not Edmund Pevensie, you are the Rogue Warrior."
"Rogue Warrior …" Edmund said as he nodded in agreement, "I am the Rogue Warrior."
"When you have finished this task, journey east to the shore of Glowsbrook. I will meet you there, Son of Adam. The eastern seas await to take us to Galma. Our journey continues …"
NOBLE MARSHALLS OF THE LIST
Like a thief in the night, Edmund entered the foggy expanse that lay over the village of Hagglesworth. Breathing hard the cold air, Edmund studied the huge huts that housed the ettin of this village. He was like a mite amongst men. Nervously he made his way across the village center, darting from tree to tree.
Thankfully the giant ettin were rather oblivious to his stealthy movements and remained snoring. Edmund rolled his eyes as he passed several drunk ettin who had passed out near the central campfire. Perhaps this would be easier than he expected.
"An intruder!"
Or not.
Edmund realized the ettin had some scout ogres. Though they were fierce creatures and more to Edmund's size, they were also rather ineffective and easy to evade. He used his hood and the cover of night to disappear into the shadows once more.
The ettin were soon awoken by their scouts, making Edmund's task suddenly more difficult. Edmund was forced to leave the bounds of the village and retreat into the adjoining forest. He fought to control his breathing and his nerves, keeping himself flush against the trunk of a large tree.
"Stealth is the key, Friend of Narnia." whispered the tree, who was obviously a dryad.
Edmund was startled by the voice, but heeded it. He was also grateful that he wasn't completely alone here. He heeded the dryad's advice and remained still against the tree for at least an hour. All the while the ettin and their scouts explored and sought him out. He was aided by shadow and by the dryad working together to lead the ettin away from Edmund by rustling their branches and leaves.
When the ettin finally gave up their search and returned to their places in the center of the village, Edmund began making his move. He once more made his way toward the village, this time being even more aware of his surroundings. He kept his eyes keenly scanning either side of himself. He would not be spotted by any ogre this time.
Stealth was his ally as he darted from tree to tree, wall to wall. His footsteps were light and quick, almost impossible for even himself to hear. Finally he caught sight of the bears. In a cage inside one of the centermost huts the bears were being kept. Three bears, all chained and muzzled. Edmund's face contorted with anger at the ettin who had taken these bear prisoner.
His anger threatened to distract him and lead him to a path of blood and vengeance, yet he kept his focus and made his way silently into the hut. He realized the cage was being 'watched' by a sleeping ettin and two ogres. The ogres had not spotted Edmund yet for he was still bathed in shadow.
Silently he crept up behind one of the ogre and knocked him out using the butt of his sword. Before the ogre hit the ground, he was already running toward the second ogre. He knocked out the second ogre with a swift bash of his sword hilt. Thankfully the ettin still slept soundly, allowing Edmund to try to find a way to get the bears out of the cage.
One of the bears motioned toward the ettin and Edmund realized the keys to the cage were hanging off the ettin's belt. Edmund silently stepped toward the ettin, his sword ready to strike at a moment's notice. He sliced the keys free from the leather rope holding them to the ettin's belt.
He rushed back to the cage, unlocking it and opening the door. He began unchaining the bears when he heard the ettin stirring from its slumber. With a sudden rush of anxiety, Edmund rushed to free the bears. When finally the first bear's muzzles were free it whispered.
"Who are you, Stranger? Why are you helping us?"
Edmund soon realized that his identity remained a mystery because his hood still completely omitted his face from view. He wasn't certain if these bears were present at the Battle of Beruna, but he couldn't risk them recognizing him by revealing his face. He hoped at least that they would not recognize his voice.
"A friend of Narnia." He said honestly, "Now come, there is no time to waste. We must be gone from this place before the ettin awake. Follow me."
The bears followed dutifully behind Edmund, though their bulk and rather heavy steps made it difficult to remain silent. The group had barely made it out of the village when the alarm was raised by an ogre and soon the ettin were once more up in arms. Holding his sword out, Edmund pointed in the direction he wanted the bears to go.
"I shall distract them. Run!" Edmund yelled.
Unfortunately, the bears, being far too proud and noble, refused. Even more unfortunate was the fact that the ettin were now charging toward them with ogres aiding their cause. Edmund was brave, but he wasn't stupid. He needed help.
"Dryad!" He cried out as he and the bears were about to be set upon.
With an eerie rush of air, the night came to life in a show of awe inspiring intrigue and power. The trees rustled and their leaves drifted up into the night sky, caught in an invisible current of wind that soon blew them toward and around the ettin and ogre. At first seeming like nothing more than a distraction, the leaves were soon steep in number. Steep enough to blind the ettin and ogre and disorient them.
Seizing the opportunity, Edmund and the bears made their escape under a shroud of leaves. He turned back just in time to see one of the ettin burst through the wall of leaves and smash his club through a tree that was inhabited by a dryad. His fists were followed by a fierce kick that smashed the tree in half.
Stopping in horror, Edmund witnessed the spirit of the tree form before his eyes only to fade and die as the tree it was joined with died as well. Before he could react, the ettin was charging straight at him. With a piercing cry, Edmund threw his sword at the ettin's head as he ran toward it. His sword pierced the center of the ettin's forehead and should have been enough to kill it. Should have, if this ettin was not of the two headed variety.
Ettin were not as large as giants, but they were certainly much smarter and made much fiercer enemies. The ettin Edmund had shot his sword at had fallen backwards in agony, which gave Edmund a chance to run up its leg and torso. This had, as Edmund discovered rather painfully, been a trap. As soon as Edmund was about to remove his sword from one of the ettin's heads, the ettin grabbed Edmund and squeezed him in his huge hand.
Edmund let out a gasp as the wind was crushed from his body. The noble bears soon came to his rescue, with one of the bears running up the ettin's body before slashing at the ettin with his paws and biting into his eye. The ettin screamed, distracted and thus allowing the other bears to pry open its hand with their brute strength and pull Edmund free.
Edmund breathed in as much air as he could muster, gasping as the bears kept him upright. Recovering his strength quickly, thanks to the lingering effects of being a former fallen, Edmund pulled his sword out of the ettin's head just as it recovered itself and knocked Edmund and the bears off of it.
Rolling backwards and up in one swift motion, Edmund ran back at the ettin just as he was about to club one of the bears to death. One slice to the ettin's ankle sent the massive creature back to the ground, which Edmund used to his advantage by running up its torso and slicing the creature's second head off with two stiff slashes of his sword.
Realizing the other ettin were beginning to break through the wall of leaves, Edmund turned and led the bears into a retreat. A retreat that was aided by the dryad. Disappearing beneath the trees, Edmund was separated from the bears. He knew they would not escape the determined ettin who were now smashing aimlessly at any tree, uncertain of which contained dryad and which did not.
"Come back, Bears! You are our feast!" Yelled one of the ettin, to which one of the bears foolishly responded with a growl of defiance.
Having given their position away, the bears were soon being set upon by ogre and ettin alike. They ran past a hidden Edmund, oblivious to his presence. Without drawing any attention to himself, Edmund dashed out, slicing down an ogre on his way to another tree that provided cover. He repeated this strategy several times from behind the ettin and ogre, darting like a shadow in the night from tree to tree and striking down an ogre each time. Now only the ettin remained. Two to be precise.
Just as the ettin were about to engage the bears, Edmund made his presence known. He ran up behind one of the ettin, slicing through its ankle before running behind the other and doing the same. With both ettin having one leg unable to support weight, the bears were now able to charge at the ettin and send them crashing to the ground. In a fierce and bloody flurry of claws and rabid swinging of ettin's clubs, the two sides fought viciously.
The battle was soon over as Edmund dealt the death blows to both ettin. Breathing hard and recovering, the former King of the Fallen led the bears deep into the cover of trees. He heard a whisper upon the wind by one of the dryad, indicating their intentions to retreat lest they incur the wrath of anymore ettin in the area.
"You must continue on alone." Edmund urged the bears, "My journey is toward the shore at Glowsbrook. Return to Narnia."
The bears paused, staring at each other before one of them turned to Edmund, "Might we ask who is the man beneath the hood? Who is this friend of Narnia who has come to our aid."
"You may ask." Edmund said as he adjusted his hood, making it even less likely they could see his face, "But you may not see the face that lingers beneath. It matters not what I look like, but only what I do. And what I do is for the righteous good of Narnia and perhaps even those who are not friends of Narnia or the great lion. I am a servant of Aslan. I am the Rogue Warrior. Go now, noble marshals. Return home."
"I am Hilp, leader of our party. You have our thanks, Rogue Warrior, and our gratitude. Any friend of Narnia and indeed a servant of the great lion, is a friend of us noble bears." The bears said as they nodded and made their retreat.
Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Edmund watched the bears head south toward Narnia. He had completed the task that Aslan had set out for him. Now his only remaining objective was to journey east to Glowsbrook.
A SHADOW FROM BEYOND
The bears believed they had successfully evaded their doomed fates. Narnia awaited them and soon enough they would be out of the cursed Ettinsmoor and back in home territory. They did not however, count on the constant shadow that had stalked them now for the last few moments.
"Who goes there?" asked the lead bear, Hilp.
"Someone who will decide your fate."
A man. A son of Adam? The bears could not quite make out the face of the stranger who spoke to them. What they did know … or sense … was that his presence felt rather ominous, almost foreboding. He carried the stature of a man and yet there was something cold about him. Something unnatural.
"Who are you?" Hilp asked again.
"Where is he?" asked the shadowy figure as he stepped closer, "Where is the son of Adam?"
"Who?"
"Rogue Warrior. I believe that is what he calls himself. Where is he?"
"Who are you?" Hilp demanded, "What do you want with the one who saved us?"
"Saved you?" smirked the stranger, "Saved you, has he?"
"We will not tell you anything."
"Are you certain about that?" said the stranger as he slowly drew his sword.
The bears all bared their teeth and growled at the stranger, their claws ready to strike. The stranger barely regarded their posture, stepping forward toward them.
"We will tell you nothing!" yelled Hilp.
"Then he has not saved you at all." the stranger said as he held his sword aloft, "Not at all."
In a brief exchange of pained growls and flashes of a brilliant sword slashing through the night, the bears were all struck dead. The stranger stood over their bloody and dismembered corpses, studying them with an emotionless gaze.
"Fear me, Son of Adam." the stranger whispered as he seemed to sniff the wind, "Fear me."
- To Be Continued -
RWC3 - Legend of the Shian
The Rogue Warrior (Edmund) is ambushed and finds himself waking up in the most unlikely and unexpected place - The Kingdom of Shian. How he traveled from the far north to the south-west of Narnia is still unknown to him. His most surprising and disturbing revelation is that he has woken up inside a jail cell, and he has been charged with the attempted assassination of King Firson. In a time when the Shian still roamed the world, Edmund must discover who has set him up while keeping his identity hidden and saving the Shian from a hidden threat. All while trying to evade the vengeful eyes of Prince Orrin who is hunting down whomever is responsible for trying to assassinate his father. Will Edmund succeed? Or will his actions prove to be unwittingly responsible for a dark fate that has yet to befall the Shian?
If this was not enough for Edmund to deal with, the knowledge that Peter the Magnificent, High King of Narnia and Edmund's greatest love is about to visit the Shian Kingdom on a mission of goodwill and thanks for the Shian's aid in the Battle for Cair Paravel. How will Edmund react to this news? How will maintain his secrecy and anonymity when Peter is so close? Find out in the multi-chapter: Rogue Warrior Chronicles - The Legend of the Shian
A/N: My JaM side-series continues. I'm thinking that there will be five chapters. At least two of which will be multi-chapter. The most significant of which will be the next chapter, The Legend of the Shian. Obviously this title focuses heavily on the Shian Kingdom, and will re-introduce us to characters who played key roles in the entire run of Just and Magnificent, from Peter, Orrin, and Eris, to lesser known characters like Jesahn. I hope you're enjoying this little side-story. Not a lot of romance. Don't expect a lot. Just expect some action, adventure and heavy tie-ins to Just and Magnificent and ... if you look close enough(like in JaMv2: Damaged, first scene!) you'll find clues to JaM's proper sequel, Beyond Magnificent. I still have a fair bit of time to serve in Narnia yet. I hope those of you who still read are enjoying the ride. Until next time, Sub's up!
