Thank you all for reading another chapter! Love you all so much

XOXO,

M

The Six

Emily's POV

We run up a hill and a large icy castle comes into view. That's when I see Edmund's silhouette as he starts to enter the large doors.

"Edmund!" Lucy calls.

"Shh! They'll hear ya!" Mr. Beaver exclaims as I run forward to chase down my brother, but Mr. Beaver grabs my coat.

"No!" He yells

"Get off of me!" I cry back.

"You're playing into her hands!" Mr. Beaver says, hissing at us.

"We can't just let him go." I snap.

"He's our brother!" Lucy exclaims.

"He's the bait. The witch wants all four of ya!" Mr. Beaver exclaims.

"Why?" Peter asks.

"To stop the prophecy from coming true. To kill ya!" He tells us. My heart sinks and I stare at the castle.

"This is all your fault!" Susan growls at Peter and I.

'My fault?" Peter asks angrily.

"None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!" Susan yells.

"Oh so you knew this would happen?" Peter snaps. Susan glares at him.

"I didn't know what would happen. Which is why we should have left while we still cou-" Susan begins.

"Shut up! Both of you! This isn't going to help Edmund!" I scold.

"She's right. Only Aslan can help your brother now. Mr. Beaver says. I close my eyes.

"Then take us to him." Jack replies. Suddenly we hear a wolf howl.

We rushed back from the witch's castle. Tripping in the snow, but doing our best to travel quickly. By the time we reached the dam once again we knew the wolves were on our tails, and that we didn't have much time to waste. We all crowded into the small dam (well the five of us that hadn't already been caught by the witch) and urged Mrs. Beaver to pack up so that we could be on our way quickly.

As if to prove the beaver's point, a wolf's howl sounded in the night. We packed frantically while the howls got closer and closer. Mrs. Beaver kept fussing about what to bring. She wanted to bring her sewing machine! Luckily, Mr. Beaver put his foot down and said no.

Fortunately for us, we got away into the dark of the night before the wolves made it. We travelled for a while until Mr. Beaver showed us into an old hiding place for beavers in bad times. It wasn't much more than a hole in the side of a hill, but it was big enough for us to get in and sleep for a bit.

In the morning, I woke up and found that I was face to face with Jack. I willed myself not to blush and was about to say 'Good morning,' when his hand covered my mouth. I gave him a questioning look and, when he motioned for me to stay silent, I heard the sound that caused the worried look on his face. Jingling bells.

Mr. Beaver climbed out of the hole to see if it really was her. Voices were heard and we all started to worry until Mr. Beaver called us excitedly.

"It's alright! It's not her! Come out and see who it is!"

Peter climbed out first and helped us out after him. We looked at the figure on the sledge with awe.

"You're Father Christmas," Lucy stated in a hushed voice.

"Yes, I am. The White Witch's power is weakening and I've returned. I have gifts for you all. Peter, Son of Adam."

Peter stepped forward. "Yes, sir?"

"These are tools, not toys. Bear them well." Father Christmas handed him a sword with a lion head as the handle and some sort of unleageable writing on the blade, as well as a shield with as red lion on it.

"Thank you, sir."

"Emily, Daughter of Eve," Father Christmas called to me. I stepped forward as he handed me a bow, a quiver full of blue fletched arrows, and two twin daggers with what seems like bracelets attached to them. They both had little blue sapphires in the center, and as i studied them I realized the were glowing faintly. "Wherever this arrow may fly, know it will be a sign of hope and reason. When you wear these bracelets your daggers will always return to you. I see a fierce sense of protection in you. Use these to protect those you love." He gave a meaningful glance at my siblings and then Jack, luckily its meaning seemed to escape everyone except myself and Mrs. Beaver. It also made me flush slightly."Your box of charms has good meaning and use, protect it well and use it to protect." Ducking my head, I murmured my thanks and returned to the others, busying myself with strapping the daggers to my hips and the quiver to my back.

Father Christmas continued and gave Jack a sword and shield similar to Peters, but with a Blue lion on it instead of a Red one. Then he gave Susan a bow and red fletched arrows and a horn, and Lucy a small dagger and a vial of a healing elixir. "Now I must be off. There's a lot to do when you've been gone for a hundred years!" With that, he was off, speeding through the forest.

We continued on our journey in silence until we stopped to rest for a bit. Peter was off a ways practicing with his sword when Mrs. Beaver came up to me.

"How pretty," she stated, looking at the bow I was fiddling with.

"And deadly if I don't learn to use it properly, and if I do," I added. I put the arrow back in the quiver. "How can I help you, Mrs. Beaver?"

"The box that Father Christmas talked about, he is right, it has great value to you. But be prepared, it will not be in the way you expect it. On the other hand, you and Jack shouldn't keep your relationship such a secret-" she pauses expecting the interruption coming from me "-I know you don't believe your brothers will be happy. But they want what is best for you, and Jack will bring you great joy. I can see how much he loves you in his eyes."

"Thank you Mrs. Beaver, I appreciate your advice." I say quietly so that only she can hear me, then I turn to face the rest of the group. "Father Christmas said winter is almost over, you know what that means, no more ice."

"She's right, if we are going to cross the river we need to hurry." Jack assures us.

As we walk towards the river I feel Peter's presence near me, he stops me for a minute and gives me a tight hug. I sense he knows something, he just isn't sure what he knows.

He releases me for a moment and holds me at arms length. "Are you alright Em?" He asks, with tears in his eyes.

"I'm…" Suddenly, a wolf howls in the distance.

"They found us! Hurry!" Peter grabbed my hand and pulled me along after him. The rest of the group running in front of us. We kept running until I accidentally bump into Jack, who catches me and keeps me from falling into the frozen river. Which just so happens to be not so frozen anymore.

"I'll go first." Mr. Beaver says and he walks across the ice, patting it with his tail to ensure it will not break under our weight. "Come on, quickly." He beggs and so we all follow to our best ability. Jack goes first, with me close behind him. We are careful to maintain our distance, both for our appearance, and safety. It isn't until the ice cracks that I reach for his hand and he guides me across the ice. Lucy follows behind me, with Susan and Peter in tow. We make it about halfway across the ice when wolves surround us.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? If it isn't five lost Humans," the wolf who appeared to be in charge growls. Peter and Jack both draw their swords, and I my daggers. "Don't be foolish. Put those toys away. Our Queen only wishes for you to take your family and go."

"Don't treat us like idiots," I snap back. "We know exactly what she wishes to do with us."

"Em, maybe we should listen to them." Susan excliams, then looking at the three of us with weapons drawn she snaps. "Just cause some man in a red coat hands you a weapon doesn't make you heroes. Just drop it!"

Then I feel a slight tug on my coat, I advert my gaze from the wolves for a second to look at Lucy as she yells out to Peter and I about the ice breaking.

Just as she says, the ice beneath our feet begins to crack. I look at Peter, the moment our eyes meet he gives me a slight nod and yells for Susan and Lucy to hold on to him. I look over to Jack, who grabs my waist and stabs his sword into the ice at the same moment Peter stabs his. The next thing I know icy cold water is crashing over us, and we are moving steadily down the river away from the pack of wolves.

With the water beating around us, keeping us under water, I felt myself losing oxygen quickly. When it seemed like I couldn't hold my breath any longer, the ice block that Jack and I were attached to broke the surface of the water and we both gasped for air.

"Hold on Em," Jack yells as loudly as possible, and we begin to drift toward the shore. Once we are safely on shore and have our weapons resecured Jack and I share one of the most intimate things we have ever done in front of my siblings and kiss for a brief moment. All of the Joy and Adrenaline built up inside me is quickly dissipated when I hear Susans scream.

"Where is Lucy!"

I look over to see Peter holding Lucy's fur coat, with no Lu wearing it.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Yell, and soon I am overcome with fear, where is my little sister. I've already lost one sibling today, I don't need to lose her as well.

"Has anyone seen my coat." A small and hoarse voice asks, flooding us all with relief.

"I don't think you'll be needing those coats anymore."

We all turned to look at Mrs. Beaver to see what she was talking about, and sure enough a tree of cherry blossoms were blooming right before our eyes.

"Her spell is breaking!" I exclaimed giving Jack a huge hug that he returned. We continued on our journey until we were surrounded by fauns, centaurs, animals, and many other creatures all dressed in armor. They murmured as we passed by on our way towards the biggest tent in the middle of it all. In front of the tent was the biggest lion that I had ever seen. Peter and Jack stepped forward and raised their swords in salute.

"Welcome Peter and Jackson, Sons of Adam. Welcome Emily, Susan, and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. Welcome He-Beaver and She-Beaver," the Lion said greeting us all. "But where is the Third Son?"

"That's why we are here, sir," Peter said.

"He was tricked by the Witch," I put in. "Please. He's our brother."

"That makes the betrayal all the worse. All shall be done to save him." I noted that at this point he looked a bit sad. As suddenly as it became sad, his face was no longer sad. "But, now it is time for Peter Jack and myself to talk." Aslan Jack and Peter walked off, leaving us in the care of the women. Soon after, the girls and I found ourselves in new dresses by a creek playing. Susan and Lucy started to get into a splashing fight, but I was too distracted thinking about Jack to join in.

The sound of a snapping twig brought me out of my thoughts. I looked around. Through the trees, I saw a bit of gray fur. Instinctively, I gripped one of my daggers and slowly stood up. Ever since the time in the woods with the wolves howling, I've been scared of them.

Suddenly, a wolf jumps out of the trees straight at me. I'm frozen for a split second, until I let loose an ear-splitting, blood curdling scream. My mind registers the sound of Susan's horn as my body places itself between Lucy and the wolves, three in number. Now, I have my other dagger in hand poised to strike if any of them got too close. They started snapping at me and I swiped at them. I'm still not sure how long I was fending them off, but I was near fainting in relief when Peter and Jack came charging in with their swords drawn.

They each aim for the larger two wolves, leaving me to deal with the smallest. I throw one of my daggers at it, slicing its leg causing it to whimper. It gives up fighting me and is lurching towards Lucy. In a flash I tackle it to the ground pinning it down while Jack and Peter kill the other two wolves. I get off of the wolf and Susan strings and arrow aiming for it.

"Stop." Aslan's booming voice commands Susan. "Armys follow him, he will lead you to Edmund."

"Peter, Jack claim your swords." Aslan says. They both stand up and clean their swords off before bowing to Aslan and putting the tip of their swords in the ground. Aslan taps his paw on each of their shoulders. "Rise. Sir Peter Wolfsbane and Sir Jackson Lionheart, Knights of Narnia." Aslan says. I smile proudly at my brother and friend.

"The three of you, please come, walk with me." The lion asks. As we walk with him through the forest I rub his mane, it seems to bring him comfort as it does for me.

"I am entrusting the three of you too lead my army." He speaks after we are deep into the forest.

"Us, why? We aren't experienced in matters of war, we have no training." I ask

"You are a great protector, Emily. You sacrifice yourself for those you love, as a leader should. That is why you are not only to fight, but to strategize in times of war. Peter, you are a great warrior. You fight for the sake of your family, your country, your people, as a leader should. That is why you are to lead your army to battle, to fight alongside them. Jackson, you are true hearted. You fight for the right cause, no matter who you must face, you keep those around you level headed, as a leader should. That is why you are to aid in battle as well as strategy, to maintain true intentions of your peers." He takes a deep breath. "If anything is to happen to me, you are lead our army into battle against the witch. But be mindful, when doing so you are all equals and command together, not as individuals."

And with that we arrived back in camp, just it time to hear the horn blown. Signalizing that the small band sent off to retrieve Edmund had returned.

We stand together with Susan and Lucy watching as Aslan converses with our brother on the top of a small cliff just far enough away from us that we can not hear their words.. They begin walking down the hill and approach us solemnly.

"What's done is done. There is no need to speak to Edmund about what has passed." Aslan states simply, and then walks away.

"You had us so worried." I sigh, Edmund looks at the ground.

"I'm sorry Em." Edmund apologizes. I pull him into a hug and he winces.

"Why don't you go get some rest." I suggest, and with that he walks with Peter and Jack back to their tent.

We all spend some time in our tents, changing clothes and getting ready for supper. As we head to the circular tables rested on the grass in between our tents I notice a glorious pile of toast, as well as bacon, eggs, and jam. There are six pillows lying on the ground for us to sit on, so we all take a seat and begin eating. Filling our starving stomachs to the brim. Once all of us except Edmund have finished eating we sit talking about our plans for battle.

"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed." Lucy jokes. Edmund smiles and takes a drink of water.

"You should pack some for the journey home then." Peter says, drawing all of our attention.

"We're going home?" Susan asks. Peter gets up from beside me and leans against a marble piller.

"You three are. We promised we'd keep you safe. But that doesn't mean we can't stay and help." Peter says referring to himself, Jack, and I.

"But they need us. All six of us." Lucy says.

"It's too dangerous Lucy. You almost drowned. Edmund was almost killed." Peter says. He then glances at me for reassurance, I give him none.

"That's why we have to stay. I've seen what the White Witch can do. And I've helped her do it. We can't leave these people behind to suffer for it." Edmund says. I smile proudly at his newfound maturity.

"I guess that's it then." Susan says, standing up. She walks away from the table.

"Where are you going?" Peter asks. Susan smiles as she picks up her bow and quiver.

"To get some practice." She replies.

Thank You So Much For Reading

XOXO,

M