Sorry for the long delay. I was taking a long break from writing. I am feeling a bit refreshed and ready to write again. That said, enjoy this chapter. :)

Thanks goes to Adeleidhis for helping me brainstorm ideas for this chapter, and to help me get out of my writer's block. :)

*.*.*

Paranor. The fortress Druid's Keep stood atop this mountain, observing the Four Lands as if it were its central base. No one questioned what went on at the Druid's Keep, hardly knowing the secrets and the knowledge that could be learned from such a scholarly castle.

It was here that Janet finished packing and covered up the furniture, spread out on the wood-planked, red carpeted floor and beige walls, at hers and her daughter's apartment, which once also belonged to Janet's Halfling husband and Anabeth's father Tobias. Tobias, who was slain by Brona when he became the Warlock Lord, still watched over his wife and daughter, protecting them whenever he could.

Janet had a thin frame, due to exercising almost daily. She had pale skin, fair features, eyes as brown as chestnuts, and hair as black as ebony. She wore a red tunic, green pants, long black boots, and a long brown jacket, with a black belt strapped to her waist that carried her daggers.

Anabeth turned twenty during the year she and her mother spent in the Realm of the Four Seasons. She was thin, too, but knew when to eat a good meal. Almost as if she were part wolf – a side effect from her father's brief time as a wolf. Tobias was restored to his hobbit form, thanks to Aslan and Brona. If it weren't for them, Anabeth might have become a wolf, too. It made her think of what would happen if she had been born a wolf. Sadly, she wouldn't know what that felt like. Great.

Anabeth had pale skin, fair features, curly blonde hair that flowed like a waterfall, and striking bright blue eyes. Her outfit for today was a matching blue attire, consisting of a bright blue tunic, light blue-grey pants, and a long dark blue jacket. The boots she wore were brown and made from the finest leather. On her belt was a sword that one of the Druid blacksmiths gave to her, when she asked for one. She hoped to one day use the sword to face her enemies and defeat them.

She could do this, right?

~o~

Janet took one last look at the kitchen, covered with boxes, filled with food and utensils. It was a shame she and her daughter would have to leave such a splendid apartment, but they knew where they were heading to the Land of Dragons, where the Renegade Alliance awaited them. Yes, that was their destination. They dared not miss out on what the rebellion would offer them.

"Mother," Anabeth said, getting Janet's attention. Anabeth already looked ready to leave Paranor, or so Janet guessed. Anabeth continued, saying, "everything's packed! At least my bags are. How's it looking out here?"

"Well," Janet sighed, "it looks like everything's ready to go. I suggest we find Aslan and tell him we're ready."

"Right. Where is he?" Anabeth asked, concerned.

Janet shrugged. "I don't know. He comes when he comes."

"Right. Like that will help us," Anabeth said, shaking her head.

"Anabeth, we need to trust Aslan. He knows what's right and what's wrong," Janet said, sternly.

"Of course," Anabeth said, returning to her bedroom.

Janet wanted to follow her daughter but then assumed Anabeth needed to vent. And that was fine, wasn't it? Janet sighed, knowing Anabeth would be okay—

"Open up!" a masculine voice announced from the other side of the front door, knocking hastily. "We know you're in there! We've come for the icicle!"

"How did they know? Anabeth!" Janet grabbed her pack from her master bedroom, before charging into Anabeth's room. She jumped as more knocks ensued, pounding against the front door's wooden surface. She told her daughter, "Come on. We can't run! We need to fight!"

"I thought we were waiting for Aslan," Anabeth said, concerned.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to hold out until then. Now come on, before they break the door down!" Janet said, drawing her daggers. She charged into the living room, looking back at her daughter as Anabeth pulled out her sword, allowing the blade's songs to hum.

Janet sighed, remembering when the elf Taegan handed to her, her new daggers. They were the ones she kept on her now, for they came from the First World, similar to the panpipe, that was now on Anabeth's belt. The last thing Janet hoped wouldn't happen was these men taking her family's most prized possessions. If they did, she would get hers and her daughter's possessions back, however long it took to get their possessions back!

They would not lose this fight! No! Not at all!

~o~

The door broke loose, blasting from its hinges and landing in a heap on the red-carpeted floor. Soldiers wearing gold-and-black armor made their way past the threshold, carrying spears and blasters. They wore gold helmets, shielding their eyes and their faces from the world. And there, standing before the two women, was a man dressed in white and grey armor. His brown hair was short, close to his scalp, and he carried a silver hilt that when turned on caused a yellow beamed blade to shoot out from one of its ends.

The man looked threatening to a fault and young. For a moment, Anabeth wondered if she could trust him. But looks were deceiving and she knew she couldn't trust looks over personality.

"Hello, ladies. My name is Arcann," the man introduced himself. Janet raised an eyebrow. She turned to Anabeth, giving her a knowing look. Arcann continued, as if he were talking to himself, "Yes, this won't take long. Now, where is that icicle? The Emperor demands you hand it over now."

"What do you want with it?" Anabeth asked out of the blue.

"What?" Janet asked, stunned at her response.

"Now ladies, don't give me that questionable look," Arcann said, mockingly. He asked, curtly, "Tell me: where can I find this icicle?" He added, as a threat, "Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"We're not telling you where the icicle is! Go away!" Anabeth cried in frustration.

"Anabeth! You'll make him angry," Janet hissed, hoping her daughter learned a thing or two about common sense.

Arcann shook his head. "I should have known you would take the hard way. No matter." He waved two fingers at the guards, directing their gazes to Janet and Anabeth. "We'll make this quick and painless. The last thing we need is more blood spilled."

"More blood spilled?" Anabeth asked, shocked.

"Anabeth, look out!" Janet cried, moving in front of her daughter.

Blast!

"Mother!" Anabeth cried, grabbing her mother as a blaster bolt smacked her on the side of her chest. Anabeth huffed, setting her mother gently down on the floor. She watched in agony as Arcann's soldiers made their way through her mother's apartment liked they owned the place. What did they want?

She looked up, right as one of the soldiers passed to Arcann the icicle. No way! How did they find the Ice Queen's icicle?

"Thank you!" Arcann smiled, examining the icicle. "It is a beauty. Too bad my father, the Emperor, is going to do wonders to this icicle. And once he's tweaked it, it will kill that blasted red dragonoid, Parker Dooley. Ha ha ha!"

No. Anabeth watched the icicle again. It vanished in Arcann's hands, stunning him. Arcann hissed! He had the icicle, and now it was gone! When did this happen?

"Could this day get any worse? Take care of them!" Arcann hissed, directing the soldiers' attention to Janet and Anabeth.

Anabeth closed her eyes. Blasters and spears ready to take her and her mother out. This was their end! She should have seen this coming—

"RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR!" a golden-brown lion charged into the fray, taking out several soldiers, killing them. Anabeth opened her eyes, finding herself before Aslan, who presented the real icicle to her. "Don't lose that! It's very important! It must reach Parker Dooley!"

"You will not interfere—" Arcann was cut off by Aslan's thunderous roar. The roar startled him, forcing him to cower against the wall.

Aslan turned to Janet and Anabeth, observing them. He blew on Janet's wound, watching it vanish. Janet opened her eyes, finding she was weak from the blast to her ribs. Still, the wound was nearly healed. She knew and believed Aslan could save her and her daughter. So, why did she feel so weak?

"Don't worry. You'll feel better once we leave this place," Aslan said, gesturing to a portal that appeared behind Anabeth and her mother. "Come on."

"Come on, Mother," Anabeth said, helping her mother stand and leading her through the portal. The moment they were inside a large building with golden-green banners hanging on the grey metal walls, Anabeth looked around in awe and confusion.

Who was going to assist her mother? Who was going to heal her?

She turned around as three healers came with a stretcher. The healers moved over to Janet, setting her down on the stretcher. Janet sighed, glad to be laying down on something comfortable. She looked at her daughter weakly as she was carried away, knowing that sleep was a necessity.

"Will she be all right?" Anabeth asked, finding she was carrying the icicle and Eliza Bowler's invitation, addressed to her and her mother, asking them to come to the Renegade Alliance on the Land of Dragons. No way! How did she manage to find the invitation? She just had the icicle, which she collected from the apartment!

This was Aslan's doing! It must be his doing! Who else could have done this for her and her mother?

"You will need that invitation and that icicle. As long as you believe, I can assist you," Aslan smiled.

"Thank you," Anabeth said, curtly.

"Come. There's a few people I want you to meet," Aslan said, leading Anabeth into a large war room, where an assembly of people were gathered around an octagonal table, revealing holographic images of a red dragonoid, wearing a white tunic and brown breeches, fighting a battle he did not want to take part in.

*.*.*

References:

Paranor, Druid's Keep, the Four Lands, and Brona | Warlock Lord comes from Terry Brooks' book series, The Shannara Series. The Realm of the Four Seasons comes from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Snow Queen. Arcann comes from the "Star Wars" galaxy.