Author's Note: Well, here's Chapter Four. I decided to make my own prophecy instead of the one in the movie. It's not perfect but it's something. I leave you to read.

Chapter Four: Edmund's Betrayal

"...And this is where I met Mr. Tumnus," Lucy said, gesturing towards a lamppost. It gave off a bright light that illuminated the surrounding area. Aceline brushed her fingers against it, the cold metal making goosebumps erupt on her skin. She followed Susan, her feet moving instinctly when she heard the two sisters laugh. She looked up and saw Peter lying in the snow a few feet away. A smile crossed her lips. She liked this Peter better than the one she met at the station. Aceline laughed, receiving a mock glare from the boy. She walked towards him and offered him her hand, as a sign of peace. He nodded and hauled himself up. Lucy rushed past them.

"Come on! Mr. Tumnus will have something to warm us up. And he'll have lots of, lots of, lots of..." Here, her voice trailed off.

"Lu?" Peter asked. The girl ignored him as she ran forward. Aceline followed Peter and Lucy as they entered a cave. She stopped at the entrance as she saw the mess inside. Everything was thrown across the floor, looking as if the place had been raided. She walked in, observing the scene with solemn eyes.

"Who would this?" Lucy asked in a small voice. Aceline walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Look at this," said a voice. She looked at Peter, who was holding a piece of parchment in his hands.

"The faun Tumnus," he read, "is hereby charged with high treason against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia for comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans. Signed, Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen." Aceline stood with her mouth slightly open. Lucy and Susan stood on either side of Peter. The older Pevensie female took the paper.

"I think we should go now," she said with a worried frown at her brother.

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy asked.

"He was arrested for just being with a human, there's not much we can do."

"You don't get it, do you? I'm the human! The Witch must have found out that he helped me."

"Don't worry, Lu. We'll help him escape," Peter said with a reassuring smile.

"Why?" Aceline turned to Edmund. "I mean, he's a criminal." The oldest girl meant to snap at him for being dismal (she simply hated pessimistic people!) but stopped as she heard a "Psst!" from outside. Susan said what she was thinking.

"Did that bird just "psst" us?" Aceline walked outside, her face bearing a curious look. She abrupted to a halt as she heard a twig crack. She felt someone lightly grab from behind. It was Peter. She gave him a defiant look. As if I needed to be protected by someone I barely know! She walked forward, her head held high. Her logical mind and her impulsive decision were having a battle inside of her.

You fool! Now you're probably going to get yourself killed by God-knows what!

I don't care. At least I'll go down proudly instead of hiding behind Peter.

Why can't you trust people if they're trying to protect you?

Because I can't. I was never that way, I will never be that way.

By now, she was at least fifty feet away from the Pevensies. She stood her ground as the thing, whatever it was, as it came around. The last thing she expected appeared-a beaver. Aceline titled her head to one side, not sure whether if she was imagining it or not. She glanced back at the siblings, her eyes meeting Peter's. He shot a quizzical look. She shrugged in response. The beaver passed her and stopped in front of the others. Peter walked forward, his hand stretched out and his tongue making clicking sounds. The beaver regarded him with a look-an almost critical look, as Aceline realized.

"Well, I ain't gonna smell, if that's what you want." She gaped as she realized that it had been the beaver who had spoken. It seemed quite oblivious to all this.

"Lucy Pevensie?" it, or he, as Aceline noticed, asked. Lucy nodded. The beaver held out a white handkerchief. The blonde girl looked stunned.

"That's the hanky I gave to Mr. Tumnus," she said. The beaver nodded.

"He got it to me just before they took him. Come," he said and dashed by Aceline. The girl stepped forward.

"What are you doing?" Susan hissed.

"She's right," Edmund said. "How can we trust him?"

"He says he knows the faun," Peter shrugged. Aceline rolled her eyes. This is going to take a while.

"He's a beaver. He shouldn't be saying anything!" The oldest girl decided to leave them and follow the beaver when he appeared.

"Everything alright?" he asked. Peter nodded.

"We were just talking."

"That's better left for safer quarters." With that, he walked off, the siblings and Aceline followed him.

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"Ah, good! Old girl's got the kettle on! Nice cup o' Rosy Lee," Mr. Beaver exclaimed happily. They stood near a dam that had a chimney appearing over the top. A light was visible through one of the windows.

"It's lovely," said Lucy.

"It's not quite finished yet. Will look the buisness when it is though," was the modest reply. A voice rang out as they approached it.

"Beaver? Is that you? I've been worried sick! If I find out you've been with Badger again-" A female beaver appeared looking, as she had said, worried. She stopped as she caught sight of the children. "Oh, I'd never thought I'd lived to see this day." There was amazement in her voice. Then, Mrs. Beaver looked down. "Look at my fur. You couldn't have given me ten minutes warning?"

"I would have given you a week if I thought it would have helped," Mr. Beaver joked. Aceline giggled as she went inside the small home.

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"And there are few that enter those gates who come out again," Mr. Beaver said. He had just been telling them of the White Witch. How she drove a sleigh, how she had imprisioned Narnia under a hundred-year winter, how she was the very picture of evil.

"Oh there's a right bit more than 'ope! Aslan is on the move." Aceline observed how majestic the name sounded. Aslan.

"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asked. Mr. Beaver started to laugh.

"Who's Aslan!" he quoted. "Why you cheeky little blighter!" He continued until his wife nudged him. He looked at them disbelievingly. "You don't know, do ya?"

"We haven't been here very long," Peter said.

"There's a prophecy," he began, "about two Sons of Adam and three Daughters of Eve. One Daughter of Eve" (he looked pointedly at Aceline) "is unrelated to the other four." Then he recited the prophecy.

In a time of war and danger
Five will arrive, four related, one a stranger
In a time of misery and pain
They shall stop the Witch's reign

"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asked. He was looking at the beavers incredulously.

"You five better be because Aslan's already fitting out your army!"

"Our army?" Aceline said.

"Peter, Mum sent us away so we wouldn't be in a war," Susan whispered. The oldest Pevensie looked unsure of what to say. He turned to Mr. Beaver instead.

"We're not heroes."

"We're from Finchley." Susan stood up. "We thank you for your generosity. But we have to go."

"No," said a voice. Everyone turned to look at Aceline, who was wearing a sober expression. "We can't go."

"It's out of our hands, Aceline," Peter said sternly. Her violet eyes glared defiantly into his blue ones.

"So we're just going to run away like beastly cowards?"

"And what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy asked anxiously.

"It's out of our hands," Peter repeated. He looked from his sister to Aceline, then he turned around. "Edmund? Ed?" The black-haired girl sat up a little straighter.

"Where is he?" she whispered. She looked over towards the remaining male Pevensie. He looked furious.

"I'm going to kill him."

"You may not have to," Mr. Beaver said. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia?"

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"I can't believe I trusted that berk," Aceline whispered as she trudged through the snow behind Lucy. They were walking up a hill that had Edmund's footprints. She nearly crashed into Susan when she stopped. Then she noticed what they were seeing.

A castle that looked to be made of glass or ice stood a good distance from them. Spires that resembled sharp needles rose up into the air. An eerie light seemed to be coming from the inside. In general, it looked like a rather ominous place to go to.

"Edmund!" Lucy yelled. Peter made a mad dash forward. Aceline grabbed him by the collar while Mr. Beaver held his legs.

"Let go of me, the both of you!" he exclaimed. The girl put her mouth a good five inches from his ear.

"Are you mental? You can't go in there."

"Watch me." Peter wrenched himself from her grasp but was stopped by Mr. Beaver.

"You're making a mistake!" he yelled.

"We can't just let him go!" argued Susan.

"He's our brother!" agreed Lucy.

"He's the bait! The Witch wants all five of you! She wants to kill you!" A silence fell upon the group. Aceline felt numb at the beaver's words. She wants to kill us. But why? We've done nothing wrong!

"This is all your fault," Susan hissed at her brother.

"My fault?"

"This wouldn't have happened if you had just listened to me!"

"So you knew this was going to happen?"

"I didn't know what would happen. Which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"Oh, stop it, the pair of you!" Aceline exclaimed impatiently.

"This isn't going to help Edmund," Lucy agreed.

"They're right," Mr. Beaver said. "Only Aslan can help your brother."

"Then take us to him," Peter said.

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