The night had come swiftly and enclosed the Witch and the Queen of Narnia in what felt like a damp cold blanket. Susan didn't know why she had followed Jadis to the ruins of some lost Narnian castle; the witch's invite had been brief and more of a command than an offer. It started to rain soon after they arrived; Jadis flicked a fire into existence.

Feeling the pressure, Susan spoke. "Is this where you live?"

The ice Queen rolled her eyes, "When you're an outcast you really don't have a place to live."

"Oh," quietly replied Susan. Looking across the fire, Susan carefully eyed Jadis who stared simply into the fire. Her eyes danced along with the flames; even though Susan knew her distaste for the warmth she seemed intrigued by it at the same time. It was very odd to be sitting across from the one person who you had always believed would kill with the first chance to do so. Jadis was like a ghost of her former self, it was clearly to see that after her death it was a long road to living again.

"Do you fear me still?" Jadis voice caught Susan's ears.

"What do you mean I-"

"Are you afraid of me?" she snapped. "It's a simple enough question even for you to understand."

"I understand it perfectly!" Susan snapped back. "Listen, I don't rightfully know the extent of how I feel about anything anymore so it would kind of you to stop asking such personal questions!"

Jadis smirked, "I see."

Susan had been raised better than to yell at an adult even if that adult was a witch.

"I'm sorry."

Jadis eyes widened, "You apologize to me, and of all people in the whole of Narnia you mutter an apologetic word to me?"

"Well, you have been nice to me..." Susan stopped, hearing Jadis laughter which was hearty evil laugh but none-the-less a laugh.

"In all my lifetime, both of them mind you, I have never been remotely considered nice." Jadis smiled, and then which each hand held out her palms up she raised both up.

Candles, which were unknown by Susan, lit themselves. Where ever this castle was it now laid in shambles, Jadis had uncovered one of the few remaining intact rooms. It was sparsely furnished; she had an old table with a candle in the middle, an empty wooden bowl. What chairs she had were old stone ones, Susan suspected they once were thrones which in her mind that minor detail would please Jadis.

"Are you hungry?" her eyes went over to the table in which instantly the bowl filled with fruits.

"No I'm fine thank you." Susan sighed. She had set aside her bow and arrows and now sat in the stone seat with her knees up where her face could rest on them. She stared deeply into the fire. She felt like she was on the edge of danger but at the same time she felt safe and like the fact that she was with someone who knew nothing about her.

The silence between them was comforting; neither knew what to say and had nothing really to say. Jadis concentrated on the fire, while Susan's eyes began to lower.

"I don't have beds here." Jadis stood up and went to the table. There she materialized a glass pitcher and it was a dark red liquid. Susan then watched a matching glass goblet form before her on the armrest of the throne.

Pouring Susan the wine, she looked her over. She had gotten quiet taller since the last she saw her, she had filled out a little more and was well on her way to womanhood. Her hair was dark and past her shoulders, her eyes however told a different story. She was hiding something, and out of old curiosity she wondered if it had anything to do with her.

Jadis would never admit defeat, she wasn't caring, she wasn't nice and she certainly wasn't going down in history as the Witch who turned good. It wasn't a fact anymore that she was either good or bad, she simply was alive and that's all she wanted. She had sought shelter in the ruins of old, and now she currently was housing one of the four children who saw to her demise. The thought had crossed her mind that she could easily kill this child, take a little bit of revenge but she didn't want to.

Susan sipped at the wine, she made no objections for the simple knowledge that she wine and warmth would surely put her to sleep; the stone throne was already getting comfortable as she sipped more and more. Then she caught Jadis staring at her.

"If you still magic food, wine and cups why can't you make a bed?" she asked. "You do sleep don't you?"

"I can," she let the pitcher pop out of existence. "But I won't. I don't stay here long and if I need to leave in a hurry I'd rather not have to clean up after myself now would I? Being content with that you have is a lesson you need to learn."

Susan scoffed, "And what do you know about being content with what you have? Last I remembered it was you trying to take over Narnia when it rightfully wasn't yours."

The fire flickered brighter, "I've left the past where is should be and I suggest you do that same. Don't get lofty thoughts that just because I haven't done away with you yet doesn't mean I am on the side of good, girl. I am neither and that is end of that discussion."

"Why have you brought me here then?" Susan sat her straight and tipped the rest of the wine into the fire. "I am thankful for what you have done, but I want to know the truth behind it all."

"There is no truth, I did not pity you and this is not a trap to capture you. This is where I live and it was beginning to grow dark and rain. Honestly, I was shocked to see you follow me and ask no questions until we got here."

Susan sulked, Jadis was right. Susan had blindly followed her to the castle and now was judging Jadis for her actions. She didn't have to come, and it was clear that Jadis was not looking for a war as she once did.

"Can I ask you something...Jadis?" she said with a hint of a smile curling her lips. The White Witch smirked then nodded her head. "Have you ever had a friend?"

Jadis smiled, "I can for one night."

***

What had seemingly turned into a mild Narnian spring rain quickly had set the search parties at bay. Peter, having excused any sort of guardsmen, had found a poor excuse for a cave and did his best to provide for Lucy and Edmund. They, being silenced by the storm, had found enough wood for a couple fires and have smartly packed salted meat, bread and cheese.

"Do you think Susan is some where safe?" Lucy asked poking the fire with a stick. She had asked it a hundred times, but neither of the boys had the heart to deny her an answer.

"C'mon were talking about bossy old Susan." laughed Edmund. "Of course she is some where safe; she's probably in a better place than we are. Don't worry about her, I'm sure she's the one worried about us."

Peter stood watch at the cave's entrance, his sword was out and he leaned on it as his eyes scanned the area around them. He was scared that their searching was useless; there had been sign of either Susan or The White Witch. Messenger eagles had dropped word to them from the castle and with each unrolling of parchment his held his breath. Written by Tumnus, he quickly read to find if there was any word of a sighting but nothing.

He was torn, he wanted desperately to find Susan but then he didn't what he would do after. No words came to mind, no actions, nothing he just wanted to know she was okay or as okay as she possible could be.

What must she think about me? he thought to himself. I kissed her! Her own brother…and then I ran, I ran away but what else should I have done! It's a sin, a mortal abomination! Clearly she felt the same, she ran away but she ran away for good.

Edmund came up behind him offering a canteen. "Is there something more to this than her running away?"

Peter's muscles tensed at his question, "Isn't that enough? Not to mention that Jadis could also be back and even worse if she has Susan."

"I understand that but," Edmund stopped sensing that it was fruitless to continue. "I'm sure we will find her the Professor said before we left that she probably just needed some fresh air to think about things. I know how she didn't want to come back to Narnia and all."

"I don't know Ed." sighed Peter, looked down at his brother he gave him a re-assuring smile. "It'll be alright though."

Edmund followed Peter's gaze, "Do you think she's back?"

Peter noted the uneasiness in Edmund's voice. "Like I said, it'll be alright."

"Lucy seems a bit lost with out her." Edmund caught glimpse of Lucy falling asleep cuddled in blankets she had packed. "I mean if we don't find her-"

"We will alright!" Peter hissed. "I'm in charge and we'll find her!"

"Okay okay!" Edmund went back in the cave.

The storm had settled but Peter kept watch all night. He wanted to go and sleep by the fire but something in him told him to keep watching. Dosing for several minutes he woke to the dark, the fire had long extinguished and he heard the snores of his siblings. He then decided to join them, he knew the morning was almost upon them and it would be a tiresome second day.

Jadis's fire burned brightly as the two sat beside one another in the stone chairs. Blue streaks jumped madly the Witch's face would change from one expression to the other. She had never been so enthralled before, the girl before her had spilled her heart out to her. She had never actually talked with anyone before, she had never listened to anyone before either. She stayed silent until Susan would stop between her rambling she would either poor more wine or offer her something to eat.

After Susan had finished they both sat there in silent astonishment. Jadis chose her words carefully before she responded. "You talk about this as if you know that what you feel is wrong, however there is the prophecy."

Susan looked lost. "Prophecy? What Prophecy?"

"The one about you stupid girl," Jadis scoffed. "The prophecy in which two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve would come to Narnia and become The Kings and Queens."

"That clearly has nothing to do with what I just told you!"

"It was your destiny to come through to this world, don't you see? If it was not so then you were not the chosen ones. If you were not supposed to be one of the four then you would have never found the door that linked us. Destiny brought you here and not being a blood relative to those who also were the chosen four has nothing to do with it."

Susan sat bewildered by the Witch's words. "You wouldn't have gotten through, you were meant to be with them. You are apart of them, if that was not so then you and I would not be sitting here."

"Listen," Jadis's voice turned soft. "It's alright to be scared and unknowing. Never run from what you don't understand."

"What am I supposed to do?" Susan whimpered, a tear falling from her cheek.

Jadis waved her hand, the tear was swept away in an instant. "Sleep for now, tomorrow you go home."