"The Snow Queen"
"What spell she was asking about? I didn't break any." Lucy said, wondering, how much truth was in bear's words. She was still shocked, not sure what to think. But above all, she wanted to know more.
"Yes, you did. There is one rule here. Everyone who can see the wall and comes through, means no harm to us. There is no danger on this side of the wall, the queen protects us."
"Protects? But she..." Lucy remembered some of the methods of this "protection".
"I told you, she is different now. We can leave whenever we want to. You as well. The wall lets out everyone, who needs it as well. That's how you met Sylvester. He went to visit his relatives in the woods. And got lost. As usual. But that's Sylvester. I don't need to go out, so I never went. We have peace here.
"How big is this place?" Lucy looked around, as they slowly walked away from the ice-house and headed towards the empty and flat field, like a frozen lake. More white bunnies were cheerfully rolling in various directions and another white bear was resting nearby, with two young ones, snuggled to him and gently snoring that made the snow move on their fur. As they went further, they again saw more crystal-like ice caves and a family of white foxes having a picnic.
"As big, as she wants to."
"Good Day, Asbjørn. Good Day, Your Majesty. We have heard you have come to visit us. It's such an honor. Would you like a cup of tea?" The White Mother Fox smiled to them.
"Thank you, that is very nice of you." Lucy's curiosity won and she sat among them.
"Forgive me, but I still don't understand. Who made the ice-wall? Her?" Lucy hesitated, not sure how she is supposed to call the White Witch now.
"You mean the queen? No, she did not. It must have been a greater power."
"Aslan! It had to be Aslan!" Lucy cheered up. Of course! Only Aslan could turn the heart of the White Witch and make this beautiful place. She instantly felt better. But the foxes and the bear didn't smile.
"Do not speak this name in the presence of the queen." Asbjørn warned her. Lucy instantly frowned. If they didn't like Aslan there... She put away her tea cup.
"You think we are your enemies. We are not."
"Then how can you reject Aslan?" She watched how the foxes were exchanging confused looks.
"It's not that we do, not really. But the queen... It is more complicated. And we are not in the position to explain it to you. Maybe you should talk directly to the queen?" Said Asbjørn gently. "But I really wouldn't upset her with this name if I were you."
"Why, would she hurt me?"
"No. You would hurt her."
Lucy didn't know what to say. She finished her tea in silence, as nobody really tried to keep the conversation. She felt bad for making the foxes feel uncomfortable in her presence, so she excused herself as soon as it was polite, and walked deeper into the frozen realm. She needed to think. The Sanctuary, as this place was commonly called, was indeed beautiful. A part of her wished she could show it to Susan, and Edmund, and Peter. And Mr Tumnus. Then, she reminded how much they all hated the Winter. Sadness overwhelmed her as she watched more of white bunnies, apparently having something to eat under the snow, for they were digging and sniffing and definitely chewing something. She kneeled and felt the urge to lie in that white softness herself, or to roll in it, like a little girl. But this made her feel even worse. She stared at the bunnies, instead. Wanted to caress them and was about to grab one and put on her laps when something shining on the other side of the field drew her attention. The sun moved lower through those hours and the light revealed a bigger ice-crystal, sticking out of the small hill. Her heart fastened. It must have been the queen's palace. She looked behind, checking where was the gate that brought her there and counted that it was much closer, sort of in the half way between the ice-house where she ate her meal, and the palace itself.
Lucy slowly headed towards the palace. As she walked, the snow revealed more animals, most of them white and fluffy, as if all the Winter creatures came there to seek a peaceful life. The white ferrets chased one another, almost making her trip, some unknown white birds, similar to the pigeons, had their nests in the snow and to her bigger surprise, there was an opening in the ice lake, surrounded by pinguins. Once in a while one of them jumped in, to return with fish. She couldn't refrain a smile and watched them for several minutes.
The palace wasn't really a palace from the shape, as she expected. More like a strange, crystal structure that was apparently a kind of house. The ice blocks were formed into a pyramid, but each side of the pyramid had windows on the upper part, suggesting there must have been a stairs inside. On the front she found something like a terrace, round with a white table and comfortable looking armchairs. There was no throne or anything alike, but one of the armchairs was bigger and ornamented with snow-flakes shaped diamonds. Or it looked like diamonds anyway. The most of the seat was covered by a pile of a white fur. Lucy looked closer and held her breath. It was the fur of a fox, a big one. She could see the legs squeezed together, motionless.
"So much for the change..." She felt tears coming to her eyes. She looked at the little head in the corner of the armchair and caressed the poor creature's tail.
"I am so sor..." She jumped. So did the creature that was apparently just sleeping there.
"Do not touch the tail! Really, always the tail! Would you like everybody touch your tail if you had one? It takes ages to comb it again."
"He's got a point, you know? Although I must admit, sometimes I cannot resist myself."
Queen Jadis was standing at the entrance and before Lucy regained her voice, she closed to them. The fox jumped from the chair directly at the queen, and, still murmuring something that sounded like "always fluffing the tail", surrounded her neck like a collar. She caressed its head.
"Now, now, not the tail. Promise." Jadis smiled as the fox placed himself more comfortably and with the eyes closed, he looked almost like a part of her dress. Lucy stared at it speechless.
"Well, little queen. May I ask again, what brings you here?"
Lucy took a deep breath and tried to not behave like a scared little girl, but what came out from her throat didn't sound self confident either.
"I didn't know about this place. Neither I wanted to intrude. And I..." She broke, reminding the story heard from the bear, but she felt it would be more than inaproppriate to bring it up. Finally, she managed to look at Jadis directly and to her relief she didn't find the queen angry, or laughing. In fact, Jadis gazed at her with the soft smile that made her face looking very gentle and beautiful. Suddenly Lucy understood how Edmund must have felt in the old times.
"You what?" Jadis encouraged her. Lucy decided telling the truth was the only option.
"I have heard stories about vanishing animals. I came to the mountains to investigate and... I guess I have found the answer." She pointed at the field.
Jadis nodded. "They seek shelter here, indeed." She sat in her armchair and gestured at Lucy. "Tell me more."
Hesitating, she followed her and after a while she found herself sitting next to her and talking about their quest and Peter hunting giants, her visit in the village and the rescue mission in the woods. Jadis listened to this without interrupting and with time Lucy felt more at ease.
"Giants are not very bright, to say the least." She finally spoke. "They have good lands in Ettinsmoor, but they prefer hunting. The southern border must be very attractive to them, with so little of the protection. You really should have been more careful."
"We are careful!" Lucy protested. She felt Jadis' voice became patronising at the end and it made her instantly angry. The queen smiled, amused.
"There are four of you leaders now and you cannnot handle the stupid giants? No, I don't think you are careful. I alone was able to keep the entire country safe." There was a hint of pride as she said that. And smiled again, unexpectedly taking Lucy by the hand. She startled. But Jadis let go of her as gently and changed the tone. "I do not want to offend you, little queen. But if Ettinsmoor causes so much trouble that you go to the mountains all alone because most of the narnian guards head to the battle right now, what could happen if there was another attack now, from the South? Or the East?
"Archenland is our friend. So are Calormenes." Mentioning the last one Lucy's voice wasn't so sure anymore. Jadis noticed it instantly.
"Calormenes are nobody's friend. In a certain way we were alike. They knew going in my way would end badly for them. But now? They must think Narnia is an easy target.
"We protected Narnia from you! So can we from the others." Lucy burst. To her frustration Jadis laughed again.
"It was something else, my dear. But I don't want to argue with you. Things are different now. And, although you probably don't welcome my advice, if I were you, and especially dear Peter The Magnificent (Lucy noticed the mocking tone in her voice), I would watch Calormenes closely. But it is getting late. Unless you want to climb the mountains in the dark, you are welcomed to stay here till morning if you wish.
Lucy gasped. "Here? You mean..." Jadis pointed the entry door.
"There's plenty of room in here. And you look cold."
She was getting cold indeed. The setting sun didn't give any warmth anymore and the long sitting made her feel chilly, reminding that her clothes were not made for the Winter, after all. But to stay in the house with the White Witch? It was too much. She hesitated, not knowing what to do.
Jadis rolled her eyes and smirked. "No, I am not going to freeze you. In fact, quite the contrary," she added quietly and went inside.
"She means that, you know?" The fox jumped off Jadis' neck and ran out.
