Makeeda lay in her bed, reciting the Fall of the Dales to herself as she felt sleep growing on her. Just as she was drifting, she heard a thud on her window, making her sit up in her bed. She went over to the window, smiling at the sight of her companion. She opened it, letting him come in from the cold outside.

"Hello, my friend." she said, sitting on her bed again.
"Greetings to you, friend." the little fox replied.

She smiled. The fox had come to her often, knowing she was an elf of the forest. They had become fast friends, Makeeda loving a creature from her home.

"Are you going to stay tonight?"
"May I?"
"Of course, Ilen, you're always welcome here."

The fox hopped up to the bed, curling into a ball to keep warm.

"They have him now?" he asked, his eyes half-lidded.
"The fawn?" Makeeda said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Yes… He is not giving up any information though…"
"He won't. He believes in a free Narnia, he won't say anything that will put that in danger."
"He already put it in danger when he took Lucy to his home."
"He was trying to be polite, she is a Queen, afterall."
"She won't be as soon as Edmund gets here."
"I am working on a plan to keep him away from here."
"You mean by gathering followers to go to Beruna?"

The fox looked up at her.

"You are doubtful." he said.
"She killed my clan. All of them, no discrimination, she slaughtered every elf there. I saw my brothers and sisters lying dead on the ground before she took me, how do you think I could ever believe he is real?" Makeeda asked, not looking at him.
"I have seen him… Aslan can help you…." Makeeda trusted the fox, knowing they were always faithful to Aslan's cause in myths, but she had trouble believing he was real. She shook her head, not wanting to start an argument about the topic. "You must protect him."
"What?"
"If Edmund does come here, she will not show mercy to him… You have to protect him."
"Why? This is all his doing-"
"Makeeda, please."

She sighed, nodding in agreement.

"I will protect your King." she said bitterly.
"I will go to Aslan tomorrow and tell him of you. He will want you to join his cause."
"I never left it. I am a Dalish, I have never lived under the Witch's rule. I have simply done what I had to to survive."
"In any case, he shall know of you."

Makeeda nodded once more.

"Thank you Ilen." she said, not daring to get her hopes up with thoughts of being free.
"Anything for you, lady."

Makeeda smiled and laied down on the bed next to him. They let silence fall over them, Makeeda drifting off to sleep successfully this time.

Makeeda had tried preparing herself for this moment. She was invisible, her magic working on her body to shield her from anyone else's vision. She watched as the human boy, Edmund, walked through the castle's throne room. She had wanted to yell, to tell him to turn back and get his family out of Narnia, but she did not. She watched him closely instead, keeping her distance so he did not see her footprints in the snow that covered the castle's floor.

She caught her breath sharply when he tripped over a wolf that had been covered in the snow. It barked, tackling him to the ground. It was Mulgrim, the pack's leader.

"Don't move!" he said. "Unless you want to die."
"Please! I'm here to see the Queen!" Edmund pleaded. "She's expecting me. I'm a son of Adam."
"Oh. My apologies, fortunate favor of the Queen." the wolf said, letting Edmund get back to his feet.

Mulgrim left to retrieve the Witch for him, letting Edmund wait alone in the throne room. Makeeda watched him as he touched the stone animals that had fallen victim to Jadis' magic. He sat down in her throne, overlooking the room as if he was in charge. Makeeda hated it, knowing he didn't have the slightest clue as to what he was doing to his family by being here.

Jadis entered the room quietly, Edmund unaware of her presence.

"Like it?" she asked.

Edmund got up quickly, letting her sit where he was.

"Yes. Your majesty." he replied.
"Tell me, Edmund. Your sisters… Are they deaf?"
"No." Edmund laughed.
"And your brother, is he… Unintelligent?"
"I think he is, but-"
"Then how dare you come alone!" she yelled. Makeeda instinctively put a barrier around him, shielding him from any harm Jadis might wish to bring. "And to think I asked so little of you…"
"I did bring them half way." Edmund said. "They're at a house. A dam, with the beavers."
"Well… I suppose you're not a total loss then." Jadis said, sitting back down. "Mugrim?"

The wolf walked over to her, a small growl sounding as he snarled at Edmund.

"You know what to do."

Mulgrim howled, summoning more wolves to his side. They followed his lead, running out of the castle with loud howls and barks. Makeeda hated what the beasts of the forest were becoming under the Witch's rule.

"I was thinking… Maybe I could have some more Turkish Delight now?"

Jadis looked at Ginarrbrik, her dwarf.

"Our guest is hungry." she said.
"Right this way…." the dwarf said, taking Edmund away from the Witch.

Makeeda let herself be seen now, causing Jadis to look at her, surprised.

"You are way too good at that." she said, relaxing after realizing it was Makeeda who had appeared at her side.
"What are you doing?" Makeeda asked.
"Staying in charge." Jadis replied, standing from her throne.
"You'd kill those kids? They are innocent kids."
"Are you so surprised? I killed every elven child in your clan."

Makeeda felt her anger grow in her stomach. She turned to leave, not wanting to speak with the Witch any longer. Jadis did not object, letting Makeeda leave without saying anything else. Makeeda went to the dungeons, seeing Edmund in her old cell, the fawn in the prison next to him. She opened the door to Edmund's cell, causing him to look up at her. She kneeled down to be eye-level with him, knowing he was already regretting what he had done.

"Son of Adam, you know not what you have done to this place…"
"Who are you?" he asked.
"She's the Witch's partner." Tumnus said.
"Partner?" Makeeda said, turning to the fawn. "She killed my clan, and took me from my home. I am no partner of hers."
"You just live here freely while the rest of Narnia suffers under her rule."
"What clan?" Edmund asked.
"She's a Dalish. You can tell by her markings. And her ears." Tumnus told him. "She is a true, natural Narnian, and she's helping the Witch."
"Do you want out of here alive, fawn? Because I am about to kill you."
"That would prove your point of being an ally?"
"No, but it'd feel good." Makeeda replied.
"You have no weapons." Edmund pointed out.
"I have magic at my command, Son of Adam."
"Why are you here?" Tumnus asked.
"I am going to get him out of here." she replied, indicating to Edmund. "I am going to protect him."

She pulled out her necklace, opening it to see the wolves surrounding a fox. Her fox. Ilen taunted them, egging them on as to occupy their time so they wouldn't notice the kids who were hiding up in the tree above them. They threw him around, hurting him as they gave up on the interrogation, knowing they would not get anything out of him. She closed the necklace after seeing the wolves turn back for the castle.

"Your family is safe." she told Edmund.
"Narnia will protect them." Tumnus said.

She heard the cell door open, turning to see the Witch. She didn't pay Makeeda any mind, going straight to Edmund.

"My police tore that dam apart. Your little family was nowhere to be found." She picked him up by his collar. "Where did they go?"
"I don't know!" Edmund said, terrified.
"Then you're of no further use to me." Jadis said, dropping him back to the floor.
"Wait!" Edmund said. "The beaver said something about Aslan!"
"Aslan? Where?"
"I…"
"He is a stranger here, your majesty, he can not be expected to know anything-" Tumnus said before Ginarrbrik hit him in the head with his staff.
"I said, where is Aslan?" Jadis asked.

Makeeda looked at Edmund, who looked to Tumnus, then back to the Witch.

"I don't know." he said. "I left before they said anything… I wanted to see you."
"Guard!" Jadis yelled.

A minotaur entered the cell.

"Your majesty?" he said.
"Release the fawn." she told him.

The guard broke the shackles on Tumnus' leg and dropped him to her feet.

"Do you know why you're here, fawn?" she asked.
"Because I believe in a free Narnia." he replied.
"You're here, because he turned you in. For sweeties." Tumnus looked to Edmund in disbelief. Edmund looked away in guilt as Jadis looked at Makeeda. "Take him upstairs, and ready my sleigh. Edmund misses his family."

Makeeda unlocked Edmund's shackles and lead him upstairs after the Witch had left. When they got to the throne room, they saw a new statue amongst the stone animals: Tumnus. Makeeda felt something boil in her chest, though she didn't know if it was anger or pity. She took Edmund outside, boarding the sleigh. Instead of sitting on the bench, Edmund sat at their feet. Makeeda did not like how things were going, wishing Edmund would have never come to Narnia in the first place.

They rode in the sleigh until they found Edmund's family. Jadis sent the wolves to get them as soon as they did, leaving Edmund and Makeeda alone in the sleigh. She took out her necklace and sat next to Edmund on the floor. They watched Mulgrim as he agitated Edmund's brother.

"Come on, Son of Adam. I won't wait forever, and neither will the river."
"Peter!" the girls shouted.

The river was melting, a sign of Jadis' powers weakening as winter ended. The ice was breaking, letting the waterfall flow once more.

"Hold onto me!" Peter yelled, plunging his sword into the ice that they stood on. They broke away, floating down river, away from the wolves. The beavers that traveled with them jumped in as well, swimming away from the pack of dogs.

They got away safely, causing Edmund to sigh in relief. Makeeda put her necklace away as Jadis came back to the sleigh. She paced for a moment, then looked down at the flowing waterfall. Edmund and Makeeda got out, looking down at the water with her.

"It's so warm out." Ginarrbrik said, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders. Jadis looked at him angrily. His smile faded as he caught the look she gave him. "I'll go check the sleigh."

Edmund and Makeeda smiled, but quickly stopped as the wolves ran to join Jadis' side. Makeeda's heart dropped when she turned to see Mulgrim spitting out her fox.

"Your majesty." Mulgrim said. "We found the traitor. He was rallying your enemies near the shuddering woods."
"Ah. Nice of you to drop in. You were so helpful to my wolves last night. Perhaps you could help me now."
"Forgive me, your majesty." Ilen said.
"Don't waste my time with flattery." Jadis replied.
"Not to seem rude, but I wasn't actually talking to you." he told her, looking at Edmund.

Makeeda knew he was going to get hurt if he spoke much more. Ilen was a fox, and according to any story she'd ever been told, they were unquestionably loyal to Aslan. Jadis pointed her sceptor at him with a look of warning.

"Where are the humans headed?" she asked.

Ilen would not answer her, making her raise her sceptor at him.

"Wait, no don't!" Edmund said, stepping in front of the fox. "The beavers said something about the Stone Table and that Aslan had an army there."
"An army?" Edmund walked back over to Makeeda, realizing he'd let out more information that put his family in danger. "Thank you Edmund. I'm glad this animal got to see some honesty, before he died."

She touched the sceptor to the fox, turning him to stone. Makeeda screamed, falling to her knees before the paralyzed creature. She cried for a single moment before standing up to look at Jadis.

"You Witch!" she yelled, raising her hand at her.

Jadis slapped her, making Makeeda back down from her attack.

"You need to think about whose side you are on, my dear." She made her look at the fox. "Mine, or theirs."

Makeeda cried as Jadis walked away, looking at Ilen's statue form.

"Go on ahead." Jadis told Mulgrim. "Gather the faithful. If it's a war Aslan wants, it's a war he shall get."

She turned a passing butterfly to stone angrily.

Makeeda walked over to the tree that Edmund had been tied up to for the night. He was gagged, his face beaten up from Ginarrbrik bullying him. She had watched this several times, and it had quickly grown annoying. She saw Ginarrbrik in Edmund's face again during the night, taunting him even more.

"Is our little prince uncomfortable? Does he want his pillow fluffed? Special treatment for the special boy. Is that what you want?"
"Leave him alone, dwarf." Makeeda said.
"I am not your subject, knife ears." Ginarrbrik replied.

Makeeda and the dwarf had never gotten along. It was in their blood, to hate each other, and they did so as much as they could.

"I said, leave him alone."
"I am to watch over him, I can do what I please."

Makeeda held out her hand for a moment, drawing upon the magic inside herself.

"What are you doing?" the dwarf asked. His face changed to fear, grabbing at his throat. "Stop… Stop!"

Makeeda stepped closer, making him step back from her. He gasped for air, the magic choking him.

"Leave him alone." Makeeda said again, and the dwarf nodded. She let the magic go and he sucked in air as fast as he could. "Go."

He walked away angrily. She smiled, knowing he always lost when it came down to an arguement. She looked back to Edmund, who looked weary from what he'd just seen. She picked up a bowl, filled it with water and grabbed a rag before she kneeled down to him, dabbing his face gently after removing the gag from his mouth.

"Thank you." he said.

She smiled.

"Why did you do this to yourself?" she asked.

Makeeda could tell how much he regretted it just by the look he wore from hearing the topic again, but they both knew he wasn't going get away from it anytime soon.

"They're so hard on me… Peter, he's expecting me to be something I'm not."
"How do you mean?"
"My Dad… He's fighting in the war, back in England. We had to go live somewhere safe. It's just us, and he's trying to step up to be our father, and he expects me to step up too, but I can't…"

Makeeda watched his face as he spoke. When he was done, she touched his cheek.

"You need to be strong." she told him. He nodded. "Aslan will forgive you."
"I'm sorry about your fox." he replied.

Makeeda felt tears welling up in her eyes again, but did not let them fall.

"I have watched many die… It does not hurt any less, but let's just say I am used to it."
"That's wrong." he said.
"I know… So is betraying your family… Promise me you will not do it again. I will not take you to Aslan if you swear it."

Edmund nodded.

"I promise."

Makeeda smiled slightly, accepting this. They sat together, enjoying the comfort of not being alone in the camp of the Witch.

"Can I ask you something?" he said after a few moments of silence.
"Yes."
"Tumnus said you were Dalish. What is that?"
"The Dalish are the wondering elven clans of the forest… We are strong warriors and faithful to our families. We're supposed to be scary to the Shemlen that come into our forests, though."
"Shemlen?"
"Humans."
"You don't scare me." he told her.

She smiled at him. Their conversation ended quickly, their smiles fading as they saw a wolf running into the camp.

"That is Vardan." she said, standing now. "Something is wrong…"
"Who are they?" Edmund asked, looking at the centaurs who were now running into the camp.

Makeeda knew they were allies to Aslan. She untied Edmund from the tree, helping him to his feet.

"They are friends." she told him.

A centaur spotted Edmund and ran over to him.

"Let him go!" he shouted, before seeing she was an elf. "You are Dalish? You have protected him."
"I have." Makeeda replied.
"We are to take him to safety."
"Then go." she said, helping Edmund onto the centaur's back.
"No, wait. Don't leave without her." Edmund told the centaur.
"I can run." she said.

The centaur nodded, running out of the camp now. She ran beside him, finding no challenge in keeping up with his pace. Elves were fast, being slender and agile, adapting to the ways of the forest they lived in. They ran a great distance, escaping the Witch's troops. They did not stop until they saw an army's camp waiting for them, at the Stone Table.