Hi folks!
Had a good day? If you had, then maybe you should spare this chapter for tomorrow. I don't want to make your day bad, but this have to come, further or later.
Clip from next chapter:
I swallowed. On the battlefield there was no place to hide like that. The time of hiding had passed. Now it was our turn to try to make some peace in the world, or at least in that world.
CH. 15 The Sacrifice
It was dark, but the centaurs had put up light around the area where we sat. The fauns had moved the tables over to the side, and in the middle it was an empty place where Susan, Lucy the beavers and some others were dancing.
I wished someone would ask me to dance, and most of all I wished Peter would ask me. The only problem was that I hadn't seen him since Susan and Lucy went to dance, and that was about half an hour ago.
"Are you okay?" Edmund asked beside me. I sighed.
"Yeah, I guess so." I put up a smile just as someone tapped my shoulder lightly. I turned to see Peter standing behind me. He was dressed in a dark green tunic with long sleeves and the picture of a golden lion. He also had some brown trousers which didn't look really special.
To me it didn't matter what he was dressed in. If he looked like a king or a slave, to me he would still be special.
"May I have this dance?" he asked with a small bow and bid me his hand. I smiled. All my sadness had disappeared and I put my hand in his.
"It would be an honour", I replied and he led me out to the dancing pairs.
As he led me through the dance, I felt many eyes on me and I wondered if something was wrong.
"Why are they staring at me?" I whispered to Peter.
"Maybe because you look beautiful", he answered with a smile and I grinned at him.
"You would have said so anyway", I said. He chuckled as he twirled me around.
"You're right, I would, because to me you're always that beautiful princess who appeared in my life when I was two years old."
"By the way, when did you learned to dance?" I asked him, 'cause I couldn't remember he had been dancing before that evening.
"Well... a faun learned me some different dances", he replied and I laughed.
Like that the rest of the evening went by, and when it was time to go to sleep, Peter followed me back to the tent and kissed me good night.
I smiled and glanced after him when he disappeared into the other tent. Then I turned and entered the tent where Lucy was already laying in her bed.
I quickly changed to the sleeping gown and slid under the covers. It wasn't hard to fall asleep, but a terrible nightmare ruined my night.
I stood beside Susan who was hiding behind some branches. Lucy was also there, and under us the Witch and her army was gathered.
The Witch stood on a great stone table, and trough the crowd of enemies Aslan came up. He didn't look majestic any longer, but like an old cat who had seen his days and was about to die.
I swallowed. It had to be a nightmare, but on the other hand it was too real. The details and the small sounds not even a dream could imitate.
"Behove, the Great Lion", said the Witch and her army cheered.
I watched in horror as a minotaur went toward Aslan and lifted an axe. Aslan growled and the army cheered and laughed even more.
The minotaur turned to the Witch who nodded. Then, suddenly, the minotaur turned back to Aslan and pushed him so he fell. Aslan didn't do anything to stop it.
"Little kitty, do you want some milk?" the dwarf I recognized from earlier, asked and the army laughed.
"Why doesn't he fight back?" Lucy asked on the other side of Susan.
"Bind him", the Witch commanded, and so happened. "Wait", she suddenly said. "Let him first be shaved."
I gasped, but no sound came from me. She wanted to make him ashamed before anything more happened. The army cheered loudly and the dwarf made his way over to Aslan where he took a knife and cut off a big part of the lion's mane, which he then lifted over his head.
The closest of the people followed him quickly, and when they pulled back, Aslan had no mane left.
"Bring him to me", said the Witch. It was first then I saw her black dress and long, black knife.
Two minotaurs took the ropes and dragged Aslan up the stairs to the the Stone Table. On the Witch's commando everything went silence. I nearly didn't dare to breath, but then I remembered it was only a dream. A nightmare. It couldn't happen for real.
I heard both Susan and Lucy gasp beside me, just when four women with vulture-face lifted each their staff, and in the same time they knocked them to the ground. It was the only sound to be heard.
The Witch knelt down beside Aslan and nearly carefully stroke his fur. She said something, but I couldn't hear it. She was too far away, and anyway the wolves had began to howl to the sky.
Then the Witch rose and looked at the army. "Tonight", she announced, "the Deep Magic will be up here!" The crowd cheered. "But tomorrow", she continued, "we will take Narnia for ever!"
Then she turned to Aslan and said: "In that knowledge, despair", she lifted the knife, "and DIE!" The knife fell, but in a few seconds before it fell, Aslan's eyes met mine before they moved to Susan and Lucy.
I sat up in the bed, trembling and gasping. I glanced at Susan and Lucy's beds. In the darkness I thought I saw them, but wasn't sure.
Silently I slid out of the bed, picked up the cloak and hurried out. It was too much for me to bear alone, and the only one who knew about my nightmares was Peter.
Carefully I pushed away the fabric hanging in front of the opening to the boy's tent. They were both sleeping peacefully.
"Peter", I whispered and sat on the bed beside him. I clenched my fists to stop them from trembling, but it didn't work.
Peter blinked and then saw me.
"I had a nightmare", I whispered and had to fight with the tears. I swallowed and he sat up.
"Oh, Catty. It was only a dream", he replied and pulled me into a warm embrace. Again tears ran down my cheeks and I buried my face in the fabric of his skirt. He gently rubbed circles on my back to comfort me.
I told him about the nightmare while he held me, and when I finished I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I wasn't the only to know about the nightmare any longer.
Suddenly he pushed me down and drew the sword which he pointed at someone who was standing in the door.
Edmund sat up at the sound the sword. First he stared confused at me, but then his eyes moved to the dryad standing in the opening, just like mine.
It was a dryad I was sure I never had seen in the camp before, and she didn't look as young as Sane.
"Be still, my princes and guardian", she said. "I bring grave news from your sisters."
My heart skipped a beat. Grave news? What could that be? Was it... no. My dream couldn't be real.
"Where are they?" Peter asked as he lowered his sword and frowned at the dryad.
She told us what had happened, and I nearly fainted. It was just as in my dream. Aslan was dead! He had sacrificed himself.
"No!" Peter barked and got to his feet. Somehow it didn't really shock me that he was dressed in the same trousers as in the evening, just with a white skirt. "It can't be true!"
Quickly he took on the boots which were standing by the bed, and then he took the sword and a vest before he rushed out. I knew where he was heading, and I knew that he wouldn't find what he searched.
"Get dressed and meet outside Aslan's tent in a quarter", I told Edmund with a sigh as I rose from the bed and went outside. The sun was rising fast and a cold wind blew from the ocean.
Inside the tent where I had been asleep just a quarter ago, I picked up the green and silvery dress from the day before.
"Catharina, the king have send me to see if you needed any help", said a polite voice behind me and I turned to face Sane.
"Well, maybe you could help me with the corset", I said as I took it on. The young dryad smiled and tightened it on my back. Then I put on the green dress. "Why do we have to wear corsets?" I asked her as she brushed my hair.
"I can't really answer that", she replied, "but I think it's some form for tradition."
"I hate the corset", I muttered. Sane giggled.
"I know. That's the very reason why I wear dresses where the corset is a part of the dress."
I looked at her. It was true. I hadn't really seen it before, but when she mentioned it I saw it.
"When this war is over, you have to tell me where to get such dresses", I said with a small smile.
"Of course I will!" she replied, and then in a whisper she asked: "Besides, is it true that you and King Peter are... you know, together?"
I spun around and stared at her. "Who have told you that?"
"I-it's just something they say!"
I sighed. "Yes, it's true."
"Then for your sake I hope he return from the war", she said and patted my shoulder.
"What do you mean? I'm also going to fight!" I exclaimed as we went out of the tent.
"But Catharina, a young lady like you certainly don't belong on a battlefield!"
I bit my lower lip and didn't answer. I really hoped Peter wouldn't say the same, and anyway, if he did, I would follow and join somehow. They couldn't stop me from that, if they didn't link me to some magical rock.
As we stopped outside Aslan's tent, Peter came out. "She's right", he said as he leaned against the map table which still stood outside after they had been planing last day. "He's gone."
"Then you'll have to lead us", Edmund told him. The way he said it made it sound nearly as easy as telling it. "There's an army out there, and it's ready to follow you."
"I can't" Peter whispered and I swallowed when I saw the hopeless look on his face.
"Aslan believed you could", Edmund replied with such certain in his voice that I had to look at him. "And so do I."
Peter also looked at the young boy, and for some seconds everything was silence and no one moved. Then a small smile appeared on Peter's lips and he turned to the table. I knew that those words from Edmund meant more than if I said the same.
"The Witch's army is nearing, sire", Oreius reminded us, though he glanced at Peter as he said it. "What are your orders?"
Peter didn't answer, but turned to me. "Catty, there is one thing I want you to promise me." I bit my lower lip and met his eyes. "I want you to stay here during the battle, and if we don't return... go home, make up a story about how we died and why you was the only remaining."
I swallowed. "Peter", I said, and my voice was shaking. "That's the only thing I can't promise you."
His eyes were filled with concern and despair. "Please", he begged and took my hands. "Please, do it for me."
"No!" I cried and moved away from him. "I won't promise that, I just can't!"
"Catty-"
"No! You have two choices", I said. I really didn't like what I was going to say. "One; you can take me with and place me somewhere in your midst. Two; you can link me to a rock and I'll hate you forever." I stared at him with tears in my eyes. "It's your choice."
In frustration he punched the table.
"You know I can't do any of them!" he nearly shouted, and to my big surprise his eyes watered. "Catty, why don't you understand that I just want to protect you because I love you?"
"I do understand that, but you can't chose my destiny for me forever. I'm old enough to take my own decisions."
"But if I take you with and you-" Before he could finish the sentence I closed the distance I had made between us, yanked his head down to me and kissed him.
"Do never finish that sentence", I whispered when I let go of him. "Don't even think about it, 'cause you don't know who hear your thoughts."
He laid his arms around my waist and pulled me into a tight hug where he leaned his head on the top of my head. We stood like that for a while, but then he pulled away.
"Fine", he whispered. "I will take you with, but promise me at least this: If I don't manage it, then take Susan, Lucy and Edmund strait home."
I sighed and nodded. "At least I can promise you that, but never think about it again before it happens. That's what you have to promise me."
He gave me a weak smile. "I promise." Then he took me into a new hug before he asked Sane to take me to the blacksmith and get me an armour I could wear in the coming battle.
I know this chapter was really short, but I had already decided to put this in a chapter on it's own.
Now it's just, how much? One or two chapters left, but I have to tell you, that however it ends, I'm planning to write a continuation about the Golden Age.
Ops, shouldn't have said that. Anyway, please, leave a review in the box below.