CHAPTER 3

Kate and Tumnus were pulled from the sleigh by one of the queens dwarfs, Ginnabrik. He led them into the Ice Castle and a chill that had nothing to do with the cold shot up Kate's spine. The last time she was here so was her sister. Shaking the memory from her head she walked through the familiar courtyard and into the entrance hall up the stairs and into the 'Royal Chamber' where the queen normally stayed and where she was when they entered. She looked down in their direction when she heard the door open. She had been expecting them.

"Ah...Tumnus right?" She asked getting up from her throne and walking toward them. Tumnus just nodded. With every step she took towards Kate, her body tensed. "And did you break my laws by talking to a human?!" she asked is her bitter sweet voice. Tumnus mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that faun?" she asked. Now Tumnus raised his head. "I said...I do not serve you" load enough to be heard but quiet enough to sound scared. The Witch raised a hand and a minotaur came over. Strike that 3 things make Kate nervous, Minotaur's with giant axes being another one.

"Show this faun what we do to those who do not follow the rules" she said sweetly and Mr. Tumnus was led away. Now it was Kate's turn. "Ah, Kate isn't it?" she asked. Kate nodded. "How long has it been?" she asked. Kate kept her gaze on the floor, her breathing getting quicker. "Kate?" she called quietly. She lost her patience and roughly turned Kate's face to look at her. Kate tried not to look her in the eye but failed. "You will answer me when I speak to you, understand..." she asked but Kate was paralyzed with fear. A sharp blow to the side of her face knocked her back to her senses and to the floor.

Tears escaped before Kate could stop them and before she had time to gather herself she was being pulled up by the Queen. "So the question is...do I kill you now...or Later?" Kate really didn't want to die but she was afraid to speak. Jadis hovering over her did not help the situation. Turning away Jadis walked back to her thrown leaving a scared and confused Kate standing there. She was half way to the thrown when she called "Take her to the dungeons...she may have a use later..." someone roughly shoved Kate forward put she didn't fall over. Her cheek burned in pain and her lip had burst. She could taste the blood on the inside of her mouth.

She was led to the dungeons where a Minotaur, fear remember, chained her legs to the floor a little too hard. It hurt to try and twist them so she just sat there, thinking about the little girl and the Beavers. After a while a very bruised and battered Mr. Tumnus was led in. He too was chained to the floor but seemed to be unconscious which was probably a good thing judging from his injuries. His face was severely bruised as was his body and his lip too was bleeding. Kate held her hands around her knees pulling them close to her chest and putting her head down. She knew she had a bruise because her face hurt like crazy. She sat in silence, praying to Aslan for the first time to protect her.

.

Edmund walked into the court yard of the Ice Palace and was startled to see so many statues. He went to step over one but was flipped onto his back when the statue moved actually revealing itself to be a wolf.

"Be still stranger or you'll never ,over again...who are you?" he growled.

"I'm Edmund! I met the queen in the wood...she told me to come back here...I'm a son of Adam!" he said desperately not wanting to die. Suddenly the wolf moved off him.

"My apologies, fortunate favour of the queen...or else" he paused to look at Edmund "not so fortunate!" he led Edmund into a sort of entrance hall and up a steep flight of steps made completely of ice. Edmund noticed that everywhere looked like this. The whole place was made of ice. The queen was nowhere in sight when he entered with the wolf. Edmund took the chance to sit in the thrown at the top of the steps in the chamber they had entered. Suddenly the queen appeared to his left.

"Like it?" she asked nicely but her tone was off.

"I...uh...Yes...Your Majesty" he added the last part quickly. "I thought you might!" she said quietly as she sat down.

"Tell me Edmund...are your sisters def?" Edmund was surprised by the silliness of the question "Eh no" but she continued.

"And your brother...is he...unintelligent?" Now this question he was ready for "Well I think so but mom..." but the atmosphere changed dramatically and the queen stood before him shouting

"HOW...DARE YOU COME ALONE..." Now Edmund was pleading "I tried!" he begged.

"After I ask so little from you!"

"But they just don't listen to me!"

"Couldn't even do that!" she carried on as if Edmund didn't exist. Edmund had to try.

"I did bring them half way! They're at the little house at the dam...with the Beavers..." he looked at her for any sign of change in her features. The atmosphere lightened slightly

"Well... I guess you're not a total loss then!" she said turning her back on him. But Edmund kept talking "I...I was wondering...could I maybe have some more Turkish delight now?" Ginnabrick laughed as the queen turned to him. "Our guest is hungry..." Ginnabrick removed a small blade from his waist and held it Edmunds back. "This way...for your NumNums" As they walked away the queen called her wolf. "You know what to do!" a howl rand through the air and Edmund watched as 10 others charged after the leader out of the castle. What have I done? He asked himself.

Ginnabrick led Edmund to the dungeons. When he entered he saw two other in there. A half man half goat wearing a red scarf looking extremely beaten in the far cell. In the one closest the door was a girl, his age, his a large bruise on the right side of her face. She had short brown hair and was average height and weight. He face, usually pretty Edmund assumed, was streaked with tears and her eyes were red. She looked up when Edmund entered. She gave him a small smile when he looked at her but her eyes shifted to the Minotaur behind him and she looked away scared. He noticed she would flinch slightly when he banged the cuffs into the floor. Finally the three were left in peace. Tumnus had woken by now and Kate had shifted herself to be near him.

"Really...I'm fine..." she was whispering to the worried half man. He was shaking his head, clearly not believing her. The food they had been given was horrible, neither Kate or Edmund eating any. The silence had gone on long enough and Kate talked first.

"Hey..." she said trying to catch Edmunds attention. When he looked up she smiled at him. "I'm Kate...you are?" she asked encouragingly.

"I...I'm Edmund..." Ed couldn't believe it. He was probably fighting for his life and here he was getting tongue-tied by this girl. His cheeks, he knew were flushing terribly, but Kate ignored it. "Edmund...well this is Mr. Tumnus..." so that's what a faun looks like! Edmund thought. Tumnus nodded his head in recognition, but saw something in Edmund.

"Your Lucy Pevensie's brother?" he asked and Edmund nodded. Kate knew where she had seen him before. He was the one being pulled by Lucy the night before. "Yes...you have the same nose..." he said. Edmund sniffed remembering his family and the danger he put them in. Kate and Tumnus seemed to sense his mood.

"Is your sister alright?" he asked seriously. Kate looked at Edmund waiting for his answer. She couldn't help but notice him. His hair was black as night and his eyes were telling her stories of fear and worry. He had a cute face in her opinion and she knew he would one day be handsome. He thoughts were interrupted by Tumnus.

"Is your sister safe?" he asked slowly. Suddenly a howl rang out around the castle and again he noted how Kate flinched. All Edmund could reply was "I don't know" before the queen entered. All three moved back to their relative sides as she entered turning on Edmund.

"My police tore that Dam apart..." Kate froze. Beavers Dam? "Your little family are nowhere to be found!" Edmund was now crumpling under her gaze but he seemed to perk up when she said she hadn't found his family. She reached down, pulling him by the front of his top and lifted him from the floor. "Where did they go?" Edmund didn't want to hurt his family so said "I don't know"

Kate and Mr. Tumnus looked at one another briefly. They watched as Edmund was dropped to the floor, causing Kate to gasp. "Then you are of no further use to me!" The witch raised her wand over her head and both Edmund and Kate screamed "NO!" only Edmund exaggerating. "The beaver said something about Aslan..." his words hung in the air. Kate stared at him. He had literally given her only family left the death sentence. She glared at him and Edmund noticed this. Tumnus was watching Edmund with fear and annoyance.

"Aslan...where?" she asked. But Edmund was battling whether to say or not following the looks he got from Kate and Tumnus. When he couldn't answer, Tumnus jumped in "He's a stranger here your Majesty...he can't be expected to know anything..."His comment earned him a sharp strike of Ginnabrick's cane.

"I said...Where is Aslan?" Edmund looked at Kate whose eyes were screaming at him to keep his mouth shut!

"I don't know...I left before they said anything...I wanted to see you!" he said trying to make her believe. "GUARD" she called and the Minotaur came in. Kate looked away from him. "Release the faun..." He went over and started banging Tumnus' cuffs. Kate didn't watch but she heard Tumnus' small cries and whimpers. Edmund wanted so much to make sure she was alright! Tumnus was dragged in the queen's feet.

"Do you know why you are here Faun?" she asked. Tumnus tried to sit up. " Because I believe in a free Narnia..." Kate and he made eye contact for the smallest second before the queen spoke.

"You're here because he..." pointing at Edmund who was looking at the floor, guilt controlling his body. He could feel Kate staring "turned you in...for sweeties" Kate looked at Edmund shocked and horrified. He refused to make eye contact with her and was aware of her anger. "Take him upstairs..." Tumnus was dragged from the room. He looked once at Kate, smiling reassuringly before he disappeared through the door.

The queen turned to Ginnabrick "And ready my sleigh...Edmund misses his family...bring the girl too" She walked out leaving Kate and Edmund alone. He looked over at her she was still looking where Tumnus was taken. "Kate I..." she held up a hand to stop him. "Don't Edmund...please...don't!" He nodded and looked down and she ignored him.

After maybe 10 minutes the Minotaur came in to release them. She again started shaking when he came close and as soon as Edmund was released the two were brought the entrance. As they walked through the statues Kate noticed a new edition. Mr. Tumnus screaming in pain as he was turned to stone. Edmund reached for her hand to pull her along but she couldn't move. Tears were in her eyes but she couldn't look away. The queen got annoyed and walked over to them.

"And unless you want to join him...move!" she said. Kate wouldn't look away from him though. Edmund pulled lightly on her hand but the queen had enough. She caught Kate by the arm pushing her towards the sleigh, but Kate caught her foot in something as was sent tumbling across the floor. She let out a gasp as she fell on her wrist. Edmund was at her side instantly, helping her up. Although she was thoroughly pissed at him for hurting Tumnus and the Beavers she couldn't deny how much better she felt when he came up to her. He helped her into the Sleigh but were forced to sit on the floor, and as there was little room they had to sit together, which worked too to keep them warm although once out of the castle gates the temperature picked up ever so slightly!

"How's your wrist?" Edmund asked. She shrugged but winced when he touched it. "It's probably sprained...It should be fine!"

"T...thanks" He looked at her and noticed she was shivering. He gently put an arm around her pulling her closer to him, to which she complied. He leaned down and whispered "I'm so sorry Kate" and she smiled and nodded. She believed he truly was sorry so she sat in his arms for the rest of the ride.