Author's Note: Marie here once again! Being cooped up for one more day means a little more time to update! I may have to clean a little…joy. However, I shall do my best to continue! Enjoy this chapter!

"Lady Isabelle," Oreius whispered. "We have arrived."

I groaned, stretching for a moment. "Where's Edmund?" I asked, realizing he was not there anymore, and I had been sleeping on the centaur's back.

"He is getting his wounds tended to," he replied. "I believe you have some visitors."

"Isabelle!" Peter called, running towards me, his sword still at his side and his sisters hot on his heels..

"Hullo, everyone," I smiled, trying not to disturb all of my sore muscles from last night's adventure.

"Could be better," Susan replied. "Where's Ed?"

"He's…" My voice trailed off as I saw Aslan speaking with someone beyond us.

Lucy turned around, her eyes widening. "Edmund!" she cried, but Peter stopped her from rushing to him. Even when Aslan was sitting and Edmund was standing on a rock higher than his, Aslan was still a head taller. When they finished, they approached us, Edmund's head hanging down.

"What's done is done," Aslan told us four. "Do not speak to Edmund about what is past," with that, he left the five of us alone. Now that the sun was shining, I could see that Edmund looked a little relieved, and had a cut on his bottom lip. He was also still in English clothing.

"Hi," he said softly. Lucy tackled him with a bear-hug as the rest of us surrounded him. When we all finally released him, Peter looked at him with concern.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"I'm feeling a little tired," Edmund admitted.

"Get some sleep—both of you," Peter said softly. Edmund nodded, and headed towards Peter's tent. "And Edmund," he turned around, and Peter's face cracked into a smile. "Try not to wander off." Edmund smiled, then disappeared into the tent.

We all gathered around a small table a little while later, munching on a late breakfast.

"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed," Lucy smiled as Edmund was attacking the toast. Edmund smiled at his little sister, who was enjoying the toast as well.

"Maybe they will give you some for the journey home," Peter replies. I stop in mid-bite of a peach.

"We're going back?" Susan asks.

"You are. I'm staying here," Peter peeled part of an apple as we stared at him in silence. "I promised Mum I'd protect you three, and if we go into battle, I can't keep that promise. But that doesn't mean I can't stay behind and help."

"But they need us," Lucy sounded desparate. "All of us," Peter shook his head.

"Lucy, it's too dangerous. You almost drowned, and Edmund was almost killed!"

"Which is why we have to stay," Edmund said softly. We all gave him our attention. "I've seen what the White Witch can do, and I've helped

her do it. We can't leave and let these people suffer for it," I put an arm around Edmund for a moment, then stood up. Susan seemed to be

catching on.

"Well I guess that's it then," she stood up as well.

"Where are you two going?" Peter asked.

"To get some practice," Susan and I said at the same time, then we smiled at each other.

Maybe Susan's not so bad after all.

As we hit a few targets, we realized that archery was a little harder than it seemed. After maybe an hour, along with a few pointers from a fawn or two, we each managed to hit the bull's eye.

"Yes!" we high-fived and laughed as Lucy watched. Getting an idea, she took her small dagger, throwing it perfectly in the center of another target.

"Show-off," Susan and I muttered, teasingly of course. Mr. Beaver came running up to us. "Girls, come quickly!" he exclaimed, breathless.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"The White Witch...she's in the camp."

"Hail, Jadis, the Queen of Narnia!" a little dwarf announced as the White Witch came forth on this little bed-carriage-thing. This was the

first time I'd ever seen her. I could only discribe her in one word: cold. She seemed to emit chills, even on a this warm sunny day. I was

standing next to Edmund, and I felt him tremble as she approached, getting off her carriage thing and striding up to Aslan.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," she sniffed, glancing at Edmund.

Way to make a great first impression.

"His offence was not against you," Aslan replied.

The Witch got a high-and-mighty look in her you forgotten the Deep Magic?"

"Do not recite the Deep Magic to me, Witch," Aslan growled, startling her. "I was there when it was written."

"It doesn't seem like she has much ground here," Peter whispered to me.

"Then why is she here?" I asked, until the Witch's voice sliced through me.

"Then you know that the son of Adam belongs to me," she turned to the crowd and pointed at us, mostly at Edmund. "That boy will die on the Stone Table."

"Try and take him, then," Peter drew his sword, a few others did as well, including me.

The Witch sniffed at us. "You think that a simple threat will deny me my right, little king?" While Peter fumed, she turned back to the Lion. "Aslan knows that if I do not have blood as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned, and perish, in fire and water." The Narnians began to whisper amongst themselves while Peter wrapped his arm around Lucy to comfort her. I tightened my grip on my sword, still fuming with her.

"Enough," Aslan turned to the Witch. "I shall speak with you alone." With that, the two walked into Aslan's tent.

"They've been in there for a while," Susan noted as we all sat in the grass; Edmund was picking some of it nervously.

"What if they don't reach an agreement? What if—what if I…."

"Don't think that way," I almost chided, placing my hand on top of one of his, which had been ripping at the grass more frantically as he spoke. "Trust

Aslan. He'll come up with a solution," Edmund smiled at me, thankful for my reassurance.

"They're coming out," Peter whispered. We stood up as the Witch stalked out, looking pleased, followed by Aslan. Edmund started to

tremble, but my hand found his and squeezed it let him know I was still here.

"The Witch has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood," Aslan announced. We all promptly broke into cheering; Edmund's family and I enveloping him in a huge hug.

"Thank goodness," Susan breathed, on the verge of tears.

"And how will I know that your promise will be kept?" the Witch asked, once the cheering had died down. In reply, Aslan roared, making her

fall backwards into her seat. We all laughed and cheered some more as the White Witch was carried away.

I caught something in Aslan's stance as we celebrated. I saw him sigh, then slowly walk into his tent, looking...sad.

I didn't know why—but I want to find out.