Adventures in Narnia 2023
Prompt #1: Tell of a time when music changed things in Narnia—either because it changed hearts or because it held magic.
This is probably pushing the boundaries of the prompt - it's more how music almost changed things and it's definitely not how we normally think of music in Narnia. But it's definitely centred around the power of music, so here goes!
I don't own music, in Narnia or anywhere else.
While music brought Narnia into being, some Narnians are more musically inclined than others. No one ever thinks of Marshwiggles when they think of music - not even funeral dirges.
Puddleglum had heard music the few times he had visited Cair Paravel. And one of the searchers for the lost Prince Rillian had brought a harp with him. So he knew what music sounded like.
The Witch was playing the lute well. But the music, the song was all wrong. Always before, the music Puddleglum had heard was to remember Aslan. The Witch was using music to make the children and Prince Rillian forget Aslan.
As Marshwiggles were well aware (though few other Narnians seemed to be), there were dangers enough in Narnia everywhere even when evil was not actively working. Now evil was using one of Aslan's greatest gifts - music, the thing that had brought Narnia into being, to make Narnians forget the One who had given it. Not even the White Witch had thought of that one.
There was no time to think about that. The children and the Prince were almost asleep. Puddleglum could feel himself nodding off. He didn't know what would happen if he went for the Witch directly, trying to smash her lute.
Before she had started playing, the Witch had thrown some sort of powder on the fire. The scent must be part of the Witch's spell. And no one was watching the fire. If he could put out the fire, it might be enough. But all Puddleglum had was his own hands and feet.
Burning Marshwiggle flesh smells horrid. And if Marshwiggles are not particularly musical at the best of times, pain certainly doesn't help matters.
But the one who created music is far more pleased with the cry of faith, no matter how unmelodic, than the most exquisitely played music meant to erase the memory of him. The Lion who sings is also a Lion who roars, and that roar was heard in the Marshwiggle's cry.