Edmund charged through the trees after the wolves, his heart pounding in his chest as they got further away from their targets. Doubt filled his mind. Letting them live and giving them the chance to reach Aslan was stupid of him. His mother would surely know of his betraying actions; she always knew when someone did something wrong against her, and now, he… no, he didn't betray her; the sound could've been the rustling of the wind or the gurgling noises of the creature dying, he didn't really know if it was them. Ultimately, it didn't matter if they escaped to Aslan; they wouldn't live to see tomorrow when he found them; he didn't owe them any favours; he wouldn't let them live when he found them. It's his mission, his birthright, to protect and serve his mother, to ensure her reign continues despite the threat of the prophecy coming true or Aslan's return; he won't fail her now.
Edmund called the wolves to him as he pushed his horse onwards. The frozen river wasn't far from here, and Aslan's camp lay beyond that. If the Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve wanted to reach Aslan, they'd head that way.
"What is the plan, Your Majesty," Maugrim said as he and his wolves surrounded Edmund. Edmund looked down at the Captain of the Secret Police, his mother's loyalist officer.
"Mardu, return to the Queen, inform her of the Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve we are in pursuit of. The rest of us will head towards the frozen river; Aslan's camp is beyond that; if we want to cut them off, we need to be lying in wait to ambush them," Edmund said. Mardu took off, disappearing into the trees towards the castle as the other wolves moved forward. What slight advantage he may or may not have given them was up; the White Prince was coming for them now.
Lucy's body ached as she lay on the icy floor, the cold seeping into her bones. She didn't know how long she'd been trapped here, hours, days, even months. Every second that passed felt slow and agonisingly long. After the prince left, some guards dragged Mr Tumnus out. Lucy wanted to fight, to save her friend who committed treason to protect her, but her chained legs only reached so far, and the guard hit her back when she got too close to them. Mr Tumnus hadn't returned, and she was worried about what the White Witch wanted with him and what she'd do to him. Oh, Mr Tumnus didn't deserve any of this; if only he'd handed her over when they first met, he would've been saved from all this.
The door swung up, and in stepped the White Witch. Lucy didn't sit up, glaring at the woman who walked towards her.
"That is no way to treat the Queen of Narnia," the White Witch said as two guards followed her inside, each grabbing Lucy's arms and dragging her up.
"Where's Mr Tumnus?" Lucy said.
"He's seen the light and has learnt the consequences of his betrayal. He's joined the other traitors… guarding my castle," the White Witch said. Lucy stared at her. Was Mr Tumnus still alive?
"I want to see him," Lucy demanded, and the witch laughed.
"All in good time, but I've received news from my dear son. A Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve have entered Narnia. Now tell me how two humans may have found their way into my kingdom." Lucy looked at the White Witch; horror and terror filled her body, and thought that Peter and Susan had found themselves in Narnia. The last time she'd disappeared, no time had passed, and yet, now they seemed to have followed her through the magic wardrobe and ended up here. Did they come looking for her, not knowing the danger they were putting themselves into by doing so?
"Ah, you do know them. Family are they," the White Witch grinned.
"You stay away from them!" Lucy shouted. Lucy's cheek stung from where the witch's hand struck her.
"My son is chasing them down; once he's close enough, he'll kill them. Maybe we'll let you watch as they slowly die," the Witch said, "Ready my sleigh. We wouldn't want our Daughter of Eve to miss her reunion with her family."
Lucy screamed and fought as the guards smashed her shackles and dragged her upstairs. Their strong hands tightened around her arms, and Lucy hung there, forced to watch as they carried her through the castle and out. There was a flurry of activity as they readied the Witch's sleigh, but that wasn't what caught Lucy's eyes.
"No," Lucy said weakly as she stared at the frozen stone statute of Mr Tumnus; his arms were reached out in front of him, his face filled with terror.
"This is what happens to traitors," the witch said, "This is your doing. For stepping foot in Narnia."
Lucy stared at Mr Tumnus as they took her away, shoving her on the floor of the sleigh as the White Witch climbed in wrapped up in her furs; Lucy curled into herself. This was all her fault; the witch turned Mr Tumnus to stone because she came to Narnia, and now they were going after her siblings. If only she hadn't hidden in the wardrobe, if only she'd never returned to this place, then none of this would've ever happened.
The wolves had picked up their scent, following it to a cave hidden near the frozen river. They were on the right path. Edmund bypassed his wolves charging through the snow; he saw movement ahead as two figures and two beavers stared at the frozen river. Edmund pulled out his sword as the wolves howled. One head snapped around their eyes, making contact before the Son of Adam, Daughter of Eve and the two beavers shot across the river. Edmund growled, sheathed his sword and summoned his magic before he froze. Exiting the trees, Edmund saw the state of the river. Large chunks of ice were breaking off and drifting down the flowing river; for a hundred years, that river had stayed frozen, and now the spell his mother had cast over Narnia, bringing an eternal winter, was waning with the appearance of the Son of Adam and Daughters of Eve.
His wolves surrounded the river, blocking their exit. The Son of Adam drew his sword (where he'd found one, Edmund didn't know).
"Put that down, boy. Someone could get hurt," Edmund sneered as he approached the river. The Son of Adam stared at him, waving the sword to face Edmund, then to the wolves behind him, then back at Edmund. The Beaver growled, throwing itself at him. Still, Edmund easily battered it away with his magic, and its body disappeared into the water. "Leave Narnia while you can, and your missing sister goes with you."
"Stop, Peter! Maybe we should listen to him!" The Daughter of Eve said. Peter looked at his sister and then swung his sword back at Edmund. Edmund resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he stepped closer to the frozen river.
"Smart girl. This isn't your war. All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go," Edmund lied. His mothers wanted their blood running down the floor of Cair Paravel to squash the prophecy and for the whole of Narnia to see that she's unstoppable and no little humans will get in her way.
"Look, just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword doesn't make you a hero! Just drop it!" The Daughter of Eve said. Father Christmas is still meddling in affairs that don't concern him; once he's dealt with these humans, he'll go and gut that buffoon.
"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam?" Edmund said, his eyes glancing up at the cracks forming in the frozen waterfall. It won't hold long, and if they're washed away, it will take hours to find their bodies. "I won't wait forever, and neither will the river."
Peter and the Daughter of Eve looked up, their eyes settling on the water flooding through the cracks, which were getting bigger each second.
"Hold onto me!" Peter shouted as he stabbed his sword into the ice. Seconds later, the waterfall collapsed, water spilling out and plunging down onto them. Edmund growled, throwing himself onto the water, his feet freezing sections of water as he chased after them. He wouldn't let them get away; he can't let them get away.
Edmund jumped from the river when he saw the four running off. The wolves were no longer by his side, but he didn't need them; he could kill the Son of Adam, the Daughter of Eve and the two traitors alone. The tents of Aslan's camp come into sight, and Edmund slows down; he pulls his bow from his back and readies an arrow, aiming it at the boy's back. He fires, and the arrow shoots through the air and misses, hitting the ground by his feet. Edmund ready another arrow as they disappear into the safety of Aslan's camp.
Edmund lowers his bow; it's too dangerous to follow. Aslan and his army will be on guard and expecting them. Fine, if they weren't getting Peter or the Daughter of Eve, they'll attack once Aslan and his army lower their defences. He heard Maugrim approaching, but Edmund didn't speak as he started down the camp.
"Your Majesty, the Queen wishes to see you," Maugrim said. Edmund stared at the wolf, dread filling his bones; his mother doesn't take kind to failure.
"Let's go; we don't want to keep the Queen waiting," Edmund said, turned and disappeared back into the trees, his heart pounding so loudly he wouldn't be surprised if his mother could hear it. Nevertheless, Edmund held his head high to the brutal punishment that he was sure awaited him.
Peter's nerves were shot after being chased from the Beavers Dam to Aslan's camp. This was past being a nightmare that Peter couldn't wake up from, with the only thing keeping him going was to save Lucy. His Mother had told him to protect his younger siblings when she sent them to the countryside to escape the war. Here, they were stuck in the middle of another one with their littlest sister held hostage by the White Witch.
As they entered the camp, creatures Peter never believed existed stopped what they were doing and looked at them.
"Why are they all staring at you?" Susan said. Peter cracked a weak smile, but he didn't say anything. He heard Mrs Beaver fussing over her fur as they approached a large ten guarded by a centaur. Peeter pulled out his sword, holding it before him, pointing it to the sky.
"We have come to see Aslan," Peter said, surprising himself with how sturdy his voice sounded. The tent flaps in the breeze as everyone around him kneels, and a large lion emerges. Peter shared a look with Susan before kneeling as well.
"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome, Susan, Daughter of Eve. And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks. But where are the third and fourth?" Aslan spoke, his words washing over Peter as he and Susan stood.
"That's why we're here, sir. We need your help," Peter stared before Susan jumped in.
"Our sister has been captured by the White Witch," Susan said.
"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan said. Peter looked over to the Beavers.
"The White Prince took her before Peter or Susan entered Narnia, Your Majesty," Mr Beaver said. A ripple of noise filled the camp.
"We must rescue her," the centaur said.
"And we will. What of your fourth sibling? Where is the other Son of Adam?" Aslan asked. Peter and Susan looked at each other, both feeling uncomfortable. They didn't speak of James. It hurt their mother that their father forbade the name James from their house. Still, it didn't stop their mother from bringing their missing sibling up around birthdays, holidays and the anniversary of his disappearance.
"We lost James," Peter said, "He was taken from us."
"The Witch has him, too," A faun said. Peter shook his head.
"He was taken from us when he was born," Susan added. Aslan looked at them.
"Taken? How?" Aslan asked, Peter shrugged.
"After our mother gave birth to James, he was placed in his crib beside her bed, but when we came in a few hours later, James was gone. The police looked for him, but he was never found," Peter said.
"That is most troubling, but I fear we cannot focus on that. Three prophesied children have entered Narnia, so we will focus on recusing Lucy. Peter, follow me," Aslan said. Peter shared another glance with his sister before reluctantly leaving her side and following Aslan. They walked up of the hills shielding Aslan's camp, Peter trailing behind Aslan. As they reached the top, Peter saw a large building in the distance.
"That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the four thrones. In one of which you will sit, Peter, as High King," Aslan said. Peter stayed quiet, "You doubt the prophecy?"
"No. That's just it. Aslan, I'm not what you all think I am," Peter said. He wasn't the right person to lead an army into battle with an evil witch and her just-as-evil son.
"Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley. Beaver also mentioned you planned on turning him into a hat," Aslan chuckled before adding, "Peter, there is a Deep Magic, more powerful than any of us, that rules over all of Narnia. It defines right from wrong and governs all our destinies. Yours... and mine."
"But I couldn't even protect my own family," Peter said, the loss of James and Lucy playing on his mind.
"You've brought them safely this far," Aslan said, but it didn't make him feel any better. Lucy was still in the hands of the White Witch; he should've listened to her and believed she wouldn't make something like this up. He should've been with her when the White Prince came for her and protected her.
"Not all of them," Peter said.
"Peter, I will do what I can to help your sister, but I need you to consider what I ask of you. I, too, want my family safe," Aslan said. Peter sighed; he had no choice but to go along with anything Aslan wanted. To protect Susan, to save Lucy, he'd do anything.
His mother's servants had sent up camp when Edmund arrived, the girl bound and gagged to a tree. Edmund strode past her and went straight to his mother.
"Where are the Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve, Edmund?" his mother said, rising from her chair and stalking over to him.
"They made it to Aslan's camp," Edmund said. The words barely left his mouth before she slapped him. Edmund gritted his teeth, not giving her the satisfaction of his screams. His cheek ached, but he kept his place.
"You failed me again," she screamed. Her fist crunching against his nose, Edmund dropped to the ground, blood gushing out. "One job. Your existence in this world was about protecting my reign and killing any Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve who made it, and you let two escape to Aslan of all things."
She grabbed his head, dragging his face to meet hers before slamming him back down his face into a rock. Pain erupted from his cheek and jaw, blood streaming down his face from deep cuts, his magic struggling to heal him as his mother slammed his face repeatedly on the rock until it was covered in blood. He heard screaming, not his own, as he was used to this attack to react to the pain. He looked through swollen eyes as the girl fought against her binds, tears flooding down her face. Why was she crying for him?
"I would kill you, Edmund. Be grateful that I'm sparing your pathetic existence because I still need you, but mark my words," his mother said, forcing Edmund to look at her. She raised her staff, the sharp crystal end pointing at him and stabbed it into Edmund's stomach. The whole of Edmund's body withered in pain, but still, he fought to let a sound come from his mouth. "If you fail me again, then I will make your death agony."
"As my failure of a son can't capture them. Maugrim, take your secret police, kill the Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve. Kill as many of Aslan's loyalists as possible, and if you fail to like him, you know what punishment awaits you. Now go!" His mother ordered, ripping her wand from Edmund's stomach, the crystal-covered in his blood.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Maugrim said, bowing to the Queen before he and his wolves took off to Aslan's camp.