THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE BBC
PART 17
ASLAN.
PREVIOUSLY: Spring has finally arrived back to Narnia. The White Witch is no longer able to use her sleigh and is thus forced to walk the rest of the way, while Snowstorm, Maugrim and his lieutenant, who are the only survivors of the battle on the Great Lake's ice, continue hunting the children, beavers and Chirp, who by this point have reached a Stone table. There, they meet Aslan, the Great Lion, who has summoned all the Narnians still faithful to him to muster an army to battle the White Witch.
After he had stepped out of the pavilion, Aslan gazed down at the children before, each of them with the solemn eyes, and let out a long low growl.
The children, who were still staring at the Great Lion, either didn't know what to do now or didn't want to do anything, because they were too afraid to approach the Lion. Or at least Peter and Susan were, but Lucy was too intrigued by the Great Lion to fear him.
"Go on." Mr. Beaver whispered encouraged, gently pushing Peter and Susan forward.
Smiling excitedly, Lucy was almost about to walk towards Aslan, but Peter quickly grabbed her hand to hold her still, tho her chagrin, before he turned back to Mr. Peter.
"No. You first." Peter whispered, offering the beavers and Chirp to take the lead.
"No! Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve before us animals." Mr. Beaver whispered back.
"Chirp, chirp! We'll be right behind you. Chirp, chirp!" Chirp chirped quietly.
"Okay..." Peter said uneasily, before he turned towards Susan. "Susan, what about you? Ladies first, after all."
Susan almost scowled at Peter for trying to send her before Aslan instead of going himself, and even she didn't have courage to do so out of fear for the Lion suddenly turning on them and biting their heads off.
"No, you're the eldest." Susan whispered.
Peter let out a defeated and nervous sigh. Of course it had to be him to meet the Great Lion first just because he was the oldest.
"Come on. Pull yourselves together!" Peter said to himself.
Swallowing his fear and nervousness, Peter took a deep breath and held his chin up to look like a noble and brave knight, while trying to keep a rather awkward feeling at bay all of time, before he stepped forward, followed by Susan to his right and Lucy to his left, and the beavers and Chirp followed right behind them.
Once standing before Aslan, the Great Lion let out another low growl, which made the children quickly realize that they were the only ones around still standing, and that they should do the same as the other creatures and animals do before the Great Lion. Following their example, Peter, Susan and Lucy knelt down and bowed their heads down in respect to Aslan, and so did the beavers and Chirp.
Aslan let another low growl, indicating the children to raise. Slowly, the children, beavers and Chirp and all the other creatures and animals around them did so, before Peter then drew Rhindon out and raised it to the salute.
"We have come—Aslan."
Instead of changing into an anthropomorphic form, as all the animals had done so far, Aslan remained in his normal-looking lion form and spoke with his own lips.
"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam." Aslan said. "Welcome, Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. And beavers and Chirp the robin. Welcome to you too. You have guided the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve so bravely to me, and for that you have my thanks."
When he spoke, Aslan's voice was deep, thunderous and rich but warm and gentle, and every word that came out felt like a gentle and warm blow of the wind on their faces that expelled all the previous fear out of them.
"But where is the fourth child?" Aslan asked with the slight frown.
"That's why we're here, Sir." Peter said as he put Rhindon away. "We need your help."
"We had a little trouble along the way." Susan confessed.
Aslan looked at the elder two, patiently waiting for them to speak.
"Our brother has been captured, by the White Witch." Peter said straightly.
As predicted, the crowd around them gasped from surprise and horror upon hearing such of dreadful news, and they started to murmur with each other.
"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan asked seriously.
Peter pursed his lips nervously, unable to continue, because he knew that telling Aslan and all of these people the truth would hurt them as much as it hurted him and his sisters.
Mr. Beaver, however, stepped forward. He gave Peter, Susan and Lucy apologetic looks before turning to Aslan.
"O Aslan, he has tried to betray them." Mr. Beaver said.
"Chirp, chirp! He fell for the White Witch's tricks and has now joined her side. Chirp, chirp!" Chirp added.
The crowd gasped even louder in utter shock upon hearing this, and many creatures and animals began mumbling or growling amongst themselves, both confused and angry at how one of their prophesied saviors could do this to them, as they all knew the Witch could not be trusted. Even Aslan frowned so that he bared his teeth a bit and let out a louder growl.
"Then he has betrayed US ALL!" the Centaur that had led them in the camp announced before shaking his fist in the air. "TRAITOR!"
"TRAITOR! TRAITOR! TRAITOR! TRAITOR!" more than half of the whole crowd shouted, roared and screeched in agreement and angrily shook their into fists squeezed hands, paws and hooves in the air, while the creatures on top of the rocks started to flap their wings furiously.
Peter, Susan and Lucy looked at the crowd around them in horror at how quickly they were to judge their brother for his actions. Even if Edmund had been acting rotten towards them, he never had the idea what he had got himself into till it was too late and that all three of them played an equal part in it.
"NO! NO! NO! IT'S NOT HIS FAULT! PLEASE, LET ME EXPLAIN!" Peter quickly shouted in protest, hoping to explain how it really came to that.
However, his calls were drowned by the shouting of the entire crowd, and even if some of them DID hear him from under of all of this noise, no one turned an ear in his direction to listen.
Almost no one, except Aslan did.
Upon hearing Peter's desperate pleas to explain to the Narnians who would not listen, the Great Lion immediately raised his head and growled even louder - louder than any lion ever could - over all of this noise. Hearing Aslan's growl in the midst of their shouting, the Centaur and the whole crowd immediately turned back to the Great Lion.
"PEACE! Peace Flamestorm!" Aslan demanded.
The Centaur named Flamestorm obediently calmed down and the rest of the crowd immediately fell silent upon Aslan's command, before the Great Lion turned to Peter.
"Speak. What is your explanation to this?" Aslan said gently, allowing Peter to explain
Every creature and animal then turned towards Peter to listen what he has to say to explain his brother's treachery.
Peter was relieved that he had got everybody's attention now, thanks to Aslan for that, but before he could say a word, first thing he did was to let out a heavy sigh before he lowered his gaze to the ground in sadness and shame, as the burden of his actions towards Edmund and the resulting consequences weighed heavily on his shoulders.
"That was partly my fault, Aslan. I was so angry with him and I think that helped him to go wrong." Peter explained with sad and low voice.
Susan and Lucy looked at their brother with sympathy and equal shame for how they too have been towards Edmund, before both of them stepped up beside him. Lucy took Peter's hand reassuringly into her own while Susan put her own hand on Peter's shoulder.
"We all were kinda too hard on him." Susan said, making Peter to smile at his sisters for their support
Aslan said nothing either to excuse or to blame any of the children for what had happened. The Great Lion only stood looking at them with his great golden eyes filled with understanding and compassion. His long silence told to everybody around that Aslan accepted their explanations and that there was nothing else to be said about that.
"Please, Aslan." Lucy said almost in a quiet, hopeful and at the same time desperate whisper, gaining Aslan's attention. "We know Edmund has done a lot of bad choices lately since we got here, but he's still our brother. We just want him back. Can anything to be done to save him."
"Be at peace, dear one. All shall be done." Aslan said reassuringly, but there was a gravity in his voice when he spoke the next words. "But know this that him being your brother is what only makes his betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think."
Peter and Susan frowned, wondering what Aslan was talking about, but without saying another word about it, the Great Lion went silent again for some time.
Lucy, on the other hand, managed to detect a sadness in Aslan's face, as royal, strong and peaceful as they were.
But the next minute, the sadness was gone from Aslan's face and the Great Lion turned to his people.
"Meanwhile, let the feast be prepared, in honor of Son of Adam's and Daughter's of Eve's arrival!" Aslan declared with the smile.
All the animals and creatures around (save for Flamestorm and the two Satyrs and the two leopards standing by Aslan's side) cheered aloud in unison, delighted at Aslan's declaration of a feast in honor of Peter, Susan and Lucy, before each one of them rushed here and there to get the tables, tablecloths, crockery and all kinds of foods for the feast.
"Ladies?" Aslan said, turning to three Dryads, three Naiads and two anthropomorphic salukis next to him. "Take Son of Adam and the Daughters of Eve to the pavilion and minister to them."
The Dryads, Naiads and salukis bowed to the Great Lion, before they walked up to the children. The Dryads even carried bunches of beautiful flowers in their hands, which they gave to Susan, Lucy, and Mrs. Beaver as a welcome gift, who gladly accepted them.
"This way, my lord and ladies, please." one of the salukis said kindly as she gestured the children to step inside Aslan's pavilion.
The children let these kind creatures to lead them inside of the pavilion on the condition that they would allow the beavers and Chirp to come along as well, because they were the only ones they felt more comfortable with now that they were amongst of the large group of strangers. Aslan said nothing against it, and neither did the Nymphs and salukis.
The inside of the pavilion was as beautiful as it was from the outside, and it looked quite cozy, and it looked as if it had been made just for them: the floor had been covered with elaborately woven carpets the with golden animal and plant patterns and there were four very royal-looking beds made of russet wood with high headboards—and each headboard was adorned with Aslan's standard—and red mattresses and sheets, red and gold decorated blankets and red pillows in different shades had already been placed in the beds. To the left of the flaps stood a golden-brown wardrobe decorated with handsome wood-carved animals, notably a pair of rampant lions on its doors. And here and there and on the table stood a holden candelabras to enlighten the tent at the dark.
At the other end of pavilion to the right from the flaps seemed to be where Aslan took residence, for there were no much of the furnishings save for a golden throne - Aslan's throne as a sign of his status, no doubt - that was flanked by his standards, and a little wooden table next to it, where Aslan must have kept his crown when not being carried on the pillow by one of the leopards.
The children then gave their gifts into the beavers' and Chirp's possession, as the Naiads returned with the three bowls of water they had went to fetch from the stream in the outskirts of the camp, behind the rocks the flying beasts had perched on.
The Naiads then put the bowls onto the empty table and allowed the children to wash their faces and hairs clean, because it has been some time since the last time they've taken a shower to clean themselves. And after the children were done, salukis offered them the towels to dry themselves.
The Salukis and Dryads then went to the wardrobe and took out a bundle of Narnian clothing for each child before leading each of them to the pavilion's red curtained private areas to change their 1940s English clothing to some of Narnian.
One of the salukis handed to Peter a bluish-white tunic, a bluish-gray leather waist coat, brown pants and brown leather boots. Peter politely thanked saluki for the clothes, and saluki bowed her head in response, before she stepped back, allowing Peter some privary to fit his new clothing as he went behind the curtains.
Another saluki handed to Lucy a beautiful-looking lila-colored silk gown with wide sleeves and stitched pearl-white patterns of vines and flowers at the edges of her dress' sleeves and the bodice of the dress, along with the light-toned underdress with longer sleeves. Lusy gaped intrigued at the dress given to her and she quickly but, of course, politely thanked saluki for it before she rushed behind the curtain to fit it.
A Dryad handed out to Susan a dusty rose-red colored silk dress with the gold accents on the sleeves and bodice and light green underdress. Unlike Peter and Lucy, Susan didn't immediately take her new clothin from the Dryad's hands or went behind the curtain to fit it. Instead, she picked up her new dress from the Dryad's hands, looked it over from the neckline to the hem and then put it against herself to see if it does fit her.
"My lady?" the Dryad said politely. "Wouldn't you like to fit your dress behind the curtain where you can have some privacy?"
Susan was instantly brought back from her thoughts and she looked up at the Dryad with a surprised look on her face, having almost forgotten that the Dryad was still standing there.
"Uh, no. No, no, no thanks." Susan said before she folded the dress together by the way she knew back in England, and gently put it back to Dryad's hands.
"I couldn't possibly wear so wonderful dress such as that. I would only ruin it. I think I'll be fine by the way I already am." she excused politely, referring to the pink-colared turquoise dress and the light brown fabric sweater she had wore on ever since and before entering Narnia
"But my lady, you'd honor us and Aslan by wearing it in the feast." the Dryad said in gentle protest.
Susan was about to refuse again, until Mrs. Beaver came from behind and put her clawed paws over her shoulders, gently pushing her behind the curtains while taking the clothins from the Dryad's hands.
"Come now, dear. Just try it on." she said before pulling the curtain closed after.
It took a while before the children finally stepped out from behind the curtains, leaving their old English clothes behind and now dressed in their new Narnian clothes.
The three Naiads then stood opposite to Peter, Susan and Lucy, with the three small tables standing in between of them, and on the tables were standing the bowls of water they had brought earlier. Together, the Naiads held out their hands towards the bowls and closed their eyes, and after a moment, the water rose up from the bowls by themselves and turned into a round vertical mirror surfaces in the air above the empty bowls, to the great wonder of the children.
After getting over their wonderment of the magic the Naiads held over the water, the children looked at themselves from their watery mirror reflections, and gaped from surprise to see themselves now much different than they used to be since entering Narnia.
"Look at us!" Lucy laughed and spun the hem of her beautiful new dress around herself. "We're Narnians now!"
"Looking good here!" Peter declared, taking fast liking of how noble and knightly he looked like in his new clothes, even if he wasn't one.
Susan, however, took her time to look at herself from the watery mirror, slightly brushing her long blonde hair back. She really couldn't believe that just a few days ago she was just a normal girl, and now she had become such of beautiful young Narnian lady.
"Ohh! Look at you, dearies. You both look so beautiful! So marvelous!" Mrs. Beaver said, admiring Susan's and Lucy's new looks.
"You like it, my lady?" the Dryad next to Susan asked as she saw Susan making a check outs of every spot in her new dress and making sure that it git well with her size and shape. "Is it too tight on someplace or too big? Maybe I could look for another dress instead, unless you prefer your previous clothes more."
"No, thank you." Susan quickly declined, not taking her eyes from her reflection as a satisfied smile crept on her lips. "It's comfortable, spacious enough and the right size... I think this is fine. Thank you."
###
Outside of the pavilion, with Aslan personally observing the preparations of the feast, the creatures and animals had already placed and set the tables at the foot of the Stone Table's hill in a crescent-shaped position, and one table, the royal table reserved for Aslan and Peter, Susan and Lucy, stood out from all the other tables: it was bigger than the other tables and both ends of it were carved to resemble the flanks of a lion, so that both its fore- and hind-limbs served as a table legs, and in the center of the table stood a carved lion's head. The tablecloth that was set on the table was blue and serrated- and white- and yellow-edged, and in middle of it was a rampant red lion in middle of the yellow sun-like circle.
The creatures and animals had also set on each table all kinds of delicious-looking foods that each liked on the golden and silver trays, bowls and plates
Centaurs, both males, females and young foals, have brought almost half of all the servings on the table for both the guests of honor, everybody else and especially themselves, such as oaten cakes, apples, herbs, wine, cheese, porridge, pavenders, kidneys, bacon, omelette, cold ham, toast, marmalade, coffee, beer, hot mash, oats and a bags of sugar.
Fauns have brought on the table the servings not much different from the ones Mr. Tumnus served on his cave: A steaming hot tea, lightly boiled eggs, three types of toasts: one with sardines, second with butter and third with honey, and a sugar-topped cakes.
Satyrs have brought on the table both vine and a three-four freshly hunted and recently over the fire roasted boar (Non-talking boar) on the tray.
Dwarfs have brought on the table a barrels of their beer, bread and a roasted chicken meat.
Dryads and Naiads have brought on the table the bowls of fruits and berries and glass pitchers of sweet-tasting fresh water and good-smelling wine.
Bears have brought on the table a jars of honey, a honey biscuits, honey cakes and a a freshly fished and roasted fish.
Badgers have brought on the table a freshly made berry pies: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries and steaming hot vegetable soup.
Rabbits have brought on the table their own special dish, a delicious-looking carrot cakes.
Squirrels have brought on the table some toasts with the nut butter coated over them.
Hedgehogs have brought on the table a barrels of milk.
And so on.
When the offerings were set on the tables and the feast was ready to begin, Aslan and all the other Narnians turned towards the pavilion as the children stepped out.
Peter, escorted by Mr. Beaver and one of the salukis, walked ahead of his sisters with Rhindon hanging in its sheath on his left side. Peter kept his left arm around Rhindon's hilt, his right behind his back and his chin held high to look like a noble knight (even if he wasn't one) as he walked out of the pavilion and towards the tables.
Susan, escorted by Mrs. Beaver and the Dryad, walked after her brother in a refined fashion, and she received admiration from many quarters for how beautiful she looked like in her new dress. Susan held from Mrs. Beaver's clawed hand while lifting the hem of her dress up so that she won't even accidentally step on in and embarass herself before everybody by accidentally falling over.
And finally, Lucy, escorted by the second saluki and Chirp, walked after her brother and older sister. Lucy smiled widely at the warm welcome the Narnians were giving her and her siblings, and everywhere she looked on, she saw creatures and animals meeting her gaze with warm smiles of their own. Some of the children even waved their hands, paws, hooves and wings at her, to which Lucy eagerly returned.
Peter, Susan, and Lucy were escorted to Aslan's table, where the Great Lion was already waiting for them while sitting in the middle. The three children then sat on the fine wooden chairs, not the benches this time like back at beavers', which had the high backs and were padded for more comfort. Peter sat next to Aslan to his right, then sat Susan and finally Lucy. Only one chair between Susan and Lucy remained sadly empty, Edmund's.
Most of the creatures and animals gathered there, apart from those tasked with serving and/or entertaining both the celebrants and the honored guests, then sat down on modest benches around the tables or just simply lied onto the grass. Mr. Beaver and Mrs. Beaver sat themselves at the table next to Aslan and the children's table, while Chirp preferred to stand next to the beavers. The silence fell over the tables when Aslan let another low growl, and everybody's attentions and eyes turned towards the Great Lion.
Aslan then turned to the animals and creatures who served as servants and nodded his head to them. The servants, who were each holding either a glass pitchers of water or wine, a barrels of beer or milk, or a pots of steaming hot tea, bowed their heads to the Great Lion before they began to go around the tables and pour into each goblet, mug or cup what each wanted.
One Dryad poured wine into the huge goblet held by Aslan's giant paw, while the same Dryad and salukis poured some wine into Peter's, Susan's and Lucy's goblets for them to taste. And at the neighboring table, Mrs. Beaver preferred a cup of steaming tea, Mr. Beaver a mug of beer, and Chirp only a cup of water.
Aslan then raised his goblet high into the air and all the animals and creatures solemnly rose from their seats.
"The first toast is to the death of the eternal winter, and to the welcome of the spring that has returned to Narnia." Aslan declared, before he looked down to the children to his right. "And the second toast is to the honor of the Son of Adam's and the Daughters of Eve's foretold arrival, and to the honor of their companions, Mr. Beaver, Mrs. Beaver and Chirp the robin's bravery."
Peter, Susan and Lucy, while holding their own goblets up for the first toast, smiled at the beavers and Chirp for them being acknowledged by Aslan for everything they have done and risked for them. The beavers and Chirp smiled back at the children, delighted though surprised, because none of them hadn't expected them to be acknowledged for their efforts to keep the children safe at the risks of their own lives.
The creatures and the animals cheered in unison, both to the death of the winter, to the return of the spring, to the arrival of the Son of Adam and the Daughters of Eve and to the bravery of the beavers and Chirp while holding up their goblets, mugs and cups up in the air.
However, Peter, Susan and Lucy felt a pang of sadness within them as they quickly remembered again that Edmund was not here with them. With the exchanged glances with each other, they acknowledged to one another that Edmund would've loved to be here enjoying this feast in such lovely company.
Starting from Aslan, each animal and creature then lifted their goblets, mugs, and cups over their lips and drank some of their contents. Peter, Susan and Lucy did the same, and were surprised to find that the wine they had just drank was quite good and sweet-tasting, although it was a little tingly at first.
The rest of the feast went quite merrily as the animals and creatures both ate and drank the food from the tables while either laughing or chatting with each other, while the waiters went around the tables carrying food and drinks and always stopped by asking someone - especially Peter, Susan and Lucy, since they were the guests of honor - if they wanted something more.
As they ate and drank, Peter, Susan and Lucy were left quite flattered by the good service and the delicious food and drink they received.
They were also visited and warmly greeted by many creatures and animals, who happily introduced themselves to the children with the laughs and handshakes (or pawshakes in the case of some of the animals), though they were most of the time - when they weren't eating and drinking - swarmed by the tidal wave of the children.
The group of young animals and creatures were all so curious and intrigued to know everything they wanted about them. They asked them such of questions that how they came to Narnia in the first place? Where exactly they came from and what it was like there? And whether the really were the ones whose arrival the prophecy told about now that one of them was missing? Peter, Susan and Lucy individually answered each question as best they could, and with carefully thought out words so that the children could understand what they were saying and that they wouldn't be left too confused over some things of their world that were completely strange to them.
The children also gave Susan and Lucy a kind and admiring comments about their beauty (even if Susan got more of that than what Lucy did, much to Lucy's slight chagrin), while bringing them some gifts of their own like the sweets and hand-made tiaras of flowers (Lucy got one made of white yarrow and laurel flowers, and Susan got one made of yellow daffodils), which both Susan and Lucy allowed the children to put on their heads, while the others even asked Peter to let them see Rhindon-sword up close.
But the best part of the feast, from Lucy's opnion at least, was the entertaining music.
Some creatures, mainly Fauns, Naiads and Dryads, but also a few Satyrs and a couple of Dwarfs, together created such a wonderful, soothingly soft and touching melody over the whole encampment and the feast with combined string-instruments, flutes, soft drums and lutes, and the tone of the music remained the same even as it grew louder.
The music also inspired many revelers to dance, and many Fauns, Dwarfs and Satyrs started to laugh and dance in groups in middle of the tables, during of which some of the male Dwarfs went to ask for female Dwarfs, and Satyrs and Fauns went to ask Dryads and Naiads to share a waltz with them, which they accepted.
While the dance of the Fauns, Satyrs and Dwarves was quite boisterous and mostly jumping around and loudly stomping their feet, the Naiads and Dryads' own dance was much calmer, more fluid and rhythmic, as if they danced not only to the music but also to the rhythm of gentle gusts of wind or water currents.
Many animals also joined in the dance, either as a solo or in pairs. One large bear roared with laughter as he swayed to the music while the little rabbits held paws and hopped/swirled around at the bear's feet. The goats took part in the leaping dance of the Fauns and Satyrs. The pairs of foxes, cheetahs and squirrels twirled hand in hand around while swaying their long tails and hips. The dogs howled in chorus. And all the other small animals, even the beavers, waltzed with each other.
Meanwhile, all the animals and creatures who didn't join the dance, mostly swung their heads or clapped their hands together along the rhythm of the music.
All the birds on the trees' branches began to sing in choros to the music down below with their own chirping, chuckling and chattering, before majority of them swooped down from the trees and circled above the feast twice around, before they split into several pairs and flew in arching, each other circling and in the line motions like the once back in the woods.
The aerial dance performance of the little birds was crowned by the flying creatures who took off from the rocks and flew circles over the feast. They were led by Pegasus, then Griffin, then the Winged Panther, then the eagles, the eagle owl, the pelican and finally the Phoenix, whose long flame-like tail was like the tail of a red comet following in the wake of the flying beasts' row.
Lucy gaped with the broad smile as she looked up at the little birds and flying beasts' aerial performance. Even the dream she had once back in Mr. Tumnus's Cave was nothing compared to this, which was far from being a dream at all.
As the feast continued, Aslan then laid his paw on Peter's shoulder, and the considerable weight of his giant paw on his shoulder brought Peter's thoughts out of the feast and he turned to look up at Aslan with slight frown.
"Come, Peter. I want to talk with you." Aslan said, and after giving his leopards the instructions to oversee the feast for him, the Great Lion left the table and began to solemnly walk into the woods behind the camp.
Peter, after hesitating a bit, excused himself to his sisters, before he stood up from the table and ran after Aslan.
Soon the Great Lion and the eldest of Pevensie children were walking side by side through the woods in the eastern outskirts of the camp.
"Where are you taking me, Aslan?" Peter asked hesitatingly.
"I will show you a far-off sight of the castle where you are to be King." Aslan simply replied as he continued on.
Peter quickly stopped still as his heart skipped the beat upon him realizing what Aslan has just said and what he meant with what he just said, which left him not only surprised, but also quite shocked.
Him? King? The King of what and who?
However, he quickly shook those thoughts out of his head for the time being when he noticed Aslan walking far ahead without looking behind him, so Peter quickly hurried back to his place beside the Great Lion.
Meanwhile, near the entrance of the camp, Maugrim, his lieutenant, and Sniowstorm, who had somehow managed to get this close of the camp without being detected by the guards, were hiding behnd the bushes and cautiously spied the feast in the Narnians' camp.
Maugrim growled lowly and Snowstorm narrowed his eyes at the animals and creatures as they ate, laughed and danced in merriment and played music.
"Hoo-hoo! What a repugnant, gluttonous, wasting and self-indulging bunch of vermins! Hoo-hoo! How dare they defy the Queen like this?!" Snowstorm snarled in utter disgust.
"Any sight of the Son of Adam or the Daughters of Eve? Or even Him?" the lieutenant asked quietly, saying the last word with slightly trembling voice.
"No. Hoo-hoo! I don't see Him or the Son of Adam, but I can see the Daughters of Eve. Hoo-hoo!" Snowstorm said. "They are on the other side of that vile rabble. At the foot of the Stone Table's hill. Hoo-hoo! That's where these rebel scums' camp's least guarded."
"Then we'll attack the humans from behind the table, and cut off their escape into the woods." Maugrim declared.
"That won't be easy, captain. Not with three of us against this many rebels." the lieutenant reminded his captain.
"Doesn't matter." Maugrim dismissed before explaining his plan. "We'll strike now when they least expect it, and send them on the run in terror. And amidst the chaos, we'll separate those human scum from the rest and kill them before they can rally for a counterattack."
"Hoo-hoo! A full attack from one spot won't do us any good if the humans manage to escape through somewhere else. Hoo-hoo! I suggest we spread out to cover more ground and be ready cut off any potential escape route if necessary. Hoo-hoo!" Snowstorm suggested.
"Then you'll guard the entrance, Snowstorm, while we cover the woods and the corner of those cliffs. Let's go." Maugrim said, quickly dismissing them.
Maugrim and the lieutenant then began creeping around the camp, hiding in the bushes, to get behind the humans while Snowstorm stayed behind to find himself the perfect tree for an ambush.
###
Meanwhile, at the woods in the eastern outskirts of the camp, Peter and Aslan arrived to the small clearing in the edge of the very steep hill.
There a beautiful sight met their eyes: Above the tops of the tall trees below them, miles away beyond the woods and hills and valleys, on the hill where the land of Narnia meets the Glistening Eastern Sea, and at the mouth of the river that winds westward like a silver snake, there was something bathing in the evening light and standing against the horizon of the sea beyond it, which was filled with clouds that turned into a rose colour with the reflection of the sunset. It was the castle, which high towers and great windows glittered brightly like a diamond from the reflecting setting sunlight. As Peter kept looked at it, it looked beautiful like a great star resting on the seashore.
"You see that?" Aslan said as he gazed at the castle in the horizon. "That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the four thrones, in one of which you will sit as King."
All this and the whole meaning of the Great Lion's words struck Peter with the full force of all the responsibility of the whole world. He was going to rule that castle far in the horizon and all of this before him as king.
"Me?" Peter questioned.
"Yes. I show it to you because you are the first-born and you will be High King over all the rest." Aslan explained.
Peter didn't know if he should react with excitement at being king or not. The latter seemed more like it, since ever since he came to Narnia, the responsibility for his family's safety has weighed more and more on his shoulders every moment he learns more about his and his siblings' role in all of this, and he hasn't been good at either lately.
Aslan turned to him and noticed the troubled look on Peter's face. "You doubt the prophecy?"
"No." Peter said quickly. "That's just it."
Peter then turned to Aslan, troubled look never having left his face. "Aslan, I do understand what you are trying to say, but I'm not who you all think I am."
"Are you the one to decide that?" Aslan asked with gentle growl.
Peter was taken aback by such of question, and instantly began to cry to himself that of course he's the one who decides that. If he can't decide who he is then who can?
"But... I am not the king, and I'm certainly not a hero. I'm just a boy who..." Peter immediately tried to say in protest.
"A human boy... who did claim the ownership of the king's sword." Aslan said, quickly cutting Peter off before nodding his head down towards Rhindon.
Although it wasn't the first time that almost everyone they have met here had told them that they were important in the coming battle against the White Witch because he and his sister were simply a human, Peter raised an eyebrow at Aslan and wordlessly asked him what that had to do with him becoming king? As well as how did he know he had claimed ownership of Rhindon?
Aslan calmly took Peter's confusion and questioning look he was giving him into account.
"Beaver told me everything what happened at the lake." Aslan said, answering to the latter question. "And he didn't fail to mention that you planned on turning him into a hat."
This made Peter forget his worries for a moment and smile at that memory, before he and Aslan shared a chuckle over it.
Aslan then turned to Peter to answer to the former question. "Peter, it has been dictated from the beginning of time that only a Son of Adam, only a human, will sit as High King of Narnia. And since you're a human and a Son of Adam, that is and always have been your destiny."
Peter let out the sigh as he took this all in, and once more, his worries and doubts weighted on his shoulders.
"But... how can you expect me being capable to rule all of this if I couldn't even protect my own family?" Peter said with the shrug.
"You've done well to bring your sisters safely this far." Aslan pointed out.
However, unconvinced, Peter turned his gaze away from Cair Paravel and to the west, knowing that his brother was still somewhere in there in the clutches of that vile woman. The feeling of failure to protect him felt crushing in his chest.
"But not Edmund." Peter said miserably.
"Peter." Aslan said, as he turned his golden eyes on Peter, and Peter couldn't help in not to look in them. "I will do what I can to help your brother, but I need you to consider what I ask of you."
Aslan then nodded his head behind them, towards the Stone Table and the camp, from where they still could hear the music and laughter of the feasting creatures.
"The people out there are my family." Aslan said gravely, understanding Peter's weight of responsibility over his family's safety. "And I, too, want my family safe."
For a moment after Aslan was finished, Peter said nothing. He just stood there still while gazing silently at Cair Paravel while thinking over everything he had learned today.
Suddenly, a sound was heard from the camp that sounded like a bugle, but richer, which both broke the silence and woke Peter from his thoughts.
"TOOOOOOT! TOOT, TOOOOOOOOOOT! TOOOOOOT! TOOT, TOOOOOOOOOOT!"
Startled by the sound, Peter turned with Aslan towards the camp.
"It is your sister's horn." Aslan told Peter.
"Susan?!" Peter gasped as he quickly remembered that horn Susan had received as a gift from Father Christmas into which she could blow whenever she needed help.
Peter was momentarily confused as to why Susan would have blown her horn as everything seemed pretty fine at the feast and his sisters were okay before he had left them there.
But at the same time Susan blew the horn, all laughter, the happy chatter and the music at the feast had all of the sudden turned into a screams of terror and panic, cries for help, shouts of alarm, calls to arms, and frantic and loud growling, roaring, screeching, and neighing!
Peter clenched his teeth at those alarming sounds! Something must be terribly wrong at the camp, which meant that both Susan and Lucy were both in danger.
Wasting no time, Peter rushed back towards the camp with Aslan in his tow.
TO BE CONTINUED.