There, stood in front of Mowgli's eyes, was an icily beautiful woman with a serene, rather unfeeling face and a slender figure; Her skin was has pale, her lips were red, her eyes were lime green, and had seemingly penciled-on eyebrows. It was a beautiful face in other respects, but proud and cold and stern. Her features and her royal attire created a stunning Queenly image. Perhaps she really was a Queen; as she was wearing a purple gown with long sleeves and a red rope belt tied around her waist. She had on a black balaclava covering her ears, neck, and hair, leaving only her face exposed. She wore a long black cloak that appears to be part of the cowl. The cloak was lined with red inside, and the bottom of the cloak was lined with white fur. She had a high white collar attached to her cloak. She also wore a golden pendant that seemed to connect with the collar. She also wore orange-yellow high-heel pumps, which were difficult to see in the snow and bottom of her gown. To top off her royal appearance, she had a golden crown rested atop her head with five spikes on the front, and a jewel on the tip of the middle and tallest spike. The color scheme of her attire represented pride and vanity. She held a long straight golden wand in her left hand.
Mowgli looked up at the woman, now curious and somewhat astonished by her beauty.
"What is your name, Son of Adam?" she asked.
"Uh, Mowgli," Mowgli responded, confused.
"And how, Mowgli," she started to say, "did you come to enter my dominion?"
"I'm not sure," said Mowgli. "I-I was just following my sister."
"Your sister? How many are you?"
"Four. Penny's the only one that's been here before. She said she met some satyr called, Philoctetes. Peter and Eilonwy didn't believe her. I didn't either."
"Mowgli, you look so cold," the Queen said. "Will you come and sit with me?" She gestured to her sleigh.
Mowgli was not sure about the Queen's invitation as she went back to the sleigh. He looked down at the Creeper, who guided him over.
The Queen sat back down in her seat. She opened her cloak and made room for Mowgli to sit down. Mowgli seemed uncomfortable getting into a sleigh with someone he just met. Yet, he did not want to look rude, so he stepped up onto the sleigh to join her. He sat down next to the Queen, and she wrapped her cloak around him and tucked it well in to warm him up.
"Now," she said, softly, "how about something hot to drink?"
"Yes, please," Mowgli accepted. "Your Majesty."
The Queen took out a vial, and let one drop of green fall from it into the snow beside the sledge. Mowgli watched as the drop touched the snow. Then, there was a hissing sound and there, magically came a jeweled cup full of something that steamed. The Creeper immediately took this and handed it to Mowgli.
"Your drink, sire," he said.
Mowgli accepted the drink, amazed by what he had just seen. "How did you do that?" He asked the Queen, before taking a sip of the hot drink. The taste was very sweet, foamy, and creamy, and it instantly warmed him right down to his toes.
"I can make anything you like," said the Queen.
"Can you make me taller?"
The Queen chuckled. Then, she asked, "Anything you'd like to eat?"
Mowgli thought for a moment after finishing another sip. "Turkish Delight?"
The Queen let another drop from the vial fall into the snow. There, appeared a round silver box. The Creeper picked it up. Mowgli finished up his drink, before allowing the Queen to pass it back to the Creeper, trading it for the box. The goblin threw the empty cup away. It transformed into a snowball as it hit one of the tree trunks.
Mowgli opened the box. Inside, there contained several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre. Mowgli bit into one of them, allowing the taste to fill up in his mouth. He had never tasted anything more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very comfortable.
"Mowgli," the Queen then said, "I would very much like to meet the rest of your family."
Mowgli narrowed his eyes. "Why? They're nothing special."
"Oh, I'm sure they're not nearly as delightful as you are," said the Queen. She took the Creeper's cowl, leaving him only in his skirt, and used it to wipe Mowgli's mouth clean. When she finished, she tossed the cowl back to her henchman, who wiped it in disgust. "But you see, Mowgli, I have no children of my own. And you are exactly the sort of boy who I could see, one day, becoming Prince of Narnia. Maybe even King."
This indeed caught Mowgli's attention, as he continued to eat. "Really?" He asked, with his mouth full.
"Of course, you'd have to bring your family."
"Oh," Mowgli said, trying to understand. "Do you mean, Peter would be king too?"
"No," the Queen smiled. "No, no. But a king needs servants."
Mowgli thought hard about the Queen's offer. Then, he agreed and said, "I guess I could bring 'em." He took one more Turkish Delight out from the box and stuffed it in his mouth, before the Queen handed the box back to the Creeper. The goblin began to eat the leftover Turkish Delight and enjoy himself.
The Queen pointed in a far off distance. "Beyond these woods, you see those two hills?" Up ahead, Mowgli could see two mountains overlooking the woods. "My house is right between them."
Feeling warmed up and comforted enough by the Queen's kindness, Mowgli stood up from the sleigh.
"You'd love it there, Mowgli," the Queen predicted. "It has whole rooms simply stuffed with Turkish delight."
"Couldn't I have some more now?" asked Mowgli.
"No!" The Queen suddenly snapped, causing Mowgli to flinch. But she immediately composed herself, and smiled. "Don't want to ruin your appetite," she said, quietly. "Besides, you and I are going to be seeing each other again, very soon. Aren't we?"
"I hope so, Your Majesty," Mowgli responded, before stepping down from the sleigh.
"Until then, dear one," the Queen began to bid him farewell. "Mmm, I'm gonna miss you." She sat back, and signaled for the Creeper to drive on.
The Creeper whipped at the reindeer. "Yah! Yah, yah!" He shouted, as the sleigh drove away.
Mowgli watched as the sleigh disappeared down the snowy path. Then, he was left alone.
"Mowgli?" Penny's voice suddenly came out of nowhere.
Mowgli looked around to see his sister coming towards him from another part in the wood.
"Oh, Mowgli!" Penny grinned excitedly, and ran over to her brother to give him a big hug. "You got in, too! Isn't it wonderful?"
"Where have you been?" Mowgli asked her, as he wiped his mouth.
"With Mr. Phil," said Penny. "He's fine. The Wicked Queen hasn't found out anything about him meeting me."
Mowgli froze at what Penny had just told him. "The Wicked Queen?"
Penny took a quick glance around, before leaning to Mowgli and whispered, "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't."
Mowgli's face flushed. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable from having eaten too much sweets. Not only that, but was this nice lady he had just befriended a Wicked Queen? His sister's warning made him feel even more uncomfortable.
Penny noticed how flushed and strange Mowgli's face was. "Are you all right? You look awful."
"Well, what'd you expect?" Mowgli said, now getting annoyed. "I mean, it's freezing. How do we get out of here?"
"Come on. This way," Penny led her brother back down the pathway he had come.
As they were making their way back towards the wardrobe, Mowgli secretly thought to himself that it would not be as good fun for him as it was for her. He knew he would have to admit that Penny had been right about there being a land within the wardrobe. He felt sure the others would all be on her side, along with the satyrs and the animals; but he was already more than half on the side of the Queen. Mowgli did not know what he would say to the others. Or perhaps he would keep this a secret and not say a word about this to anyone. Yet, the enchantment of the Turkish Delight was so strong, that he was still determined to go back to the Queen for more.
