The Heir of Aslan || Narnia

Chapter 13- Accusitory

There's a piece of you thats here with me
It's everywhere I go its everything I see
- Ocean Avenue, Yellow Card

•  -  -  •

𝚃𝙷𝙴 Pevensie's had been practising their chosen skills for almost the entire afternoon. Despite being tired, they all knew it was worth it.

     Susan was using her bows and Lucy her dagger (though, the younger wouldn't be in any fight if possible). Peter and Edmund had been shown how to fight on horseback for the beginning of the afternoon, and were opposing each other. James, however, was throwing his axe at targets so to strengthen his grip and swimming technique. His was the hardest weapon to wield, and that meant he would have to put the most work into it.

     Susan aimed one of her arrows after a short wait, flying slickly into the outer black rim. Lucy gasped in wonder as she saw it land: James looked briefly to his sisters whilst collecting axe from the target. Due to her wonder, the youngest Pevensie grasped her gifted dagger from her belt, and threw it.

    None of them expected it to hit the bullseye.

     "Come on, girls." James teased his sisters. "Put a little power into it." Using his axe, the boy twisted his body, aiming for the second target. It landed in the grass, only after slicing through the canvas.

  "Wow." Lucy ran to her brother, hugging him tightly.

  "You both did-"

  The sound of neighing and formidable galloping hooves cut James off. "Come on, Ed! Sword point up, like Oreius showed us!" Peter coaxed the youngest brother from the back of a unicorn.

     A unicorn. Could Narnia get any better?

  "En garde!"

  "Now block!" The two boys fought, almost like children, only with real swords, on real horses.

  "Hey!"

  "Peter! Edmund!" Mr Beaver waddled over, capturing their attention as the female Pevensie's and James had already seen them.

  Edmund's horse acted up as the Beaver edged closer. "Whoa, horsie!"

  "My name is Philip."

  "Oh, sorry." It was startling for Edmund, but hilarious for James, who couldn't help but laugh.

  Mr Beaver called out. "The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She's on her way here."

     James' heart stopped. He couldn't believe it. They'd only just gotten Edmund back. God knew that the eldest Pevensie wouldn't let the Witch take him away again.

     Reluctantly, the siblings walked towards the camp, feet dragging in the mud. Beaver lead them, though he too was solemn. Peter and Edmund had given their horses to some fauns, as James stood beside the latter.

  "Nothings gonna happen to you."

  "You don't know that." Edmund whispered, timidly.

  "I won't let anything happen to you." James persisted, meeting his brothers gaze. "I promise you."

    Standing among Aslan's compatriots, the Pevensie's waited. They waited for fate, and they waited for doom. At the front of the crowd, they stood, like fish in a barrel.

     Eventually, they arrived.

     Booing commenced from the crowds, and general noises of distaste filled the air.

  "Jadis, Queen of Narnia!" Was called out to them by a dwarf-like man sigh a long beard and floppy red hat. Behind him, carried by cyclopses, a tall, white faced woman with tight blonde plaits and snow coloured clothes. "Empress of the Lone Islands!"

    Aslan looked stern, and though James had only seen the lion a few times, it was an unbecoming look. Despite being curious to what would happen, the eldest Pevensie wished to never know. Sometimes he wished they'd never gone to Narnia, sometimes he thought it would be easier if they had just stayed in England.

    They set the woman, Jadis, down, and she stood tall, towering above the rest. She stalked her way closer to the ruling lion, though never taking her eyes off of Edmund.

  "You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan." She told him as all eyes fell to Edmund. He could only look sheepishly to the grass, but James put a hand to his shoulder.

  "His offence was not against you." Replied the King.

  "Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" The Witch taunted. Her dress large, and long, resembling ice. It made her seem grander to intimidate, and it worked. She knew.

  Aslan snarled, ferociously. "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written."

  "Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property."

  "You dare go near my brother, and you won't have the hands to take him." James warned. He did not bear a weapon, nor threaten with more than words- but they were enough to intimidate. Shakespeare had done the same in his time.

  "Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right... little King? Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water." Chattering commenced as fear struck the Narnian's hearts. "That boy will die on the Stone Table as is tradition." Her pointing at Edmund was rude and awful. He was a child. "You dare not refuse me."

  "Enough." Announced the lion and silence fell. "I shall talk with you alone."

     Aslan stepped into his grand, scarlet and gold tent, and the White Witch soon followed.

    For quite some time, the lion and witch conversed, in private. That left the Narnian's waiting for instruction, motionless.

     The Pevensie's were sat in a circle, picking at the grass when the White Witch exited the tent. James jumped to his feet as she passed, and though she stared at Edmund, she made no move to take him. Then, Aslan revealed himself, and James felt his heart stop.

  "She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood." James pulled his brother close as they cheered. He was never going to let Edmund go again.

  "How do I know your promise will be kept?" She questioned, suspiciously.

  There was no real reply, but a vicious roar silence her. A Narnian cry of vigour and cheer lingered in the air for some time. 

     Edmund was safe. That was all that mattered. Edmund was safe.

•  -  -  •
1065
•  -  -  •

Disclaimer!!!!
I don't own anything to do with Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I'm just a fan of C.S.Lewis' books and the films.
The only thing I do own is the character of James Pevensie and his story line.