"Timeless" - Narnian Autumn Writing Challenge - Oneshot Collection

"Safe"

Word count: 1145

Prompt: Witch

Notes:

• While I wanted to finish these all in October, the last prompt will most likely be published tomorrow, seeing as this story got a little more rushed than I wanted it to be🤷🏻💌

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Haunting. Freezing. Powerful.

The voice, whispering and eerie, promised things that couldn't— wouldn't be fulfilled.
Ice surrounded him, pricked at his sides, jammed his lungs, threatened to choke all life from out of him, and Edmund shivered. Whimpered and cowered.

Cold. Hungry. Scared. Like his time in the dungeon.

His lips trembled, legs soon ensuing, causing him to wriggle uncomfortably.

The voice rang familiar, constant, quiet, calling to him, wanting him to give in,
He wanted to resist it, but, with a stronger impulse, he wanted to go to it, he felt as if he had to, as if it were his duty to give his undivided attention to the voice.

"Edmund, I'm what you've always wanted... What you deserved."

Shaking his head, he looked up at the figure, breath coming out in brief, pained passages.

The White Witch, Jadis. She was back. Back for him.

Her silhouette appeared so blurry, yet still so clear and recognizable. So enticing.
He bit his lip and tried to elude the calling, flipping himself over in his sleep.

She didn't stop her coercion, continuing to force words into his mind, "Don't deny yourself, son of Adam. If you follow me... Narnia will be yours... Just grasp my hand, one touch is all it takes..."

The temptation was there, and strong.

Rule over Narnia?

No one could boss him around if he was above everyone— if he had all the power...

Stop.
She's a monster.

A monster that can give you what you desire... to become high king. More so, to be better than Peter and Caspian. To hold all power, even over his older brother. Finally, he would be the one who got to make decisions. No one would stand in his way.

He turned over in bed, scanned her face, and reached out. His fingers uncurled from their clenched position, about to touch... about to condemn his return, signify it once and for all...

Stop.

Against a current of pressure, Ed screamed, "I won't!" He sat up fast, both hot and cold, the surroundings of the ship reminding him where he was. Safe.

"Ed?" Caspian was up from his hammock, his hair crazily sticking up on the ends, "Are you okay?"

"Uh..." He took a deep breath, steadying himself and lowering his head back to his pillow, "Yes. It was only a nightmare."

"Again?"

Solemnly, Ed nodded. His head suddenly hurt. He didn't want to remember Jadis or anything involving her— let alone seriously be tempted by her; again.