FAITH | Caspian X [1]

Father Christmas

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

    It was barely dawn, but we were already wide awake and walking through snow on a stone bridge. We all walked in a line, because there was always a possibility that we could slip and fall off if we went to far to the side, and the height was probably a good 30 feet. Mr. Beaver went first, followed by Mrs. Beaver, Lucy, Peter, me, and then Susan. Suddenly we stopped, and turned to our right to overlook the scenery before us. I have to admit, it was beautiful. Everything was covered in snow, but we could see a beautiful, snow-covered forest, and many stone walls and cliffs. I have to admit once more. Narnia is beautiful.
"Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table." Mr. Beaver explained, and then pointed towards the distance. "On the other side of this river."
"What river?" Both Peter and I asked, turning to look at him. A river? Now? Was it safe?
"It has been frozen for the past 100 years." Mrs. Beaver assured, making us both sigh and look at the scenery one more time.
"It's so far." Peter sighed, and Mrs. Beaver smiled a small, soft smile.
"The world is big. You can only say it's small."
"Exactly." Susan said pointedly, looking at Peter, before giving a small eye-roll and walking past us. I looked at Peter, and then we all followed her.

*3 hours later*

"Hurry up, people! I don't want to get old here!" Mr. Beaver called, making Susan and I stop and sigh, looking back at Peter. We have been walking for the past couple of hours, and my siblings and I felt as if though our legs were about to fall off. Mrs. Beaver was now leading the way, with Mr. Beaver behind, followed by me and Susan, Peter and then Lucy. We were all walking through a snow-covered field, with a forest about a mile away in front of us.
"I swear, if he says that one more time, I'll turn him into a big, fluffy hat." I said, making my brother and sisters chuckle. I looked at Lucy worriedly, who looked as if she were ready to pass out at any moment. Peter followed my gaze, and then bent down, letting Lucy climb onto his back.
"Come on! Hurry up!" Mr. Beaver called, making me roll my eyes as we continued to walk.
"You're right. He is getting bossy." Lucy agreed, making me smirk.
"Oh no!!! IT'S HER!". Mrs. Beaver called out, making us all whip around as we heard bells, and I saw a sleigh in the distance behind us.
"Run!!! Quickly!!!" mr. Beaver called out, making me and Susan run, whilst Lucy quickly jumped off of Peter's back and grabbed his hand, and started running behind us.
"Run!!!" Peter called out, and we ran as fast as we could towards the forest. I couldn't help but think though, why would the Witch have bells on her sleigh? Does she want to be heard? It didn't make any sense whatsoever, but none of us though about it at the moment. We just ran. We then entered the forest, still running. "Hurry!" I whipped around, still running, and saw that the sleigh was getting closer. Suddenly Mr. and Mrs. beaver stopped, making me and Susan stop as well.
"Get in!" Mr. Beaver ordered, and it was then that I noticed that there was a little hill next to us, and next to it was a small cave. Mrs. Beaver quickly slid down, followed by Susan, and then me. "Jump!!! Jump!!!" Susan and I huddled together, making sure there was enough space for everyone, because the cave turned out to be very small. Peter soon appeared with Lucy, and they quickly sat next to us, with Lucy in between me and Peter. I pulled her closer to me, and kept a grip on Susan's arm. Mr. Beaver quickly joined us, and we all heard the sleigh stop above us. We all glanced at each other, as we heard someone get out, and then froze as we saw a shadow of a person in front of the cave, letting us know that there was someone standing on top of the cave we were currently in. We quickly moved further in, as we saw the snow falling from above, telling us that someone was standing very close to the edge. We all held our breath for a few seconds, and then gave small, quiet sighs of relief, as we saw the person turn around, and then heard them walk away. I was about to smile, but quickly got worried again, as I realized that I still didn't hear the sleigh getting away. That meant that that person was still here.
"Maybe she's gone." Lucy proposed quietly, and Peter sighed.
"I'll go take a look around." He said quietly, attempting to stand up, but I quickly reached out and held him back.
"No!" Mr. Beaver yelled in a hushed tone, making my brother look at him. "You're no use to us dead." He then turned around, and started slowly walking out of the cave, when Mrs. beaver held out her paw.
"Neither are you!" She exclaimed quietly, making him smile at her, and grab her paw in his.
"Thanks, Sweetheart." I smiled a small, soft smile at their love, and even at a moment like this, I couldn't help but think that I would like to find one like this as well. I was snapped out of my thoughts by Mr. Beaver walking out, and back up the hill. We all held our breaths again, but this time not in fear, but in worry. Suddenly Mr. Beaver's head popped out from above, making Lucy scream, and me and Susan jump back in fright. "Get out! I hope you've all been good because there's someone here to see ya!" He exclaimed in a happy tone, before disappearing once again. We all gave sighs of reliefs and small smiles, before walking out of the cave and up the hill. Mrs. Beaver went first, followed by Peter and Lucy, who were still holding hands, and then by me, with Susan behind. What we saw, made us freeze in shock.
    There was a man in a red coat with a long, white beard, white hair, and a sword by his side. He laughed at our shocked expressions. It turned out to be his sleigh. We all stopped in front of him.
"Merry Christmas." Lucy said with a smile, walking forward. He smiled at her, making me believe. It was Father Christmas.
"It certainly is, Lucy. Since Annabelle has first arrived." He said, making Lucy turn around to look at me with a smile. I smiled back, whilst Peter and Susan looked at me, confused.
"You've been here before?" Susan asked, and I nodded.
"I came here a year ago. But it turned out to be 100 years in here." I answered, and Peter stepped forward.
"We thought it was the White Witch." He explained, making Father Christmas nod his head.
"Oh yes, I'm very sorry. But in my defense, I can say that I have been riding sleighs longer than her." He said, taking off of his gloves. I smiled.
"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia." Susan said confused, stepping forward as well.
"There wasn't." Father Christmas agreed. "For many years... But as you arrived, hope has arrived as well." He said, looking at me, making Mr. and Mrs. Beaver smile at me."And the dark magic is beginning to falter." He continued, making all of us smile. "Well, either way, this may become useful to you." He said, turning around and taking out a huge back full of many different presents.
"Presents!!" Lucy exclaimed happily, sprinting forward, making us all chuckle. Father Christmas then dug into a pocket on the inside, and took out two things, but hid the second one behind his back. He then held out the first item in front of Lucy, and crouched down to her level. "This is a juice from fire-flower. One drop can heal any wound." He said, giving her a small bottle inside a red leather case. Inside of the bottle was a red liquid. "And I hope you won't have to use it." He continued, taking out the second item from behind his back, and holding it out in front of her. It was a dagger. It was beautiful, with a golden hilt with a carving of a lion in a red sheath.
"Thank you very much." My little sister thanked in a quiet voice. "But I don't know if I'm brave enough."
"I'm sure you are." Father Christmas assured in a whisper. "But battles are ugly affairs." Lucy smiled a small smile, and then stepped back to stand in between me and Peter. "Susan." Father Christmas called, making her step forward. He then took out a beautiful white quiver of arrows with red feathers, and a magnificent brown bow. The quiver held the initials 'SP' below the engravings of many beautiful branches, and flowers. "Trust this bow, and it won't be easy to miss." Susan took her gift, and looked down at it in amazement, before looking back up at Father Christmas.
"But 'battles are ugly affairs'". She said, making him chuckle.
"Although I see you have no problem making yourself heard." He said, taking out and holding in front of her a beautiful white horn with the engravings of a lion. "Blow this horn, and wherever you are. Help will come."
"Thank you." She thanked quietly, and then stepped back to stand next to me.
"Peter." Father Christmas called, making my brother step forward. He then took out a red sheath, with a sword with the golden hilt of a lion inside of it. It was like a bigger version of Lucy's dagger. "Perhaps you will have to use them soon." He said, handing Peter a silver shield with a red lion on it as well. Peter took a moment to admire them, and then unsheathed his sword, making it glow in the sunlight that tried to tear the clouds apart. The sword itself had golden engraving on it, which said: 'When the Lion bears his teeth, winter meets its death. And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.'
"Thank you so much." He thanked, and then stepped back to stand next to Lucy.
"Annabelle." Father Christmas called, making me step forward. He then bent down once more and took out a beautiful quiver of arrows and a bow and held it out in front of me. The quiver itself was the same as Susan's, but it had the initials of 'AP' on it instead. The arrows were the same as Susan's as well. "These arrows are not the same as your sister's." Father Christmas said, as if reading my thoughts. He then took out one arrow and held it out in front of me, so that I could see the engravings on the end. "Those engravings symbolize your magic, which will never allow you to miss the target." He explained, and the put the arrow back into the quiver. Then, he took out a beautiful locket from his pocket. "This locket will help you defeat the evil, and later on it might help someone else. It will glow when your powers reach their fullest, and when you open the locket, help will come. But not ordinary. The help you most need."
"Thank you." I thanked, and then stepped back to stand in between Lucy and Susan.
"These are tools." Father Christmas warned. "Not toys. Use them wisely and fairly." I looked at Peter, and we both smiled. "Well." Father Christmas sighed in a much lighter tone. "It's time for me to leave. Winter is coming to an end, and there is many things to do. After all, I've been gone for 100 years." He laughed, taking the bag of presents and putting it back onto the seat in his sleigh. "Long live Aslan!" He called out, making us smile. He then got in the sleigh. "And Merry Christmas!!!" And with these words, he left, and we called out to him:
"Merry Christmas!'
"Thank you!"
"Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!" He called out one more time, making me smile.
"'He's not real', hm?" Lucy said smugly, looking at Susan.
"He said that winter is coming to an end." Peter said, making us look at him. "Do you know what this means?" Reality suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.
"No more ice!"