Queen of Light (Peter Pevensie)

Chapter Seven

After an hour of hard trekking through the thick snow, Eveline stopped for a moment. Her sharp ears picked up the sound of a sled pushing through snow. Quickly, she threw the party of people beneath a snow bank.

“What is it?” Peter asked

“Keep quiet,” She hissed.

The sleigh slowed down and pulled to a stop, just above where they were.

“I’m going to see who it is,” Mr. Beaver said after a few minutes of waiting.

“No!” Eveline cried, but it was too late. Mr. Beaver had already stuck his head above the edge of the bank. Then he jumped up.

“Come on everyone, it’s alright! He’s a jolly good sight to see after all these years!”

Eveline felt a strange tickle in her stomach, then she realized Peter’s hand was on her back. She looked up at him, but didn’t try to brush it off. He looked down at her and smiled. They climbed over the bank, pulling Lucy and Susan with them. As soon as Eveline realized who was standing before her, she let out a small shriek and ran toward the figure.

“I’ve missed you so much!” She exclaimed, wrapping the man in a big hug. The man wrapped his arms around Eveline and picked her up, spinning her around.

“Well, I haven’t seen you for a while either, my Queen,” the man said.

Eveline turned to the children, smiling widely. “All of you, I’m pleased to introduce you to Father Christmas!”

The children all looked stunned, while the Beavers looked at Father Christmas and danced around joyfully.

“Her power is already crumbling!” Mr. Beaver sang.

“Whatever do you mean?” Susan asked, not seeing how a man with a reindeer made a difference in the witch’s power.

“The White Witch always made it winter, but never Christmas! The fact that the man himself is here is proof that her powers are weakening!”

While the others were discussing the reality of Father Christmas, Eveline was pulled away softly by Santa.

“My Queen, it is wonderful to see you. Now, before the others receive their gifts, I want to give yours to you in quiet. The first should be keep quiet until the time is right,” Father Christmas said.

Eveline was confused but nodded, happy to be receiving anything at all.

“My first gift for you is a single piece of information: If you are going to allow yourself what you have never had, you will need to accept it when it is time to let it go,” The jolly man said, quite seriously. Eveline could almost hear the severity of the information as he spoke.

“Father, what does it mean? How will I know when the time is right?” Eveline asked, thoroughly confused.

“You will know, child, you will know,” he said cryptically before turning back toward the others.

“Now, my children, let us see what I have in my bag, shall we?” He announced teasingly.

Lucy jumped up and down and ran toward the sleigh. Peter and Susan followed her, with the Beavers trailing back a bit behind them.

Father Christmas first spoke to the Beavers. “There is a new sewing machine for you in your home, Mrs. Beaver. And Mr. Beaver, your dam is finished and mended and all the leaks stopped and new sluice-gate fitted.”

The Beavers looked at each other in awe before thanking him. Then Father Christmas turned toward the children.

“Peter, Son of Adam, to you I give these gifts. Remember that they are tools, not toys.” He handed Peter a shield with a beautiful engraved lion on it, and a golden sword that matched. Peter pulled out the blade and admired it before putting it back in its scabbard.

“Thank you, sir, I will use them well,” Peter said solemnly.

Eveline thought that the sword fit Peter very well, for it was a strong sword to carry.

“Susan, Daughter of Eve,” Father Christmas announced. Susan stepped forward.

“To you I give these,” he said as he handed her a bow and a sheath of arrows and a small, curved horn. “As long as you believe in yourself, these arrows will always find their mark. The horn will always call you back whenever you are needed.”

“Lucy, Daughter of Eve, I give you this bottle of juice from one of the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains in the sun. One drop can heal nearly any injury. Also, this is a dagger, to be used only when absolutely necessary.”

Father Christmas handed Lucy her gifts and she stared at them in awe. The man reached into his bag one last time.

“Eveline,” he called. Eveline was surprised because she had believed that she had already received her gift.

“My Queen, Daughter of Narnia itself, I give you these gifts. You have always respected those of the forest and all of Narnia. These will enable you to protect the land you love. I hope that you will be able to use your skills to help the others learn how to properly treat their gifts as well.”

Then Father Christmas pulled out the most beautiful bow that Eveline had ever seen. It was made of the finest mahogany and bronze, with a string that seemed to be made from a single, thick unicorn hair. As Eveline took the bow in her hands, Father Christmas reached back into the bag, pulled out a sword and handed it to her. Once again stunned, Eveline took the sturdy handle in her hand. It was also made of mahogany and bronze, but the blade was a beautiful diamond blade that threw rainbows across the snow when it caught the sunlight.

Father Christmas stepped back before Eveline could thank him. “Now I really must hurry along, I need to spread the word to the others. I will see you again. You have my blessing. Now hurry, for your only crossing to Aslan’s How is slowly disappearing.”

He climbed into his sleigh. Then, he turned to them, and spoke one last time. “Oh, and have a Merry Christmas!”

He snapped his whip and his reindeer took off, pulling his sleigh behind them. The children watched as he took off before beginning to ponder what he meant.

“Our only way is disappearing?” Susan exclaimed, “Why didn’t he tell us earlier!”

“Our only way…” Eveline muttered under her breath before it hit her like a ton of bricks.

“No,” she whispered. The others all looked at her with confusion.

“The river,” she said, “It’s melting.”