𝙸𝚁𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴. ➪ 𝙴. 𝙿𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚎

𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

Elmer carried Lucy on his back as they walked through the centre of the camp. All of the Narnian folk looked so lovely. Phillis sent a smile to a leopard that bowed its head to her, before sending her a small grin back. "Why are they all staring at us?" Susan asked.
"Maybe they think you look funny," Elmer joked, much to the amusement of the others.
Once they reached the tent that seemed to be at the head of the entire camp, Peter unsheathed his sword, "We have come to see Aslan."
A chorus of murmurs rippled through the crowd that had gathered and the centaur turned to the tent. Suddenly, everyone began to bow as a paw slid out from the tent. And a lion walked out. Phillis couldn't help but think that despite him being a lion, he looked particularly wise. They bowed quickly, not wanting to disrespect the great lion everyone spoke so highly of. "Welcome, Peter and Elmer, Sons of Adam. Welcome Susan, Phillis and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. And welcome to you, beavers. You have my thanks. But where is the sixth?" Aslan spoke.
"That's why we're here, sir," Peter spoke as they rose. "We need your help."
"We had a little trouble along the way," Susan said.
"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch," Peter stated.
"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan asked.
"He betrayed them, Your Majesty," Mr. Beaver said.
Phillis sighed slightly. She wouldn't say Edmund betrayed them. She knew Edmund, and she knew he was, if nothing else, loyal. Phillis had come to the conclusion that he was particularly gullible and had merely fallen into the traps of kindness the White Witch had lay out. "Then he has betrayed us all!" the centaur said.
"Peace, Oreius," Aslan sighed. "I'm sure there's an explanation."
"It's my fault really," Peter spoke up. "I was too hard on him."
Phillis wasn't going to let Peter take all the blame for something that was only partly his doing. "We all were," she said as Peter sent her a grateful smile.
"Sir, he's our brother," Lucy muttered.
"I know, dear one. But that only makes the betrayal all the worse," Aslan replied. "This may be harder than you think."
As the day progressed, Phillis got introduced to some of the Narnians. Particularly, a leopard. She found him amusing and a very brilliant conversationalist. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Your Majesty?" the leopard bowed his head.
"Am I really supposed to be a queen?" she asked, sitting down next to the carnivore.
"That's what the prophecy states," the leopard replied.
"And does that mean that everyone has to call me 'your majesty'?" she questioned. "Because I find the name particularly irritable."
"You do?" the leopard asked.
"Yes. I think it divides the world up into class and status. Realistically, a queen is no more important than a baby deer or a leopard, like yourself."
"Well, what would you like me to address you as then?" the leopard asked.
"Just Phillis. And what can I call you?" she asked the big cat.
"Cobalt, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, just Phillis," he smiled at her.
"Lovely to meet you, Cobalt," Phillis curtsied, as the leopard laughed.
Earlier, the girls had had a run-in with Maugrim and another wolf, but Peter soon killed Maugrim and Aslan released a group of soldiers after the remaining wolf, in hopes of it leading them to Edmund Pevensie. Peter had been knighted by Aslan himself and the next morning, Edmund had returned.
The five children watched as Aslan spoke with the youngest Pevensie boy. As he approached the group, his head hung low, Aslan spoke, "What's done is done. There is no need to speak to Edmund about what is past."
Edmund dared to glance up at the cold gazes of his siblings and the Opal children. Phillis' hurt the most, as she daren't even look him in the eye. "Hello," he said weakly before Lucy engulfed him in a massive bear hug. Susan joined before Elmer gave him a tight squeeze. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"I'm a little tired," Edmund replied.
In a weird way, Edmund wanted a hug off of Phillis, however she didn't feel like she had the right to hug him. Especially after they had been so horrible to each other. "Get some sleep," Peter said, nodding towards the tents. "And Edmund, try not to wander off."
Edmund chuckled, and nodded. He glanced at Phillis briefly, almost as if he expected her to say something too. But she didn't know what she could possibly say. The pair had no inside jokes and she couldn't say anything else as it would just turn into a row. So she refrained from saying anything at all.
The next morning, they were all sat around, enjoying breakfast together. They all watched as Edmund made his way through about four pieces of toast in the space of about two minutes. "Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed," Lucy said, causing him to laugh.
"I'm sure they'll pack something up for the journey back," Peter said as he and Elmer sent each other a small nod.
"We're going home?" Phillis questioned.
"You are. We promised our mothers we'd keep you four safe," Peter said, gesturing to him and Elmer. "But it doesn't mean we can't stay behind and help."
"But they need us. All six of us," Lucy said.
"Lucy it's too dangerous. Edmund was almost killed, Phillis almost drowned," Elmer said.
Edmund was shocked to hear that Phillis had almost drowned. As much as he claimed he hated her, he was well and truly falling for her. "Which is why we have to stay," Edmund spoke up. "I've seen what the White Witch can do, and I've helped her do it. And we can't leave these people behind to suffer for it."
"Well, that's it then," Susan said before standing.
"Where are you going?" Elmer asked.
"To get in some practice," she smirked, picking up her bow and arrows.
Susan sent a proud look to Lucy as she'd hit the bullseye with her dagger. Then, they heard the pounding of hooves and the cheerful sounds of horses neighing. They watched as the remaining four children galloped up the hill on beautiful horses. Edmund was riding a chestnut horse, who was just behind Phillis', who was a stunning red bay appaloosa with perfect white patches all over his back. Peter followed, riding a unicorn as white as the clouds in the sky. Elmer raced alongside Peter on a dappled grey horse.
"Come on, Ed. Sword point up, like Oreius showed us," Peter instructed.
Peter and Elmer observed as the two children of the same age clashed swords. Phillis continued to defend herself, until she pulled out her second sword and knocked Edmund's out of his grasp. "That's not fair!" Edmund exclaimed.
"How is it? I was given two swords, so I intend to use two swords. Or would you rather I played you a song and sent you to sleep?" Phillis smirked, triumphantly. "Just because you're a sore loser, Edmund."
"I am not!" he exclaimed.
"You so are! Just accept that someone beat you for once in your-" Phillis began before she was cut off by Mr. Beaver running up to them.
The sudden presence of the small creature caused Edmund's horse to pick up its two front legs and rear at the little beaver in front of it. "Whoa, horsey!" Edmund exclaimed.
"My name is Philip."
"Sorry," Edmund apologised.
"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She's on her way here!" Beaver yelled.

Phillis stood in between Susan and Cobalt as the White Witch arrived. "You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," she said.
"His offence was not against you," the lion retorted.
"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" the Witch asked.
"Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch," Aslan growled. "I was there when it was written."
"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property."
"Try and take him, then," Peter snapped, pointing his sword at the White Witch.
"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?" she asked. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned, and perish in fire and water. That boy will die on the Stone Table, as is tradition. You dare not refuse me."
"Enough. I shall speak to you alone."
It felt like they were waiting for hours. Phillis lay, her head resting on the stomach of Cobalt. She found it particularly weird that she felt so relaxed around an animal that was not only a cat, but also a dangerous, carnivorous big cat. She struggled to be in a metre radius of Bea back home. Home. It seemed so far away. She longed for her own bed back and to see her mother and father again. She was beginning to miss the darn ginger cat.
When the White Witch emerged from the tent, everyone stood up. She glanced at Edmund before going to sit on her throne, which was being carried by cyclopses. "She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood," Aslan declared and the Narnia army cheered as Edmund was tugged into hugs from his family.
"How do I know your promise will be kept?" the White Witch asked.
Aslan let out a mighty roar in response, and Jadis sat down. And she left. But Phillis couldn't help but notice the sad look in Aslan's eye.
Edmund turned to face Phillis, not sure what to do. "I guess this is a good thing," she muttered. "I do like you better alive."