The Secret Fifth

14: The White Witch

"You were so close!" Lucy smiled. Susan gave a tight lipped smile back, but she was unimpressed with herself. If she was going to help in any way in this upcoming battle, then she needed to do better than 'so close' She began to ready another arrow in her bow before Lucy stepped froward, bringing her dagger back and releasing it at the target. A thunk could be heard as it landed right on the bullseye. Susan and Lucy shared an astonished look, grinning.

On the field bordering the one Susan and Lucy were practicing on, Edmund and Peter came rearing in on horses. Well, Edmund had a horse. Peter was perched on the bare back of a unicorn. They flung swords about like rag dolls.

"Come on Ed. Sword point up, like Oreius showed us!" Peter scolded Edmund as he struggled to get a grip on his sword himself.

"En garde!" Edmund shouted, clearly not taking this training as serious as his brother. Mr. Beaver interrupted their swordplay with his frantic shouting. Edmund's horse reared, startled. "Woah, horsey!" Edmund yelled, gripping the horse's mane tightly so he wouldn't fall off.

"My name is Phillip." The horse grunted. Edmund's eyes widened and he cleared his throat.

"Right. Sorry." He murmured. His siblings smiled.

"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She's on her way here!" Mr. Beaver said. At this the children's smiles dropped, and Peter and Edmund leaped off their horses, meeting with their sisters and running back to camp. They reached it just as four cyclops carried in a large white chair that held the White Witch herself. She glared down at all the Narnians as they tossed insults at her. The cyclops set her down and she stood, walking down the lane towards Aslan. Her eyes never left Edmund, who tried his best to muster a glare at her. He was too petrified to do so. She finally broke her eye contact with the boy and turned towards the Lion.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan." She spoke calmy. Whispers could be heard across the crowd of Narnians, and Edmund shuffled his feet as he looked down to them. He wished Annelise was at his side, calming him like she did the night in the castle. Just as he thought this, a pale pink flower petal flew by and brushed his cheek, and he could have sworn he heard a whisper in the wind. The feeling was strange, but it comforted him. The petal blew on to brush past Lucy, then Susan and Peter. Lucy grinned as she stroked the cheek the petal had touched, knowing exactly what it meant. Peter and Susan just furrowed their eyebrows, but felt oddly comforted nonetheless.

"His offense was not against you." Aslan spoke clearly to the Witch. She rolled her eyes.

"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" She sneered. Aslan took a menacing step forward on the little rock plateau he stood on and growled.

"Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written." He snapped. The Witch smirked.

"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me." She looked to Edmund with narrowed eyes. "His blood is my property." The sound of metal could be heard slicing through the air as Peter drew his sword and stepped forward, protectively standing in front of his brother.

"Try and take him then." He yelled. The Witch almost laughed as she noticed how shaky his grip was.

"Do you think that mere force will deny me my right, little King? I have already taken down one of you." She spat. Then turning to the whole crowd of Narnians gathered, she raised her voice. "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," A bony finger was pointed at Edmund, who swallowed deeply. "will die on the Stone Table...as is tradition. You dare not refuse me." Aslan stomped a golden paw into the dirt.

"Enough!" He stopped the Witch in her words, and she turned to him with an icy glare. "I shall talk with you alone." They walked together into the red and golden tent, and the children let out a breath. They stood for a few moments, but eventually retired to sitting on the grass. Edmund ripped grass blades from the ground and crushed them between his fingers, desperately trying to calm his nerves. His siblings watched him with pity and worry in their eyes. Eventually, after nearly half the camp had sat on the ground out of boredom and impatience, the Witch and the Lion exited the tent. Everyone stood at once.

"She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood." Aslan spoke as the Witch walked back to her chair with a face that no one could dechiper. Every Narnian cheered, patting Edmund on the back and congratulating him as he hugged his siblings. He nodded to them in thanks.

"How will I know your promise will be kept?" The Witch asked as she stood on her chair. Aslan sent a tiny grin to Lucy before letting out a giant roar, starting the Witch so much she fell back into her seat. The crowd roared with laughter and cheers as she was taken away. Lucy smiled up at her siblings before turning to Aslan as well. Her smile fell as she looked into His worried eyes. He simply shook His head and walked away, silently telling her not to bother herself with it. She shrugged and went back to celebrating with her friends and family, but still her heart was heavy with worry for the great Lion.