Silence || The Chronicles Of Narnia

34: I won't let him die

Peter couldn't contain his scream as he watched his little brother slump to the floor, and he went to run forward but two seconds later the witch and Edmund disappeared... just vanished.

Peter stood there for a moment, heart pounding, before he fell to his knees, his sword slipping from his fingers. "She - She-" He stopped, swallowing hard, unable to go on.

He could hear Lucy's sobbing from behind him, and by the sounds of it it seemed she'd buried her face into Aslan's mane.

Susan fell to her knees beside Peter a moment later, looking shocked, and it was clear that what had happened still hadn't fully registered with her yet.

"She-" Peter took a deep breath. "She - she slit his throat." He whispered, voice choked as he slowly shook his head back and forth.

"Peter."

Peter didn't even turn around when Aslan called his name, too shocked over what had just happened to do much more than sit there.

"She didn't kill him Peter."

This however got him to turn around. "What?" He whispered, seeing Susan turn to face Aslan too.

"She did slit his throat," Aslan told them slowly. "But she will heal him."

"Why?" Peter asked, his voice shaking.

"She's taken him to her castle Peter." Aslan explained. "She's always wanted your brother to have a slow and painful death, and there she will give it to him."

"Why would she even try if she knows you're here?" Susan asked, frowning a little.

"She knows I cant go anywhere near the castle." Aslan said, and at the children's frowns added: "Her magic is more powerful than you think."

Peter swallowed hard. "We - we have to save him." He choked. "I - I can't let him die."

"Can we go anywhere near the castle?" Lucy asked slowly, still griping Aslan's mane.

Aslan nodded. "But only one person." He sighed. "Jadis knows that one person won't be enough to save Edmund."

Peter shook his head. "No." He said firmly. "I - I will rescue him. I will. I have to."

"You may have the upper hand." Aslan told him. "Jadis slit Edmund's throat to let on that she'd killed him, therefore she may not know that you're coming, either that or she's somehow found out."

"Let's just hope she hasn't." Peter mumbled, standing and grabbing his sword again.

"You're really doing this?" Susan said hesitantly, standing beside him.

"I have to Susan." Peter sighed. "I will not let him die... not again."

Susan nodded slowly before sighing. "Just please be careful." She mumbled.

Peter nodded. "I'm gonna have to be if I have any chance of rescuing Ed." He breathed, before Lucy walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Please bring him home." She choked, voice muffled against Peter's tunic.

"I will Lu." Peter sighed, hugging her back. "I promise I'll try."

"Promise you will." Lucy practically sobbed.

Peter's heart broke. "I - I promise I will." He murmered.

Lucy nodded slowly and after a moment pulled away, wiping her eyes before returning to Aslan.

"We will be ready for when you return Peter." Aslan said softly. "Edmund will need healing when he gets back, theres no doubt about that."

"I have my cordial." Lucy said quickly and firmly.

But Aslan sighed sadly and shook his head. "The magic Jadis will use to heal your brother's neck, will prevent him from being healed by anything else for the next almost month, so I'm afraid the cordial will not work and he'll have to heal by himself."

Peter's heart was pounding by now, but he put on a brave face and took a deep breath. "I'm leaving now." He said.

Aslan nodded at Peter's shoulder, where now there was a bag. "Theres enough food and water in there for a week, including for Edmund when you rescue him." He explained.

Peter nodded slowly, giving Aslan a grateful smile. "Thank you." He breathed, gripping the bag in his hand as he sheathed his sword.

Susan sighed a little. "You'll save him Peter." She said gently. "I know you will."

Peter gave her a small smile and a nod. "I will." He breathed. "I promise."

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Edmund swallowed hard as his eyes flickered open, his hands immediately going to his neck, panick consuming him.

He frowned a little when he felt no cut, nothing. But... he'd felt the knife, felt it cut his skin, felt the pain, so... why wasn't there anything there?

It took a moment or two, but he eventually realised that he was, once again, laying on the icy floor in the witches dungeons, and sat bolt upright quickly, wincing when the chains around his ankles screeched against the floor.

He backed up instantly when he spotted the witch stood right in front of him, a small smirk on her face. "You're awake then?" She laughed.

Edmund backed up until his back hit the wall. "What - what-" He stopped, unable to say anything else.

"Did you honestly think I'd kill you just like that?" The witch laughed. "No, you're death is going to be dragged out for as long as it possibly can."

Edmund swallowed hard, his heart pounding.

"And seeming as you're siblings and Aslan now think you're dead," the witch said slowly. "That is going to be so, so easy."

Edmund's heart was pounding so hard by this point, and he had to fight to keep back his tears. His siblings thought he was dead... again.

He dreaded to think what that would do to them... do to Peter, especially since he'd only just been saved from death.

It would destroy them.

His eyes went wide when the witch took a step towards him, the smirk on her face growing. "And it begins... now."

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