𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙍 • book one

007.

EARLY CHRISTMAS

The Beavers and the four Pevensie siblings that were free walked upon a cliff.
"Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table." Mr. Beaver explained. "Just across the frozen river."
"River?" Emma repeated.
"Oh, the rivers been frozen solid for a hundred years." Mrs. Beaver reassured them.
"It's so far," Peter said looking out.
"It's the world, dear. Did you expect it to be small?" Mrs. Beaver questioned.
"Small-er," Susan said with a glare toward Peter.

The doors opened and out walked the dwarf with Edmund close behind. The dwarf had his whip with him. Edmund was walking and looked around the courts. He noticed a new statue. He stopped walking and his eyes widened. It's was Mr. Tumnus, screaming. Fear was frozen on his face.

"When you're ready, Son of Adam." The Witch's voice rung through the room. She was standing on her sleigh waiting. The dwarf pushed Edmund forward.
It was now day time outside but it didn't make it any less cold. The dwarf was whipping at the horse's rears making them run faster. The Queen was sitting in her seat with her scepter in hand. Edmund sat near her feet. He glared at her. She looked off and smiled.

The beavers were walking faster than the siblings were.
They had to cross over a very open field.
"Come on, humans!" Mr. Beavers ushered. "While we're still young."
"If he tells us to hurry one more time," Peter began bending down so Lucy could hop on his back. "I'm gonna turn him into a big, fluffy hat."
Susan and Emma laughed.
"Hurry up! Come on!" Mr. Beaver yelled.
"He is getting a little bossy." Lucy agreed.
"No! Behind you! It's her!" Mrs. Beaver pointed. Emma turned and saw a sleigh coming toward them at a rapid speed.
Lucy hopped off Peter's back and grabbed Emma's hand.
"Run, run!" Mr. Beaver yelled.
"Run!" Peter also yelled as he and his sisters ran as fast as they could.
Emma honestly wanted to just drop her faux fur coat. It was getting heavy and she could hardly run.
The beavers and the Pevensie's that were free were panting and looking behind them to make sure The Witch wasn't gaining on them. They made it into a wooded area.
"Hurry!" Peter yelled back to Emma and Lucy.
There was a small divot in the ground.
"Inside!" Mr. Beaver yelled while he whipped away their foot/paw prints. "Dive! Dive!"
"Quick! Quick, quick, quick!" Mrs. Beaver ushered.
The humans pressed their backs against the walls, the bells of the reindeer getting louder and louder. Footsteps sounded on the ground and a shadow appeared in front of them.
Mr. Beaver began to sniff around.
"Maybe she's gone," Lucy suggested.
"I suppose I'll go look," Emma said moving to get up.
"No!" Beaver whisper yelled. "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead."
"Well, neither are you, Beaver." His wife pleaded.
"Thanks, sweetheart," he said. Then he climbed out of their hiding spot.
Lucy looked to Peter worried. Mrs. Beaver was whimpering in fear for her husband's well being.
"He'll be alright, Mrs. Beaver," Emma whispered a comfort to their friend.
"What's that? What's-" Mrs. Beaver said after some clicking went off above them.
Footsteps became louder and Beaver stuck his head into the hiding spot. This scared Lucy, and she screamed.
"Come out! Come out!" he told them. "I hope you've all been good, 'cause there's someone there to see you!"
The four humans and one other beaver crawled out and were met with a rather big man in a red suit. He laughed at their shocked faces.
"Merry Christmas, sir," Lucy said walking up to him.
"It certainly is, Lucy, since you have arrived," he answers her. Emma looked at him curiously.
"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this," Susan trailed off. Emma slightly nodded to agree. This was out of the box, to say the least.
"We thought you were the Witch." Peter changed the subject.
"Yes. Yes, sorry about that. But, uh, in my defense, I've been driving one of these longer than the Witch." Father Christmas chuckled.
"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," Emma said walking a step forward.
"No. Not for a long time." he sighed. "But the hope that you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power." He explained. Mrs. Beaver looped her arm through her husband's and smiled.
"Still, I dare say you could do with these." He turned and pulled out his bag of toys.
"Presents!" Lucy said excitedly, running up. Father Christmas opened a secret pocket in the bag and took out a rather big veil.
"The juice of the fire-flower," he explained. "One drop will cure any injury." Lucy took it and held it in her hand.
"And though I hope you never have to use it." He hands Lucy a dagger.
"Thank you, sir," Lucy said. "But I think I could be brave enough."
"I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs." He explained. Lucy nodded and backed up.
"Susan," Father Christmas said. Susan walked forward and took the bow and arrows from his hand.
"Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss." He explained.
"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?" Susan wondered. Father Christmas chuckled. "Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard," he handed Susan a horn with a lion carved on it. "Blow on this and wherever you are, help will come."
"Thanks," Susan said with a smile.
"Emma," Father Christmas said next. "You will be the warrior if you so choose." He explains. "And a warrior should always be prepared for any battle." He walks up to the girl with another bow and arrows. But this one isn't like Susan's. Hers was white, gold, and red, but Emma's is silver, brown and green. Emma smiled at it.
"And," he trailed off grabbing two daggers from his bag. "For if you ever run out of arrows, your backup will be with you." Emma smiled and took the daggers.
"Thank you so much," she said with a smile.
"And Peter," Father Christmas sighed. "The time to use these may be near at hand," he told him, handing the young boy a sword, and shield. Peter unsheathed the sword and looked at it fondly.
"Thank you, sir," he said softly.
"These are tools, not toys." the man reminded the children. "Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter is almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years." He said as he picked up with toy bag and placed it into the sleigh.
"Long live Aslan! And Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!" Susan and Lucy yelled.
Lucy turned to face her two older sisters,
"Told you he was real." She said proudly.

Susan laughed.
"He said winter was almost over," Peter said quietly. "You know what that means?"
"No more ice," Emma said catching on.

chapter seven
EARLY CHRISTMAS