𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄, 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 ✯ 𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍: 𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐀

★────── ✦✧✦──────★

The faint light of the early sun falls through the tent opening in the ceiling. Everything lights up in an eerily white light and the Witch slowly turns around when the fabric in front of the door opening rustles.

'The army is ready to march,' Elvira says to Jadis, stepping closer inside the tent but as soon as the words leave her lips, the blue glow in her eyes flicker for a moment.

'Narnia will never be yours,' Elvira growls, and Jadis takes a small step back with a worried expression.

'You shouldn't be able to refuse my potion,' Jadis mutters, but Elvira's breakthrough doesn't last much longer, and she snaps back into the trance.

'The Calormenen soldiers are waiting for your orders, Empress,' Elvira continues as if nothing had happened.

Jadis strengthens her grip on the staff for a moment but then she strides out of the white tent towards the plain open field that lies beyond.

Elvira follows suit and a legion of three thousand Calormenen greet them with the shouts of warriors. Their uniforms are made from bright colours like yellow, green and purple, and many elegant strokes of fabric, but the faces of the soldiers are grim and their eyes long for blood.

Jadis silences the army by raising her hand and a dangerous glint shimmers in her cold eyes. 'Today marks the beginning of a new age,' she starts with a loud voice. 'Narnia is rightfully mine and you all have been given the honour to help me reclaim it. My right hand Elvira knows a way into Cair Paravel without being seen. With her on our side, victory is inevitable--' Jadis' voice falters when Elvira shifts next to her, as if she wants to fight against the trance again.

'We march!' Jadis concludes loudly, and as the legion salutes and turns around to march out of the tree line, Jadis grabs Elvira's upper arm harshly and the girl flinches. Jadis eyes grow wide for a split second. The ones under her control don't feel pain.

Jadis forces Elvira to look at her and she scowls when she notices how the Telmarine is clearly struggling against her mental bounds.

'Foolish girl,' Jadis hisses. 'Kings and gods have bowed for me. What makes you think you can refuse my control for long?'

Elvira gasps for air when Jadis' grip grows even stronger, but then she meets Jadis' eyes stubbornly. 'Narnia is my home. I will never stop fighting for it.'

Jadis breathes heavily and raises her hand, ready to hit Elvira across her face until she realizes she needs Elvira's compliance to get into the castle. Jadis turns the staff a few times in her hand, touching an engraved rune and the tip lights up in a dark blue glow; different from the white-bluish one when she turns humans and creatures alike into stone.

'Another spell will make you more agreeable,' Jadis hums and she presses the staff against Elvira's chest. The veins under Elvira's skin darken till an unnatural blue as the magic forces a way through her body, to her head. There, the irisses of her eyes stay a vibrant blue.

Jadis chuckles softly, barely audible over the marching army behind them. 'I do not know if you can still hear me, Elvira dear, but if you try to break through this spell, you will suffer unimaginable pain for as long as you breathe. It would be in your best interest if you just stay at my side. Now, kneel.'

Elvira drops on her knees with an, once more, expressionless face. 'I live to serve you.'

'Good. Now, mount your horse and lead the legion as your Empress commands you.'

Elvira bows her head and then jumps up, sprinting towards the horse waiting for her and they gallop to the front of the army.

✦✧✦

'Unimaginable pain,' Jadis' voice echoes throughout the prison in my mind over and over again, bouncing off against the walls surrounding me. The shadow walls are no longer pitch black, but veined with a dark blue colour as well.

I feared I would be completely wiped away after the staff hit my chest, but instead of the darkness growing thicker, it seemed to become lighter even though the mental prison is as small as before.

I slam my bodiless mind against the walls another time. I do not care if it means I will suffer for the rest of my life. I meant it when I told Jadis I would never stop fighting for Narnia. If I lead the soldiers to the secret passageway, I fear Cair Paravel will be lost, as will be its Kings and Queens and my brother. I cannot let that happen, and as my determination grows, a tiny crack appears in the veined walls.

'Elvira,' a deep voice whispers through it. His voice. Aslan's voice. He's here.

I try to say his name, but I still cannot speak within these walls. I've been fighting the bounds endlessly but it also starts to wear me out. I need his help.

The crack closes again and I try to keep it open with all my might. Please, Aslan, I think, help me.

The time inside the prison freezes as the walls begin to shift and a bright light pours through the crack. Within a flash I'm standing in the middle of one of my childhood memories: a young Salvador -- still a boy -- squats in front of a young Elivra. Her big brown eyes flow with tears and he carefully wipes it away as he picks up the wooden sword next to her.

'The boys say I will never be as good with a sword as father is,' young Elvira sniffs, looking up to her big brother. 'They say I should stick to mom's healing classes.'

Salvador shakes his head. 'They are wrong. You will be the proof someone can do anything once they set their mind to it.' He presses the wooden sword back into her hand and takes her other free hand in his own. He smiles encouragingly and young Elvira flings her arms around his neck in an embrace.

The memory fades away and I try to call out when the crack becomes smaller and smaller.

'Have courage,' Aslan says through the opening before it closes completely. I am alone again.

Something breaks inside my mind and with all of the strength I have left, I force my mind through the darkness one more time. I am brave, I do not fear physical pain, I fear the pain of losing the ones I love.

I break through again, but what I see takes my breath away and I almost fall off the horse. Cair Paravel is right in front of me and the battle is about to begin.

I know I am too late when darkness washes over me once again.

★────── ✦✧✦──────★