Seraphina | Edmund Pevenise

Chapter 1

My eyes fluttered open to see the view that I've been accustomed to for the past century. A frozen box cell, only this time it was different. From the other side of the dungeon door, I could hear her, Jadis, and her dwarf minion, but another voice could be heard. The unfamiliar voice sounded hoarse, letting me know that the witch is bringing another prisoner... but why now?

Why a prisoner after a hundred years? What could this prisoner know that is valuable to Jadis? If he didn't know anything, she would've froze him into a statue or kill him out of cold blood.... the same fate that my mother met, exactly one hundred years ago today.

"N-n-no!"

I heard the voice come closer, and suddenly the door swung open. I pushed myself up from the frozen ground, the only thing that I've seen for decades, and saw the dwarf forcefully pull behind him faun by a rope on his neck, Jadis stood at the door frame, watching intently. The faun's hands were wrapped tightly by a rope that was laced with blood from the rope cutting into his flesh.

The dwarf pulled the faun into the cell next to mine and chained him up. "Welcome to your new home. Serves you right after fraternizing with the enemy," the dwarf spat into the poor faun's face.

The faun's face held so much fear, but he took a gulp, "Long live Aslan."

Jadis narrowed her eyes at the faun as she dangerously walked towards him, spear in hand. She stood above the cowering faun, took her spear and harshly brought it down to hit his face. The faun fell onto the cold ice floor with a grunt, hand going to the now open gash that's on his forehead.

"That is no way to speak to your Queen," Jadis venomously spoke.

The faun glanced up at her through his eyelashes, "I only have one true ruler, and that is Aslan."

With a defeated huff, Jadis left his cell and stormed to the door, before giving me a glare, "I brought you a friend Serpahina," she laughed wickedly and left with her minion in tow.

Weakly, I made my way over to the bars that separate the faun and I. "Here. That gash looks pretty bad," I offered a piece of my dress, one of the pieces I ripped off long ago after all the beatings I had to endure from Jadis.

The faun's body was a shaking mess as he shook his head at me, scared of me.

"I won't hurt you," I dropped the piece of material on his side, "I'm Princess Seraphina of the Merfolk."

The faun gasped as he got onto his knees and slowly shuffled his way towards me with the sound of the chains filled the room, "Princess Seraphina? Is that really you?"

He began shaking his head as he grabbed the material and brought it to his wound, staring at me with pure confusion, "It can't be. You were killed a century ago with King Kai and Queen Nerissa."

I leaned against the bars as I remembered that day as if it was yesterday. "No. I didn't die, even though I wish I did that day," my head hung as I played with my battered dress, "I was the only one of my people to escape. Jadis froze my father to a statue in the sea and... and she killed my mother right in front of me on the beach, while she froze the sea and forced me to watch as she killed all life in it. Right before capturing me."

"I'm terribly sorry Princess. I- I didn't know about you being captured. The White Witch had told everyone that you were dead," the faun told me as I turned to give him with a puzzled look.

Why would Jadis tell all of Narnia that I'm dead? Probably because she would never let me out of this place, therefore I practically am already dead to everyone.

"I-I'm Tumnus," he said bowing his head.

I smiled at him, "You're the first person I've seen in a hundred years, Tumnus. Tell me, what does Narnia look like now?"

Tumnus' face fell into a grim expression. "Narnia isn't what it used to be. There's a never ending winter upon us. Seas and rivers are frozen over. White covers all the land and trees. The harmony that we once lived in, has now fallen. The White Witch has ruined every ounce of happiness and joy we felt before into now a depressing spiral. Killing anyone that opposes her."

My hand went to my changing necklace, the last present I got from my mother.

"My mother told me the day she died, she would show me the land," I let out a sad laugh, "My feet would touch the sand and dirt for the first time... Maybe even find me a prince that I'd fall in love with, run off and marry, have kids." I sniffled my nose as a single tear rolled down my cheek, "My first experience on land was a living nightmare. I was running away from my kingdom that was under attack, leaving my father in a frozen state, leaving all of my people to freeze to death, had my mother killed in front of me, and was thrown into this god forsaken cell."

A comfortable silence fell upon us as I thought back on that day. "What happened to you Tumnus? Why are you here?"

He breathed hot air into his hands, "The Queen... s-she over heard that I spoke to a human girl. A little human girl named Lucy Pevensie." Tumnus took a shaky breath, "Lucy has a sister and two brothers. She is from the prophecy."

I slowly brought my eyes to met his, "It is true," I said in a whisper, "There is two daughters of Eve and two sons of Adam. Oh my god. My father always told me stories about the prophecy as I grew up, but... but I never believed them truly. This," I peered around the room we were in, "could all come to an end. We could be free. I can finally see land and feel the water again."

I closed my eyes, at peace with the thought. I could finally get out of this frigid cold hell, can fell the warmth of the sun on my skin again. I'd do anything to fell the ground underneath my toes once more. But the happy thoughts all came to an end.

Realization hit me. My parents wouldn't be there to enjoy it with me. Jadis took everything from me. My kingdom, my people, and my family. I won't let her get away from destroying everything I loved.

I promised myself a century ago, that I will be the one to ruin everything she's made in the decades that she's held me captive. Her reign will come to an end, and I will make sure of it that I'm right there. Front row seat.

If only I knew when the other princes and princess would be coming. Our freedom, all of Narnia's, depends on the future Queens and Kings of Narnia. This kingdom as a whole could finally live in peace and tranquility again.