𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐜𝐞 ✓

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐞

There was screaming through the castle. Sybill and Arion Evans hugged their father even more. 

"It's going to be okay," King Orpheus Evans said. 

Sybill and Arion's mother, Aurelia, was giving birth again. 

"Daddy?" 

Orpheus turned to see his youngest daughter, Eleanor, running toward him. 

"Daddy? Where's Mummy?" Eleanor asked. 

"Mummy's okay, Ellie," Sybill said hugging her sister. 

"What happened? Where is Mummy? Was that her screaming?" Eleanor asked her family. 

"We're going to have another sibling, Eleanor," Sybill explained calmly.

At once, Eleanor's face lit up. Orpheus had never seen his youngest daughter like that. Her face shone radiantly and glowed up the stress mood. 

"We're going to be older brother and sisters?" Eleanor squealed. "Why're you all stressed?" 

Orpheus knew Eleanor was too little to understand — what if the baby died before it even lived a second? 

That minute, the head housekeeper hurried down the hall. Without the light, Orpheus or his children couldn't see anything. 

"King Orpheus!" gasped the housekeeper. 

"Miss Radiance, please, what happened to Aurelia?" Orpheus asked urgently. 

"King Orpheus, her highness Aurelia has given birth to a girl!" the housekeeper said. 

Now in the light of the fire, Orpheus saw the housekeeper's joyed face. Sybill let out a squeal, "A girl!"and Arion and Orpheus sighed in relief. Eleanor smirked at Arion. 

"See? Now girls will rule the world!" 

"Come on, come on, you have to see the baby!" the housekeeper gushed. 

"Er — just a second, Miss Radiance, my sister Jadis —" 

"Orpheus!" a new voice shouted. 

Orpheus and his children turned to see who it was. There stood Orpheus's sister, Jadis. 

"Jadis!" Orpheus said overjoyed. 

"Auntie Jadis!" Eleanor said, rushing to hug her aunt. 

"Eleanor," said Jadis as she stroked her niece's hair. "And you two! How tall you've grown!" she said to Sybill and Arion. 

"Jadis —" Orpheus started. 

"Go on, Orpheus, go see the child," Jadis said a bit coldly. 

But Orpheus didn't notice, as he gave Jadis a very thankful look and hurried off with the housekeeper to Aurelia's ward. 

"Now, you all," said Jadis quietly. "Show me what you all can do with your powers again." 

"You say it fascinates you," said Sybill giggling. 

"Which, indeed, it does." 

Arion grinned as he waved his hands over the fire. Four people stood out. One really tall one, two medium, and one tiny. 

"That's us," said Arion. "Fire." 

Sybill smiled. She closed her eyes, very seriously now, and clapped her hand. Instantly, a big icicle popped out of the tree outside. 

"Very well done," said Jadis. "And you dear, Eleanor." 

Eleanor, who looked to see a goblet nearby, hurried to it. She also waved her hand and two figures popped up. They seemed to be dancing. 

"Those are fauns," explained Eleanor. 

"The baby," said Jadis remembering. "Come on, we have to see it." 

She and her nieces and nephew hurried to Aurelia's ward. They were greeted by Aurelia's giggling and Orpheus cooing. Jadis opened the door. In Aurelia's arms were a baby and Orpheus was smiling at it. 

"The baby," gushed Arion, Sybill, and Eleanor. 

"Come on,"  Orpheus said to his children and his sister. 

"What is it's powers?" Jadis asked greedily. 

"Plants said Doctor Cornelius," Aurelia said. 

"And the name?" Eleanor asked. 

"Daphne," Orpheus said. "It's a fine name." 

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

Jadis offered to babysit the children that night. 

"I don't know what we would do without you, Jadis," Orpheus said. 

"Thank you, Jadis," Aurelia said. 

"Of course," Jadis said smiling coldly. "Now, off you go." 

Aurelia and Orpheus smiled once more before they went to their chamber. 

Jadis turned to her nieces and nephew. 

"Sybill, be careful with the child — Orpheus and Aurelia will kill me if it's not safe," she said coldly. 

"Auntie Jadis, the baby's name is Daphne," Eleanor said. 

"I'm sorry Eleanor — are you teaching me names?" 

Eleanor stepped behind Arion and muttered a quick apology. 

"Go — rooms, now," Jadis said still in her cold voice. 

"Where are you going, Auntie?" Sybill asked. 

"Somewhere — you don't need to know to survive do you?" Jadis snapped. 

Sybill and Arion just gave a mere nod as Arion grabbed Eleanor's hand and everyone hurried to the nearest room. 

Jadis, seizing the moment, grabbed her dagger and turned and hurried down to Orpheus and Aurelia's ward. She flung open the door. 

Orpheus and Aurelia, who had slept already, woke up with a jolt. 

"Jadis?" Orpheus asked through the darkness. "Is that you?" 

"Orpheus, my dear brother," Jadis said, gripping her dagger. "I want the kingdom." 

Aurelia gasped and, through the moonlight, saw the dagger. 

"You're going to kill us?!" Aurelia asked. 

"Yes," Jadis's cold voice said. 

She slowly went to the bed and before Orpheus could say anything, stabbed him in the chest.

"Only those who are generous, can rule Narnia," gasped Orpheus before he went still. 

 Aurelia screamed and clapped a hand over her mouth. 

"Shut your mouth," Jadis hissed as she put a bloody hand over Aurelia's mouth. In a flash, she stabbed Aurelia in the chest too. 

"Don't be greedy, Jadis," Aurelia said softly, "that will take you nowhere."