A Wardrobe to Another World

Chapter 11 - The Witch

⟢Edmund's POV⟣

I walk through the courtyard shivering slightly. Oh how I wish I had my coat. I jump backwards in fear when I come across a giant. I almost laugh at myself after realizing that it is a stone statue, but it looks so realistic and angry. The further in I walk the more statues I see, all of them so realistic. I find a campfire with a stone lion crouched beside it. I pick up one of the burnt sticks and draw a mustache and glasses on the lion's face. I continue up to the door. Lying in front of it is a wolf which I assume is a statue just like everything else in here, and go to step over it.

The wolf lets out a growl and before I can process anything I'm lying on the floor pinned there by the largest wolf I have ever seen. "Be still, stranger. Or you will never move again." The wolf threatens. "Who are you?" He growls at me. "I'm Edmund. I met the Queen in the woods. She told me to come back here. I'm a Son of Adam." I let everything out in my panic wanting this wolf to spare me. When I mention that I met the Queen in the woods the wolf pulls back and gets off me. "My apologies, fortunate favourite of the Queen. Or else not so fortunate." I barely catch the last of it and frown wondering what he means. I get up and follow the wolf through the castle and up a long steep flight of stairs.

We enter the throne room and I gaze at everything in wonder. "Wait here." The wolf orders. I continue to look around as the wolf leaves the room. I look at the throne and then glance around. There's no one else around, surely it wouldn't hurt anyone. I will be ruling from it someday. I head up the steps and sit on the throne. It makes me feel powerful just sitting here. "Like it?" I jump from the throne at the sound of the Queen's voice. "Y-yes, your majesty." I stammer in fright backing away from the throne. "I thought you might." The Queen says as she takes a seat on it. "Tell me, Edmund. Are your sisters and friend deaf?" "No." I answered with confusion. "And your Brother is he unintelligent?" The Queen continues. "Well I think so, but mum says-" "Then how dare you come alone?" The Queen cuts me off by shouting at me and rising to her feet. "I tried." I attempt to defend myself. "I ask so little of you." "They just don't listen to me." "You couldn't even do that." The Queen keeps ignoring me. "I did bring them halfway. They're at the little house at the dam, with the beavers." I reveal. "Well, I suppose you're not a total loss then. Are you?" The Queen states after a few moments of silence. She turns back to her throne when I ask what I've been thinking about since we parted ways. "I-I was wondering. Could I maybe have some more turkish delight, now?" I ask the Queen, who turns to me sharply. "Our guest is hungry." She says to the little man who I remember from last time. He walks towards me with a smirk which unsettles me slightly. "This way. For your num nums." He says sharply, putting a knife to my back. As I'm led away I hear the Queen send for the wolf from before. "You know what to do." I realize that my siblings and friend, I guess, were right. She is the White Witch not the Queen. The dwarf forces me away as the wolf pack heads out after my siblings and friend.

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The chains are heavy and cold around my ankles as I sit in a cell made out of ice just like everything else in this castle. I try to eat the food only to find that it is freezing cold and tastes horrible. I place it back on the plate in disgust, gazing at the water only to see that it's frozen solid. "If you're not going to eat that." A voice from the cell next to me says. I didn't even notice that there was someone else down here. I was too busy wallowing in self pity. I pick the food up and crawl over to a hole in the wall to meet the other person. I glance down at the shackles around his ankles only to see hooves. "Mr Tumnus?" I guess out loud. "What's left of him." Mr Tumnus confirms. I look away in guilt realizing that I must have put him in this position after telling The Witch that Lucy had met him. I look back at Mr Tumnus when he speaks. "You're Lucy Pevenise's brother." "I'm Edmund." I answer the statement. "You have the same nose." He tells me. At the mention of my nose I subconsciously wipe it. "Is your sister and friend alright?" Mr Tumnus asks. I'm guessing he's referring to Lucy and Hazel as they're the only ones he's met. "Are they safe?" Mr Tumnus continues when I only look away. I hear the wolves and whisper "I don't know."

Mr Tumnus and I shuffle away from each other quickly when the Dungeon doors burst open. I watch in fear as the witch comes striding in looking furious. "My police tore that dam apart. Your little family and friend are nowhere to be found." The Witch states stalking towards me. I'm relieved that they weren't found, but worried about where that means they are. The Witch grabs me by my shirt collar and pulls me up to her height, pulling the chains around my ankles as far as they will go. "Where did they go?" "I-I don't know." I answer honestly. "Then you are of no further use to me." The Witch states dropping me and drawing back what I'm guessing is her wand. "Wait!" I cry not wanting to die. "The Beaver said something about Aslan." The Witch drops her wand and stares at me. "Aslan? Where?" She almost sounds worried. "I-" "He's a stranger here your majesty. He can't be expected to know anything." Mr Tumnus cuts me off. The little man, who I'm guessing might be a dwarf, hits Mr Tumnus in the head with his axe. "I said, where is Aslan?" The Witch repeats. I stare at Mr Tumnus for a bit. He raises his head and pleads with me with his eyes. "I don't know. I left before they said anything. I wanted to see you." I lie, hoping to spare my siblings, best friend and the others with them. The Witch glares at me for a bit before shouting for a guard. A hideous creature comes in. "Release the fawn." The witch orders. I shudder at Mr Tumnus's cries of pain. The creature smashes the chains around his hooves and drags him to the witches feet. "Do you know why you're here, fawn?" The Witch asks condescendingly. "Because I believe in a free Narnia." Mr Tumnus states defiantly. "You're here because he turned you in. For sweeties." The Witch corrects pointing her wand at me. Mr Tumnus stares at me with betrayal. "Take him upstairs. And ready my sleigh, Edmund misses his family and friend."

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I sit alone in the cell for about half an hour before the dwarf comes back and leads me with a whip to my back through the castle and into the courtyard. As we enter the courtyard I freeze as I notice a new "statue". I stare at the stone Mr Tumnus till the Witch speaks, startling me as I didn't know she was there. "Whenever you're ready, Son of Adam." I'm dragged to the sleigh and forced to sit at the Witch's feet. My fear increases as the sleigh sets off, searching for my family.

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