The White Witch's Son | Casmund

3

Aslan approached the hooded figure; its scent covered that he couldn't work out what creature had sent him the message in the form of a wind nymph.

"You've arrived; I was thinking you weren't coming," the figure said, its voice disfigured. It was trying its best to hide its identity. It must fear the white witch discovering its betrayal. Aslan could only imagine the torture this creature would face if the white witch found that it had conspired with her greatest enemy.

"I had to make sure this wasn't a trap," Aslan said; the figure scoffed.

"I want the white witch gone as much as you," the creature said, turning to face him; despite that, he couldn't see under the hood, "The witch is aware of your return; she will make her move against your camp soon."

"We were already aware. A faun was found dead on the outskirts of my camp," Aslan said; the faun's body has caused an uproar throughout the camp. The centaurs wanted to charge the white witch's castle for revenge; it took Aslan hours to settle the nerves of his followers.

"The prince. Your people aren't subtle. He overheard one of your followers discussing your return and tortured it for your location. The witch knows where you are, but that isn't what I wanted to warn you about," the creature said.

"Then what?" Aslan asked.

"The prophecy dictates that the children of Adam and Eve will overthrow the witch. The prince has seen a child of Eve in Narnia; it's a little girl. If you don't find her soon, then the witch will. We have orders to bring the child to her when she returns to Narnia. She barely escaped last time; she won't be lucky next time. If you wish to over through the witch, find the girl and keep her safe until the rest of the children of Adam and Eve come," with that, the figure turned and strode into the forest; the trees seemed to bend around him, hiding him from Aslan. When the trees returned to their normal position, the figure was gone.

"The girl. Has she returned?" his mother said as Edmund strode back into the castle, he'd been on a 10-hour patrol searching for any sign of the daughter of Eve he saw two weeks ago or any sons of Adam who may have stumbled across Narnia in the meantime. If this girl is a part of the prophecy, it must mean other... humans (that's what his mother called them) will come.

"We've been watching the faun closely, but he barely left his cave. There's no sign of the girl," Edmund reported, approaching his mother's ice throne.

"What of Aslan? He hasn't gotten to her before us, has he?" his mother asked. Edmund shook his head.

"There is no indication that he knows any children of Adam or Eve have entered Narnia. We will find them before he does; we have the advantage," Edmund said. He had loyal creatures and trees watching the faun's home and the lamppost. The moment she appears. Edmund will know. She won't escape him a second time; her link to the faun was the only reason Edmund hadn't arrested him for treason was that if the daughter of Eve returns, she'll go straight to the faun's cave. The faun is the bait they need to capture this daughter of Eve, and they have no choice but to leave him free for the time being.

"Don't lower your guard. Aslan is a threat; he may watch us waiting for us to find the child and for his traitorous followers to snatch her from us," his mother warned.

"Aslan hasn't returned to Narnia in the last hundred years; he doesn't know the true extent of our power. If Aslan tries to take the girl from us, he will fail," Edmund said, grinning. The creatures knew he was powerful, but they didn't know the extent of his magic; they could warn Aslan all they wanted, but should Aslan show his face to steal the daughter of Eve away from them, then he won't know what hit him. Edmund always prioritises using his sword instead of magic for this moment exactly. The traitorous Narnians will underestimate his ability, leading them to their doom.

A hand grabbed his chin, yanking it hard so he was staring into his mother's cold eyes, "Don't be reckless, Edmund; that will be your downfall."

Lucy skipped happily back to the lamppost. Mr Tumnus couldn't accompany her this time, as he had errands to run. Returning to Narnia was wonderful; her siblings Peter and Susan hadn't believed her when she explained the wonderful world she visited while hiding in the wardrobe. She'd tried to show them too, but the doorway to Narnia had closed for some reason. She'd begun thinking that she'd dreamt up Narnia, but a small voice told her that Narnia was real and that someday she'd return, and she had.

Lucy loves Narnia, and secretly, deep down, she hopes this world is where her brother James lives. She knows, realistically, it's impossible for a baby to disappear from the hospital and survive in these cold conditions alone. Still, she's allowed to dream that her brother is somewhere out there happy, and someday they'll find each other.

The lamppost comes into sight, and Lucy is tempted to return to Mr Tumnus' house than go home. She doubts Peter and Susan would notice her missing immediately, both enjoying the peace her absence brings them. She pushed that thought from her mind as she walked past the lamppost; the entrance was still open, and she could make out the fur coats amongst the trees. She's about to step forward when suddenly she hears footsteps behind her, the sound of the snow crunching as someone, or something, walks upon it. This wouldn't alarm her any other day, but the noise was getting closer. Whatever was out there, it was coming her way.

"Hello," Lucy says. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she remembered the warning Mr Tumnus gave her during her last visit. The white witch wants the children of Adam and Eve, and that even some of the trees are on her side. What was that noise her? Has she come for Lucy?

A boy around 19 years of age steps out of the trees. He has a pale complexion, dark hair, eyes, and a wicked smile. Lucy couldn't help but feel as if she's seen this person before and should recognise who he was, but her mind was drawing a blank. All she was sure of was that she didn't like that smile and was resisting the powerful urge to flee.

"W-who are you?" Lucy asked. The boy chuckled, and Lucy shivered as if someone had shot a sliver of ice down her spine.

The boy didn't say anything; instead, he slowly slunk forwards as if the snow had no power over him. Lucy stepped back, but this only seemed to amuse the boy further.

"Oh, don't worry, daughter of Eve. I won't hurt you," the boy said. It didn't reassure Lucy in the slightest as she stumbled backwards, lost her footing and fell into the snow. He kept advancing, and every instinct in Lucy's body told her to get up and run.

"Well, I won't hurt you much, that is," the boy added, and to Lucy's horror, he pulled out a dagger hidden within his boot and continued his approach.