Sarafine

Chapter 6

"Run!" Sara shouted.

Peter grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her to run with him. Susan did the same to Lucy. They fled across the lake, and the sleigh kept gaining behind. Mr. Beaver found a small cave.

"Inside!" He shouted "Dive! Dive!"

They did what they had to do, dive into the cave and went still. Everyone was quiet, their hearts were beating like crazy. A shadow passed by and snow dropped into the cave. For a minute or two, there was nothing but silence.

"Maybe she's gone." Lucy whispered.

"I suppose I'll go look." Peter suggested.

"No!" Mr. Beaver protested "You worth nothing to Narnia dead!"

"Well, neither are you, Beaver." Mrs. Beaver said.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

With that, he clambered out of the cave and disappeared from their sight. The others waited nervously. Sara squeezed Peter's hand and he squeezed back. Suddenly, Mr. Beaver's head popped out from outside the cave, making little Lucy shriek.

"Come out! Come out!" He said excitedly "I hope you've all been good because there's someone here to meet you."

They looked at each other curiously and got out one by one. Lucy was the first in line to come out. In the cave, Sara could hear someone laughed from the outside. Not until Peter helped her out and she took a look did she realized that was not the Witch, but another person. He was just a myth to people in London. He wore red cloak, and rode a sleigh.

Santa Claus.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Lucy grinned.

"It certainly is, Lucy, since you have arrived." He said "And welcome home, My Princess."

"Thank you sir." Sara nodded.

"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this..." Susan complained.

"We thought you were the Witch." Peter cut Susan's words.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry about that." Santa said "But in my defense, I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia." Peter said. He sure had a lot of thoughts.

"No. Not for a long time." Santa explained "But the hope that you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power. Still, I dare say you could do with these."

He pulled out a huge brown sack. Sara looked at Peter, then to Lucy. The two young girls suddenly gave a big smile and Lucy ran up to Santa.

"Presents!" She exclaimed happily.

"The juice of the fire-flower." He held up a cordial "One drop will cure any injury. And though I hope you never have to use it..." And he handed her a dagger.

"Thank you, sir." She said "But I think I could be brave enough."

"I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs." Then, he turned to Susan and gave her a bow and a quiver of arrows "Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss."

"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?" She asked, trying to make a joke.

"And though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard." He handed her another gift, an ivory horn "Blow in this horn and wherever you are, help will come."

She took her gifts and nodded thankfully to Santa. She took a step back and Peter went forward. Santa gave him a silver shield and a sword in its scabbard. Peter unsheathed his sword.