𝒩𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝒯𝑜 𝒮𝒶𝓎 𝒢𝑜𝑜𝒹𝒷𝓎𝑒: 𝐸𝒹𝓂𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝒫𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓈𝒾𝑒 ~ 𝒫𝒞

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒮𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 - 𝒮𝑒𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓊𝓇𝒷𝑒𝒹 𝒜𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃 [Revised]

I sat alone on the left wall of Aslan's How, facing the forest. I stared out into the trees, hoping that maybe there was some way I could turn back time, or somehow I could just be rid of my curse all together.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps shuffling through the grass interrupted my wallowing. I turned to my right to see Trumpkin rounding the side of the How, with Lucy behind him.

Trumpkin leaned against the wall I sat on, and Lucy peaked out from behind him.

"So... I hear you turn things to stone." Trumpkin stated bluntly.

I was silent for a moment, "You heard right. But I'm not in the habit of turning things to stone at every whim, trust me." I said, looking back out into the woods.

Lucy stepped forward, "Is it true? That the White Witch gave you her powers?" She asked timidly.

"It is. But it is nothing but a curse." I explained solemnly, "I have no intention of hurting anybody. In the temple earlier... I'm not sure... It was just instinct."

Trumpkin huffed, "So how many times have you used this power of yours?" He asked.

"Three times. And three times only." I looked down, "Once I turned the professor's globe to stone. I was fiddling with it in his room alone one day, and he had startled me. When he learned of the origins of my ability he made me swear not to tell anyone."

I continued, "But later I accidentally turned a quill in Miraz's study to stone. He caught me, and once he saw what I had done he went on a power hungry rant about all the ways I would become a new conqueror for Telmarine gain. I swore I would never use my powers again out of fear for what he might make me do."

"What about the third time?" Lucy asked.

"It was the day Trumpkin and I were to be drowned." I looked down at my wrists, "I was struggling under the water and..."

Then suddenly a new voice invaded the conversation.

"You broke your bounds after turning them to stone." Peter finished my thought.

Peter, Susan, and Edmund had rounded the corner as well. I suppose they had been listening in.

"Quite clever really." Susan added, earnestly.

At the sight of the other Pevensies, I sat up, feeling the burn of eyes on me. Trumpkin turned to enter the How, and I realized the center of attention, which was not a comforting notion.

"You have to understand." I stuttered, "I would never take powers of such evil for granted. I would never dream of harming anyone in such a way. I swear I am no villain."

The four siblings looked between each other.

"I know. I am a cursed Telmarine, whose uncle is leading the enemy force against Narnia. But I know that I am still here for a reason. I will fight beside you as the Kings and Queens of this land for the sake of Narnia and for all that is right and good." I explained, attempting to feign a look of resolve.

Lucy smiled at me, then looked up to Peter and Susan in a pleading manner.

Peter looked down to Lucy, then back up to me, "We believe you."

"After all," Susan added, "Nobody asks to be cursed."

"Thank you." I sighed, relieved.

Peter, Susan, and Lucy then turned back around to go back to the How, but Edmund remained.

He had stayed surprisingly quiet during that conversation, which had given me a great feeling of unease.

Though still looking reserved, he sat down next to me, and I tried not to look too stiff.