Once a Queen

Jadis, Queen of Narnia

Oreius had instructed Elise and her brothers on how to wield their swords, eventually sending Edmund and Peter off to duel together while he spent more time with Elise, teaching her the proper way to use her twin longswords. She watched as the boys rode by on their horses, huffing in jealousy. Oreius had explained to her that since she wasn't confident enough with only one sword yet, she couldn't ride a horse and wield both at the same time. So for now, she was grounded, quite literally.

After an exhausting hour with the centaur, Elise had left and joined her sisters, practicing slashing away at a straw dummy while occasionally watching their target practice. She observed as Susan drew back her bow, loosing her arrow and finding just the outside of the center ring on the target. Elise clapped, impressed. Susan blushed and smiled, and Lucy grinned excitedly. She pulled out her dagger that she kept in her belt and threw it, watching as it hit dead center. Elise whooped and cheered louder, her clapping intensifying as all three girls laughed.

Peter and Edmund appeared on their horses, their swords clashing as they sparred. "Come on, Ed! Sword point up, like Oreius showed us," Peter instructed.

Edmund complied, his sword hitting against Peter's as he shouted, "En garde!"

They went back and forth, trading blows, with mild commentary between the two, until Mr. Beaver suddenly ran out in front of them, spooking Edmund's horse. "Peter! Edmund!" he shouted.

"Whoah, horsey!" Edmund called, hoping to calm the rearing animal.

The horse huffed. "My name is Philip," he said bluntly.

Edmund startled, still unused to the talking animals of Narnia. "Oh, sorry," he stammered.

"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She's on her way here," he told them quickly.

They all reacted, worried for what this meant for them, and for Edmund. They followed the Beaver back to the camp, joining the other Narnians as they watched Jadis be carried in by large cyclops, an ugly dwarf announcing her arrival, much to the displeasure of the entire camp.

"Jadis, the Queen of Narnia!" Ginarrbrik announced. "Empress of the Lone Islands!"

From somewhere in the crowd, Elise could hear disgruntled shouting, telling Jadis to leave and calling her a witch.

Aslan waited patiently for her at his tent, sitting comfortably on the little rock plateau. When Jadis was set down, she stood, walking forward to address Aslan.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," she said, eyeing Edmund.

The crowd gasped. The Pevensie boy flinched, feeling the sting in his lip, and shuffled to stand further behind Elise, who put her arm out protectively and glared at the Witch.

Aslan stood strong on the defensive. "His offense was not against you," he reminded her.

Jadis seemed to smirk in victory. "Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" she asked triumphantly.

Aslan snarled. "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written."

"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property," she said proudly.

Elise stepped forward, and she was not the only one who did so. Peter had drawn his sword, holding it up against the White Witch. "Try and take him then," he dared her.

The Witch appeared amused at the siblings' meek bravery. "Do you think mere force will deny me my right...little king?" she asked patronizingly. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands," she turned to face the crowd, her voice rising to be heard over the din of muttering, "all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water. That boy," she said, pointing to Edmund cowering behind his sister, "will die on the Stone Table, as is tradition." Jadis turned back to Aslan. "You dare not refuse me."

"Enough," Aslan growled. "I shall talk with you alone."

The lion and the witch disappeared into the tent, and everyone outside seemed to deflate. The Pevensies sat down on the ground, joined by many of the Narnians, as they waited impatiently for something to happen.

Minutes felt like hours, seconds dragging on forever as they picked at their clothes and the grass, each searching for a way to distract themselves. They were bored, and just when it seemed Elise could sit still no longer, the tent flap was thrown open and Jadis emerged. Elise stood quickly, anxious to hear the results of the long discussion.

The Witch glanced at Edmund, but made no move towards him as she passed, reaching her makeshift throne.

Aslan raised his head, his calm voice echoing off of the hills surrounding them. "She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood," he declared.

Everyone broke into cheers, jumping up and down and congratulating Edmund for being free of her hold.

Jadis was annoyed at the sudden cheerfulness and asked, "How will I know your promise will be kept?"

Aslan roared loudly, and the Witch fell back into her chair in fear, the Cyclops lifting her and carrying her off as the Narnians laughed after her. Lucy celebrated with the rest, only to turn and see Aslan standing alone looking rather forlorn. She was distracted by some dwarves who eagerly wanted to speak with the little queen, but Elise had noticed her sister's distraction. She watched as the Great Lion sadly went back inside his tent without a word to anyone. She wondered what he had offered in exchange for her brother's life.

Speaking of her brother, Edmund excitedly came to hug her, wrapping his arms around her middle and squeezing her tightly, overjoyed at finally being free. Elise laughed and returned the hug, but the worry did not leave her. Her family was safe now, but at what cost?