A Prison of Ice and Fear || Peter Pevensie x OC || Narnia

Chapter 27

Aslan runs for miles with us on his back. Clutching onto fur and each other for fear of falling off. The rolling hills and valleys of Narnia are lush and green, the morning sun hot on my back. I can feel the life bubbling within me. The sun's power charging something long dormant. My fingers tingle, and it takes every restraint not to let my magic run wild. I can feel it chomping on the bit, a creature begging to be let loose upon the world.

Desperate to seek out my enemies.

I feel Aslan slow as we approach a sprawling lake. Strange, I'd never come across a lake like this in Narnia; how could I have become so turned around?

The breath is knocked from my chest when I realise my mistake. The iron spires of Jadis' palace tower above the earth on the far bank of the lake.

All this time, water was right beneath me, trapped and frozen in ice.

"What are we doing here, Aslan?" I shout over the whipping wind.

Though the lion has slowed his speed is still greater than any horse.

"You shall see." He calls back.

At the mouth of the iron gates, we come to a stop. Slipping off Aslan's back, my legs feel strange with the lack of momentum.

"What about the guards?" Lucy whispers, clinging tight to Aslan's side.

"They're all gone." I breathe.

Every post is deserted, and the windows of the fortress are dark.

"Called to war, Jadis will not have anticipated anyone coming here."

"Because there's nothing here. Jadis will have taken every weapon in her arsenal."

"We aren't here for weapons, dear one. We're here to liberate our brothers and sisters."

I look confused at Aslan and then back out at the courtyard sprawling before us. I open my mouth to ask more questions when my breath catches fast in my throat, the words dying.

There, across the courtyard, all alone, stands a new statue.

"No!" I scream, breaking into a sprint.

Susan and Lucy call after me, but I don't turn back. I can't.

"No, no, no, please, please." I beg, tears springing to my eyes.

Bracing my hands onto stone cheeks, the cold bites into my flesh.

"Ephe." I breathe.

Her fawn skin has become grey stone, her hair frozen in place, looking dishevelled and wild, as though at the moment Jadis turned her to stone, a fierce wind blew through.

Her face was still and solemn, not a hint of fear, not a sign of begging.

She knew. When she helped me escape, she knew what would happen. I had tried to make it appear as though she had no part in it.

I failed.

I got my best friend killed.

My sobs come hard and fast as I let my body hang against the statue. She's dead, and it's all my fault.

I gaze up at the fortress, and through my tears, I realise that Ephe's body has been placed to be visible from my window. Even after my escape Jadis had plans to punish me when she got my back by her side.

I look back to Ephe's frozen face and almost vomit on the cobbles at my feet.

"Cressida." Lucy says quietly, her small hand pressing against my back.

"Leave me be." I whisper.

My magic is broiling beneath my skin, desperate for an outlet. My rage builds as the power gets stronger.

"Step back before I hurt you." I seethe.

"Look at me, dear one." Aslan orders calmly.

I spin to him, about to demand how he can be serenely surrounded by such death, but again, my voice falters.

"Tumnus?" I ask, standing and slowly moving away from Ephe's statue.

The faun is standing there, alive and well.

"How is this possible? Why would Jadis have left you alive?"

"She didn't." The faun offers softly.

"I don't understand."

"Cressida, look." Susan offs softly, hand touching my shoulder.

She turns me to see Aslan standing in front of Ephe, breathing onto her frozen face.

For a moment, nothing happens, and the lion steps back.

"What are you..." I cut myself off.

There, all of a sudden, Ephe's hair moves, turning from grey slate to flowing white tresses. Her skin becomes brown and supple, no longer harsh stone.

Finally, she sighs and sinks down to her knees.

"Ephemei?" I ask, throwing myself to the ground in front of her, holding both her elbows.

She looks up at me, her big brown eyes wide with shock.

"Cressida?" She whispers.

I throw my arms around her, tears again spilling across my cheeks.

"Thank the ancestors." I cry.

"You're all right, Aslan be thanked." Ephe holds me tight.

I turn to Aslan.

"Thank you, your majesty." I bow my head.

"Aslan." Ephe whispers in wonder.

She moves quickly to kneel before the lion.

"You're majesty, this is a debt I can never repay."

"Rise, Ephemei, you have already done enough in caring for the young princess."

We both stand at Aslan's command.

"You've come here to save them." I breathe.

"They are my people, and our army will need all the help they can get.

"Quickly now, Princess, take the queens to the dungeons to heal any prisoners who may have been left behind. Peter will need everyone we can find."