Chronicles of Narnia: The Warrior of Narnia (Completed)

Chapter Six: A Terrible Price

When Nora heard the magical horn piercing through the silent camp, she immediately reached for her weapons while hitching a ride on Amaya and took off in the direction it came from without a second thought. It was her duty to protect the future Kings and Queens, after all. She had seen the horn on Susan's belt, and if she were blowing it now it could only mean trouble, for it was the hour of the day when the camp was supposed to be at rest before they continued on with their preparations for war. Behind her, she could hear others getting up and running towards the noise.
Nora reached the small clearing in time to see a familiar wolf lunging at Peter. Oreius trotted forward to intervene, holding out his sword threateningly to the evil wolf circling Peter, but was stopped by Aslan, who was standing with one paw on another wolf, holding it down. Oreius glanced at Aslan searchingly. He could have run the wolf through in an instant.
"This is Peter's fight," Aslan said softly, and Peter glanced up. Nora caught Peter's eye, she's around Edmund's age. But she knew how to stand her ground and fight.
Oreius slowly sheathed his sword and took a few steps back. Peter turned back to the wolf, pointing his sword at the creature but not employing it, shoulders hunched. The wolf let out a low growl and the two friends recognized him as the Captain of the Witch's Secret Police.
"You may think you're a king," Maugrim suddenly growled out, hackles raised in preparation for attack. "But you're going to die, like a dog!" He lunged then, and Nora had to make sure Oreius didn't run forward and rescue Peter, to obey Aslan's wish. The two princesses screamed. Behind them, Oreius and Nora could feel the tension in the other creatures looking on.
The Wolf brought Peter to the ground, and Peter disappeared beneath fur and paws and teeth. There was the longest moment in which Nora was sure the creature had slain the prince, and then the body of the Wolf moved and Peter emerged, looking a little shocked, but not injured. He pushed the Wolf off him and hesitantly sat up, sword still in the carcass.
His sisters jumped down from their tree and rushed to their brother, throwing their arms around him and crying. Nora found the scene touching knowing how much these three had suffered, but the moment was soon broken by Aslan lifting up his paw and allowing the captive wolf who had no doubt helped Maugrim to scare the two girls into the tree to wiggle free. The Wolf jumped to its paws and ran away, tail between its legs.
"Follow him," Aslan ordered suddenly. "He will lead you to Edmund."
Peter lifted his head at this and his eyes met the eyes of the Centaur General and the Warrior of Narnia in an unspoken plea. Oreius unsheathed his sword once more and chased after the Wolf, Nora (on Amaya) and some of the best soldiers following after the Centaur without a word.
The search for the White Witch's camp was long. The wolf finally started to slow down in the middle of the night and Nora knew that they were almost there when they reached the Western Wood. It was still dawn when the Wolf led the band of warriors into a large, gloomy camp of dwarves and minotaurs making weapons. They could feel the Witch's presence here. The dwarves looked up when the small band of warriors entered the forest clearing, and then raised the alarm. The Cheetah dashed forward, taking care of a few of them, and another Centaur attacked while Oreius and Nora both searched the camp for Edmund.
He finally spotted him, leaning against a tree, bound and gagged. The gag pulled his small face taut. The team all fought and slew all who stood in their path, and they cut Edmund free from his bonds and tied Ginarrbrik up in his place, gagging the dwarf for good measure. Oreius had the honor of hurling the dwarf's own knife at him, though he only skewered the dwarf's cap.
"Oh Ed." Oreius turned to see Nora checking up on the unconscious human boy, her expression filled with sadness and empathy. His skin, once perfect and unmarked, was now littered with cuts, bruises, dried blood, and dirt. He was much thinner than that was healthy. He could not have been much older than Oreius' youngest colt.
Oreius couldn't find it within himself to hate the boy; he even felt guilty and regretful for ever harboring such angered sentiments in the first place. All he could feel for Edmund now was pure compassion. Without hesitation, he knelt and very gently scooped Edmund's limp body into his own arms, and carried him all the way back to Aslan's camp himself.
It was not until dawn, when they finally returned, that Edmund began to come around. He was somewhat bewildered when he awoke to find himself sleeping in the arms of a Centaur, but Oreius only shushed him when he began to speak and gently bade him to be still, before carrying Edmund to a private tent, where a small group of nymphs took him in and cared for him.
The last Nora and Oreius had both seen of Edmund, the Son of Adam had been engaged in a private discussion with Aslan himself. They both knew this was solely between the two of them, that this was a matter for Aslan alone to deal with. Oreius soon continued the walk and continued with his conversation with Nora.
Nora smiled softly at Oreius, she made him remember his younger sister and her spirit seemed to be running through her. "I'm sure he'll be fine." Her eyes shone with both sympathy and empathy. "He's very brave and fair-minded when he wants to be." Oreius smiled warmly at Nora as they continued their walk together.
A Few Days Later:
After Nora ate breakfast, the girls went to practice their archery at the archery boards and the boys went to practice their sword fighting on horseback. Nora was helping Susan aim her arrows to the boards.
"Okay, now hold it back," instructed Nora to Susan and she pulled her string and arrow back. "Aim, and fire." Susan aimed for the middle and shot the arrow. But the arrow landed just in the black circle line. Nora smiled and stepped forward. She got an arrow out and pulled it back. Once Nora let her arrow fly, and the arrow landed right in the middle.
"Wow," said Lucy, smiling.
"Show off," said Susan, which made Nora and Lucy laughed.
Nora and the other girls soonly heard a pair of horses galloping nearby, Nora saw it was Peter and Edmund who were both riding horses and practicing their sword fighting skills. Peter was riding a unicorn and Edmund was riding a chestnut stallion named Philip.
"Come on Ed!" yelled Peter. "Sword up like Oreius showed us!"
Nora smiled again, glad to see that Oreius had shown them how to fight astride on a moving horse. She chuckled softly at the sight, clearly remembering how her training went with Oreius after she had arrived to the camp. The two of them became close friends, despite their differences. Hopefully, they will have an easier time doing it than she first tried it.
"En grade!" Edmund shouted before they started practicing.
"Now block," instructed Peter to his brother and his brother did. He's sure a quick learner.
"Peter! Edmund!" yelled Mr. Beaver.
Philip reared up in surprise and Edmund calmed him down. "Whoa! Easy horsy!"
"My name is Philip." The Horse snorted.
"Oh." Edmund had a sheepish expression at his slight mishap. "Sorry."
"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan," said Mr. Beaver told them. "She's on her way here."
Nora stole a worried glance at the boys before going back to camp. Nora arrived just in time to see the White Witch was being carried in. Aslan sat calmly on the stage who waited patiently for the Witch. Uncertainly, Nora stood next to Oreius's side with Amaya and Kiba. The Mare was standing the closest, her head resting on Nora's shoulder. The mare shifted, and Peter was amazed at the fierce protectiveness he saw in those brown eyes.
People from the camp were shouting at her to leave. But Jadis just held her head up and ignored everyone. She got down from her seat and she walked towards Aslan, giving Edmund a look. Nora scowled at the Witch, she wanted to shoot her with one of her arrows for tricking Edmund and hurting him. But she shouldn't. 
"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," spoke Jadis. Edmund tensed up next to Peter. Nora gave him a sympathetic look before she continued listening in on the conversation.
"His offense was not against you," said Aslan calmly. 
"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" She stuck by laws? Learn something new everyday, figured Nora with fierce defiance.
Aslan growled, Nora jumped slightly and relaxed as Oreius placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written." Nora could tell that the Witch was trying to hold on to her temper.
"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property." Nora could see Peter put his hand on the end of his sword. On no, Peter no. Peter pulled out his sword and held it to the Witch. 
"Try and take him then," warned Peter, his blue eyes burning with defense and haterd. A huge deal of Fauns, Satyrs, Talking Beasts, Dwarves, and Centaurs behind them unsheathed their respective weapons.
"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?" mocked Jadis, Nora put a hand on the handle of her sword, she hadn't forgotten how to fight back with her sword and she's not afraid of it. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and ice." She pointed to the crowd and Nora could the Narnians gasp and whisper. "That boy will die." She pointed to Edmund and Lucy put her hand in Edmund's hand. The Witch wasn't getting Edmund that easily. "On the Stone Table as the tradition." Nora looked at Aslan hoping there was another way and Edmund didn't have to die.
"You dare not refuse me," warned Jadis to Aslan.
"Enough. I shall talk with you alone." Aslan made his way into his tent and Jadis followed. Everyone watched as the Great Lion and the White Witch both went inside of the tent together.
Nora swallowed nervously and glanced at her gathered friends. She inched closer to them, still wary and nervous of the White Witch. She quickly caught Edmund's expression, his face was filled with fear and regret. She gave him a gentle smile, showing that all has been forgiven.
As everyone waited for any sign, they soon grew tired and wary of what was happening in the tent. Many of them had started to sit down on the grass, some were in groups while others were by themselves. Nora sat near Edmund, who started ripping up pieces of grass. But then Peter and Nora noticed a movement in the tent, everyone started getting up, and the White Witch came walking out. Jadis looked at Edmund and then back to her one eyed trolls. Aslan emerged from his tent with his head down.
"She has renounced her claim on the son of Aslan's blood," announced Aslan, making Nora and everyone started cheering and smile at Edmund.
"How do I know your promise will be kept?" The White Witch shouted back at him.
Aslan roared so loudly, that it seemed to make the earth and the sky shake at the sound of his great roar, making Jadis sit down in her seat. The crowd bursted out laughing at the sight and cheering, clearly knowing that Edmund was safe. Many of them had made a clear passageway for the White Witch and her one eyed trolls to leave their camp.
But in the midst of the celebration, Nora and Lucy both noticed that Aslan looked extremely solemn. As if he had accepted his own death.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Nora had woken up in her pavilion, she felt something terrible had occurred without her knowing. After she had gotten dressed, she went outside to see the sudden changes. She looked up at the sky. It was dark and cloudy somehow, as if a serious storm is coming. Nora felt something running through the water, as if rivers of tears were pouring down with sorrow. She felt a hidden shake going through the earth, as if something had been shaken from underneath her feet in the midst of a horrified shock. She heard the wind blowing through the trees, almost as if the trees were all crying out in grief.
Something terrible had happened to Aslan.