The Golden Witch || Peter Pevensie x OC

68. Christmas

The fiery shades of autumn faded sooner than the eye had time to appreciate it, and soon enough, winter had arrived.

It wasn't within Valera's capability to not be slightly disturbed by the season belonging to her late sister.

Even in this world, it put her on edge to see the autumn colours of red and orange turn into ice blue and white.

The thin blanket of frost that covered every inch of the outdoors, the chill in the air, the consistent light-grey clouds that coated the sky, the vanishing of animals who couldn't bear the cold.

There would always be a part of her mind praying it would go away to allow for spring, and not stay put for a century of freezing terror.

On the days she found herself becoming nervous, all it would take was one look down to the three rings on her finger, locating the one that represented Jadis and her winter, to remind her that the past would not repeat itself.

A small flicker of an idea made itself known in her mind, wondering if such a method would assist Christopher Pevensie in combating his own past traumas.

Having a quick way to ground himself in the present, providing an immediate comfort that promised not to change.

But it wasn't an idea she could voice. It stemmed from a life she wasn't allowed to speak of, and memories she couldn't ever share.

Not to mention, she had no one to tell it to.

Valera hadn't seen Peter, nor any of the Pevensie family, since the morning he left Diggory's home.

There was no malice to it, she was aware of that.

In every letter she received over the past months from Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy, they each made it perfectly clear they wished to see her again.

Helen had even invited her back for dinner on one or two occasions.

But Valera had declined, knowing it was more an invitation extended out of curtesy and not genuine meaning.

Christopher was not ready for something like that quite yet.

Given how it had ended last time, Valera was prepared to give him and his family all the space and time they needed until they were practically screaming at her that everything was better now.

Even then, she would find herself hesitant.

It wasn't lost on her just how the evening took a turn for the worst.

Guilt was a relentless fellow, biting away at her no matter how hard she tried to push it away.

Seeing the effects it had on Peter especially made her unwilling to risk repeating her mistake.

Returning from the town to the countryside, he had made it very clear that he wasn't willing to discuss his mindset.

Every time Valera had tried to discuss with him how he felt, he had diverted the conversation, or simply not replied at all.

When they eventually arrived back at the house, they went straight to bed, with Peter dozing off not two minutes after his head hit the pillow.

After that, Valera was astonished to find he had woken before her for the first time in order to catch the first train back home.

A night by her side had made him calmer, and he was able to voice his nerves about returning to his father before he left.

Not in great detail, but it was enough for Valera to offer some sort of support for him to try and help even when she wasn't by his side.