Hermione's Journey

Chapter Twelve

Edmund crept through the gloomy courtyard, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He sped up a little at the sight of a stone giant towering over him with a club raised above his head, as if he had been frozen in the middle of an attack. Edmund continued shuffling along, ignoring the fact that it was a little strange to have these many terrifying statues of various creatures in largely varying poses.

Edmund stopped when he came across a lion frozen in mid-roar. He looked around cautiously, and then picked up an old piece of charcoal. Perhaps this is Aslan, he grinned. Perhaps the witch has frozen the old cat already. Edmund lifted the piece of charcoal and held it to the lion's face.

Aslan, King of Narnia. Look at you now! Edmund crowed silently. You're not so powerful. He thought all of this as he vandalized the lion's face. Edmund took a second to admire his work, leaving the lion, who he knew deep down wasn't Aslan, with glasses and a mustache.

Edmund continued through the courtyard, wishing to be inside soon and warm up. He approached the steps of the palace, and began to step over what looked like an old log in the dim light. His mistake.

It happened in the blink of an eye. One second he was about to start climbing the stairs in front of him, the next he was on the ground with an enormous, terrifying wolf that was glaring and growling at him, pinning him down with a heavy paw.

"Be still, stranger, or you will never move again," the wolf said with a deadly calm tone. His voice sent chills down Edmund's spine. It wasn't deep, but it still sounded like it came from the back of his throat, like his growls. His voice was no where near the warm quality that the beavers' had. "Who are you?"

Edmund was frantic. The wolf's claws were pressing through his brown shirt and into his skin.

"I'm Edmund!" he shouted. "I met the queen in the woods! She told me to come back here!" Edmund feared for his life, spouting out anything he believed could save it. "I'm a Son of Adam!" The wolf backed up slowly, getting off of Edmund and allowing him to rise, but still watching him with a steely eye.

"My apologies," he said as he did so, "fortunate favored of the queen, or else, not so fortunate." The animal's words sent an eerie feeling shivering up Edmund's spine.

The wolf turned away and began to walk slowly up the stairs, gesturing with his head that the boy should follow.

"Right this way," he said as they reached the second set of stairs. Edmund slowly shuffled behind the wolf, uncertain of what exactly he was doing. The only things that kept him going forward was the promise of Turkish Delight and the prospect of becoming ruler of this Wintry Wonderland.

They approached a large room with empty floors. The only piece of furniture Edmund had actually seen since he'd entered the castle was the white throne that was across the room from him. Edmund was slightly in awe and hardly aware when the wolf told him to wait there and left.

Edmund approached the throne slowly, mesmerized. He touched the armrest lightly before easing himself onto the seat, savoring the moment. He could just imagine bossing his siblings about while he sat there. He would be the one in charge then. No one would be able to tell him what to do.

Edmund took no notice as the queen quietly walked up beside him and put a graceful hand on the back of the throne.

"Like it?" she asked lowly, startling Edmund. Edmund jumped up, slightly embarrassed that he was caught by the queen while sitting in her own throne.

"Yes... your majesty," he stammered and stepped back.

"I thought you might," the queen said in the same tone and took Edmund's place, looking at Edmund with icy eyes. "Tell me, Edmund... are your sisters, deaf?"

"No," Edmund replied, wondering if this was some kind of joke.

"Is this friend of yours ignorant?"

"No," Edmund said again, slightly more confused.

"And your brother. Is he unintelligent?" the queen asked lightly. Edmund thought for a second.

"Well, I think so, but Mum says-"

"Then how dare you come alone!" the queen stood up from her throne, towering high over Edmund. "Edmund, I ask so little of you." Her tone dripped with disappointment, and despite the fear he was feeling, Edmund felt ashamed yet confused at her anger.

"They just don't listen to me!" he tried to reason with the queen.

"Couldn't even do that," she continued, ignoring him.

"I-I did bring them halfway," Edmund interjected hopefully. "They're in the little house on the dam with the beavers." The queen fell into silence for a few seconds, then sat back down on her throne.

"Well," she said, "I guess you're not a total loss then."

Edmund hesitantly stepped forward, completely oblivious to the fact that what he was about to ask was completely idiotic and horribly timed.

"I was wondering," he began slowly, "could I maybe have some more Turkish Delight now?" The queen just looked over at Ginnarbrik with a darkly amused look on her face.

"Our guest is hungry," she told him with a slight lilt in her voice.

"This way," the dwarf walked up to Edmund and sneered, "for your num-nums!" He drew a knife and touched the point to Edmund's back. The look on Edmund's face was full of shock and fear as he realized what was happening.

"Maugrim!" the witch called, and the giant wolf that had escorted Edmund into that frozen hell appeared by her side. "You know what to do." The wolf nodded and tilted his head up to howl, several wolves appearing on all sides of the rooms. The horrible truth was bouncing about on the insides of Edmund's brain, and his insides plummeted when he heard another voice.

"STOP!"