To Be Brave (Chronicles of Narnia fanfiction)

Chapter 10: Trapped (Part 1)

Dead silence consumed Edmund and Hannah as they entered the castle. The girl tried her best to keep up with him. Her mind was determined, but her body wasn't complying. Cold licked her face and crept under her clothes. The wind was icy, yet still. It sent chills down her spine. However, nothing made her feel more uncomfortable than the courtyard full of figures that towered over her. Dozens of woodland creatures, centaurs, fauns, giants, dwarves, wolves... the list went on. However, one large ogre that made her jump in particular. It looked like it was attacked in the middle of a strike. One of its hands held onto a club while the other was drenched in icicles. With the ogre's fierce eyes and the way it's teeth were bared, Hannah felt like she could still hear the echo of his battle cry.

She shivered at the idea of being turned into an ice sculpture. The quiet whistle of the wind scared her. Hannah followed Edmund, who seemed unsure of what to think. He didn't know whether to be fascinated or scared. When he stood face to face with the ogre, he jumped and a small gasp escaped his throat, accidentally bumping into Hannah in the process. The two glanced at each other uncomfortably before moving on.

With each step she made, Hannah's body tensed. The silence was starting to feel more disturbing by the minute. However, there was a hidden beauty in the White Witch's castle, something that even she couldn't ignore.

When Edmund moved to the side, his foot crunched on something hard. Once he lowered his head, he saw that the hard object turned out to be a pile of charcoal-covered sticks. His lips stretched into a small smirk as he picked it up. He etched a pair of spectacles and a mustache on what looked like a large cat. Hannah rolled her eyes at the way he smiled.

"How mature," she said, dryly.

Much to her delight, his lips straightened. They continued towards another courtyard of stoned animals and people. The fact that each and every one of them were once living and breathing beings caused her to have haunting thoughts. It was like walking through a graveyard, with the constant feeling of being overwhelmed by uncertainty.

As for Edmund, his sister's voice echoed in his mind. She says that she's the Queen, but she really isn't. He tried to forget her pestering voice, but it was hard when all the evidence was laid out right in front of him.

He mindlessly stepped over what seemed to be another statue drenched in snow. However, Hannah jumped when she heard a sharp growl. She gasped when she saw that it came from a large, gray wolf. It pinned the boy to the ground with its paws, glaring at him menacingly in the eyes.

"Be still stranger, or never move again," he threatened. The wolf's pupils flickered from Edmund to Hannah, who stood behind him, completely still and unable to move. "Who are you?"

"I'm Edmund!" Edmund cried, his voice shaking in fear. "I met the queen in the woods! She told me to come back here! I'm a Son of Adam, and I brought her!" he pointed at the girl. "She's a Daughter of Eve!"

The wolf's snarl slowly lost its form. His features grew somewhat softer, but there was still a hint of suspicion. "Hmm," he mumbled, stepping off the boy. "My apologies, fortunate favorites of the queen, or else not so fortunate."

Hannah swore she saw the wolf glance at her. She shot Edmund a cold stare before following him up a flight of stairs that were carved from ice. The surface was very slick, making it hard to climb. With each step, the girl scolded herself for making such an impulsive decision to follow a boy and a wolf to her doom. However, she wasn't doing it for him. It was for Peter, Susan, and Lucy-especially Lucy. This was why she needed to be brave. She tried to straighten her back and she held her head high.

In no time, they arrived at the throne room. "This way," the wolf said. He led the two children to the dais, where the majestic, icy throne sat. It was tall, with white furs covered the seat and armrests. "Wait here." Edmund and Hannah watched the wolf walk through an archway before glancing at each other. They were the only two people in the room. A heavy silence settled over them, and it was much thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere, but the tension was released once Hannah turned to Edmund.