Narnia: A Queen's Hope

Temptation of the Witch

Leandre didn't want to see anyone after her outburst. She walked along the empty hallways while trying to control her breathing and an oncoming roar that was building up on her throat at the audacity of both Caspian and Peter to fight each other when they already have a fight with common enemy.

How easy it is for them to stop trusting on others when things get too hard for them to even do alone.

Her ears twitched to the sound of footsteps right behind her "I don't want to see anyone for now. Please leave" When they didn't even make a move to leave, Leandre let out a low growl and swiftly turned around.

"Could you please-"

A gasp was let out of her mouth and the last thing she saw was a dark shadow and a cackle before her world went black.

***

Lucy had gone looking for Leandre when she didn't show up to her room and had asked almost every Narnian in the vicinity with no avail to where the lioness had gone.

She had just turned around another corner of the tunnel when she let out a small shriek when she tumbled down to the ground when her foot caught something big.

She stood up and turned to see an unconscious and barely breathing Leandre on the ground "Peter! Susan!" Lucy cried out in fear as she rushed towards the limp form of Leandre and began inspecting for any signs of a wound.

Edmund arrived first before Susan and Peter came. Leandre groaned when she felt someone shaking her "Caspian..." She gasped before falling unconscious again.

"Go your Majesties, we'll look after her" a female faun said in reassurance as Peter nodded before rushing to where the Stone Table is with Edmund and Lucy after him.

Susan stayed a few minutes back as she helped the other healers to check on Leandre "My Queen, it looks as if you have been poisoned" the female faun said sadly and terror gripped Susan in a vice grip.

"I'll be fine Susan, go find the others" Leandre said in assurance when she was once again swarmed by the healers. Susan took one last glance at Leandre before she followed after the direction where her siblings went.

***

"It looks like you've been poisoned my lady" One of the healers said as Leandre rested with sweat on her forehead "Poisoned? What else is new..." Cordula mumbled out the last part "Is there a cure?" The healers looked at her then at each other with sad eyes "None that we can find my lady" They answered sorrowfully before Leandre noticed their eyes misting.

"There is no time to shed tears, we have a traitor in our midst. Gather all of the children and let my cousins find the culprits, Now!" The healers wasted no time doing just that after Leandre gave them a fierce glare and a low growl.

***

"Lea...?" A weak voice made Leandre open her eyes to see the misty eyes of Lucy as the little woman crouched down and patted her fur softly as if one wrong move could break the weak lioness "Did you catch them? There were no casualties?" Leandre asked and Lucy nodded "Nikabrik betrayed us, he has fallen favour to the White Witch" Leandre made a noise.

"Temptation, man's biggest test of will"

Lucy winced when she moved her arm at a certain angle. That didn't went unnoticed from Leandre's watchful gaze "What happened to your arm?" Leandre asked with narrowed eyes. Lucy tried to shrug off what Leandre just saw but one look from the lioness had the Queen sighing in defeat.

"Nikabrik tried to break my arm" Lucy said slowly "That was until Trumpkin saved my life" Lucy said shyly. Leandre blinked when she saw a slight blush forming, not enough to be noticeable but noticeable enough for those with good eye.

"You like him...Oh Lucy, your first crush is a Narnian way older than you" Lucy crossed her arms "As you know, I am a hundred years older than him" Lucy said haughtily and the two laughed before Leandre went into a wheezing fit and groaned. Lucy looked over at her worriedly "Are you alright?" Leandre grunted in response.

"Being poisoned is not something I am usually subjected to these days"

Lucy frowned and ran a hand across the golden fur that seemed to have lost its shine. A rumbling purr came out of the lioness' throat "You big cat" Lucy said with a slight smile.

"As opposed of being called the Queen of Beasts then?"

Leandre joked, earning a laugh from Lucy. The door opened and the two looked up to see Susan holding the familiar scent of chicken soup "My favourite..." Leandre smiled as Susan sat down and handed her the bowl. Leandre shifted back to her human form and lightly took a drink only to almost spat it out "I guess the poison also makes my favourite things feel less flavorful" Leandre said with a grimace before wincing in pain.

"Leandre, where does it hurt?" Susan asked as she helped Leandre settle down on the mat "Does everywhere count?" Leandre groaned "I don't think I would be able to transform in this condition" Leandre frowned "Then don't force yourself, you need your strength" Susan said gently.

"What I need is to find out who else has fallen into the temptation of the white witch, we cannot allow anymore to fall after the failed attempt at the castle" Leandre said sternly before she promptly lay down after dizziness clouded her eyes.

"Don't worry Leandre, it seems the Hag and the Werewolf with her were once part of the White Witch's army and one of her 'loyal' servants apparently"

The door suddenly swung open again and all eyes turned to see Trumpkin looking over at them "What's wrong?" Lucy asked. He hesitated for a moment, gaze going over to the injured Queen before answering.

"There's something you need to see and we might have a problem" Leandre perked up and struggled to sit up "You shouldn't move like that!" Susan cried out as she steadied her.

"I need to see this. I will not be subjected to sitting here helpless while the lot of you are out there in the battlefield"

Susan nodded grimly and with Lucy's help, the two helped Leandre head outside the How. They met up with Peter, Edmund and Caspian overlooking the field "You shouldn't be up yet" Peter said in a worried tone.

"I'm fine, considering we have a much bigger problem than this" Leandre said when she spotted something black heading towards them, slowly and surely and were those catapults?

Aslan...where are you?