The Heart Of Gold: Book 1 (A Narnia Fanfiction)

Chapter 17: The Battle Begins.

They scrambled out of their hiding space. Weary, full of despair and teary, walking upto Aslan, they looked at his limp body.

Hamish looked devastated. He couldn't even talk to his own father properly. Even when he had the chance. He was always disturbed by the fact that he had left them. He never even sat and talked with him, or even call him, his father.

Lucy touched his fur, lovingly, "He's still warm.."

Hamish and Susan fumbled with the muzzle around his mouth, breaking it free.

"He's gone.." Susan whispered, eyes glistening with tears, and broke down.

Hamish felt his vision getting blurred as the tears welled up in his eyes. His eyes felt as though they were burning. He took a deep breath and said, his voice shaky, "We need to inform Anna and the others."

"But how?" Lucy asked him, as he scratched his chin, deep in thought.

                                        ***

It was four in the morning when Peter was shaken out of his deep slumber, by a frantic Edmund, who looked like he had seen a ghost.

"What is it, Ed?" Peter grumbled, sleepily.

"They're on the move, Pete! We've got to get ready!"

That pulled him out of his daze.

"Right, sorry." He scrambled to his feet, grabbing his armour, and looked at Edmund, "Tell the others to get ready."

Edmund hesitated, "Uh- You see, Susan, Hamish and Lucy are nowhere to be found, and Anna woke me up herself."

"They must be with Aslan?"

"Actually- I thought that too. But he's nowhere."

As if on cue, Anna burst into their tent.

"Hurry u-" She looked at Peter. "You're already awake, that's good. It's Hamish. Some message."

Peter and Edmund looked at each other, and then followed her out of the tent, to another one, where all the Generals and Fighters close to Aslan were waiting for them.

Peter and Edmund, both, thought that Hamish had returned to tell them something, but that was not the case at all.

They entered the tent, to see a shocking sight.

It was Phoenix. Regal and Mighty, it perched on a piece of wood. But it wasn't a real Phoenix. It was a Phoenix made completely of fire.

"His Highess, King Hamish has a message to be delivered to you, Princess." It spoke in a silky, deep voice, looking at Anna.

"What is it?" She asked, crossing her arms.

The Phoenix looked solemn, as it bowed his head, and continued, "The Great Aslan is dead."

Silence.

Oreius looked baffled. Peter and Edmund were standing, frozen to their spot. The other generals thought it was a trick from the witch. Only, Anna's head was hung in guilt, as her eyes filled with tears.

"He also told me to inform you, that Queen Susan and Lucy are present with him. He wishes you- his best in fighting the witch." The Phoenix said, as it burst into a ball of fire and then, ashes fell down, from where it had been perched.

Again, an awkward silence hung in the air.

"That's it?" Edmund said, as he looked at Peter and Anna.

Peter was still in shock. He seemed to recall the incidents that had happened yesterday, and turned his head to Anna, accusingly.

"You knew this, didn't you?" He said, anger evident in his voice.