Our Angel - E. Pevensie [1]

11 - Battle is Declared

That night, my sleep was more fitful than usual. There was a constant dull throb at the back of my head, and I tossed and turned to try and drift off.

Over Susan's lightly sleeping figure, I saw the shadow of Lucy turn as well, followed by a defeated sigh. I sat up and smiled through the dark.

"Can't sleep either?" I whispered. The outline of Lucy sat up and nodded at me. "Perhaps we could..." I trailed off, not bothering to finish my sentence as the shadow of a great lion passed by our tent. Simultaneously, Lucy and I leaned forward to whisper Susan's name.

As her eyes fluttered open and she rubbed her eyes tiredly, I threw my legs over the side of my bed and began to lace up my shoes.

I stood and grabbed my sword. "Something's wrong with Aslan." I looked at Lucy. "We can feel it." Susan nodded shortly, slipping on her shoes and grabbing her quiver. I helped Lucy tie on her cloak and we slowly crept out of our tent together.

Silently, we turned the corner. A golden tail could just be seen at the edge of the forest, and I quickly rushed behind it, beckoning the girls behind me. We hopped between trees along the path behind him, trying our best to stay light on our feet. Aslan's soft paws slowed to a stop and I held my breath.

"Shouldn't you three be in bed?" He spoke into the crisp air. I sighed and we stepped out from behind the tree shamefully, as if we had just been caught by our mother stealing from the cookie jar.

"We couldn't sleep." Lucy spoke softly.

"Something is wrong, isn't it?" I asked. He didn't reply.

"Please, Aslan. Couldn't we come with you?" Susan spoke up. The great lion sighed.

"I would be glad of the company for a while. Thank you." He nodded. We all made our way over to him, Susan on his left and Lucy and I to his right. Our fingers tangled themselves in his mane as we walked in silence.

Lucy had her head down, watching her feet crush the leaves below us. Susan and I shared concerned looks the entire way. Something was definitely wrong with the king.

Once again, Aslan stopped walking. "It is time. From here, I must go on alone." His confident voice spoke quietly.

"But Aslan..." Susan said.

"You have to trust me." He turned to me, his golden eyes bore into mine. "For this must be done. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Macey. And thank you, Lucy. Farewell." Our grasp loosened on his mane as he slid away, walking through the trees. We watched him walk in silence before I scoffed.

"Go on alone my bum." I took Susan's hand and led us on a path parallel to Aslan's. We crept behind large rocks and trees until the Lion came back into view. He was walking towards the Stone Table, where dozens of hideous creatures waited for him with fire and weapons. The Witch stood tall in the middle of the table. Ducking behind a rock, there was nothing the girls and I could do but watch.

"Behold. The great lion." The witch's voice roared. Her followers screeched, chanting and mocking the lion. They poked him with staffs and taunted him as he walked to face the witch.

"Why doesn't he fight back?" Lucy whispered. I shook my head and grabbed the small girl's hand. Susan had a hand on each of our shoulders.

I turned back to the horrible scene before us. Aslan had been knocked off his feet and now laid on his side. The hideous creatures surrounded him, sawing and hacking at his beautiful mane. Lucy whimpered.

"Bring him to me." The witch called. Aslan was dragged towards her. The beasts and creatures roared, pounding their fire sticks on the ground and shouting. Aslan's head recoiled as it was dragged up the stairs. He didn't make any move to put up a fight. The crowd only got louder and louder until the Witch cut an arm through the air. Silence.

More pain seared through my head as I realized what this was. It was his promise. Aslan had sacrificed himself for Edmund. Tears rushed to my eyes and I clenched my eyes shut, willing for this to be a bad dream.

When I opened my eyes the Witch was leaning over Aslan's face, speaking hushed words to him. Aslan's chest heaved as she stood straight again, raising something into the air. A dagger.

"Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased!" She yelled. "But tomorrow, we will take Narnia forever! In that knowledge, despair..."

Aslan's eyes moved up until they met mine. I choked on a sob, covering my mouth with my hand. His eyes gleamed as he looked to the three of us, and I could see him subtly nod to us.

"...and die!" The Witch called, plunging the knife into Aslan's side. Lucy made a noise of shock and horror. The lion's eyes widened as the light slowly left them. Tears fell from my eyes quickly, and Lucy and I both turned to Susan's chest as we sobbed. I could feel her tears hit my head as well.

"The Great Cat...is dead!" The Witch screamed.

The girls and I held each other tightly as the crowd slowly fled, leaving Aslan's body on the table. We slowly approached him.

Lucy gripped my hand and I gently pulled her to Aslan's side, sitting next to her by his head. Susan sat on the other side. As if she remembered something, Lucy jumped a little and reached in her belt. She pulled out her healing cordial and began to unscrew the top.

"It's too late. He's gone." Susan whispered with the smallest of smiles. "He must have known what he was doing." Lucy returned her vial to its sheath and nodded before burying her face in Aslan's. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw small brown and black spots crawl onto Aslan.

Susan sees them too. "Get away! Get away, all of you!" She swatted her hands at the mice.

"No. Look." I pointed out. They were chewing off his binds.  Freeing him. I quickly began to unbind his paws as Lucy and Susan pushed the muzzle off him. We stared at him for a little bit longer before Susan spoke.

"We have to tell the others." Lucy and I sat up.

"We can't just leave him!" She cried.

Susan shook her head and grabbed her quiver. "Lucy, there's no time. They need to know."

I grabbed her arm. "No, wait. The trees." Lucy and I looked around us, noticing the breeze traveling through the trees. I stepped forward from the table and held my chin high.

"Tell the kings that Aslan is gone. A war is coming. I'm on my way to help them." There was silence as I spoke, and when I finished a white petal drifted past my head and brushed against my cheek. I nodded, knowing that the message would reach Peter and Edmund.

I turned back to the girls and gripped my sword, smiling weakly. "Stay. I've got to go help the others, they need me,"

Susan shook her head and reached forward to grab my hand. "You can't go into battle, Macey!" Her eyes begged me to agree.

"Su, I can. And I will. Peter would want you two safe, and you're probably safest here. Stay." I squeezed her hand.

"Peter wants you safe too, Mae!" Lucy looked up from Aslan. I smiled tightly at her.

"Peter isn't my brother. He can't tell me what to do." I ruffled Lu's hair softly. "Archie is my brother. And if he's fighting in a war, then so am I." The girls sighed and nodded, knowing I had made up my mind. After a few tight hugs, I turned and made my way back to camp. And who knows what I was walking into.