Deep Magic - A Narnia Story

V: Storm

After much deliberation, we finally reached an agreement. One that I am not too pleased with, but an agreement nonetheless. Walking out of Aslan's tent we are met with a crowd of anxiously waiting people. I do suppose we did take quite a while to reach a conclusion.

Knowing I'm not fully on board with this, Aslan addresses the crowd on our behalf. "She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood." With relief and excitement the crowd begins to celebrate, and the siblings hug their brother, unaware of what Aslan really meant.

Turning to us, she has the audacity to question us, "how do I know your promise will be kept?" Not tolerating her questioning our promise, I feel fire erupt from my hands and hear Aslan roar from beside me. From what I can only assume is fear, the Witch falls back into her "throne" to which our people laugh at. With that she departs from the camp.

Though I am upset by what we now have to give up, I am happy that the siblings are ok. As such, after a brief glance at Aslan, I move over to them to give them a hug.

After a while more of celebrating, I decide to continue training, mostly to clear my mind. As I'm doing some target practice I feel someone walk up behind me, judging by the lack of stealth and the footstep pattern, I infer that it's Peter. "I thought you would be resting after the day we've all had."

Not taking my eyes off the target, with my bow still loaded, I respond, "I could say the same for you." After shooting my arrow and hitting a bullseye, I turn to look at him with a grin on my face. A grin which he returns.

After a moment of silence he speaks again, "thank you, for today, and for helping Edmund."

"It wasn't right for Edmund to be punished for something that is not his fault. Not only that, but he's right, Narnia needs all of you."

"So are you going to teach me how to use one of these things?" He asks with a laugh, but an undeniable seriousness.

"You up for the challenge, your Majesty?" I joke with a smirk.

"Though I'm not King yet, I quite like the sound of the title that comes with it, your Majesty." He responds with the same joking tone.

"Well c'mon then, you've much to learn," I respond.

After a few hours of teaching Peter the basics of archery, we decide to call it a day and head to bed after dinner. Throughout the night I find myself tossing and turning, until I eventually fall asleep for at least a few hours with the peace that we at least have a few days until the full moon and Aslan's sacrifice.

Over the course of the next few days training and strategizing continues with relative peace, at least, until the day of the full moon that is. That day I can't help but be anxious and more alert than usual. I could tell Peter noticed my change of demeanor, but he chose not to comment on it.

When nightfall came, and we all eventually headed to bed, I once again found myself restless and staring at the ceiling of my tent. That is until I noticed Aslan exit his tent and begin walking out of the camp. With that I found myself crying, mourning what will soon be the loss of a great leader. I could feel the deep magic try to show me something, but a lack of focus due to my emotions resulted in me not quite understanding what it was trying to tell me.

At some point in the night I could, once again, feel a shift in Narnia that could only have been a result of Aslan being gone. Once I could see morning light through the door of my tent, I got up and began getting ready for the day, dressing only in the light clothes that will inevitably go beneath armour later in the day.

As I stand in front of the strategy map in front of Aslan's tent a dryad comes up to me with a bow. "Your Majesty, I bring grave news."

"I'm aware, Aspen. Please inform the boys." I respond without removing my eyes from the map. Shortly after she leaves, both Peter and Edmund come to stand around the map as well.