Even a traitor may mend || The chronicles of narnia

The witches camp

"Stop."
Edmund breathed a sigh of relief when the with called this, sinking slowly to his knees.
"We'll camp here for the night."
Edmund frowned, and it was only then that he realised it was dark... he'd been so distracted by the pain he was in, that he hadn't even realised they'd been walking all afternoon and evening.
"What of the prisoner?" Ginnabrik quetesioned, tugging harsly on the rope. "We cannot have him escaping."
The witch seemed to think for a moment before walking over. "Give me some rope." She hissed.
Edmund's heart pounded as Ginnabrik rooted through his bag before handing the witch a reasonable length of rope.
The witch didn't thank him as she took it, and instead tied one end around Edmund's neck, and the other around a branch of a neaby tree.
Edmund sighed as he had no choice but to lean against the tree, the rope to short to let him lie down or even move forward slightly without strangling himself.
"I dont think he'll be escaping anytime soon." The witch spat, before walking a short way away, Ginnabrik following quickly behind her.
Edmund, after a while, managed to shuffle slightly so he was leaning sideways against the tree, leaning on his back was causing more pain than he could cope with, and not to mention the fact that his hands were still tied behind him.
Edmund didn't sleep at all that night, and he couldn't understand why... he was absolutely exhausted.
But his mind was alert, his ears picking up on every single tiny sound, causing him so much worry he was pretty sure he almost went in to a full on panic attack more than a few times.
Not to mention that when he sort of dropped off to sleep, his head would fall, causing the rope to tighten and for him to wake immediately, gasping slightly at the second of strangulation.
He was surprised that he was left alone for the night, Ginnabrik and the witch not coming anywhere near him.
Surprised that is, but so, so, so grateful

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The next morning, at first light, the witch stalked over to him and untied the rope around his neck, before yanking him to his feet.
"Move." She hissed, shoving roughly at his shoulder.
Edmund blinked away his exhaustion as he felt Ginnabrik grab the end of the rope, and started walking again, knowing he had absolutely no choice.
They'd been walking for around an hour befor Edmund gasped slightly. Ginnabrik had tugged at the rope, actually pulling so hard that Edmund fell backwards, landing on his back with a cry.
Seeming as his hands were still tied behind him, he had tried his hardest not to land on them, but it didn't work.
He was just about to try and get to his feet when the witch walked over, not looking at all happy.
She scowled deeply and yanked Edmund to his feet, keeping a firm grip on his shoulder even when he was standing upright.
Edmund began struggling against her grip, squeezing his eyes shut as her grip got harder, and to be honest, her strength surprised Edmund.
"I suggest you stop tripping." The witch hissed. "You're holding us up and wasting precious time."
Edmund swallowed hard and stopped struggling, opening his eyes and instead glaring up at her. "The more time I waste the better." He spat. "You are not getting to my siblings."
The witch laughed. "I don't need to." She said. "My wolves will bring them to me." And with that, she backhanded Edmund across the face.
Edmund didn't have time to make any sort of noise before he hit the floor, and from the way it felt, the smack was more along the lines of a punch.
His vision went black for just a moment before coming back into focus, his head pounding and his jaw and cheek on fire.
He could also feel blood dripping down his chin, and didn't need to be told that the punch had split his lip clean open, and he also had no doubt that it would bruise down to the bone. Actually, it felt as though a bruise was already forming.
"Now get up and get walking." The witch spat.
Edmund let out a quiet sob as he forced himself to his feet, swaying slightly and struggling to keep his balance.
He eventually managed it though and began stumbling quickly through the woods.
He didn't know how long they were walking for, but it must of been atleast midday when he found himself face down on the floor, and realised he must of collapsed.
He couldn't even bring himself to move when he saw the witch walk over and stand in front of him, he was too weak.
"Get up." The witch said, her voice firm.
Edmund swallowed hard. "C - Can't." He whispered, shaking his head slightly.
"And why can't you." The witch said, placing her hand on her hip and glaring down at him.
Edmund hesitated, but in the end sighed. "Water?" He choked. "Please."
The witch stared at him, not looking very happy, but in the end she glanced at Ginnabrik. "Find some water." She said with a nod of her head.
Edmund sighed in relief when he felt Ginnabrik drop the rope before stomping off into the woods in search of water. But he gasped in pain when his arm was grabbed and he was yanked to his feet.
He swayed slightly, unable to keep his balance because of how weak his was, but the witch pretty much kept him on his feet until Ginnabrik came back, carrying a cup full of water.
Edmund couldn't help but lick his lips, and the second the rim of the cup was pressed to his lips, he downed the whole cup, slightly disappointed when there was none left, but some was better than none he supposed.
Throwing the cup to the floor the witch gave him a hard shove. "Now move." She hissed.
Edmund felt Ginnabrik grab the rope as he continued walking, feeling rather a lot better now that he'd had some water, but unfortunately he was still in a lot of pain.
Once again he walked for so long he lost track of time, and before he knew it the sun was setting.
He stopped abruptly when the witch told him too, feeling Ginnabrik yank the rope.
Edmund couldn't help but whimper quickly as it ripped through more of his already shredded skin around his wrists, and it was only after that did the pain from the back of his legs register.
After hours upon hours of walking and tripping, Ginnabrik had whipped the back of his legs so many times that the pain was almost as bad as his back... almost that is, not quite.
The amount of scrapes and bruises that covered his legs left Edmund in shock, and the itching, irritating feeling from where he'd been stung by stingy nettles was about to drive him crazy.
And not to mention how badly his legs ached, as well as his shoulders - from having his hands tied behind him.
"It took us long enough." He heard the witch mutter.
Edmund frowned and glanced up, swallowing hard when he saw - in the distance - fires.
Fires and tents and all sorts of horrific creatures, all stomping around the makeshift camp, making, what looked like, weapons.
Edmund gulped... the war.
He stumbled slightly when he was pushed ahead until they actually reached the camp, where he fell slowly to his knees, not even caring what happened next, as long as they let him lie still for a while.
He did however listen to what the witch and Ginnabrik were saying.
"Update?" He heard the witch ask.
"Your majesty-" That wasn't Ginnabrik. "Almost a thousand weapons and more on the way, and almost the same amount in the army so far."
"Good." Was all the witch said, before Edmund saw her look down at him.
"Ginnabrik."
Edmund took a deep breath at the smirk on the witches face, and couldn't stop his heart from pounding in his chest.
"Take Edmund here and tie him to a tree." The witch said. "I will be along shortly." And with that she walked away.
Edmund didn't even struggle as he was pushed to his feet and over to a tree in the centre of the camp... he had no strength to struggle anyway.
He did however groan in pain when Ginnabrik cut the ropes around his wrists before forcing him to sit against the tree, the bark immediately digging into the lashes on his back.
He just sat there as Ginnabrik tied him tightly to the tree, even when he found it hard to breathe he didn't do anything.
He let out a quiet sob when he was gagged though, at once feeling his lip split wide again, blood dripping down his chin. Ginnabrik gave him an evil smirk as he purposely tightened the cloth, before slowly stepping away.
Edmund let his head fall back against the trunk, wincing as the tree dug harder into his back. He tested the ropes slightly, but found himself unable to even move, causing him to sigh.
"There's no escape." Ginnabrik taunted. "You're stuck here until-" He paused and laughed. "Until the Queen decides you're no longer useful."
Edmund's heart skipped a beat. If he was honest, he knew the witch would kill him when she figured he wasn't any use anymore, but actually hearing Ginnabrik say it, caused him so much fear he found himself unable to breathe for a moment.
He didn't want to die, he wanted to see his siblings again... he wanted to apologise, to make things right and to fix his relationship with them all, especially Peter.
At the very thought of his older brother, tears filled Edmund's eyes... what had happened between him and his brother?
They used to be so close, and now?... well they could hardly talk to each other without it ending in an argument.
If Edmund ever got out of here, he wouldn't stop until he'd fixed his relationship with Peter, no matter if Peter forgave him or not.
But at the moment, it didn't seem like he'd be returning to his siblings any time soon.
He wondered what they'd do if they saw him like this... bound and gagged, at the mercy of the witch and her dwarf.
But he couldn't bring himself to imagine the horror that would be on Lucy's face, or the shock on Susan's, or the sheer panick on Peter's.
He knew that, despite everything, his siblings did care for him, did still love him... well, before he betrayed them that is, now... he wasn't so sure.
Perhaps they did now hate him? Perhaps they never wanted to see him again, and maybe they were happy he was gone, after all, who would want a brother who had betrayed them?
His eyes snapped open (when did he even shut them?) When the whip flicked his knee, causing him to let out a strangled cry from behind the gag.
He hardly noticed the tears that slipped down his cheeks, but when he did he couldn't bring himself to care, he was in too much pain to care.
He tried to ignore when Ginnabrik pulled out his knife, smirking slightly and approaching him.
He stopped though when the witch walked over, stopping in front of them both. "The ropes tight enough I suppose?" She snapped down at the dwarf.
"He can't even move." Ginnabrik said, bowing his head.
Edmund took a deep breath as he stared up at the witch, who looked down at him and smirked. "I'd get comfortable if I were you." She said. "You're gonna be here a while."
Edmund's heart pounded in his chest and he had to force back a sob, squeezing his eyes shut instead.
"You are free to do what you want."
Edmund froze when the witch said this, already knowing that the next few hours was gonna bring him quite a bit of pain.
"Just don't kill him." And with that she turned and walked away.
Edmund hesitantly opened his eyes once he was sure she was gone, and sighed in relief when he found he was right, but the relief was short lived when Ginnabrik stepped into his line of vision.
He couldn't do anything except cry out as Ginnabrik flicked the whip against he leg, and by now Edmund had guessed that the dwarfs favourite form of punishment was obviously the whip.
But was this really just punishment? Or had it gone beyond that and was it now just plain torture?
No, he deserved this, after everything he'd done to his siblings, after everything he'd put them through, this was his punishment.
He supposed it was both really, punishment in the form of torture... and he really wasn't enjoying it.
But he just kept telling himself over and over again that he deserved it, until he believed himself, until he believed he deserved all the pain, all the torture, all the hunger, all the thirst, all the exhaustion... all of it.
He froze when he felt the cold blade of Ginnabrik's dagger press against the side of his neck, and cringed at the dwarfs laughter.
But the knife didn't cut him, and he breathed a sigh of relief when Ginnabrik stepped away.
"Is our little prince comfortable?" He mocked. "Does he want his pillow fluffed?"
Edmund turned his head away when Ginnabrik went to hit him, straining his chin slightly against the gag.
"Special treatment for the special boy." Ginnabrik laughed, walking around the tree and appearing on Edmund's other side, making him jump slightly. "Isn't that what you wanted?"
Edmund couldn't help but glare at him as he stepped away, and with a sinking heart he realised that this was going to be a very long night.

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