✲⋅*♚ ,∴°

𝕭𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐈: 𝖂𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝖂𝐀𝐑

𝕮𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝕱𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧: flames in the dark

THE TENT SHE'D BEEN GIVEN was located at the east side of the camp. The red cloth waved softly in the summer breeze. As soon as she entered it, Ashara let herself fall down on the soft bed that stood in the middle of the tent. A content sigh escaped her lips. Finally her aching bones could get the rest they deserved. It'd been a while since she slept but she knew she wouldn't have trouble doing so tonight. Here, safe inside the camp, she felt truly calm for the first time since she left the Hidden Castle. Though all wasn't as it should be...

Aslan's words about the fate of Edmund Pevensie haunted her. She wished there was something she could do to help the boy but the laws of the Deep Magic spoke very clearly. Traitors were to be killed on the stone table. Apparently he wasn't merely enchanted by the Witch's food, but he made the very conscious choice to go back to her, or else Aslan would not have told her there was no other way. Yet she knew the Lion wasn't unjust and would try everything in his power to save those who deserved it. So maybe she simply needed to have faith that he would try to do everything he could to save Edmund.

With a sigh she got up from the comfortable bed, resisting the urge to close her eyes and sleep through the remainder of the day. Instead she walked over to the wooden tub standing in the corner. It was filled with steaming water, which must've been done mere seconds before she entered the tent. Ashara smiled, grateful for whoever had thought to fill the tub.

As quick as she possibly could she got out of her red tunic, pants and boots. Slowly she lowered herself into the hot water, feeling her tired limbs relax. Though a reminder of their journey came way too soon when the wound on her arm stung upon touching the water. She winced and sat up a little straighter to keep it dry. She reminded herself she should let someone better experienced than her take a look at it.

For a while she simply enjoyed the warm water and the feeling of peace that embraced her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a hot bath. It felt like she'd been on the road for years instead of weeks but it had all been worth it. She'd saved their Kings and Queens from capture by the White Witch and had brought them safely to Aslan. She knew her father would be proud of her, despite having lost one son of Adam along the way...

When the water was starting to lose its warmth, Ashara stepped out of the tub and dried herself. For a moment she stared at her tunic, wanting to wash it first before having to put it on again but she hadn't brought any other clothes. Then her eyes landed on a red dress draped over the chair beside the bath. She smiled and reached for it. The cloth was made of velvet and decorated with a golden pattern along the round neckline. The same pattern was found at the hem of the sleeves. There was a golden belt that matched the dress. Ashara eyed the flats that were supposed to go with the dress but dismissed them and put her boots back on instead. They were much more comfortable and besides, the dress was long enough to cover most of her boots so it didn't look mismatched.

After she got dressed, Ashara took the time to comb through her thick brown hair. It was one big mess after spending so much time exposed to wind and weather. But after washing and combing it, her brown locks was shining once again. She braided her hair and after a satisfied look in the mirror, she reached for her sword, strapped it around her waist and made her way outside the tent. The camp was safe, she knew that, but she also knew it was stupid to walk around unarmed in times of war, no matter where you were.

The chatter of the Narnians greeted her, along with the familiar smell of strawberry cakes. Smiling to herself, Ashara followed the scent. It brought her to a tent closeby. A fire had been made outside and a pot was hanging over it, containing the delicious cakes. Several familiar Centaurs were gathered around the fire.

"Galios!" Ashara called out, watching with a grin as the young Centaur noticed her and enthusiastically made his way over to her.

"I'm so happy to see you again, Ash!" He said, wrapping his arms around her in her hug, still being small enough to do so.

She chuckled. "I'm happy to see you too."

The two of them made their way over to the fire where Oreius and his wife Penelope were gathered. Penelope smiled warmly at Ashara. "It's so good to see you safe and sound, dear."

"You too," Ashara replied, genuinely relieved to see the family had managed to safely make their way to the camp.

Oreius placed his big hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her. "Thank you for keeping an eye on our Kings and Queens."

She nodded. "Always."

"We thought we'd celebrate your return with your favorite food," Penelope said and gestured towards the cakes. "They just need to cool down a little."

"Thank you so much," she said, feeling her mouth water at the sight. The rations they'd been living off during their trip were far from enough. And though she'd managed to keep her complaints to herself, unlike Mr. Beaver, she couldn't deny she was absolutely starved.

Sadly she wasn't given a chance to try the delicious cakes because their conversation was cut short by the sound of a horn blowing. Deep tones echoed through the sky and despite never having heard the sound before, Ashara immediately knew what it meant.

"Susan," she muttered, breaking out into a sprint into the direction of the sound.

The heavy hooves of Oreius were right behind her as they hurried through the camp into the direction of the horn. Up ahead she could see Aslan gathering two fauns and a cheetah, who she believed was called Irzah. She hurried towards them, eyes questioning.

"They're at the stream," the lion spoke, looking at her as she reached him.

Ashara drew her sword and followed Aslan as he led the way towards their Kings and Queens. She could hear the panicked screams before she arrived at the scene and it made her run even faster, lifting her skirt so she wouldn't trip. Up ahead, between the trees, she spotted the gray fur of wolves and all air left her lungs. Maugrim and his pack had caught up to them after all. She made a quick scan of the situation. Lucy and Susan had climbed up into a tree. Peter was standing on the ground, sword drawn as the wolves circled him.

Aslan roared as he charged towards one of the wolves and trapped it beneath his claw, forcing the animal to the ground. At the sound of their arrival, Peter's head snapped up and for a moment his eyes met hers. Every bone within her body was crying out to him, wishing to rush forward, sword in hand, to help him. But at the sound of Aslan's voice, she froze.

"Stay your weapons! This is Peter's battle."

It took all her willpower to obey Aslan's orders. Slowly she lowered her sword and with a wild beating heart she watched the human and the wolf circle each other.

"You may think you're a king," Maugrim snarled, baring his teeth. "But you're going to die. Like a dog!" He jumped suddenly in a blur of claws and fangs.

Peter raised his sword but the weight of the wolf made him stumble and fall.

Lucy and Susan screamed and Ashara felt her heartbeat rise when neither Peter nor Maugrim moved. The sisters jumped down from the tree and ran over to their brother. They pushed the wolf away from him and revealed a startled looking Peter. Immediately they fell into his arms, crushing him into a hug.

Ashara breathed out slowly and the grip on her sword losened. She hadn't even realized how tightly she'd been holding it. As he held his sisters, Peter's eyes searched for hers and she offered him a shaky smile, which he returned.

A howl to her right made her look away from him. Aslan had released the wolf trapped beneath his paw. They watched as he sprinted away, disappearing between the trees.

"After him," Aslan ordered. "He'll lead you to Edmund."

Ashara didn't have to be told twice. She'd failed to protect the son of Adam before, she wouldn't do so again. Together with Oreius and the other Narnians Aslan had gathered, they sprinted after the wolf, disappearing into the forest.

Oreius offered her a hand and she took it, letting him pull her onto his back. She could run fast, but never as fast as him with his four legs. Izrah had no problem with the high speed and neither did the fauns for that matter. They might only have two legs, but they could be very fast if they wanted and right now they had every reason to.

The wolf was very fast, probably suspecting the Narnians were on his tail and hoping to lose them. But because of his speed, the animal was everything but careful and so his tracks were easily traceable along the forest floor. Trampled grass, a print in the dirt, Ashara saw it all and told the hunting party which direction to go in so they only had to focus on getting there.

As they went, they figured out they were heading west. The Witch's camp must've been located somewhere between the Beruna river and the hills to the west. The sun was going down by the time they could hear the muttering of voices and noise of the camp up ahead. The wolf had reached safety and the hunting party was forced to come to a halt.

Ashara jumped down from Oreius' back, gathering the Narnians around her. "We cannot just go storming in there. They will have guards posted and we'll be overrun before we can reach Edmund."

"We could distract them," one of the fauns offered. "Set fires on multiple places around the camp, give you the time to find the son of Adam and get him to safety."

It wasn't a bad idea, but Ashara didn't like the high risk it would prove for those who set the fires. There was no guarantee they would escape afterwards. She took a deep breath. "I need to know you all realize what this means. There aren't many who survive capture by the White Witch."

For a moment silence lingered between the small group of warriors. Finally it was Irzah who spoke, her amber eyes sparking with determination. "I would gladly take that risk for a chance to save Narnia."

Murmurs of agreement arose from the fauns. Ashara turned to look at Oreius, who nodded at her with an encouraging smile. The sight warmed her heart. This was exactly what she'd been dreaming of ever since the Witch invaded; the Narnians coming together to fight for their country. The Pevensies had not just given her hope, but the rest of the country as well.

She inhaled deeply, readying herself for what had to be done next. Going into battle was always a matter of trying to distance yourself from your heart and think rationally instead. She was going to have to accept they might not all survive the night. "Alright, you two-" she pointed at the two fauns "-go to the north side of the camp and set a fire there. Do not remain any longer than you have to but try to make sure as many creatures as possible come to check it out. Make some noise if you have to. You-" she turned to Irzah and Oreius "-go to the south side of the camp and set a fire there. I will give the signal. We'll meet at the west side of the camp when it's done."

"For Narnia," Oreius whispered.

"And for Aslan," the others replied.

Then they went their own ways.

Ashara walked through the forest towards the noise of the camp. In the time they'd taken to come up with their plan, darkness had fallen completely. She was forced to use what little moonlight came falling through the trees to navigate her way through the greenery. She didn't dare risk using her magic to light the way. She couldn't afford to give away her position before the plan was even set in motion.

As she approached the camp she could see its outer edge was well defended. Trees were cut down and made into spikes, which were pushed into the ground to form a fence. Every few paces a torch lit up a guardpost, almost making Ashara smile. One torch was more than enough to set a fire big enough to cause a commotion. The only problem after that would be finding Edmund...

If the Witch was smart she'd keep him somewhere in the middle of the camp. And, having grown familiar with her tactics after hundred years, Ashara guessed she'd place him somewhere publically, to set an example to all those who'd dare turn against her. At least she hoped that was the case. If not, a lot of precious time would go to waste. But this was their only change of getting Edmund back. And she refused to let it slip through her fingers.

She set her doubts aside, knowing they wouldn't help anybody. She had to be strong now. With determination burning within her eyes, she called upon her magic. Slowly she formed a ball of golden light in her hands, until it was big enough. She planted her feet firmly on the ground and sent the ball of light into the air.

To every ordinary onlooker it would look like a falling star. Except to the Narnians waiting patiently for the signal. They would know its true meaning.

Ashara came into motion, choosing to draw the dagger she'd been gifted by Father Christmas instead of her sword, knowing the sound of the blade being removed from its sheath would make too much noise. Crouched between the greenery she sprinted forward, her eyes focused on the cyclops standing guard at the nearest post.

Only when she was close enough to touch him did she stand up straight, appearing out of the long grass like a ghost, slicing his throat with her dagger before he could sound the alarm. Slowly she lowered his corpse to the ground and then took the torch from its holder. She walked over to the nearest tent, throwing a cautious look over her shoulder before setting fire to the dark cloth. She watched as the tent immediately caught flame and waited until she was sure it would spread before dropping the torch and sprinting to the nearest barrel, hiding behind it.

All she had to do now was wait and lucky for her, it didn't take long before warning shouts came from all around the camp. Far to her right she could see light flickering in the darkness, meaning Irzah and Oreius had succeeded in their mission. Hurried footsteps sprinted towards the fire, no one having noticed the one she started yet.

With one hand firmly on the hilt of her sword and the other one holding her dagger, Ashara ran from her hiding place, disappearing into the camp. Going from hiding place to hiding place, trying to move in the shadows, she slowly made her way towards the middle of the camp. Her heart was beating wildly against her ribcage, her nervosity making a muscle in her cheek twitch. But she ignored all of that, focusing all of her attention on her surroundings.

Wolves, dwarves from the black mountains, ghouls, she saw them all running towards the fire, desperate to put it out before their leader would murder them for being lazy.

She was crouched behind a wagon when shouts came from her left as well. With a satisfied smile she saw the fauns had also managed to get their fire going. Meanwhile, the fire she'd started had begun to spread to the tents surrounding it. A few minotaurs were already working on putting it out, but so far they didn't have any luck. Though, it wouldn't be long before the fires would be under control. She had to hurry.

Gathering all her courage Ashara sprinted from her hiding place, heading towards the middle of the camp. A loud snarl behind her made her freeze in place, her presence had been discovered. She spun around, drawing her sword as she did.

A boggle was standing behind her, carrying a hatchet, holding it at the ready as he spotted the enemy.

She took a deep breath, letting the cracking of the fire and panicked shouts of the soldiers fade into the distance. She knew exactly what to do, the sword was part of her, as familiar to her as her own arm. Before the boggle knew what was happening, she'd sprinted forward, aiming a strike at his shoulder.

The goblin-like creature managed to jump out of reach at the very last moment though. He snarled in anger and brought the hatchet down. But Ashara caught the blow with her blade. The move had distracted the boggle enough for her to reach for her dagger and push it into his back, right below the ribcage. With a pained scream the creature dropped his weapon, falling on his knees.

Ashara finished it before he could make any more noise and drew any other creatures to their location. She didn't stop to look at the corpse, or to feel pity for those trapped by the lies of the White Witch, but ran away immediately, continuing her search for the son of Adam. She was getting desperate now, looking from left to right and even in some of the tents for any sign of him.

She silently prayed for Aslan to guide her as she made her way through the encampment. The scent of burning wood smoldered in the air, the cold night air growing warmer with every passing second. They hadn't managed to extinguish all the fires yet, good...

With her sword at the ready, she walked around another tent and finally her eyes caught sight of the son of Adam. A relieved breath escaped her lips and she rushed forward. He was seated against a tree, his hands bound around the trunk and a gag placed in his mouth. His brown eyes were wide and panicked as he looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening. As soon as he noticed her though, he sunk back against the tree with relief.

She knelt down beside him, feeling her stomach boil with hot anger when she noticed the bruises on his face. Her heart ached in her chest but she didn't give herself time to linger on it. She removed his gag, smiling reassuringly at him. "I need you to stay quiet," she whispered.

He nodded, looking terrified but determined at the same time.

Using her dagger, she cut the ropes bounding his hands, clenching her jaw when she saw the red cuts they left on his wrists.

"We have to move," she muttered as she helped him on his feet. "You think you can run?"

"Yes," he said, his voice steady despite the fear still lingering in his eyes.

With her hand on his back she guided him towards the only side of the camp where no fire had been lit. She could only hope the Witch's army was too disorganized to realize the escape route they'd be taking. They ran through the encampment, a never ending sea of black tents and makeshift huts. Ashara kept looking from left to right, making sure no one was noticing them.

Even when the fence of wooden pikes came into their sights, she didn't dare relax. They ran straight towards the gate, which was now abandoned, the guards probably having left their post to see what was going on. Which was exactly how Ashara and Edmund managed to sneak out of the camp and disappeared into the darkness of the forest together.

✲⋅*♚ ,∴°

Hey guys!

I know it's been a while. And for no other reason than losing inspiration for this story after spending all my energy on my other fics. So to begin I wanted to give a huge shoutout to Cynarr. Reading her amazing Narnia Fanfiction; Silver Reflections made me fall in love with the magic of Narnia all over again. You guys should definitely check it out and show it some love!

That being said, I'm hoping to avoid another long hiatus for this story. Which is why I've already written the next chapter and I'm probably gonna spend this entire weekend writing for this book. The plan, for now, is to update every two weeks so I have some time to prewrite!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I loved writing it and adding another layer to the rescue of Edmund. It was so much fun to write Ashara in a big fight for the first time. Our girl is ruthless when she wants to be. Please leave some comments if you enjoyed!

xx Nelly