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𝕭𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐈: 𝖂𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝖂𝐀𝐑

𝕮𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝕾𝐢𝐱: wrong will be right

THE GREY CLOUDS THAT HAD BEEN darkening the sky all day, seemed to slowly make way for a soft golden light of the setting evening sun. As if even they could sense the change that had settled into the heart of Narnia. It was a change Ashara could feel growing inside her own heart as she led the Kings and Queens through the forest. The Deep Magic was alive with the soft humming of birds and the gentle whisper of a summer breeze. After feeling nothing but cold for hundreds of years, Ashara more than welcomed the sudden change. Though, she couldn't quite understand why everytime her eyes lingered on the youngest Son of Adam, the magic within her seemed to wever, almost as if halting in place. There was something glinstering in the depths of his eyes, magic. And not the good kind.

Soft footsteps fell into stride beside her and her gaze was drawn to Lucy Pevensie walking next to her. Her worries about Edmund faded as she noticed the smile of pure wonder on the little girl's face as she looked at her surroundings.

'If you don't mind me asking,' the little girl suddenly spoke, the curiosity in her voice far outweighed the doubt that seemed hidden in her tones. 'What are Golden Watchers?'

Ashara couldn't help the smile appearing on her face, remembering that Mr. Beaver had introduced her as such. 'Well,' she started, searching for the right words to explain her role in this world. 'We were called to life to protect and balance the magic that forms the very foundations of this world.'

Lucy wrinkled her nose as she tried to make sense of those words. 'So, you protect everyone here with your magic?'

A rather simple way of putting it, but when Ashara let those words sink in, she realised it was the truth. It was her duty to protect the Narnians and was taught to use her connection to the Deep Magic to do so. 'Yes, I do,' she replied to the girl, then frowned. 'Or I try to.' Her eyes were focused on the path ahead as she added: 'I'm sorry I couldn't protect Mr. Tumnus.'

The light in Lucy's eyes seemed to darken for a moment, but when she spoke it had returned in full force. 'But we can help him, right? We can save him.'

Words escaped her and so she simply nodded, not wanting to take her hope away. The White Witch wasn't known for her mercy and the chance that they would ever see Tumnus again was a very small one. But she didn't have the heart to tell her that.

'Can you really do magic?' A sceptic voice spoke from behind her and when Ashara looked over her shoulder she saw it was Susan who had spoken. There was doubt written all over her face, but Ashara could see fear lingering in the depths of her eyes as well. Fear that magic might be real.

She wondered for a moment what their world looked like, a world without magic but her brain couldn't possibly imagine it. 'I can,' she replied then.

Susan shook her head. 'Impossible.'

Ashara raised an eyebrow, then came to a halt and lifted up her sleeve. Every eye was on her as she revealed the runes drawn on her skin. She took a deep breath and called upon the magic lingering beneath her skin, just a little bit for she didn't want to frighten their Kings and Queens. Slowly the black lines turned gold, her skin was set alight in a warm glow, as though she was a sun amidst the darkness of the snow covered forest.

A startled gasp left Susan's mouth, her eyes wide as she stared at Ashara.

Slowly she let the light fade, until they were covered in nothing else but the light of the evening sun. She put her sleeve back in place and watched the reactions of the others with interest.

Susan was staring at Ashara as though she was a ghost. Lucy on the other hand seemed to be bursting with excitement, a smile making her lips curl. Edmund seemed to be a little startled, but not as much as she would expect from someone who witnessed magic for the first time and the unsettling feeling that there was something off returned...But then her eyes met Peter's and her suspicions were forgotten. His eyes were wide, but not with the same fear as his sister's. His blue eyes seemed to shine with what she could describe as awe.

'We should continue, it'll be dark soon,' Ashara found herself saying and then turned away from the siblings to lead the way again.

As they walked the rest of the way, Lucy had started a conversation with Mr. Beaver, asking so many questions that Ashara couldn't stop herself from smiling. The little girl seemed to seek meaning behind everything, every tree they passed and every cliffside they avoided. Mr. Beaver was happy to answer them all. He told the girl all he knew about the Western Woods. Though he didn't have an answer to the question of how a lantern ended up in the middle of a forest. Ashara had been told stories but decided to keep her mouth shut, afraid her words might startle the siblings even more. She had tried to prepare herself for the possibility that they might not know anything, about this world, about their destiny, about everything. But it had hit her harder than she expected it would. How could she possibly tell wide-eyed Lucy that she was supposed to defeat the most powerful Witch this world had ever seen? Her heart felt heavy at the mere thought.

'Is that a real sword?' A voice spoke from beside her.

She'd been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed Edmund had come walking beside her. And though her magic seemed to recoil when she looked at the boy, she still managed to smile. 'It is,' she confirmed.

'And you know how to use it?' Edmund asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

'I wouldn't carry it around if I didn't,' Ashara told him, studying him as his eyes lingered on the weapon at her hip. 'Weapons are not to be played with,' she added after a moment, remembering the words her father had said to her during her very first lesson. When Edmund's eyes remained focused on the blade she offered: 'I could teach you how to use it, one day.'

His gaze finally met hers and she could sense the surprise her words had caused him. She couldn't tell what had made him feel like that though, surely his brother and sisters offered to teach him things at times? Before she could ask him about it though, Mr. Beaver's voice rang through the clearing they'd entered.

'Blimey! Looks like the old girl has got the kettle on. Nice cup o' Rosy Lee.'

Ashara turned her eyes away from the mysterious boy at her side and realised they'd reached the Beaver's dam. A shaky breath of relief left her lips. They'd made it this far without any trouble, hopefully now they could take a little rest. Especially Lucy seemed like she needed it after the shock of hearing about Tumnus' arrest and the long hike afterwards. But she was good at hiding her fatigue and replied to Mr. Beaver with the same energy she'd been asking her questions with: 'It's lovely!'

'It's merely a trifle, you know,' Mr. Beaver quickly said but she could see the proud smile lingering on his face. 'Still plenty to do, haven't quite finished it yet. It'll look the business when it is though,' he mumbled to himself when he started to descend down the hill towards the frozen lake.

She watched Peter and Lucy exchange a smile before following him down. She waited until Susan and Edmund followed them before closing the line. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder one last time, but her eyes couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary. The silence made a shiver crawl down her spine. It wasn't like Jadis to do nothing. Every single time a Narnian had been arrested before she left her spies behind to make sure no one would dare to cross her again. So why had she made an exception for Tumnus?

Finally she turned her eyes forward again and made her way after the others, her gaze drawn to the youngest Son of Adam once again. She couldn't place her finger on what it was about him that made her feel so uneasy. Her magic seemed to literally recoil whenever she was near him, just as it had when she could hear Tumnus playing that song. The only time her magic acted like that was whenever Dark Magic was being used and the balance of the Deep Magic disturbed. But the boy couldn't possibly be associated with such practises. This was his very first time here after all and the world they came from was without magic.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the worried form of Mrs. Beaver making her way outside. 'Beaver, Ashara, is that you?' She called out into the twilight. 'I've been worried sick!' Ashara felt a painful tug at her heart at the thought of her pacing back and forth around the dam, worried out of her mind that the Witch's spies could've gotten to them.

'We're fine,' Ashara smiled at her, though the worry had already disappeared from Mrs. Beaver's features as soon as her eyes landed on the four humans they'd brought.

'Oh, I never thought I'd live to see this day,' she mumbled, her eyes wide as she walked forward to greet them.

Ashara's eyes were drawn to Peter as he smiled at the Beavers, though shaking his head in disbelief at the same time, clearly a little overwhelmed with all the attention they were getting.

'Look at my fur, couldn't you've given me ten minutes' warning!' She said, playfully hitting her husband.

Mr. Beaver grinned. 'I'd given you a week if I thought it would've helped.'

The Pevensies broke out in laughter and Ashara felt like a weight was lifted from her heart. The tension after her magic trick seemed to have finally been broken and as Mrs. Beaver ushered them all inside, Ashara was quick to follow, grateful for the promise of food and warmth. Susan seemed the most glad to be inside and offered her help with preparing dinner. Peter and Lucy sat down at the table, while Edmund took a seat on the stairs, seeming determined to distance himself from his siblings as much as he could.

Ashara removed her coat and sat down at the table while dinner was served. She was absolutely starving and more than glad to enjoy another one of Mrs. Beaver's meals.

'Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?' Peter questioned while Susan placed the last plate of potatoes on the table and took a seat herself.

'They'll have taken him to the Witch's house,' Mr. Beaver sighed. 'You know what they say. There's few that go through them gates that come out again.'

'Fish 'n' chips,' Mrs. Beaver spoke up quickly while elbowing her husband in the side for his poor choice of words. 'There is hope dear, lot's of hope.' She put a comforting hand on Lucy's arm, whose eyes had turned down upon hearing Mr. Beaver's remark. The girl tried to smile, to be brave, but Ashara could see her worry for her friend shining from beneath the surface.

'Oh yeah,' Mr. Beaver was quick to add. 'There's a right bit more than hope!' He leaned closer towards the Pevensies, as though he was about to share a secret. 'Aslan is on the move.'

As always the mere mention of the Lion's name was enough to make her feel like she was wrapped in a warm blanket, as though spring was about to arrive and the sun would warm their faces once again. And judging from the looks on the siblings, they could feel it as well. All except for...

'Who's Aslan?' Edmund questioned, walking towards the table.

'Who's-?' Mr. Beaver broke out laughing but was silenced by his wife elbowing him once again. And then it dawned on him what Ashara had feared from the very beginning, they truly didn't know anything. 'You don't know, do ya?'

'We haven't exactly been here very long,' Peter said.

Ashara took a small breath, bracing herself for their possible reactions to the truth she was about to reveal. 'He's the King of his world. He made his world with his breath. This one and countless others are under his care. He hasn't been here for a long time, the Witch's magic was too strong and kept him away. But he has returned and he's waiting for you near the Stone Table.'

'Waiting for us?' Lucy questioned while Peter and Susan shared a concerned look.

'You're blooming joking!' Mr. Beaver cried out, looking to Ashara and his wife for support. 'They don't even know about the prophecy!'

She reached out and put what she hoped was a calming hand on his shoulder. 'Then it's our duty to tell them,' she spoke softly before turning her attention back to the three siblings seated around the table. 'After Narnia was taken by Jadis, I reached out to the Deep Magic for help.' For some reason her eyes remained focused on Peter as spoke, the curious and yet frightened look shining in his blue eyes holding her captive. 'A prophecy was told to me. One that we've been holding on to for nearly a hundred years.'

'A hundred years?' Susan questioned, looking Ashara up and down.

A bitter smile worked its way to her features. 'I know. I don't look it.'

Peter's lips curled up into a smile and Ashara averted her eyes, bracing herself to tell them the rest. 'Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight. At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more. When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death. And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again. When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone. Sits at Cair Paravel in throne. The evil time will be over and done.'

'You know that doesn't really rhyme,' Susan said.

'I know it don't,' Mr. Beaver said, 'but you're kind of missing the point!'

Ashara felt herself smile at the oldest Pevensie sister. 'The words don't matter, it's what they represent. It has been foretold that two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will defeat Jadis and bring peace again.'

Peter was still staring at her, genuine confusion written on his face. 'And you think we're the ones?'

She opened her mouth to respond and her thoughts flashed back to that day she'd seen him in her vision of the strange square. The absolute certainty she'd felt that day when her eyes had found them in the crowd wasn't hard to recall. She believed they were the ones, with her whole heart. Before she could respond however, Mr. Beaver spoke up.

'You'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out your army!'

She felt herself wince at his words. She'd hoped to discuss the matter of actual fighting with more care, but the bandaid had been ripped off and maybe it was for the best.

'Our army?' Lucy cried out, sounding both mortified and yet fascinated at the thought.

'Mom sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war,' Susan said, her gaze focused on Peter as she spoke, as though she was afraid he thought differently. But he didn't.

'I think you've made a mistake,' he said, his voice breaking slightly, as though he was disappointed to have to let them down. 'We're not heroes.'

'We're from Finchley,' Susan added, though the name meant nothing to her. 'Thank you for your hospitality,' Susan said, getting to her feet. 'But we really have to go.'

'No, you can't just leave!' Mr. Beaver protested.

Her heart sank when Peter got to his feet as well but Lucy seemed to have a different idea. 'He's right. We have to help Mr. Tumnus.'

'It's out of our hands,' Peter replied. 'I'm sorry, but it's time the four of us were getting home. Ed?' He turned around to the stairs where his little brother had been seated and Ashara realised with a start they were empty. 'Ed?' Peter repeated and then his eyes fell on the door, standing slightly ajar. 'I'm gonna kill him,' he sighed.

And then it all made sense, why her magic felt off around the boy, why she got the feeling as though Dark Magic was lingering around him like a fog. 'Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?' She questioned, unable to stop the fear from leaking through her voice.

'Y-yes,' Lucy stuttered.

A heavy sigh left her lips and for a moment she closed her eyes, then opened them and finally voiced her thoughts. 'I fear Edmund may have met the Witch and eaten her food. It's poisoned with her magic, making the victim long for more so desperately they cannot think of anything else. Your brother has put himself and you in serious danger.'

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Hi guys! I'm back!

It's been a good long while since I updated this story and for that I'm truly sorry. I just lost my inspiration for it. But I've slowly been getting back into this by watching the movies and reading lots of fics. Now I'm back! Hopefully I can keep some kind of update scedule up but I'm not making any promises.

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments, I'd love to hear from you guys!

Much love, Nelly