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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐙𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐃 in white and blue hues as the rays of sunshine fell upon the layer of ice. The colours of light reflected far into the white winter's sky, the castle almost resembling a sun on its own, but another peculiar thing about the scenery was the silence that lingered in the air. No bird sang, the icicles hanging in the pine trees did not jingle as the wind blew past them, and even the waves of the Eastern Ocean seemed more quiet than usual.

The company of the humans from different worlds halted their horses near the main gate of the castle, and Caspian ─ who had been riding at the front ─ dismounted Destrier before checking if his armour still covered every vital part of his body. He swung the shield off his back and fastened the belts to his arm. This time, they wouldn't get ambushed by a storm of arrows.

Edmund quickly followed Caspian's example with a look of determination in his brown eyes, but Ella, Vittoria, Oliver and George were more reluctant in their movements.

'I am still not entirely convinced of this plan,' Ella said while taking a yellow-feathered arrow out of the quiver and nocking it on the bowstring.

Vittoria readied her bow as well and she took a deep breath to try and fight back her nerves. Her fingers trembled and she hoped if it would come to it, she wouldn't miss.

Caspian cast a short look over his shoulder before turning his attention to the castle in front of them again. 'Just remember we're here to give the others as much time as we can. We have to stall the Winter Lady, forcing her to keep her focus on us and nowhere else.'

'A classic Quidditch technique,' Oliver said, taking his place behind Ella and rolling with his shoulders to loosen his muscles. The shield in his hand was heavy, but if he could stop Quaffles from scoring with his bare hands, he was convinced he could catch ice arrows with a shield as well.

'You better not mess this up, Oliver,' Ella said in an attempt to hide her anxiety from him. 'I am literally putting my life in your hands.' She, of course, couldn't carry a shield as well as handle a bow.

Oliver flashed her small smile. 'Have a little faith in me, love. I won't let anything happen to you.'

'Ready?' Edmund asked, cutting their hushed conversation short and he turned halfway around to look at the four wizards and witches. After everyone nodded, the six of them walked slowly onto the courtyard. The ice crystals within the layer of snow crackled under their firm boots and the sound echoed over the silent place.

The others of the company stayed behind, out of the arrows' range, and though they were still with a lot of people, they actually missed six of them; Peter, Caolán, Lucy, Phoenix, Giulia and Elodie had traveled in secrecy around the castle, hiding within the cave of the cliff to wait for the opportunity to sneak inside Cair Paravel.

Caspian stopped in the middle of the courtyard, close by the balcony but still far enough to be able to look up without getting a painful ache in his neck. He adjusted his shield one more time, but then he took a deep breath before shouting with all his might: 'Let the evil witch who cursed Narnia to an eternal winter come forth!'

Edmund took a defensive stance as the balcony doors swung open, while Vittoria and Ella pulled the bowstrings towards their chins. They flanked the Kings' sides while George and Oliver got the girls' backs by standing close behind them and having their shields at the ready.

The Winter Lady walked onto the balcony, and the fabric of her dress glistened in the same brightness as the castle walls. She leaned with her under arms on the edge of the stone railing, and the frost covering the stones grew even thicker as her icy blue eyes traveled over the group standing below her and the one far in the distance.

'Is this poor display of power supposed to impress me, little King?' she asked, focussing her gaze upon Caspian whose posture did not waver.

Edmund, however, took a sharp breath as he remembered how Jadis had, many years ago, addressed Peter in the same condescending manner. 'Who are you?' he shouted, strengthening his grip on the hilt of his sword as he glared at her.

The lady straightened her back, lifting herself to her full length and she spread her arms. The air around her shimmered like a mirage above water and several strings of mist swirled out of her finger tips.

'She sure is dramatic,' Ella whispered to the others, but her heart beat irregularly in her chest while the muscles in her arm started to burn painfully, and she slowly released a bit of the tension of the bowstring. She kept the arrow pointed at the evil witch, though, ready to make it fly should it be necessary.

'I am baffled that no Narnian recognizes a Jinn when they see one,' the Winter Lady spoke, her eyes glowing brighter for a moment as her annoyance flashed through them. 'My name is Malanix, youngest sister of Jadis, and I have come to finish what she started.'

'By Aslan's mane,' Edmund muttered, but Caspian shook his head in disbelief while Malanix lowered her arms again and the mist vaporised.

'Impossible,' Caspian said. 'Jadis was the sole survivor of Charn. Aslan said so himself, many aeons ago.'

Malanix waved his words away before leaning back onto the railing of the balcony and placing one hand under her chin. 'Please,' she scoffed. 'Aslan does not know everything. I wasn't on Charn when my sister spoke the Deplorable Word. State why you are here, Caspian, I am growing bored of this conversation.'

Caspian crossed eyes with Edmund, but then he pulled off the glove of his hand and threw it on the courtyard. The snow around it flew up in a wave and the muted sound shot through the air.

'As King of Narnia, I call upon the right of single combat, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender,' Caspian said, but he was taken aback a bit when Malanix groaned in annoyance and rolled her eyes at him.

'Oh, Caspian,' she sighed, ticking with one of her sharp nails on the stone railing. 'You're so predictable. Using the same tactic over and over again. It may have worked against your uncle and the Tisroc of Calormen, but very well, I shall play along as well. My champion accepts your challenge.'

'Your champion?' Caspian repeated. 'No, I challenge you, Malanix.'

Malanix shrugged, pushing herself off the railing again. 'Two can play this game, little King. I do have a right to appoint a champion, which I just did.'

As if on cue, the doors leading towards Cair Paravel's entrance hall swung open and an all too familiar silhouette walked through the door opening. Darkan had already unsheathed his sword and the broad blade rested upon his shoulder, resulting in the pointed iron to tower far above him.

Vittoria and Ella lowered their bows as Darkan descended the few steps of the staircase, stepping onto the courtyard and halting right in front of them. The Archenlander's face didn't show any sign of recognition, and Caspian suppressed a curse; this was not going as he had expected, but he couldn't back out. He had to give the others more time.

'All right,' Caspian gave in, ignoring the others around him who tried to change his mind with pleas. 'I respect your choice to use a champion,' he continued. 'I will fight Darkan, but I will not battle to the death with a bewitched man who cannot think for himself. We shall fight till the first droplet of blood has fallen upon the snow.'

High above them on the balcony, Malanix studied her nails as she pondered about his words, but then she agreed with a small nod. 'That seems fair, but if you're changing the terms, so shall I. The reward shall not be total surrender.'

'Then what are we battling for?'

Malanix grinned, baring her white teeth, and with a flick of her hand she ordered two ice creatures onto the balcony. The enchanted fauns carried a human-like statue made out of ice between them, and next to Caspian, Vittoria gasped for air.

'Is that Mina?' she asked, recognizing her co-student in an instant. Her voice trembled and the tears burned behind her eyes. 'What has she done to her?'

Malanix cackled with malice as she enjoyed seeing the shocked faces beneath her. 'The reward shall be this poor girl, in one piece. Frozen with the stillness of winter, I admit that, but better than shattered into dozens of pieces, don't you agree?'

'You cannot do this,' Caspian growled between clenched teeth, but then Malanix grabbed Mina's frozen wrist, dangling her iced body in a dangerous angle over the balcony's railing.

'Do not think I don't know what you are trying to do, Caspian,' Malanix snarled while she tauntily lifted her pink from Mina's wrist, loosening her grip. 'I know how many witches and wizards I brought into Narnia, and I can count. It seems like your company is a few short. Now, fight on my terms or you will pay a heavy price for thinking you can outsmart me. . .'

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𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓:

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𝑽𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝑭𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 𝒃𝒚 gracelikeaWave-
𝑪𝒂𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒏 (𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚) 𝒃𝒚 inej-ghafas
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𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝑩𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒆 (𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚) 𝒃𝒚 RockingGirl06

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