"It is better to stand and fight against the old enemies of the past if you want to confront the enemies of the present."

- Isabella Pevensie.

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A COLD AND SOFT TOUCH WAS THE FIRST THING I FELT.

An unshakable chill soared through my entire body as I gasped awake. I shuddered, my eyes tried to pry themselves open from sleep after hours of laying against the moving caged carriage holding me prisoner. 

I regained feeling in my body enough to know I was no longer laying down on the carriage but rather in an white and icy dungeon; however, the cloth was still around my mouth and a shackle was hooked around my wrist and ankles. All the stiffness from sleeping in such a horrid position escaped my body as it was replaced with an alarming sense of fear. I had felt this kind of cold before.

I blinked my eyes open, seeing ice under my legs first and the icy air and chill of a cold night in Winter. This confused me only briefly before I heard a voice that had plagued my nightmares for many years.

"Bella, dear," the chilly voice filled the white icy dungeon.

In response, I quickly looked upward to see the White Witch standing before me and I frantically tried to squirm away, but was bound by the chains. She could not be real; she could not be in front of me because I saw Aslan kill her.

Now shaking with terrible fright, I pulled against my chains but could not get free. I looked around helplessly, realizing that if she was real then I could not get away from her. Her laughter followed my reaction, and she bent down beside me. My efforts to escape ceased when she moved her hand towards my face. She isn't real, I tried to remind myself. She could not be.

"I've missed you," she mocked in sweetness as she touched my cheek, making me flinch away from her. My eyes widened as the reality of this situation was crystallizing before me. She removed the gag from my mouth, and for a moment, all I could notice was my rapid breath in front of him.

"You can't be real," I whispered, fear encapsulated in my voice. I struggled to pull myself as far away from her as possible only for her to lean in next to my face.

"I am here to save you," her voice whispered cruelly in my ear.

"No," I whimpered, squeezing my eyes shut, turning away from her, "Aslan killed you." 

"Not anymore," She laughed. "Come, my little Queen, I will free you from your enemies. Just one drop of the Light Witch's blood and you free me. Then I am yours, my Queen." 

I opened my eyes, blinking at the very real nightmare forming in front of me. I did not want to find out what she was going to do to me without Aslan there to stop her.

"Get away from me!" I yelled. She clasped her hand over my mouth, pressing me against the wall that held me put.

"Ah, Daughter of Eve, your fear is radiating off of you," The White Witch taunted. "What would your siblings say if they saw how afraid you were of me?" I nearly whimpered in a response to her, "Now, hold still while I cut you free."

Her hand left my mouth, and she froze the chains around my knees and wrists before breaking them. Once my hands were free, I scrambled to my feet and lunged to get away from her, only for her to grab hold of me, slamming my back into the wall that once held me.

Her arm pinned my shoulders, the other she used to hold the knife to my throat, "Where do you think you are running off to?"

I stifled a fearful cry under her grasp, managing to say with some of my bravery returning to me, "Kill me and get it over with. What else does it matter, I was going to die sooner or later."

"Not yet," she grinned as she grabbed an iron grip of my arm, dragging me out of the icy dungeon with her. I thrashed, trying to get away, but she held me perfectly in her hand.

Suddenly, a brilliant light cut through the darkness radiating heat that warmed my shivering body to its core, and that's when I saw him, my salvation, Aslan. 

More than that, I felt him, I could feel his love pouring over me like a balm soothing every scar and wound. 

His mane glowed gloriously and I soaked it all in from the large and terrifying, but equally magnificent and wise size to the mischievous and kind glint in his emerald eyes. Suddenly the loneliness faded, the sadness lessened, and the fear was pushed aside, I reached out to stroke his golden mane; he smiled and I knew that I was safe. 

He loved me, just as he did my siblings and all of Narnia, and the intensity of that love burned fiercely chasing away the darkness inside that had haunted me for days. 

"Aslan" I whispered like a child would to her father after years of not seeing him. 

His kind, yet sad eyes, met mine, "It's okay, Isabella. You are safe," 

A tear fell before I engulfed him in a hug, starting to sob from how relieved I was at seeing him plus on how much I have missed him. It seems like an eternity after releasing my cries of anguish and sorrow before starting to calm down. Not once did Aslan complain, but rather he nuzzled his head against mine like a father comforting his child.

"I knew it. I knew you were going to come and save me."

"I will always be here for you, Bella. Whether or not you could see me, my dear."

I release him from the hug and wiped my tears before frowning, "I'm sorry."

Aslan tilted his head, "What for, my dear? There is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know, it's that just I've missed you so much," my voice cracked at the end before giving him a tearful smile.

Aslan chuckles kindly, "And I have missed you all as well. But that's not the reason you are apologizing."

I frowned, "You could always read us no matter what."

"What troubles you, Bella?"

"I feel that I've disappointed you. That I was not strong enough to endure the pressure. I think I was just expecting you'd come roaring into save us like last time."

Aslan sits in front of me and sadly gives me a tender smile, "Things never happen the same way twice."

We stay silent for a few minutes, enjoying the presence of Aslan before I looked at him and releasing a breath of acknowledgment,

"You're not really here. She was never really here. This is a dream," I stared as starting recognizing a magical dream,

Aslan nods but tilts his head, "But what makes you say I am not really here, Bella."

"It's a dream, Aslan. A magical dream, or apparition my magic has created to distract my mind. But why is my magic working now?"

Aslan pointed his paw towards my chest, in the location where I feel my magic, and with a reassuring tone, he spoke, "Whatever was in the drink made your magic react in a way to protect you from any more harm coming to you."

I nodded before asking the question haunting me, "Are my siblings alright?"

Aslan nodded, "Yes, they are in perfect health. Although your capture did quite affect the moods of the Narnians and your siblings," Aslan added once seeing my face soften, "They love you, Bella. You are more than just the Noble Queen written in history, you're their friend."

I showered in the warmth that was provided by Aslan before accepting the fact that I had to wake. My eyes shifted to Aslan's warm and kind emerald eyes as he nods, confirming my suspicion.

"What's going to happen once I wake up? Am I-," I stopped for a while as that fear gnaw my soul, "Am I going  to die?"

Aslan rose from his sitting position and walked forward before leaning his forehead against mine, "Fear not, Bella. You will be saved and reunited with your siblings and Narnians. But my dear child, never lose hope and if you ever need me, just think of me and I will be there. Whether you could see me or not."

I nodded as I kissed his nose and his ears moved the slightest before nodding and blowing a wind towards my face. Soon, Aslan started to become blurrier and blurrier, spinning away from me as I started to wake from the most peaceful dream I have had in years.

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When I came to reality, my eyes did not want to open, my head pounded against my skull rhythmically, and I felt tired through my very bones. It took me a while to realize I was being dragged. Slowly, I moved my head, only to result in my head screaming in pain.

"She's waking up," a voice distantly said. 

I felt the front of my feet limbless tow across the ground hastily. As more of my body regained control, I felt that I was being held between two guards by my arms. I felt the warm Narnian air hit my face and felt a moment of ease before blinking my eyes open. As soon as I did, I saw we were in what looked like some part of a forest and directly in front of me a tent was opened that I was forced inside.

As much as my mind panicked and wanted to resist, in that moment, I could not muster much strength other than slightly pulling against the hands that held me, only for the guards to tighten their hold.

The guards dragged me to one of the wooden posts keeping the tent upward. Quickly and despite my attempts to pull away, they yanked my arms behind my back, tying them around the post with rough ropes. My arms were stiff from returning to this tied position; my wrists flared in pain from the rope offending my raw wrists. I took a breath-filled gasp of pain once I was securely bound to the post. The one guard grabbed my ankles to tie them together as the other guard came over with more rope to tie my ankles together.

After they finished, they tied a cloth around my mouth, all the sound that came from me was now muffled. Seemingly satisfied with their work, the guards smirked to one another and left me alone in the tent.

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It wasn't long until I had fallen asleep in the uncomfortable position as I tried to gain sleep from those sleepless nights and for my body to start healing. However, my sleep was cut short when I felt the guards shake me awake.

"Wake up!" Seeing that I was not waking up or showing signs of consciousness, they started to shake me harsher, "Wake up! I said wake up you little brat!"

Feeling the slap on my face caused my eyes to widen, gaining full consciousness. The guards, satisfied, took a hold of a knife and I clutched my eyes close, waiting for the impact of the knife accepting I was going to die like this when I felt the rope being cut from me. I opened my eyelids and furrowed my brows as they finish cutting the ropes before lifting me from the ground.

I couldn't even ask what was going on as I still had the cloth tied around my mouth. One of the guards tied my wrists before being connected to a rope. Reassuring that I was not going to struggle, they started leading me out of the tent I was being held.

Stumbling around, I winced as I moved, my muscles burning with ache just wanting to rest. However, as we walked, I noticed that we weren't that far from the How and started thinking of ways on how I could escape and reach my siblings. 

As we walked forward, even though it caused me great pain to stand properly, I straightened my back and made sure I walked like a Queen to show superiority among the Telmarine. Even though I was a prisoner of war, it didn't change the fact that I am still Queen and far superior to Miraz. Even though I was in the body of a child, I've had my experience of war and knew exactly how to act to mask the fear carved deep within me and how to not be broken entirely.

We kept on walking when I noticed we were nearing the middle of the Telmarine camp. As I walked forward, I noticed Glenstorm and Wimbleweather standing in front of a tent, which I presume was the tent that Miraz was in with the rest of the court.

I furrowed my brows before registering that one of my siblings was here bargaining with Miraz. Seeing that I had stopped, the guards started pulling on the rope harder, causing me to trip on a branch but we kept on walking. I made eye contact with Glenstorm and he simply nods.

I gasped in surprise as the guards pulled me inside Miraz's tent. Inside, there was a long table stretched across the tent, in the middle Miraz was seated and by either side, one of his Lords was sited as well. 

By the other entrance of the tent, General Glozelle was standing and in the center of the tent was Edmund, as always fiercely standing as the Just King that he is and besides him was Nathaniel, my beautiful and loyal best friend.

At seeing my presence, both Nathaniel and Edmund were relieved that I was alive and I could see that they wanted to come and hug me, just as I wanted to do the same but decided against it. However, once they saw the state that I was in a sudden fire lit in their eyes; Nathaniel's gaze being the most fiercest that any given second could destroy the court itself.

Edmund faced Miraz, steadily saying, "If this is how your court tends to my royal family, I must suggest that you control the outbursts of your soldiers who do not seem to be able to hold their temper."

Miraz tilted his head at my brother, "She was a prisoner in my castle. They treated her no different."

Nathaniel's tone became more colder than I have ever heard him before, "She is the High Queen of Narnia and should have been treated as such," 

Edmund gestures to my binds and cloth around my mouth, he addresses the situation to Miraz, "I don't believe that is necessary. I ask kindly if you can remove the binds from my sister and Queen."

The soldiers didn't move until Miraz gestured with his hand to release me. The guards release the rope and move towards my wrist, with his knife he cuts the bind before untying the cloth around my mouth. General Glozelle approaches me and gently holds my arm before helping me walk to my brother and friend's side.

Once reaching Edmund and Nathaniel, Nathaniel quickly hooked his arm around my waist to support my weak body and as we both turned to walk away from the tent is when Miraz spoke,

"There's one more thing," the three of us turned to look at Miraz, however, his gaze was on me, "Are you ready for what is coming?"

It was silent for a few seconds before I tilted my lips upwards in a taunting smile, "The better question is: Are you?"

Without a second look, Edmund, Nathaniel and I walk out of the tent and with their help, I mounted on the back of Glenstorm before walking away from the Telmarine tent, the one place that will forever haunt me.

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Once we were far away from the camp, ignoring the protest of my brother, Nathaniel and Glenstorn, I dismounted him and launched myself onto Edmund, who as well hugged me as tightly as he could without hurting me.

"Did they hurt you too much?" my brother's concern voice reached my ear. But all I did was nuzzle my head deeper onto the crook of his neck. He understood my silence and kept me in an embrace.

After a few minutes, I turned to Nathaniel and did the same thing before I felt him easily lift me and carry me the entire way back to the How.

Despite trying to not draw attention to our return, as soon as we entered the view of the How, the Narnians all cheered and crowded around us. As soon as I saw them I mask on my Queen face, looking far stronger than I knew I was. Still, even with my face giving a smile to my joyful people, I managed to stand on the ground but still never stopped leaning on Nathaniel.

As even more proclamations of love and joy poured in front of me, I handled them as a Queen. Soon, I saw three figures running towards us - Peter, Susan, and Lucy, the people I wanted to see the most as my heart ached for them since my capture, followed by Caspian.

The four skidded to a stop and I knew that I had been spotted. They stood there and stared at me and I could tell that a great consolation spread throughout their bodies. I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious, I wasn't in my best state.

I glanced at Edmund and he reached my hand, gently giving me a kiss on the forehead, "You're home with us."

Fresh tears sprang into my eyes as I gestured to Nathaniel to place me on the ground. With the help of Edmund and Nathaniel, both half-carried me as we walked closer to my siblings. As we got closer, Lucy was the first to recover as she ran towards me,

"Bella!" she yelled before she crashed into me a little harsh that caused me to wince but I ignored the pain and engulfed her in a tight hug. 

"Lucy," Edmund hissed at our younger sister as he saw the pain she caused. We separated and I look up to see both Peter and Susan approaching us,

"Lu, be careful with Bella. She's still injured," Susan said before she replaced my younger sister and engulfed me in a slightly less tight hug, "Are you alright?" she whispered in my ear.

I nodded before, finally turning to look at my twin. Looking up into a pair of green eyes brought back a series of emotions through my stomach. Peter's eyes traveled around my face and the state of my body and more guilt seem to be eating him alive.

He became deadly pale as he saw how broken I was, "Bella, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I-"

At the moment I did the only thing I could think of that would somehow ease and comfort my twin, "It doesn't matter whose fault it was. It has been done and there's no use of questioning and wondering of 'What if's'. It's best to just move past it."

Before I could say anything else, Peter gently collided into me the well-needed hug. I clasped my hands around his back and hid my face in his chest. It seem an eternity before we pulled away and Peter's hand had been gently pushing my tangle hair out of my face before pressing a kiss against my forehead.

"Come, you need to rest. We will take care of you."

He gently hooked his arm around my waist. With that, our people cleared a path for their High King and Queen,  with their two Queens and King following closely behind us.

At that moment, I knew I was going to be okay as we walked past the bowing Narnians that respectfully and warmly welcomed me back. Walking past Caspian, I saw the same guilt and regret within his eyes but all I did was smile and continue to walk as my small family of five walked behind me.

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Lucy administered a drop of her cordial along the way, "I should still give you another drop."

I shook my head, claiming that I would recover with the drop she already gave me. As we continued throughout the How and towards the Stone Table, they informed me of what had happened with Miraz's army and Peter's challenge. I was more than impressed to hear that my brother had the courage to stand against Miraz in such a way. 

"Bella, you'll fight with Peter, won't you?" Lucy asked.

I thoughtfully looked at Peter and we both seemed to have an entire conversation in one look as we usually did before Peter replied, 

"No, I challenged him. I will fight Miraz. Besides, Bella is in no condition to fight."

Lucy frowned while looking at Peter, and I knew what she was thinking. It was not that she doubted Peter's ability in a duel; he was a skilled swordsman. But the truth of the matter was that Peter and I combined simply had more experience in such duels.