~

Adeline tossed and turned in her cot. The night air was frigid and the sounds of laughter and music were now silenced. It was too late to be awake but Adeline felt that if she shut her eyes, the nightmares which had been plaguing her all her life would return.

Adeline could tell by the sounds of uneven breathing and sighing that Lucy was awake as well. Something wasn't right, the Narnia air had turned still and it seemed as if the whole world was holding its breath for something, but what?

A shadow passing by brought Adeline out of her thoughts and she quickly sat up to see that Lucy was also sitting up, her wide eyes open. 

"Did you see that?" Adeline whispered.

"Susan," Lucy awakened her sister as Adeline put her belt on top of her blue dress and slipped in her daggers. She tossed a dark-coloured cloak around her and went outside. The faint figure of Aslan walking away from the camp.

Both Susan and Lucy came out of the tent as quietly as possible, dressed with their cloaks and weapons.

"Where is he going?" Susan asked.

Adeline frowned as Aslan disappeared into the woods, "I don't know." she said, "But I'm going to find out."

Adeline picked up her skirts and ran into the woods. The darkness enveloped her as the light from the camp faded away. Adeline heard rustling behind her and knew the girls were close behind. It was dark in the woods and Adeline held out her palm, a small orb of blue light emitted from her hand. She kept it minuscule as to not catch Aslan's attention. The trees towered over them and they followed Aslan from a distance, using the bushes and trunks as cover.

Aslan's soft paws thudded on the ground and his head was hung low. An air of sadness surrounded him and for the first time, he seemed so small to Adeline, as if life itself had been sucked out of him. 

Aslan stopped in the middle of the forest and Adeline tugged Lucy and Susan behind a tree and put out her light.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" his sad voice asked.

They were caught. No point in hiding now. Adeline stepped out first with Lucy and Susan in tow. The little girl held her hand as they approached the lion.

"We couldn't sleep," Lucy said. 

Adeline added, "Too many thoughts."

"Please Aslan," Susan asked, "Couldn't we come with you?"

The great lion turned his head and Adeline could get a better look at his face. It was drawn, his eyes half-lidded and if a lion could seem sad, Aslan surely would have been a perfect example.

"I would be glad of the company for a while." he said gravely, "Thank you."

Adeline reached out hesitantly at first then with a gentleness she ran her fingers through his golden mane. Aslan's tense form seemed to loosen as Adeline drew closer to him. The girls followed her lead and Aslan began to walk as Susan and Lucy gripped him. Adeline let go and raised her palm again, the magic shining even brighter to light the way. She couldn't touch him again, that moment her fingers felt his mane it was as if his sadness was being transferred to her and she couldn't bear it.

The silence was deafening as they all took in their surroundings. The Narnian wood was silent in the middle of the night. The only sounds were the crunch of the leaves underneath their feet and the soft brushes of their clothing against the ground. Only Aslan seemed to be the most silent one out of all of them. 

"It is time." Aslan said as he stopped to face them, "From here, I must go on alone."

"But Aslan-" Susan began.

"You must trust me." he said, "For this must be done."

Adeline diminished her light and came closer to him, "And what should we do?" she asked softly. This wasn't a time to question him and Adeline had a sick feeling that whatever was going to happen had something to do with the Witch's visit.

"Stay hidden among the trees." Aslan commanded, "And tomorrow, lead the Narnians to victory." His eyes looked into Adeline's soul, "You and Peter must lead the charge, for it is your duty and destiny to." 

Adeline nodded, a thousand questions came to her mind but she silenced them immediately. 

Aslan then said sincerely, "Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Lucy. Thank you, Adeline. And farewell."

A loud wail erupted in the forest as Aslan walked away. Lucy was distraught, her small face pulling into a frown. Adeline pulled the girls behind her as they hid among some bushes and finally saw what they had come out into the woods for.

Beyond the forest was the Stone Table. It was a large slate of rock that sat on an elevated piece of land. The rock itself was grand but it was what was around it that caught their attention. The area was illuminated with torches and revealed the Witch's army. Hags, ghouls, minotaurs. evil spirits, every evil creature was there and for the first time, Adeline truly realized what they were about to face.

Stood on the table was the witch herself. Her long braided hair was tied up and she wore a dress of black brambles which made her seem even taller than she was before. In her hand gleamed a knife which she gripped with fervour as Aslan approached the table.

Susan and Lucy breathed unevenly beside her and Adeline wrapped an arm around the youngest girl, bringing her closer to her. Whatever happened here Adeline had to protect them.

"Behold." the witch's voice rang in the clearing, "The great lion."

The creatures jeered and laughed as Aslan just stood there, taking it all.

The witch's general, the minotaur she had seen earlier approached Aslan carefully at first, but when the lion didn't react, the monster stroke. With a sudden roar, he knocked Aslan to the ground and Adeline let out a gasp. 

Lucy asked through tears, "Why doesn't he fight back?" 

"What is he doing?" Susan demanded angrily.

The knife, the witch, the lion, the stone table, the pieces were coming together in Adeline's head as a sick feeling grew in the pit of her stomach, "What he promised." 

This had been meant for Edmund, and now Aslan was paying his price.

"Bind him!" the witch commanded. Creatures of the night approached Aslan with ropes and for a moment the lion disappeared in the crowd. When Adeline spotted him again he was tied up and unmoving on the floor. Adeline's throat closed as she held back the urge to allow her magic to obliterate them all.

"Wait!" the witch, "Let him first be shaved."

That was it. Adeline made to stand up but was immediately pulled back down by Susan, "What are you doing?!" she whispered, "You're going to get us caught. Keep it together Adeline."

Lucy held her down by throwing her arms around Adeline's neck and Adeline focused on the feel of the little girl's hands as they shaved Aslan. Adeline wrapped her arms around Lucy, almost as if seeking comfort from her. 

"Bring him to me." the witch said as they all dragged Aslan up onto the table.

The creatures jeered, howled and cried but with one motion the witch was able to silence them all. Adeline held her breath as nothing was happening, then slowly the creatures with staffs and torches began a rhythmic banging which Adeline could feel from where she was kneeling, 

The witch came down to Aslan's level and whispered to him. Adeline saw her thin lips moving as the creatures around them roared and cackled. Aslan didn't seem worried and was strangely calm which Adeline couldn't understand how.

"Tonight." the witch addressed her minions, "The deep magic will be appeased. But tomorrow, we will take Narnia forever!" 

The creatures cheered at her speech and the rhythmic banging sped up, matching Adeline's heartbeat as she watched with wide eyes. She was begging someone, something to intervene, for Aslan to rise up and defeat them all, but there was no movement. Adeline pulled Lucy closer to her, ready to shield the little girl from what was about to happen. Susan's arm crept up her shoulder and gripped tightly in fear.

 "In that knowledge." the witch said, "Despair," she raised the knife in the air and Adeline knew what was about to happen before it did.

"And die." 

The witch plunged the knife into Aslan and for a moment everything froze around Adeline. Aslan's eyes widened as he looked at them through the crowd before shutting. The air grew colder and tears prickled in Adeline's eyes. 

Lucy gasped and let out a sob before burying her face into the crook of Adeline's neck. Her hand reached up to cradle the little girl as Susan turned her face from the scene and wrapped her arms around Adeline. Adeline couldn't tear her eyes away as the creatures laughed and cheered. 

She could barely register what happened next, it was as if she were hearing them underwater. The only thing she understood was when the witch commanded her general to prepare for battle, and then nothing. 

It may have been minutes, it may have been hours but when Adeline finally snapped out of her daze the witch and her army were gone. The area was deadly quiet and Adeline was just left with the girls and Aslan's body.

"Come on," she rasped, pulling the girls up, "We can't stay here.

Tears slipped down her face as they all approached the stone table. Lucy was sobbing as she ran to Aslan who was unmoving. The girls climbed onto the table and Adeline tried to tear her eyes away. It was strange seeing him so lifeless when he was the embodiment of life. 

Adeline took her place beside Lucy as the girl pulled out her cordial and uncorked it. Before she could do anything Adeline placed a hand on it and stopped her.

"I don't think that's going to work," she said.

"He's gone," Susan said through tears. "He must have known what he was doing," Susan said as if the words were any comfort. He knew what he was doing. 

Lucy cuddled up next to him, stroking his face and letting her tears flow. Adeline couldn't stop her own as they slipped down her cheeks. 

Squeaks and snapping caught Adeline's attention as she looked down. Mice were chewing through the ropes as they scurried around Aslan's body.

"Get away," Susan cried, "Get away all of you."

"No!" Lucy pointed out, "Look."

Adeline followed the mice's example and pushed off the rope around Aslan's snout. She rested her hand against his shaven head and was caught unawares of how cold it was. She regretted not having her fingers in his long mane beforehand, she wished she was such a coward.

"We have to tell the others," Susan said. Adeline had been so swept up at the moment she had forgotten about the war looming over them.

"We can't just leave him!" Lucy argued.

"There's no time," Susan pointed out, "They need to know."

Adeline sniffled and wiped away the stray tears, "She's right." She hopped off the table and stood, adjusting her cloak, "I have to go and tell them."

"Don't leave Addy!" Lucy cried.

Adeline gave a sad smile and reached out to tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry, Lu. I have to go help Peter fight, this is what I've been training for."

"But you possibly can't make it in time to warn them and prepare," Susan said, "How will they know?"

Lucy's eyes wandered beyond Adeline for a moment before she turned back to the girls,

"The trees."

~

They had shared a quick goodbye, a simple hug and a promise to make it back alive. The girls stayed while Adeline ran as fast she could with her skirts in her hands and the spirits of the trees flying next to her. 

It was as if Narnia itself was helping Adeline make her way through the unknown forest. The wind whispered encouragement in her ear and the trees parted to make way for her. In her peripheral vision, the sun began to rise as Adeline broke through the treeline and into the camp, where the creatures were already preparing for the battle ahead.

Adeline ignored all of that and ran to the boys tent. One look inside said that they weren't there and she quickly went to find them.

"Adeline!" Peter's voice called to her. He was stood outside of Aslan's tent with Edmund, Oreius and Morgana around a map.

Adeline stopped for a moment, her chest heaved and her legs ached as she finally let out the sob she had been holding in. Peter ran down to her and she threw her arms around him as tears streamed down her face.

"Aslan-" she began.

"I know," Peter murmured in her ear, "We heard."

Adeline let go and hastily wiped away her tears, "We have to get ready. The witch's army is preparing and I don't know how soon they'll be on the battlefield."

Peter led Adeline to the others as they looked over a map. The inscription on it said Beruna and the terrain itself was a massive field surrounded by mounds and rocks. 

"You'll have to lead us." Morgana said, her black hair tied back and her arms clasped behind her, "The both of you."

Adeline knew this day would come and she took it all. "Aslan told me it was our destiny." she face Peter, whose eyes reflected his worries, "We have to face it." 

"Peter," Edmund spoke up, "There's an army out there," Edmund was trying to help his brother and Adeline was thankful for his support, "They're ready to follow you."

"I can't!" Peter cried.

"Aslan believed we could." Adeline took his hand into her own and gave it a squeeze.

"So do I," Edmund added on.

Morgana spoke up, "Your generals will follow you into battle your Majesties," she and Oreius bowed their heads, "To whatever ends."

Adeline looked up at Peter and whispered, "Through it all." 

That seemed to spark something in his eyes and his jaw set as he looked down at the map.

"The witch's army is nearing, your Majesties." Orieus said, "What are your orders."

Adeline looked over to Edmund and Peter, then with all the regalness she could muster spoke her first command,

"Ready the troops. We ride into battle." 

~

This was a shorter chapter but the next one is going to be very long so get ready for that.

Thank you for 10k reads! I'm so happy people like the story.

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StoryTeller5678