Hope Will Return

11

LATER

The girls ran to Aslan. They cried and leaned on him. Lucy unscrewed her cordial.

"It's too late," Susan said. "...He's gone. He must have known what he was doing."

The girls cried together. Mice started crawling over Aslan's body.

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

"No. Look," Lucy and Mina told her.

The mice continued nibbling away at the ropes and the girls helped.

Susan broke the silence. "We have to tell the others."

Lucy shook her head. "We can't leave him."

"Lucy, there's no time. They need to know."

Mina's eyes widened as an idea struck her. "The Trees."

The sisters nodded and Mina closed her eyes.

A woman in cherry blossom leaves greeted, "Hello, Mina."

"Please kindly tell Peter and Edmund Aslan is dead and they are to go to war."

The woman nodded and flew off.

ASLAN'S CAMP - BOYS TENT

Peter woke to a woman surrounded by the cherry blossom leaves. She said, "Fear not, my princes. I bring grave news from your sisters and Mina."

Later that morning, Peter said to Edmund, "She's right. He's gone."

Edmund nodded encouragingly. "Then you'll have to lead us. Peter, there's a whole army out there and it's ready for you."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Aslan believed you could. Mina believes in you. And so do I."

Oreius said in a warning tone, "The Witch's army is nearing, sire. What are your orders?"

Peter fell silent and looked down at the map as he focused on battle strategies.

On the battlefield, a gryphon flew around, catching a glimpse from above and landed beside Peter. "They come, your highness, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own."

Oreius shook his head. "Numbers do not win a battle."

"No, but I bet they help," Peter muttered.

The Witch's army appeared. Peter glanced back at his brother before focusing his attention back to the front. He held up his sword and the army, his army, cheered.

"I take no interest in prisoners," the Witch told Otmin. "Kill them all."

Otmin roared and the Witch's army charged into battle. Peter threw his hand down and gryphons started flying round, carrying rocks.

"Look to the sky!" Otmin yelled.

The gryphons started dropping their rocks on the Witch's army. Her dwarves drew arrows and they started firing at the gryphons, and some fell.

As Oreius and Peter looked out across the battlefield, the latter asked, "Are you with me?"

"To the death," Oreius answered with a nod.

Peter raised his sword. "For Narnia! And for Aslan!"

His army cheered and they raced forward. As soon as their forces clashed, the battle began.

STONE TABLE

The girls woke and Susan said, "We should go."

"I'm so cold," Lucy stated, running her hands up and down her arms.