Lifeline ⤞ Peter Pevensie [Chronicles of Narnia]

xi

Fallon stared straight ahead, not answering his questions for some seconds. Lucy had asked her the same thing, but it was easier to lie to her than it was Peter. There was something about him that she just couldn't figure out, and that made her want to tell him everything. It made no sense, but she'd never know that that was exactly the effect she had on him.

"Yeah," she choked out, reciting the exact same words she'd told Lucy earlier. "I'm fine."

This time, though, it wasn't Lucy she was speaking to.

Peter stood up, reaching his hand down for the Huntress to take. She eyed it strangely, but took it nevertheless, and Peter helped her off the floor before wrapping his arms around her tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder so he could talk to her.

"I know you're not," he whispered, and that was that.

Fallon buried her face in his chest, clinging to his shirt, letting a few stray tears run out of her eyes.

The thing Peter got wrong was the reason as to why she was upset. He'd thought it was because of what she would have had to do, and that was partially the reason, only he thought she'd no longer have to do it. How wrong he was.

"It's ok, Gray. I've got you," he said quietly. "I've got you."

And, even if only for a moment, Fallon believed him.

§

The Great Lion and the Cold Blood Huntress walked in silence, gloom expressions on both their faces as they did so, the darkness of the forest wrapping around them, as if accompanying them in their journey.

Fallon went over what would happen, and what she would do when the White Witch left, but all she could see was the dagger she would be holding digging into the flesh.

Aslan stopped next to her, and Fallon waited for him to speak to the girls who had been following them, thinking they were going along unnoticed.

"Shouldn't you both be in bed?"

Fallon didn't turn, but heard Susan and Lucy walk out from behind a tree, sighing in defeat and realizing they'd been spotted.

"We couldn't sleep," Lucy admitted, and Fallon turned to look at the sisters.

"Please, Aslan," Susan spoke, going to stand next to Fallon. "Couldn't we come with you?"

The lion looked at the Huntress, and she gave him a small nod, telling him she was fine with the decision.

"I believe both Fallon and I would be glad for the company for a while."

Lucy gently took Aslan's mane, while Susan did so with Fallon's hand, and the four walked on, minutes passing and the clock ticking, getting closer and closer to the horrible moment.

"Here," Fallon spoke once they reached a clearing, her voice sounding sore from all the crying she'd done on Peter's shoulder. She hadn't spoke a word after that, not even when he'd kissed her forehead before they went their separate ways.

"It is time," the King said, stopping where Fallon had. "From here, we must go on alone."

"But Aslan–"

"You have to trust me," the lion spoke, cutting Susan off. "For this must be done. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Lucy. And farewell."

Fallon gave Susan's hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go of it, keeping her head down as she paced forwards, following Aslan through the trees.

A few minutes later, and she was walking up a set of stairs, trying to block out the screeching, and howling, and yelling of the traitors of Narnia, staring at her feet, concentrating on placing them one in front of the other, her vision swimming. She made the mistake of looking up, at some point. She wasn't sure when. Everything was a blur, smoke burning in her brain. Her eyes stayed locked on the dagger that was being offered to her, and she took it numbly. Everything in her body felt numb. She had no idea what happened next, but she was standing next to the Witch, watching helplessly as Aslan fell to the ground, the creatures binding him tightly. Outside, she was hard as stone, staring as the scene unfolded, but inside, part of her was panicking, part of her didn't even feel like she was there, like she was watching everything as the night sky, from afar, and in the dark. She observed the mane of the lion as it got cut off, piece by piece, as if doing so would rid him of his pride. A minute later and she was looming over his form, the dagger in her hand as she listened to the Witch speak.

"You know, Aslan," she said, so that only him and the girl could hear, "I'm a little disappointed in you."

Those words seemed to snap Fallon out of her gaze, and she finally realized how much she was shaking, and how fast her heart was beating.

"Did you honestly think by all this that you could save the human traitor? You are giving me your life... and saving no one." She chuckled then, and turned her cold gaze onto the Huntress, who was still staring straight ahead, refusing to meet her gaze.

"So much for love."

Fallon's trembling grip tightened on the dagger. She had to do this. For Aslan, for herself, and for all of Narnia

The Witch got up, speaking loudly and clearly. "Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased. But, tomorrow..." she turned to Fallon again, who only looked at her then, ice meeting amber in a clash of senses. "We will take Narnia forever."

Cheering erupted yet again, but the only thing Fallon could concentrate on was the Witch's words.

"In that knowledge, despair," she spoke to the lion, who was able to turn his eyes to Fallon one last time, amber meeting amber, one look pleading and the other obscured by too many emotions, melted together in clear, liquid state.

"I'm sorry," the Huntress whispered, directing her words into the lion's ears.

He gave her the smallest, but most reassuring nod, closing his eyes and turning his head.

"And die!"

Fallon heard the word, and with a single, heart wrenching scream, she plunged the dagger.

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short and shitty chapter who?

plz don't kill meh