Amelia had never been a fan of parades. Back in London, the city often hosted parades during the year- perhaps to lift the spirit after the first war and during the second- but none of them had ever been Amelia's definition of fun. Her school always forced her to take part, despite her clear stage fright. Being the centre of attention had never been something she particularly enjoyed.
During those parades, she felt like a rat being studied. It was as if her every move was watched and judged. That feeling enclosed her body as she was dragged through Aslan's camp.
The Cyclops holding her chains yanked the iron restraints so that Amelia stumble forward. Anger started to bubble inside her; heaven knew she was sick of being treated like a prisoner.
"...the Queen of Narnia!" Ginarrbrik yelled from the front of their little congregation. Amelia slowly followed the crowd of beasts carrying the Witch through the swarm of Narnians. She could see all the Narnians start to whisper amongst themselves once they saw her; she could already guess what they were flustering about.
Amelia looked on as the crowd started to thin, stretching to see above the centaurs' tall frames. She was desperate. All she needed was a glimpse and she would be okay, but to no avail... Edmund's dark brown locks were nowhere to be found.
Before Amelia could do a second sweep of the crowd, she spotted a large golden figure. His aura was one that matched the image she had created of him. He seemed strong, kingly and respected while at the same time being kind, gentle and generous. His mane was luscious as it cascaded around his face like a waterfall, giving him an aura of grace and finesse. She knew who he was...
Aslan.
He gave a light sneer as the witch drew nearer and Amelia smiled lightly. She almost laughed at herself. A few days ago, lions were simply lions. Now she saw why they were given the title "King of the jungle". Yes, she had met Aslan before – in a dream she had at the Professors Manor – but that image of Aslan was simply a dream. His real figure, broad and strong, was more comforting than she expected.
The monsters in front of her lowered the Queen- who was perched on her royally portable throne – to the ground. Amelia's eyes started to wonder around the crowd once more... and that was when she saw them.
A relieved sigh escaped her lungs as she saw Lucy's innocent gaze. Then there was Susan; her stature was hard and brave as ever. She had a bow with a quiver of arrows on her back. Amelia noted how the 'warrior' look suited her. Then there was Peter. His locks seemed to have become even more golden and his face was set in a hard glare towards the Witch. Amelia could feel the anger rolling off of him in waves.
Edmund. The last of the four siblings had already met her gaze. He was the only one that had seen her, and it slightly warmed her heart. She couldn't understand how their bond had grown so fast, but it was clear that what they had been through brought them closer together. His presence was the only form of comfort where the Witch was concerned. When Amelia was tired and on the verge of breaking because of the Witch's power, Edmund was there for her. Even now, albeit Amelia was stronger in the presence of Aslan and in the summer sun, she still felt exhausted of all her energy. One look from Edmund was enough to rejuvenate her, even if only for a moment.
She smiled at him and he returned it, although his eyes still remained concerned. Amelia sighed to herself, What has happened to us?
Amelia's thoughts were broken as the Witch ascended from her chair and slowly walked up to Aslan. Amelia winced slightly as she felt her raw wrist burn from the chains, but she paid no mind to the pain and focused on Aslan, hoping his presence would burn away her fear.
Amelia could not ignore the Witch's cold look towards Edmund, but remained calm where she was standing, "You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan."
There was silence for a moment and Edmund shifted around on his spot, uncomfortable under all the eyes, "His offense was not against you." Aslan replied, with a voice as smooth as velvet.
"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" the Witch retorted.
"Do not cite the deep magic to me Witch! I was there when it was written, but if you are so aware of it, perhaps you would like to explain the presence of the Silvanus in your midst?" Amelia could feel the tension in the crowd thicken as they glanced at her. She nervously focused on Aslan, hoping he knew what he was doing.
The Witch smiled proudly before she almost curiously pointed out, "Blood for blood. You'll remember well, Aslan, that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property. If you will take him from my hands then I shall take something of yours."
The loud sllliiiiinnnggg of a drawn sword echoed throughout the camp. Amelia's eyes widened as she saw Peter point his weapon towards the Witch. At that moment Amelia remembered what she was. The Silvanus. The protector of the living. She didn't know what that meant yet. She didn't know what she could do, how she could help. But perhaps giving Peter a helping hand was a start?
Amelia focused hard and called all the power within herself, hoping it would listen to her. She willed it to gather into a big ball, right in her heart. To her surprise, she felt it grow. She felt her heart swell as her passion for peace and her will for safety urged her power to expand. She thought to herself, for a moment, What can I do? What does the Silvanus have power over? Then she remembered what the Witch told her in the camp, A gift. A spirit of Nature. Without a second thought she forced her ball of energy into the ground and willed it to gather under the feet of the Witch's comrades.
She knew that the Witch could strike her power dead, but if Peter's bold move was to result in a fight, would the Witch's guards not help her? If she could keep them occupied long enough, Aslan and Peter might be able to kill the Witch... The thought, despite Amelia's hate for the Witch, sent a thrust of pain into Amelia's heart. That was her mother, the woman who she had always longed to meet, the woma- No, she doesn't want me. She is a cruel person. She deserves that fate.
She focused with every ounce of her strength on the ground beneath the ghastly creatures. She felt its life and breath. She felt its will to have peace. She felt its anger towards the Witch. Amelia held onto that anger and forced the power with all her might while the Witch continued to speak, "Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?"
Amelia smiled as she saw tiny vines start to grow. She continued to hold her focus, remembering the power she felt at the Witch's camp when she caused the onslaught of wind and plants in the Witch's bedroom. Surely that was harder to accomplish than this? The vines pushed up slowly, inch by inch. Peter looked away, slightly ashamed at the Witch's words.
"Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water." Amelia gasped as the Witch whirled around to face Edmund, "That boy will die! On the stone table!" Amelia's anger caused her concentration to snap right in the middle. Dejectedly, her vines fell to the ground. Dead. Amelia's frustration only grew. She sacrificed so much so that Edmund could get out of the camp so that he would be safe, and now the Witch brought the trouble to the boy when he tried to run away. Not only was she frustrated and angry, but she was, ultimately, terrified. The witch continued, "As is tradition" she turned to Aslan in complete confidence, "You dare not refuse me."
"Enough," Aslan said calmly, "I shall talk with you alone." Aslan walked into the large red tent behind him and the Witch tentatively followed, her white dress reflecting the sunlight as she moved with an aura as cold as ice.
Amelia dejectedly sighed as the Witch disappeared. Now all they could do was wait. Amelia felt a gaze burn into the side of her head and she turned. Edmund's eyes were uncertain. Amelia could only imagine the turmoil happening inside him. It must've felt like a tornado of fear, uncertainty, hope and hopelessness inside of him. She sent him a small smile in hopes of comforting him and he nodded. I'm okay, he seemed to say.
An hour passed by and Amelia found herself sitting silently on the grass, twiddling her thumbs. She was anxious, and the feeling only grew the longer the two leaders spoke. The silence of the crowd was not helping the ambience of the situation. The tension between the Narnians and the Witch's guards was so thick, it felt as if a thick duvet had been placed over their heads.
The other Pevensies had caught sight of Amelia not long after the lion and witch disappeared. Amelia could recall Lucy about to walk over, only to be stopped by Peter who shook his head solemnly. While she was slightly hurt at Peter's reluctance, Amelia understood that sending Lucy over to the Witch's guards was not a particularly safe option. Yes, there was a whole army of Narnians behind them and only a few guards, but she knew Peter would not want to take any chances when it came to Lucy's safety. While it did cause her heart to ache, Amelia respected his protectiveness.
Edmund and Amelia shared another glance. Their eyes held the same anxiety and fear, but Amelia tried to be strong for him. She knew that he needed all the support he could get, and she was more than willing to help him... even after he betrayed the Narnians... more than once. Edmund was still her friend. He was her comfort in the presence of the Witch, now it was her turn to be his. They had been through a lot together, and this gave them a connection that she did not share with the other Pevensies.
Amelia was so lost in thought that she did not notice the flap of the red tent open before all the Narnians and beasts around her had already stood up. She shook herself out of her daze before she hurriedly stood, awaiting Edmund's fate. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. If Edmund was going with the Witch, she would fight with all her power to keep him with Aslan. She knew that just the right trigger could make her control over her power so much stronger, she just hoped that the anger during that moment would be enough.
The Witch stepped out of the tent and sent Edmund a lingering gaze. Amelia prepared herself. She was ready to let it all go; a storm just like the one in the Witch's room at the camp, but much stronger. The Witch would not take her down, not if Edmund's life was at risk.
The Witch walked back to her throne and Aslan also exited the tent. The lion, as majestic as ever, faced his people with a strange look on his face. Amelia could not pinpoint what it was, not even if it was a negative or positive look. Either way, it was strange.
Everyone eagerly awaited the verdict as Aslan also sent Edmund a lingering gaze. Amelia's shoulders tensed and her legs stood apart, as if she was ready to jump. I am ready.
What she heard was no what she expected.
"She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood," Amelia let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and completely relaxed. Edmund is safe. Everyone around her celebrated and the Pevensies all hugged each other. Amelia happily stared at them, silently wishing she could join the happiness, but Aslan was not finished, "And so, since we have not taken what is stipulated as her property, she may no longer have 'Blood for blood' so thus, the Silvanus will be returned to us."
Amelia was shocked to a state of being frozen. I'm free. She thought, I'm done. My mother can no longer hurt me. The Cyclops in charge of her grudgingly undid her chains as the Narnians around her cheered even louder. Amelia rubbed at the raw skin, but did not have much time to gather her thoughts before she was crushed in a sudden bear hug. She laughed as Peter, Susan and Lucy all held her; tears in their eyes.
"I missed you so much!" Amelia cried, happiness over flooding her system. The three Pevensies only laughed and continued to embrace her. Surprisingly, Amelia felt even more of her strength return. It filled her body, giving her power that she could feel surging through her veins. It made sense to her, the Silvanus is all about protection and nature. Happiness amongst Narnians must be a source of power for the spirit.
The three siblings let go of the young girl, revealing a smirking Edmund behind them. The dark-haired boy stared at her, "Took you long enough to get here."
Amelia scoffed and pulled him into a hug. He immediately embraced her and said, "You're okay" as if he, himself, could not believe it. Amelia smiled to herself, I'm home.
Hey guys!
That's right! Imma back! Finally we are on April holidays and I can actually breathe! School is tough guys... its no joke.
Anyways, now that I have loads of time on my hands, I plan on updating a lot! Like seriously, a lot! I have 3 weeks of holiday, so maybe I'll even mange to start my new book :) AHHHHH! IM SO EXCITED! The picture in the beginning of the chapter is of Barbara Palvin, or Amelia Cromwell. I tried my best to make it look more realistic when it came to injuries, but all the cool stuff had a price on it :( so I settled for blood on her shirt and dark circle around the eyes. I mean, come on, Amelia has been through a lot. Why wouldn't she have dark circles? :D So yeah, if any of you have edits, pictures, banners, anything you would like me to show, I will be so happy to put it up! Just let me know :)
So, I really hope you guys like this chapter :D Please point out any mistakes I may have missed or any criteria you may have! I would really appreciate it.
So tell me...
Do you like the scene where Amelia tries to use her powers? Do you like Amelia and Edmund's relationship? DO you feel it is adequate or do you feel it developed too fast or out of nothing?
Comment below!
Love yall!
Gabbi