(Edited)
.Fixing Mistakes.
~Tuesday Prince~
As soon as I take a step inside Aslan's tent, I feel at home. There is no table or chairs for work, only a lion fur rug on the edge, looking as though it might be his bed, but when he invites me to sit on it, I do, unbuckling my belt from my side and placing it next to me. Aslan takes rest in front of me on the grass.
"So, little one, what have you learned so far in your journey through Narnia?" he asks.
I think about the question for a moment. "I have learned that you were right," I tell him in all honesty. "I have more magic in me than I thought. Like my mother before me, I possess the magic to heal and to melt the ice and snow. I can feel the magic in the world and in the separate creatures, and I know it affects me in a way that the others do not understand."
"And what of Edmund?" he wonders. "You said that he had been captured and yet he went willingly and betrayed you."
I sigh, feeling guilt grow in my stomach. "Peter was right when he said we were hard on him. He was home sick. In our world, we are in a middle of a war. His father is fighting and his mother has sent him away to live with someone who he doesn't know. We were too hard on him. He was just trying to have fun and joke around, but we wouldn't let him. Perhaps our own happiness made him suffer. I suppose the White Witch took him under her wing, giving her what he wanted until he could provide her with what she actually desired." I don't realize I'm crying until Aslan wipes my tears away with his tail.
"Do not cry, little one. Your tears do not need to be shed for the boy. He will return to us."
I can't help it and shed a few more tears. "I should have been kinder, Aslan. I shouldn't have been so hard. Perhaps he might have stayed."
"It is not your fault," he promises. "But I know how you can help." Those words stop my crying and I look up, my eyes widening, wondering what I can do. "You have the entire map of Narnia inside your head. You know where every creature and every living thing is at this very moment, you just have to search inside yourself for the one you are looking for. Though the Witch's magic is strong, it is nothing compared to yours. Even now, you are able to melt the darkness of her snow and yet you barely know how. Search inside yourself for Edmund. Find him and we will bring him back home." I nod. "Not now, however, there is still so much to do and much to train for. I need you to be prepared for what is to come." The Lion stands and I join him. "I must talk to King Peter. There is much doubt in his mind. You, however, must talk to Susan for there is some in hers as well that young Lucy can not cure."
Nodding my head, I take a small bow before moving to leave the tent.
"And Tuesday?"
The call of my name stops me and I turn back. "Yes, Aslan?"
The lion gives me a deep bow that seems to fill me with strength and courage. "Your mother was a wonderful woman. You take after her greatly, never forget."
I give him a smile and leave with nothing left to say. He follows me out and we go our separate ways.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
When I reach the girl's tent, I find a dark green medieval dress laying on what Lucy tells me is my cot. I quickly change from my dirt covered dress and wash my face and hair before pulling half of it up and let the rest lay straight on my shoulders. I leave my belt and sword inside the tent, not thinking I'll need it and walk outside. At the sight of me, Susan and Lucy stop their talking and turn to me, smiles on their faces.
"You look beautiful!" Lucy exclaims, taking my hand and pulling me to the river bank. Susan and her sister share a look.
"Just imagine Peter's reaction when he sees her," Susan laughs.
"What do you mean?" I ask. The pair of them giggle and say no more. I want to push further questions, but when I realize what they mean, my face turns bright red. They can't mean- ... but they do. I do not like Peter. Okay, maybe a little. But who can blame me? He's strong, kind, attractive, and cared a whole lot more than most boys. There is no way that he could possibly feel the same way. I push the thoughts to the back of my mind when I notice that Susan and Lucy are looking at me with smirks on their faces. "I mean ... you do make a good match."
I laugh nervously and reach in down to the water and splash it at her. Susan laughs as well and sprays my own face with water. Our conflict turns into a water battle that leaves us gasping for air and laughing hysterically. Susan walks up to grab a drying towel from a tree, and as she yanks it down, a wolf jumps out at her, snarling and she stumbles back. I catch her gracefully and look at the surrounding wolves. There are three of them, circling us and preventing us to going to get to our tent to grab our weapons. I instantly regret not bringing my sword with me.
"Please don't run," the leader says. "We're tired..."
"And we'd prefer to kill you quickly," a second one adds.
Susan glances toward the tent and I see what she's looking at. Her horn. I remember Father Christmas's words exactly. Blow on this horn and wherever you are, help will come. Susan throws the towel in the main wolf's face and runs toward the horn. I take this chance to grab Lucy's hand again and run to the nearest tree, throwing her up with a strength I didn't know I had and climbing up myself. Susan grabs the horn and runs to the tree. I take her hand and help her up. Though she doesn't get as high as Lucy and I do, she is still safe from the gnashing teeth of the wolves. Her legs dangle off the branch and she has to swing them up to avoid the wolves' jumping. She puts the horns to her lips and blows as loud as she can. I feel the magic poor from it, spilling across the land to anyone who will hear. For a few moments, there is no one. I start to loose hope, and jump from the tree like the idiot I am and make a run for it. Two of the wolves ignore me and the other comes after, racing me to the tent. I rip open the flap and grab my sword from my cot, unsheathing it quickly, just as the wolf jumps on top of me. I plunge the end into his heart and he collapses on top of me. I roll him off and drag his body from the tent, my sword still inside him. As I exit, I find a new group has formed and Peter has his blade pointed at the leader of the wolves. When he sees me and the wolf at my feet, his grip relaxes and he becomes more confident. The wolf sees this and laughs at him.
"Come on," he chides. "We've already been through this. We both know you haven't got it in you. I see the girl, however, at least has a little gumption. Perhaps she would be a good princes for my queen." I almost throw up at his words. The second wolf launches himself at Peter and I scream at him to move, yanking my sword from the wolf underneath me and catching the second one, placing the blade to its throat, restricting its movement. Aslan is by my side a second later, looking at me, impressed. Again, the first wolf laughs. "Her courage is great in comparison to yours. Give up now." Oreius joins my side and draws his sword, ready to fight. I hold my free hand out, stopping him.
"Hold," I say strongly. "This is Peter's battle, and his alone."
"You may think you're a king," the wolf continues, "but you're going to die...like a dog!" He pounces on Peter and I gasp, almost letting my own wolf go. The wolf lands on Peter, but I see the blade pierce through its hide. I let go a breath of relief. Susan and Lucy jump from the tree and run to their brother who pushes the limp creature's body off of him.
"Release him," Aslan commands me, indicating to the wolf. I do and the thing scampers away, whimpering. "After him. He will take you to Edmund." They do so, all running after him except Oreius who hesitates a moment. Aslan faces me, full on. "Queen Tuesday, this is your chance to make up for your mistakes. Oreius will take you into the forest wherever Varden leads." I nod, not daring to argue and take my sword, sheath it and climb onto Oreius's back, letting him lead me into the forest away from friends. If I die on this journey that was so quickly planned, I won't even be able to tell Susan, Lucy, or Peter goodbye. I glance back as the others disappear from view and catch Peter's look of disappointment. I promise myself I will come back alive and tell him goodbye in person.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
We don't bother making a surprise attack. We just go in fighting. I pull my sword from my sheath and drop from Oreius's back in search of Edmund. I find him tied to a tree, a dwarf standing guard. I smile slightly and run to them, holding my sword straight at the dwarf who shies away in fear.
"I am Queen Tuesday of Narnia. You will step back and let me cut this boy free. When I am finished, you will let me tie you in his place." Almost as if in a trance, the dwarf nods and takes a step back, a glazed look over his eyes. I frown slightly, but collapse to my knees next to Edmund and use my sword to cut him free, breaking his bonds then untying his gag.
"Tuesday?" he asks in surprise. "What are you doing here?" I laugh.
"Rescuing you of course," I say simply before the dwarf comes over and I tie him to the tree. "The others have been worried sick about you." Once I'm finished, I grab Edmund's hand and bring him to Oreius who is fighting a minotaur.
"Oreius!" I call. He quickly finishes the fight and turns to me. "This isn't a place of battle. We must leave now. Call the others and retreat!" With one nod, Oreius takes the horn from his side and blows it loudly. The others hear and quickly retreat. The centaur bends down and lets the two of us on. Edmund hesitates and I look to him in worry.
"What if they don't accept me?" he wonders. I give him a kind smile and hold out my hand.
"Edmund, to me you are always and forever forgiven. I do not blame you. You were just trying to do what you thought would make you happy. Realizing that you were wrong is the best thing you can do. If they do not accept you I will suffer however long it takes to change their minds."
With a burst of confidence, Edmund grabs my hand and climbs on the centaur's back. I sheath my sword and we take off back towards Aslan's camp. I can tell Edmund is nervous, but I also know he has no need to be. If I forgive the boy, then Aslan will as well. A hundred times over, if he could.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Word Count : 2,035