When Adelaide walked inside the hut, she saw Caspian, Nikabrik and Trufflehunter standing in a circle. They all looked up at her. She knew she looked miserable so she quickly walked past them to her room.
Caspian had never seen her clean. When she walked past him he couldn't stop staring. One thing that stood out most was her light hair. It seemed like it had been growing whiter and whiter.
Her shoulder brushed past his as she moved to her chamber. She was completely emiciated. Her eyes had looked up at him once. They said enough.
Adelaide knew that seeing herself like that would hurt, but she hadn't expected this. Pathetic.
She threw herself on the bed. Just a little bit of sleep would help, right now she couldn't think clearly. She could hear the door opening slowly. Caspian?
'You should eat some, Milady'
It was Trufflehunter.
'Please, call me Aid.' She sat down and put her arms around her knees. At least she could try to be nice to him.
He handed her a new bowl of soup and a loaf of white bread stuffed with butter. While she again attacked the meal, he silently sat down next to her.
'Thank you.' She mumbled, her whole mouth stuffed.
'I've also brought you some clothes.' He showed her a snowy white dress with silver patterns running all over it. She directly recognized it from her old wardrobe. 'I got these from my father and he from his father before him. They always said that it had belonged to you.'
'It did, yes. Thank you for keeping it. It was my favourite.' A small smile appeared on her lips again. She stretched out her hand to touch it. It still felt as soft as she could remember.
'Was he a nice man, your father?' She was always interested in parents, since she never had any. Not that she ever needed them.
'Well, yes, although many people don't believe it. He is the one that brought the first Narnians together a few years ago.' He explained
'I once knew a badger named Trunkhood, he was one of the commanders in the rebellion. I believe he was your great grandfather as you have my dress.' It felt nice to talk about things. She had been silenced for too long.
'What did you do before the rebellion, My lad- I mean Adelaide' He looked at her with quriosity.
'Before the rebellion I still had my magic. Most of the time I used it in the form of healing. Only there are some rules of magic, written at the stone table.' She clearly remembered that day, even if it was such a long time ago. It was like it was carved into her memory.
'Like what?'
'Magic can never completely vanish something. Traces will always be left.' The food was now all gone. Maybe Caspian was a little bit right, she did eat like an animal.
'What a shame that all the magic is gone now, I'd have loved to see it. Now it is impossible ofcourse.' He slowly shook his head.
'I don't think so.' She looked him straight in the eye. 'I can feel it slowly building up behind the scenes. It is waiting to appear.' She hadn't thought about this before, but it was true.
The two little claws of the badger grabbed hers. ' Are you sure? This could make all the difference in battle.'
'I am sure. You see my hair? Before the magic was lost it was completely white. Now it is slowly turning white again. See?' She held her hair in front of his face.
The badger sprung up from her bed and shuffled to the door. He looked very happy. 'I must tell Nikabrik! We must send word to the other Narnians. He will be delighted.'
'Wait!' He stopped with his hand on the doorknob and looked back. 'One question: How did you recognise me that evening?' This thought had been wandering in her mind for quite some time.
He smiled again. 'The circle of dots around your eyebrow. I grew up with stories about you, Adelaide.' After that he turned around and hurried to find Nikabrik.
She could have known. Around her right eyebrow there were three dots where all pigmentation of the skin was lost. They stood in a half circle. Now that her skin was as pale as milk, it was difficult to recognize them.
She liked Trufflehunter. He was kind yet fierce in his own way. He had a way of cheering her up. He reminded her of Queen Lucy. Lucy was just as energetic and kind, even when she grew older.
She missed them terribly. Edmund had become a true brother and always sensed exactly what she was feeling. It had always been easy to talk to him.
Susan had been her best friend for a long time, when she was stressed Susan always found reason and remained very calm. She had needed that more than often with her chaos.
At last you had the high king. Peter. She had always felt safe around him, like nothing could touch her. She was able to get in a relationship with him, but it didn't work out. Afterwards she had still felt attracted to him, but there were things that just didn't match. Sometimes it was almost like he wanted to lock her up in the castle, while she wanted to fight battles and live a wild life. Maybe she got that from Aslan.
She knew she couldn't call upon him. The magic wouldn't allow him. Aslan's powers were big, even bigger than hers. Magic always had a price. While she got almost no restraints, he had. He could never do things the same way and never stay attached to mortals. He could see the future, but could change little about it.
It hurt him more than most people realise. She was just happy that she could talk to him about his worries and fears.
She touched the light fabric of the dress and put it on. It still felt warm and safe. It looked a bit too big for her but she convinced herself that in no time it would fit perfectly. The decolleté looked empty and the waist hung loose around her hips. Still it gave her te feeling she looked beautiful.
She stepped out of the room to see Nikabrik furiously writing the letter. He looked up, she saw the admiration in his eyes and it made her sick. These people thought that she could solve all of their problems.
He stood up and bowed to her.
'My lady, how pleasant to see you at last.' He looked up at her with smirk. She could see something behind this facade. Hope. He looked tough but behind it he was just a little dwarf that wanted his home back.
'I am not the white witch, you do not have to bow and call me Adelaide, please.' She nodded in direction of the letter. 'What are you doing?'
'I was writing a letter to the centaurs and minotaurs about your return and the possible return of magic. Also I write about the Telmar prince.' He looked disgusted at the mention of Caspian. She couldn't blame him.
'What do you write about him?' She curiously walked behind Nikabrik and looked over his shoulder.
...We have also become a boarding house for telmarines apparently. Prince Caspian the tenth resides her after his stupid uncle didn't manage to kill him. I don't intend to make the same mistake. Trufflehunter wouldn't let me, because he blew an old horn. Think wisely about what we should do to him. Maybe we could torture him to get Miraz to surrender...
'You don't like him.' she remarks.
Nikabrik turns his head. 'Of course I don't like him Adelaide. His people burned children and widowed wives.' He looks emotional.
'What did he ever do to you?' The question seems to upset him.
'When I was smaller, my old hut was overrun by Telmar soldiers. My parents and little sister were killed. Many Narnians forget what they can do, but I do not.' Rage was burning in his eyes.
'I understand.' She didn't think that trying to change his mind would do any good. 'Still I urge you to try to get to know him. He can be just and kind, so I've heard.' Maybe she would do wise to follow her own advise, if he hadn't been such a dork to her.
'I will kill them, every last Telmarine on earth is mine.'
'I don't think we should kill innocents Mister dwarf, but I agree with you on one thing: We will let them pay for what they've done.'
Nikabrik already liked her. She wanted to act now, not wait untill others do. There was only one thing he didn't understand. Why help the prince? He didn't want to follow the prince, he wanted to follow her. Before he could speak his thoughts, she had already disappeared through the front door.
After the heavy conversation Adelaide decide to take a breath of air. There was nothing to entertain her inside. She had been living inside for too long, she craved some nature.
It was already dark outside. On top of the hut she could see the silhoutte of Caspian. He was watching the stars. The moonlight lit his features and she got hit with realisation. He was handsome.
There was more to him than just looks, in the light she could see him. She had seen that look in Peter's eyes more than once. The look of a king.