Chapter Eight: Winter is Almost Over
THIRD PERSON'S POV
"It's so beautiful..." Amy muttered in awe as they reached a top of a hill still holding Lucy's hand. There they could certainly see how beautiful Narnia truly is. And it would be much more beautiful if the winter is over.
"Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table just across the river" Mr Beaver explained. They decided to start their journey to Aslan's camp and now, they are in the middle of somewhere the children don't know.
"River?" Peter asked
"The river's been frozen solid for a hundred years." Mrs Beaver answered
"That's good then. We won't be rowing boats with talking alligators underneath" Amy stated.
"Amy," said Susan
"What?" The witch asked innocently
"It's so far," Peter muttered
"It's the world, dear. Did you expect it to be small?" replied Mrs Beaver
"Smaller" Susan said sarcastically
"Amy? Can you fly?" Lucy asked out of nowhere
"Oh, I wish." Amy chuckled "Actually, I can. Does anyone have a broom?"
They all looked at her like they are expecting her to summon a broom.
"I- I was just joking. Shouldn't we have to go now?" She said awkwardly.
"Oh right." Mr Beaver replied "Come on now, children." they started to walk following close behind Mr and Mrs Beaver.
"There's no nimbus 2000 gonna appear out of thin air, is there?" Amy mumbles quietly.
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"Come on, humans! While we're still young" said Mr Beaver hurrying them to walk faster.
"If he tells us to hurry one more time, I'm gonna turn him into a big fluffy hat," Peter stated kneeling to carry Lucy on his back.
They chuckled as Mr Beaver yelled once again "Hurry up! Come on"
"He is getting a little bossy," said Lucy. Which Amy replies "He's just probably excited to meet Asla-"
"Behind you! It's her!" Mrs Beaver suddenly screamed as the sound of bells from a sleigh became louder and louder.
"RUN!" They all panicked and ran for their lives.
The sound of multiple bells and every step all the reindeers are taking continuously and rapidly matches their heartbeat.
Amy wants to use her magic but the beavers warned her to not use it especially in the White Witch's sight except if she has to because they are afraid that if she found out she won't let her live especially the white witch is the only one who has witch magic in Narnia and she just wants it to be that way.
"Inside!" Mr Beavers yelled as they found a little cave big enough to hide all of them "Dive! Dive!"
They hurriedly went inside anxiety and adrenaline coursing through their veins.
"Quick, quick, quick, quick!" Mrs Beaver said frantically.
After a few seconds, the intense jingling of the bells and the footsteps of the deers stop just like how they hold their breath afraid to be heard by the evil queen.
Amy felt Lucy's hand hold onto her arms ever so tightly her eyes looking at her asking to protect them, her other hand also holding onto Peter's.
Their heart skips a beat when a silhouette appeared from above them and acting like that person is looking for something or for them. The snow falls right in front of them as the silhouette walked back and forth.
Until it finally walked out of sight. Mr Beaver sniffed trying to know if they're gone by their smell.
"Maybe she's gone," whispered Lucy. "I suppose I'll go look" Peter added then tried to move outside but Amy pulled his coat.
"No!" She whispers shouted then took her wand from her pocket "I have this to protect me."
"No!" Mr Beaver disapproved "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead."
"Well, neither are you, Beaver" Mrs Beaver said which Mr Beaver replies "Thanks, sweetheart" and then walked outside.
There goes the anxiety again as they waited for Mr Beaver to return if he will ever come back.
Mrs Beaver started to panic so Amy holds her hands to calm her down.
"What's that? What's-"
"Shh, shh, shh." Amy hushed Susan when she heard footsteps walking closer and closer until...
"Come out! Come out!" Mr Beaver suddenly appeared from above the small cave causing them to jump and Lucy shrieks in shock.
"I hope you've all been good 'cause someone's here to see you!" Mr Beaver said in excitement. So it's not the White Witch they sighed in relief when they realized they got scared for nothing.
They walked out of their hiding place and there they saw the person with a sleigh. It's an old-looking man with long white hair and a beard that almost reached his waist. He's also wearing a long big coat with puffy sleeves. "He kinda reminds me of Father Christmas" Amy accidentally said out loud.
"'Cause I am" He replied.
He chuckles wholeheartedly as the four of them looked at him in confusion except for Lucy. "Merry Christmas, sir." She greeted him as she walks closer to him.
"It certainly is, Lucy, since you have arrived." The man replied.
"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here. But this-" said Susan but cut off by Peter "We thought you we're the witch"
Amy and Susan look at each other like communicating just by their looks.
"Yes, yes. I'm sorry about that but in my defence. I've been driving one of these longer than the witch." Father Christmas answered.
"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia?" asked Susan. The Beavers indeed told them that there was no Christmas in Narnia for a hundred years.
"No. For a long time but the hope that you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power," he answered once again. "Still, I dare say you could do with these" he took a huge cloth-like sack from the sleigh and gently dropped it on the ground.
"Presents!" Lucy said excitedly that made him chuckle.
Amy walked over to the Beavers direction to let the Pevensies have their time with the first scene to ever happen from the prophecy.
Father Christmas took something from the bag and gave it to Lucy. Slightly lowering his back to match Lucy's height "The juice of the fire-flower" he said "One drop will cure any injury" Lucy took the vial from his hands "And I though hope you never have to use it." He added after giving her another thing which is an elegantly designed dagger.
"Thank you, sir," Lucy said thanking him. "But I think I could be brave enough," she added.
"I'm sure you could." Father Christmas replied reassuringly. "But battles are ugly affairs."
"Susan" He called. Taking a bow and arrows from the bag.
"Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss," he said handing it over to Susan.
"What happened to "battles are ugly affairs"?"
Father Christmas chuckled "Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard, blow on this and wherever you are, help will come." He gave her a horn with a lion engraved on its larger opening.
"Thanks," said Susan
"Peter." He called once again. "The time to use these may be near at hand." He said then gave Peter a sword with a lion's head on the handle and a shield with a huge red-coloured lion crest on it.
Peter pulls the sword from its scabbard revealing the elegant acid-etched lettering that says When Aslan bears his teeth, winter shall meet its death.
And when he flipped it the other side says:
When He Shakes His Mane, We Shall Have Spring Again
"Thank you, sir," Peter said thanking him while still adoring the sword.
"These are tools, not toys. Bear them well and nicely" He reminded.
"And last but not the least, Amaryllis."
Amy looks at him in confusion. "Me too?" She hesitantly asked.
"Of course. But these are not a present, I'm just returning it to the one who once owned them," he said getting something not from the bag of presents but from a box in the sleigh.
Amy walked closer to him and he handed it to her. The first one is a book. She opened it and saw various charms, spells, and enchantments written on it.
"That is just a blank book," Susan said.
"What? But it does have spells written on it" Amy replied
"That book is only visible in the owner's eyes. Nobody could see it except when you trust them to allow them." Father Christmas stated.
She then looked at the other thing. It's a pendant necklace with a metal curled around on an amethyst crystal. But a second after she touched it the necklace lit up for a few seconds leaving them in awe.
"It feels so great to finally see it in the hands of its owner. I am so glad to finally see you again after a hundred years. And younger!" Father Christmas said which made them confused.
"What do you mean? I... I don't understand." Amy asked. The old kind man smiled then answered "Only Aslan can answer all your questions. But now I must be off. Winter is almost over and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years."
He carried the bag back to the sleigh and looks at them one last time. "Long live Aslan!" he said out loud before getting in on the sleigh "And Merry Christmas!" he said before departing.
"Merry Christmas!"
"See you next year!"
"Goodbye!" They all replied
"Told you he was real," Lucy said smugly.
"He said winter is almost over. You know what that means." Peter said looking at them worryingly.
Mrs Beaver said earlier that the river was solid frozen but Father Christmas said "Winter is almost over" which means
"No more ice..." said Peter.
"That means we must hurry," Amy said putting the necklace on and used a spell to shrink the book smaller, small enough to fit in her pocket.
"Come on now, children!" Mr Beaver said out loud and there they go again following the beavers in hurry.
The idea of going back home vanished from their minds. All they have in mind is to get to the camp and see the -as everyone describes him-mighty Aslan.
To bring Edmund back and to answer Amaryllis' questions and to finally know who she really is and what is her connection in this magical land of Narnia.
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