.

.

.

.

.

SIX | THE TRUTH

.

.

.

.

.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Caspian asked the blonde haired girl as the walked through the Shuddering wood side by side, the Prince concerned for the girl due to the outburst she almost had at the council last night before they started their journey.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Angelina asked the Prince, refusing to meet his eyes as she led the group forward to the required destination.

"You really looked like you were about to kill that faun earlier." Caspian stated, Angelina shrugging her shoulders as a small smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the encounter.

"Well he was getting on my nerves." Angelina justified her actions, Caspian shaking his head at the girl as he chuckled.

"Well that's not hard too do is it?" Caspian asked rhetorically, Angelina looking at him before the two burst into lighthearted chuckles.

"Got that right." Angelina replied before she met Caspian's eyes again, the Prince looking as if he had a lot on his mind. "What's on your mind Princey?"

"Why did they can you a witch earlier?" Caspian burst, Angelina stopping mid-step as she stared at the Prince who quickly apologised. "Sorry, that was personal."

"No it's okay, you're going to find out anyway." Angelina mumbled as the two began to walk again, Angelina sighing deeply as she began to run a hand through her hair. "Sorry."

"Take your time. I won't force you to tell me anything." Caspian shrugged before he nudged the girl in the shoulder and gave her a smile. "After all you practically hate me."

"I don't hate you," Angelina stated as she looked at the Prince and gave him another sigh. "she does."

"Wha-"

"Answer me this Princey," Angelina started as the Narnians stopped to take rest, the two humans sitting a little across from them as she spoke. "what do you know of the Enchantress and her warrior?"

"She and the White Witch arrived in Narnia at it's birth, the Enchantress spreading evil over the land at the request of the White Witch so that she could rule. But the Enchantress spread too much evil and Aslan arrived, banishing her and stripping her of her powers. She was trapped for the next couple centuries as the White Witch only became stronger." Caspian retold the story he was told as a child, watching as Angelina nodded her head at his words. "After the death of the White Witch, the Kings and Queens ruled the country with Aslan's protection but as soon as they left, so did his protection and the Enchantress was set free and ready to take Narnia as her own. But Aslan had a plan, he removed her heart and hid it somewhere within Narnia to limit her powers, so she placed greed upon the land and began to search for her heart."

"Did your Professor really tell you all that?" Angelina asked as she rose an eyebrow at the Prince, Caspian nodding in return. "What about after that?"

"The Enchantress began her search for her warrior, the one who would help her find her heart and bring true evil over the world. It is said that she found her warrior and they are actively searching for her heart so that they may take over Narnia and rule together as one." Caspian finished, Angelina scoffing at the false ending as she shook her head before a sigh left her lips.

"You've been misinformed." Angelina stated as the group started moving again, the girl giving Caspian a pitiful look. "That's not all true."

"What?" Caspian asked in confusion before he noted Angelina's stone cold look as she resisted the urge to scoff.

"The warrior is not helping her find her heart and is not actively searching for it." Angelina started, Caspian looking at her in confusion as a sarcastic laugh left her lips. "In fact, the warrior has been doing everything in her power to try and stop the Enchantress from finding her heart and remains under Aslan's guidance to this day."

"Aslan's guidance?" Caspian whispered, watching as Angelina tried to walk away from him before he grabbed her arm. "How do you know all this? Angelina"

"Because I'm her warrior." Angelina stated after a moments hesitation, Caspian's mouth agape as he stopped in his tracks and began to stare at her.

"You're... the... what?" Caspian stuttered with wide eyes, his hand tightening around Angelina's arm accidentally as he just stared at her.

"I'm the Enchantress' warrior." Angelina stated more clearly as she placed her hands on Caspian's shoulders before giving his cheek a small tap. "You can let go of my arm now."

"Sorry," Caspian said as he released the girls arm before giving her a disbelieving look. "I don't believe you."

" What? You want me to prove it?" Angelina asked with an edge in her voice, as if challenging the Prince before her.

"You can?" Caspian asked, Angelina nodding before someone tugged at the skirt of her dress - Angelina looking down to see the impatient face of Trufflehunter staring back at her.

"At least wait till we're there, you don't know what she'll do if you let her out in the open." Trufflehunter advised as he looked at the girl, Angelina rolling her eyes as the two humans and the badger continued to walk in line.

"Yes Dad." Angelina teased, Trufflehunter rolling his eyes at the name before he nudged the girls foot.

"I think you'll find that Trumpkin is the dad in this little family of ours missy." Trufflehunter declared before he began to walk ahead. "I'm obviously the cool uncle."

"Cool?" Angelina asked as she watched the badger trot away, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Haha. Funny."

"I heard that." Trufflehunter shouted back, Caspian and Angelina both in a fit of giggles as they watched the badger go.

"You're not actually that bad you know." Caspian said to the girl as their giggles died down, the two smiling from ear to ear as they carried on walking - Angelina giving him a mock scoff.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked rhetorically, Caspian rolling his eyes at her before the two smiled again. "Well thanks. I just have a bad temper but that's not my fault. You'll get used to it."

"Truce?" Caspian asked as he held his handout for the girl, Angelina laughing as she shook his hand.

"Truce."

.

.

.

.

.

"A cave?" Caspian asked blatantly as he stared at the how in front of him, Angelina coming up behind him as she slapped the back of his head as she shook her head at the Prince who had boasted about the stories of Narnia only hours ago.

"It's not a cave you dimwit." She stated as she looked at him, the Narnians agreeing as many began to walk into the how leaving the two humans, the badger and the dwarf outside.

"It's an important part of Narnian history." Trufflehunter said, Caspian eyeing the how as he rose an eyebrow in confusion.

"It is?" He asked, Angelina rolling her eyes as she linked her arm with his and gave him a smile.

"Follow me."

Angelina began to maneuver her way through the how, Caspian looking around with wide eyes as he watched the Narnians begin to work and train for the oncoming battle that was inevitable within the next few days. It still baffled Caspian how two days ago to his knowledge the Narnians were extinct, yet here he was standing alongside them waiting to fight alongside the heroes of his childhood stories. Yet there also stood the villain of the stories, hidden inside a girl with fire in her eyes who only wanted to be free and Caspian wanted to help her. He understood now why her mood changed so much, it wasn't the girl's fault. All the girl wanted was to be free.

And Caspian wanted to help her.

"The stone table." Caspian muttered as his eyes trained on the broken table of stone in the middle of one of the chambers in the cave, Angelina standing on a piece of rock as the Narnians gathered around her.

"Alright, listen up." She shouted, everyone's attention on the blonde in front of them. "This is where we should take camp and use as our base."

"Why?" The irritating faun asked with an eye roll. "So the Telmarines can starve us out?"

"It would do you well to shut your mouth while she speaks," Reepicheep started as he drew his sword and pointed it at the faun, his army of mice copying their general. "especially in a sacred place such as this."

"Thank you Reep." Angelina thanked the mouse, who only bowed before he put away his sword. "This place is defensible and has space for us all to train and be protected if there is an attack. It is safer than camping outside when we could be ambushed at anytime."

"That's true, especially when they surprise us at random times before killing our own." Nikabrik grunted before he glared at Caspian, Trufflehunter walking forward before he placed a paw on his friends back.

"Let us not dwell on the past Nikabrik," He advised before Nikabrik shrugged his paw off. "we don't know if Trumpkin is even dead."

"But we can find out." Nikabrik smirked, discreetly clutching the pouch on his belt as he stared at Angelina.

"No." Trufflehunter stated immediately, Nikabrik turning his glare to the badger upon the immediate rejection.

"It's too dangerous." Reepicheep stated as he joined Angelina's side and glared at the dwarf.

"What?" Caspian asked in confusion, his eyes darting to his left to Angelina who refused to meet his eye as she just stared at the ground.

"Think about it," Nikabrik started as he addressed the room with a smile. "it will be quick and easy and she can find out if the Kings and Queens are also here."

"That's preposterous Nikabrik," Trufflehunter interrupted fiercely. "we could lose Angie."

"What are they talking about?" Caspian murmured to the girl, Angelina sighing as she ran her hands across her face before she looked at Caspian.

"Nikabrik wants me to use the Enchantress to locate Trumpkin and the Kings and Queens." She whispered to the Prince before she stood up, giving Nikabrik a stern look. "I won't do it!"

"Why?"

"I made a promise to myself in the presence of Aslan that I will not change into her willingly and I stand by that." Angelina stated, Nikabrik rolling his eyes at the name of the Great Lion before he stood in front of the girl and sighed.

"How long has it been since she last took over fully?" He asked, the room becoming hushed whispers as Angelina rose her eyebrow at the dwarf in confusion as to why he had asked the question.

"Six years." Angelina admitted before she saw Nikabrik's smirk. "You're looking at me as if that's a bad thing."

"Do you remember what happened that night? Why she did what she did?" Nikabrik asked her as he placed a hand on her shoulder and made her look at him. "Because you didn't let her have any true freedom even for a moment. Who knows what she'll do if you accidentally let her out in the presence of the Kings and Queen's and history repeats."

"Oh." Angelina muttered, his words sinking in before she stood up and sighed. "Does anybody have a mirror?"

"Will a puddle of water suffice?" Reepicheep asked the girl with worry in his eyes, Angelina thinking for a moment before nodding.

"It just might."

Reepicheep led the girl to a large puddle near the entrance of the how and directly under a flame torch that had been lit upon their arrival. Angelina sighed as she kneeled down and looked upon her reflection in the water, her reflection looking back at her almost begging her not to do what she was about to do. Angelina mumbled incoherently under her breath as she pulled the hair away from her face.

You can do this Angie.

"Pandora. Pandora. Pandora." Angelina chanted as she closed her eyes, the room growing cold as Angelina began to feel ice at her fingers as she dipped them into the puddle. She opened her eyes.

And there she was.

"Well well, if it isn't Princess Angelina." The Enchantress smirked, looking at Angelina through the reflection of the water and watching as the girl winced at the nickname. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Cut the small talk," Angelina grunted, rolling her eyes at the Enchantresses behaviour. "I need a favor."

"A favor? Well isn't this precious." The Enchantress chuckled darkly as she spoke sarcastically to the girl. "The strong and mighty warrior asking for me to do her bidding when she refuses to do mine."

"Yours is treacherous and I shall not go against Aslan." Angelina stated fiercely, the Enchantress laughing at the mention of the great lion himself.

"Ah, Aslan. Tell me child, do you still believe he will save you?" The Enchantress asked, receiving no response but the silence giving her the answer she required. "Oh, what a pitiful thing to believe in."

"Tell me Enchantress, do you believe you will find you heart?" Angelina imitated with an eye roll before she pouted pitifully at the Enchantress. "Oh, what a pitiful thing to believe in."

"You're treading on very thin ice child," The Enchantress grunted as she pointed her finger at the girl from behind the water. "you don't know what I'm capable of."

"And you know not of what I can do." Angelina declared as she crossed her arms over a chest, her confidence beginning to fall at the thought of what she was about to bargain. "Now you will do what is asked and in return you shall have an hour to search for your heart."

"An hour? How generous." The Enchantress stated before a sadistic chuckle left her lips, her charcoal eyes boring into Angelina's. "Foolish child, what would your savior Aslan say?"

"You tell me," Angelina smirked as she looked at the reflection and chuckled. "he'll be watching your every move."

There was silence for a moment, the Enchantress looking beyond the girl as her eyes locked with another and a smirk settled itself on her face. The Enchantress then turned her face towards Angelina, a dark chuckle leaving her lips before she finally spoke her final words.

"What is my task?"

.

.

.

.

.

"Are you sure about this?" Caspian asked Angelina as he sat down next to her on the stone table, noting the fact that the girl in front of him was both pale in the face and shaking.

"As sure as I can be in the given circumstances." Angelina whispered, Caspian noting her lack of voice before he wrapped his arm around the girl in hopes of providing some sort of comfort.

"You don't have to do this you know," Caspian whispered to her, trying to keep the girl calm in the given situation. "you can just wait it out to see if they arrive."

"You don't understand Cassie, Nikabrik's right." Angelina muttered as a sigh left her lips. "There has to be some sort of appeasement or history will repeat itself."

"Lina," Caspian whispered, the girls eyes widening at the new nickname as he moved his hands in circles on her back to try and keep her calm. "What history?"

"Please don't question it." Angelina pleaded as she stood up, her voice becoming small as she refused to meet the eyes of the Prince. "Please don't ask me that as you'll never understand."

"Bu-"

"You ready?" Nikabrik interrupted the two, his hand grasping the pouch attached to his belt as he resisted the urge to smirk at the girl in front of him and the Prince that accompanied her.

"You going to wish me luck Loser?" Angelina asked Caspian jokingly, Caspian smiling up at her in a final attempt to calm her despite what was about to occur. 

"Do you even need it?" Caspian asked her, standing up to give Angelina one final hug. Caspian wrapped his arms around her securely, whispering reassuring words in her ear before she pulled away. "Be careful."

Angelina pulled away before she looked at the gathering of Narnians around her, watching as they all take cautious steps back as she began to kneel to the ground. Angelina sighed as she closed her eyes and fell backwards.

Like the first time, the world began as blur of dull colours and then, as she properly awoke and everything came into focus again. She was back in the dark room. A shiver ran down her spine as she eyed the ice walls again as she remembered the first time she was here and how they had begun to close in on her. 

Then Angelina felt it.

She felt her knees become weak, the room beginning to erupt in green flames as the girl screamed as if she were being burned with every breath she took. Angelina's scream was raw as she clutched the place above her heart and the tears began to cascade down her cheeks.

Then suddenly it stopped.

Angelina gasped as she took a sharp intake of breath, the girl lifting her eyes from the ground as she spotted the great lion stood before her with a worried look on his face. The girl pushed herself up as she walked towards the lion, but Aslan merely stopped her by holding out his paw.

"You are in danger child." The Lion whispered, Angelina looking at him in confusion before he walked away - Angelina beginning to run after him but finding him engulfed in the darkness within mere moments.

"Aslan!" Angelina screamed as she looked around, darkness being all she could see until a green flame flickered a little way away from her. Angelina furrowed her eyebrows. "Aslan?"

Angelina walked through the darkness with fear in every step, her eyes training on the green flame until she stopped in front of an all familiar box and furrowed her eyebrows. Slowly she kneeled to the floor, noting the padlocks upon the box had been broken and the green mist that emitted from the box itself. Hesitantly, Angelina opened the all familiar box before a gasp left her lips.

"Her heart, " She muttered, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to stop the fear from consuming her. "it's gone."