09

PROPERTY

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Alex had decided that it was best to let the four Pevensie children spend the morning alone together. After all, she had been up the whole night with the prophecy running through her mind like a pack of wolves, tearing down any other thought that appeared.

Who was the Crimson Knight?

With a groan as all her muscles ached from turning in her bed all night, Alex jumped form the piles of pillows and blankets to get dressed. She could see that there had been a soft, silver dress left out for her, most likely by Susan. Alex could see her nose scrunch up in detest at the thought of having to wear a gown again because it didn't go so well for her last time.

So she sat down with the silver fabric in her hand and started to cut the dress into her desired style until it was just long enough to cover her upper body as a shirt instead of a gown. Lexi also had to dig deep through the chest of clothing to find something other than more dress materials and finally a pair of trousers that she could put on instead. Sure, they were a bit large on her, but she didn't mind.

Alexandra glanced deeply into the mirror to look at her appearance; the silver bodice of the outfit tightened around her waist which would be ideal under a set of armour and the trousers were ideal for training. However, Alex did do one thing that Susan and Lucy would approve of and that was braiding the fronts of her hair so that they were gripped behind her head but left the rest of her white curls alone. Yet, to finish her attire, Alex let the silver axe hang from a belt that rested on her hips and almost instinctively she touched the locket with the purple gem before leaving.

"Peter!" Alex called out as she neared the table where Susan had just departed with her bow and arrow in hand, Lucy trailed behind her but still managed to send a wave to the Dawson girl, "Edmund! Come on, we have a lot to do and so little time to do it."

"What?" Edmund questioned with furrowed brows.

Alexandra excitedly smiled at the thought of not only getting to train the two boys but to show them what she was made of, "Aslan has trusted me with teaching you guys a few tricks and how to actually use a sword without hurting yourself more than your opponent."

Edmund's eyebrows only seemed to creep closer together in confusion and denial at a girl training him to fight a battle, back in London his friends would laugh at him. Lexi and Peter both noticed it and the girl took her weapon from her belt and let it fly with force from her left hand behind her without even looking at the path that it was taking. Her right hand came up to the side as the axe circled around and landed swiftly back to the owner.

"Wow," Edmund's eyes widened at the sight of the destruction of the axe and the girl that wielded it. Each of the spaced-out, straw targets each held holes within their chests.

Peter just grinned widely, "Alex is a soldier, she will teach us just as well, if not better, as General Oreius or any member from Aslan's army."

The girl neared them just in time to hear the last few words, "Peter, this isn't Aslan's army. This is your army."

"Should we?" he asked and motioned towards the stables where they were supposed to train in front of the General before learning how to fight on horseback, he got two robotic nods as they started to stroll towards the camp once more.

Alexandra had been quick to select one of the horses from the stable alongside the two boys, yet unlike the others, she didn't pick the biggest or strongest horse. She selected one that she had recognised from Witch's hostages, his black coat was littered with scars of all shapes and sizes. Marcellus had been a prisoner since birth like many other Narnians that the Witch had planned to train for her cause, but Edmund wasn't the only one to be rescued that day.

Now all three humans, on their respective horses, galloped through the field with their weapons held high as she had just shown them but they continued to play around with them which almost angered her. They were soon to face a battle and she would blame herself if they died.

"Come on, Ed! Sword point up, like Alex showed us," Peter seemed to notice the worry on the girl's face as she rode silently behind them with her axe in hand whilst she swirled in up and down playfully to practice her grip.

"En garde!" Edmund replied as he hit his sword against Peters.

The girl finally smiled truthfully as he seemed to catch on with how to hold the sword for maximum agility and strength, "Now block!"

"Alex! Edmund!" Mr Beaver came running up to the three, he looked significantly smaller now that they were on horses, but it didn't mean that they couldn't see his rushed state of panic.

"Whoah, horsie!" Edmund cried out as the chestnut coloured horse reared up with the younger Pevensie boy on the back. He had to tighten his grip on the reins to avoid falling.

The horses' head turned to the side before his voice came out as bland and unamused, "My name is Phillip."

"Sorry," Edmund apologised.

"Beaver?" Alex asked him to continue as Marcellus stepped closer from the back of the group so that they could both listen into the conversation.

"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She's on her way here."

Lexi's eyes widened before her hand went to her chest where the sensation of anxiety froze within her heart and pulled her around. She had no idea if she could last more than a few seconds before she was back under Jadis' compulsion where she was forced to follow her demands regardless of how hard she tried not too.

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All of the Narnians waited patiently around the grand tent where Aslan would hold his meeting in private with the White Witch upon her arrival but no one knew when that would be, they had been waiting for just under an hour and with each passing moment, Alex grew even more anxious as the shaking in her hands started to begin.

Peter gripped her hand tightly to gain her attention where he found that her grey eyes were glossing over with pure terror and fear, "She can't do anything to hurt you."

"It's not me I'm worried about-" she started only for a surge of cool air to pass through her body as if it was a ghost. Once her eyes opened up again he could clearly see that they were now blue, "She's here."

They all looked down through the isle that ripped through the crowds as the dwarf, Ginarrbrik, announced the Witch's arrival, "Jadis, the Queen of Narnia! Empress of the Lone Islands."

"You don't belong here!"

"Go away!"

"Go home, Witch!"

"Leave!"

Cries of detest were thrown at Jadis as her throne was carried down the centre of the Narnian gathering but she didn't pay them a second glance or even acknowledge them. But the only two that she did seem to pay attention to were Edmund and Alexandra who both looked equally as pale.

The cyclops that carried her throne lowered it to the ground so she could stand up in her white gown around her body as she stepped forward to meet Aslan who stood proudly to show his authority, "You have traitors within your midst, Aslan. Multiple of them."

"Edmund's offence was not against you and Alexandra was taken prisoner by you for many years in a wrongful way," the lion replied cooly but they could all sense the tension dripping from his lips.

"Have you forgotten the rules upon which Narnia was built?"

A growl shut down her point, "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written."

"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. Their blood is my property. Alexandra is not only a traitor of Narnia but of Earth too. She runs from her problems instead of facing them and she has defied my magic which is treason," Jadis indicated clearly as Alex took a weak step forward due to the power pulling her.

Peter drew his sword and held it high to prove his bravery which Jadis' minotaurs did not like, "Try and take them then."

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little King?" Jadis gave Peter one last glare before turning back to the lion, "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water. That boy will die-" an accusational finger was directed to Edmund before turning to Alex, Peter instinctively stepped to her, "And that girl will on the Stone Table, as is tradition. After all, it wouldn't be the first Dawson to die on that table. You dare not refuse me."

Alex's eyes dimmed from their blue and back to their grey as she snapped out of whatever trance she was in to look to Aslan, "What is she talking about?"

"Enough," the lion spoke out to avoid the question with perhaps the guiltiest expression in all of Narnian history, all but one of course, "I shall talk with you alone."

Aslan retreated to his tent behind him with the Witch following closely in his pursuit and that is when she saw it. The same blue scar that etched across the back of the woman's arm. The very same one that had been engraved on Alex just two days before by the wolves.

But they waited hours, thoughts of equally terrible nature swirling through their minds.

Gasps echoed over the silent group of Narnians as they all gathered around the tent to wait for the final verdict on what would happen, all eyes shifted up to the entrance of the tent just in time to see the White Witch saunter out with her white gown standing out amongst all the red, green and yellow of the grass and the tents.

Alex was the first to jump up to her feet and was soon followed by many of the natives of the land and the Pevensie children. The idea had been playing on her mind for a while, ever since she had seen the back of the Witch's arm as she entered the tent. If the same scar had been bestowed upon Jadis, maybe there was a way around dragging the children into battle. But she had to be certain. There was no telling how long the lands of Narnia would last under her reign or what would happen to her new friends.

So, at Alexandra's side, she gently pulled her thumb along the tip of the axe that hung loosely from her belt. It was just enough to break the skin and draw blood, she even felt the warm liquid drip down her digits and to the grass.

But that wasn't where her attention had been held, it was all on Jadis' hand to see her thumb where the exact same wound had been inflicted.

Alex had been right. Not only was the ice in her chest slowly getting smaller and smaller, but the conditions of their obligation were on the change too. There had been many times in the past that either of the pair had been wounded yet the same did not appear on the other, this was something new and Alex swore to use it to her advantage; even if it meant her death.

The few drops of blood dripped onto the Queen's dress as a stone-cold glare was sent to her old heir, a knowing glare. Jadis knew that Alex would use this to any extent necessary and the quicker she was out of the game, the better.

"She had renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood," Aslan declared from where he stood, yet his usually joyous and powerful golden eyes appeared to be dim and almost lifeless as they skipped over Alexandra, "She has also abandoned her rights over Alexandra Dawson."

They all broke out into a cheer with Peter's arms instantly wrapping over the white-haired girl's shoulders tightly.

"How do I know your promise will be kept?" the Witch's voice echoed over the celebrations and put a stop to them. As soon as Aslan's lips parted to release an almighty roar towards her, Jadis sat down onto her throne with fear and shock. The Narnians laughed between them at the subversive attitude.

As the Witch was carried away, the Narnians celebrated over the newest accomplishment. All but one. Where Alex should be glad that her life had been saved for the day, she was confused. The Witch had clearly said that a Dawson had been killed on the Stone Table and she demanded to know.

Alex ran after Aslan as he once again pushed past the curtains of his tent but they didn't fully close until she had filed in behind him.

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I cant wait for the battle