queen of narnia

[charning]

Jadis is enraged. Aslan, back! Confirmed by the deputy of her own Maugrim, who died on the sword of the very child she thought she'd caught! Maugrim, dead. She paces. She comes too close to Winter for her liking on one of her passes through her throne room and rather than turn an instant before she means to she backhands him out of her way into the nearest wall. She paces and fumes and roars.

Finally she spins on her toe to face Winter, who may still be on the floor in his careless way but has surely recovered from the blow by now. "You," she says, "must go to the lion, and tell him that I desire safe conduct to treat with him on a matter of as much importance to him as to me. Go peacefully, I do not mind if you alarm the pitiful creatures who side with him but do not harm them while I seek parley. Do you understand, my Winter?" She bends to crook her first two fingers under his chin to turn his head up for frigid eye contact, inspecting him, thinking furious thoughts to which he's only an accessory. "I think the lion may be unnerved to see you. We will see."

Comments

[charning]

"Go. They are at the Stone Table."

[jackfrostbite]

He goes. He is very quick about it, but he takes the time to make sure he is properly dressed, because appearances are important - his formal surcoat, with the sign of the snowflake argent-on-sable front and back; but no armour and no helmet, to make the point that he doesn't need either. And his sword, to claim knightly status; but no other visible weapons, because he doesn't mean to hurt anyone while he's there.

When he arrives at the Stone Table, he is very careful on his approach. It wouldn't do to miss a sentry and be attacked before he can explain himself.

[alicornucopia]

A nervous leopard startles at his approach, but doesn't run away immediately, since he isn't charging in with his sword drawn and the leopard may reasonably expect to be faster.

[jackfrostbite]

Winter grins at him, bowing with a flourish of his empty hands.

"Good morning, sir leopard. I seek audience with your master, to deliver a message from her majesty the queen."

[alicornucopia]

The leopard backs up a step, then - "Aslan is this way."

Up the hill.

[jackfrostbite]

The name gives him a feeling of creeping horror, like his half-remembered father is waiting for him just around the corner, or like he's staring into an endless void and there's nothing he can do to stop himself falling in and never experiencing light or sound or touch or taste or scent again.

He shakes his head to clear it, takes a deep breath, and follows the leopard with his hand kept pointedly away from his sword.

[alicornucopia]

"Sire!" says the leopard to Aslan, who is every bit as imposing as his name. "There is a messenger from the enemy who craves audience."

"Let him approach," says Aslan.

The leopard steps aside.

"What is your message, lost son of Adam?" Aslan asks Winter. He looks - mournful, if not impairingly so, when he addresses him.

[deepest_magic]

Lost son of...?

[jackfrostbite]

He hides all his horror behind a carefree smile and bows smoothly.

"Her majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, seeks safe conduct to treat with you on a matter of as much importance to you as to her," he says.

[alicornucopia]

"Queen of Narnia! Of all the cheek," exclaims Mr. Beaver.

"Peace, Beaver," says Aslan. "All names will soon be restored to their proper owners."

[deepest_magic]

Such as -

"Delaney Hammond?"

[jackfrostbite]

He spins and draws his sword with a snarl of rage—

[neverbeatme]

—prompting James to draw hers, more calmly but no slower—

[jackfrostbite]

—but she doesn't need it; he is already checking himself, giving Bella no more than a venomous glare that smooths into calm a moment later.

"Speak that name to me again and we will have a problem, you and I," he says flatly. "I am Eternal Winter. You'd best remember it."

He sheathes his sword.

[alicornucopia]

"There is no dispute about names for the time being," says Aslan, glancing at Bella. "Tell your mistress, lost Son of Adam, that I grant her safe conduct on the condition that she leaves her wand behind her at that great oak."

[jackfrostbite]

"I will deliver your reply, sir lion."

[alicornucopia]

Aslan assigns two leopards, including the original one Winter met on the way in, to go with him and see that the wand is left as required. The leopards do not seem easy about this task - indeed, their fur is standing on end all along their spines - but they go.

[jackfrostbite]

"Lovely morning, isn't it?" he says conversationally as he leads them back to his queen. "Not that it wouldn't be prettier with some snow."

[alicornucopia]

"I thought he was some kind of magically animated ice creature," one leopard mutters to the other. "Lost Son of Adam? How?"

"I heard a rumor about it," mutters the second. "I couldn't tell you any more though."

[jackfrostbite]

"I could tell you the story," Winter offers.

[alicornucopia]

The leopards do not answer him, they just look at him warily.

[jackfrostbite]

He laughs.

[alicornucopia]

More wariness from leopards!

[jackfrostbite]

"Nervous creatures, the pair of you," he says. "It's my reputation, isn't it."

[alicornucopia]

They reaaaally don't seem to want to talk directly to Winter.