charning | queen of narnia

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."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

neverbeatme

Yeah, James has her suspicions about that noncommittal answer. But presumably Aslan has reasons. She pays close attention to everything he says about the coming battles.

From:

alicornucopia

Eventually they come to the Fords of Beruna, and begin to make camp.

From:

neverbeatme

It occurs to James that making camp on this side of the river is an interesting choice, but she doesn't say anything.

From:

deepest_magic

"Hadn't we better go ahead and ford it," says Bella, "so if the Witch's people come at night we'll hear them splashing?"

From:

alicornucopia

"Hmm?" says Aslan, seeming distracted. "No. She will not make an attack tonight. It was well thought of - how a soldier ought to think - but it doesn't really matter, here and tonight."

Aslan proceeds to be very somber for the entire evening. It's highly contagious.

From:

neverbeatme

It's highly informative.

From:

deepest_magic

Bella doesn't seem to be picking up on any inferences, she's just sort of moping on the reconstructed cushion heap, looking at her map in the dying daylight.

From:

neverbeatme

"I think Aslan's going to go let the Witch do something to him," James murmurs. "And he's bound to have some kind of plan that makes that a less obviously stupid idea than it sounds, but I have no idea what it is."

From:

deepest_magic

"...What - let her hurt him instead of you? I guess she'd take the bait, she hates him like nothing else, but - I hope you're right about the plan."

From:

neverbeatme

"I hope so too."

From:

deepest_magic

"It'd have to be something that she doesn't expect - or maybe she expects it, but the whole arrangement will still let her do something she can't resist?"

From:

neverbeatme

"Yeah. One of those. I don't know."

From:

deepest_magic

"I don't think he wants to talk about it," observes Bella after a silence.

From:

neverbeatme

"I definitely got that impression."

From:

deepest_magic

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep."

From:

neverbeatme

"I could probably manage it if I decided it was definitely a better idea than seeing what Aslan's up to for sure," she says. "I'm not sure I've decided that."

From:

deepest_magic

"Yeah. I mean - maybe he didn't want to worry us, but we're already worried, so that's wrecked."

From:

neverbeatme

"Yeah. Want to go see?"

From:

deepest_magic

"Kind of. Let's wait for everyone to settle down some more. I don't think Aslan's gone yet."

From:

neverbeatme

"Okay."

From:

deepest_magic

The sun goes properly down.

The creatures sleep.

Bella takes up her staff, and gets to her feet.

From:

neverbeatme

James follows, wearing her sword and shield on her back on an in-case basis.

From:

deepest_magic

Bella manages to make her staff light very gently, just enough to see Aslan by as he slowly leaves the wood.

He seems to be taking the same route he led them down to get to the ford from the hilltop, the other way.