Father Christmas

(Image not mine)

Y/N'S POV

Winter is starting to get on my nerves. When I first came here I thought the snow was incredibly beautiful, now I miss all of the colors and warmth. Although at this very moment I am thankful for the freezing weather since it has frozen the lake we are walking on. Otherwise, we would have to take a long detour, not that this route isn't long. I looked over my shoulder to see how far across the lake we had traveled and was quickly disappointed. It felt like we had walked for hours but we were only three-quarters of the way across. I groaned and kept walking, watching the backs for Susan and the Beavers in front of me.

"Come on, humans!" Mr. Beaver waved his arm, "While we're still young."

Susan turned around and chuckled at my tired state, "If he tells us to hurry one more time," I warned, "I'm going to turn him into a big, fluffy hat."

Peter laughed beside me as he hoisted Lucy up onto his back.

On cue, Beaver yelled back to us, "Hurry up! Come on!"

"He is getting a little bossy," Lucy smiled.

"Ah!" Mrs. Beaver's scream pierced through our laughter, "Behind you! It's her!"

I whirled around to see a sleigh pulled by reindeer coming straight for us. "Run!" I yelled.

Peter dropped Lucy onto the ice and pulled her by the hand after Susan and I. Ahead of us, the Beavers were sprinting on all fours towards the forest at the edge of the lake. My feet pounded against the ice and I tried my best not to slip with every step while also looking over my shoulder to make sure my friends were following. Lucy and Peter were in the back, their coats swinging wildly as they ran. Susan was right on my tail and seemed to be doing a much better job at not slipping. I looked past them at the sleigh quickly gaining on us, it's bells jingling loudly with every step the reindeers took.

"Hurry!" I yelled over the wind as we got to the edge of the forest.

The Beavers led us a couple of feet further before diving into a cave hidden under a ledge, completely out of view of the Witch. The sound of bells and hooves were right behind us now. "Inside!" Mr. Beaver hissed.

Susan jumped off the ledge and into the cave and I quickly copied her. "Dive! Dive!" I heard Mr. Beaver yell at Peter and Lucy and they scrambled in a moment later, immediately followed by the Beavers. We pressed ourselves as close to the wall as we could and held our breath, listening to the sleigh skid to a stop and heavy footsteps step onto the snow. My heart was beating so fast my body was shaking. If the Witch caught us now we wouldn't be able to save Edmund. I fidgeted with the pipes hanging around my neck, maybe I could buy the others some time if I distracted her with my magic. Though, I have no idea how to use my magic offensively so it probably won't buy much time at all.

After a minute of silence, a large shadow appeared on the snow in front of us. It looked like the silhouette of a large man. Odd, I don't remember any humans with the Witch. Just as quickly as it appeared, it stalked away and it was silent once again.

"Maybe she's gone," Lucy whispered.

"I suppose I'll go look," Peter said and shifted next to me to stand up.

"No!" Mr. Beaver whispered, "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead." He looked up at the ledge.

"Well, neither are you, Beaver." Mrs. Beaver begged.

Mr. Beaver just smiled and took her paw, "Thanks, sweetheart."

I watched him carefully climb up the side of the ledge and out of sight. My ears strained for any sound to alert me that he needed help. Soft rusting was heard before footsteps began to make their way over to the ledge. Panicked breathing was all I could hear from the others. I watched the top of the cave, waiting for some beast to jump down and kill us.

Beaver suddenly dropped his head over the top and Lucy shrieked. "Come out! Come out!" He smiled broadly.

I was tempted to kill the furry guy for scaring me half to death but I couldn't stop smiling at his odd behavior.

"I hope you've all been good 'cause there's someone here to see ya!"

We watched him disappear again and I looked at Susan, her playfully exasperated face mirroring my own. She grinned at me before we got up to follow Peter and Lucy out of the cave.

I almost ran into them when they stopped abruptly at the top of the ledge. Annoyed, I looked around their backs to see someone I never thought I would see outside of your average shopping mall during Christmas. Father Christmas himself was standing in front of a red sleigh, clad in a red leather and fur coat and laughing heartily as we walked out to meet him. I couldn't help but grin widely, no wonder they called him jolly, his smile was contagious.

"Merry Christmas, sir!" Lucy let go of her brother's hand and stepped forward to greet him.

"It certainly is, Lucy," He nodded, "Since you have arrived."

"Look," Susan turned away from the jolly man to Peter and me, "I've put up with a lot since we got here, but this-"

Deciding to interrupt her before she could offend Father Christmas, I turned to him, "We thought you were the Witch."

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry about that, but in my defense," He patted his sleigh, "I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," Susan spoke up.

"No, not for a long time. But the hope that you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power. Still, I dare say you could do with these." He turned his back to us and dug around in his sleigh.

Curiously, I peeked over the old man's shoulder as he hoisted a giant bag off of the sleigh.

"Presents!" Lucy squealed and ran over to the bag.

I chuckled at her childish behavior as Father Christmas pulled something out of the bag and turned to her. He held out a small red bottle in a matching red holster, "The juice of the fire-flower. One drop will cure any injury."She carefully took the bottle and gazed at it while Father Christmas pulled out another gift. "And though I hope you never have to use it..." He pressed a small, sheathed dagger with a lion's head on its hilt into her hand.

"Thank you, sir," The small girl looked up from the blade, "But I think I could be brave enough."

"I'm sure you could," He looked at her solemnly, "But battles are ugly affairs."

She nodded and he rose to grab another gift from the large bag. His hand emerged from the sack holding a beautiful wooden bow decorated with white and red embellishments and accompanied by a matching quiver full of red-feathered arrows. "Susan." beckoned.

I watched her step forward from her spot next to me, "Trust in this bow," He placed it in her arms, "And it shall not easily miss."

Susan quirked a brow, "What happened to battles are ugly affairs?"

Father Christmas chuckled and ignored her question. "Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard," He held out a small, ivory horn carved into a lion's head. "Blow on this, and wherever you are, help will come."

"Thanks." She whispered.

The old man spun around again to retrieve even more gifts, this time revealing a large sword and shield. "Peter."

The older boy walked up to meet him. "The time to use these may be near at hand."

Peter took the sword by it's red and gold scabbard and placed the shield with a red lion on his left arm. Shifting to hold the scabbard in his left hand, he grabbed the leather hilt, also decorated with a lion's head, and unsheathed the sword. Its silver surface reflected the winter light as he examined it. What was with all of the lions?!

"Thank you, sir."

Father Christmas patted the boy's shoulder then turned to face me. "And finally, Y/n."

I stepped forward like the others and awaited his words.

"It seems Christmas came early for you," He chuckled and gestured to the pipes around my neck. I smiled and nodded. "Well, then, I will give you a word of advice instead. Rely not on your brain, but instead, rely on your heart and soul. These will never fail you."

I frowned, confused by his words but nodded. "Thank you."

He took a step back to look at us all, "These are tools, not toys." He warned. "Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter is almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years!"Father Christmas swung the bag into the sleigh and climbed into the driver's seat. "Long live Aslan! And Merry Christmas!" He flicked the reins and rode off into the distance.

"Merry Christmas!" I shouted and waved.

"See you next year!""Bye!"

"Merry Christmas!"

Lucy turned and smirked at Susan, "Told you he was real."

I chuckled at Susan's frustrated face as she tried to come up with a response. But before she could Peter spoke.

"He said winter was almost over." Peter looked at us, "You know what that means. No more ice."

The river.

---

EDMUND'S POV

I could tell we were getting close, the wolves' howls were growing louder and louder. I watched the ice the sleigh was carrying us across for any signs of my siblings or Y/n but the only thing I could find were marks from another sleigh. Knowing they couldn't outrun these reindeer, I just had to hope they had gotten to safety.

The bumps of the sleigh hitting the forest ground surprised me and I peered over the edge of the sleigh. The snow was melting in certain areas and revealing patches of grass and spring flowers. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Bits of green flashed by as we weaved through trees until we screeched to a stop, now that the wind wasn't making so much noise I could hear the waterfall roaring in front of us. The Witch pushed me out and onto the edge of the cliff overlooking the water.

"It's so warm out." Ginarrbrik shrugged off his coat but froze when the Witch glared at him and pulled it back on. "I'll go and check the sleigh." He promptly scurried away.

Trying to contain my laughter, I turned away to face downstream and scanned the branches on the other side for any sign of them. My heart skipped a beat when I saw four fur coats hanging on a branch, abandoned. Y/n had found them and they had made it to the other side, now I just had to pray that they would be all right from here on.

"Your Majesty," I spun to see the wolves emerge from the trees behind us. One of them threw down a fox that he had in his jaws. "We found the traitor. He was rallying your enemies near the Shuddering Woods."

"Ah." The Witch stepped up to the fox, "Nice of you to drop in. You were so helpful to my wolves last night. Perhaps you can help me now."

Knowing what the Witch could do, I watched the fox in fear. He looked at me in the eyes and bowed, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

"Oh, don't waste my time with flattery." She jeered.

"Not to seem rude, but I wasn't actually talking to you." He turned to look at me. My mouth hung open and I stared at the Witch's cold eyes. She walked to the fox and sung her scepter to point at him.

"Where are the humans headed?"

When the fox didn't answer she raised the scepter, poised to attack. Without thinking I stepped in front of her and blocked the fox.

"Wait! No! Don't." I quickly yelped. "The beaver said something about the Stone Table, and that Aslan had an army there."

"An army?" She looked past me at the fox, and I turned around to meet his eyes. He sighed and looked down at the ground. I stepped back.

"Thank you, Edmund. I'm glad this creature got so see some honesty..." She looked at the fox and stabbed forward, "Before he dies!"

"No!" I watched helplessly as the scepter turned the small animal to stone with a yelp.

The Witch swung her arm back and turned to me, anger burning in her eyes. Before I could react, she slapped me across the face and grabbed me by the chin. "Think about whose side you're on, Edmund. Mine..." She yanked my face to look at the fox, "Or theirs?"

She released me and I held my face, tears on the verge of falling. "Go on ahead." She commanded her wolves, "Gather the faithful. If it's a war Aslan wants, it's a war he shall get."

-Oh boy, this was the longest chapter so far! I know it's a little confusing because the group already crossed the river before Edmund arrived but that was the only way I could do Edmund's pov in this chapter lol. Just know that they already crossed the river and are on their way to Aslan's camp, which is where it will start in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!-

-Mocha