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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."
charning
As soon as they are gone, Aslan says, "We must move from this place at once. It will be wanted for other purposes. We shall encamp tonight at the Fords of Beruna."
deepest_magic
"What did -" But there is an atmosphere suggesting that this would somehow be a deeply personal question to ask of Aslan. She swallows it after those two words, and goes unanswered.
Various creatures lay out brunch, taken as a picnic on the hilltop, and then the pavilion is taken down and everything is packed up and the party is on its way to the Fords at an easy pace.
Aslan walks besides the girls. And begins to outline the likely military campaign.
Aslan walks besides the girls. And begins to outline the likely military campaign.
deepest_magic
Bella fills in her current best map when he mentions places, and takes notes as they walk - it turns out her staff still works tucked in her elbow even if she doesn't touch it to the ground step by step, so she has a hand for the notebook and a hand for the pen - but asks: "Aren't you going to be there to lead everyone? Are we going to be handling detachments and need to coordinate?"
neverbeatme
As soon as Bella asks the question, James suspects she knows the answer. But she waits for Aslan to speak.
deepest_magic
"I suppose there are a tremendous number of countries that need your attention or Narnia wouldn't have had such a long winter at all," says Bella. "And you might be called away. So if we can handle it we should, but it's only we have not actually commanded armies before. Are there more experienced creatures who could do it?"
"They will listen to you, children of Eve, and you have little innate fear of the Witch or her servants," says Aslan. "Find lieutenants if you can, but let us continue." And he goes on describing his campaign.
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.
neverbeatme
It occurs to James that making camp on this side of the river is an interesting choice, but she doesn't say anything.
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?"
"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.
Aslan proceeds to be very somber for the entire evening. It's highly contagious.
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.
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."
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."
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?"
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."