Chapter 10:

Isabela's words ran through Caspian's mind in a constant loop as he walked down the How's tunnels. Although he hated to agree with Peter, the High King was right; his people had invaded Narnia. The Telmarines had taken the Narnian's home by force, destroyed it, and they had no right to claim this land as theirs. He had no right to claim the throne, the prince realized as he observed the detailed paintings of the Kings and Queens of Old carved on the How's walls.

To the far right, a painting of a golden-haired girl not much taller than Queen Susan, with an intricate headpiece made of only tree leaves and twigs, and holding a long staff with a red jewel on top, was nearly all faded away. Much like the memory of the White Witch's daughter he realized as he continued to look at them, trying to settle down the knotted feeling in his stomach known as guilt.

"Are you so glad of that magic horn now, boy?" Nikabrik's voice was heard as the dwarf walked up to Caspian with an irate stare. "The kings and queens have failed us, Jadis' daughter is out for Telmarine blood, and Lady Adelaide begins to doubt of your leadership. Not to mention, your army is half dead. Those that aren't will be soon enough."

"What do you want?" Caspian turned around to give Nikabrik a cold look as he was reminded of all the things he already knew. "Congratulations?"

The Black Dwarf was indifferent towards the prince's sarcasm as his voice lowered down with malign influence, "You want your uncle's blood. So do we. You want his throne. We can get it for you."

Distrustful, Caspian watched as Nikabrik began to walk away to the Stone Table room, but his curiosity won over as he hesitated for a second before following the dwarf.

After having a nice conversation alone with her mother, Adelaide stripped off her armor and dressed in more comfortable clothing before going over to talk with Caspian.

Call it another premonition, but not knowing exactly why, only that she needed to find out if the prince was fine, she looked for him in his room.

When no one answered the door, she felt a cold tremor down her back and her worry grew from a little sapling to a full-grown tree as she walked down the dimly lit passageways.

"Caspian, stop!" Peter's shout echoed throughout the How, putting an end to Adelaide's worry and replacing it with fear.

Quickly grabbing a flaming torch from the wall, she picked up her skirts and ran her way down the tunnel that led to the Stone Table room.

It took her all of two minutes to reach the room. Coming to a halt, she stared at the huge block of ice behind the Stone Table and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the image of the White Witch holding her hand through the ice out for Caspian.

As the scene unfolded before her and Peter pushed the Telmarine prince out of the White Witch's compulsion, Adelaide noticed Nikabrik holding up his knife to attack Queen Lucy on the ground. The girl let out a frightened cry, Dela looking over at Edmund fighting a werewolf and Trumpkin taking down a hag. Desperately, Dela's hands searched her dress for a weapon but she had left them all in her room. Being the only one who could help Lucy, she had no other choice and jumped in front of the Black Dwarf as his dagger drove into the side of her stomach.

Adelaide felt the explosion of pain in a second, but the tears that dropped down her green eyes were not caused by the pain. The hurt in her eyes came from Nikabrik's betrayal, the dwarf who raised her and she grew up to love as a father.

"Why?" she asked him as her fingers wrapped around the dagger in her stomach.

Before he could answer her, his black beady eyes went wide with shock as Trumpkin drove his sword through his back and he fell dead.

Dela looked at Trumpkin but her vision was blurrying, black spots filling the outer edge of her sight as Lucy gasped behind her, hearing her mother scream her name before she dropped to the ground unconscious.

Isabela and Susan came running into the Stone Table room, completely horrified when they saw what was happening.

Seeing the look on Isabela's face as Adelaide fell back with a dagger in her stomach, Susan touched the blonde's arm and said, "I'll take care of her," before she hurried over to her wounded friend.

Isabela stood frozen for a second, her eyes finally flickering up to the block of ice that contained Jadis inside. Seeing her mother again made Isabela's blood run cold and she quickly came up with a plan in her mind to destroy the White Witch.

Taking her sword and piercing it through the werewolf's back as Edmund kept him distracted, she looked up to the Just King, "Help me out, will you?" A silent understanding passed between them and Edmund gave her a firm nod. "Wait for my signal." Isabela nodded, too, and Edmund wanted to ask for what 'signal' but she was already pushing Peter out of the White Witch's way.

The whole room went silent when Isabela stepped inside the ice circle, the three remaining young men staring between the White Witch and her as Susan, Lucy, and Trumpkin took Adelaide.

Finally, Jadis shifted inside the ice with a cold chuckle, "Look at who we have here! My daughter; even better." A smirk spread across the witch's face when Isabela held out her sword threateningly in response. "Isabela, dear, one drop of your blood and you'll have everything you've wished for. Power, beauty, a kingdom. Just one drop and I can give you that and so much more."

Jadis reached out her hand to Isabela, who was pulled in by the magic inside the circle and began to lower her sword. The witch continued in the sweetest of voices, "It can be you and me again, Isabela. With a drop of your blood, you'll be a reigning princess alongside your mother. We can be the family you've always wanted- Grow up to be the next Queen of Narnia like me."

Isabela felt herself giving in but then she remembered her daughter, her friends, and all the awful things her mother-this witch- had done to her people.

Awakened, Isabela spat with fury, "I am not like you. I will never be like you! Now, Edmund!"

At this, Jadis lost her triumphant smile and she let out a cry as Edmund dug his sword through the block of ice from behind right into the White Witch's heart.

The ice began to crack, the woman inside throwing her head back and spreading her arms as big shards of ice fell down.

Isabela, Peter, and Caspian threw their arms over their heads to protect themselves from the explosion. Once the White Witch vanished with an angry scream and the block was nothing but melted ice, Edmund sheathed his sword at his hip.

The trio stood up from the ground brushing small pieces of ice off their bodies, and the dark-haired king eyed Peter with sarcasm in his voice before leaving, "Looks like you had it sorted."

Peter looked at Ed as he disappeared into the tunnels, forcing to turn to look at Isabela when she asked the two sovereigns with a tone that said she was trying to control her anger, "How the hell did this happen?"

Before Peter could shoot Caspian a dirty look, the young Telmarine took a small step forward with a guilty expression.

Isabela looked at the prince who bore the shame on his drooped shoulders and her eyes softened, interrupting the boy before he even said a word, "Don't worry, it's in the past now. I have to go see my daughter."

Immediately the boys' features changed and they grew concerned. Peter asking, "Is she all right?" at the same time Caspian said, "What happened to her?"

Isabela didn't have the time to explain, and the three of them hurried down the tunnels to the infirmary.

Lucy was tearing up, her thumb running up and down her healing cordial impatiently. She gave Adelaide one drop of juice a few moments ago and, still, there was no reaction on Dela's side.

"Susan, it's not working...," the little girl stood up from the side of the infirmary's bed, looking at her sister with tears rimming her bright eyes.

Trumpkin ran a hand down his blonde beard nervously, "Have you tried giving her more?"

Susan stopped cleaning Dela's blood around the dagger (she suggested it was best to not pull it out) and looked up at Trumpkin from her chair, "No, I don't think that will help much. The cordial's juice is-"

"How is she?" The dark-haired queen was cut off by Isabela, who came rushing in with Caspian and Peter at her shoulders.

"She's white as a sheet." Peter's eyes were filled with fear as he looked upon Adelaide's pale skin and blue-purple lips. The blade in her stomach wasn't helping much either as he remembered who had cause all of this.

"Did you use your healing Cordial?" Caspian asked Lucy, eying the red bottle in her hands.

Peter turned to Caspian with new-found rage, "This is all your fault!"

Everyone was surprised by his outburst, but Caspian didn't seem to be taken back by the High King's words.

Right after Peter finished his last syllable Caspian exclaimed, his voice breaking a little, "You don't have to keep reminding me! I already know that!"

Isabela stepped between them with raised hands and watery eyes, "Gentlemen, please. No one is to blame here, and if that is the case then those at fault are already dead. There is no worth in wasting time blaming and hating each other. You're a magnificent king, Peter, use your strength to lead your people instead of arguing. And Caspian, boy, you are not your ancestor's wrongs. There are good Telmarines out there, I'd one for a family. Don't let your uncertainty eat you alive."

"Well, now that that's settled..." Edmund entered the infirmary with the healer at his side, the tension in the room fading away as Ronnalus took a look at Adelaide.

"This is nothing I can't heal." The Red Dwarf spoke after a few minutes, a wave of relief coming out of everyone in the room at the news. "You did a good thing to keep the blade in position," Susan shifted at his words. If it were another situation, she'd be relishing her smart thinking, but unfortunately this was not the time as they continued listening to the healer, "But I will have to ask all of you to leave, your majesties. Lady Adelaide needs air and I'm afraid you are depriving her of it."

"Of course, Ronnalus," Peter nodded at the dwarf, his anger long gone, "any sign of consciousness on Adelaide's behalf and Isabela and I will be the first to know."

"Will do, my king, will do," the dwarf repeated as he rushed everyone out of his infirmary and started gathering his medical tools.

As they made their way out, Isabela heard Lucy mutter to herself as she studied her healing cordial, "Why didn't it work."

Leaning over, Isabela told her, "Adelaide's the granddaughter of the White Witch; she's magic, little one."

A/N: I'm not even going to try and excuse myself for not updating sooner, but I promise I tried to make this chapter as long as I possible could to make up for my long absence. Nearly 2k words, I'm afraid I'll have to stop here with this chapter, but the ending is near and I'm super excited to write it!

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as much as I liked writing it. I'm sorry for not doing review responses in this chapter, but I don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. But still, thank you so so SO much for reviewing, following, adding to favorites, reading, and most importantly waiting for me this long!

As always, the outfit(s) my OC wears along with banner sets are on my Polyvore (link on my profile) if you want to check it out. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, I hope you all have a good day/night! :)