Tina sat there, crying. A great emptiness and helplessness filled her. This simply made her cry even harder. She still clung to the hope that this was Narnia, that Aslan was real, and he would somehow get her out of this mess. She called out again, but this time, she actually spoke. "Oh, Aslan. Help me. Please help me. I'm stuck and need help. Please come and get me out of here." Then she started crying again. Her world seemed to be closing in on her. She thought back to the book. She thought of the descriptions of Aslan. All she wanted right now was to be back home in bed.
About half an hour later, Tina had run out of tears. She started craving on the damp cell walls with a rock. She drew Lucy. Then she thought. Princess Lucy of Love she wrote. Then she drew Edmund, and she thought hard again. Under his picture, she wrote Prince Edmund of Independence. After that, she drew Susan and Peter, even though she had never seen them. Under Susan's name, she wrote Queen Susan of Gentleness, and for Peter, she wrote King Peter the Rock. Finally, she drew Aslan, and under his name, she wrote: Aslan: A friend, the ruler of Narnia, a comforter, a savior. In short, he's everything to me. Tina wanted to cry again, but she couldn't.
All of a sudden, the cell felt, how Tina described it later 'full of life and hope'. She turned around, and saw the most beautiful thing she had ever seen standing before her, looking lovingly into her eyes. She knew at once that it was Aslan. She didn't know how she knew, she just...knew. Tina didn't know what to do or say, but she managed to whisper "Aslan."
Aslan came towards her. For some reason, she wasn't scared. As he came closer, she saw that he was even more than she had imagined. The descriptions of Aslan she had read about were noting compared to what her really looked like. Aslan came and stood directly in front of her, his eyes full of love, compassion, sadness, and everything else Tina loved. Tina put her arms around Aslan, suddenly able to cry again. "My dear child," Aslan started, his voice even more gentle than Tina had expected. It sent a warm feeling all throughout her body. "Daughter of Eve, and One whom I love much, welcome to Narnia." Tina didn't care that she was in the White Witch's cell, cold, hungry and had had the worst experience of her life as an introduction to Narnia. Aslan seemed to take all that misery away. "I heard you, Tina. I am here to take you away with me, if you want to come." Tina jumped up and hugged him even tighter. Aslan gave out what Tina determined as a lion laugh. 'It sounded like a happy growl, but a good, kind one,' Tina described later.
For now, she climbed onto Aslan's back, and they were out of there before you could say 'By Jove!' Aslan raced towards the Stone Table, leaving behind slush instead of snow as he ran. Tina didn't notice this until she turned around, and saw that there was no more snow behind them.
Meanwhile, Lucy was filled with a strange sensation that Tina was alright. She whispered a wish for Tina. Dear Tina, may the Great Lion Aslan be with you, and take care of you. May he protect you from all danger...
About half an hour later, Tina had run out of tears. She started craving on the damp cell walls with a rock. She drew Lucy. Then she thought. Princess Lucy of Love she wrote. Then she drew Edmund, and she thought hard again. Under his picture, she wrote Prince Edmund of Independence. After that, she drew Susan and Peter, even though she had never seen them. Under Susan's name, she wrote Queen Susan of Gentleness, and for Peter, she wrote King Peter the Rock. Finally, she drew Aslan, and under his name, she wrote: Aslan: A friend, the ruler of Narnia, a comforter, a savior. In short, he's everything to me. Tina wanted to cry again, but she couldn't.
All of a sudden, the cell felt, how Tina described it later 'full of life and hope'. She turned around, and saw the most beautiful thing she had ever seen standing before her, looking lovingly into her eyes. She knew at once that it was Aslan. She didn't know how she knew, she just...knew. Tina didn't know what to do or say, but she managed to whisper "Aslan."
Aslan came towards her. For some reason, she wasn't scared. As he came closer, she saw that he was even more than she had imagined. The descriptions of Aslan she had read about were noting compared to what her really looked like. Aslan came and stood directly in front of her, his eyes full of love, compassion, sadness, and everything else Tina loved. Tina put her arms around Aslan, suddenly able to cry again. "My dear child," Aslan started, his voice even more gentle than Tina had expected. It sent a warm feeling all throughout her body. "Daughter of Eve, and One whom I love much, welcome to Narnia." Tina didn't care that she was in the White Witch's cell, cold, hungry and had had the worst experience of her life as an introduction to Narnia. Aslan seemed to take all that misery away. "I heard you, Tina. I am here to take you away with me, if you want to come." Tina jumped up and hugged him even tighter. Aslan gave out what Tina determined as a lion laugh. 'It sounded like a happy growl, but a good, kind one,' Tina described later.
For now, she climbed onto Aslan's back, and they were out of there before you could say 'By Jove!' Aslan raced towards the Stone Table, leaving behind slush instead of snow as he ran. Tina didn't notice this until she turned around, and saw that there was no more snow behind them.
Meanwhile, Lucy was filled with a strange sensation that Tina was alright. She whispered a wish for Tina. Dear Tina, may the Great Lion Aslan be with you, and take care of you. May he protect you from all danger...
