In "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe", was it merely the White Witch's right or *duty* to kill traitors?

Question

The witch staked a claim to Edmund's blood as he was a traitor, saying that if she did not have blood all Narnia would perish in fire and water. But is there anything to indicate whether this was merely a *right* or in fact an *obligation* to the Emperor on her part? In other words, if the witch had simply not demanded Edmund's blood, would everything have been okay?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

The witch had a RIGHT to a traitor's blood, but not a duty. The duty lay with Aslan; to give the traitor to the witch (or, as he did, give another's blood in the traitor's stead...his own).

The Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea had put this deep magic into Narnia at its creation.

I looked in my copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and found in chapter 13 (Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time) the following quote from the witch and speaking to Aslan:

"You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill."

Answer 2

Yes it was her duty

Answer 3

That is an interesting question....

I don't recall the answer off the top of my head...but I think it might actually be addressed in THE MAGICIAN'S NEPHIEW.

Answer 4

I think it was a right. She could have overlooked his traitorous acts, or merely released him from his oath to her. But she didn't. She wanted to secure her position by killing him. She couldn't see things any other way because she was blinded by power.