"Even a Traitor May Mend"
Buzz. Buzz.
The lunch bell came blaring through the long high school halls, but was soon drowned out by the noise of lockers opening and voices talking. Newly boughten tennis shoes squeaked on the slick floor, as hundreds of teenagers tried to make their way through the crowded halls without getting pummeled.
Edmund Pevensie was one of many who somehow managed to get lost in the action. After being pushed, shoved, and nearly slammed onto the floor, he decided just to wait against the wall until the majority of the crowd had gone to make his next move.
After what seemed like an hour, (but was, in fact, only a few minutes) Edmund had some room to step forward to retrieve his lunch from his locker. As he unlocked the small door though, he heard something.
Some voices coming from down the hall. Slamming the door shut, after he got his lunch bag, he turned his head to investigate. Although it had been a long while since he'd been back at school, (or it felt like a while to him since returning from Narnia last), he could have sworn he recognized at least on of the voices that seemed to be getting louder and louder.
Where had he heard it before? He tried to remember as he crept further towards the scene, attempting to be as silent as possible until he was aware of his surroundings. Once he reached the corner, he stopped, listening.
A sharp cry penetrated the silent hallway. "Leave me alone!"
A thud.
"Aw, crybaby here wants us to 'leave him alone'. What do you think of that fellas?"
Some mutual laughter.
Ah, yes. Now Edmund remembered. Gordon Parker. His former friend, and the school bully. Edmund hadnt seen him since…well, long before Narnia. Apparently he was still the same, although he was about a foot taller and muscular now from the look of things.
Peering around the corner, Edmund saw that the group of four boys had the smaller one shoved up against the wall. He appeared to have a black eye already. Gordon was just raising his fist for another blow when Edmund jumped out.
"Stop!" He cried, wedging his way in between the wall and Gordon. Gordon looked up at him with a start, which gave the boy just enough time to escape. Only Edmund was left, staring at the group. Gordon lowered his fist, and for a split second, Edmund was sure he would receive the blow meant for the other kid. But he raised his eyebrows in surprise when he felt Gordon's solid hand rest on his shoulder.
"Well, if it isn't old Pevensie! Haven't seen you in a few years."
Edmund swallowed. "Nope, I guess not."
The other boys came closer to him, and Edmund realized just then that they probably thought they were still friends.
"What have you been up to, old chap?"
Edmund shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, you know, nothing much." I mean, except for being a king for a hundred years and leading an army, and things like that, he thought to himself. But he kept his mouth shut.
Gordon grinned, although it looked to Edmund more like a wicked smirk. He hardly thought Gordon was capable of a genuine smile. "It;s good to have you back, old pal."
At that moment, the boy had been formerly beaten up by the group attempted to slip behind them unnoticed. Gordon swung around, not missing a beat.
"Didn't learn your lesson, did you?" He grabbed him by the collar, and held him up several inches above the ground. The brown lunch bag he had been carrying dropped to the floor and the contents spilled in all directions.
Edmund remembered when he had been the one who was doing the bullying. There was a time, long ago, when he had been no better than Gordon, and he would taunt and fight anyone smaller than him mercilessly. Lucy had often been the brunt of many of his antics. But that was all in the past. Hundreds of years in the past, as a matter of fact. Narnia had changed him. He shouldn't still feel guilty about what he'd done back then.
Then why did he?
Shame burned in his face as he watched Gordon slam the innocent victim into the wall once again. Edmund felt bile in his throat, and the repulsion of the situation hit him hard. He had done that sort of thing so many times to people, and never even thought twice about it.
Suddenly, he couldn't take any more of this.
"Gordon, stop," He commanded in a tone he hadnt used since he was king.
Gordon whipped around to face him. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"
Edmund squinted his eyes at his former friend. "Put him down."
Gordon didn't let go. "Oh, I see how it is. Old Pevensie is a goody-two-shoes now. What happened to make you so soft?"
Edmund gritted his teeth. "Now." He hissed.
At that moment, a teacher came walking down the hallway, but Gordon saw and dropped his victim before the teacher could see what had happened. The boy scurried off once again, and Edmund turned to leave, however he felt a cold hand on his arm stop him. Once the teacher was out of eyesight, Gordon dug his fingers into Edmund's flesh and whispered in his ear, "You will pay for this Pevensie."
Edmund recoiled as he felt the boy's hot breath on his face. Just at that moment the warning bell rang, and Edmund raced to eat his lunch, dreading what would happen to him later on. He shouldn't be afraid. He'd taken on giants, sea serpents, and other foes in Narnia. But somehow, he felt as though he didn't have all the same courage here that he had there. And he knew most definitely that Gordon would not let him off easy.
The sun was setting over the city by the time Edmund finally could walk home. He had stayed after school for fencing practice, as he did three days a week. It certainly wasn't up to Narnia's standard, but it somehow helped to fill the void of not being there right now. And it also didn't hurt that Edmund was the best in his class. It had taken some getting used to, using the lightweight plastic "safety" swords, and not the heavy metal one he always had. But he managed.
Edmund kicked a can into the gutter as he continued down the mundane path towards home. He was just turning the corner into an alleyway when he stopped. A dark shadow moved quickly over the brick wall, just ahead of him. Some footsteps were heard, getting louder as they approached. Edmund would know them anywhere.
The tall, built frame of Gordon appeared in front of Edmund, blocking him from going forward. Behind him, Edmund heard some more sets of footsteps coming, and he knew that all chances of escaping were now gone.
"Parker," Edmund growled, looking his adversary straight in the eyes. Gordon nonchalantly stepped closer, acting as though nothing about this situation was unusual at all.
"Pevensie," He said simply.
Edmund's jaw tensed.
Soon, Gordon was standing only inches from him. He looked at Edmund cockily, rolling up his sleeve.
"I find it rather surprising about you, Pevensie." He began, looking only half interested as the other boys came closer.
Edmund's eyebrow twitched slightly. "Oh?"
"Yeah. I dont know what happened to you, but Im not going to put up with any more of your little 'stunts' like the one you pulled at school today." He inched closer, right in Edmund's face now. "What do you think you are, some kind of hero?"
Some of the other boys snickered.
"Good old Edmund, he steps in and saves the little guy from 'danger'." He laughed, a cruel, heartless laugh. Suddenly, Edmund felt the collar of his shirt ripped away from him, and he struggled for breath as he was held up in the air. Gordon didn't take his eyes off of him, as he continued in a voice that reminded Edmund a lot of the White Witch's wolves.
"Well, I'll tell you what you are, little boy. You're no hero. You're a pathetic, backbiting little traitor, and if you know what's best for you, you had better STAY OUT of my business!"
With that, he threw Edmund on the concrete ground, and seconds later, he was on top of him. Edmund had no time to process what was happening as he felt a steel fist in his face. His head cracked backwards with the force administered from the punch.
He cried out. The pain stung badly, and for an instant, Edmund nearly blacked out. He knew he was surrounded now, and the audience laughed as Gordon continued to beat him up.
Another punch in the face was given.
Another.
Edmund could taste blood in his mouth from his split lip, and numerous other cuts in his face.
Then only half conscious, Edmund felt himself being lifted into the air. His vision was completely blurry as he looked on the face of the bully. Within seconds, Edmund was struck again, this time in the stomach, and he was sent reeling backwards into the wall. He could barley breathe as he attempted with every aching bone in his body to lift himself off the ground. He couldn't.
He heard the grating sound of laughter as Gordon walked away with his friends into the night, leaving him laying there, helpless.
Back at the house, Susan and Lucy worked in the kitchen, intent on making a sustainable dinner. Lucy giggled as she threw some flour up in the air.
"Wee! Gotcha Susan!"
"Ugh, Lucy! Can you not? You'll simply ruin my dress!" Susan declared exasperatedly, attempting to brush herself off. The deplorable white powder did not cooperate though.
Lucy threw some more. "Oh, come on! Whats the point in making dinner if you cant have some fun?"
Susan was about to give her little sister a very logical explanation about how dinner is a very necessary part of life, and she shouldn't waste ingredients when the front door opened.
"Hullo, I'm home!" Peter's voice rang out as Lucy rushed to him.
"Peter!" She threw some flour on him. Blinking, he wiped it off his face and coughed.
"Gee, thanks Lu. Just what I needed."
Susan came to them, drying her hands on her apron. "Where's Edmund?"
Peter glanced around. "You mean he's not home?"
"No, I thought he would be coming home with you, after all it was only the first day of school, and you two usually walk together anyhow," She replied matter of factly. A slightly accusatory twitch of her brow made Peter aware that she somehow blamed him. Not that it was surprising.
Peter shook his head. "Well, he mentioned something about a fencing club earlier, so we agreed to go home separate today." He replied. When Susan's eyes continued to bore into him though, Peter cleared his throat and spoke up. "He should have been home by now though. It's nearly dark out."
Lucy chimed in. "I'm sure Edmund's alright. You know how he is. He probably took a walk or something."
Peter messed up her hair, getting flour in it. "You're probably right, Lu." He turned to Susan. "Still, I'd better go check just in case."
Dropping his leather bag on the shoe-rack, Peter turned back to the door.
"Cant I come with you? Susan's no fun in the kitchen," Lucy whined.
Peter patted her head in understanding. "Sorry Lu, but I better just go this time."
Lucy feigned a pout, but she understood.
"Try not to be long, Peter. Dinner's almost ready." said Susan as Peter left.
"I won't."
Edmund moaned as he woke up. It just occurred to him that he had fainted. His head pounded, and he still struggled to see clearly.
He licked his lip. Apparently the wound had begun to scab over.
He tried to move, but found that he couldn't still. Sharp pain shot through his left shoulder and he moaned again. It was probably dislocated.
Edmund swore as he struggled yet again to get up off the ground. He had to. No one knew where he was, and the chances of him being found in the dark were slim. But every time he pushed himself up, he felt like needles were puncturing his head and his vision went blurry.
After the third time of trying, Edmund accepted the fact that he would likely be spending the night out here. Alone. In excruciating pain, and not to mention hungry.
He swore again.
What a great first day of school this had been.
Head throbbing, the words of Gordon came back to him. Traitor. Pathetic, backbiting traitor. He cringed at the word, remembering.
"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan."
"His offense was not against you."
"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built? All of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water. That boy will die on the stone table, as is tradition."
Edmund felt a single tear slip down his scabbed face. Wasn't that what he had been? He heard the words over and over again replaying in his mind like a broken record.
"He…betrayed them, your majesty."
"Then he has betrayed us all!"
The white witch had allowed Edmund to see what the Narnians thought of him in her crystal ball. Though he was not present at the scene when it took place, he heard what they said about him. And he'd never forgotten.
Presently, the sound of soft footsteps started Edmund out of his thought process for the time being. Who would be out this time of night? A horrifying thought crossed Edmund's mind as he thought that it might be Gordon again, coming to finish him off. While it was a far fetched idea, Edmund knew that the older boy was more than capable of such behavior.
The footsteps got closer, but when Edmund saw the shadow of a well built teenage boy around the corner again, he was almost certain that it was indeed Gordon. His mind kicked into overdrive. He's not going to hurt me again. Not this time!
"Go away!" He shouted into the still night. A cold wind blew. "I know you're there! Well, I have something to say to you. You're a filthy, rotten scoundrel who has no place to-"
"Edmund?"
The gentle voice threw Edmund off guard as he immediately recognized it.
"Peter," He sighed in relief as he laid his head down again.
At last. Help came.
Peter gasped at the sight of his brother, who laid curled up on the ground in a fetal position. Peter hardly recognized his face, because of the bruises and cuts on it.
"Lion, Edmund! What happened?!" He shouted as he rushed over to where his brother was. Peter wasted no time in immediately looking him over for serious damage.
"Anything broken?" He asked urgently.
Edmund clenched his jaw. "My arm..left arm. I think its dislocated."
Peter nodded, and felt his shoulder. Sure enough, it would appear so.
"This is going to hurt, Ed."
Edmund shakily nodded as Peter proceeded to re-position his arm. Through the excruciating discomfort, Edmund managed a tiny smirk.
"Payback, right?"
Peter knew he was referring to the second Battle of Beruna how he had been in much the same situation, and Edmund had had to re-locate his arm on the battlefield. It had hurt, but not as bad as it could have because Edmund had done it when Peter was not expecting it. He decided to try the same technique on his brother now.
"What in the name of Aslan happened here, Ed? Who did this to you?"
"Gordon Parker, he—"
Crack.
"Aggghhh!"
Peter rubbed Edmunds shoulder. "Sorry."
Edmund gasped for air. "Its…ok…" He said through gritted teeth.
Peter continued. "Gordon Parker? Wasn't he that kid you used to hang out with?"
"Yeah. He's not really a kid anymore. More of a giant."
Peter was seething as he examined the extent of the damage caused to Edmund. Just who did this kid think he was? Well, he wouldn't get away with it, Peter would make sure of that. Just one question kept gnawing at his mind.
"Why?" He asked, helping Edmund sit up better. As he did so, Edmunds head throbbed.
"Pete, I really can't…"
"Never mind. We need to get you home. I'll carry you." As Edmund put his arms lightly around his brother's neck, Peter scooped him up as if he weighed nothing, full of concern.
"Thanks." Edmund whispered softly against Peter's shoulder as they began the long walk home.
As soon as the boys reached the house. Peter rapped loudly on the front door.
"Susan! Lucy! Open up!"
A few seconds later, Lucy opened the door. The sight of Edmund made her gasp.
"W…What happened?!"
Peter stepped through the doorway, shoving her aside. "We'll talk later. For now, I need you to get me some wet and dry towels, and have Susan make some tea. Hurry!"
Without looking back, Lucy scurried off to do as he commanded. Meanwhile Peter laid Edmund out on the sofa. With careful consideration, he propped some pillows up and placed Edmund's head on them. Edmund cringed when he was put down.
"Don't worry Ed. Lu's getting some tea that will help you feel better," said Peter as he brought a blanket.
Edmund put his hand on his sensitive forehead, and looked mockingly at his older brother. "You're always such a mother hen, Pete. Even in Narnia."
Peter began stoking the fireplace. "Of course when my little brother is…well…"
"Beat up," Edmund finished.
"Yeah. Naturally I'm going to be concerned!"
Shifting, Edmund moaned. "I guess so."
Peter came over and sat in the chair next to him. "So, Edmund. Can you please just answer me one question. Why did this Parker kid beat you up?"
The dark haired boy glanced up at Peter. "I stopped him from bullying another kid. He didn't like it, so he took it out on me I guess. It probably doesn't help that I used to be friends with him either," Edmund paused. "He called me a…traitor. I kind of got so lost in that word at the moment that I didn't have enough sense to fight back." A distant look covered Edmunds face.
Peter was boiling mad. "He called you that? Oh boy…"
"Pete-"
"Don't even argue with me on this one Ed. He will pay," said Peter lowly.
At that moment, Lucy and Susan hurried in with the requested items. "Here, Edmund. Drink this up, it will help you." said Susan, kneeling and helping Edmund sit up. Lucy did the same, handing the towels to Peter. As Peter washed his little brother's forehead, he couldn't help contemplating just exactly how he would go about beating the tar out of this Parker kid. He would soon learn that no one messes with King Edmund the Just.
So, on his way to school the next morning, Peter decided to make just one stop. He knew the route that most of the kids took, and from Edmund's description, Peter had no trouble finding the punk he was looking for. He would have recognized him anyways, the way he came sauntering up cockily with all his friends in tow. Peter smirked to himself as he stepped out in front of the group, holding them up. Parker spread his hands out as if to say, what?
"Who are you?" He asked, rudely. "Get out of my way!" He tried to move around him, but Peter didn't let him. Rolling up his white uniform sleeve and stepping closer to Gordon, Peter gave a short laugh.
"I'm not anyone you'd know, Parker. But I'm someone you're not gonna forget for a long while after today," With that, Peter administered the hardest blow that Gordon had ever felt in the neck. It sent him reeling into the wall. After he was down, Peter picked him up and gave him some more punches and bruises. Parker never even would have had a chance against Peter.
Once the boy could no longer move, Peter crouched down next to his ear and whispered, "I am Peter Pevensie. And if you ever mess with my brother again, you might not live to regret it."
With that, Peter left the scene, the group of boys all staring dumbly at their humiliated leader who now was incapable of moving.
Epilogue: That night, as Gordon parker lay in his bed, covered in bruises, he decided that he'd better not take any more chances with bullying anyone else. So, for the rest of the year, he kept to himself, and didn't pick on anyone at school, most of all the Pevensie kids. For though they were a strange bunch in Gordon's eyes, he learned his lesson. And every morning, when Peter walked to school with Edmund, he shot Parker a warning glance, just to make sure he remembered. Needless to say, Gordon did.