To See the Light Again

It was the golden age of Narnia, when Peter was the High King over his three siblings, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. All was well in the land, and the past three years of the Pevensies' reign had shown them that their was no place in the world that they would rather be than in their faithful land of Narnia governing it's beloved citizens.

The four siblings enjoyed just about every aspect of their leadership: from defending their country from enemies, all the way to the exquisite balls that they held at the cair. But there was one aspect of their reign that they did not enjoy, and that was when they had to part ways from each other. In fact, that was exactly what was having to happen today.

As Peter and Edmund stood at the gate in the castle courtyard, the youngest queen, Lucy, couldn't help an unwelcome tear from slipping down her cheek at the thought of her brother's sudden departure.

"Are you sure you have to go?" She asked Peter on the verge of tears, wrapping her arms around him. He looked every inch the magnificent king that he was, clad in his armored chainmail and tunic. The sword that Father Christmas had given him when they had first entered Narnia hung at his side, his shield strapped onto his back. At her embrace, the blonde haired king sunk down to one knee, and put his hands on Lucy's shoulders to face her towards himself.

"I promise that we will come back just as soon as we can Lulu," He assured her, tucking her auburn hair behind her ear and using his pet name for her.

Lucy forced a smile. "You'd better." She teased sadly. From behind her, Susan spoke after an embrace with Edmund. "We had better let them go now Lucy."

Not wanting to see them leave, Lucy gave her brothers one more hug before she released them.

She must be brave. After all, she was a queen now. But oh, it sure was hard every time they had to leave for battle. It wasn't that Lucy didn't understand the necessity of such a trip. The giants of the north had been causing trouble for the Narnians since the beginning of their reign. But seeing two of the three people that she loved more than anything in the world leave…

Lucy prayed to Aslan that the journey would be a successful one, and that the kings would find out everything they needed to know about the giant's weaknesses so that they could return home soon with a well established battle plan.

As he mounted his horse, Peter called out behind the crowd of about 20 Narnians that were accompanying him on this endeavor, "Farewell Susan! Farewell Lucy!"

"May Aslan be with you two, and grant you a speedy return!" Lucy called back as Peter, Edmund, and their men galloped off into the direction of the northern mountains.

Peter wiped his sweaty brow as he halted his horse. They had been riding for hours now, and had already come halfway up the Northern Mountains. He held up his hand to stop the Narnians as he surveyed the surrounding landscape. Gazing up the steep mountain, he realized that they were not going to be able to continue to ascend such a trail on horseback.

Edmund rode up to his side, and put his hand on his forehead to block the sun while he looked up as well. "We can't ride that, Pete. There's no way the horses would make it up. Not with all those boulders."

Peter nodded slightly. "Then we'll have to take the long course. Around the mountains. For as far as I can see, the terrain is the same."

A minator that was traveling with them spoke up. "Sire, if you would permit me to, I will go seek out a nearer trail. I know these lands well, and I believe there is another way."

Peter nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything he was startled out of his thoughts by a low rumbling sound from the top of the mountain they were on. Suddenly he realized what was happening and his face paled as he jolted his reigns back.

"Get down! Run, now!" He shouted as he attempted to turn his horse around. But the beast was frightened, and began a sprint in the direction of the base. However, in his attempt, the horse stumbled on a large boulder that had fallen down the mountain. Before he could process what was happening, Peter was thrown off the animal and onto the ground.

Upon seeing the landslide, Edmund had jumped off his horse and let it run down the hill. Dodging the falling rocks, he made his way over to Peter and grabbed him.

"Come on!" He yelled, frantically dragging his brother along with him. Hundreds of rocks were tumbling down now, and chaos erupted with shrieks of terror as Peter's army tried to take refuge in any place they could.

Yanking Peter to the side, Edmund shouted, "Quick, in here!" as he pulled himself and Peter into a crevice in the side of the mountain. As soon as they jumped in, Edmund felt himself falling down about ten feet into a cave. Glancing up above him at the hole they had entered in, a wave of panic washed over him as he saw the sunlight blocked out from a boulder which landed on it. Pitch darkness consumed the cave immediately. They were trapped.

A few minutes later, Peter heard the roaring sound of the landslide cease.

"I think…it's over," He rasped out, pulling himself to his feet as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Edmund stood with him, using the wall for support.

"We've got to find a way out then," said Peter. He surveyed the rock that had landed upon the hole up top about ten feet.

"If we could find a way to get up there, perhaps we just might be able to push it off."

Edmund shook his head, holding his arm that was bleeding from the landslide. "I saw it fall Peter. Even if we could reach the top, there's no way either of us could ever lift that off."

Peter snapped back at him irritatedly. "Well, we need to try! I don't see any other exit, do you?"

Sighing, Edmund nodded his head. "Fine."

"Here. I will lift you up onto my shoulders and you see if you can reach the top."

Edmund agreed, and Peter proceeded to do so. However though he could reach the ceiling, the boulder would not budge an inch when he touched it.

"I can't move it," said Edmund.

Lowering Edmund down, Peter suggested that he try. And so the two boys continued, switching off and trying different methods that they thought could possibly work. It wasn't until about two hours later that Edmund, out of breath said, "It's not going to work Peter. We're trapped. There is no possible way we can go out the way we came, and there are not other exits. The walls are solid rock." He sunk down to the ground, exhausted.

"We can't just stay in here! We'll die!" Peter shouted, kicking the wall in anger.

Edmund looked up at him from the ground. "Well what do you suggest we do?"

"If you hadn't thrown us down here, we wouldn't have been trapped in the first place!" Peter didn't notice the cloud of red fog that seeped up behind him as he irrationally blamed Edmund.

"You're right! We'd be dead out there! Or have you forgotten that I was the one who had to save you from being crushed by a boulder that nearly killed you!"

"Well it would have been a hundred times better to die out there then to rot away and starve to death in here!"

"Stop! Just stop! You ranting on is not going to change anything!" Edmund yelled. He cringed as crimson blood from his wound seeped through his white shirt.

Noticing this, Peter's expression changed dramatically. Rushing over to his brother, Peter rolled up Edmund's sleeve and examined the wound. "Here," Peter tore a strip of cloth from his tunic and wrapped it around Edmund's arm. "That should help for a while."

Edmund held his arm to his chest and closed his eyes. "Thanks."

Sighing, Peter leaned back against the wall beside him. "Sorry. It's not your fault we're in here. That was a stupid thing to say."

"It's fine." Edmund replied, leaning his head onto the cold, hard wall.

Silence hung over the two kings. It seemed there was nothing more to say. The horror of their situation spoke for itself. Glancing at the small water canteen that hung at his side half empty, the only thing Peter could do was close his eyes and hope that somehow, by some miracle, Aslan might send them a way out before it was too late.

The tiny crevice of light that seeped through the ceiling of the cave had diminished, alerting Peter that it was now night again. His muscles ached as he tried to sit up. He nearly choked as he attempted to take deep breaths, because of how dry his mouth had become. Never had he felt such weakness throughout his whole body. His heart raced, and he struggled to see clearly. Across from him, he noticed Edmund, who's head was propped up against a rock. His body was curled up into a fetal position, his knees tucked to his chest. He shifted, moaning as he did so.

Peter coughed. "Ed, you awake?"

There was no response.

"Edmund?"

The youngest king stared blankly at the wall of the cave. His eyes were pale, unmoving. Several moments later, his voice echoed through the small room.

"Water…I'm so…thirst…" His voice broke halfway through his sentence. Peter watched in horror as his brother started to shake with dry sobs. His face was white with pain and fear, and dark circles had formed under his eyes. Never had Peter felt so helpless. The gash on Edmund's arm had finally stopped bleeding, but still Edmund had lost more blood than Peter, which meant his chances of survival were even slimmer.

For a long while, the only sound that could be heard was Edmund's sharp gasps that echoed through the cave.

Peter closed his eyes, dazed. He felt bile rise in his throat, as the effects of a waterless two days began to set in. How could they last? He already began to feel his body shutting down. How could they survive like this?

The piercing sound of metal sliding startled him out of his daze.

Beside him, Edmund seemed to have drawn his dagger out of it's sheath. In a raspy voice, he choked out, "I can't…do this anymore…Peter. I'm s…sorry.." Lifting the blade out from his body, he prepared to end his pain and suffering.

The realization of what was happening struck Peter hard, and in a flash, a surge of adrenaline rushed through him, and he threw himself beside his brother, grasping the blade from his hands. He felt blood drip on his palm as he tossed the fatal object aside. As he did so, a light fog of red mist circled up into the air and disappeared. There was strong magic in this place.

Wrapping his arm around Edmund, Peter drew him close to himself. He could feel his brother's heart racing, just like his own. Edmund's body felt limp and motionless against his chest, except for his small, sharp breaths. He wanted to say something, anything, but no words came. Pressing his face into the curve of his brother's neck, Peter wept.

"I'm sorry Edmund…I'm sorry…" He continued to sob. "Aslan…please help us! Help us now…I beg you!" He yelled to the dry walls of the cave. But his voice only echoed back to him in response, reminding him once again of their utter solitude.

The two brothers fell asleep in each other's arms. It was a long, and restless night for Peter, as he kept waking himself up to check on Edmund. Would he make it? Or would this be the last time Peter saw him alive? He didn't let go of him all night as he silently prayed to Aslan that even if he himself died, that his brother's life would be spared…