It was just past midnight in Cair Paravel. Everyone was sound asleep except for one person. Edmund Pevensie was tossing and turning repeatedly. He just could not get to sleep. That nightmare of the White Witch had done quite a number on him. He had woken up, trembling and almost in tears. Since then, he had not been able to go to sleep.
His room lit up for a moment when lightning struck somewhere. That didn't help with his anxiety. For what seemed like hours, he lay there, awake and terrified. He couldn't help but think of when he thought this started, At least he thought it did.
"Petah!" a 5-year-old Edmund was running to the door with happiness. "Look it's waining!" he cried in delight. Peter opened the door and Edmund bounded outside in excitement with Peter in tow. Edmund busied himself by jumping in every puddle he could see. Soon enough, Susan joined them. Lucy was only 3 and she wasn't old enough quite yet. The three of them had an amazing time and ended up getting soaked to the skin.
They were having the best time of their lives until it started to rumble. Edmund immediately ran behind Peter, taking cover. Then it struck. The lightning. Edmund had never seen anything like it. He saw it strike a tree and he saw the tree somewhere in the distance and start to burst into flames. And it scared him. That something so fast could make something burn into flames so quickly. Peter saw the whole scene unfold and guided everyone inside. Ever since then, Edmund had been afraid of lightning. Deadly afraid. He knew it was silly, but he couldn't help but be afraid.
Ever since then, Edmund had always ran to Peter during storms. Peter had always comforted him and helped him sleep peacefully. Even as he grew older, he still sought out shelter in his older brother when lightning started to strike.
Present day Edmund was stubborn and persistent. He could make it without going to his brother. Maybe he could survive without sleep for one night. After all, sleep is for the weak. It's just one night anyway, I'll probably live, he thought. "Screw it!" he muttered and threw off his covers and inched towards the door.
Peter Pevensie had always been a light sleeper. When you have 3 younger siblings, one of them is always seeking your comfort. That's why when he heard the door open by the slightest inch, he immediately shot up. When he didn't hear or see anyone else come in, the reality hit him. There was a really bad storm tonight and Edmund was afraid of lightning.
Peter crept to the door and yanked it open. The door opened to reveal an almost sobbing Edmund who was shaking and covered in sweat from head to toe. He should've known. It had to be Edmund. They haven't been in Narnia for long and after the White Witch, Edmund hasn't had a full night of sleep. And the lightning would add to his terror.
Peter swiftly guided Edmund into his room to the bed and lit the lamp. Peter couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Edmund. Most days he just looked a little bit tired. Tonight was different. Dark circles covered his under eyes and he was pale. Paler than normal, at least. "What happened?" Peter asked soothingly. Edmund's eyes filled up with tears. "The…The White Witch…She was back. And…She…She was trying to…Kill you!" Edmund managed to say through his sobs. Peter wrapped his arms around his brother in a tight hug. After a while, he felt Edmund stop shaking and his breathing even out. "Jadis isn't coming back ever," Peter informed his brother "I'll always be here to make sure of that." "What if she does?! I almost killed all of you!" Edmund all but screams. That was it. The elephant of the room. The reason why Edmund still struggled with nightmares 6 months after they defeated Jadis.
"Oh Edmund," Peter sighed "It wasn't your fault. You just trusted the wrong person." "But I almost killed you guys!" Edmund screamed. "Yeah. Almost. You could have, but you didn't. Don't dwell on this, Ed. It's in the past. You have already made up for it and more. There's no reason why you should have to suffer for a silly mistake you made it. Everyone has already forgiven you for this. Lucy and Susan were never upset at you for this after all. So have i. I was never mad at you, Ed. All of us aren't mad at you. Learn to move on."
Peter looked at his little brother to see that he had fallen asleep. Right there, while he was talking to him. Peter shifted a little bit to throw his duvet back on and Edmund's eyes opened a little bit. "Please don't leave!" Edmund cried with wide eyes. Peter almost laughed out loud. It was moments like this that reminded him how little Edmund was. He acted like he was at least Peter's age and did work that people double his age didn't do. But in reality, he was only 11.
Peter threw his duvet back on and got under the cover, his arm never leaving Edmund, as if he thought that he was Edmund's protector.
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Peter woke up when he heard giggling. Too lazy to open his eyes, he decided to listen into the conversation. "Guess Ed had a nightmare and came here," someone giggles. "Lu, you're wrong. My guess is that Peter was awake the second he heard the lightning and came to check in on Ed and ended dragging Ed back here." a prim but amused voice replied. "Quick, let's get the painters and have them sketch this and give it to them for their birthdays," Lucy laughed. That couldn't happen, Peter decided. He decided to open his eyes at that moment and casually say "Lucy Elizabeth Pevensie, I don't think that that's going to happen!" he stated. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly "Who's going to stop me? You, High King?!" she retorted "Besides, I'm not going to. Susan is!" Peter got a devilish look in his eyes. "Oh really! How interesting!" he said effortlessly. In a quick step, he made it towards both Susan and Lucy. In a blur, he threw Susan over his shoulder and threw Lucy on his bed, waking up Edmund in the process. And proceeded to run out of his room and leave Lucy with a grump Edmund, who was not a morning person.
"Peter William Pevensie! Put me down this instant!" Susan commanded. "No, your highness!" Peter replied in a mocking tone. He ran all the way back to his room where he saw Lucy irritating Edmund, who was pretending to be asleep. Realizing Edmund's plan, Peter watched in amusement.
Just as Lucy went to slap Edmund, to find out if he was really asleep, Edmund grabbed her hand. He grabbed her crown and with a smirk, took off down the hall with Lucy following him.
"Your Highness, what are King Edmund and Queen Lucy doing down at the ocean?" he heard one of the maids ask him. He realized that Edmund and Lucy were now at the beach and attacking each other with water. He shot the maid a smile "Thank you for telling me," he replied "Let's go Su!" he cried, grabbing her hand and dragging her, despite her protests. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edmund hadn't had a peaceful night of sleep since the Pevensies had come to Narnia. After he drifted off, he realized that Peter was right. Everyone else didn't blame him, so neither should he. If everyone else didn't hate him, neither should he.