Chapter One

Nightmares

Five years into the Golden Age of Narnia

"Every traitor belongs to me." The cruel, cold, familiar voice of Jadis echoed menacingly. She held out a white slender finger at him. "You belong to me. No one wants you. You are a betrayer. Narnia is better off without you on the throne. Narnia is better off with you dead."

Edmund Pevensie looked around at the thousands of Narnians surrounding him at the camp. He looked at his siblings. They were all young again. Once more, he was a twelve year old boy. He looked at the Narnians' faces- cold, hard, cruel, and merciless, ready to hand him over. He glanced at his siblings' expressions. They glared at him. Even Lucy, loving, caring Lucy, looked at him with disgust. Peter turned to the Witch. "Then you can have him. He is not worthy to be our brother. He is not worthy to be a king."

Edmund wanted to scream out, to say something in defense, but his lips could form no words. Peter, his own brother, did not want him. His brother wanted him dead. Edmund turned to the Witch as she glowered over him with a triumphant smirk on her blood red lips. Edmund pleadingly faced Aslan. He would give him mercy. The great Lion lowered His head and turned His back on him. Edmund felt reality sink in. He must face the consequences. He was a traitor.

"Aslan, no! Please, I didn't mean it!"

High King Peter heard the endless, blood curdling screams from across the hall- Edmund's bed chambers. They were expected. Lately, Edmund had been having reoccurring nightmares of his past continually haunting him in the night. They were abruptly ended by the screams. Screams of guilt and remorse. Screams of sorrow and pain. Screams of loneliness and hurt. Peter pulled the sheets back from his bed and groggily strode from his chambers. As he approached Edmund's doorway, he heard whimpering and hopeless sobbing. The nightmare was past. Placing his dignity and kingly formalities aside, Peter walked up to his seventeen year old brother and fellow king and placed his arms around him whispering words of comfort and hope, peace and rest, but most of all, a brother's love.

Edmund woke up the next morning with an excruciating headache- the usual result of his awful nightmares. He dreaded going to sleep at night, knowing what was ahead. He breathed deeply, inhaling the fragrances of breakfast downstairs. He could picture his sisters, bright eyed and cheery instructing the maids and kitchen staff on the meals and chores for the day. Peter was most likely still asleep- the result of comforting his younger brother in the middle of the night. Edmund stiffly crawled out of bed, his dark brown hair sticking up like a haystack and his chocolate brown eyes, blurry and framed with dark circles. He had refused a valet from the beginning of his reign at Cair Paravel, as he was perfectly capable of combing his hair and dressing himself, without assistance. Once done with his morning ritual, while leaving his bed unkempt for the maids to make, Edmund bounded down the grand staircase that lead to the dining room. At the long, wooden, rectangular table, breakfast plates before them, sat his sisters. Susan rolled her sky blue eyes at his late arrival and Lucy, a few years younger than himself, giggled but was then silenced by a look from her occasionally stern older sister who relished formality. Edmund was surprised to see Peter sitting at the head of the table, dressed in regal attire, raising his eyebrows at his brother's tardiness. Edmund had expected his older brother to sleep somewhat longer that morning, due to his own nightmares and restless sleeping. His older siblings were strict on being punctual at meals. They waited for him to sit down until they began eating. Unusual silence surrounded the table, which was broken with an occasional clearing of the throat or cough. Finally, after the five full minutes of strenuous silence, Peter addressed his brother.

"Edmund, you were an hour late this morning. Do you have an excuse for that?"

Edmund flinched at the stern use of his name.

"You know why, Pete." He said quietly using his brother's childhood nickname.

There was no reason to worry the girls over silly issues, like nightmares. He had no doubt that they would worry over it for days, if told.

"No, I don't know. We are all used to you being a few minutes late for everything, Edmund, but making us wait a full hour…" his voice trailed off. "Are you unwell?"

Edmund shook his head. "No, I'm feeling fine."

"Then why were you late?"

Edmund was becoming annoyed at Peter's insistence in demanding why he slept later than usual. Peter should know, why. He was there while Edmund was awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, because of troubling dreams. Continuing to question silly, excusable matters was not normal for Peter. Edmund wondered if something was bothering his brother. He made a mental note of asking Peter, privately, some time that day.

He knew Peter and the girls were waiting impatiently for his answer, so he finally spoke. "Nightmares." He mumbled.

"Oh." Peter replied.

Lucy became worried, just as he had suspected. "Nightmares?"

"Edmund, when did this begin?" Susan asked. All eyes were on him.

"A few months ago." Edmund sighed. "It's nothing to worry about; really."

That obviously did not convince his siblings, but the issue was not discussed any further.

Breakfast ended in silence, just as it had begun.

A sense of gloom and worry settled over the entire household, when a few hours later, during fencing practice, Edmund retired to his chambers, complaining of dizziness and the return of a brutal headache.