The Caged Bird
By Movie Peter Supporters
Snowqueen24
Fifth Pevensie,
High King's wolf bane 71
We do not own The Chronicles of Narnia
Lucy placed a small wooden stool in front of the closet's threshold .She reached for her gray school hat, which lay on the highest shelf. Even with the stool, Lucy was forced to stand on her toes. She let out a frustrated sigh, as her dainty fingers clawed at the open air. Her hat remained out of reach. Edmund's dark eyes shone with mirth, as he watched her. He tossed his book aside, to aid Lucy in her battle against the parlor's closet shelf. He stood beside her and plucked her cap from the shelf with ease. Edmund playfully shoved the hat on Lucy's head.
" Being the smallest one in the family is always a bother", he said with a grin.
Lucy adjusted her hat and stuck out her tongue. " You are so awful Ed, " she cried, " You could have come sooner."
Susan briskly entered the parlor; a hint of a smile graced her lips. "Come on, you two," she said.
Susan brushed a stray lock of hair away from Lucy's face.
" Where is Peter? ", Lucy asked.
Edmund helped Lucy down from the stool.
" I'll get him", he offered.
Susan turned toward him.
" Please hurry Ed, " she said. " We shouldn't be late for our first day back to school."
Edmund gave Susan a mock bow and sauntered off into the hall, whistling cheerfully to himself. Out of the four Pevensie children, he was, somehow -ever since their return from Narnia, the one always at his ease.
"Hey there, Pete!" he called now, rapping importantly on his brother's room door. "I say, what's with the snail pace?"
"Oh come on in and be a useful chap," his elder brother answered.
Ed poked his head past the opened door and snickered. "Can't anyone hereabouts get dressed without my help?"
Peter Pevensie, formerly High King of Narnia, looked somewhat abashed as he tugged at the striped school tie around his collar. His blond hair was a bit disheveled and something about the school jacket he wore wasn't quite right. Ah, too tight on the shoulders.
"Why, Pete, you're growing!" Edmund gave his older brother a congratulatory clap on the shoulder. "Soon we'll have you out of diapers."
"Funny you should say that," Peter retorted good-naturedly, "from the great height of your minus two inches." Peter straightened his back in order to put his superior height into sharp contrast with his younger brother.
"I think you're confusing Narnian matters with reality," Ed said in paternal tones. "Maybe you were two inches taller there --here you're only about one inch and three quarters taller."
He expected an answering grin but instead his brother's face tightened at the mention of Narnia. Edmund realized his mistake and tried to think of a way to change the subject. But before he could say anything, Peter said, softly, "Do you suppose Aslan meant for it all to happen --so suddenly like that?"
"He's the Great Lion," Ed said. "He knows what He's doing."
"But I wish we did, too," Peter said, sighing. "There's so much we left undone. We never expected to leave. No regent, no arrangements for the Wild West, nothing. Things can't be going so well for Oreius right now. I hope to Aslan that there hasn't been outright civil war."
"Ever the responsible High King," Edmund said with an affectionate shake of his head. "If you keep this worrying up you'll get white hairs. In fact, is that some silver I see among the gold?" He plucked at his brother's hair experimentally.
"Get off, you!" Peter protested, laughing heartily, shoving his brother's arm off. And the somber mood was happily broken.
"Oh bother!" protested Susan. She and Lucy had stopped at Peter's bedroom door to see what all the commotion was, and why Peter was taking so long.
Anticipating the next exchange, Lucy and Edmund just rolled their eyes, as if to say to each other, "Here we go again."
Susan took no notice of the glances as she spoke again. "Really Peter. Isn't it time to stop dwelling on our lives in Narnia? We've been back home for nearly a year now. It's time to face facts, we're in England now."
"You wouldn't understand Su. You haven't been through the same ridicule and mocking that I have. Ever since we've been back, I've not been accepted by the others at school."
Peter suddenly got lost in thought as he considered his last statement. He had been the subject of much teasing and bullying since returning home. The majority came from the ever popular Stafford brothers, Douglas, Andrew and Marcus, aka Mark. Peter's thoughts were interrupted by Susan's voice.
"Maybe if you hadn't been speaking about Narnia in the open..." she passed a glance Edmund's way as she said this, "...maybe you would fit in more. I mean really, is it really so hard to let it go. I can't count how many times you've been admonished for fighting these last couple of months. I can only imagine it will be worse once school gets going again."
"Oh will you two just drop it!" The voice was Lucy's, and as always, she had to be the mediator for her eldest siblings. "We really need to go. I don't want to be late for school."
After the shouting stopped, Susan let out a heavy sigh and headed downstairs.
Lucy went over to Peter and sat down next to him. Peter looked down at her as she put her hand in his, and said, "I suppose she's right. Maybe Ed and I should've just kept it all to ourselves. I just wish we could get back somehow."
Lucy knew how hard it was for Peter, not because she know's everything that goes on, but because she too thought they'd be back in Narnia by now, but unlike Peter, who was on the verge of giving up any hope in returning, she knew that someday, they would once again be Kings and Queens of Narnia.
"It's okay Peter, I'm sure Aslan will call us back again soon. Although, I do wish it would happen soon. At least in your school, you have Edmund to talk with. I can't seem to ever get Susan to talk about it. She'd rather be boring."
Lucy's joke at her sister's expense lightened the mood far more than it should have, but she always could get Peter to smile again when he's in, what Susan calls, "One of his moods."
"Come on, we'll be late!" Shouted Susan from downstairs, and Edmund replied with a smile, "Yes Mum!" Which caused even more laughter.
Peter than said as he chuckled, "You know, sometimes I really do think she's the oldest."
Susan rushed her siblings down stairs toward the doorway.
"I'm sorry, you missed breakfast Peter," she said.
Edmund grinned at his brother. " You're a lucky chap, Pete," he said.
"It was Susan's turn to do the cooking."
Susan crossed her arms against her chest. "Really Ed, It hasn't that bad," she answered.
" Well, the oat meal was extra lumpy", Lucy admitted.
Peter laughed. " It's alright Su, next time Ed will make breakfast," Peter said with a smile.
Edmund gave an outraged cry. Peter opened the door allowing his siblings to go first. Susan and Edmund went ahead, but Lucy hung back.
" What is it Lu? " Peter asked.
Lucy handed him a napkin with something hidden inside. Peter accepted her gift. She watched expectantly as he opened the napkin, to reveal slices of apple.
" Thanks, Lu," he said.
Peter kissed Lucy's forehead. Peter took Lucy by the hand and hurried to catch up with the others.
As they went along their way, tension filled Peter as he remembered his previous fight with the Stafford brothers. He truly dreaded the end of summer holidays.
Flash back …
An out door lunch would have been enjoyable were it not for the Stafford boys. The eldest was a red haired boy about Peter's age. His name was Mark. His younger brothers Douglas and Andrew shared his red hair and bad temper. Mark leaned over Peter's shoulder and poked a finger into his sandwich. He drew back a jam-covered finger. The boy licked the dripping jam from his hand.
" Your Mum still puts jam in your sandwiches," he jeered. Andrew joined in.
"Well it makes sense, you know," Andrew said." Seeing as how he still believes in fairy stories."
The boys began to laugh. Mark reached down for another taste of jam. Peter shoved his hand away.
" What's the matter Peter," Douglas said. "Are you so stuffy that you can't even speak to us?"
He came closer so Peter could feel his breath against his ear. Mark reached for Peter's tie, attempting to wipe his jam-covered fingers on it. Peter rose to his feet and shoved him onto a near by bench.
"Oh, You're asking for it," Mark said.
The Stafford boys tried to corner him.
" Off with you," Peter shouted, "Before I do something we will both regret."
Mark grabbed Peter's arm, just then Mr. Ross the school head master entered the schoolyard. He was a tall thin man with sliver wired rim glasses.
" Good afternoon, gentlemen," he said." I trust all is well."
The Stafford boys each gave the headmaster a false smile. Peter glanced at the boys then toward Mr. Ross.
"Everything is fine, Sir," Peter answered. " I was just leaving."
Peter hurried off. He didn't want the head master to invite him to his office again. Peter knew he would be in store for another lecture about what it means to leave boy hood behind and become a man.
End of Flashback….
Peter sighed at the memory. He was always respectful to Mr. Ross. However, he could never meet his eyes during one of their talks. Peter was never good at lying, so he could not pretend to be shocked or amazed by Mr. Ross's stories. The head master would see the truth in Peter's stormy blue eyes. Somehow, It never really mattered because in England, Peter wasn't a knight or a king. He wasn't anything.
Despite their best efforts, they were late at the station. However, they soon learned that the train was even later --rubble from the latest shellings having covered half the London tracks.
"What I want to know is how long we're supposed to wait here?" Edmund whispered into his older brother's ear, after sweeping an uneasy glance around the closely packed crowd.
The train station was packed with children in school uniform, their sour faces and strident voices expressing their annoyance at the delay.
Peter frowned. "Good question, Ed." He turned back to the grizzled old soldier who had given their information so far. "How long is the wait expected to last, Sir?"
"Can't say exact like," the soldier answered, scrunching his mouth up thoughtfully. "All depends on how many laborers they got up there. I'd say not to expect anything earlier than a couple of hours."
The Pevensies exchanged disheartened glances with each other, Ed rocking back on his heels and shaking his head, Susan crossing her arms, and Lucy curling her hand around Peter's arm for reassurance.
"I recommend the ladies wait back on up," the solider added, jerking his head pointedly in the direction of some older lounging school lads. "Some of 'em boys might be looking for trouble. Us soldiers are on our way out; we can't be taking care of you kids, though the Lord knows someone should."
The boys whom he recognized as friends of the Stafford brothers but as the soldier moved to depart Peter automatically clasped a grateful hand onto his shoulder and gave him a magnificent smile to warm him through the battles to come distracted Peter. "Good man," he said. "Your king goes with you."
As the stunned soldier's eyes widened in confusion, Edmund choked on a laugh, Lucy gasped, and Susan leveled at Peter an accusatory glare.
Peter turned crimson as he realized his mistake.
"Cheeky fellow, aren't you?" the soldier spluttered as he shook of the hand and marched away.
"Well done, Pete," Susan whispered furiously. "Honestly, can't you forget you were High King for just one moment?"
"Susan, he didn't mean it," Lucy protested, immediately defending her older brother. "He's just been trained to be that way with soldiers. It's second nature."
Peter didn't say anything in defense of himself, only turned away and started stashing the luggage beside an empty bench. "I'll wait here," he told the others. "Su and Lu, you heard the soldier. It might be better if you go aboveground until we call."
Susan could be heard muttering crossly to herself "Still giving orders" but took Lucy's hand in hers and left obediently enough.
Edmund settled down beside his brother and stretched out his legs, whistling.
"Ed," Peter protested, casting him a quick look of annoyance. "Must you?"
"Not in the best of moods I see," Edmund observed phlegmatically.
"I was stupid," Peter sighed.
Ed grinned. "It's alright, chap, I'm used to it."
Peter glared. "Humor isn't helping, Ed."
Edmund squirmed uncomfortably. "Well, what am I supposed to say then? Lecture you on adapting to our life as kids in England the way Susan does?"
Peter sighed again. "Tell me what to do, I suppose."
"Not my place," Edmund said simply. "You're High King."
Peter smiled wrly at his brother's trust. He patted Ed's shoulder and remarked, with a twinkle in his eye, "Good lad."
Ed opened his eyes wide. "A joke? Glory be!" He got to his feet and pulled out some coins from his pant pocket. "I'm going to get some pop from the vendors. Need to relieve this mushy atmosphere."
Peter chuckled.
"Want one?" Ed asked.
Peter shook his head. "No, you go on without me. I've got some thinking to do. As High King and all that."
Ed snorted. "No sulking, Pete. Look to the bright side of things."
Peter smiled once more as his brother departed whistling but the smile slowly died as his eyes met the gleeful gaze of the Stafford's gang approaching him from across the terminal.
Peter tried to ignore them, and stood up, ready to just walk away. The last thing he needed was a confrontation before they even got to school. Just then, Mark bumped into him, and Peter was sure it was intentional.
"Excuse you! Your majesty!" Mark said, mockingly.
"Bugger off, will you!?" Pete replied.
Just then Andrew and Douglas joined in.
"Hey, fairy boy, aren't you forgetting something?" sneered Andrew, his brothers snickering behind him.
"Yeah, shouldn't you apologize for bumping me?"
"I didn't bump you Mark, you bumped me, remember?"
Douglas finally opened his mouth, "No, I'm pretty sure it was the other way around, Mr. Magnificent!"
"I'm warning you..." Peter protested.
"What are you gonna do, call your lion buddy to help you?" Mark said.
Then without thinking, Peter threw a right cross, that sent Mark sprawling into a crowd of students behind him.
"I don't need Aslan to take care of your kind Mark Stafford!" Peter immediately regretted saying it. Not because he couldn't handle the Staffords, but because he immediately felt as though he had forsaken the Great Lion, which was the last thing he wanted to do.
His thought was interrupted as Andrew jumped on him from behind. Peter flipped him over his head to the front of him, and he then turned into a cheap shot from Douglas.
As the fight progressed, the crowd of onlookers began to increase as the chant of "Fight, fight, fight!" echoed through the tube station.
Unnoticed by anyone, Lucy came back down the stairway, and saw what was happening. At that moment a wild punch from Andrew that went astray nearly hit her, but she backed up just in time, and she nearly fell anyway, but quickly regained her footing. Peter, who'd broken away from the other two, saw this. And even though Lucy wasn't touched, his anger at the idea of one of the Stafford's hitting his baby sister was overwhelming, so he charged and tackled the boy to the ground.
Lucy then turned to see if she could find Edmund, but found herself running toward the exit, and to the newsstand to get Susan.
Lucy raced across the busy streets; she spent a moment to catch her breath.
"Susan, you better come quickly," she said.
She dropped her newspaper and headed towards the terminal. The two girls pressed their way through the crowd of on lookers. Everyone was pushing one another hoping to get a glimpse of the fight. Susan grasped Lucy's hand, as they stumbled toward the forefront.
" Peter ", cried Lucy.
Peter glanced at Lucy fear marred her sweet face. His rage was temporarily replaced by shame and worry. Peter didn't want her to see this. His gaze fell upon Susan. She shook her head in disappoint. Peter was very familiar with this gesture. Mark's fist was the very next image, which entered Peter's line of vision, as he was dragged away from his sisters.
Shouting could be heard from afar, Edmund followed the sound.
"Wait, young man ", the old vendor cried out. "You forgot your bottle of pop. "
Edmund's departing figure faded into the shadows. He forced his way through the crowd, with single-minded determination.
"Edmund," cried Lucy.
Her voice was lost amidst the echoing shouts of schoolboys. Edmund dove into the brawl, he made clear contact with Douglas Stafford's jaw. Andrew and Mark grabbed Peter by his hair, pushing him face first onto the train tracks. A shrill whistle echoed through the tube station. A few soldiers raced toward the horde of schoolboys, they shoved the boys aside. The children scurried off.
An old soldier rough fully grabbed Peter by his arm, "Act your age", he shouted, while giving Peter's arm a good shake. The three younger siblings sat on a near by bench, watching their older brother pace to and fro.
" Your welcome," said Edmund.
Peter sat down beside his siblings. Peter gave Edmund an annoyed look.
"I had it sorted," he said.
Lucy gave Peter a sympathetic glance and gently rubbed his arm. In the golden age, there were no greater warriors than Peter the Magnificent or Edmund the Just. The battlefield was Peter's element. An enemy would cower under the High King's steely gaze. Edmund was always by his side with sword in hand ready to strike, if need be. Lucy sighed at the memories.
Edmund glanced at his brother. Fighting while outnumbered was never an unusual occurrence in Narnia. The might and grace of Aslan shall lead us to victory. These were Peter's words of encouragement toward his warriors. Edmund wondered if Peter still remembered, but right now Peter looked miserable and Susan was angry.
"What was it this time", said Susan, who was clearly annoyed.
"He bumped me," Peter answered.
" So you hit him? "Lucy asked.
"No, after he bumped me, they tried to make me apologize," Peter explained.
"That's when I hit him."
"Really, Is it so hard to just walk away," said Susan, while shaking her head.
Peter turned towards her. " I shouldn't have to, " he answered.
"Don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid," said Peter.
"We are kids," Edmund answered.
Peter stopped to glance at his younger brother.
"Well, I wasn't always, " he said.
Susan crossed her arms against her chest.
" I think it's time to accept that we live here now," said Susan. " It's no use pretending any different."
End