Chapter 1

Sweet Slumber

It was bizarre so what the King of Just thought but he felt it, he felt the cold especially when he came into his chambers. He scanned the room to see anything out of ordinary, it been recent that they rebelled against Miraz's army and won. The after-party was too much and he needed some rest but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was sensing something. He looked around once more before walking towards his window, a gap to nature and the freedom to see the beautiful moon. Edmund sighed as he stared out the open field. The grass ruffled as a strong wind blew gently against his face. He turned away as he remembered how much he hated the cold. The cold…he reminded himself, there was reason why he hated it. He quickly back away from the window and faced his king-size bed. It was inviting as he stared at to it so he decided to rest. Changed to his night-gown, he crawled in. Placing a thick cover over him, Edmund could still feel the cold shrieking down his spine. After a few minutes, he expected to be warmed but he felt nothing just the same. There was no way he could get sleep this way. He rolled over still feeling the wind from outside suddenly there was a knock on the door. Displeased, he got out and opened the door.

"Your highness?" Edmund felt slightly annoyed to find a prince standing at his door. He turned away and sighed.

"What is it?" He recalled as he turn back to him.

"Are you alright your highness?" Caspian explained as Edmund just shrugged.

"I'm quite alright, I was just tired." He explained. Caspian then raised an eyebrow to him, as he remembered seeing him at the party.

Edmund's brother and sisters were busy enjoying the company of their people. Edmund on the other hand was out on the baloney staring out into space until Prince Caspian step up.

"Is something the matter, your highness?" He questioned. He didn't know why he came up to him; he would have spend his useful time to someone else but Caspian felt it in his heart that Edmund needed something…company perhaps.

"Oh, it you…" Edmund replied a bit disappointed in his tone. Caspian noticed it, he sighed and smiled anyway. "Uh, Caspian…"

"Yes, your highness?"

"Stop calling me that, it's Edmund." He replied coldly as Caspian just nodded. "I was wondering about something…"

"And that would be?"

"You probably think this is stupid but…"

"Go on." Caspian encouraged it, Edmund was silenced. He waited, and finally answered.

"Do you ever felt that you'll be alone forever?" Caspian looked at him widen-eye as Edmund continued to stare off, Caspian looked away and spoken.

"I do not understand," He glanced out to the horizon joining him to the sightseeing. Edmund chuckled.

"Never mind, it was stupid question anyway." He said slightly glum. Caspian felt personal responsible for making the King of Just, depressed. So he thought of an idea, he turned around, leaning against the railing and faced the busy crowd.

"You know, I always thought the High King Peter loves his hair very much and washes it everyday before bedtime. Even if there was speck of dirt on it, he would immediately dunk his head into the water." Caspian explained as Edmund just looked at him a bit astounded.

"What? Where did you hear that?"

"My personal theory," Caspian answered as Edmund just chuckled as he looked away from him. "Also I always thought he could fit in woman's clothing." The prince continued as Edmund imagined his older brother dressed up like Susan or Lucy. Edmund just laughs as Caspian looked at him soon the king followed his eyes.

"You're just saying that to make me happy."

"Well it worked didn't it? Even though I hoped your brother didn't hear that." Caspian responded as Edmund just smiled.

"Thanks, Caspian." He responded, gladly.

The Prince rose up and exposed his hand to him. "Shall we join the celebration, my lord?" Edmund looked at him with an astonished look. Caspian was smiling as Edmund led him his hand. With a sudden tug, Caspian had brought him though the crowd into the middle where Edmund's little sister awaits them.

"Edmund, where were you?" Lucy replied as he gripped her brother's hand. "Come, let's dance with the others." Edmund felt deep down, gloomy about the idea.

"No thanks Lucy. I'm not in the mood." Caspian thought this was upsetting as Lucy gave Edmund a glum face. Edmund pulled away from her hold and casually walked away. Caspian then looked at Lucy just by looking at her it seems he was questioning her. Lucy shrugged her shoulders with hands out. Caspian then nodded.

"Okay, thank you." Caspian walked away, feeling the urge to find Edmund again.

"Are you sure?" Caspian responded as he stood by the door. For Edmund, his hand on the door, he really wanted to slam it and get back to bed because he was seriously getting moody. "May I come in?" Caspian finally replied. Edmund nodded, he thought if this pleased the prince, he could get his wish, sleep. Caspian walked in; following his glaze on Edmund, the king crawl himself into bed. Caspian shook his head slightly. "You could have told me, you were going to bed." Caspian said. Edmund muttered as he still felt the cold in his body.

"It doesn't matter, I can't sleep anyway." Edmund recalled as Caspian mosey around the room.

"I would believe it, it's cold in here." Caspian admitted.

Edmund chuckled, "Yeah, I know. The wind's cold tonight." He explained as he stared out the window, Caspian was already there observing the breeze.

"Very." He replied in a simple word.

Edmund smiled as he watched Caspian staring out to the moonlight by side view. Those hazy brown eyes, and lushes hair. He looked very handsomely in his point of view. Edmund suddenly blushed of what he thought, covering his face into the bed sheets. Caspian noticed.

"Your highness?"

"It's Edmund!" The king replied as he rolled over, peeking out from the sheets, catching some cool air to calm him down.

"I'm sorry." Caspian apologized.

"It's quite alright!" Edmund replied quickly, Caspian tiled his head a bit puzzled. With the cold air breathing towards his back, Caspian felt absolutely bitter.

"I really think; you should sleep somewhere else, my liege, It quite drafty in here." Caspian pointed out. Edmund grumbled as he rose out from his bed sheets. The king then turns around to see him.

"Where can I sleep then?" He questioned.

Caspian glanced out at the window, noticing some bit of frost on the window frame. He touched it gently and felt the bitter of the snowflake melting on his index finger.

"Snow in a season like this?" Caspian wondered as he stared out the window when he touched the frame, he felt the cold was gathering onto his hands. Slowly he realized it was becoming very cold, he could actually feel the ice foaming. Caspian gasped as he stepped away while the frame was covered over with blue ice. "Your highness!" He cried as he ran towards him, grabbing his wrist and dragged him off the bed.

"Caspian, what on earth…?" Edmund called dumbfounded as he felt the floor was absolutely chilling. Caspian managed to pull them out of the room, and shut the door behind them. Where they both saw, completely impossible, was frost covering over the doors. Edmund with his jaw hanging was terrified. Caspian was aware of his expression and felt deeply worried.

"There is no way that Jadis the white witch had come back." Peter announced to the high council. The leaders of their own mythical kind ravished over the discussion as for Susan, the queen the gentle, had no part of it as she sat quietly on her throne, listening every statement that the council begins to proclaim.

"Then what do you have to say about King Edmund's chambers?"

"The whole room is frosted!" Spoke another as Peter the high king himself, sighed with grief.

"And plus it is known to history that King Edmund was a traitor in the beginning!"

"That's not true!" Peter begins to protest.

"I highly agree with the centaur." The argument went on as Peter the Magnificent went away and sat into his throne, completely tired of the conclusions. Susan in the other hand stayed firm until she gave Peter a troubled look. Peter responded with a disgraced look, he knew he had no control of the situation. Susan then suddenly arises.

"Listen, my brothers and sisters." She begins to say loudly and clear. The creatures settled down with anxious looks to her. "The ice in Edmund's room cannot prove that Jadis, the white witch had return. It is possible that someone else had such powers too." She said as she walked though the crowd.

"I must say, Queen Susan is quite right." Said a tall-looking elf, the others begin to judge.

"Then what kind of creature are we talking about here?" The discussion continued as Susan return to her throne.

"At least they aren't talking about Edmund anymore." She whispered to Peter. The High King seemed unsure, Susan realized this and begin to question. "You can't possibly believe that Edmund is…"

"I rather not say." Peter cut her off. He stood up, looking calm. "I hope he isn't."

Edmund wandered the hallways with Caspian at his side. "Quit following me," Edmund protested. As he begins walking faster, Caspian quickly crossed his path.

"Your highness; it's not safe to go alone." He reasoned.

Edmund declined it as he slickly moved pass him, the prince continued to follow him. Soon Edmund turned around and faced Caspian. "How many times do I have to say it? Quit following me!" He cried out.

"Your highness…" Caspian called in shivering tone. Staring into his sadden eyes, Edmund felt ashamed. He could still feel the cold quivering through his body, not only at external but in internal.

"Caspian…I…" He hesitated. The prince slowly spread a smile.

"It's alright, your highness. I accept you're apologies." As like he was reading his mind, Edmund slightly nodded. "Shall we go see the High King?" The Telmarine Prince answered.

"I guess so." Edmund said softly. He followed as Caspian right beside him, smiled. "Do you think it possible, that Jadis had returned?"

"I am not too sure, your highness. I never experienced her kind of powers before but then again, I have…" With those words being said, Edmund begin to remember.

He was confused as he was in his bathrobe in the middle of winter. Coming through the wardrobe was quite far-fetched especially when you find another world beyond it. He felt it in his ears tingle as chimes begin to ring and that large sleigh nearly running him over. The eyes of the devil; arise over him with pure white beauty. She offered him warmth and generosity. With a drop of special solution it gave him whatever he wanted. Drinks and sweets, he devoured it wishing for more. The lady then reasoned with him. "If you wish to have more, you have to do something for me." With her voice absolutely chilling, the boy agreed and told her everything.

Edmund shook his head, realizing he had spaced out. Caspian was standing right beside him where the council in front of him were speaking quite loudly as he sat in his throne. It seems like hours to Edmund hearing them quarrel. He soon grew tired and it was hoping this eventful night end. After a couple of minutes, Edmund soon brought himself up from his throne. Susan looked concerned.

"Are you going to bed?" She asked quietly as Peter was still discussing with the council. Edmund nodded his head; he looked away until Susan spoke again. "I don't think it's safe for you to be alone." Edmund sighed as he looked at her.

"Susan, I'm quite alright. You don't have to worry about me, you know." Edmund said maturely as Susan slightly shook her head.

"I have too, you're my little brother."

It's been awhile that Susan called him that, Edmund in his heart felt mortified as he stared into her worried brown eyes. "I know I am." He spoke before walking out the room. Caspian followed except Susan stop him.

"Caspian, I want you to do me a favor." Caspian looked at her.

"What is it, your highness?" He asked.

"You're the only one closest to Edmund; please…tell him he's not alone on this." Susan said as Caspian agreed and left.

"Excuse me?" Edmund said not remembering what Caspian just said. Caspian sighed as they were at the same baloney during that one party. With the party over hours ago, Caspian and Edmund had the quietness to themselves. "You want me to sleep in your chambers?" Edmund recalled as the words was mash into his head.

"Yes, therefore I can watch you and do my paperwork." The prince reasoned; Edmund looked at him as if he was strange. "Is that a problem, your highness?" Edmund sprung up.

"No, no, no!" He quickly replied a bit embarrassed. Caspian smiled, pleased to hear his energetic respond.

"I'm glad you agree, so…shall we go?" Edmund slightly blushed.

With his hand at his back, Caspian guided Edmund into his chambers. Edmund was nervous as Caspian moved the blanket aside. "Rest well, your highness. Don't you worry I'll be here to watch you." Caspian replied as Edmund scratched the side of his face, more nervous then before. Already in his nightgown, he crawled in. As he settled down, he peered beyond the bed end, Caspian was in his desk with piles of papers, scattered all over. Realizing how hard, Caspian was into his papers, Edmund begin to question.

"That isn't the work for a prince is it?" Edmund called as Caspian turned around.

"Well no it's just that after the fight of my uncle, my advisors decided I should review some last minute knowledge." He replied as Edmund didn't seem convinced.

"But you're a king now." He outburst, Caspian in return widen his eyes with astonish expression. Edmund noticed and quickly looked aside. "I think…" He said unsurely while he turned red.

Caspian slightly chuckled, and returned to his paperwork.

"You know…" Caspian perked up. "We could share the bed, for tonight anyway." Edmund said clearly. This time, Caspian begin to blush and looked at him directly.

"But your highness, you deserve more comfort then I do."

Edmund frowned as he sat up. "So do you!" He exclaimed. Caspian slowly plastered a smile.

"I guess." He chuckled. "There's no point of fighting anyway." He said as he looked back to his papers. Edmund gave a small smile and lay down. After a few minutes, Caspian killed the light of the candle and came over to the empty side of the bed. As he climbed in, he turned his head to see Edmund sleeping face which twitched a little. "Are you cold, my king?" Caspian whispered quietly unsure if he wanted to wake up the young king. Edmund opened his eyes, turned his head and smiled.

"I'm a light sleeper." He admitted. Caspian gave him a nervous smile as he faced the ceiling.

"About your question from before," Caspian said as Edmund stared at him, confusedly. "Why did you ask that I'll feel alone?"

Edmund sat up with a cheerless face. "I…I don't know…" He choked. Caspian looked at him, strictly with a heavy feeling of shame.

"Do you feel alone?" Caspian asked him directly, striking his emotions. Edmund smudge his cheek with his hand, unsure to answer.

"Well I…"

"Don't be." Caspian said straightforward as he sat up. "Because you have us, you have your family. You have me. Do you understand my liege?" He was sure that his explanation was worth it. Edmund felt overwhelmed especially when he said 'You have me' quote. He looked away, pleased that he managed to spread a small smile.

The king himself looked at the prince. "I do." Caspian soon followed with a relaxed expression. "Thank you." The king afterwards replied.

He blushed deeply as he let himself land on the bed, facing Caspian who too laid-back to the soft pillow for his head. "Good night, your highness."

"I really wish you could call me by my name." Edmund recalled as he stared into his friend's peaceful eyes.

"With due all respect, you are a king." Caspian reasoned.

"But you are too." Edmund shot back to him, Caspian snickered.

"Not yet." He finally said growing exhausted as he was already.

Edmund quite pleased that Caspian bothered to care for him. While the prince closed his eyes, shortly after, he did too. With Caspian beside him, he actually caught on with slumber.