"We might have an advantage if we attack now. We've given him time to believe that we are lying low, and thus, Miraz won't be expecting it. Even so, to lay siege to such a fortified castle will take some thought. Ideas?"
Edmund sat next to the Stone Table, staring down at its cracked surface while wondering what to follow up to Peter's question. He remembered why the Stone Table had been cracked in the first place. It had been his fault, his foolishness. Although Aslan was healed now – for being a willing sacrifice – Edmund had never fully forgiven himself. He blinked, having gotten lost in his thoughts. Edmund searched the faces in the room, from Trumpkin, their "dear little friend," to Prince Caspian, who seemed more than upset.
Caspian began pacing, his arms crossed. "Why? Why would we have to sacrifice so many Narnians just so I can be king? I don't want to risk losing anyone over my want to dethrone Miraz."
"It's not just about you, Caspian," Peter said, somewhat annoyed. "Every Narnian wants you to be king. Miraz has taken away their true Narnia from them. You can give that back to them, but the only way to do that is through force."
"No, that's not true. Force will only cause the Narnians to be killed. I do what I feel is right; this doesn't feel at all right." He moved closer to Peter, and Edmund heard Caspian's chain mail clink together.
"Well, your Highness, do you want to be king or don't you?"
Here Caspian stopped. He looked around, and caught Edmund's eye. He looked worried. "I won't say that I feel completely prepared." Peter smirked victoriously.
Edmund jumped off the ground. He knew how hot-blooded Peter was, and didn't want him to take this opportunity to degrade Caspian. Peter could be pretty lousy at holding his temper. Then again, neither was Edmund – though he didn't admit this.
"C'mon... how about we send the centaurs to help us? They are plenty powerful, and we won't have to send many more Narnians. That way, both of you can be satisfied, then. Right?"
"Yes," Caspian glanced sidelong at Edmund, "and then get the centaurs killed." His eyes went back to Peter. "Just send me, and I can deal with Miraz myself!"
Edmund glared at Caspian, angry at being so blatantly brushed off like that. He muttered, quietly, "Yeah, and be killed with any luck."
Caspian turned to look back at Edmund, but wasn't particularly angry. It seemed as if he just wanted Edmund to leave him be; it was a look someone would give to a particularly annoying animal, or small child. Not a former king of Narnia.
He ignored him, inciting Edmund's anger. So much for trying to be nice. "What I wouldn't give," Edmund commented, more loudly, "to be in such an esteemed position as Caspian. How noble of him to offer himself up like that to Miraz."
Caspian glared at Edmund, and furrowed his brow. "You know, Edmund, you aren't helping that much. If you aren't going to give advice, then leave. I wish that you would have been older so that I wouldn't have to deal with your immaturity." Edmund was seething, and Caspian was beginning to show signs of anger. Edmund inwardly smiled, proud at having made him upset.
Peter flicked his gaze to Caspian, then back to Edmund. "Caspian is right. Don't be so immature, little Edmund." He broke into a broad smile, and laughed. Edmund frowned harder, unwilling to be shaken.
Peter pointed to the map lying on the table that had previously been put into the room. Caspian's attention went back to Edmund's brother. "Miraz is as strongly protected right here and he is there, so I think if we came in through here we would get a good start…"
Edmund stopped listening to his brother, and concentrated on being quiet. He knew he shouldn't have been so easy to break, and they hadn't even gotten that far into discussing the siege. This is important to me, but right now I just want to get out of this place for a while. Maybe go and practice my swordplay… something. It's just that Caspian; he drives me insane.
Sitting down on the stone table, he watched Caspian. Susan was totally in love with the guy. Then again, maybe not. She says she loves a guy, but then ends up admitting to it being only an obsession. Edmund didn't understand how girls could be so inconsiderate. They tell a guy they love them, but then break up with them a week or so later. He didn't like girls all that much. There was that reason, and also because his attraction fell elsewhere. Girls didn't suit his interests.
He wondered why Susan found Caspian so attractive. She usually went for the blonde hair, blue eyes thing. Caspian was dark, his curly hair forming waves around his face, the brown eyes so deep that they appeared black. Tall, strong, muscular. Her usual picks were lithe, arrogant, and, honestly, effeminate.
Edmund's eyes traveled Caspian's form, in a strictly observational way. His tall posture, his determined face, his strong arms and chest. He let his gaze linger on Caspian's face. His gaze traveled lower, and lower, and… well, he could see why Caspian was the rightful heir.
Edmund cringed at having been thinking that. No, that was incorrect - he hadn't just been thinking that about Caspian, Susan's crush. No. No. Something was wrong with this. Caspian was a jerk, and unattractive. Well, not his type. Good-looking, but… antisocial?
Peter and Caspian were staring at Edmund, obviously awaiting an answer. Edmund ruffled his hair and said, "Yes… I, er, agree."
His brother made a face. "Asking whether we should go with Caspian's plan, or my plan doesn't require your agreement. It's not exactly a yes or no answer. Are you okay, Edmund?"
Quickly averting his gaze to the Stone Table, Edmund's face heated up embarrassedly. He had just acted like a complete idiot in front of Caspian. That prince was probably getting loads of fun out of this. Great. "Er… Both of your plans are so… exact…?"
"Exact?" Caspian questioned, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yeah, exact. So in tune with... stuff. Battle stuff?" Edmund was embarrassing himself to the point of ending his life. He should just stop.
Peter sighed. "He's obviously of no use – probably thinking about girls again." At this, Edmund almost had to laugh. "You obviously have been thinking this through, Caspian, but maybe I should go with you. I could easily take Miraz myself, but I wouldn't want you to be killed. While he's asleep, you and I will attack with the aid of the Narnians, but, as to keep quiet, it only we will enter his bedchambers." Caspian nodded silently to these conditions. Edmund didn't care either way; he was just happy to not have been questioned further.
Edmund stood up and leaned against a pillar as his brother continued to describe the siege in gratuitous detail. Puberty had seriously gotten to Peter, he decided, explaining his fits of uncontrollable rage and his desire to battle. He crossed his arms and shook the hair out of his eyes. He noticed movement in the corner of his eye, and saw Susan cross the room to better join the discussion. She was fiddling with the horn that had called them to Narnia. Caspian frequently glanced over at her, earning some strange looks from his sister. She claimed to be in love, but… she was a girl. She apparently liked to tease.
The transactions between Susan and Edmund carried on, even as Peter began to passionately describe the fortifications surrounding the Telmarine king's room. Susan pulled the hair back from her shoulders and pushed out her bosom as Caspian looked her way. Edmund was compromised between wanting to leave and wanting to bash his brains out on a nearby pillar. It certainly was a decision.
As Susan began casually moving her dress around so as to show her calves, Peter adjourned the discussion. One by one, the Narnians left the Stone Table. Peter, Susan, Lucy, Caspian, and Edmund were the only ones left by the time the last had left. Lucy sat down next to Edmund, gazing into his downcast eyes with a slight curiosity.
"What's wrong, Edmund?" Lucy was sweet. She always welcomed everyone, no matter who they were. Lucy had forgiven him more than once for being a jerk.
During Lucy's question, Susan had slowly gotten up and was walking toward Caspian. He certainly looked nervous. As she walked, she admired the decorations on the walls. She paused at one point, glancing quickly at Caspian, and then looking away, flushed. He wondered why she didn't just talk to Caspian; it wasn't as if he were some kind of lethal animal. Weird. Caspian watched her carefully, and Edmund had to laugh. They both looked over at him, as well as Lucy. "Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to ruin the moment." Lucy still waited for him to answer, but, seeing no response, patted his head, stood, and left.
Susan pursed her lips and lifted her eyebrows, trying to make a point. She sauntered over to Caspian slowly, and gently placed her hand on his. She met his eyes, and smiled slowly. After taking away her hand, she began to leave the room. Wait, she just had to glare at Edmund once before leaving, though. It felt wonderful to be so special.
After she left, Caspian appeared to be watching Edmund. He wouldn't stop. He looked at him as if he were some interesting exhibit. "What?" Edmund huffed. He stood up, intending to walk away. When he reached the exit, Caspian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Edmund just looked at the thing.
Caspian brushed a strand of hair out of Edmund's face. Edmund pulled his head back. "Er…What?" he repeated, trying to sound commanding. Caspian smiled.
Edmund's eyes darted to Caspian's lips, and then back to his eyes. What is he doing? Caspian smiled mysteriously once more, then stepped away from him. His heart beat faster, Edmund hating not knowing what was going on. "Nothing. Just admiring." He turned on his heel, and left him alone in the dim light near the Stone Table.
Edmund hated that idiotic, pathetic, snobbish, attractive, Prince Caspian.