Disclaimer: Narnia and all it's natural inhabitants, travelers, and countries belong to C.S. Lewis. I can only lay claim to Lysandra. There are a few quotes from the Last Battle in here, but I did not mark them this time.

Hope you enjoy!


The Lion's Lamb

Book 3 Chapter 2

The roast was brought out and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all. It was as tender and succulent as Edmund raved, and ten times better than any expected for it was shared with friends. There were many other things shared amongst friends that night too, laughs and stories were only a few of them. After an hour of dining and laughing the plates were empty, the bellies were nearly full, and spirits were exuberant.

"That was wonderful, Lysandra. Thank you," Digory said as he sat away from his plate.

"You are quite welcome, milord, but you must know that Lucy and Jill helped too."

"No we didn't," Jill quickly amended. "We mostly stood around and talked about…things." She had nearly said boys but one sharp look from Lucy made her think twice.

"Well 'thank you' to whoever is responsible," Lysandra's father said from beside her. "I do not think I could eat another bite."

"Oh but you must, Father. The meal is not quite over yet. There is still trilo juice to be had and Jill brought over a lovely platter of biscuits."

"Oh, yes!" Eustace exclaimed. "Her mother's biscuits, how could I have forgotten?"

"If you will excuse me for a moment please, I will be right out with our dessert." Lysandra stood up and Edmund and the other boys quickly stood wit her. They waited until she had left the room before sitting back down.

"Actually Eustace, Mum didn't make the biscuits this time. I did," Jill said.

Eustace turned his head to look at Jill, his face slightly pale. "Then please, Jill, tell me your mother gave you the recipe and you followed it exactly. You didn't forget anything? Or add anything?"

"I am perfectly capable of making a few biscuits, Eustace."

"It's not a question of you being capable of making biscuits; it's a question of if you're capable of making them well."

Jill's lips formed a thin line. "What are you insinuating?"

"I'm not insinuating anything. I'm saying it wouldn't hurt you to spend a little time with Lysandra in the kitchen. Maybe she could show you a few things."

"Eustace, I would be very careful right now if I were you. You're treading in shallow water my friend," Edmund warned.

"Oh no. It is far too late for that Edmund. He is not merely treading, he is drowning," Jill said lowly; then, she stood calmly. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to go see if Lysandra needs help bringing out the dessert before I shove a particular person off a very high cliff."

"Edmund," Lucy began with a small laugh once the boys had returned to their seats. "I think Eustace could use a few pointers on how to deal with girls. Perhaps you have a few secrets to share?"

"I'm afraid I can't help him, Lu," Edmund replied. "You see, if I knew the secret I would be happy to share. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Eustace will just have to learn the hard way."

A moment later Lysandra and Jill returned. Jill carried her platter of biscuits and began going around the table allowing each guest to take what they wanted; she started at the head of the table where Peter sat and proceeded to his right to Polly. Meanwhile, Lysandra had a cart with enough glasses for all and a large pitcher of drink as red as wine, but, in Lysandra's mind, far richer in taste. She poured first a glass for Digory, who sat on Peter's left.

"I thought I was to have the first glass," Eustace said with a half tease.

"You were," Lysandra said as she handed the second glass to Polly. Her narrowed eyes fell briefly on Eustace before she began to pour a glass for Peter. "But then you showed your scales."

Eustace was confused for a moment before he realized what had happened. He looked quickly to Jill, who was placing a few biscuits on Lysandra's plate. "You told on me."

Jill gave a small mischievous smile before holding the platter out for Lysandra's father. "Perhaps next time you will think twice and choose your words more carefully."

Jill passed by the empty seat with the placing still set. There was one person missing from their group; she hadn't attended a dinner in years, but still they left a place for her, hoping she would join them again one day. Jill came next to Eustace and held the platter out for him. He took a handful of biscuits and placed half on his plate and half on Jill's empty plate to his right. Just as Jill was about to move on to Lucy, Eustace grabbed her free hand and held her back.

"You're right," he said so that only she could hear. "I'm sorry, Jill. I didn't mean to upset you. Please, forgive me."

Jill merely stared at Eustace for a moment, until she saw the earnestness in his eyes. She gave a small smile and even a smaller nod of her head before gently squeezing his hand. Eustace smiled instantly.

"Lysandra," Jill called as she moved on, and her young blonde friend looked up from pouring Edmund's drink. Jill gave a small nod in Eustace's direction and Lysandra smiled brightly knowing that he had made his amends.

A little while later everyone had returned to their seats with wine glasses full of trilo juice and a plate of biscuits. The High King stood, with his glass in hand, to offer a simple toast.

"To the friends of Narnia, and to the one whom we hope will soon be friend again," Peter glanced briefly and sadly to the empty place directly in front of him. "To the land we love; to Narnia herself, and to her sister to the south, Archenland." He smiled in Lysandra's direction who gave a short nod of her appreciation. "To the hands which made the meal, however many they may be. And lastly, but mostly, to the one who brought us all here. To the one who brought us together. To the Lion and the Lamb. To Aslan."

Peter glanced to Edmund, and the younger king raised his glass and echoed words from long ago. "For Narnia, and for Aslan."

Together everyone repeated, "For Narnia, and for Aslan," before raising their glasses and taking a sip.

Lysandra closed her eyes as the glass and the red liquid reached her lips. At once she was swept away into another world. She stood once more on the wooden deck of a gilded ship with waves lapping at the side and the wind whipping through her hair. She sat once more on the back of a noble white stallion as the warm sun smiled down and touched her. And she ran barefoot once more through pastures of green with a laughing mother chasing after her. When she felt a tender kiss to the back of her left hand she opened her moistened eyes and turned them to her loving king.

"It took you back, didn't it?" he asked. "You saw the hills of Hyrden again, didn't you?"

Lysandra nodded slowly. "It was beautiful, Edmund. I even heard mother's laughter." Edmund smiled and kissed her hand again.

Suddenly Jill gave a small yelp and leapt to her feet as she covered her mouth with her hands; Lucy and Eustace also quickly stood. Then simultaneously Polly took in a sharp breath, Digory made a sudden movement with his hand and knocked off his empty wine glass, Peter clenched his hand into a tight, white knuckled fist, and Edmund and Lysandra, with hands still clasped, looked over their shoulders. Lysandra made to her feet and Edmund quickly leapt up to stand in front of her; his hand reached to draw the sword that sat around his waist—if he only had a sword there to draw.

Standing directly behind the spot where Edmund and Lysandra had been sitting, pressed against the wall as though he were somehow tied to it, was a man. He was a fair haired man around Peter's age, perhaps a little older. He was dressed in a simple brown and gold hunting tunic with a forest green cape hanging over his right shoulder. His limbs and shoulders were broad with firm muscles, and his honest face held a small golden beard. His wide, blue eyes roamed over the whole room, but he remained silent.

"Speak, if you are not a phantom or a dream," Peter said in a calm but authoritative voice. "You have a Narnian look about you and we are the nine friends of Narnia. Speak."

The man, perhaps a bit startled, turned his eyes to Peter, recognizing that he was in charge, and opened his mouth as though to speak, but no sound came out. He repeated the action a few more times with the same result. Peter rose to his feet and spoke again.

"Shadow or spirit or whatever you are, if you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan, speak to me. I am Peter the High King."

Again the man opened his mouth as though to speak, but again there was no sound. Then, as suddenly as he seemed to appear he began to vanish. His image grew fainter and further away until it was gone entirely. Lucy and Jill both called attention to this phenomenon, but none could do anything to keep it from happening. When the strange man was gone the room was left in complete silence, and everyone remained staring at the spot where the man had been.

"Why didn't he speak?" Eustace asked.

"I—I think he tired to," Jill replied.

"He was Narnian without question," Lysandra's father said.

"Not just Narnian," Lysandra said in a faint whisper. Edmund quickly turned to face her and placed a hand on each of her arms.

"What do you mean, Lysandra?" he asked.

"His face, it had the look of a king or else some other great royalty."

"Peter," Lucy said calmly. Peter looked to his youngest sister. "Did you see how he stood?"

Peter nodded his head slowly. "He looked as though he were restrained."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "And if we are all in one accord that he was Narnian, and perhaps even Narnian royalty, then one can only conclude that…"

"That Narnia is in danger and in need of our help," Edmund confirmed their fears.

"We must begin planning his rescue at once," Peter said, every bit the High King once again.

Lysandra gave a small whimper as she dropped her head onto Edmund's shoulder. "Lysandra?" he asked as he gently lifted her head again. Her face was pale and her cheeks were cool to the touch. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Lysandra did not answer.

"She probably just needs to lie down for a bit," Polly suggested. Lysandra nodded faintly. "I will take her, Young King. Come, child." Polly gently wrapped an arm around Lysandra's waist and tried to gently lead her away from Edmund, but he did not want to let her go.

"I'll go with you, Aunt Polly," Jill said as she too came to help lead Lysandra away. Edmund reluctantly let his hands fall from hers, and he stared after them until they had left the room.

"Ed," Peter said calmly. Edmund closed his eyes for a brief moment before turning them to look at Peter. "She'll be alright. You can go to her shortly, but there is work to be done now."

Edmund gave a short nod and turned his head to Lysandra's father. "The sitting room," he said not in question but in seeking affirmation. "We can discuss the issue better there, away from the area which is meant for dinning." Edmund never did like to discuss business at the dinner table.

Lysandra's father bowed his head in agreement. "This way, my lords and lady."

XOXOX

Edmund walked to Lysandra's room with anxious anticipation. He was eager to see her, eager to see that she was well that is, but he dreaded the news he had to deliver. They had been in council for well over an hour, the three monarchs, the two lords, and the soldier, and at last a decision had been reached. It was one that Lysandra certainly would not be pleased with, but it was the best one they could come up with. Edmund had hoped that in that hour Lysandra would have come around. He knew she would never come into the meeting, but he kept a careful ear out for any sign that she was clearing away the dishes; he knew she couldn't let them sit for long. With every minute that went by and he did not hear her cleaning, his worry deepened.

Edmund had a new respect for his old Lords of Narnia. Time and time again, while he reigned with his brother and sisters, he had seen the lords put duty first; they kept their heads in council and in war while their wives worried at home. Only now did Edmund fully appreciate how difficult that must have been. Edmund had courted or nearly courted one or two fair maidens before, both in Narnia and in his own world, but he had never cared for them even half as much as he cared for Lysandra. She was the light to his dark, the Archen winter to his Narnian summer, his better half. To put it simply she completed him. Without her, oh he would still live—perhaps—but he would surely not be the man he was. There wasn't a day that went by where he did not bow his head and give thanks for the joy of simply knowing her, or of loving her.

When Edmund reached her room at last the door was closed, so he knocked on it gently. Jill answered it and only opened it wide enough to stick her head out.

"How is she?" Edmund asked.

"She's alright, I think. She'll be better once she talks to you."

"Can I come in?"

Jill nodded and stepped aside as she opened the door a little wider. Lysandra was propped up on her bed with her back against the head board. A cold wet cloth, at least Edmund assumed it was cold and wet, was pressed to her forehead. Her face was still mostly pale, but her cheeks had recovered some color. Polly was sitting on the edge of the bed softly reading to her from the Book of Psalms. Upon seeing him in the doorway, Lysandra sat up a little more and the cloth fell into her lap.

"Edmund," she whispered. He gave a small smile when he saw more color return to her cheeks by his mere presence. "Thank you, Aunt Polly, thank you Jill, for staying with me. But do you think…do you mind…I'd like to have a moment with Edmund now."

"Certainly, dear," Polly said as she closed the Bible and placed it back on Lysandra's beside table.

"Jill," Edmund said just before the young girl left. "Peter and Eustace would like to speak with you in the sitting room. They'll tell you of the plan there."

Jill nodded and left, pulling the door to on her way out; she didn't close it completely, but left a small crack, knowing how Lysandra's father would feel if the door were completely closed. Once they were alone, Edmund instantly began sounding off questions.

"What happened? Are you alright? Are you ill? How long have you been ill? Why didn't you tell me sooner? What can I do to help?"

"Edmund,' Lysandra said gently, urging him to stop. "It's alright. I am well. Please, come sit next to me."

Lysandra moved her legs over the side of the bed and Edmund hastily came and sat next to her on the edge. He took both of her hands in his and kissed them before holding them tightly.

"You are not ill?" he asked.

"No, though for a moment there I nearly was. I am sorry I made you worry."

"It's ok; as long as you're well, it's ok. But what happened? Why did you suddenly become so pale?"

"Edmund, I fear I've been keeping something from you," Lysandra said shamefully before continuing quickly. "I have had this strange feeling for the past week. Something in me didn't quite feel like it should. I have had a feeling very similar to this before. First on the morning in which we traveled back to Narnia, and then again around the time when Eustace and Jill traveled there. I was not alone for Father felt it too. We think it may be a bit of lingering magic; since we were both born of that world, perhaps somehow we are more sensitive to it. I have told you of that feeling before."

Edmund nodded his head. "Yes, I remember that."

"Well this feeling I've had recently, and Father too, is like that. Only this one does not fill me with hope and happiness as the other did. Instead I feel an awful fear as though the world was in great turmoil. I have fought against it desperately, knowing there was nothing I could do and because I knew you would soon be returning to me. I always feel much better when you're around. When you are with me I can hardly find it possible to be sad or frightened over anything."

"So you have had a feeling all week that Narnia, and perhaps Archenland too, was in turmoil and now tonight has confirmed it, and that is what upset you so?" Edmund clarified and Lysandra nodded.

"But it's alright now, because you are here and as I said with you near I find it impossible to fear."

Edmund hung his head low.

"What is it, Edmund?"

"We have made a decision."

Lysandra nodded. "I doubted you would come back without having done so."

"It was agreed upon almost at once that Eustace and Jill would have to be the ones to go. Out of all of us they are the youngest and they have never been told that they couldn't return."

Lysandra nodded again.

"The only question that remained was how to get them there. You can't go just buy wanting to. Last time they went through a locked door, but they can't very well go around trying to get through locked doors. That's when Professor Kirke remembered the rings."

"What rings?"

"When he and Aunt Polly went to Narnia they got there by a pair of magic rings that Digory's uncle made. When they returned they buried the rings around a tree in the back garden of Digory's old family house in London, which means we will have to go to London to get them. The house has since been sold to another family, so we will go in the early morning dressed as working men, so that if any may see us they will think we are there to work on the drains. We will dig up the rings and pass them off to Eustace and Jill."

"Edmund, you keep saying 'we,' but you have not yet told me who is going to London." Lysandra, however, feared she already knew the answer. The look on Edmund's face and his next words confirmed it.

"Peter and I will go. We will leave in the morning."

Lysandra immediately began shaking her head in protest. "No. No you can't go. You only just returned from London and you promised you would not have to leave again for quite some time. You promised, Edmund. You promised."

"I know, Lysandra, and I'm terribly sorry, but I must go. I made that promise before a Narnian appeared in your dining room and we before we knew Narnia was in trouble."

"It matters not," Lysandra insisted stubbornly. "You made a promise not to leave and a promise is a promise."

"Lysandra, please, this situation is already difficult enough, don't make it more so. There is simply no other way. I tired and I fought to find another way, but there isn't one. I must go with Peter."

"No! I said." Lysandra stood and walked away keeping her back to Edmund. "You cannot go, Edmund. Peter will have to do without you. You cannot leave me, Edmund. I cannot do without you."

Then Lysandra began to weep, her shoulders shaking, and Edmund knew she was not refusing out of stubbornness; she was refusing out of fear. He sighed despondently and steadily made his way over to her. He placed a hand on each of her arms and pulled her back flush against his chest as he hugged her from behind. He kissed the exposed skin of her neck tenderly, and when he spoke to her again he spoke calmly and without anger.

"Lysandra, I know you are frightened. I would say there is no need to fear, but I promised you I would never tell you a falsehood and that is a promise I will not break. Not now. Not ever."

Lysandra continued to weep and Edmund began to rub his hands over her arms in comfort.

"Lysandra, I need you to be the girl you were when we first met. I need you to be the girl who followed faithfully and blindly after a Lion she had never met. I need you to be the girl who risked all to save her friends. I need you to be the girl who gave up the only world she'd ever known to venture into the unknown with a father she'd only just met. Lysandra, you were so brave then, and I need you to be brave once more. Lysandra, I love you, and it's because I love you that I need you to be brave. Please, Peter needs me for there to be any chance of success, but I cannot go without your acceptance."

Lysandra had stopped sobbing but she remained silent. After her extended silence, Edmund sighed in defeat and bowed his head.

"I guess I'll go talk to Peter then. I'll tell him we have to figure something else out." Edmund tried to pull his hands from Lysandra's arms, but she quickly grabbed them and refused to let go. Edmund stood silently and waited for her say something.

"I've been so foolish," she whispered at last. It was so long before she said anything else that Edmund began to refute her.

"Lysandra, that's…" Lysandra turned quickly in his arms and Edmund stopped.

"I've forgotten that you are not merely my Edmund. You are Edmund…the Just, King of Narnia. And your country is calling for you. Of course you must go to her." Lysandra slid her hands into Edmund's hair behind his ears. "Go to London. Find the rings. And then…" she fought against her tears and Edmund pulled her closer so that their foreheads touched. "Then, you come home…to me. You come back to me, Edmund."

Edmund nodded and he too had to stave off tears as seeing Lysandra's pain became too much to bear. "Yes…yes I will. Thank you, Lysandra, for understanding, and I'm so sorry to bring this upon you."

Edmund cupped her face in his hands and wiped away her falling tears. And then he kissed her. Strong and hard, he kissed her. He forced her back a few steps until she was pressed against the wall, and he kissed her still. One of his hands fell to the small of her back and he pulled her body into his, seemingly desperate to make them one person, while the other pushed against the wall. Lysandra returned his kiss with equal desperation. One of her hands clutched at his hair while the other curled around the back of his neck. They kissed as though never before. They kissed as though a very world depended on it. They kissed as though it would be their last. They kissed until their passion and love boiled over inside them, and then they kissed some more. All the while Lysandra's tears continued to fall. They ran down her face and mingled with the kiss. They'd break for air briefly, and Edmund would kiss away her tears before seeking out and reclaiming her lips.

When Lysandra could contain her grief no more, she broke from his lips and buried her face into the crook of his neck and wept for reasons she did not know. Edmund held her close and placed gentle kisses against her neck and shoulder.

XOXOX

They all stayed together that night in the house of Lysandra and her father. Of course Lord Digory and Lady Polly were given the two beds, while the others settled for the couch and floor pallets. At first it was suggested that the boys go to Eustace's place and the girl's to Lucy's, but Lysandra and Edmund could not be parted. In the end, with a bit of pushing away of the furniture, they all laid down together on the floor. Edmund and Lysandra were only an arm's reach away.

Edmund did not sleep much that night; rather, he stayed awake and watched Lysandra as she slept. Ever since her confession and break down, a deep dread had begun to grow inside him and he could not shake the feeling. He knew Lysandra too was stuck with the same feeling, even in her sleep. When her sleep became restless, Edmund reached out to touch her hand or stroke her hair. She became calm once more under his touch. Edmund vowed to himself that he would return to her then, and when he did, perhaps they would move up the wedding. How long did it take to plan one anyway? He would always remember the day they met again, so why wait?

He suddenly could not think of any real reason why they had waited so long to begin with, other than the fact that he had been at university studying law. She had waited patiently for him all this time, why should he make her wait anymore? He could hardly stand the wait himself. No. That was it. Once he returned from London, they would move the date of the wedding to as soon as possible, and he would give her what she'd always dreamed of: wifehood, and then one day, motherhood. Once he had decided it, Edmund could hardly contain his joy. He leaned over and placed a loving kiss to her temple. As a smile stretched across her face, Edmund settled back down and tried at last to get a bit of sleep.

XOXOX

"Are you certain you don't need an extra set of hands? I can be of service," Eustace said the next morning. After waking early and having a small breakfast, the group of Narnian friends went down to the rail station together to see Peter and Edmund off.

"Eustace, we've been over this," Peter said with slight exasperation. Eustace had been asking to go since the plan was first made.

"Pete, I'll handle this; you go take care of our tickets," Edmund told his brother. Peter nodded his head curtly and walked on. Edmund nodded to the rest of their companions for them to walk on as well before he turned to his cousin.

"Edmund, I can help. You know I can," Eustace insisted. "I think Jill and I should both come with you, that way we won't have to wait for the rings at all."

Edmund put a hand on Eustace's shoulder. "I know you can help, Eustace, and you make a fair point, but I don't think Aunt Alberta would be pleased with you going down to London for an undisclosed amount of time so close to the start of school. Besides, I have something for you to do here while I'm gone."

"What is that?"

"I need you to look after Lysandra. I know she's in no danger of being harmed, but this whole situation has her terribly upset. I need you to stay and keep her happy. I need you to keep her smiling, because her tears pierce me like an arrow."

"Or..." Eustace began. "I could go with Peter and help him, and you could stay here with Lysandra and keep her happy. She'd much rather have you than me."

"You have no idea how tempting that offer is."

Edmund turned his head to look across the distance at Lysandra. It was as though she felt the moment his eyes fell on her because she turned her head back to look at him. Their eyes met and Edmund could see the lingering tears. All of her pain from the night before washed over him again and he felt his resolve to go to London weaken. He was an instant from caving in when Eustace spoke up.

"No, no you should go."

While Edmund had been watching Lysandra, Eustace was watching him. He saw clearly how much he truly wanted to stay with his fiancé, but his sense of duty and loyalty to Narnia was pulling him away. He could almost see the battle to stay or go raging in his cousin's mind. He knew Edmund was close to accepting his offer, but he also knew the affect that would have on him and Eustace couldn't live with that or allow Edmund to live with it.

Eustace placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder and Edmund looked back at him. "You should go to London, Ed, and help Pete. Don't worry about Lysandra, I'll watch over her and keep her smiling." The two boys shared a silent agreement before Eustace returned to the group and Lysandra began making her way over to Edmund.

"Peter says the train leaves in ten minutes," Lysandra said softly; Peter had returned to the group just before Lysandra had left.

Edmund nodded his head. "Lysandra, I do wish none of this was happening."

"I know. So do I."

"I also wish to see a smile before I go," Edmund added hopefully. Lysandra's lips twitched as she did her best to smile, but it was small and feeble. "Perhaps not as strong as I would like, but I will take what I can get."

Edmund wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight embrace while Lysandra laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Lysandra. With all my heart, I love you, and I promise you, nothing will happen to me and I will return soon."

"Please, Edmund, don't say the words I wish to hear simply because I wish to hear them and don't make a promise you cannot guarantee to keep."

"Alright, how's this then…?" Edmund pulled back and cupped Lysandra's face in his hands. "I promise to love you always. No matter the time. No matter the distance. No matter the world. I will love you, Lysandra. I will love you."

"That, you can only promise if you truly mean it."

"Then that is, forevermore, my promise to you."

Edmund pulled her face closer to his and kissed her forehead tenderly. He wanted a proper kiss more than anything, but he dared not go for her lips in public. Then he clasped her hand in his and led them back to the group. Over the next few moments the rest of the group said their farewells and Peter and Edmund gathered their bags and headed for the train. As Lysandra watched him leave she was once more filled with that awful feeling of dread and she could not contain it.

"Edmund!" she called out tearfully just as he was about to board.

Edmund glanced over his shoulder and after a moment's hesitation Lysandra ran forward. He dropped his bags and embraced her as she threw her arms around his neck and planted her lips on his. For once she did not care that others may be watching. She did not care what her Father or her Mother might think. She loved Edmund, and she could not let him leave without one last, proper kiss. Edmund did not question her actions; he only kissed her back. With that simple kiss they said everything they could not say aloud, and when they parted they said nothing. They only held each other for a second more before Edmund grabbed his bags and boarded the train to London.


Author's Note: For any interested, I have updated my profile so that it now reflects my current work. This includes a link to the banner I made for this book. I envision the Pevensies and Eustace as they are in the movies (i.e. William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, and Will Poulter) and Lysandra as Amanda Seyfried. For Jill I went with A.J. Michalka from Secretariat.