A/N: Obviously I do not own these characters only the story idea is mine. Sorry for the long wait people, Enjoy :)


If anyone was to look into the eldest Pevensie's bedroom at the moment they would probably find the sight they saw a little odd. In the narrow single bed were three people and they all appeared to be sleeping. A person could be forgiven for wondering how such a feat was possible. Although the sight was perplexing it was no longer a shock to the parents of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy; the children had exhibited many strange patterns of behaviour since returning from the country four years ago. The bewildered parents were just glad that their children had grown closer in their time away. Even so, Peter mused he was glad that his parents along with Susan, were out tonight seeing the latest show. Susan had told her siblings that she couldn't understand why they insisted on staying at home talking about 'those silly games' when they could be seeing the show. She had shaken her head told them they should 'grow up' before walking out to the car where her parents were waiting for her.

Grow up, he snorted; that was the entire route of their problems and their joy, they had already grown up and had too much life experience to slip back into childish habits and innocent dreams.

"What is it, Peter?" Lucy shifted and looked up at me as best she could from her position on my left side, her head buried in the crook of my neck where I had pulled her mere minutes ago.

"Just thinking Lu." I replied. She said nothing only stared at me, her eyes compelling me to elaborate further. It amazed me how people could look at my little sister and see a little girl, when her face was full of so much knowledge and love. Small she may be, but every inch of her is a queen.

"A dangerous task to be sure, my lord." quipped Edmund.

His comment startled me out of my thoughts and reminded me that I still had not satisfied their curiosity. I was sure that Ed was as interested in my answer as Lucy and would have asked me himself had our sister not beaten him to it.

"I must be looking better Ed, your wit returns." I mocked.

"Peter!" he scowled, I laughed and grimaced when my body protested the movement. The pain had eased considerably, but a wound is still a wound; Minotaur clubs are nothing to sniff at. I remember that battle like it was yesterday, not eleven years ago, more if you counted the years spent since in England.

Ed had shifted behind me now so he could support me and was looking down at me worriedly.

"I'm alright Ed; I just won't laugh or cough for the next few hours."

"I know you'll be okay in a few hours Pete, but I can't help worry. You know I hate to see you in pain." He began, brushing my hair off my forehead.

"At least you remembered that fact this time brother dear instead of mithering over whether wounds are life threatening." I closed my eyes remembering the first time these phantom wounds appeared.


Flashback

"Come on you lot lets go outside fresh air has got to be better than sitting indoors all day. What about a game of cricket; it's a nice day and I seem to remember us playing it before...?" There were murmurs of agreement from my siblings; probably because they couldn't think of anything else to do.

One week since we had fallen out of the wardrobe back into England, away from Narnia, and all four of us were finally, slowly starting to adjust. Of course we weren't required to adjust much, given where we were living at the moment. The Macready was happy as long as we were quiet and kept out of her way and therefore, wasn't around to notice any difference.

The Professor, we learnt later, knew of Narnia and wasn't disturbed or even surprised by our changed manner. He simply accepted that it was normal behaviour considering where we had been and the responsibilities afforded us as Kings and Queens. The result of these two circumstances was that there was nobody around to wonder at the significant changes Narnia had wrought in us. Susan still carried herself as if she was twenty-eight and wearing flowing dresses. Edmund was seldom without his nose buried in thick books borrowed from the Professor's extensive library and Lucy still tried to strike a conversation with every creature that she met. As for me, I knew I was still thinking like a king; I wrote a letter home yesterday and went through several drafts because it took me at least three tries to start with something other than 'Greetings from Peter, High King of Narnia'.

"Peter you with us?" yelled Edmund. I started, during the time I was thinking the game had been set up. I walked over to take the bat, Lucy was stationed behind the wicket, Susan was standing a little way away acting as a fielder and Edmund was absent-mindedly tossing the ball from hand to hand while he waited for me. I nodded at him; he nodded back and pitched the ball. To my surprise the ball was way too wide for me to hit.

"Your aim hasn't improved brother. I would've expected better considering..."

I trailed off in horror as I looked at my brother, he was doubled over in pain and his legs folded underneath him. I scrambled forward to place myself between his body and the hard ground."Ed, Ed!!" I heard Susan and Lucy scream, running up to us."It hurts." He gasped and I let out a cry at the sight of him in agony. I brushed the hair out of his face tenderly. "Where Eddy," I croaked. "where does it hurt?" I said, whilst frantically checking his body for signs of harm.

"Wand....stab" he gasped brokenly.

"Susan fetch the Professor!" I roared.

I looked up at her face briefly, she was white with terror but nodded and ran to do as I asked leaving Ed with Lucy and I.

I knelt frozen at my brother's side imagining all sorts of horrible occurrences. The most prominent thought was could the witch have somehow laid a curse on my beloved brother that had only now chosen to manifest itself. I dimly became aware of Lucy quickly and expertly checking Ed's vital signs and looking over him for any hidden injuries.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Susan and the professor coming towards us. I did my best to keep calm using my years as king to school myself to act and speak rationally when all I wanted to do was scream that Edmund was hurt and demand to know what the hell was going on.

The professor, Aslan bless him had no clue as to what ailed Edmund and just asked me and Lucy questions for about five minutes while looking worriedly at Edmund.

Just as I was convincing myself that the curse scenario was the most likely cause Edmund's breathing eased and he gingerly sat up.

"The pain is gone I'm fine he stated." and indeed fine he looked if you ignored the tear tracks on his face. I pounced on him and buried my face in his neck sobbing and running my hands and eyes over his body once more.

"By the Lion what evil have we encountered." I whispered easing off Edmund to allow the girls a chance to hug him.

"Not evil, your majesty, more like a side effect." The professor said, a look of astonishment on his face. After I requested he elaborate he went on to explain his theory. He believed that Edmund experienced the pain of the wound caused by the White Witch driving her wand into him. The pain vanished so quickly he surmised because Lucy had long ago used her cordial to heal his injury.


His theory was proven true by this point in our lives and we had enough experience with them now to know that the wounds, while not life threatening were obviously extremely painful. This is why I was currently wrapped up in my younger brother's embrace, being handed a glass of water by my valiant sister who had slipped out of and back into my room without my noticing. I must be in worse pain than I thought.

I drank a few sips of water gratefully from the glass Lucy handed me. "Thanks you two." I said.

"At least we now know what to expect now." says Edmund unconsciously in line with my thoughts from minutes ago.

"Thank the Lion for small mercies." agreed Lucy rubbing my upper arm in sympathy.

"And the big ones." I muttered quietly looking up at Edmund. I couldn't help it my eternal gratitude to Aslan for saving Edmund's life stayed with me so much so that the smallest reference to mercy or love had me thinking again how blessed I was to have Edmund by my side.

Lucy sighed and Edmund rolled his eyes, they were well used to my dramatics by now. Despite this I knew they both agreed with me and thanked Aslan as much as I did. Their ways were less verbal though. Ed thanked him by being the best person he could be, never forgetting the lessons his experiences taught him, Lucy with her unwavering faith and Susan.... My thoughts grounded to a halt as I realized that I had no idea whether Susan even thought of Aslan anymore.

"Okay Peter that is it, pain or no pain you are going to tell us what's caused you to show your worried face three times in the space of ten minutes!" Said Lucy.

"My worried face?" I said trying to sound puzzled. I did not wish to add to their worries by voicing my own about Susan.

"Peter I know how you look when you're in pain and I know how you look when you're worried and it was worry that crossed your face. Remember who it is you're talking to and start talking." Looking at my sisters face I decided there was nothing to be done but to tell her and Edmund about the thoughts that had plagued me recently.

"Alright Lu you got me. Come downstairs you two, there isn't much room in this bed and the heat from the fire might help me feel more human."

Lucy opened her mouth to interrupt. "Pet..." But I cut her off "And then my lady I will tell you what you both wish to know but it isn't anything new."

The pain was easing off now and I made it downstairs without incident. The only clue I was still hurting was in the winces that crossed my face and the occasional gasp that escaped my lips.

Once we all comfortably arranged downstairs, Ed sitting behind me and Lucy cuddled into my side. I relayed my worries about Susan to them both. Unsurprising, they too were worried by her behaviour but were at a bit of a loss how to help her.

"Do you think she really has forgotten?" Said Lucy in a small voice. I felt Ed tense up behind me.

"I hope not Lu." I whispered, releasing her from my embrace and rolling to Edmund's side, pulling him towards my side to comfort him. "Although I don't know what would be worse her forgetting or pretending to forget."

"If she is pretending we may be able to reach her." Lucy and I looked at Edmund as he said this and both of us simultaneously wrapped our arms around him at his heartbreaking look of sadness and the hope we saw shining in his eyes.

"We must trust in Aslan." stated Lucy.

Ed and I looked at each other and then at our sister. Queen Lucy the Valiant…a source of hope and faith to our family and to an entire nation simply grinned and hugged us both.

I grinned over her head at Edmund; who grinned back.

"Trust in Aslan." We echoed.


A/N: If you were kind enough to put this story on alert you probably received more than one email. Sorry about that, had problems sectioning my story for some reason. Please review and let me know what you think. One more chapter to come.