A bit later than I planned but such is life...

Neighbors

"The Bible tells us to love our neighbors,
and also to love our enemies;
probably because generally they are the same people."
― G.K. Chesterton

To Edmund's still blurring vision, the tiny room was a sea of people or more importantly of faces. Edmund had learned to read faces in the harshest of schools within a week of first entering Narnia. The memory of a resentful and rather cruel little boy who had once seen all he wished for in the coldly beautiful face of his own worst enemy had remained with him through the years. It no longer stung like an open wound, Aslan had seen to that but it did not disappear either. It was like an old scar, faded and healed but a warning against future mistakes.

Now, faces were everything to him. A man might comport himself with dignity but his face, his eyes would tell of vanity or cowardice or any of the other hundreds of faults that had plagued the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve since the Fall.

He taught himself to read expressions, lines of care or cruelty, the truth from mens' fragile faces. Animals were harder, they after all were not Children of Adam and Eve but he flattered himself that he was learning.

Without conscious thought he turned from face to face, impressing them in his memory. His siblings often teased him that he could remember every face that he had ever seen in two worlds and the name that went with it and they had yet to be proved wrong.

This particular sea of faces made him uneasy, all about were marks of cruelty or carelessness, of greed, of guilt and of anger. But there was more, he saw hints of mercy, of love and of sorrow, of poverty and of pain – reasons for the evil that was so plainly stamped on so many of the faces.

He saw rage and shame and guilt but most of all curiosity which was no doubt the cause of the crowded room. Curiosity about him, and not all of it healthy.

Alone, in a room full of possible enemies – but he was meant to be here was he not? And not alone, he saw Lucy's face alight with laughter, Peter's hazel eyes full of happiness, Susan's gentle smile, Aslan's golden mane, the warmth of His smile and the love in His unfathomable eyes.

He took his courage in both hands and asked mildly "What would you have of me?"

Someone laughed scornfully from one of the corners. Edmund straightened but said nothing.

There was a smile, a single smile from a girl in the center. Not a cruel smile or a cautious smile, but a genuine smile like his own sisters might have given him. And he wondered to find it in Calormen.

"I am injured and you cared for me, thirsty and you have given me drink" he said slowly turning slightly to face the motherly women before glancing back around the room.

"Tell me what it is that you wish of me and if I may I will aid you."

"Can you feed us? Can you take away disease and poverty? Northerner?" A cold face, frozen hatred from years of abuse and pain.

"What are sufferings to you, Narnian? Your own take care of you, your kings and queens aid you – why would you care for us?" A face dark with anger and disbelief, unwilling to believe in mercy.

"You have only taken from us, what will you return for our care and water?" A hard face, callous and calculating, weighing actions by the clink of coins whether rich or poor.

"Nothing!" A cool touch upon his hot skin and a calm voice, controlled and peaceful no matter the suffering.

"I have given what I have given and he owes neither me nor you anything."

"You are too generous for your own good Myla. Don't expect Tash's blessing for aiding a Narnian." A sneering face, caustic and opinionated.

Edmund listened quietly waiting for the talk to die down, he had discovered quickly the use of keeping silent and simply listening when needed, though royal authority came in quite handy at times. He doubted it would be much use here.

The talk swayed back and forth, breaking out into angry exclamations at times when withheld anger broke free venting itself on the odd stranger's appearance, ancestry and possible motives, or lulling into quiet reminders of loss and pain and hardship.

Edmund knew he shouldn't be surprised, but he had come to associate the Calormenes with the smooth-talking, self-assured Tarkaans and their peacock wives or in rare cases, hidden jewels like Aravis.

These were different altogether, desperate as some of the Narnians had been during the first years of their reign or like the dim memories of people from that other place where he had been a boy. There was more cruelty and carelessness of life, a darker strain of ignorance and superstition coupled with belief in Tash but they were like his own and he could understand and work with them perhaps – if he was given a chance.

The chance came sooner than he had expected and was rather more dangerous than he had anticipated, not that he had thought that anything involving these perilous neighbors would be safe or easy.

The cold faced one, Shinzar turned on him abruptly, his icy voice cutting effortlessly through the din.

"What is your name Narnian and who are you?"

Edmund had told many lies in his life, long ago when practically anyone's word was worth more than his own.

No longer.

There were perhaps as many occasions as he could count on one hand in which he had told untruths and though they had been for the sake of others he still regretted every one.

He was not going to lie to save his own skin, that was certain. Not after Aslan had taught him Truth.

And so he said simply.

"I am King Edmund of Narnia."

More excitement/adventure in the near future even though this was originally meant as more of a character study, I can't seem to do one without the other. Big thank you to all reviewers, responses coming soon I promise. Please bear with my hectic life and tell me what you think...

Shire Rose