Edmund's POV
It was all a blur after I smashed the White Witch's wand. She took a stab at me and she got me good. I fell to the ground.
All of a sudden, I struggled to breathe. I knew I was on the field but was sort of unresponsive due to my struggle to breathe.
I felt someone taking my helmet off. Was it Peter? No, I was pretty sure it was Susan.
Seconds later, I felt something warm drop into my mouth. All of a sudden, I wasn't grasping for air. I was still conscious, but didn't open my eyes for a few seconds.
My breaths were slow and steady. Once my body had gained the lost oxygen back, I began to cough. I opened my eyes and looked up. I smiled at my siblings. Watching over me was a concerned Susan looking down on me, a slow smile spreading across her face. Lucy was beaming ear to ear but I could tell she had been crying. And Peter, he was the most emotional of all three of them, which took me by surprise. Tears were rolling down his face and he looked like he had gotten the best news possible but couldn't quite believe it. His expression was… astonishment.
What happened next surprised me, Peter grabbed me into a fierce hug. I could feel his body shaking with sobs as he hugged me. I was surprised at the emotion that came over me, as I found myself fighting back my own tears.
All I could do was hug him. I was so thankful he had made it through the battle safely.
Peter held me at arms' distance and asked me a question I had heard before. "When are you going to learn to do as you're told?"
But this time, his question wasn't filled with anger or hurt as it had been in the past. In fact, my older brother laughed as he finished the question. I looked up at him and smiled. But this time, I wasn't faking the smile. The joy in my heart was completely genuine. Seeing Peter blink back tears told me that he was genuinely overjoyed as well.
He pulled me into a hug again and I hugged him back, very thankful for the feeling of love and forgiveness. I had felt it from Lucy and Susan the moment I got to Aslan's camp, but was missing the feeling from my brother. What I had been hoping and praying for was finally mine!
As I hugged Peter, I felt others joining the hug, wrapping their arms around Peter and I. It was Susan and Lucy. I felt very safe and loved.
A shadow approached and we turned around to see Aslan. He breathed on a frozen warrior and unfroze him.
He looked at Lucy. She stood up and took her cordial out of its holder before running to the first injured warrior and helping him, just as she had helped me.
We greeted her when she got to the end.
"I'm so proud of you." Peter hugged her.
Lucy beamed. Peter had always been her favorite sibling, and for good reason, he had been there for her all the time. He was the perfect sibling to her. Susan and I had let her down at times, but I prayed we would be able to restore some of the hurt we had caused her. I got to thinking about how lucky Susan and I were to have Peter and Lucy as siblings. They had always been there for us when we let them down. What did we do to deserve them?
It appeared Susan was taking steps to improve her and Lucy's relationship. "So am I." she hugged Lucy, acknowledging her for how proud she was of her.
After Susan and Lucy spoke for a few seconds, I spoke up. "I can never thank you enough, Lucy. You saved my life today. I, I don't deserve it, but I am so grateful."
Lucy's eyes glistened with tears, a sight I didn't expect. She hugged me. "Aslan told us that there is no need to talk of the past."
I paused, realizing how my words may have been confusing. "I'm not referring to that. I'm referring to how Peter told me to do something and I didn't."
Lucy's next words touched my heart so deeply. "You did what you thought was best in the moment. You saw the Witch going after some of Aslan's warriors and you knew you had to do something. Peter can't be everywhere at once and neither can you. You helped him out so much today Edmund. He might have died without you."
"And I risked both of our lives doing what I do best, not listening." I sighed.
"Edmund, we all make mistakes. You might have made a mistake, but you had the best intentions. I am so proud of you for what you did today. You defeated the White Witch. Narnia will be forever grateful to you."
I slowly looked up at her the smiled and hugged her.
I knew I could never repay Aslan for what he did for me. I knew I could never repay Peter and Lucy, and even Susan, for the unconditional love they had showered me with. And I knew I didn't deserve any of them. But I was so thankful for the people in my life. I thanked God for my family. I would be lost without them!