That evening we found an island with a cove. From the ship it looked beautiful. The sand looked white as it glistened in the sun. Lush green could be seen as the forests were so think that we couldn't see through them. There we weighed anchor and went ashore to sleep and then search the island in the morning.
All the time we were setting up to go Greg tried to get my attention before we left. But I stubbornly refused to acknowledge his presence. My pride as well as my cheek was sore from his verbal and physical attack.
So he stayed on the ship, sulking in some corner I suppose. Ed tried not to leave my side, but setting up the camp was not something he could do and stay by me. I gave him a kiss and told him I'd sleep with him that night.
And we did.
My back to his front, one arm pulled me close while the other played with a few locks of hair that had escaped the braid Lucy had done that morning.
I giggled as his fingers brushed a particularly sensitive part of my neck.
"Ticklish, are we?" his voice sent chills though my body.
"Edmund Pevensie, don't you dare," I whispered back. "I swear-."
"You'll what?" the arm that was wrapped around my waist pulled tighter.
I had nothing I could use against him. I could threaten not to kiss him, but that would punish me too. So I made a pouting face and he chuckled. We were silent for a long time, the only sound was the sound of Useless Eustace, as I had dubbed him, snoring a long ways off.
Finally Ed spoke. "What's it like?"
"Hmm?"
"You time, the 21st century."
We had some how avoided this conversation for a while. Never having spare moments to speak alone or just having so much going on we almost forgot that we were separated by time more than anything else back home. I turned over so that I could see his face. Through the darkness I couldn't see his expression.
"Well…what exactly do you want to know?"
"Well, your family. What's my mother and father-in-law like?" he asked. "Do you think they'd like me?"
I smiled, "Mom would love you. Dad…he'd try to shoot you before you'd step foot through the door."
Edmund tensed.
"But he'd warm up to you," I said as I wove our fingers together. "What about my parents-in-law?"
"Dad and mum would love you," he whispered into my hair. "They've been wondering why I haven't been interested in girls back at home."
"Good I mumbled."
"Hmm?"
I blushed. "Good. That you haven't been interested in girls back home."
"My turn," he rubbed my the back of my hand with his thumb. "What about…television is that still around?"
I nearly shorted, "Oh, yeah…" He had no idea.
We were quiet for some time.
"Willow…"
"Yeah…"
"What about the war?"
I took a shuddering breath; of course he'd want to know about the war. Word War II was considered such an important topic in history when we covered it, it would only make sense that he'd want to know what happens to his country. So I answered him, "We win. A lot of people die and a lot of people are never the same again."
His grip on me tightened. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Now I know what I have to do when I get back."
I managed to break away and sat up, "What? What do you have to do?"
He leaned against his elbow to prop himself up, "Join the army. Fight the war. Save freedom."
I inhaled sharply before saying. "Ed, please don't."
"What?"
"Don't. I-I don't want you to, Ed, please," I turned to him. "Don't-. For me. I-I can't…"
"You just said-."
I interrupted him again, "I know what I said, that doesn't mean everyone you fights the war lives. Ed, I can't loose you. And this time…this time it would be permanent. It's bad enough we're separated by time and space."
"Will, back in your time I'm likely already dead," he said and tucked a lock of stray hair behind my ear. "What's the difference how I die? At least I'd die fighting for something."
"You don't get it," I jerked away from him. "I don't want you to go to war, Ed."
"When I get back England I'm joining the army, Willow," he said in a calm voice. "And you can't stop me. Now let's go back to sleep." I broke away from him and batted away the arm that he offered.
"You're right. But I'm going over there." I pointed to where Lucy and Gael slept. I gathered all my things up while saying, "You seem to forget that I'm your wife, not your girlfriend. What you do affects me just as much as what I do affects you." I threw my blanket over my shoulder, "Good night, Mr. Pevensie." I spat and walked off.
"Will!" he whispered/shouted. But I would hear none of it. "Will, come back. Let's talk about this then."
I ignored him.
I could hardly believe him. Whenever there was a battle to be held, back I the Golden Age, where was I? Oh, yes, I was on the front lines with him. How could he think that I'd just sit idly by back in the future while he's off somewhere getting shot at? And not, this time with arrows mind you, but bullets. How would he think I was like Susan, who sat at the castle when the people I loved were fighting for their lives?
I froze when I got to the place where Lucy and Gael's mats were set up. Lucy was gone. "Lucy," I whispered, calling out to her. "Lucy!" I called louder. Lucy would never stray far from the group, not in an unknown place such as this. I searched the camp and could find neither hide nor hair of her. "Caspian! Edmund! Lucy's missing."
