Scouts relayed information between Cair Pravel and Latern Waste on a daily basis. High King Peter reporting that the Telmar army was weakening with every skirmish and that his own troops suffered only minimal loses. The Terebinthians were bravely heading each attack, eager to show the Narnians the valor of the tiny island country. Detailed explanations of battle strategy accompanied the letters and would be placed with the official documents of Narnia.
While Peter was away, Edmund's duties kept him chained to his desk and audience chamber. The weeks since the Terebinthian distraction left him with many reports to catch up, Lucy even volunteered to help with commerce disputes. Likening it to catching up homework after being home sick from school, Edmund dove in, vowing to not leave Peter in charge of his office ever again.
And still the paperwork was more welcome than his dating life. A story was circulating in the tent camp that Edmund and Eliandra fought the week before. It was greatly exaggerated, but Edmund had lost his temper as the girl continued to blather on and keep him away from his work. And yes, he shouldn't have yelled at her to be quiet but she didn't punch him. Just an open-hand slap to his cheek.
An awkward discussion with Lord Bastion and Queen Susan later, Edmund had to make a public apology to Eliandra and invite her to sit at the head table for on the night of Peter's return. After that embarrassment, he had slashed two wooden dummies into kindling ruining a practice sword in the process.
Brought to the practice area by Mr Fox, Philip knocked him over with a nose nudge, causing Edmund to explode at both the horse and fox. Philip was rearing up and neighing, so angry he forgot how to speak, Mr Fox hissed and chattered with his fur bushed up and ears back. Captain Ithal finally sent him on his way with a bloody nose and a fierce telling off. Edmund had yet to apologize to his friends, none of whom was eager to hear his apology.
On top of this, Mauna and Lord Rone were hounding Lucy daily to ask if Edmund was going to decide in their favor. Lucy used her best flowery language to put them both off, her dexterity being tested as she made sure not to lie and yet not give false hope to the girl and her father. Truthfully, Edmund was becoming feed up with both of the girls. Mauna was too clingy for the stoic man, Eliandra was proving too frivolous and hot-tempered. The idea of starting the process of courting all over just pressed further on the King's mind making him more grumpy.
Susan was not enamoured of either girl, Eliandra even bored his glamorous sister with her never ending talk of dresses, lace and ribbons. And Mauna, Susan just didn't have anything to talk to that girl about, other than Edmund, who was good fodder for about six conversations at most, per Susan's early morning rants.
When Edmund went down for lunch with his sisters today, the girls were sitting with heads bowed together. Looking up with guilty faces, high voices squeaking out greetings to their brother, they then sat with blank faces carefully picking at their plates. Feeling his temper flaring again, Edmund turned on his heel and left the duo to continue talking about him.
The audience hall was empty for the first time in ten years, everyone choosing to either fix their own problems or postpone them until their King was in a more diplomatic mood. After the required hour of sitting in the lonely hall, Edmund escaped back to the quiet comfort of his office. Clouds gathering outside his window only matched his mood, dark and stormy.
As a break from his frustrations, Edmund unrolled a map and recreated the skirmishes of Latern Waste with flags and small cubes. Using Peter's letters and his imagination Edmund transported himself to the chaos and excitement of battle. It seemed forever since Edmund was in a proper fight. Occassionally he had joined Peter on the battlefield in the years since taking the throne at Cair Paravel. He could almost smell the torn up grass, of horses, metal and leather. His mind filled with clanging of swords, shouts and charges the thoughts and concerns of his life being pushed out.
Delving deeper into his play, he moved the cubes into new conflicts. Adding sound effects out loud to match those in his head, as the cubes smashed together. He had one side then the other gain the upper hand until Edmund's glass paperweight came in to crush them all. Cubes skittered across the floor as he took up his fireplace poker and began shadow fencing. Shouting and adding his own commentary for every thrust and parry, Edmund erased the years of reign with every excited whoop.
Edmund let himself play for almost an hour, mixing the battles of Narnia with the vague memories of England and what he had learned in primary school. Dropping exhausted into his great chair, he regained his breath with a relaxed smile on his face.
Just in time.
'Knock, knock.'
