Edmund had always taken pride in his own decision-making abilities. Deciding on what to do had always been the bane of many a ruler, but Edmund hardly ever had trouble looking at every situation rationally and coming to a reasonable conclusion. He was everyone's go-to authority on making a decision. If Peter asked him what to do when the Northern Giants send envoys demanding land for themselves and no one else in Narnia during breakfast, Edmund would have a thoroughly thought out answer by lunch. He could figure out when to raise taxes on flour and what to name Lucy's new kitten (Mesut or Paws?) in one day, and even tell Susan which gown she would look better in while he was at it.
He had absolutely no idea, though, over what to do about Serena. On one hand, he was quite sure she was probably about engaged to some faceless stranger at this point. On the other hand, he didn't think he'd be able to focus on anything or behave normally unless he received some sort of clarification from her. He'd dropped a sheaf of papers while trying to dictate a letter to the giant-hummingbird of a clerk fluttering at his side and simultaneously argue with Peter over what greeting to use the other day and walked headlong into her in his confusion. The bemused smile she gave him as she helped him pick some of the papers up was enough to make him worry that his heart might just stop beating altogether.
It was ridiculous. There was obviously someone trying to kill her and no doubt the most eligible bachelor on their side of the world had laid some kind of claim on her. And yet the only thing he bothered to think about around Serena was kissing her in the rain.
Some days he resolved to somehow mention their (at the moment, nonexistent) relationship, and some days he tried vainly to convince himself to focus his attentions elsewhere. Trying to tell Serena about "it" took more than sheer nerves, however. He hadn't quite pegged her as the oblivious type, but experience had taught him that she was. There was no way for him to sidle up to the topic so that she could fill in the blanks on her own. Metaphorically speaking, she'd not only need the blanks filled in for her, but a definition for every word in the sentence as well.
The door to his study crashed open. "Ed, they're about to clear away what's left of lunch. Do you plan on eating or not?" Lucy asked.
He'd been deep in thought, but there was nothing like a mundane word such as "eating" to bring someone very quickly back to Earth. He didn't fancy having to sneak into the kitchen for food later, where the head cook (a very large black bear) would threaten to eat him alive the next time he missed a meal and needed her to knock something together for him.
The dining room was very quiet when he and Lucy got there. Peter was reading something silently while Susan busied herself with a flaky-looking pastry. Serena was absentmindedly looking out the window as she stirred the half-eaten bowl of soup in front of her. She had a delicate looking grip on the handle of her spoon, and seemed to be moving all the carrots into the left side of her bowl.
"I don't like carrots, either." He said sitting down next to her and across from Peter.
"Then don't say I didn't warn you about the soup." She responded, tearing her gaze away from the landscape outside to give her bowl a disapproving glance.
"What happened to eating everything out of politeness?" Susan asked.
"It doesn't really apply to spoiled princesses." Serena replied, frowning a little.
"You know, I think I'll be one in the next life." Said Peter. "Remember when we had to drink that really strong beer when we visited the Black Dwarves, Ed?"
"Ugh." He shook his head. "As a matter of fact, I don't. I think we both know why."
"I told you to have something to eat beforehand." Peter smirked.
"It sounds like a nice job for you, Peter," Said Lucy, diverting everyone's attention from Edmund. "I imagine you'd be a wonderful princess. Not having to eat what you don't want to, looking pretty all the time, twirling around in your ballet shoes,-"
"-Getting married off to whomever's done something useful for the crown…" Serena added.
"Define useful," Edmund said thoughtfully, "Me keeping you alive all this time should count as useful."
"Damian has a six year old daughter, if that's your thing." She replied. Good one, Peter mouthed to her from across the table.
"You're only twelve years older than your niece?" He asked, rapidly changing the subject.
"He has a son who's fourteen, too." Serena said. "We used to have classical literature lessons together."
"That sounds embarrassing." Said Susan, smiling a little.
No, thought Edmund. Compared to what he'd just said, having literature lessons with one's nephew was the furthest thing from embarrassing.
"Oh, Ed I need you to help me sort through the birthday presents they've started sending me." Susan added, poking him in the shoulder.
"Why me?"
"Because," She rolled her eyes. "It's what you do."
There really wasn't any use in arguing, and he'd really do anything to get out of the room at this point.
"No time like the present." He abruptly dropped his fork and pushed back his seat, even going as far as to pull back Susan's chair for her.
She beamed at the gesture. "Why hasn't anybody tried to marry you yet? Must be because you're related to Peter." She muttered to Lucy and Serena.
"What's that pile for?" Edmund asked, pointing at a collection of random looking articles in the corner of Susan's room.
"It's the ones that were sent anonymously. They're a pain, really."
"Because you can't send a thank you note?"
"No, because I don't know who they're from." Said Susan irritatedly.
"Isn't that sort of what I meant?"
"Look at this." She threw a velvet covered box at him, which he barely managed to catch. He opened it to find an egg-sized ruby strung on a heavy golden chain. It was the sort of thing Serena would have called gauche, and he agreed with her.
"Well that's…nice."
"I have no idea who sent it!"
"That's…too bad. And a security issue." He added.
"I wish I knew! Why is it so hard for men to just say things?"
"To be fair, a woman could have sent it." He pointed out.
"It's so annoying when they want you to figure everything out for yourself." Susan sniffed, crossing her arms. "It's not like I plan to hold it against him if I don't appreciate the present."
"Do women really think that?" Edmund asked, picking up a gold and cloisonné vase.
"For God's sake you've got two sisters. How do you not know that?"
"Looks expensive." He said, inspecting the intricate artwork.
"If I were a man deeply in love with-well-me, I'd ask myself to dance next time there's a ball and immerse myself in a very interesting conversation. And then the next day, I'd come running to meet myself and say that I cannot imagine a life without me and-"
"That sounds a little narcissistic, don't you think?"
"Well, what would you do?"
"I don't know." Said Edmund truthfully.
"And this is why Peter gets all the attention whenever any woman visits."
"I would be a wonderful eccentric bachelor of an uncle."
"I'm trying to think of what Peter would say in this situation: 'Don't be such a nancy, just do it.' That sounds about right." She said. "Did you get that, Ed?"
"I'm quite sure I did."
"Good. I'd hate to see a face like yours become that of a bachelor's."
He flushed a little, even though he knew he shouldn't have. It didn't really count as a compliment when it was from your own sister.
By the time he'd finished cataloging Susan's presents and helped her write what seemed like dozens of thank you notes, he decided that next time Serena was in a charitable mood, he might as well go ahead and say that he really wouldn't like it if she left.
He crossed his fingers for rain.
Meow. I love the name Mesut for a cat. It's so regal and cute at the same time. I also like the name Chesterfield for a hampster. If you'd be so kind as to leave a review, I might just tell you who the name Campbell would be for :D (Wow, this is extortion)
AND I WANNA TELL EVERYONE ABOUT HOW MUCH I THINK BRENDAN HINES (Eli Loker from Lie To Me) WOULD BE AN AWESOME GROWN-UP EDMUND!
Anyway, now that I've calmed down a little...I chose to write about Ed because of the way he gets described in the end of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and I really liked him even more in The Horse and His Boy. I like Skandar Keynes as Edmund in the movies, but if I got to pick anybody for the movies that involve grown-up Ed, I totally support Brendan Hines. He's just got this sort of body language that's really relaxed and alert at the same time. (is this weird of me?) Also he does great sarcasm, and I love his hair. Anyway, either watch him on youtube or look at his wikipedia photo, and see if you kinda get what I mean. (I also think that Bradley James from Merlin on BBC would be a way better Peter. I have trouble taking William Moseley seriously sometimes...don't kill me!)