Chapter Nine: Illusions

princess emma of narnia: Here's the next chapter!

Vivi Fontaine: Oh, yes…everything will be explained.

NarniaQueen and QueenofFantasy: Everything to with Edmund's peculiar behaviour is going to be revealed very soon.

Earth Kid Tree Hugger: Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. Year 11 sucks really bad. Hopefully this update makes up for the long time you've been waiting!

Lucie: I love making people feel special!

Ellen: Hope this next chapter is to your liking!

Rose woke up to find that her head was throbbing. Everything swam in front of her, but then Edmund's grinning face came into focus and she thought she would have preferred to remain unconscious. She glowered up at him. From what she could tell, she was in a dungeon cell. There were no chains, nothing binding her as far as she knew.

"I hate you," she whispered, turning away so that she didn't have to look at him. He had betrayed them three years ago – and now it turned out that he hadn't changed a bit. She wanted to think he was possessed, but in all honesty she wasn't certain. She clambered to her feet, still refusing to meet his eyes, but he grabbed her by the shoulder and whirled her around.

"You don't have to be like this." His voice was different now, quieter and more rational. "Brody doesn't want to hurt you – I don't want to hurt you. We could use your help, Rose. Put a real King on the throne instead of Peter."

Rose's eyes flashed and she shoved him away angrily. "He is my fiancé! How could you think I would side against him?"

Edmund looked a little astonished, but Rose thought in her dizziness she must have been imagining things. He already knew about her and Peter. There could have been no reason for him being shocked. Rose could feel a bruise beginning to form on her face when Edmund had slapped her – Edmund, who had been reluctant to hurt her from the beginning. He must be possessed. It was the small shred of hope she clung to.

"What could Brody possibly think I could do?" Rose asked coldly, although she had a fairly good idea. They wanted her to betray Peter, remain close to him and lull him into a false sense of security…just as Edmund had done to her. She flushed with the shame of it. Surely she should have seen this coming?

Edmund paced around her, maintaining his distance. Obviously, he'd come to the conclusion that she didn't like his close proximity. As he circled her like a predator, Rose had the distinct feeling that something was wrong. The tall and proud way he walked, like he was confident in himself…that wasn't the Edmund she knew.

"You are naïve, Rose. You will remain close to Peter. Win his heart…but you've already done that. Now you have to keep it, make sure he is sure of your loyalty…then we will bring him down. Brody has promised that I will be the King of Cair Paravel, and you my Queen. The other three…they are disposable. If you agree to help, we might not even have to kill them."

He sounded almost amused and his tone was mocking and sardonic. Rose clenched her hands into fists, loathing of him rising within her. She wasn't sure what to think anymore – but she couldn't afford not to attack him. Not when it might mean the lives of Peter, Susan and Lucy. Her temper snapped like an elastic band, and she lunged at him. He was caught by surprise and they crashed to the ground.

Rose punched him in the face, and Edmund looked alarmed. She continued to hit him and he cowered, half-heartedly fending off her blows. Edmund didn't do that. He would have fought back. Something was wrong, and his refusal to fight only made Rose even angrier.

"Fight me, dammit!" she screamed at him, shaking him roughly, "FIGHT ME!"

Then Rose was thrown backwards, several feet away, until she slammed into the wall. She was astonished, and yet she knew that even Edmund didn't have the physical strength to do such a thing. She looked back over at him, bruised and battered…and what she saw horrified her.

"Aren't I a good actor?" boasted Brody as he clambered to his feet, the features that had once been Edmund's melting back into his own, "You fell for it so easily. It was only a matter of time before I had to reveal the truth…"

He laughed harshly, and Rose was filled with a sense of dread. Of course, it was good to know that Edmund had played no part in this – but then what had been with the shout in the forest, the blood she had seen? Her heart plummeted.

"You mean…it was you the whole time?"

Brody clapped sarcastically. "Oh, well done. I thought you were supposed to be clever."

Rose felt sick. "So…the kiss and everything…"

Brody grinned delightedly. "I did so enjoy it."

She thought she might vomit. It had been bad enough thinking that Edmund would force a kiss upon her, but Brody with his façade? It was all she could do to stop herself from screaming in fury. Brody was right, she was stupid. She hadn't even realized what was right in front of her.

"What have you done with Edmund?" demanded Rose fiercely, "If you've hurt him…"

Brody just shrugged. "I allowed him to escape. He was of no consequence. He's just another little King…but you, Rose, you're different. You will help me topple Peter from his throne and put Edmund there in his place."

He saw her shocked expression and chuckled again.

"You think I was lying? That boy has darkness in him; we all know it to be true. His darkness will bend him to my will. I shall become the Protector I should have been, and Narnia will be forced to its knees. He would make a far better King than precious, perfect Peter."

The words sounded so like something Edmund would say that Rose turned her head – but Brody caught her chin and forced her to look him in the eye.

"And you, my dear, shall help me. Because if you don't, I'll kill every single one of them…the way I did in your nightmares."

Rose felt cold inside. If she didn't co-operate, Brody would kill all four of her best friends. If she did, Peter and possibly Susan would suffer for her actions. There was an amused smile on Brody's face as he released her.

"I didn't lie to you, Rose. You truly didn't notice? Edmund is in love with you. He wants you for himself…and to a degree, you want him too."

She shook her head fervently, wanting nothing more than to kill him here and now. But she was weaponless, and he had magic.

"You're a liar. I'm engaged to Peter. Besides, what you think about Edmund is wrong. I'm his best friend, nothing more."

Brody just grinned. "We'll see, won't we?"

There was nothing. No evidence whatsoever to suggest where Brody had taken Rose. Peter ground his teeth as he surveyed his surroundings. Even the best trackers had been at a loss to explain it, but Peter thought he knew – magic. Edmund marched over to him, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"What are we supposed to do now?" he demanded of his older brother, "Nothing indicates a struggle. We've found nothing."

He sounded so frustrated, as frustrated as Peter felt. He nodded his head, accepting the situation.

"We need help from the wood nymphs. They must have seen something; they must be able to help us. Brody is powerful, but I doubt even if he could teleport, it would be very far away. There are chances yet."

Edmund wasn't so sure. He had thought Brody wanted Rose dead – but instead he had taken her. It made no sense in his opinion. Then a horrible thought occurred to him and he grabbed Peter by the arm and steered him aside. The High King looked surprised, but he didn't comment until they were away from the others.

"Edmund?" His tone was tentative. "What's the matter?"

"Why do you think Brody took Rose?" Edmund asked, his voice low and urgent, "As a prisoner? He wanted her dead. Think, Peter. Why?"

Peter's expression remained blank and his blue eyes were wide as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ed, I don't understand…"

Edmund gritted his teeth. "What would you do to someone you had been planning to kill when you had finally captured them? Someone who had done you a great injustice?"

Peter thought about it. "I would make an example of them. A public execution…" He stopped when he realized what he was saying and he suddenly turned very pale. "No. You don't think he would…?"

Neither of them could say what they thought Brody would or wouldn't do. He was unpredictable and had his own agenda.

Peter turned away and ran his hands through his hair. He whirled back around to face Edmund, a determined look in his eyes. None of them could say for sure whether they thought Brody would or wouldn't go that far. They couldn't afford to underestimate him; the consequences may be dire. As long as Rose was missing, they would be on edge.

"We need to find her," Peter's voice was desperate and Edmund could hear his pain – the pain he felt deep inside. Rose was an innocent in the feud between Brody and Peter. Why should she be the one to suffer the sorcerer's vengeance? Edmund ground his teeth. When they found Brody, the sorcerer would be very sorry about what he'd done. He'd hurt Lucy. He'd taken Rose. The only thing that concerned Edmund was the horrible thought he refused to acknowledge – what happened if they were too late to save her?