Disclaimer: I hope you know that the original cast of the Chronicles of Narnia belong to C S Lewis

Chapter 10

I was woken by a kiss to my cheek.

I thought it was a lovely way to start the day, especially with a kiss from Edmund. But I was prejudice because of my crush. I was beginning to love waking up next to Edmund, it was always interesting. Whether he was falling off the bed, sleep-talking, skidding into the room or kissing my cheek. It was just so fun to be with him.

I slowly opened my eyes and focused on the face about a hand span away from my own. Edmund had a happy look on his face, and although that kiss had been lovely, I wasn't a natural morning person, and I was still a little groggy from sleep. His smile was nice though, and the lips I had just felt. I also saw a bit of a shadow on his jaw, he needs to shave, before he spoke, "Good morning Sophia."

"Morning Edmund."

"Ready for this morning?"

"What's happening this morning?" I was a little slow right now, but give me a break, I just woke up.

"We're going to Aslan's How after breakfast, remember?"

"Oh right. For the weekend."

"Yes, now it's time to get up." He grabbed me and pulled me up to a sitting position, "The sooner we have our breakfast, the sooner we can get going!"

I yawned, rubbing my eyes tiredly, "You're awfully chipper at... what time is it?"

"Five o'clock."

"FIVE O'CLOCK? Edmund what are you waking me up this early for?" I'm going to kill that boy, I love my sleep when there are no evil ladies there.

He pouted at me, "But I was excited."

"Well be excited in a few hours. I'm going back to sleep." I lay down again and huddled under the lovely warm covers. I thought I'd won, until I heard movement and suddenly felt myself being lifted up off the bed, still wrapped in the covers, and moved. I managed to pull my head and an arm out of my quilt cocoon, and turned to glare at the boy carrying me out of his room in his arms, "Edmund! I was trying to sleep!"

"I know. But it's time for breakfast, and then we can go get your things and go pack the horses and we can be off before nine. That way if we ride at a fair pace we should reach the How by about two."

"But I'm still sleepy."

"We can share a horse and you can lean on me. Then you can sleep, happy?"

How did he manage to get everything he wants? "Fine. But there had better be eggs and bacon ready, or I'll be cranky and hungry."

"Of course," he said, as he walked into the dining hall. I heard giggles and turned to see the others there too. I was still wrapped up in my warm covers and in Edmund's arms bridal style. I could hardly move.

"What are you all doing here this early?"

"We came to see you off. It's only getting up an hour earlier." Peter said calmly as Edmund sat me in my seat, still in my – well his – quilt.

I looked at them all as if they were crazy, "You get up at six? Every day? You people are insane." They just chuckled at me while I let Edmund serve me some food. He was sat next to me today, Lucy having swapped seats with him. Huh, that's different, now I have to turn my head to the right to see Edmund. He piled on some eggs and bacon onto my plate, along with a few pieces of toast and a steaming mug of tea. Ahh... caffeine. I gulped down the tea and started digging into my food as I listened to the early morning chatter between siblings and honorary siblings. Edmund was discussing with Caspian and Lucy about what we were going to do this weekend, it sounded like fun. Susan and Peter were having a more 'mature' conversation, on a problem with a village on the outskirts of Narnia, near the Western Mountains.

News had increased recently about troublemakers and conflicts in the western parts of Narnia, and unfortunately it seemed to be spreading. We had yet to decide what to do. To send one of us or a group of soldiers could be suicide if we didn't know what we were dealing with. But if we did nothing, Narnia could revolt at our lack of action, or the trouble could spread even further and deeper into Narnia. Possibly even crossing the borders into another country. Archenland and the other neighbouring countries would be watching us very carefully right now, judging us on how fit we really were to be sat as the ruling heads of Narnia during a time of 'peace'.

Aslan's How was south from Cair Paravel, so we shouldn't really run into trouble unless the problem has spread further than we thought. The 'couple of guards plus Aspennal' for Edmund and me on our trip had turned into fifteen guards and five armed centaurs including Aspennal. Oh well, I doubt it'd interfere too much in our trip. We'd probably be fine, and Peter was probably just being overly cautious. Not that I could blame him. He was sending out his younger brother during a potentially troublesome time.

"You done yet Sophia? Edmund already went ahead to pack the horses. He told me to help you get ready so you can go." Susan said, dragging me away from the breakfast which I hadn't actually quite finished. "I've never seen him so hyper."

"I know, I didn't think he was a morning person."

"Morning person? Edmund?" Susan started to laugh, "He's a horrible morning person. He's so hard to wake up. How'd you wake him up today?"

I blinked in surprise, "Actually, he woke me up this morning."

Now Susan looked surprised, "Really? Hmm... oh well, let's get you ready then, before he gets too impatient."

I nodded and ran to keep up with Susan's longer strides to my room. She practically stripped and dressed me herself to my embarrassment, because I was 'taking too long'. It was my usual clothing, but I wore a tunic and green cloak over my clothes. I then grabbed my pre-packed bags and was rushed to the chaotic stables by Susan. Calm down a little, I'm still half asleep here. The stables were buzzing with activity, was our trip really so... busy? Once Susan had dropped me off in the stables, I was bundled about by Aspennal. He seemed excited too, and strapped my things onto a horse along with some extra blankets and other things, before hurtling me along through the stable.

What was I? Another bag?

I found myself soon placed in Edmund's care, he seeming just as chipper as I had seen him earlier, and gave me a hug when he saw me, "Still tired?"

"What do you think boy-who-woke-me-up-at-five-in-the-bloody-morning?" He just chuckled before putting his hands on my waist and lifting me onto a saddled horse. "Side saddle? But I don't ride side saddle-"

"We're sharing a horse remember? If you sit like that, it makes it easier for you to lean on me. Then you can have a nap and quit being cranky." He said as he hopped up behind me. There was a bit of a shuffle as we got ourselves comfortable. There wasn't quite enough room for us both in the saddle, so Edmund decided it'd be better if I practically sat on his lap rather than in front of him. He somehow managed to keep his balance as he held an arm around my back and tucked an arm under my legs and pulled me onto his lap before he let go of me to grab the reins. I was trapped within Edmund's arms and torso and the horse. "Comfy?"

"Quite." I said as I leant against his chest as he led the horse out of the stables. I heard him click his tongue to get the horse to move faster, riding in the centre of the circle of our guards. The rocking of the horse and the steady breathing movements from Edmund's chest were lulling me to sleep, but I fought it. I didn't want to sleep. I wrapped my arms around his torso in a half-hug, and decided a conversation was what I needed to keep me awake. "So what are we going to do this weekend?"

"What do you want to do?"

"That's not what I asked you Edmund."

"Fine, fine. I thought we could explore a little deeper into Aslan's How, and the area around it. It's a beautiful place during the day, but much better at night. We could have a nap this afternoon so we can stay up later to stargaze and things like that. We're just going to relax mainly, without distractions from duties, books, the Council-"

"Your siblings?"

"My siblings, and anything else in Narnia. Is that okay for you?"

"Mhmm..." I was losing the battle against sleep. Stay awake, stay awake. You can sleep this afternoon.

I felt Edmund kiss the top of my head, he's gotten quite affectionate, hasn't he? "Sleep Sophia, we're sat like this for a reason you know."

"Excellent company?"

"Maybe. Or for you to have a nap. I won't let you fall, trust me."

I nodded my head against his chest and closed my eyes. Stupid five o'clock in the bloody morning and an unusually chirpy Edmund.

I woke up for the second time that day, but not with a kiss. I just felt much more rested. I was lying in a tent across from a sleeping Edmund and an on guard Aspennal. "Good afternoon Lady Sophia." I had managed to get him to stop calling me 'your Majesty' and the like, but had to submit to this name instead. It wasn't as bad at least.

"Afternoon?"

"Yes my Lady, you just missed lunch but I'm sure there is something you can get if you are still hungry. His Majesty has just fallen asleep for a nap and requested to be woken up when dinner was starting."

"I slept all this time? You should have woken me up! I should have helped you set up or something."

"But you were sleeping. Besides his Majesty forbade us to wake you, I wouldn't have done so myself anyway. You looked very peaceful in your sleep." Edmund... now I feel guilty about not helping set up camp or anything. "Shall I go get you something to eat?"

"It's fine Aspennal, you must be tired."

"Not really, I have been resting a few hours since we set up camp, and the food has revived my energy. I shall find you something to eat." And before I could protest he was gone from the tent. Edmund was softly snoring in his bed on his side of the tent, so I decided to leave him in peace and stretch my legs a little. I grabbed Dawn from the floor beside my bed and walked out of the tent and saw a huge hill in front of the tent, a stone entrance into the hill and several windows carved into it I saw also.

I didn't want to wander too far, in case we did happen to be attacked and I'd be by myself. But I walked several times around the camp and talked to everyone. By the time I returned to my tent, Aspennal was sat outside holding a bowl of assorted food for me. It was just some bread and a slightly cold but still tasty vegetable stew. But it filled me nonetheless and I felt much better than this morning. Aspennal told me all about the hill, telling me that the Stone Table was actually inside.

After not much begging he gave me a tour – with several guards – of the inside of the How, and I saw the legendary broken Stone Table, and a stone depiction of the golden lion himself. I reached out with a hand and stroked the mane of the stone lion, and I swear I heard a lion's roar from somewhere, but felt immense peace within me. I just knew that the White Witch couldn't touch me from now on, at least not in my dreams. I had 'told' Aslan about her through my touch, and he'd protect me now. I think. Well, maybe thinking positive is all I need anyway. We'll see. Well, I'll see.

After the tour I decided to go check up on Edmund, and found him still sleeping in the tent, the only change being that he had turned over in his sleep. He was mumbling incoherently, and had his usual cute expression of sleep on his face. I sat next to him and gently took his hand in mine, playing with his fingers, measuring my hand with his, simply holding it. Anything really. It was relaxing just being in Edmund's presence. I had noticed a strand of his dark hair in front of an eye when I first saw him, but had resisted moving it from fear that he'd wake up and knowing that I really shouldn't invade his personal space that much. But I could hold his hand, right?

Eventually the pull was too strong. Very slowly and very carefully I brushed the stupid soft lock of hair from his eye, pushing it back to lie with the rest of his hair. Satisfied with my work, I looked at his face again and was shocked to see him staring right at me wide awake. "Dear Aslan! Were you trying to scare me?"

He chuckled as he sat up, keeping my hand in his now, "No, I'd never do that."

I rolled my eyes at him, "So how long have you been awake?"

"Since I heard you enter the tent."

Typical boy with abnormally acute hearing, "Why don't you ever show you're awake when I think you're asleep?"

"It's more fun. I don't know what you're going to do."

Like me and waking up next to you, "Well I hope you've had your fun giving me a heart attack for what must be the fifth time."

He just laughed softly, before bringing my hand to his lips and planting a kiss in my palm, probably causing me to blush. "Come on, I think I smell dinner cooking." He pulled me up to stand and led me through the small camp, probably following his nose, to find a faun stood over a fairly large pot, stirring it occasionally. "Come on, we can grab some food and make our way to the top of the hill. Are you ready for some star-gazing?"

"Sure, let's go look at balls of gas in the sky billions of miles away." We both grabbed a bowl of the stew-soup thing and started walking up the side of the hill. Some blankets were already laid out on the ground and we sat and talked while we ate, watching the sun set. The sky was filled with oranges and reds and purples, and grew darker as the time flew by. Eventually we lay down on the blankets and stared at the darkening sky.

"There's Orion's belt. And that bright star is Sirius."

"So the stars here are the same as on earth?"

"Well, I call the stars the same things as on earth. It's easier, and they are in the same places."

"Interesting." So he kept naming off stars to me and pointing out the constellations for me. "Do you have a favourite star?"

"No. It would be too difficult to choose between all of them."

"Hmm... I like the moon best."

"That's not a star!"

"I know, but it looks bigger." I turned my head and watched Edmund laugh at me. I guess it was a silly comment, but it was what I was honestly thinking at the time. When he calmed down enough he turned his head and looked at me too.

Suddenly it seemed very quiet to me.

I smiled at Edmund, and got that smile back, "Why do you do that?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Do what?"

"That smile, you know, that smile." I tried copying his face, and saw him looking amused at my efforts, "What? I'm trying to get the look, it's not my fault if I'm looking a little stupid while I try."

"I'm not laughing at you Sophia. I just thought that you'd have realised what I meant by 'that look' I keep giving you."

Now I raised an eyebrow at him, what was I supposed to know? "What is it?"

And then I saw that light blush on Edmund's face, just visible in the moonlight. "Well, Lucy and Su have been talking a lot to me," uh-oh, "Peter and Caspian too, Caspian especially actually. I talked a lot to them because I was really confused about a lot of things to do with you. And then, about a month ago Lucy told me something," double uh-oh, "Which gave me even more to think about, which made me even more confused! And it's all because of you!" he was sat up now, frowning down at his clenched fists in his lap.

"Edmund you're sounding like a girl, calm down." good, I made him laugh a little, that frown was upsetting me, "From that rant all I got was that even with help you are just as confused as ever about something to do with me."

"But I'm not now."

"You're not? I don't even know if that's a good thing."

"I worked everything out two weeks ago."

"Oh really? And what did you work out?"

"I think that I'm in love with you."

WHAT?

I sat up too, Edmund was still not looking at me.

He was watching his hands, which were clenching and unclenching periodically, he must really be nervous, and he was slumped where he sat. Say something Sophia! But I was frozen. Not that I wouldn't like to answer, I was just in a state of partial shock. Never in my life would I have guessed that Edmund would confess first. I had always planned what I would say to him, first. Not in response. Then I heard Edmund give a big sigh, "Don't worry about it Sophia... it's fine if you don't feel the same, I just... thought you should know how I feel. I'll give you some space if you want."

No don't get up! Say something Sophia, say something! ANYTHING!

"Edmund wait." I tugged him back down to sit next to me, even though he still refused to look at me, "Edmund I..."