~Edmund~

For some reason, I had forgotten how long it took to get to Digory's estate. Before the city stated warring with itself, we would travel up every few weeks and even occasionally seeing Polly as well. She had moved to Kent so she was a lot closer to us, but Digory was in North Yorkshire. It had taken me three hours to get out of Harrow alone considering I had to go through a security check to ensure I wasn't a raider. I knew that they didn't believe me to be, but belief was outweighed by fact in times like this.

I had been questioned heavily but I gave shortened answers, sticking to the kerosene story. At least it was believable, and it was obvious that no one in this faction would use it against us. Most places stuck to getting petrol out of broken down vehicles that littered the streets above the tunnels, hoping that the Citizens didn't come out to play. Where the name came from, nobody really knew. One day we just started calling the people who refused to divide into factions and instead stay above ground by that. They were barbarous and callous, there was no other way to put it.

Once the higher ups in Harrow deemed me as no threat to them and to confirm I was a part of Finchley, they sent one of their own spies to show me to the tunnels that led out of the city. I concentrated hard here, burning every twist and turn to my memory for the journey back. This was only if we had to come back through this way. I intended to travel through the day and hide at night as that was when the streets were littered with rogues running wild. Desperate for blood, action, killing, innocence, and numerous other things.

It had taken over an hour before the sunlight peeked out through a hole above that seemed tiny and like nothing could fit through it apart from small animals and insects. But when I eyed it closer I almost snorted at the hidden ladder. Very clever. Not many people think to look above and for the non-obvious, so despite it being in plain sight they were hidden from sight. The fellow man whose name I didn't catch unhooked the latch and slowly lowered the ladder. I gave him a grateful wave after this before climbing into the day for the first time in over two weeks.

There was still a throbbing in my lower calf from where the bullet had edged passed my skin, but I couldn't show weakness in any way. That would be far too dangerous. Rarely did someone pass the boundaries of London, but it was still a possibility. I had to blink a few times to adjust to the light as I was not used to it. Being outdoors was something I hated in this world as it was so uncertain that you would live. Now, it was a luxury and it really shouldn't be. I know what living a life of luxury is, I had been a King for fifteen years.

Then it was an hour walk north to a town in Essex where if I was lucky, I would catch a direct train. It was nigh impossible to keep up with travelling changes and advancements being underground so I wasn't entirely sure if they still ran or not. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way this was not the case. I just had to ask at the ticket stand when the next train to Coombe Halt would be and they snorted. That was until I showed them proof of my residence and their laughter died down.

They eyed me up and down, taking in the numerous scars that littered my body, some not of this world and instead a constant reminder of what once was. Their eyes widened at seeing the rip in my trousers that exposed the bandage underneath. After this, they looked down almost shamefully before saying that I would need to get a train to Leeds and then another that went to my destination. I nodded my head in a thanks before making my way to the platform.

Luckily, those outside of London allowed us free travel if we proved our residence. None of us needed money anymore, all we needed was supplies, determination, and hope. It was nearing 2am when I finally got to Leeds and I decided to get a room to stay in tonight. I didn't want to arrive at Digory's at a stupid time. I found somewhere quickly enough and once again after proving where I was travelling from, got me somewhere free of charge.

I took a long bath but keeping my leg out the water. This was something I missed dearly. We got showers from people who were smart enough to use the rainwater and filter it out. But it was nothing to compare to completely clean and not to mention warm water. It's amazing how something as simple as a waters temperature can be seen as a luxury. I rarely slept, tossing and turning in anxiety over what tomorrow might bring.

Who was it that had fell through the chasm? I knew Caspian had as I'd spotted his signet ring and with his hand signing off that quote at the end of the letter. But who else? Digory mentioned that there were ten, so who were the other nine? Were they people we knew? Were they people we'd never met? Were they people who had moved to Narnia from another place in the other world?

When morning arrived, I was outside faster than a hungry child reaching for food. My stomach grumbled but I wasn't going to eat until I arrived. There was a line drawn between having the travelling and a place to stay for no cost. I made the journey to the station, ignoring questioning looks over my still noticeable limp. Luckily, there was a train that was headed out to where I was going leaving in around twenty minutes.

Hardly anybody got on the carriage, which wasn't a surprise. Slowly, people were emigrating to large towns and cites and leaving small towns and villages almost bare. There was a discarded newspaper and I quickly grabbed it, curious as to what was going on outside the bubble that was where I lived. There really wasn't much interesting in it, but it gave me something to do. It was almost 2pm when I got off the train, and if I remembered correctly it took around forty minutes to walk to the estate from here.

I kind of wish Mrs Macready was here as that way I could just jump into a wagon the horses pulled. But I wasn't in a mood to deal with her condescending attitude towards the younger generation nor her ability to nag. However, a lot of it was uphill which was a struggle to most people never mind to someone injured. Despite the pain, I pushed myself on and soon my eyes landed on Digory's mansion in the distance. A smile came onto my face as I made the final part of my journey.

~Caspian~

Waking up the next day felt weird. It had now been almost two weeks since we had sent the letter. It was any day now we would either be getting a visitor or a reply back. Digory had shown us the way to something called a post office and each day around noon, I made the two mile walk there to see if there was anything new. I'd gotten funny looks at first due to my accent and appearance. I had been quick to realise there wasn't a large portion of mixed race people here, well, not in the middle of nowhere.

As each day passed, I grew steadily more anxious than I had previously and in my free time I helped out Glenstorm who was still trying to get used to two feet instead of four hooves. For a few days he had subconsciously been walking around on his toes which had amused us all greatly. Trumpkin was doing fine as were the other Narnians though. I could tell it frustrated him greatly, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it.

I'd woken up early to a bright day outside. I stretched out and let out a small sigh at feeling the crack in my back. I got off the bed and made my way for the book I was currently getting through. This was a history one, of a place called Egypt, and it was morbidly fascinating. It was so different to any traditions I'd ever known about, and the ways of these people surprised me. Even the bodies that had been shown. For some reason I just couldn't look away.

Once I'd finally gotten through another part I decided to go down to breakfast and to see if the others were awake yet. I'd now memorised this area of the large building so I no longer got lost. Making my way to the dining room in less than five minutes. Toma, Mikian, and Florent were here already. Florent had also been a fawn but like everyone else had turned human after falling through the chasm. I heard voices in the corridor, none of which I recognised which made me assume there was another tour going on. Or at least, that was until the door opened and someone followed in after Digory.

The elderly man looked at us with a twinkle in his eyes before stepping aside, revealing a young male who easily broke the six foot barrier, numerous scars littering his body, muscles bulging underneath his skin, and a slightly cocky grin on his face. He let out a deep chuckle and I realised now I'd forgotten what his voice sounded like. Before I knew it, I was rising off my seat and running towards him. Edmund laughed before opening his arms for a tight hug.

"I expected you all to have died hundreds of years ago."

It was meant as both a statement and a joke. The one time Edmund had been away from his Kingdom for a year, over a millennia had passed. So obviously he would've assumed the same had applied this time around since it had now been five years. The time thing boggled my mind often, and this was enough of a realisation that there was no way to find out how much time had passed. Had a few weeks went by in Narnia since we'd been gone? Had it been months? Had it been years?

At times I felt like a massive failure, essentially abandoning my people and leaving them without guidance despite there being no way to stop it. There was only one person who could reverse Aslan's will and that was Aslan himself. But Aslan was not of this world, he went by a different name, a name I did not know. Still, most nights I prayed that he kept my people and Kingdom safe in my absence as I don't know how long I am going to be in this world for.

"So, tell me what happened exactly."

I opened my mouth to speak but Toma had beaten me to it;

"It was storming badly, I doubt either of us got to sleep until the early hours. We somehow fell asleep and when we awoke, we were in some kind of grassy field. We wandered around and eventually found here, King Edmund."

I caught his mouth twitch a little at his title. Or one of his titles. It was very minimal so I doubt anyone else noticed it but me. He knew it too as he shot a subtle glance in my direction.

"Ok, first things first. You cannot call myself or my siblings by our Narnian titles here. Second, it is odd the chasm opened in the way that it did. Not just because it opened the opposite way, but any of us who have been through one, we were conscious."

I hadn't considered this fact. Once again, I was stunned into silence with Edmund's uncanny ability to analyse in such minute detail in almost no time. My friends were clearly impressed by the observation. They'd all met Edmund, some enough for a chat and others quick enough for a hello.

"And you, sit down and eat something. You must be starving, I'm guessing you've been travelling all night?"

He rolled his eyes playfully and obeyed the elderly mans orders. As I took him in, I realised just how bad of a state the city must be in. His clothing was covered in holes, his face almost sucked in, and it was clear his body was littered with more battle wounds than I remembered. And he already had dozens, maybe hundreds of wounds previously. I also spotted a tiny hiss of pain escape his lips as he edged himself in to sit down beside me. Telling me he wasn't in the best of shape currently.

The other people at the table aside from Digory and myself were looking at him with an awed expression. He was literally a living legend to them. Workers brought food out to us and we didn't hesitate to tuck in. Once we'd finished however, I turned to face my old friend who gave me a beaming smile in response. We never thought we would see each other again yet here we were next to each other. When he turned away to speak to someone else on the table, I quickly analysed his body for what had caused his pain. It took me a good minute but I soon located a bandage just below his knee.

"What happened to your leg?"

He froze abruptly at that and turned to face me. I couldn't tell if he was more proud at my observation or annoyed by it. He's stubborn, both he and his brother are and neither like having injuries shown. This was clearly the case this time. Digory checked to see what I was getting at and as soon as he did, he gave the younger male a stern look, causing the King of Old to redden in embarrassment.

"I echo Caspian on this, Edmund."

Now he was outnumbered. He knew there was no way out of it so he had to answer the question and not brush it off.

"I got shot a few days ago but it's still healing."

I frowned at this, didn't he say that arrows weren't used in this world for that purpose anymore?

"What size of bullet are we talking here, Edmund? And are you certain nothing serious was hit?"

What in Aslan's country was a bullet? It seemed all us Narnians and Telmarines had the same thought process as we looked at each other quizzically. Edmund replied something along the lines of him not seeing it and it came from a raid on an area called Redbridge. How could one city have so many districts? Were any in a true alliance with one another? Somehow I doubted it. I've been told on numerous occasions that this world was violent but just how violent was it?

"A bullet comes from a weapon called a gun. They are small metallic things that are projected at incredible speeds and it probably isn't possible to outrun one unless you jump out of its path. Think about it like an arrowhead being shot instead of a full arrow and being imbedded in something. It's difficult to get out and it takes a while to recover."

Ah, that was that question answered then. Digory asked him once again if he was sure all remnants had been taken out and that nothing serious was punctured as o which Edmund playfully rolled his eyes and replied something along the line of Lucy miraculously missing something. I almost snorted at that because Lucy never missed anything regarding injuries and she was blunt about how bad one was. If she didn't think there was anything to worry about, then there probably was nothing to worry about. It became clear that Digory was like a second father figure to the Pevensie's in that second.

"So, what is happening then? Are we here to help or just to see this world?"

At Florent's question, Edmund's face fell in realisation. He seemed to be in deep thought and it was no surprise that he had that look on his face that made him appear a decade older and also taller. Neither of us spoke as he carefully thought out the predicament, his mind obviously in a frazzle over everything.

"I don't have an exact answer I'm afraid. Honestly, I'm just as confused as you all are on this matter. I'm assuming your thought process is correct, Florent is it?"

The fawn-turned-human nodded at that.

"However, I'm not comfortable with you all being in the city to help out. This world is a lot more violent than Narnia, Calormene, Archenland, possibly combined. This is something that needs to be decided over a few days and not one afternoon."

I thought he would say something like that. I opened my mouth to say something but he shot me a harsh glare that shut me up immediately. I knew better than to argue with someone who had spent however many years in a world I knew almost nothing about. So, with an annoyed grunt I agreed with him in the matter. Digory told him a room was ready for him and the younger nodded his head before shakily standing up. It was obvious just how much pain he was actually in as his face contorted in on itself. I eyes the bandage wrapped tight around his leg and spotted some red coming through, telling me he had jostled it in some way to get here. Everyone else left the room but we were now alone.

"How bad is it really, Edmund? You almost never show pain.

He sighed deeply before slowly putting weight on his injured leg to test it out. He was obviously weak.

"I can't do that in Narnia, Caspian. Think about it, if you saw the ruler of another country obviously in pain, wouldn't you see it as a statement that they're losing?"

He left after that, me with my mouth hanging open in understanding. He was correct with that notion. It would be a weakness for the leader o the other country to show anything but strength and courage. But here, Edmund wasn't a leader, just a young man who had his life ahead of him. There was no shame in him showing these types of emotions anymore so he didn't hide them. Weaknesses can sometimes give that person an advantage, but this was not one of those cases. After a couple of moments, I rushed after him with a new perspective.