How is it going guys?
Here we have chapter 12 and the longest chapter yet! Not sure whether its a good thing, but I suppose you guys are to ones to determinate that.
Another thing: as you will see, Beth's POV starts in italic, which usually represents a flashback. In this case, it starts as a flashback but when things get…bad, it's a trick, not a flashback or any kind of memory. I put the whole explanation at the end of the chapter because if I told you now, I would be giving you spoilers about this chapter. Just check the note out if you feel like you didn't understand. Also, things get kind of…hot between Ed and Beth or at least, hotter than how they have been until the moment.
Warning: This chapter has strong references and/or scenes of rape, racism, violence, etc. Don't read if you don't want.
Disclaimer: Read ch 1.
Also, the song Ed's sings is "Be Still" by the Fray. If you havent heard it, go check it out on youtube, its awesome.
If you want to read any of my other works, you can go to my wattpad account (username: bornthiway2012) Also, any favorites, review or follows on this site would absolutely make my day.
Cheers for reading!
Chapter 12 "The Pride Of One"
"I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed/ get along with the voices inside of my head/ you are trying to save me, stop holding your breath/ and you think I'm crazy, yeah you think I'm crazy"- Eminem ft Rihanna, The Monster
Peter's POV
"Beth!"
I almost didn't hear Susan screaming.
I barely saw Lucy trying to give Beth a drop of her cordial.
I almost didn't notice Edmund asking Beth what was wrong.
I just heard Beth's voice echoing through a vision that suddenly appeared in front of my eyes.
"someone is-is trying to bring the White Witch back"
Narnians were running all around the locked up backyard. They knew that it was a waste to try to escape for sooner or later, they were going to get killed. They fought desperately, while also calling for their loved ones, for their leaders, for their King. They longed to see them all at least one last time...but they knew it was impossible. It was a goodbye...and it would be like that for a long time.
Telmarines were celebrating and cheering their victory while they slaughtered mercilessly the enemy left. Miraz was ordering to gather the biggest army they could and stating that in three weeks, they would finish what they ancestors had started a long time ago.
And while the guards were exiting the room to fulfill their leader's orders, they were arguing. Arguing about who should get Kings Edmund and Peter's heads...to who should Queens Susan and Lucy and Princess Elizabeth belong...
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Beth suddenly screamed and snapped me out of...well, whatever that was.
As my head cleared, I noticed that I wasn't the only one panting and gasping for air.
Ed was clutching his stomach, his eyes firmly closed.
Beth was whimpering against a corner, curled up in a ball.
"WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT!?" Ed whispered- yelled as he made his way over to Beth.
Su and Lu were sobbing. Lucy was struggling to get up while Su didn't even try. She was kneeling, totally pale and struggling to breathe normally.
"Su, how are you feeling?" I whispered as soon as I pulled her on my lap.
"I feel hollow" Su whispered as she stared into the nothing "but-but it hurts so much, Pete..." she looked at me as she trailed off "don't leave me, Pete, don't ever leave me. I don't- don't know what I would do without you. I love you brother"
"I love you, sis" I whispered, totally confused.
Didn't they see the same thing I did?
"No, we didn't" Beth whispered as she had read my thoughts. She looked exhausted but then again, she was standing "but we need to go now, the Witch is almost back"
I still doubted and Susan seemed to feel in the same way but Lu and Ed nodded and came toward us.
"Su?" Lu spoke quietly, kneeling beside her. Susan only whimpered and snuggled closer to me.
This was soooo weird.
Beth suddenly hissed in pain. Ed immediately was at her side "I'm fine, love...or at least, I'll be" she then looked at me "I'll help Susan, you three go to stop them"
I was about to say no, I mean, Lucy going to fight whoever was waking the Witch?
No way in hell...
...but then, I noticed Beth's eyes. They were gold, when a moment before were green. And as I realized her true nature, I felt a wave of faith and suddenly I believed that every single plan Beth told us would work out fine so I nodded and got up, starting to run away with Ed and Lu on my heels.
The last thing I caught was Beth's confused glance but I shrugged it off. We had more important things to take care about.
"How do we know where they are?" I asked as we rounded a corner.
"The Stone Table' Room, Pete" Ed answered, raising an eyebrow at me "isn't it obvious?"
"And Beth said it, Ed" Lu chuckled and I frowned in confusion.
"When?" Ed and I asked at the same time and Lu frowned too but before she could answer, Caspian's voice echoed through the tunnel we currently were, the one leading to the Stone Table' Room.
"Jadis" he said, his voice without emotion.
And I started seeing red.
"I'm so killing him!" I whispered- yelled and raced forward...but my siblings stopped me.
"Pete, wait!" Lucy and Edmund whispered- yelled at the same time but then, she spoke and we all went still.
"One drop of Adam's blood and you free me" the White Witch said as we slowly went to the entrance. The place was very dark...and cold, really cold. Ed, Lu and I exchanged a glance and shivered before unsheathing our weapons "Then I'm yours, My King"
"No!" Ed yelled.
"Caspian, stop!" I yelled immediately after and they all focused on us. Caspian frowned at us, obviously angered but also confused. The White Witch hissed and I swear I heard a curse coming from her lips.
Now that we were in front of her, my head started spinning and I was in a serious need of sleep but I had to focus: Caspian's companions, Nikabrik the Traitor, the Witch and the Werewolf snarled and started moving towards us at the same time. My siblings and I took a deep breath and charged.
Lu's opponent turned out to be Nikabrik. While she was fighting him (with an impressive skill, may I add), I noticed the witch subtly going behind Lu so I hissed and attacked her.
"Come on! Come boy" It seemed that Caspian wasn't 'my king' to the Witch anymore.
Caspian was getting closer, his bloodied arm extended.
Unfortunately, the witch used that in her advantage and threw me to the floor. As I hit it with a thud, I noticed that Nikabrik was about to kill Lu.
And no one hurts my baby sister. No one.
I quickly beheaded the Witch and turned to Lucy but seeing that Trumpkin was helping her and that Ed had already finished with the Werewolf, I turned to Caspian.
"Get away from him!" I yelled as I pushed Caspian and raised Rhindon towards the White Witch's heart. Caspian lay there, groaning and I barely controlled the urge to roll my eyes.
What a baby.
Jadis backed away but after staring at me for a minute, she titled her head...in a way that reminded me of Beth.
Beth had told me to come and fight them and I had the feeling that everything was going to be alright...so maybe Beth didn't meant the Witch when she said 'fight them'...maybe she meant my siblings...maybe, as crazy as it may sound, I had to help Jadis...
"Peter dear" Jadis smiled and for a second, it seemed as if she had heard my thoughts but I shrugged it off and narrowed my eyes at the...woman in front of me. I may have to help her but she still was a bitch in my opinion "I've missed you. Come. Just one drop, you know you can't do this alone and you know it".
And no matter how evil this witch was, she was right.
We were all alone.
I was all alone.
As I started lowering my sword, a calm voice spoke from behind me.
"You are right, Jadis but thing is, that we are not alone" Beth was standing on the Stone Table, aiming an arrow at Jadis's heart.
And immediately after, the White Witch started hissing in pain, pain that came from all her body.
Beth fell to her knees, always staring defiantly at the Witch's eyes as her arrow got deeper through Jadis' heart.
Susan gasped for air as her arrow hit the White Witch's forehead and the burden in her chest immediately faded.
Caspian raised and stood beside me as we stared in confusion at what Jadis was doing.
The White Witch raised her hands and kind of stretched as she screamed in pain and only then I noticed the cut that was getting bigger in her middle.
So that's where Edmund was all the time.
The ice eventually broke and Jadis screamed as she disappeared but her voice echoed through the room. Edmund stood there, panting and staring with fury at us.
"I know, you had it sorted" Edmund snarled when Caspian and I didn't say a thing.
"How could you?" Lucy however wasn't looking at me; she was staring at Caspian in disbelief. Nevertheless, before she left the room with Trumpkin, she looked at me not with fury or disbelief.
Only disappointment existed in her eyes as she glanced at me.
Edmund finally left his place behind the ice...broken portal...or whatever that was and went towards Beth, his gaze softening more and more as he got closer.
It wasn't Jadis's screams the one that echoed after all.
It was Beth. She was laying on the Stone Table, whimpering.
And only then, I understood that I didn't have faith in Beth's words. I believed I had faith but it was Jadis the one who...twisted my mind and made me believe that I would win this war if I brought her back. She made me believe that it was Beth the one who wanted that.
Ed didn't spoke a word. He stood beside Beth and after gazing at her, he took Beth in his arms, bridal style and the both of them left the room.
But before disappearing, Beth looked at me and somehow, I knew that she had forgiven me.
Susan smiled weakly at them as they passed beside her but then, she turned to glare at us.
"Well done, My Kings" she growled in her coldest voice and left the room, leaving only Caspian and I.
And then, I realized the truth of what my actions had meant for my siblings, my family.
I had almost brought back the Evil Witch who had had Narnia in an eternal winter for more than 100 years. The one who had almost killed both my brother and me. The one who had killed Aslan.
And as Caspian left the room, I sunk into the ground, staring at the Aslan's carving and mentally begging him to forgive me.
Lucy's POV
I could hear my sister's screams since the moment I put a foot inside the house after going to the grocery store with mom.
My mo didn't say a word as she left to the kitchen to prepare the meal but it killed me to see her so worried and sad, especially when we four could be so more mature.
I frowned while deciding to end this right now. For all of us...it wasn't making us any good.
But I had the feeling it wasn't going to end very well.
"Susan! Shut up! You are getting on mom's nerves!" I shouted as I entered on my room, where my three older siblings were arguing.
"So what! I'm done with all of you trying to fix me!" Susan screamed as she sat on a chair to put her heels on.
"We are not trying to fix you, Susan, it's just that this girl isn't the sister we knew once" Ed spoke as he sat on the bed, his eyes teary.
"This isn't the Queen we knew once" Pete muttered as calmly as he could, probably because now I was in the room.
I rolled my eyes.
And if Ed's statement caused Susan's gaze to soften, Pete's enraged her again.
"Will you just leave that? It was a stupid game. We are grown-ups already! JUST LEAVE IT!" Susan screamed as she moved towards the door. But I wasn't finished with her.
"And what about Aslan sister? Will you turn against him?" I spoke as I sat beside Ed, clutching his hand.
After hesitating, Susan answered.
"Aslan never existed and even if he did, he left us alone...so do the same and leave me be" she whispered but as she was opening the door, Peter took a step towards her.
"I promised you I would never leave you, Su. And we both know that I keep my promises" Peter said but Susan left without replying.
"Do you think there is any hope that Susan will be herself again?" I asked as Peter sat at my right and wrapped his arms around both of us.
"I don't know, kiddo" Peter trailed off, staring into the nothing.
Ed and I smiled weakly at that nickname but we soon turned serious.
"Don't lie to her, Pete" Ed snapped as he cried freely now "Our sister is gone. She left Aslan, She left Narnia and she left us. She is gone"
And as I realized the cold true, I joined them in grieving Queen Susan the Gentle, our dear sister. We might still have her but she wasn't the sweet girl that used to take care of us.
She was gone and was hardly coming back.
"Lu?" Peter suddenly whispered and snapped me out of my thoughts. I was still angry with him but that didn't mean and I couldn't seek comfort in him. After all, he was still my brother.
"Lu, what happened?" Peter asked worriedly when I crashed him into a hug. I shook my head and he sighed before hugging me back. I didn't want to tell him for he would think I was crazy, as always.
"Lu, whatever is going on, I will believe in you. I know you want to talk about it, I know you" I almost heard Peter's smile and reluctantly, my lips formed a small smile in return so I released him and went to sit, playing with my cordial like I always did when I was nervous or sad.
"Do you think Susan will forget about Narnia and Aslan? That it will only be a game for her?" I whispered after I told him the whole story, blinking back tears.
Peter sighed and sat beside me "We all have our weaknesses, Lu. Susan's, it's maybe her lack of faith. And if we come back, we will probably have to prove that we will still believe in Narnia and in Aslan. Susan is the most logical and practical of us four and the one who is most afraid of things that can't be explained in a logical way. I don't know what will happen, Lu, but I'm afraid that that can be a possibility ".
"Why didn't you try to do something to stop the White Witch from coming back?" I asked, resting my head on his shoulder and relieved that I still felt the same comfort as before all this mess happened.
"I...I don't know. It's very difficult to explain but please remember this: it wasn't me, Lu. I may have been controlled because of my lack of faith but I never wanted to bring...her back"
I shivered "please don't do that again"
"I promise Lu...will you forgive me?" Pete asked.
And he sounded as if he was fearing my answer.
I looked up to find him looking back at me fearfully.
Peter Pevensie was looking at me with fear.
And I realized that this wasn't the immature boy that fought with everyone who crossed his way.
This was the High King and my big and dear brother.
"You are back" I beamed at him and he smiled, knowing exactly what I was talking about "You are really back"
"I'm so sorry about everything, Lu" I smiled and hugged him. The fact that he was back made me forgive him immediately.
"What are we going to do about Su?" I asked after a while, both of us staring at the nothing.
"I...I guess we should try to remind her everyday about Narnia but it's her battle, Lu, we can't fight her battles" Peter answered and I smiled sadly because as much as I hated to admit it, he was right.
"Let's go and look for Ed and Su, you should talk to them also" I said as I rose and took his hand to lead him. I heard him groan but he obliged nonetheless.
"You are very domesticated for being a High King, Pete" I smirked and he chuckled.
"Ha-ha, very funny" he mumbled as we rounded a corner but in that moment, we spotted someone sitting with its back against the wall and clutching his stomach.
Adrien.
What on Earth had happened now?
"Adrien! What happened? Weren't you in the nursery?" I exclaimed while I knelt beside him to inspect the wound. He had been stabbed and was obviously fighting to stay awake.
"Que-Queen Lucy" he whispered, stuttering, while his eyes dropped and I rushed to give him a drop of my cordial.
"He is the kid who lost his uncle in the raid, right?" Pete knelt beside me "Adrien, can you hear me?"
Adrien stood still for a moment and I started freaking out but then, he slowly started nodding.
Pete and I released a breath we didn't realized we were holding.
"He…he asked me if I knew where any of the Kings or Queens were and I tried to stop him" Adrien was becoming more and more awake as my cordial did effect on him and his stomach healed "so he stabbed me".
"Who?" I asked though we had already an idea of who was the responsible behind this.
"Prince Caspian" he whispered before dozing off.
What a bastard.
"Pete. Take Adrien to the nursery, I'll look for Ed and Beth. Caspian must be with Susan" I ordered and seeing that he was going to protest, I hit his arm "Pete! Susan can be in danger and you are protesting! GO!"
He reluctantly nodded and left with Adrien asleep in his arms.
And after taking a deep breath, I started running towards the opposite side.
Beth was so going to freak out.
Elizabeth's POV
*Flashback*
"Your Majesty?" I asked as I hesitantly entered his room. Usually, I wouldn't have done that but I had already knocked five times and King Edmund still hadn't answered me and breakfast was waiting for him...of course, I already knew him well enough to know how moody he became if he missed any meal.
I expected a lot of things, but what I saw...well, don't know why, but I didn't expect it coming from Edmund.
He was humming.
And it was the melody of one of the songs I had sang two days ago when one orphan couldn't sleep.
"Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know that I'm here
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still, be still and know
When darkness comes upon you
And covers you with fear and shame
Be still and know that I'm with you
And I will say your name"
I raised an eyebrow while containing the urge of gulping. Not because he looked very cute and sweet while humming or for the fact that he was shirtless, though it was very distracting, but due to the fact that he was humming with so much emotion that I was sure that that song meant something special to him. And his expression…it was so troubled so…hopeless that made me want to help him, to be there for him and not as his girlfriend or whatever, but as his friend.
"Holy Aslan! Beth, you scared me!" he yelled and I opened my eyes to find him staring at me with wide eyes but a smirk on his face.
"So, I'm Beth now?" I smirked, trying to avoid the main topic though I knew that he wouldn't let it go.
"Were you listening to me?" Edmund's smirk was now obvious "Or were you studying me?"
I mentally groaned.
However, I must admit that I did felt a tad disappointed when he put his shirt on.
"You know what? Yes, I was listening to you and yes, I was studying you but I can't help to associate the melody of what you were humming to the song I sang two days ago. Anything to admit now, Ed?" I smirked and this time, he was the one to blush.
Revenge is so sweet.
"So, I'm Ed now?" He gave a cracked smile and I laughed, breaking our eye contact. Those brown eyes were too distracting...
"Haha, Ed but I used that like two minutes ago" I smiled and tried to hide how nervous I was feeling "So now tell me, were you listening to me singing?"
Ed smiled shyly but his expression saddened and I raised an eyebrow in wonder. What had I said now?
"Yeah...I heard you" Ed leaned against the wall and stared at the forest. I slowly walked until I was beside him and waited patiently for him to continue "you have a very pretty voice by the way. That song... it reminded me of the song my mom used to sing Lucy when she had nightmares".
"Are you both close?" I said softly and he smiled slightly.
"We were...before we came to Narnia. Or at least, she was close to Pete, Su and Lu since I was...well, I was a brat. And when we returned from Narnia, I had changed so much...I just don't need a mom anymore".
"Are you giving up then?" I said and this time, he was glancing at me and I was staring at the sky. "Because after all, we don't know how much time left we have with our loved ones"
Robin, if I could see you at least one more time...
When Ed didn't answer, I sighed and surprising him and me, I kissed him on the cheek "I'm sorry I saddened you, Ed. I just came here to tell you that breakfast is ready".
He nodded and I sighed, knowing that if he didn't go running to the kitchen, desesperantly longing for something to eat, then I had indeed screw it up.
I had proved to be the worst confident and friend in the world.
However, when I was about to leave, he spoke again.
"I will try that but the thing is that I don't want to come back" Ed turned to look at me "Not now".
"I don't want you to go back either, Ed" I said and smiled playfully "guess you are not the worst company in the world"
I immediately left, barely skipping the book he threw at me.
"Missed!" I yelled in a sing-sang voice and we both laughed as we took separate ways.
As I started walking away, I found myself walking not through the How but walking through a corridor I hadn't seen in almost three years. I paused and looked around, totally horrorized as I glanced at my clothes.
I was wearing a blue tank top, a black jacket, blue pair of jeans and white sneakers. My hair wasn't wavy anymore. It was straight like how it had been the day I had had the accident.
I was back at England.
But…how? I was more than certain that after exiting Ed's room, I had went back to the kitchen and then I had trained and hanged out with Ed and Lu, while then I helped Su to solve an argument between Peter and Caspian.
In fact, I remembered a lot of days after that morning. It was a memory…not a trick of my mind…right?
All thoughts left my mind when a tall figure stepped into the other extreme of the corridor. A man I hoped never to see anymore.
"Father" I breathed, trying to remain calm, knowing that I would only please him if I showed fear "You are dead. You shouldn't be here".
He smirked and slowly, almost casually brought an object from behind his back. A knife.
I gulped.
"Indeed I'm dead but then again, so are you" he sneered and stepped closer "you seriously thought I would leave you alone even after I couldn't hurt you anymore? I will be back, Beth, and I'll follow you wherever you are to kill you. Slowly and believe me, it will be painful. But first, I think my son needs to meet me, don't you think?"
I gasped, royally pissed off.
No one hurts my brother.
No one.
"You touch him and I swear I'll personally throw you even deeper in hell" I growled, grabbing an umbrella that was thankfully near "how many times do you have to die to realize that you can't reach anyone of my family?"
"What can I say, I'm a very stubborn man" he shrugged as he got closer "And you have to admit that you care about me, even after what we have been through"
"You mean demon, not man" I hissed, turning into defense mode "and you can rot in hell for all I care".
He only smirked and suddenly, his eyes had turned pitch black and not only the pupils, but also the orbs were black.
And suddenly, an intense pain shot through my whole body. Everything was sore and I fell to my knees, clutching my head, seriously fearing that it may had split in half because of the deathly pain.
And as my eyes slowly started closing, I saw my father's feet while he opened Robin's bedroom door. I tried to move but I was tired, very tired…maybe if I just closed my eyes for a second…
And that's what I did but in that moment, I heard a boy's cry…and he was…screaming my name?.
Robin?
"Beth! Beth, wake up!" Ed's voice screamed as I was shook into consciousness.
I slowly looked around, utterly confused. What had happened?
But then, I remembered everything. I was back at England. And my father was there.
Also Robin was there.
I sharply sat up, suddenly remembering everything.
No. No. No no no nonononononononononononono.
"No, no, this can't be happening" I muttered as I started pacing, not realizing that tears were falling down my cheeks.
"What are you talking about?" Ed asked and I turned to face him, desperation filling every inch of my body.
"I-I was back at England!" I exclaimed and Ed furrowed his brows but I continued before he could speak "I was back-back at my house! And my father was there! He killed Robin, Ed! And I couldn't stop him! And-And…he is dead, he is dead, Ed…"
Suddenly, what had happened hit me even stronger.
He was dead. Robin was dead.
I had failed him.
I had failed to protect my sweet and innocent brother.
And I couldn't speak anymore. I was grieving so much; it hurt so damn much so I just fell to the floor, hoping that if I stayed still, the pain would go away.
Of course it didn't but instead, a pair of warm hands grabbed my head and titled it up.
I had forgotten Ed was still here.
"Love, your brother is okay" he started but I shook my head, opening my mouth to try to protest but he put a finger over my lips, earning a glare from me "you didn't leave Narnia. It was what the Witch made you see. Didn't you see that before when we all had our personal torturing vision?"
And as I stayed quiet, I remembered. I remembered feeling a pain in my chest and head and then… that 'happened' but it had only been a trick.
I was so relieved I thought I could just jump around and dance in happiness.
"Of course" I whispered and Ed smiled "I'm such an idiot".
"You are not an idiot, you are just…a little paranoid and dramatic" Ed chuckled.
"Am not!" I chuckled and hit his shoulder playfully though I mentally agreed with him. As our laughter died, I noticed that though he was smiling, his eyes wore a troubled and dark expression so I rested a hand against his cheek.
We had to have this conversation sooner or later so I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to enter a subject I knew that was touchy.
"Ed, are you alright?" I whispered as I looked straight into his eyes.
"I'm …I'm not okay" he sighed, knowing exactly what I was talking about "But I'll be fine. She is not coming back after all, right?"
"I know that something is troubling you" I smirked at his surprised expression "spill it out".
He let out a humorless laugh but then rose from the floor and started pacing. I rose too but went to sit on a huge stone.
"I just…I can't believe that they almost brought her back!" Ed's tone started getting louder and louder and I bit my lip nervously.
"I can't believe how they almost brought her back after my experience with her! After my betrayal!" Edmund now screamed and I winced "how I almost got them killed, got us all killed and then, Peter lecturing me! That's rich coming from him! I just-" he trailed off and then, he was whispering "If my betrayal helped in one thing, was that I thought no one would never even think about going to the White Witch's side. And though I'm mad because I can't believe my brother and that twat that used to be my best friend did that, I also feel guilty, because all this reminded me of what I had done and that no matter what, I'll never be forgiven".
I had certainly not been expecting this but then again, Ed was not exactly predictable, now was he?
But this only made me love him more.
Where the hell did that come from?
I shrugged. It wasn't exactly the perfect moment to have this kind of conversation.
I walked towards him until I was standing barely two inches away from him. I slowly lifted a hand and brushed his cheek with it. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch and I smiled, opening my mouth to speak. This was so, so cheesy.
But of course, I loved it.
"Ed, you were forgiven in the exact moment you regretted siding with the White Witch" I said and he opened his mouth to speak so this time, it was me the one who placed a finger on his lips, earning myself a glare "And don't you even try to deny it. Besides, you may have betrayed them, but then you did thousands of good things for your family and Narnia!" he was still hesitating so I smiled at him "It isn't for nothing that you are seen as one of the best monarchs Narnia ever had. Besides, if you hadn't been forgiven, you wouldn't be King, you wouldn't have come to Narnia again and your siblings and I wouldn't be talking to you, as mean as that may sound".
Ed chuckled and opened his eyes "Truthfully, I can't figure out why would you want to be my girlfriend when, unlike me, you are such an amazing person and you could do so much better".
And he, ladies and gentlemen, is King Edmund the Just, one of the most wonderful monarchs of all times.
I playfully rolled my eyes at him and smirked "truth is that I could indeed do better with another guy" I laughed at his look of disbelief "I'm lying Ed! Even if I was better with another guy, so can be you and besides, I don't want to be with any other guy! You are stuck with me, pretty boy".
Ed laughed and titled my chin up "gladly" he whispered before kissing me lightly. I smiled and kissed him back as I rested my hands on his chest, feeling all the heat coming from his body.
Oh, dear god.
As the kiss deepened, I felt him pushing me against a wall and I considered teasing him but when he bit lightly my lip I couldn't help to moan, forgetting immediately any thoughts of ending the kissing session.
He smiled against my lips and I smirked before bluntly lifting his shirt and feeling his chest with my hands.
He growled and stared kissing my neck while I buried my hands in his hair. Eventually, I brought his head up to kiss him, both of us moaning.
And in that moment, was when we were interrupted.
"Ed! Beth!-Um…am I interrupting something?" Lucy's voice asked and I could actually hear the smirk in her voice.
Always the perfect timing, Lu.
We pulled away and I heard Ed muttering a curse. I chuckled and rested my forehead against his, struggling to even my breath. Finally, he sighed and opened one eye to glare at his youngest sister.
"What do you reckon, Lu?" Ed growled and I chuckled while I lightly hit his arm.
"Be polite, Ed" I mock glared and he rolled his eyes though he was smiling.
"Was there something you needed?" I asked Lu but immediately, she turned serious and Ed and I frowned.
"I can't find Susan, in fact, no one can… and Caspian is also missing" she whispered and my eyes widened in anger.
I cursed and Ed walked towards Lu "Are you sure no one saw them?"
Lu shook her head but doubt appeared in her eyes and I raised an eyebrow in wonder "I asked everyone and we are looking but it's as if they had disappeared"
I almost believed her… almost. But it was obvious that she wouldn't lie about Su or Caspian so…why did she sound as if she was lying?
"Love, don't you have any idea of where they might be?" Ed turned around to look at me "after all, you are Aslan's daughter and you knew where Caspian was waking the White Witch up".
I looked behind because, maybe, Ed was talking to someone else. Of course, there was no one behind me.
Me. Aslan's daughter.
Okay…that's new.
I unsheathed my sword and looked at my reflection. And, of course, there it was:
Golden eyes.
But now, Su was more important than me so I started thinking about everything Caspian and I had done here.
The answer was so obvious.
"There's a secret door in the kitchen" I said after a moment while I sheathed my sword back "It leads to a huge and empty place. Only Caspian and I know of it".
Lu's and Ed's eyes widened but they didn't paralyzed for too long.
I was so going to kick Caspian's ass.
"Lu, go and look for Peter. Meet us at the kitchen" Ed ordered and Lu nodded before rushing away. Ed then looked at me "you ready?"
I nodded, taking a deep breath. It wasn't going to be a nice task to hit my best friend. Being him a jerk or not.
"Let's go" I said and we both started jogging towards the kitchen "though, who knows, maybe Susan is waiting for us with him unconscious"
He laughed but we were too angry to be in a good mood.
Susan's POV
The last thing I remembered before something… or someone hit my head, was walking away from the Stone Table's Room and going towards the archery training' grounds. But I never reached them.
I felt weak, probably due to the lack of sleep and my head started spinning as I slowly opened my eyes.
And what I saw was something I wasn't expecting.
I was at a large space, totally empty. It's walls and ceiling were made of stone and there were huge stone pillars supporting the latter. I had never been there before.
It was so silent that when I heard distant footsteps…well, it's an understatement to say that I was stunned.
What was I doing here?
But then, all rational thoughts refused to appear in my mind when the person walking showed himself.
Caspian.
Had he…kidnapped me or anything of the kind?
"Caspian? What on Aslan have you done?" I asked, trying to control the fear in my voice and expression.
"Isn't it obvious?" Caspian smirked as I tried to rose but fell into the floor, clutching my broken leg as I tried to stop the tears in my eyes from falling.
And only in that moment, I realized from where the pain came.
He broke my leg.
That son of a…
"What the fuck are you trying to prove?" I snapped as I moved into a more comfortable position but only succeeding in feeling even more pain.
And I had felt attracted towards this man.
"Don't you see it Susan?" he whispered as he stood and placed a foot on my broken leg. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore that almost deathly pain while I mentally began cursing him "this whole mess is between you and me now. You with your beauty and…seducing way of talking convinced everyone that I was a monster when I first did a small mistake. You have them all wrapped around your little finger. Edmund, Lucy, Peter, Beth, even the Narnians will always be on Queen Susan's side. It's unfair Susan, and I'll make a favor to everyone if I stop this now".
Holy Aslan.
"Do you realize how much bullshit are you saying? Are you even hearing yourself?" I screamed and in that moment, I heard footsteps so I continued yelling to distract this bastard "and then what Caspian? What's your big plan, huh? Because Pete, Ed, Lu and Beth are going to look for me and when they learn what you have done, you are going to pay"
"Why would they want to come and look for you?" he asked with a smirk and in that moment, I started seeing red.
So I slapped him as hard as I could.
He didn't say anything but he glared viciously a me and slowly unsheathed his sword but in that moment, a sword that I had seen many times before was casually rested against Caspian's throat, almost as if it was there by mistake. We both looked up to see who had joined us and I swear, I had never been more happy and relieved in my entire life.
My family was here.
"Raise" Peter commanded and in that moment, I forgot that I was mad at him and that he had almost brought the White Witch back.
Because with one word and with that look, I knew that the High King and my brother was back.
Caspian slowly raised and immediately, Pete pushed him until he was against the stone wall with Rhindon pressed against his throat.
"Lu" Beth said, her eyes never leaving Caspian as she gripped firmly the tip of her sword and Lucy immediately rushed towards me while opening his cordial. I tried to refuse for it wasn't a lethal injury but she wouldn't back down and besides, I was too interested in seeing how this ended.
"Don't tell me that you, of all people, turned out to be Aslan's daughter" Caspian snickered at Beth but neither she nor the rest of my family showed any reaction. Their expressions were unreadable "Now we are officially screwed. Thanks for telling me about it, by the way".
Beth sighed and gave one step forward but in that moment, Ed spoke.
"Love, will you give me the honour?" he smirked and Pete shook his head in amusement.
Beth chuckled.
"Of course, dear" she said and Ed smiled while Pete rolled his eyes playfully, Caspian gagged, Lucy smirked and I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing "but first let me do something".
And without warning, Beth walked towards Caspian and hit him right in the face and I couldn't help to wince when the typical sound of a nose being broken echoed through the large area.
And even though I'm called 'The Gentle One', I couldn't help to feel proud of that punch,
"You bitch!" Caspian screamed as he tried to attack Beth but failing since Pete and Ed were immobilizing him.
"Did that hurt mate?" Beth smirked but her voice was cold and her eyes were glaring viciously "And here I was thinking that you were soo bad-ass. Anyways, you are just starting to feel what we all felt when you did all those things... now you can, love".
Beth winked at Ed and after he winked back (again we all had the same reactions but I was secretly beaming because they just looked so happy together), he hit Caspian unconscious.
And though I hated him, I was shocked at that.
I couldn't help to gasp and immediately, Pete, Ed, Beth, and Lu were around me, looking at me with anxious eyes. Caspian was dropped careless to the floor when Pete and Ed came towards me.
"Are you okay Su? Still hurts?" Pete asked and I smiled weakly.
"No, it's just that...was that necessary?" I asked, pointing at Caspian.
My family also looked and then, Pete and Beth went to pick him up while Ed and Lu smirked.
"No, but it was fun" Ed shrugged and Lu turned to smirk at him.
"And were all those 'love', 'dear', and winks even necessary?" she asked and I laughed while Ed blushed. However, Beth only smirked. What a disappointment, she wasn't even red.
"No, but it was fun to see all your faces!" Beth called as she and Pete started taking Caspian outside while Lu and Ed helped me up "and, just so you know Lu, I will remember all this for when you have a boyfriend".
"She won't have a boyfriend until I say so!" Peter protested and Lu groaned while Beth laughed and Ed and me rolled our eyes.
"Oh, C'mon, I'm technically 27!" Lucy almost whined and I chuckled "and could you please stop hitting Caspian against every single hard surface you find in your way? He will wake up with a headache and we will have to bear with him in an even worse mood!"
"But I didn't got my chance to hit him while he was awake!" Peter said "and I swear the last hit was an accident!".
Ed, Beth and I snorted while Lu muttered something similar to 'mistake my ass'.
"Lucy!" I scolded her and Ed laughed.
"Sorry, too much time with Beth!"
"Hey!" Beth protested.
Ah, the so normal and amazing times with my family.
But as happy as I might have been at the moment, I still couldn't help to feel pity for the man being carried by Pete and Beth.
Adrien's POV.
I was again at the forest.
I have been running for so long...it was almost as if I have been always running.
The forest was so quiet, too quiet to think that I had finally lost them, that I was safe.
But I was too tired to keep running, even to safe my life so I stopped moving and hid behind a tree, trying to catch my breath as soon as possible.
But I guess that it wasn't possible to stop running, to stop fighting and just give up.
"Adrien! Keep running!" suddenly I was being lifted by my uncle and again, I was running.
But we weren't alone anymore.
"Be-Beth?" I stuttered as we stopped abruptly before her. The telmarines'screams were starting to be heard in the distance "what are you doing here?".
"They are surrounding us. Adrien needs to hide until" Beth trailed off and gripped her bow tighter " until this is over".
'What?' I thought, utterly confused but then, my uncle cleared all my doubts.
"It will be an honour to die beside you, My Queen" he said and bowed.
And I don't know if it was before or after I realized what they were talking about, but suddenly, all I could think was of them dying.
Of me being alone.
"NO!" I screamed "I'm not leaving you!".
"We'll be fine" my uncle said as he kissed my forehead "Now go".
The telmarines were getting closer.
I shook my head and Beth knelt next to me, forcing me to look at her.
"Adrien, listen to me" she said while my uncle unsheathed his sword "I promised you I would protect you and I will keep my promise no matter what. I don't want to leave you but I have to do this because you are my brother and I'll always love you; but no you need to run, okay? Run!"
Even though I didn't want to leave because doing that went against all my beliefs and principles, I knew that they were going to fight against the telmarines no matter what so I had to leave and survive.
For if I didn't do that, they would have died in vain.
"I love you both" I muttered while embracing them both and not realizing the tears that were falling down my cheeks.
And then, I turned around and left.
I didn't witnessed the moment the telmarines found them, or how did they fought... how did they died.
But aparently, I wasn't meant to live.
"You must be Adrien" a voice said "Queen Elizabeth's brother".
And then, the voice showed itself.
It was a tall man of dark hair and eyes. For weapon, he had a sword made of an strange material since it was almost black. The man was wearing clothes I had never seen: a weird type of shirt with some kind of cloth to keep the person warm over the shirt and a pair of pants, but made of a material I had never seen.
"Aren't you a weird creature" the man smirked as he studied me, almost subtly approaching me "but you still are Elizabeth's brother so you mean nothing to me but my revenge".
"Adrien! NO! RUN!" Beth's voice screamed with pure horror but I didn't turn around.
I was too petrified.
"Ugh, typical of Beth. Drama Queen till the end, huh?" the man chuckled "you can leave if you want, Adrien, I reckon that I have pendant business to attend first".
And he started to move towards my sister.
But as much as I tried, I couldn't- I couldn't move. I couldn't even turned around.
"Adrien, RUN!" my sister screamed and I could almost touch the fear in her voice, not for her but for me.
But I couldn't even turn around, I couldn't move to save her.
"Beth, I can't move!" I screamed "help me!"
"I-I can't! ... get the fuck away from my brother and me!"
"BETH!" I screamed and struggled even harder to move while I only heard how her life was taken away from my sister and how her screams became lower and less often.
And the only thing I could was close my eyes and pray that this wasn't true, that I was just imagining it all.
"Adrien...I'm sorry" she muttered.
"NO!"
"NO!" I screamed and sat up on the bed.
Wait, a bed?
I looked around, taking in the familiar air of the nursery.
I was again at the infirmary. And all that had only been a dream.
Right?
"How on Earth did I come here?" I muttered and only then, I noticed that I wasn't alone.
Queen Susan, Queen Lucy, High King Peter, King Edmund were here. And also Beth.
"I guess you have met my father" Beth muttered and I knit my brows in confusion. How did she know? "or at least, the one I thought was my father before today's events".
I didn't care about what she was saying, I just was beaming at the fact that she was alive.
I tried to get up to hug her but Beth didn't let me so I had to be content with her sitting beside me and clutching my hand "I-I thought I had lost you! and-" I trailed off when I noticed Beth's eyes and that Queen Susan also on a bed "are you Aslan's daughter? and what happened to you, your Majesty?".
"Caspian broke my leg" Queen Susan shrugged "Said he was doing us a favor but Adrien, I believe that considering the recent events, you can call me Susan".
"And about your first question, yes, I suppose I'm Aslan's daughter" it was obvious that Beth wasn't entirely comfortable with it "but let's talk about you, how did this exactly happened?"
Before I could answer, the one it was said was Prince Caspian's tutor appeared at the doorway.
"If you allow me, Your Majesties" he said as he bowed "I believed you had called?".
"Yes, we did" High King Peter said with a not so authentic smile " but before we talk, could you please check if they still have any wound?"
Wait, was I hurt? was that why I was on a bed in the nursery?.
"Of course, you Majesty" the professor nodded and then smiled at Beth "I'm glad you're better, Princess Elizabeth".
"My dear old friend" Beth smiled brightly before hugging him "how many times have I told you to forget about the titles and else?" suddenly Beth smiled apologetically at us, obviously noticing that none of us were introduced to the professor "oh, how rude of me! Professor Cornelius, I believe you already met High King Peter the Magnificent" here King Edmund smirked and Queen Lucy smirked while Beth bit back a smile and Queen Susan scolded them with her eyes and I immediately understood that I witnessing a private joke "King Edmund the Just and Queen Susan the Gentle but I believe you haven't met neither Queen Lucy the Valiant and Adrien, my brother. Pete, Su, Ed but mostly, Lu and Adrien, meet Professor Cornelius, Caspian's tutor and one of my only friends, back at the telmarine castle".
"It's a pleasure to finally meet the legendary Kings and Queens of Old" Professor Cornelius bowed deeply again "and also to meet you, Adrien, I have heard a lot about you. How are you feeling?"
And I'm sure my sister had nothing to do with it.
"The pleasure is mine, Professor and I think I'm feeling well but why are you talking as if I had been hurt? what happened?" I asked and everyone deadpanned.
"Don't you remember?" High King Peter asked and them all assumed more comfortable positions. Queen Lucy went to sit with her sister while King Edmund sat beside Beth and started playing with her fingers.
They were soo cheesy. But, though I hated to admit it, I was very glad they were like this because that meant that they were strong enough to fight for what they had, strong enough to bear the possibilities of them being separated.
High King Peter brought a chair for Professor Cornelius and then leaned against the opposite wall, smiling at Queen Lucy, who was assuring herself that Queen Susan was okay.
It surprised me to see them like this because until now, they had shown themselves as the Magnificent Kings and Queens of Old. But now, I only saw them as the united family they were. Which was even better.
"Well, I remember seeing Caspian and warning him to stop...and then I remember talking to you, Majesty, and to your royal sister but I don't remember anything in the middle...though I had a weird dream, that repeated itself just a few minutes ago" I said, titling my head in confusion and worry "what happened? did Caspian hurt me?".
"He did, Adrien. He...stabbed you in the stomach" King Edmund said.
And here I was thinking that we had a good heir to the throne.
"But, your Majesty, why would he hurt me?" I asked and Beth clutched my hand "I'm only nine years old and I don't think I'm a danger for...whatever he wants".
"It's just Edmund, Adrien" he smirked when I blushed and Beth lightly punch him in the stomach "he wanted to hurt you because you intended to protect us. His objective was to kill us, any of us".
But that couldn't be the only reason, could it be?.
"Or maybe-" I started and everyone turned to look at me, most of them narrowing their brows in confusion..
All of them except Professor Cornelius, who I knew was thinking the same as me.
"Prince Caspian was mad because he thought Beth knew who had killed him" I started and Beth seemed to realize what I was talking about since she paled and started shaking her head but I motioned her to shut up "and maybe, he hurt me when he ran into me because then he would have find his revenge: he thinks that Beth was sort of involved in his father's murder so he stabs her brother".
They stared at me for some minutes, completely surprised...as if it was surprising to hear children saying things like that.
I barely contained the urge of rolling my eyes.
"Well, that makes sense" Queen Susan finally said and though she sounded fine, her gaze was hollow.
"I can't believe he would do this" Queen Lucy shook her head, anger flashing in her eyes.
"I don't find it too hard to believe" High King Peter bitterly muttered and Edmund rolled his eyes.
"I can't believe we are talking about the same kid I taught during almost all his life" Pofessor Cornelius whispered sadly "but right now, your Majesties, I believe we should focus on the problem of how are we going to make Caspian return to his normal self because after all, he is still the heir to the throne".
"But should we still name him King, after all what has happened?"
"I don't think we have a choice, Pete. Wasn't it said before that Narnia wouldn't be safe unless it was ruled by a Son of Adam?"
"I know, Su, but-"
"Beth?" Edmund asked, making us look at them. Only then, I noticed that Beth was never this quiet. She was tense and her fists were curled into a ball as she stared into the nothing, deep in thought.
I sighed of course she would freak out at what I said.
"Beth, listen..." I sighed and trailed off when she got up and started pacing but she had calmed down. Now she was only trying to find a way out of this mess.
"No, I can't believe that until we talk to him" Beth finally said and I was glad to see she was again decided and strong "But no matter why he did this, we have to make him stop being a psycho so we can again focus on the biggest business: war. Then we can focus on who the King is going to be. But now, does anyone know how to stop Caspian from hurting people?".
"I don't know exactly what to do in this case" Professor Cornelius said and Beth stopped pacing "But if this really started with the White Witch almost return...well, her magic works or not depending on what the person is feeling. It takes sadness, grief, anger, betrayal and every single bad feeling and tries to make the person focus only in that and then convices the person to believe that the only way to solve their problems is to side with her".
"What can we do to stop it?" Edmund said, his eyes troubled and Beth returned to sit next to him, placing a light kiss on his cheek.
"There is always someone or something that doesn't change to the person. That the person knows that can rely on because they believe is the only link they have to the past, to when things were better".
"So we would have to find that person...and then what?" Queen Susan sat straighter.
"Put that person in danger so Caspian thinks that that person is gone, right?" Beth said before Professor Cornelius could open his mouth. When he nodded, her eyes lit up "I think I know who that person can be but I'm afraid you are not going to like my plan at all. Before we take that risk, though, we could teach Caspian a lesson" she paused to chuckle at Peter's and Edmund's expression "and no, I'm not talking about beating him up"
"Wait, but who do you think is that person?" I asked and Beth bit nervosly her lip before smiling apogetically at us.
Caspian's POV
When I regained consciousness, I almost thought I was back at Trufflehunter's house.
Almost.
I knew why every single part of my body was suddenly hurting as if a hundred of centaurs had ran me over, I knew who had done this, only because of revenge.
Well, then I guess I would have to pay them with the same coin, now wouldn't I?
"Slept well, Caspy?" her voice suddenly said and I could almost hear her smirk.
And right now, I hated her so much.
So I quickly got up to lounge at her.
Or at least, I tried to.
Only then I realised that I was tied to a chair by chains that were hurting my wrists and ankles and that I was in the middle of a large cell. Also, I realised that she was sitting with her back against the opposite wall and casually playing with her neckclace.
"And here I was thinking that Aslan's daughter was supposed to be good and gentle with her subjects...and if you didn't notice, tying them up is not exactly an indication of being like that".
"Haven't you been taught that you will only receive respect if you show respect to the rest?" Beth slowly stood up and started walking around me in a very graceful way, almost like a panther "what did the White Witch tell you?".
Straight to the point, huh?
"What? No I've-come-to-revenge-my-loved-ones'speech?" I titled my head and my lips formed a crooked smile "how silly of me to expect at least an apology! But well, people change, don't they? You are not the same girl I met two years ago so, why should I expect what I expected from that innocent and little girl?".
"Oh, so this pathetic little act is because of that, isn't it?" Beth knelt in front of me while laughing, though hapiness didn't reach her eyes "what?" you really think you are the only one with a hard life? the only one that lost a loved one?".
Of course I knew that she had had a hard life and the Pevensie's story was famous but the worst version of myself wouldn't let me be therefore, I couldn't tell her I knew what she had been through, I couldn't tell her that I did care for her, that I was sorry.
Or maybe, it was only my pride stopping me because continue being like this was easier than trying to fix all what I had done in the past hours.
There was a battle inside me but I couldn't tell Beth for she would try to hep me.
Ñike she always did, as if she was so perfect.
That bitch.
"Are you really implying that those brats had a hard life?" I snorted and her eyes narrowed "Oh ,c'mon! they entered Narnia, stayed a few weeks and suddenly, they were Kings and Queens. They were loved here and in the country they come from. They had always money, food and shelter and please don't start talking about relationships because I don't see them alone. They were always together so they had family. I understand that you had a hard life but it wasn't as hard as mine".
I was so focused in trying to make her mad that I didn't realise that she had come closer and punched me straight in the face.
The girl sure hit very well.
"Holy-" I screamed as Beth started walking around me again. I was kind of nervous of having Beth walking behind me while I was tied up "Beth! Why on earth did you do that for?"
Then suddenly, Beth was again in front of me.
"Listen, jackass, and listen well" she growled and I couldn't help to wince "you really think you are the center of the owrld? that all was created for your satisfaction? that what happens to you is unique and that all you think is the absolute truth? Well, flash news mate: you are not that important. In fact, when it comes to the world in general, you are as important as an ant!. You really think you ar the only one who suffered? Do you really think that all our lives were piece of cake? Why don't I show you a lesson about humility?"
I was about to argue but suddenly, I wasn't in the cell anymore.
I was standing in a room with three windows and two doors. The bed was covered in blue sheets and there were a lot of notebooks on it. Bookshelves were full of books. There was a guitar at a corner and a navy blue carpet on the floor. A big mirror was standing in front of me, showing me my stunned expression.
I walked towards the books, hoping they would leave me a clue of where the hell I was. The titles were ones I had never listened before: Wuthering Heights...Harry Potter...Pride and Prejudice...Beautiful Creatures...The Lord of the Rings...Percy Jackson…
"Where on earth am I?" I muttered, not exactly expecting my question to be answered.
"You are in the one that was my house before I went into your world, and more specifically, you are in my former room" Beth said and I turned to see her leaning against the door.
"We are in England?" I asked, forgetting for a second that we were supposed to be angry with each other when I studied her. She wasn't wearing any type of narnian clothes: she was wearing a weird kind of cloth…jacket I think Beth told me it was named - over a violet shirt, a pair of pants and a pair of heels, though they were not similar as the ones used in Narnia. Her face was sad…almost fearful and she had bags under her golden eyes. "Why are you wearing that?"
"Yep, we are in England and more precisely, nine months before I went to Archenland. In fact, this is kind of a memory" she grimaced as she slowly walked around her room, taking in every detail "and about my clothes, these are the ones I was wearing in this memory. That doesn't matter though so now come, I still have a lesson to teach you, remember?"
I nodded, knowing that this wasn't going to be good.
But maybe, this was the right thing to do…and maybe Beth would help me to get through this and be myself again.
So, I gave up and forgot everything about my pride.
But in that moment, the screams started.
As we arrived to the corridor that led to the front door, it opened revealing a tall and dark haired man pulling a girl into the house by the hair.
Beth winced.
And only then, I realized that this girl was Beth. Though I knew Beth was no liar, I still wasn't expecting something bad as these.
"Is that your father?" I whispered and Beth nodded slowly, tensing as another scream pierced the air.
"I thought he was my father" Beth whispered "seems that we all have family issues, huh?"
"What on Earth are you doing!?" a woman suddenly appeared at the doorway located at the left of the front door "Let her go!"
The man roughly threw younger Beth to the floor and stood there, anger flashing in his eyes while younger Beth quickly got up and ran crying into the woman's arms. Even though she ran pretty fast, that didn't stop me from noticing the bruise forming on her cheek.
I growled and stepped forward but older Beth stopped me.
"We can't help her-I mean, me, Caspian" she said "besides, I'm okay now. This is just a memory"
"What on Earth do you think acting like this will solve?!" the woman cried as she embraced younger Beth tighter "you bastard! How you dare to touch my daughter?!"
"She was with a filthy black bloke!" the man screamed and younger Beth whimpered "I saw her at the mall with him!"
"You don't get to tell me who I'm allowed to befriend, you racist son of a bitch!" younger Beth pulled out of her mother's embrace to walk forward as she continued shouting "you don't do anything for me except hurting me and my loved ones but you know what? I'm tired of it so now you are going to get out of this house and never come back. I want you out of our lives"
Then, younger Beth reached forward and punched him hard, causing him to tumble.
"Beth!" younger Beth's mother gasped but before she could intervene, the man had already regained balance an lounged at younger Beth, throwing her to the floor and sitting on her to continue punching her.
As much as younger Beth tried to kick him off her, the man was stronger and her mother was too petrified to move so it all was the same for a few minutes: younger Beth and the bastard fighting, younger Beth's
mother screaming but not daring to move and older Beth and I looking in horror and desperately longing to be able to help.
But then, when younger Beth was almost unconscious, the man…or monster, stopped hitting her and slightly backed away to…to take out his pants.
I growled and for the first time, older Beth whimpered.
"NO!" finally, younger Beth's mom snapped and pushed him away from her daughter "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM BETH!".
"She deserves to pay for what she did, Melissa!" the man roared and the woman, presumably Melissa, took a deep and relieved breath when younger Beth started waking up.
"Mo-mom?" Younger Beth weakly whimpered before moaning and clutching her bloody face.
"Rest, Beth" Melissa shot a small smile at younger Beth before looking back at the smirking man "please, don't hurt her. Take me instead… just take me but don't touch my daughter. Please"
"What? No, mum, no!" Younger Beth struggled to get up and fight but the man roughly pushed her and Melissa into the kitchen. Older Beth and I sharply followed them in time to see how he locked all the doors and windows before tying younger Beth to a chair.
"You try to do anything, you move a muscle or you close your eyes and I swear you go next" the man whispered as he knelt for a second in front of younger Beth. Both Beth growled but neither moved.
"Good, you are learning" the man smirked and turned around before reaching forward to hit Melissa.
"I think we have seen enough" older Beth suddenly whispered and in less than a blink of an eye, we were back in Narnia.
"Why did you show me…that?" I whispered when the walls around me stopped spinning.
Beth was silent for a long while. "I showed you that because I wanted to prove to you that we all have problems and that is hard for everybody to continue with our lives. But we won't always receive comfort or pity or a special treatment just because of our bad experiences. Life is a bitch and it doesn't matter how much we cry or complain or whine or whatever because that particular thing you didn't want in your life happened, and you won't be able to go back in time. As hard as it might be, we have to move on, to get up and keep fighting… for your loved ones if not for you. I didn't know who your father's killer was and if I had known, I would have told you and we both know that."
"I know you are right" I said and she looked at me for the first time since we had exited the memory "But it's so hard and even though it's been two years already, I can't move on…and maybe, I don't want to. My father was killed and he couldn't even defend himself" I took a deep breath to keep myself from exploding "I was separated from my father, I couldn't even say goodbye, I couldn't have a normal childhood, all because of a stupid throne that isn't even our right to have!" I laughed bitterly.
"Then why you believed him?" Beth raised an eyebrow and I looked down guiltily "Why you believed your father's assassin instead of me? And then why did you hurt so many people?"
"I was angry and I took it down on all of you" I frowned because suddenly all what I had done just seemed pointless "And…I felt betrayed and…I guess I was angry because neither of you talked to me, you just judged me"
"How could you expect another reaction when you kidnapped Susan, you stabbed Adrien and hurt me?" Beth cried as she stood and I couldn't help to flinch. Her punches were just too painful… Beth suddenly took a deep breath, as if in an attempt to calm down and knelt at my eye-level "I know you were hurt but it's good to admit you were wrong…I know pride is a very strong enemy but take me as an example: I forgot about my pride and showed one of the moments that I would like to forget entirely so I'm sure that you can do the same and apologize".
I swear I really tried but it just wasn't possible.
"I can't" I whispered and Beth closed her eyes in defeat. I closed my eyes to keep my tears from brimming over as Peter and Edmund entered the room with a thud.
"Well, then I guess you will just have to explain yourself to the rest" Beth said as she stood and went to stand beside Edmund, who wrapped and arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.
Though I struggled, I couldn't help to roll my eyes.
"Could you do it?" Peter asked and frowned at Beth's pale face "are you okay Beth?"
Oh, if you only had seen what we saw…
"We are almost there but I don't think Caspian is dangerous anymore. We may have to use her after though" Beth smiled weakly and snuggled closer to her boyfriend "and I'm fine, Pete, it was just a tough memory to see"
"So, what now?" Edmund asked and Beth smirked at me. Oh no…
"I guess Caspian owe us an explanation, don't you Caspian?" she said and both brothers mirrored her smirk.
Thanks a lot, guys…
Edmund's POV
"I just have a question. Why?" Su started and Caspian flinched.
Beth and I smirked.
"I…I don't know why I did it" Caspian said and I could barely contain a snort. Peter playfully rolled his eyes from his position beside me and Adrien unsuccessfully tried to contain his laugh "Like I said to Beth before, I was hurt and I guess I blamed you all for it. I felt betrayed and when you just judged me…I guess I took it all on you."
I was stunned, was that his poor attempt of an apology? I shook my head in disappoinment and suddenly, I felt Beth breath too close to my ear. "I tried to make him apologize but it was useless. We will just have to deal with it later" she whispered and I nodded, while remembering our earlier activities.
I shivered.
Returning to the former topic, Lucy seemed to be thinking the same thing as us "Wait, is that an apology? It doesn't seem as one"
Caspian winced, guilt present in his eyes.
Peter smirked and I choked back a laugh.
"Look, I know you are expecting for me to apologize and everything but I just can't do it. I need to ask you for a favor though" he said and we all raised an eyebrow in disbelief. How awesome, just what I was missing "I know you are mad at me and you have every single right to be like that but right now, we need to seem united to give hope to the narnians. We have to focus on winning the war and for that, we need to leave our differences behind…so why I'm asking for, is for you five to forgive me, for Narnia if not for me".
Okay, how stunned I had been before was nothing compared to how I was now.
I mean…seriously? Was he trying to guilt trip us so we would forgive him? Like…seriously?
"I-I…Let's speak in turns. From oldest to youngest?" I said and we all nodded, Lucy, Beth and Peter trying to contain a nervous laughter.
"I forgive you" Peter suddenly said, to the surprise of everyone in this room and maybe in the entire How "But only because we have to focus in the war and for that, we have to work together" Peter said and stepped forward to growl, two inches separating him and Caspian "But do not doubt this for a second: I do not like you and I never will and whatever I do from now, have in mind that is not for your well being. Are we clear?"
Caspian nodded nervously but it was obvious that he was relieved.
"Thank you, Peter"
I was starting to piss off.
"Well, I forgive you!" Lucy suddenly squealed and ran into Caspian's arms. Unlike Peter's decision, we all had expected this "I'm so glad you are back! I was so worried!"
"Thanks, Lu" he whispered before burying his face in her hair but sharply raised it when Susan spoke.
"I will be honest, I hate you so much right now" Susan hissed and I mentally thanked the fact that I wasn't Caspian "But it's not my nature to be hostile to a person when we have to take care of more important matter. However, read my lips: I. don't. Forgive. You. I will help Narnia, I will help Beth, I will help my siblings and I will help Aslan but I won't help you. To regain the narnians's trust, you are on your own. And if you EVER land a hand on any of the people I care, be it my family or not, I swear I won't hesitate to kill you".
"Susan…" Caspian started but Susan had already left the room.
"It's not my place to judge a prince" Adrien and Beth opened her mouth to complain but Adrien motioned her to shut up "Sis, you know I'm right, I might be your brother but I'm still Prince Caspian's and the Monarchs of Old's subject. I forgive you, your Highness, because it's obvious that you want the best for Narnia…but I don't know if I will ever be able to trust you".
"Thank you, Adrien" Caspian nodded and smiled weakly.
"Adrien? Can you go and see how Susan is?" Peter asked "you two get along pretty well"
Adrien deadpanned but nodded and left.
"I don't know if I can forgive you" I said when I noticed that Beth wasn't about to speak "You were my best friend, damn you were my brother but you really hurt me and my siblings. And I don't know if I can trust you…probably in the end I will end forgiving you but I don't if we will be as close as we were before".
Caspian nodded but I could see that it had hurt him but it wasn't my fault. I was hurt too but I couldn't fake what I wasn't feeling.
"You know how I get when someone hurts my loved ones." Beth said and Caspian closed his eyes in defeat "And you hurt me so much. But I forgive you" Caspian raised his gaze to meet Beth's but it was obvious that Beth wasn't happy "I forgive you because no one is in the place judge. That's Aslan's place. But I can't trust you and I don't know if I will ever be able…I'm sorry but I don't know if I can consider you my brother anymore. I will help you but only in the name of how close we were before. Besides, the fact that you care more for your pride proves that you don't feel bad about what you did"
"Beth…" I sighed when I saw that she was fighting to not to let her tears fall.
"No, Ed, I'm fine" Beth smiled weakly "I'm just very tired so I think I'm going to hit the sack early. Goodnight".
And without another word, she stood, kissed me lightly before smiling at the rest and leaving the room.
"Well, that was nicely handed" Peter said and Caspian glared at her.
Lucy, however, was looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
"I know, I'm going" I sighed and got up "I think we should all go to sleep. It's been a hard day"
I kissed my sister's forehead and hugged my brother before looking at Caspian.
"Thanks a lot, mate" I growled before leaving also.
"Beth!" I called as I jogged to reach her.
Third Person's POV
Caspian sighed as he walked towards the entrance of the How, hoping to be alone for a while.
But as he stood in the dark and warm night, he realized that it wasn't going to happen too soon.
"I thought you had gone to sleep" Peter said without taking his gaze out of the stars.
Caspian nearly groaned, his hopes of returning without being noticed fading away "Couldn't sleep"
They stood silent for a long while, not looking at each other. Caspian was starting to feel uncomfortable when Peter spoke "They will forgive you, you know. Eventually, but they will"
"I doubt that, Peter" Caspian sighed and Peter looked at him for the first time "Not that I can blame them"
Peter's gaze was unreadable "But still, you are mad"
"I don't know if I want to speak about this with you, of all people" Caspian groaned "goodnight"
He turned around to leave but Peter's words stopped him dead on his tracks.
"You are mad because they forgave me and we still have the same relationship or one even better but even though, Lucy, Adrien and I forgave you, it's obvious even to you that things are not going to be the same as they were before" Peter said "and you know why? Because apart from the obvious reason that I didn't stab or kidnapped someone, I asked for forgiveness, something it seems you can't do".
"Are you really going to continue teasing me Peter?" Caspian clenched his fists in anger "Don't you think I'm already screwed for you to continue developing my huge bad mood?"
"Actually, I didn't want to anger you in purpose" Peter smirked "You are just too fun to tease. What I wanted to say is that even though I don't like you at all, you seem to be an important person to my siblings and unlike you, I do care about my siblings' feelings the enough to forget about mine so I will help you to make them trust you…but you really should apologize first"
Peter then smirked, patted Caspian's back and left towards the How. "You are welcome!" he called in a sing-sang voice without turning to look at Caspian.
Caspian stood there for a long while, staring dumbfounded at Peter's retreating back.
"Beth! Wait!" Edmund called and Beth sighed before faking a smile and turning around. She loved to see him and everything but right now she just wanted to sleep.
However, she knew it was obvious that he would come to speak to her.
"Hey, Ed" she tried to act as if nothing had happened but neither was fooled by it "what's up?"
"Can I walk you to your room?" he asked and grinned when she nodded, taking his hand in hers.
They were silent for a while before Beth suddenly spoke "Do you think I was too harsh?"
Edmund sighed before wrapping both his arms around her waist "Maybe it was hard for him but you can't fake something you don't feel, now can you?"
Beth nodded and pulled away to smile at her boyfriend "since when are you so smart?"
"You are a good influence, Beth, as hard as it may be to believe" Ed smirked and Beth punched him lightly.
"Ha ha, Ed. Very funny" Beth smirked before turning around and running away.
"Hey!" Ed laughed and raced, catching her after a few moments and spinning her around, dancing their way to the girls' room.
"Very spontaneous of you, Mr. Pevensie" Beth laughed.
"You know only half of me, dear lady" Ed winked and twirled her around as they arrived to the girls' room. Susan, Lucy and Adrien's voices could be heard inside "seems that we have arrived to your door".
Beth looked at it in surprise before turning to look at Ed "Wow, didn't realize we were already here…Thanks Ed, for everything"
Beth kissed Ed's cheek and turned to enter her room but suddenly, Ed caught her wrist and wrapped both arms around her waist to whisper in her ear "you know, I'm not sure I want to leave your side yet"
"Should I take that as an invitation?" she grinned and turned around to smirk at Ed "because I'm not sure how three people from the 1940s would take that"
"But if it was only to talk for a while, I'm sure they would understand" Ed grinned.
Beth sighed dramatically "Well, I guess it can't hurt to go with you for five minutes…"
"Great" Ed beamed and raced towards the same balcony of earlier, both of them blushing when they arrived.
Beth pulled away to lay on the floor, patting the place beside her.
"What did the White Witch made you see?" Beth asked after hesitating when Ed wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer.
Ed closed his eyes and immediately it rushed back to his memory: the sound of a sword meeting its objective…bickering…a girl's scream…a lion's roar…
"Ed?" Beth raised her head to look at him in concern "are you okay love?"
Ed smiled at it and remembered that that had only been a trick and that reality was the total opposite, as unreal as it may sound.
"Well, if you must know…" Ed started after kissing Beth, just to remind himself that she was indeed there, with him.
Chapters 13 and 14 will be up tomorrow! Stay tuned!