Peter swallowed thickly and went to the Lion's side. The two walked a distance away from the crowd.
"Aslan, I acted upon my emotions. It was wrong—"
"Peter, you have shown me the love you hold for your brother. That is nothing worthy of punishment; especially considering what you have gone though to find him." The Lion majestically said to the young King.
Peter nodded respectfully. "You know what happened?"
"Yes Peter. You and your friends showed great courage in facing the obstacles which hindered you. You have been rewarded accordingly by finding your brother."
"He's in such bad shape, Aslan. I don't know what to do."
"With help your brother we be well again, but he will need your help. He is afraid of you, Peter, because you have not shown your forgiveness, but the Witch's hand has also increased his fear of you."
Peter's head drooped—Edmund did betray them. However, he knew his brother was sorry for it. The way he seemed to act now almost seemed like he needed something deeper from Peter than what he had already given. A single tear trickled down Peter's face. Edmund needed him, no matter how much he seemed to avoid him.
"Peace, Peter, everything will be set to right sooner than you think. You shall forgive and you must accept what your brother has to say."
"What will he say?" Peter soon became slightly worried.
"I cannot speak for your brother."
Peter nodded and looked up at the trail before him. He realized that the others were not ahead of them anymore. They had disappeared. He looked around frantically to see a large hill littered with many boulders. There was a doorway at the front, and Peter realized this was where they had gone. With a heavy heart he thanked Aslan and entered.
"Grandmother!" shouted Ella as the three entered. They young human boy in her arms stayed very still. She knew most of his pain was not from his wounds. There was something dark and cold knotted around his soul, threatening to engulf him. That Witch did something to cause his very self to ebb away.
"Ella? Ella is that you?" An aged centaur trotted to the front looking at her daughter and the new visitors. "Oh Ella, no wonder things have changed!"
Ella nodded. "Grandmother, this one needs you and grandfather's help."
She slightly held out Edmund making her grandmother gasp at the sight. "Oh dear, what has happened?"
"He was lost in the forest for days. He has thorns and such all over and I don't know how to take them out without harming him more."
"Ella? What have you found?" Another soon arrived from the other room. Ella's grandfather soon came taking a good look at the human himself, then at the others.
"Place him here." Her grandmother had cleared a large table and placed a blanket over top of it. Ella slowly lowered Edmund onto the table flat on his back. His sisters scurried over to his side. He looked around nervously, taking sobbing gasps of air. Susan knew he was scared and calmly tried to comfort him. She knew from past memories he was afraid of doctors. She didn't know how it started but she remembered the talk their mother had with their father about a visit to the doctor about three years ago. Helen wasn't able to get Edmund to stop clinging to her and they apparently spent nearly the entire afternoon trying to get though one little check up because of a fever scare.
Susan did her best to keep him calm as the two centaurs collected bottles of remedy and tools they needed from everywhere in the home. They whispered to each other, making her grow suspicious and hold Edmund even tighter. Finally, though, they finished and the two elders came up to Susan.
"We are going to clean you brother up and then your little sister can give him the cordial. You may help us by keeping your brother calm as you have been doing," said the centaur and picked up a small wooden pick. "I'm going to remove those brambles from your brother."
Peter walked in quietly looking around in wonder. Everything seemed to be oversized in the home of the centaurs. The one who carried Edmund greeted him. She told him that everything was fine. Peter did not answer though. He slowly moved to Susan who held their brother there calmly. Peter could hear Edmund's sobs. He wished his little brother could just have a break, but the centaur was doing her best. There was a little pile of thorns forming. She had nearly removed them all except the ones on his face. The first attempt was a failure; Edmund had nearly thrashed himself off the table. The next time the centaur tried to be more gentle but still no use. She huffed and turned to Susan.
"Is there anyway you can manage to get them out your majesty?" asked the centaur in defeat.
"I could try." Susan said nervously as she was handed the small pick. She looked at Edmund's red face. His eyes were bloodshot and watery. She shushed him once more and then gingerly began to pull the thorn out of his cheek. She managed to pull it easily, however the last one not so much. There was a struggle from both sides making Edmund bleed accidentally. She removed it and sighed in relief.
"Thank you. I did not want to hurt your brother anymore by holding him down. I'm Windmane." She placed a basin of soapy water before them. There were two cloths floating in the water. The centaur wrung one of them out and handed to Susan. She took it and nearly let her emotions get to her.
"You may leave your majesty if you need a moment," said Windmane. Susan smiled at her offer but declined. She began to carefully scrub Edmund's dirty face as Windmane scrubbed his torso. They soon noticed of all the cuts, scrapes, and bruises that littered Edmund's body. She looked to Peter, who still stood there silently, lost in thought. Lucy was on the other side watching the centaur with her cordial in her hands. As they finished Lucy whispered assurances to Edmund before Windmane politely grabbed Lucy's attention.
"You may give your brother the cordial now, your majesty," said Windmane with a smile. Lucy nodded and eagerly uncorked the bottle. Susan opened Edmund's mouth and they watched two shiny little drops fall on Edmund's tongue. They watched the scratches from the wolf fade away along with some of the cuts and scrapes. Soon Edmund looked about halfway better. The three smiled as Edmund looked at them with a small surprised look.
"Now, he must rest." She looked around the room trying to find a place for Edmund to rest. The problem with them is that they did not have a lot of furniture.
"We could put him in here. Away from the noise," suggested one. Susan only saw the others nod before there was a whirlwind of activity. Windmane Edmund was soon helping him again by giving him a drink. Others were trying to get the room situated with anything they could find: cushions and all types of blankets were pulled out of there places. Soon the room was ready. Susan helped Edmund off the table and into the room. He fell into the makeshift bed which almost looked like a nest. Susan smiled, and covered him with one of the blankets. The others followed suit; wishing him a good sleep. They were all watery eyed as Edmund instantly drifted asleep. They stayed in there for some time taking in the wonder of Edmund being right before them.
Peter stood abruptly and left. Susan followed a moment later, bewildered by Peter's sudden change in mood. He was sitting in the hall with his forehead on his knees.
"What's wrong?" Susan asked in concern as she sat down next to him.
"I'm sorry for running off," said Peter. He raised his head revealing a face of guilt to Susan.
"You found him Peter—"
"I nearly drowned Susan! I could have waited, but I didn't." Susan eyes widened in shock as she realized what Peter just said. After gathering her composure from that new fact she said. "Well, it was a little reckless. But it was you that found him Peter. Yes, you didn't listen, but that doesn't matter now. He's here!"
"Not all here," Peter murmured as he shook his head.
"We can fix that Peter. Or at least I think. Maybe if he sleeps he'll be better."
"What if it doesn't? He doesn't trust anyone anymore. When I found him he thought I was going to kill him!"
Susan gasped and looked at Peter. A tear ran down his cheek. Her big brother was crying. Peter was crying. Susan engulfed her brother in a hug as she pushed back the overall surprise that Peter was letting his emotions out for once. Susan slowly rubbed his back in small circles as Peter wept.
"We all will take the blame. We haven't exactly treated him nicely in a while since everything was going on. You never know. We might just be able to crack him with a hug," Susan murmured. Peter nodded and sat back up wiping his eyes away.
"It's just I've never seen him like this."
Susan nodded in agreement. "I think the Witch has something to do with it and do you think you'd be acting like your normal self if you were lost in the woods for nearly a week?"
"None of this would have happened if I just paid attention to him a bit." Susan raised an eyebrow as Peter paused. She agreed with the first part but by noticing the tone of Peter's voice there was something more. "He got into fights."
"What?" Susan bit her lip; that was news to her and a huge clue to why Edmund acted the way he did.
"He wouldn't tell me at first, but when the bruises got bigger I made him talk. He said not to tell anyone."
"And you listened to him?"
"Do you think going to the teacher is the best way to get someone off their back?"
"Yes."
Peter sighed, "Sometimes it isn't."
"Who were they?"
"I don't know," Peter lied as he shrugged.
Susan's eyes narrowed. "Who were they?"
"They were just bullies. They were a grade higher than him and they were always picking on the littler ones. Edmund wasn't the only one."
"I think the teacher would have done something if these bullies were picking on others that were not their size!"
"I didn't know their names! Edmund wouldn't tell me."
"You should have—"
"They threatened him if he told someone, even me, who they were they would 'break him!'"
"Well look at him now!" Susan melted once more. She turned away from Peter, not wanting to see his face. Things seemed to be almost Peter's fault now.
Lucy, who heard the entire argument, stepped out of the room. She looked at the both of them. Both her older siblings were in tears. She had never seen such a sight. She knew she had to do something so stepped between them. "Maybe we can change, for Edmund."
The two looked up at her and smiled. It was the best thing to do for everyone. To begin a new life they should start out fresh. It was time they left the past behind them and live the new. This was going to be their new life. Narnia was their new home.
No cliffy today! Sorry if I disappointed you! I know how you all love those cliffhangers. And I thank everyone once again who reviewed the chapter ALSO my beta. Now I will post those review question but I will tell you that is an optional thing. I would much rather have people review the story than answer the question but just for kicks I'll post it.
So yesterday I was on deviantArt and looking at all the updates. I'm a member of a Evanescence fan art group and I saw a new blog entry that said: "New Single Released Today!" or something like that. I was first a little bewildered but then when I went to Youtube and listened to it I started freaking out. It's called 'What You Want' and I think I listened to it about 20 times and didn't finish my summer essay for AP History (don't you love distractions?)
What kind of music do you listen to?
I'm all over the place: rock (like Ev), pop (borderline on that genre but... THE TING TINGS!), pretty much anything. There's this new radio station in my area that plays anything (more of the smaller names) from 2000 up and barely any commercials (for now) so I listen to that all the time. The only people I don't like are the fame happy artist that think they can shake their butts around and pretty much bellow on stage. So I like anyone that can actually sing with soul and meaning to their lyrics.
Next week new chapter! Were getting pretty close! And also 94 reviews WOW! Let's try for 100 and I'll post a preview of my new fic fallowing the bonus chapter you all are getting.