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The Neverending Winter

Chapter 21. Holding Court

"Do we have to hold court today?" Susan asked.

"Yes, and besides, the sooner we do it, the sooner it will be over with." Edmund replied.

Lucy walked down the stairs, ready for the meeting she new was to come. "Good morning." she said brightly.

"Morning." Edmund replied.

"Morning Lucy, I trust you slept well." Susan replied.

"More or less." Lucy replied.

Susan and Edmund exchanged a glance. 'More or less' is what Lucy said when she had a dream of being with the witch. Edmund nodded his head, and Susan made a face.

"Good morning all!" Peter greated brightly.

"Someone woke up on the right side of the bed." Lucy said.

Peter gave her a quick hug, and he swung her up on his back, making her laugh. "Did I miss something?" Peter asked when he saw the looks on Edmund and Susan's faces.

"More or less." Edmund replied, giving him a look, telling Peter everything he needed to know.

"Oh." Peter said, his face showing his sadness.

"See, this is why I never tell anybody." Lucy said.

"But Lucy. If you keep it bottled up, eventually it will drive you mad." Susan said.

"Well then, it will drive me mad!" Lucy replied.

Peter put her down, and made her look up at him. "What was it about?" he asked.

"It was nothing." Lucy replied.

"Lucy Rosa Pevensie, that's not the right answer and you know it." Peter said.

"My time with the witch, that's all there is to say." Lucy replied.

"But what happened?" Peter asked.

Lucy broke away from Peter and backed up. "Now that, you will never know." she replied before running from the room.

"I guess that means she won't be joining us for breakfast." Edmund said.

"Not today." Susan replied.

Susan and Edmund started toward the breakfast hall, but Peter starred down the hall Lucy had went down. He sighed and started after Susan and Edmund.

"Where's Lucy, she's going to be late for the court!" Susan said.

"I haven't seen her since before breakfast. I'd see leave her alone though, she was pretty upset." Peter replied.

"Yeah, we can handle it." Edmund said.

"Sorry I'm late." Lucy said running up.

"We could have held it without you." Edmund said.

"No, they need all four of us. And I'm sorry for earlier. I was just so...."

"Lucy, stop. It's ok. We understand." Peter said interupting Lucy.

"And you shouldn't cry about it either." Edmund said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I wasn't crying." Lucy said quickly.

"Lucy... please. We can tell." Edmund said, tracing the tear streaks down his little sister's face with his thumb.

"Your majesties?" a faun asked walking up "Should I announce your ready?" the faun asked.

Peter looked over at Lucy, who nodded her head. "Yes, we're ready now." Peter replied.

They walked through the doors and sat in the thrones that were waiting for them.

"We apologize for being late." Peter said, taking care of that first. Two black dwarves stepped up first. "Good morning." Peter greeted.

"Good morning." the dwarves grumbled.

Lucy and Susan had to stiffle chuckles, and Edmund contained the smile that threatened to break through. Peter cleared his throat, hiding his own laughter. The four of them knew black dwarves were always grumpy, but especially grumpy in the morning.

"What might your problem be?" Peter asked after clearing his throat a second time.

The dwarf on the right spoke up first. "He betrayed me. He turned my family into the witch years ago, and my family and I have but a day ago finished rebuilding our lives. But we are still without something we started with." the first dwarf said.

"And what would that be?" Peter asked.

The dwarf took a deep breath. "My youngest daughter." he said.

Susan and Lucy gasped. Peter, Susan, and Edmund felt as though they could relate. "I am terribly sorry for your loss." Peter said.

The dwarf gave a slight bow of his head. "Thank you. I'm sure you know how I feel." he said.

Lucy's breathing caught.

"We do." Peter said, and Susan and Edmund nodded their agreement.

The dwarf looked up at Lucy, and she could have swore he smiled, if only for a moment.

"So, this dwarf, betrayed you, and because of that, you lost your youngest daughter, correct?" Peter repeated, making sure he got the story straight.

"Yes, your majesty." the dwarf replied.

"Well, what's your side of the story." Peter said looking at the other dwarf.

"I deny nothing." the other dwarf replied.

"Well then, there's only one thing left to do, decide your punishment." Peter said "What do you think Edmund?"

Edmund considered this. "Did you have a reasoning?" he asked the dwarf.

"My own family. She threatened them. She said if I didn't tell her what she wanted, she would kill my entire family, so I did, and she kept her word." the dwarf replied.

"But it was because of you, that another life was lost. Not to mention a life that still had a long time to live." Edmund said.

"It kept my family alive." the dwarf replied.

"Yet not for another." Edmund said, narrowing his eyes at the dwaf.

The dwarf silenced, seeing he was upseting the young king.

"What punishment would befit this traitor?" Peter asked, trying to be as harsh with his words as possible. Lucy grimaced.

"Death is a bit... over the top, even if a life was lost. How long were you and your family in the capture of the witch?" Edmund asked looking at the dwarf that had spoken first.

"5 years. We were freed when you and your siblings defeated the witch." the dwarf replied, bowing his head again.

"Then, I say 10 years in prison. That seems to fit." Edmund said.

Peter nodded his head. "Susan, what do you think?" he asked.

"I agree with Edmund." Susan replied.

"Lucy?" Peter asked.

Lucy made a face. "I don..."

"You asking her!" the dwarf traitor asked.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Peter asked.

"I don't think she has a right to judge me! If I'm considered a traitor, then she shouldn't!" the dwarf replied, raising his voice.

"And what makes you say so?" Edmund asked.

"For she's a traitor herself!" the dwarf exlaimed.

Lucy closed her eyes. It hurt to think some of the Narnians thought of her that way. Gasps filled the room, from the dwarf's words, and Peter and Edmund jumped up.

"Who are you to call her a traitor?!" Peter yelled.

"Well, because she is. She went to the witch, therfore she is a traitor." the dwarf replied.

"She went to the witch for her family! She risked herself, for them! She betrayed no one!" the other dwarf said, defending his queen.

"Thank you, kind dwarf, it's nice to of you... to s..say that on... m...my be...half." Lucy said her voice going hoarse. She ran from the room, the instant she finished the sentance.

"As if it wasn't enough for her to be tortured." Edmund said shaking his head "You two go, I'll stay here."

Peter nodded. "Are you sure you can handle it yourself?" he asked.

"I've done it before, and Lucy needs you more right now, just go." Edmund replied.

Peter and Susan nodded, standing and going after Lucy. Edmund turned his attention back to the two dwarf's in front of him. He sat back down and tapped his fingers on the arm rest of his throne, glarring at the dwarf who had accused Lucy of being a traitor. "Now where were we, oh yes, punishment..." Edmund said, a smirk growing on his face.

Lucy ran through the doors, desperate to get away. She could hear Peter calling her name, but she ignored him, and kept running. Across the beach was a forest, dense and inviting. She and Edmund had ventured into it one day, and found it was alot less scary then it originally appeared. And at this moment, it seemed like the perfect getaway. She ran towards it, toning out the fact that Peter was following, and determined to loose him once in the forest. She dove into the forest, ignoring the small branches and twigs that were snapping across her face, neck, and arms. She could hear Peter was still close behind her, but ignored him still. She could hear him gaining ground, and coming up quickly behind her. By now she was crying hysterically, and didn't want him to know. All she wanted was to get away, but he obviously wasn't going to let that happen. As soon as he got close enough, he grabbed her arm, and as gently as he could, pulled her to a stop.

"Let me go, Peter!" she begged, still struggling to get away from him.

He pulled her to where he was looking into her eyes. "Lucy, don't do this." he said. She was still crying, which made Peter's heart break. He hated seeing Lucy cry. He hated seeing any of his siblings cry, but especially Lucy, and especially on a subject such as this. He pulled her into his arms and she buried her head into his chest, still crying. He rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. "Sshh, sshh, it's alright. It's ok." he said gently.

She looked up at him. "Am I really a traitor?" she asked.

"Of course not. The dwarf is a bas... nothing I need to say out loud." he corrected himself, making Lucy giggle. He smiled. "He was decieved, he worked for the witch. Of course he's going to call you that." he said. She looked down. "And if he's apart of what's left of the witch's people, then does his opinion truely matter?" he asked.

"No." she said in a whisper.

He smiled. "Come on, Susan's probably worried." he said gently, helping her to stand.

"Thanks Peter." she said hugging him tight.

He hugged her back tightly. "Anytime Lu." he replied kissing the top of her head.

When they got back to Cair, Edmund was starring daggers a cup of tea.

"What happened?" Peter asked sitting beside him.

"That basta... dwarf got away!" Edmund exclaimed, chaning the word he was going to use when Susan gave him a warning glance.

"A basta-dwarf, that fit's." Lucy said.

"LUCY!" Susan scolded.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Well it does." she mumbled.

"I don't care!" Susan said.

"Give her a break Su." Peter said sternly.

Edmund looked over at Lucy. "Are you ok?" he asked. She nodded her head.

"So what do you have in mind?" Peter asked Edmund.

"I'm thinking..." Edmund replied, glarring at the wall "... we're going on a man hunt."