Chapter 29
Edmund closed his eyes, wincing at the burning feeling that spread across his lids. He gently pressed his feet against the floor and rocked the chair he was sitting in, listening to Isabella sleeping peacefully. She gurgled every now and then but her sleep was relatively peaceful.
He didn't let Isabella out of his sight ever since Lucy brought her back. He always made sure that she was at least in plain sight if he had to talk to someone or needed to go somewhere. He was trying to be the best uncle he could be for little Isabella and protect her while Susan was away.
He understood their mother's concern and why she forced Susan and Lucy back in the first place but what he didn't understand was that they had a duty to uphold. A duty to protect Narnia as long as they were the reigning royalties. But their mother didn't care, she listen to what they had to say and made up their mind. Edmund figured it was because she was scared, otherwise she would've made himself and Peter go back with her. Or maybe it was because she knew that their duty protecting Narnia would be the same as their duty protecting London if they were to be enlisted.
Either way Edmund didn't feel like it was fair but he was glad to have his partner-in-crime with him again. Even if she did have to sneak out of the house. Their mother would understand, at least, Edmund hoped she would. And she still had Susan there with her so it wasn't like she was alone…
Edmund let out a sigh and used his free hand to rub his eyes. Every time he was close to falling asleep a noise would wake him up and have him on high alert. He was half expecting Jadis to come flying through the window and attack him for not reporting back to her with his siblings. But he wasn't stupid and he wasn't a little kid anymore and he knew she wouldn't attack the castle just like that. She'd have to benefit from it and there was nothing at stake.
Until she realizes I have Isabella…
Edmund pushed the thought from his head. Even if she found out he'd do anything he could to protect his niece. Hell, he'd even take being stabbed again if it meant he could protect her. He wouldn't let any evil being in Narnia touch her. But he couldn't help but think that it would've been better if Susan left her back home in Finchley where their mother could take care of her. Why would Susan want to risk her safety?
Edmund nearly jumped when the door flew open. Isabella's eyes flew open at the commotion and she looked around but, to Edmund's relief, she didn't start crying. She just settled into the blankets that were wrapped around her and watched Lucy rush over.
"They're back!" She exclaimed before Edmund could even open his mouth.
"Well then, let's go!" Edmund got up, carefully, and followed Lucy out of the room. Lucy eagerly ran ahead of her brother down the halls, through corridors, down endless stairs, and into the Great Hall where the others of the castle gathered to greet the returning King.
"Peter! Peter, you're back!" Lucy cheered, throwing herself at her brother.
"Oof!" Peter grunted before laughing and hugging her. "It's good to see you too, Lucy," he whispered, holding her tight. He finally let go and held her at arm-length. "I thought you were back home with Susan."
"I came back," Lucy replied. "I had to. Susan told me to come. She had her babies and—"
"I know," Peter interrupted her. "I know Jeremiah is safe."
Lucy nodded. "And so is Isabella."
Peter blinked. "What?"
Then he looked over at Edmund. Peter wanted to laugh. It was odd seeing Edmund holding a baby in his arms. Edmund didn't even want to hold Lucy when she was born but here he was, willingly holding a baby. He held the baby in a way that he actually looked like a father holding his own son or daughter. Peter was amazed that someone as tough and hard as Edmund seemed so soft just by holding a baby.
"This is Isabella," Edmund spoke up, his voice loud in the otherwise silent Great Hall. "Susan had twins, Jeremiah and Isabella. Jeremiah's back home with Susan and she sent Lucy here to bring Isabella to her other home."
Peter walked over to his niece and looked at her face. Her large dark eyes stared back at him, captivating him. Peter's breath got caught in his throat. Just by looking at her he could see Susan and Caspian in her face. All of the rage that he felt towards Caspian and Susan disappeared at one glance. Isabella smiled at him and reached up her small hands. She clasped onto one of his fingers and gave it a little squeeze, as if it were her way of recognizing that he was one of his uncles.
"Did Susan say anything about coming back?" Peter asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the baby girl.
Lucy shook her head. "She said she had to stay for Jeremiah."
"But why would she send Isabella here?"
"Narnia's her home as much as England is," Edmund replied. "I guess she wanted one of them to be in one place and one to be in the other. The question is will she stay home or will she come back here?"
"But knowing Capsian he's going to try and bring her back," Lucy added.
"Wait, Caspian's in Finchley?" Crystal finally spoke up, her eyes widening in disbelief. Lucy nodded. "How?"
"The Wardrobe," Lucy, Peter, and Edmund responded in unison.
"Did you find Aslan?" Lucy asked, turning the conversation around.
Peter nodded, a solemn look replacing the astonished expression that was on his face only moments before.
"So? What did he say?" Edmund demanded, shifting Isabella.
Peter looked down at the ground before looking Edmund in the eye. "He told me what I all ready knew and what I needed to hear," he replied slowly. Edmund lifted his eyebrows in questioning way as Lucy looked over at her oldest brother. "Why we've been brought back. It wasn't The White Witch's doing like I thought."
"Then…why have we been brought back?" Edmund asked.
"Because of me," Peter replied. "I brought us back, with Narnia's help of course."
"I don't follow."
"You see…we've been brought back here…as a way for me to realize my mistakes. We were brought back to help me realize that I was the one responsible for Edmund running away and joining The White Witch." Edmund flinched slightly but stayed silent. Peter paused and let out a sigh. "If I hadn't been so hard on Edmund he wouldn't have run away. I know that now. That's why we were pulled back in time, for me to fix everything that has happened."
"How will you do that?" Lucy asked.
"First, by doing this." He then turned to Edmund. He paused, weighing his words carefully in his head and then spoke. "I'm sorry," he started. Those two words he left hanging in the air to gauge Edmund's reaction before he continued. Edmund didn't say anything but nodded slightly, urging Peter to finish. "For constantly berating you, for yelling at you, and for making you feel like you needed to run away from us…from me. I'm sorry for not taking your feelings into account. You were hurt because Dad left, I know that now and I don't think saying sorry will be enough to make it up to you."
A slow smirk formed on Edmund's face and Peter blinked. He expected Edmund to…forgive him, laugh it off, offer up an idea of how to fix everything. Anything…but smirk. "Hearing you finally get overyourself and apologize made it up," he replied.
Peter chuckled and put a hand on Edmund's shoulder. "I love you."
Edmund pulled a face. "I know," he grumbled. "I always know, no need to say it."
Peter smiled. Crystal cleared her throat and they turned to look at her. "On the way back Peter and I came up with an idea."
"Together!" Edmund and Lucy asked incredulously.
Peter rolled his eyes and Crystal let out an annoyed breath. "Yes, together," she responded. "We understand that the best way to return everything to normal is if we defeat The White Witch again."
"Well, duh!" Edmund said with an eyeroll of his own. "What else would we do? Skip happily through flowers?"
Crystal glared at him and he shrugged. "We figured she's mad at all of you Pevensies for stopping her, but at Edmund the most." Edmund nodded. "You're going to defeat her again, but not the same way you did it the first time."
"I don't understand," Lucy spoke up.
"Edmund's the one who's going to rid Narnia of her, once and for all," Peter replied. "He's the only one who really knows her weaknesses and her tactics. He's the one who found out that we could weaken a part of her power by breaking her wand. It's only fitting."
Edmund had paled by the time Peter finished talking. He wasn't sure he was hearing his brother right. Peter wanted him to defeat the White Witch? The woman who was to kill them if he didn't do what she said? He'd rather take more abuse from her than do that. Hell, he wasn't sure that he could defeat her. She could easily do away with him if she wanted to so what made them think he had the power to stand up to her?
"You can do it, Edmund," Lucy told him, smiling brightly. "Do it for Izzy."
Edmund looked down at the gurgling baby. He did promise to protect her and making sure The White Witch was gone for good would do that in the long run… He nodded and looked up at his brother. "So, what's the plan?"
It's been about two months. That's the shortest wait between updated chapters, I think.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that this story is close to being over. Don't worry, we've still got a couple more scenes for everyone before the big battle but this story is slowly coming to an end. I have an idea for a sequel in my head right now but it's only in the planning stages, I haven't thought of an outline or anything yet. And even then, once I do solidify the idea, I probably won't touch it for a while to finish up my other Narnia stories.
Thanks for taking this adventure with me. Please read and review.
