9: Come back to me

I didn't even think about what I did next, all I knew was that I just couldn't let my brother die. I couldn't let him be run through by the sword that the Calmormen was currently bringing towards his chest, having just moments before unarmed him and backed him against a tree.

Edmund had experienced way too much pain in his life, and if I could spare him this pain, then I would... no matter what it cost me.

So with a cry of my brothers name, I charged forward, lunging at Edmund and hitting him side on.

Edmund was flown to the ground a couple feet away, and I had never felt so relieved, but that relief didn't last long, for I was now in the path of the calormen's sword.

The last thing I remembered, was an agonising pain ripping through my chest, followed by a scream of my name... before everything went black.

The next thing I knew, a whisper of my name was waking me, and I couldn't help but let a quiet groan slip past my lips... everything ached, my head was pounding and I didn't think I'd ever felt so tired.

"Peter?"

I frowned slightly... I knew that voice.

"Peter come on."

I swallowed hard and forced my eyes open, having to blink a few times to allow my eyes to adjust to the light, but soon everything came into focus, and I spotted Susan beside me, something of a sad smile on her face. She had her hand placed on the top of my head, and moved it down slowly to lay it against my forehead. "Su?" I asked, wincing at how choked my voice sounded.

"Hey." Susan whispered, her smile widening just a fraction.

I couldn't help but feel slightly confused, but after a quick glance around, I eventually figured out that I was in my room at Cair, laying in my bed and wrapped in blankets, so tightly I was actually surprised I could still breathe. "What-" I swallowed hard, forcing my words out. "What happened?"

Susan sighed, and removed her hand from my forehead, not looking very happy, and I belatedly realised that she was checking my temperature, and if her reaction was anything to go by, it was way too high. "Orious brought you back to Cair after you'd been injured." She said slowly. "He was barely in time actually, you almost - almost died... but Lucy used her cordial just before it was too - too late-"

Her eyes filled with tears, and my heart ached to see her so upset, so I reached out and grabbed her other hand which lay on the bed beside me, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "As you said." I choked. "Lucy healed me just in time, and I'm fine-"

Well...

"But why do I feel so tired and achy?" I asked. "You said Lucy healed my injuries."

Susan sighed. "You caught a fever." She said, squeezing my hand back with a sad smile. "Actually you've been unconscious for three days."

My eyes went wide. "Three days!" I exclaimed.

Susan nodded. "Your fever is slowly breaking today though." She said as she felt my forehead again. "But your temperature is still pretty high, and you probably should stay in bed for a few more days, just to be on the safe side."

I hesitantly nodded, although Susan knew I didn't really like staying in bed for days on end, and neither did Edmund now I came to think about it.

Hold on...

Edmund!

"Where's Edmund?" I asked probably a little too quickly, attempting to sit up.

But Susan carefully pushed me back down, keeping a hand on my shoulder to hold me there, and it worked... I couldn't say I was at my strongest at the moment.

I stared at her for a long while, and she stared back... and it was then that I realised she was hesitating... she didn't want to tell me, which could only mean one thing. "Su." I choked out. "Where's Edmund? What's happened to him?"

Susan hesitated again, and I was slowly becoming extremely worried. "Tell me Susan." I said firmly, but I expect all she could hear in my voice was panick.

After a while, she sighed and sat up straight, wiping at her eyes before taking a deep breath and beginning to talk. "You saved his life." She choked out.

I frowned. "I know." I said slowly. "I wasn't about to let him get stabbed, again."

"But you were stabbed." Susan choked. "The blade may of only gone in half way, but you still nearly died."

"You're changing the subject." I said, swallowing hard.

Susan stared at me for a while before nodding her head and taking another deep breath. "Edmund obviously had no choice but to stay behind and help end the battle. But the second they won, he returned to Cair and came straight to you." She paused and sniffed quietly, before eventually continuing. "He sat with you for a whole day, and then your fever took a turn for the worst."

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly.

"You could've died it was that bad." Susan practically whispered. "The healers said that it was probably brought on by an infection from the wound, before it was healed, and this scared Edmund... everyone could see it. After seeing you almost die twice, he - he needed some space, so he went out riding alone, with orders not to be followed unless-" Susan stopped.

"Unless I died." I sighed, finishing her sentence.

Susan nodded slowly before speaking again. "When he didn't return for a whole day, I couldn't help but send out people to search for him." She said. "When they brought him back though, he was unconscious."

My heart started to pound as I listened. "Why?" I whispered, although it hadn't meant to come out as a whisper. "What happened to him?"

"He ran into a hag." Susan told me, causing my eyes to go wide. "At first we weren't exactly sure what she did to him, but he hasn't woken since we brought him back and-"

"And?" I pressed when Susan swallowed hard and stopped talking again.

"And then the healers finaly found something out." Susan mumbled.

"What did they find out?" I asked, wishing she would just tell me already.

Susan sighed. "The hag cast a spell on him." She said. "We're not sure what spell, but we know that it's down to him now."

"What do you mean it's down to him?!" I exclaimed.

Susan stared at me, and it was clear she was hesitating again, but in the end she opened her mouth. "The hags spell is gonna kill him unless he can fight against it." She choked.

My heart stopped. "What?" I practically whispered.

"The spell is meant to kill him unless he's strong enough to fight against it." Susan explained.

"Where - Where is he?" I asked quickly, attempting to once again sit up.

But once again Susan held me down. "He's in his room." She said gently. "Lucy's with him, and I'll be with him soon. we've been swapping every two hours."

I stared at her for a second or two before taking a deep breath. "I - I need to see him." I choked, already pulling the blankets off.

"Peter no." Susan said quickly. "You're too weak."

"I don't care!" I argued, trying my best to get up. "I need to see him!"

"Peter you won't even make it from the room!" Susan snapped.

I glared at her. "Try me." I snapped back, shrugging her hand from my shoulder. "Now let me go."

"No Peter." Susan repeated firmly. "I won't let you."

"I need to see my brother!" I shouted, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and pulling harshly from her grip, and with that done, I stood before she could stop me. I didn't waste a second as I grabbed my cloak and began walking towards the door, fighting back the nausea as I stumbled.

"Peter get back in bed right now!" I heard Susan calling after me, but I just ignored her, although I probably shouldn't have, for the next thing I knew, I swayed and my legs buckled beneath me, sending me crashing to the floor, hitting my head hard on the edge of the desk as I fell. "Peter!"

I groaned and placed a hand to my head, bringing it back and blinking in shock at the blood on my fingers.

"Peter look at me."

I just about made out Susan knelt in front of me, and I was sure I was frowning at her.

It took a while, but eventually my vision cleared and I was able to see clearly and think straight.

"What is wrong with you!" Susan choked, already inspecting my head. "I told you you were too weak to walk."

I took a deep breath, before I had an idea. "Bring Edmund here." I mumbled.

"What?" Susan questioned, obviously having not quite heard me.

"I said, bring Edmund here." I repeated. "Put him in my bed, I'm staying with him and am gonna make sure he fights this."

Susan sighed. "Peter you're not well." She murmered. "You can't cope with looking after Ed."

I couldn't help but glare at her. "Yes I can." I said firmly. "Now bring him here before I go to him."

Susan clearly hesitated but in the end nodded her head. "I'll bring him in here if you get back into bed and let me tend to your head." She said.

I sighed. Of course she was gonna say something like that. "Fine." I said in the end. "But then Edmund comes straight here."

Susan nodded, before standing and slowly helping me to my feet. I staggered back to the bed, and Susan immediately grabbed a bowl of water and a cloth from my bedside table.

I lay still whilst she cleaned the wound on the side of my head, only flinching a few times but managing to stay still enough not to annoy my sister. "Now." I said slowly once she'd finished. "Bring Edmund here."

Susan nodded and hesitantly stood. "You'll be alright for a moment?" She asked.

I sighed. "Course I will." I replied, before nodding impatiently at the door.

Susan sighed but slowly left the room, closing the door quietly behind her as she did.

I waited impatiently for almost fifteen minutes, managing to sit up and lean against the headboard, blinking back sleep and telling myself that I had to stay awake... I had to see Edmund.

Finaly though the door was opened, and Susan walked back in, slowly followed by Lucy and Orious... and Orious had Edmund.

I didn't get a good look at my brother until he was layed beside me, but when I did, my heart broke.

He was unconscious, as Susan had said. His breathing was slow but almost desperate, his forehead sweaty and hair tangled.

He did nothing as he was layed on the bed and covered with a thin blanket, and I felt tears spring to my eyes, but I held them back, taking a deep breath and shuffling across the bed to lay beside Edmund.

Ignoring how Susan and Lucy were sadly watching me, I gently took hold of my brother and pulled him close against my chest, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and running a hand through his damp hair, bringing the blanket up to his chin with a sigh. "Ed." I murmered, my voice shaking. "Hey, I'm here now. I'm alright now, and now you have to be alright. You have to Ed. I know you can fight this, because you're strong. You can fight against this spell, you just have to."

"The healers said that if he wakes up it means he's fought against it and will live."

I swallowed hard as Susan said this, not taking my eyes off of my brother. "Hear that Ed?" I murmered. "All you have to do is wake up."

Edmund didn't respond, and only took a few heavy, deep, forced breaths, followed by a harsh cough before falling silent again.

I swallowed hard, a tear finaly slipping down my cheeks. "How - how long ago did you say the hag cast the spell?" I questioned, finaly looking up at Susan and Lucy.

"It was the day after you were brought back." Susan sighed. "So two days ago."

I nodded slowly, only to turn back to my brother two seconds later. "Please Ed." I whispered. "Just please wake up."

I heard Susan sigh, before she placed a hand gently on my shoulder. "Me and Lu are gonna go and find something for lunch okay?" She said. "We won't be long."

I nodded slowly and watched them as they, along with Orious, left the room, leaving just me and my still unconscious brother.

"Goodnight Peter." Susan said gently, leaning down and placing a kiss to the top of my head, before leaning across and doing the same to Edmund.

Edmund was unfortunately still unconscious... there had been no change in his for the whole afternoon or evening, he hadn't even moved from where he was curled up in my arms, his head resting against my shoulder.

"Night Susan." I replied gently, watching her as she left before turning to Edmund, taking a deep breath as tears filled my eyes. "Ed?" I murmered, running my hand gently through his tangled, sweat soaked hair. "I doubt you can hear me, but please wake up. You have to Ed, you just have to. Susan needs you, Lucy needs you, Narnia needs you, but probably more than anyone, I need you. You mean everything to me Ed, I'd be broken if you left. That - That's why I jumped in front of that sword three days ago, because I love you, and because I need you. I need you here with me Ed, so please, please just wake up, come back to me Ed... just come back to me."

I stared down at him, but he didn't move, didn't do anything.

A small sob escaped me, and I moved my hand from his hair to grip his hand tightly, running my thumb across his knuckles and just begging him to wake up, because really... I didn't know what else to do.

I had no idea what time it was until I heard a clock somewhere strike midnight, and that's when it happened.

Edmund squeezed my hand.

I stared, eyes wide with hope at my brothers face, hoping beyond hope that I hadn't just imagined it, and that Edmund truly was about to wake up.

My heart pounded, and I let out a sob of pure joy when Edmund squeezed my hand again... and this time, I was one hundred percent sure that my brother was finaly waking up.

Edmund had fought against the spell, and had won, he had been strong enough to fight it, and I'd never been prouder.

"Come on Ed." I choked out, my voice nothing but a whisper, but it was obvious Edmund heard me, for he frowned... if only slightly. "Come on, it's me, it's Peter."

Edmund's frown got deeper and finaly, after all this time... his eyes flickered open.

I stared at him, not caring that tears were rolling non stop down my cheeks, I only cared about my brother, who was currently staring at me, a look of shock and confusion in his eyes.

"Oh Eddy." I choked, running my hand once through his hair before placing a kiss to his forehead, trembling so hard I couldn't stop.

"Pete?"

I let out something between a laugh and another sob when Edmund said my name, and I found myself nodding my head as quickly as I could. "It's me Ed." I murmered. "It's me, I'm right here."

Edmund swallowed hard, and when he spoke again, I could hear the weakness in his voice. "You - you're alive?"

I chuckled at this. "Course I am." I murmered.

"But - But you were-" He stopped dead, obviously unable to say what he wanted to.

"Lucy got to me with her cordial just in time." I explained, my hand now continuously stroking through my brothers hair. "I woke up this morning."

Edmund nodded hesitantly, before frowning. "There - there was a hag." He said suddenly.

I hushed him quickly, nodding my head. "I know." I murmered. "I know. But you fought against the spell she placed on you, and you're alright now. I promise."

Edmund took a deep breath and slowly nodded, before his face fell. "Peter." He choked, before burying his face against my chest, sobbing loudly and hugging me with as much strength as he could manage.

I swallowed hard and hugged him back, resting my cheek on the top of his head and taking a deep breath. "I knew-" I choked on a sob, sniffing loudly. "I knew you'd come back to me."

The End

I decided it was about time Peter got hurt too, lol. Anyways, hope you liked this and thank you all so much for the reviews xx