It had been around three hours since the meeting, and the Pevensies were currently enjoying a bit of fresh air down the beach.

Lucy was paddling in the sea, the bottom of her dress already wet. Susan was walking up and down the shoreline, collecting seashells and pebbles and whatnot. Edmund was laying on the sand, eyes closed and hands behind his head, and Peter was sat watching his brother, a slight smile on his face.

Peter was glad that Edmund was able to take his mind off of what was going on, for the time being anyway.

But after a while Peter sighed, Edmund was beginning to shiver.

"Ed?" He said gently.

Edmund opened his eyes, giving Peter a questioning look.

"You don't have to stay out here if you don't want to." Peter told him. "If you're too cold you can go inside."

Edmund sighed a little as he slowly sat up. "I didn't think we'd be down here for this long." He said with a small smile.

Peter chuckled. "Lucy and Susan are having fun." He said with a shrug. "I didn't wanna ruin it. But you can go back if you want to."

Edmund took a deep breath. "I might just go and read in my room for a while." He said slowly. "Take my mind off everything."

Peter nodded. "That sounds like a good idea." He said gently. "I'll come up a little later alright?"

Edmund nodded in agreement and went to stand, only to stop when Peter spoke again. "My room or your room?" He asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

Edmund returned it and shook his head a little. "Your room I guess." He said with a small shrug.

Peter chuckled. "Alright." He breathed. "I'll see you later."

Edmund nodded. "See you later." He replied.

"And Ed?!" Peter called quickly.

Edmund turned around from where he'd began walking up the beach. "Yeah?" He asked.

"Stay safe." Peter sighed, giving his brother a sad smile.

Edmund nodded. "I will." He called back. "Don't worry."

Peter watched him go for a moment before turning back to face the sea, seeing Susan walking over, her hands full of seashells.

"Where'd Ed go?" She asked, sitting down beside Peter.

"He went inside to read for a while." Peter said slowly. "He got a little cold."

"It is rather chilly isn't it?" Susan said with a chuckle.

Peter nodded and looked down at the sand, letting out a quiet sigh.

"Peter?" Susan asked, frowning. "Are you alright?"

Peter swallowed hard. "Just a little worried." He mumbled.

Susan swallowed hard. "Talk to me." She said gently, reaching up and placing a hand on Peter's shoulder.

Her brother clearly hesitated, but in the end opened his mouth. "I'm worried about Ed." He choked. "About the fact that he's been framed by the witches followers (well, we think he has) and how the witches followers might attack at any minute."

"What are you getting at?" Susan questioned, frowning slightly.

"Su, what if they come after Ed?" Peter whispered. "There are so many of them, I don't know if I'd be able to protect him."

"What makes you think they'll come after him?" Susan sighed, but even she knew it was a huge possibility.

"Because they want him dead, its obvious." Peter mumbled. "Why else would they frame him. They want him hated, they want him gone... dead, they have for three years."

Susan sighed. "You'll protect him Peter," she sighed. "We all will."

"What if we cant!" Peter choked. "We're already outnumbered by loads!"

"Well," Susan said slowly. "What do you wanna do?"

Peter hesitated. "I was thinking of maybe-" He swallowed hard. "Maybe sending him away from Cair?"

Susan looked shocked, but tried to hide it. "Wouldn't they just go looking for him?" She asked.

"Not if we come up with some story or something?" Peter said with a shrug. "Like he's already dead."

"And how would we explain that?" Susan said with a sigh.

Peter swallowed hard and shook his head. "I don't know." He murmered. "But I do know that I can't let him get hurt! Not again."

"We'll find some way to protect him." Susan said gently. "I promise you we will."

Peter gave her a small smile followed by a nod, before he opened his mouth. "You know what." He sighed. "I'm gonna go up there with him."

Susan nodded in understanding. "Alright." She mumbled, placing a quick kiss to Peter's forehead before heading off to join Lucy.

Peter watched his sisters for a moment, smirking a little when Lucy splashed Susan, before he stood from the sand and headed back to the castle.

He was lost in his thoughts for the whole walk, and he wasn't at all surprised by all the frowns he got, some people actually asking him if he was alright.

He always just nodded his head before immediately continuing, running a hand through his hair multiple times, knocking his crown side ways every time.

By the time he reached his room, his hair was sticking up on end and his worry had doubled, he didn't know why exactly, but it seemed he didn't like having Edmund out of his sight at the moment.

After managing to calm himself down slightly, he grabbed the door handle and stepped into the room, expecting to find Edmund on his bed with a book.

But what he saw instead, caused his worry to triple.

Edmund was indeed lying in bed, but his eyes were closed, and his book was laying open across his chest.

But this wasn't exactly what caught Peter's attention... The hag was what did.

She was stood over Edmund, a dagger in her hand and an evil smirk on her face. "Now." The hag chuckled, and Peter saw Edmund's eyes flicker slightly... he was awake. "Die!"

"No!" Peter screamed, unsheathing his sword and lunging across the room.

He didn't hesitate in the slightest as he shoved his sword through the hags heart, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the dagger hadn't reached his brother.

The hag screeched loudly before dropping to the floor, quite clearly dead.

Peter dropped his sword and sat beside Edmund, who's eyes were partly open, nothing but fear on his face. "Ed?" He choked quickly. "Ed are you alright?"

"P - Pete?" Edmund replied, voice barely above a whisper.

"It's me." Peter murmered. "It's alright, you're safe."

Edmund shook his head, causing Peter's heart to speed up even more.

"Ed?" He questioned, his voice shaking.

Edmund swallowed hard and grabbed Peter's hand, placing it gently against his stomach.

Peter froze when his hands met something wet, and looking down, found a huge slash going straight across Edmund's stomach, bleeding at an alarming rate.

"Ed."

Cliffhanger!! :) hope you liked this chapter xx