Edmund stared at his brother, mouth open and eyes slightly wide. "What do you mean I need to leave?" He choked.

Peter took a deep breath. "I - I can't let you get hurt Ed." He said, shaking his head slowly. "If you leave Cair, you'll be safe."

"Yeah," Edmund said. "Safe until they realise I'm not in the castle!"

Peter thought for a moment. "We tell them the hag succeeded in - in killing you." He mumbled.

Edmund stared at Peter for a long while, so long in fact that Peter frowned. "Ed?" He asked slowly.

After a short pause Edmund opened his mouth. "I - I don't want to leave." He choked.

Peter's face fell. "And I don't want you to either." He choked, shuffling over to sit beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close, being as careful as he could. "But I also don't want you to get hurt, or worse."

Edmund sniffed quietly and buried his face against Peter's chest. "You know-" He said, a joking tone to his voice. "The other night when I said it's not like I can leave, I didn't actually think you'd take it seriously."

Peter smirked slightly. "Well, you should know me by now." He said.

"Why can't one of us go with him?" Lucy asked suddenly.

Peter sighed. "It's too risky." He said. "We want them to believe that Ed's already dead, and if one of us goes with him, I very much doubt they'd believe it."

"What makes you think they'll believe it anyway?" Susan said, sounding worried.

"Nothing." Peter said with a sigh. "But I don't think we have a choice."

"When - When will he leave?" Lucy whispered.

"By tomorrow." Peter said, forcing the words out of his mouth as he grip around his brother tightened considerably. "We'll ask Orious if the army has moved at all, if they have, he leaves today, if they haven't, then tomorrow."

"Peter." Susan said slowly. "It's winter."

Peter felt Edmund freeze in his arms, and forced back a sob. "I - I know." He whispered. "But- But hey,"

Edmund glanced up at him when Peter placed a kiss to the top of his head.

"You'll be alright." Peter told him gently, running a hand through his brothers hair. "You're brave, you can get through it."

Edmund swallowed hard and shook his head. "I - I hate winter." He mumbled. "I - I hate the nightmares, you - you know that."

"I do know Ed." Peter replied quietly. "But I don't know what else to do."

Edmund sighed, he didn't either.

"It'll only be for maybe a few days." Peter reassured him. "The second we've defeated the witches followers, I'll come looking for you."

Edmund stared at him. "The second you've defeated them?" He choked.

Peter nodded. "I won't even stop to rest before coming and looking for you." He said firmly.

Edmund sighed slightly and nodded before burying his face against Peter's chest. "Okay." He breathed, voice slightly muffled against Peter's tunic.

Peter nodded slowly and glanced up at Susan and Lucy, who both had tears in their eyes, looking equally worried and relieved.

After a moment Susan sighed and stood from the bed. "I'll go and talk to Orious." She said gently. "See if the army has moved at all."

Peter nodded a little. "Thanks." He breathed.

Susan smiled sadly at her three siblings before slipping from the room, Peter, after she'd gone turning to Lucy.

"I want you to use your cordial on Edmund." He said firmly.

Edmund's head jerked up at this. "Why?" He asked, frowning. "Even the healers said to save it for more serious injuries."

"Ed, I'm not having you wondering around the woods with a hardly healed gash on your stomach." Peter muttered. "You're taking the cordial and I don't wanna hear anything else about it."

Edmund stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Alright." He breathed.

Peter nodded at Lucy, who immediately grabbed her cordial, opening it and shuffling over to sit beside her brother.

Edmund was a little hesitant at first, but after a firm nudge from Peter, he reluctantly opened his mouth.

Peter watched as one drop of the cordial fell into his mouth, and relaxed considerably when the wound quite obviously healed over.

The pain on Edmund's face slowly disappeared as he pulled from Peter's arms and sat up, carefully removing the bandage and sighing in relief when there was no wound. "Thanks." He murmered to Lucy, giving her a quick smile.

Lucy smiled back, before wrapping her arms tightly around Edmund's neck. "I'll miss you." She choked.

Edmund hugged her back, tears stinging his eyes. "I'll miss you too Lucy." He murmered. "But hey, I'll only be gone a few days, I'll be back before you know it."

Lucy smiled a little more as she pulled away, nodding her head a little before turning when the door opened.

"So?" Peter questioned as Susan walked back over to the bed.

Susan sighed and sat down, glancing sadly at Edmund before looking up to Peter. "They've moved." She mumbled.

"How - How far away are they?" Peter asked, wrapping his arm back around Edmund's waist.

Susan swallowed hard. "About five hours away." She sighed.

Peter felt Edmund stiffen, and couldn't hold back the tears that rolled down his cheek, as much as he tried to. "You have to leave Ed." He whispered. "You need a good amount of time to get as far away as you can."

Edmund took a deep breath and glanced up at him. "I-" He choked, swallowing hard. "I can't."

Peter sighed and pulled Edmund gently against his chest, placing a kiss to the top of his head. "Yes you can Ed." He murmered. "You're the bravest person I know. I just know you can do this."

"But it's winter." Edmund cried, sniffing loudly and burying his face against his brothers neck.

"I know, I know." Peter sighed. "But we went over this, you can do it. And the second the army has been defeated, I'm gonna come and find you, right?"

Edmund hesitantly nodded. "Right." He copied.

Peter nodded slowly before glancing up at Susan. "Would you be able to go and pack some food and drink?" He asked. "Just don't give away why."

Susan frowned. "How come?" She asked.

Peter shook his head. "We can't risk anyone finding out about this." He explained. "We don't know who trusts Ed and who doesn't. If someone hates him, who knows what they'd do. I mean, they could tell the army."

Susan stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "I'll go do that." She sighed, before once again leaving the room.

"Ed?" Peter asked, catching the attention of his brother. "What do you say we go up to your room and pack some warm clothes?"

Edmund swallowed hard and nodded, pulling from Peter's grasp and wiping at his eyes.

"Lu, come with us?" Peter suggested, glancing at his little sister as she slipped off the bed.

"Course." Lucy replied, forcing a smile onto her face for the sake of her brothers.

Peter nodded a little and lead his siblings towards the door, but as they reached it, he could've sworn he heard footsteps running down the corridor outside.

Shaking his head and telling himself that it might've been Susan, he wrapped his arm around Edmund's shoulders, and led him and Lucy up to Edmund's room.

Kind of a sad chapter, but oh well. I'll see you all next Tuesday xx