I dont own Narnia!

Peter rapped on Lucy's bedchamber door. Hearing no response, he inched the creaky wooden door open slowly and glanced inside the room. Lucy, laying on her bed, facing the door, lifted her head the tiniest bit upon hearing it open, but quickly dropped back down onto her pillow. Peter entered the room, shut the door behind him, and crossed the room, settling himself on the bed across from her. Lucy was visibly upset; a wet spot shone prominently on the side of her pillow and she was sniffling, her shoulders jerking now and then in little hitches. "Sit up, Lucy," Peter said, sliding a hand underneath her. He pulled her up to a sitting position (with little to no assistance from his sister). "Why are you crying?" he asked her flatly. She stuck her lower lip out.

"You're mad at me," she whimpered, rubbing at her eyes.

"Do you know why I'm upset?"

"You are mad at me!" Lucy crossed her arms, lower lip protruding even further out (though how it was possible was beyond Peter).

"That's not what I said. I said that I'm upset. Do you know why I'm upset?" Lucy scowled at the floor. "Is that a 'no'?" She made a little sound of displeasure but still said nothing. Peter gave an impatient little sigh. "Right, then how about I tell you. Look at me." Lucy gave him a dirty look out of the corner of her eye. "Lucy, the way you acted downstairs was selfish and rude. How would you like it if you received a very special present and Edmund acted that way towards you?"

"I just wanted to hold it!" she whined. "I wasn't the one being selfish, Edmund was! And Susan wouldn't let me look at it or look at the note or anything!" Her voice cracked and tears filled her eyes once more. "Everyone was being mean to me." The sight of his little sister so sad caused Peter's stern demeanor to crack, and after a brief pause, he pulled her towards him and up into his lap. She leaned against his shoulder and turned her face into it, sobbing quietly.

"Shhh," he rubbed her back. "I'm sorry that it felt that way to you. No one was trying to be mean to you or make you sad, we just wanted to give Edmund a chance to fully enjoy his gift before everyone else had a go at it. It wouldn't be very much fun if you were to receive something very special and beautiful and the rest of us immediately wanted a go at it before you got a chance to really see it. Would that be very fun?" Lucy shook her head no. "Do you think it was nice of you to keep trying to get in the way while he was opening his gift?"

"But I wasn't--"

"Yes, you did, Lu. I watched you. You took every opportunity to try to grab at his note, open his package--and then you shouted at Susan for keeping you from touching the horse after Edmund had already told you no. I think that if I were Edmund, the way that you acted would make me very sad." He sat her up so he could look at her.. "I think you took away a little bit of the fun for him. It was supposed to be about Edmund. Instead, you made it about you."

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered softly, head bowed.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to," Peter tipped her chin up, "though I can appreciate that. You can say you're sorry to Susan and Ed in the morning. It's time for you to go to bed now." Lucy didn't protest, just sheepishly allowed Peter to move her into her bed, where he tucked the covers under her. "And Lucy? Much as I love you, if I ever hear you shout at Susan that way again, I'm going to bend you over my knees and give you a spanking." Lucy's eyes widened in shock and she pulled the covers up over her mouth. "Just because we're now here in Narnia and living in a castle doesn't mean that I won't still discipline you if I see fit. You're not allowed to be rude." Lucy mumbled something from under her blanket. "Pardon?" Peter raised an eyebrow, tugging down the sheet that was covering her mouth.

"You're not Dad," she whispered, her little fingers grappling to pull the sheet back up.

"No, I'm not," he snapped, perhaps a little too sharply, "as you've all been rather eager to remind me. But if Dad were here and he were to see and hear you act that way, he would do the same thing and you know it. Mum told me to watch over all of you and that's what I'm doing. So. You do that or anything like it again and you're getting a spanking, Lucy. Understood?" Lucy lay frozen under her covers. "Do you understand?" Peter repeated, impatient. He was rewarded with a tiny nod. "Good."

Peter stood, bending down to kiss Lucy's forehead. "I love you, Lu-Lu. Let's have a better morning, yeah?" He brushed his thumb over her forehead and her cheek, but she was morose and unresponsive. He sighed. "Goodnight, darling," he gave her shoulder a little squeeze before rising and exiting the room.

When Peter returned downstairs, he found his sibling waiting for him expectantly, a large slice of cake placed on a saucer at his place at the table. He gave a little exclamation of joy, sank down, and shoveled a monsterous bite into his mouth, sinking back with his eyes closed in pure bliss. He struggled to chew, but finally managed to find a way. He swallowed and let out a sigh of contentment. "So good." He laughed at Susan's face of disgust. She blinked rapidly, the picture of disdain.

"Are you going to marry it as well?"

"Y'know, that's not a bad idea," Peter quipped, taking another bite, this time of a more manageable size. Susan rolled her eyes. The siblings continued to enjoy their cake, Peter missing the telling glances between Susan and Edmund. Edmund finally raised both eyebrows at Susan and jutted his head out a bit, as if to say, 'go on!'

"How is Lucy?" Susan asked at last.

"Sleeping, I hope," Peter answered. "You'll both get an apology from her tomorrow."

"Did you--" Edmund started

"No," Peter interjected, drawing an indignant look from both siblings. "I was going to," he added quickly, "but I was able to get through to her without. Isn't that the point? Last resort?"

"Wasn't a last resort this weekend when you walloped me for forgetting to sign those documents," Edmund mumbled saucily. Peter narrowed his eyes at him.

"I reminded you prior. I'm not going over it again. And I told Lucy," he turned to Susan, "that if I ever heard her raise her voice at you like that again, I was going to give her a spanking."

"I'm sure she was petrified," Edmund rose from the table, plate in hand. "Goodnight." He walked quickly out of the room.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Peter called after him.

"I think he perhaps feels a bit like you favour Lucy," Susan spoke quietly.

"What? I don't!"

"Well, yes, I know," she added, "it's just that...well, he finds himself in trouble a lot."

"He does things that land him in trouble quite often," Peter countered. "That has nothing to do with favor." Susan seemed to open her mouth to say something and then to decide against it. "What?"

"You don't..." She stopped and then began again. "You...don't really discipline Lucy."

"Oh?" Peter sat up in his chair.

"It just seems to me, and perhaps to Edmund, that whenever he is disrespectful or disobedient, you spank him, but whenever Lucy disobeys or is disrespectful, you send her to her room and talk to her or give her a warning without any follow-up. It's not very fair and I can see where Edmund would feel a bit slighted. That's all," she finished quickly. "But I could be mistaken."

"I don't feel that Lucy often needs to be spanked," Peter said. "She does well with a bit of a scolding. I'ven't hardly had any need to progress it further."

"But you find a need to do so with Edmund, all the time. When was the last time that you gave Edmund a talking-to with no more than the threat of a spanking if the behaviour continued?" Peter bit his bottom lip, stuck. "You may not always realize you're doing it," Susan added gently, "but it undoubtedly comes across as favouritism to Edmund. I'd suggest you either extend him a bit more grace or be a little stricter with Lucy from here on out." She stood and came to his side, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Finish your cake," she murmured, gently tussling his hair. "Goodnight, Peter."

He cleared his throat. "Erm, g'night, Su." And then she was gone. Peter sighed tiredly. He had a fair amount to think on.

To be continued!