I was reminded by Obiter about the style of language used back then. I forgot, like the a-hole I am.

Carrying on.

Chapter Seven

Not in Love

"I'm sure you've got a perfectly good excuse this time," Peter said. He had been sitting in the stable, leaning casually against the gate.

"I was riding Phillip," Edmund replied, leading his horse inside.

"Without telling us?" Peter snapped.

"I forgot," Edmund said.

"Edmund, you are a King of Narnia. You don't have all the time to take such leisurely rides. We have business to do. Things aren't always going to be so easy," Peter warned.

"Just this once!" Edmund argued.

Peter glared at his little brother. Never before had Edmund talked like this to him since he had been a foolish little boy and betrayed them.

"I want you inside, now," Peter said evenly.

Edmund left Phillip to some servants and trailed after his brother.

Later that night, Edmund sat in his room staring out at the sea.

Please tell me I'm going to see you again. Niara's words echoed constantly in his mind. No, he couldn't love the little nymph. He had only known her for a day! Yet last night he had dreamed about her.

This is starting to become a big deal when it's not! Edmund's conscience roared at him.

No, it's not, he argued in his mind.

Yes, it is. You are beginning to love her.

I am not!

She's acted like she's known you for years and it's only been a day. ONE DAY. She's being dramatic just because of Jylese. Maybe she does like that insolent water nymph and is just trying not to hurt your feelings.

That's not true! Shut up!

Upon screaming this in his mind, he didn't want to think anymore, and went to sleep. In the morning, the first thing he thought of was the insane conversation he had with himself. He groaned and wanted to go back to sleep.

"I just won't go visit Niara today, that's all," he murmured to himself as he got up. "I never see her flop up to Cair Paravel while I always have to go down to the beach with the risk of Jylese to see her. Why can't that stupid nymph just come here? No weird possessive girl is threatening her here."

Feeling a little satisfied, Edmund got ready and went downstairs to eat. He was quiet through breakfast and daily training. He barely spoke through the meetings of the small problems going throughout Narnia—scarce food for one family, one of the few Witch's escaped scum spotted that needed to be destroyed, and so on. He let his siblings handle all the things as he quietly sat off to the side.

Peter and Susan didn't notice. But the loving, worried Lucy, grabbed Edmund's hand.

"Something is wrong, Ed. Again," Lucy said.

"What is it?" Edmund asked.

"Silly, it's you. You've been so quiet today," Lucy chided.

"No, I haven't," Edmund protested. As much as he loved his little sister, he still didn't like admitting he was wrong to her. It had stuck for a long time, and he could never seem to get rid of it. Things were so much easier to admit to Susan and Peter, preferably Susan.

"Something is on your mind. At least tell it to one of the others," Lucy said.

"Why?" was the challenging reply.

"Well, you obviously won't tell me," Lucy returned.

"What if it's because there's nothing going on?" Edmund answered. He pulled his arm away from Lucy and walked away.

Lucy stared in disbelief after her brother. How could he treat her like this? Being the sensitive, sweet girl she was, she almost cried, but held it back and went to find Susan and Peter.