Chapter 13

Edmund's Revival

Edmund sat on the dirty ground that night in the witch's camp, tied very tightly to a tree. The gag was still stuffed in his mouth, so he couldn't speak when the members of her army poked, prodded, and threw insults at him. Well, he could yell, but was too exhausted to bother.

As he sat there, the image of Ethan's ghostly form was still embedded in his mind. Why, he kept repeating to himself, had Peter's friend appeared to him? He hadn't exactly been kind to Ethan, but he hadn't been nasty to him either. In fact, the entire time Ethan stayed at the Pevensie's summer cottage, Edmund ignored him.

Still, the older boy came, promising that everything was going to be all right. Edmund let out a soft moan, wiggling his sore fingers, and wanting desparately to stand up and stretch. The witch was ordering her soldiers about, telling them to sharpen their weapons and to create extra armor. She kept her eyes on Edmund, sneering as he struggled against the ropes, and did nothing to stop Ginarrbrick, who kicked him in the ribs to shut him up.

Edmund gasped in pain, doubling over; where were his reinforcements? Had they forgotten about him? He felt tears spring to his eyes, though he fought to keep them from falling. The sound of metal against steal was deafening; as the creatures of Jadis' army prepared for the upcoming battle.

He felt his stomach rumble painfully with hunger again, and tried to sleep it off. He leaned his head against the trunk, and heard Jadis speaking to one of her creatures, taking her eyes for the first time, off of Edmund.

Edmund?

Emund's eyes snapped open, and he strained his neck to look over his shoulder. He let out a small squeak, biting down on the gag, and saw Ethan's shadowy figure peering out from a thicket of bushes. He could see a centaur and several, bird-like creatures hiding, too, and they were all staring at him curiously.

Don't make a sound. I promised you we'd come…

Edmund gulped; his throat was very dry. He slowly turned towards the witch, a sharp pain shooting through his neck and back. Jadis still wasn't paying attention to him; it was pure luck that he was being given this much time to himself. If he could even call it that; it was the longest he'd gone without being tortured, anyway.

He heard a sudden squawk, which caused silence throughout the campsite, and Jadis raised her head, alarmed. Two birds, with the top half of an eagle and the bottom half of a leapord, came zooming at her, and began scratching at her face with their sharp talons.

Edmund stared at the sight, and felt the cords around his wrists loosen. He brought his hands to the front of him, staring at the scars the ropes left in his flesh. They were raw and bleeding a little, but they weren't all that bad. He was able to reach up and untie the gag from his head, stretching out his jawbone. When he finally lifted his head, Ethan was right beside him, and the great Centaur came charging up with his sword raised high.

"Get up, Edmund," Ethan hissed. "We have no time."

"He'll not get very far walking," another of the strange eagle-like creatures replied. "We'll take care of it. Hold tight, your highness." He flew up into the air, and before Edmund knew what was happening, he was being raised far above the ground. His stomach lurched with the sudden change in height, and he could see the witch still fighting off her intruders, shrieking wih rage.

"Where are we going?" Edmund asked, once he managed to find his voice, and when they were far enough away from the danger.

"I believe you already know the answer to that question, sire," the bird told him, and Edmund swallowed hard. He did not say another word until they reached the site of Aslan's great camp, in which there were pin pricks of light from torches. He saw hardly a soul, which meant it was probably very late in deed.

The sky was so clear, that Edmund found himself mesmorized by the thousands of diamond-shaped stars. They looked to be so close, that he could almost reach out and touch them.

Eventually, they began to descend to the lush green grass, and the bird allowed Edmund to drop gently with a small thud. When he raised his head, he found he was facing a great tent, and, peering through the darkness of the opening, was a pair of yellow eyes.

Edmund gulped anxiously as a great lion eventually came out, its mouth in a firm line. He did not even need to be told who it was; Edmund knew. "Aslan," he breathed, and there was a low growl deep from the lion's throat. "Please…is…is Peter all right?"

Aslan did not answer for a moment or two, and Edmund felt his heart racing madly against his chest.

"Your brother will be all right in time," he replied in a stern tone. "Edmund. You have put your siblings through a great deal of pain over the past couple of days. Peter, especially. I do hope you realize this?"

Edmund swallowed, lowering his head. "Yes," he said quietly. "I…" he paused, and Aslan let out another low rumble from his throat. "Come, my son, and we will walk. There is much we must talk about."

Edmund nodded slowly, glancing over his shoulder at the tent, and then turned his full attention back to the lion. They passed several groupings of tents, and Aslan pointed to the ones in which his siblings slept.

"Your brother was very ill to-day," Aslan told him as they passed Peter's quarters.

Edmund bit his lip, feeling his throat choke up with tears. The campsite was growing further and further away; they were approaching an open field at this point in time. It was growing very cold, and Edmund could see his breath coming out in white puffs. They reached the center of the field, overlooking a range of hills and cliffs, and mountaintops in the distance. A great wood stood behind them, the pines casting eerie shadows before them.

"You wish to say something, my son. Please, do not hesitate," Aslan spoke again, and Edmund raised his head, startled.

"I..." he swallowed hard. "When I met the witch in Narnia, I didn't think something bad would happen," he finally spoke. "I didn't know she was the witch…I thought…"

Aslan continued to gaze firmly at him. "You did not think, Edmund, and that, I believe, is the root of your troubles. You act too quickly on your impulses, my son…a fault that many have struggled with. But there will be a way to overcome this fault, if you are willing, in your heart, to be truly sorry for what you have done. I know the tension between you and Peter has gone back a long way, my son, and you do not need to recall any of it to me. Are you truly sorry for the pain you have caused, Edmund?"

Edmund nodded, his eyes lowered. "Yes," he replied, and Aslan smiled at last.

"You are able to look at me, my son. I do believe you are sorry for what you have done."

Edmund raised his head and looked at the great lion, wetting his lips. "There now. I realize, that the tension between you and Peter goes back quite a long way, but there is no need to speak to me of it. A new day is dawning…" he nodded towards the horizon, where the sun was slowly starting to come up, casting a slight orange glow over the land. "All will be forgiven."

Edmund reached forward and touched Aslan's soft fur, burying his face against the great, fluffy mane. Aslan let out a pur, stretching his long body out onto the dewy grass. He allowed Edmund to curl up against him as the sun slowly made it's appearance into a clear blue sky, casting a golden light over both of them.

Edmund was smiling by the time Aslan announced it was time to return to the camp. "I have never wanted to see Peter so badly," he admitted as they approached the campsite. Already, dyrads and fauns were hustling about, preparing breakfast for the army.

"It is still early, my son," Aslan told him quietly. "your brother still has quite a bit of healing to do. He needs his rest. But you will see your siblings soon enough. For now, we will retire to the hilltop, and wait until breakfast has been prepared."

Edmund heard his stomach give a loud rumble at the mention of breakfast, and Aslan chuckled.

"There will be plenty for you to eat," he insisted, and sat down on his haunches, allowing Edmund to take in his new surroundings.

It wasn't for another hour, though, that Susan and Lucy came out of their tent to greet the day. Lucy lifted her face towards the sunshine, and when she lowered it, she gasped aloud. Susan, in the midst of a yawn, was about to inquire what the matter was, and her eyes widened when she realized.

"Edmund," she breathed, and they heard a cough from Peter's tent.

"Peter, Peter," Lucy gasped, and ran to peer through the flap of her brother's quarters. She could see him sitting up, looking pale, but somewhat well-rested. "Come out, you have to see!"

"Mmm," he croaked. "What is it, Lu?"

"Just come on," she begged, and, after he changed and put on his shoes, he followed her. He stopped short, just as Lucy shouted, "Edmund!" she went to dash for her brother, who still stood on the hill, but Susan held her back.

Edmund turned to Aslan after he heard her cry, and the lion nodded permission. "You may go to them," he said, and after wrapping his arms around Aslan's neck in a tight hug, he dashed down the hillside and towards his siblings.

He stopped a few inches away from them when he arrived, and the four of them stood looking at each other awkwardly.

Aslan soon came down from the hill behind them, and he gave Edmund an encouraging nudge forward. "There is no need to speak to Edmund about what is past," he said, and with that, Lucy leapt into his arms, burying her face against his chest. Edmund nearly fell backwards, but clutched her tight, before accepting a hug and kiss on the forehead from Susan.

"Are you all right?" she breathed, and he smiled softly.

"I'm a bit tired," he admitted, and looked at Peter, who hadn't moved. The girls held their breaths, not sure how Peter was going to react to Edmund's presence. However, he didn't need to…Edmund suddenly raced forward, embracing his eldest brother in a rib-crushing hug. Peter held tightly onto Edmund, startled, but knew what his younger brother's intention was.

Peter kissed the top of Edmund's head after a moment or two, and smiled. "You should get some sleep," he said softly. "There is an extra cot in my tent."

Edmund smiled gratefully, though his stomach gave another loud growl, and Lucy giggled. "One of the dyrads will bring breakfast to you," she said, and he nodded.

Oerius came past just as Peter turned to one side and sneezed, a bit surprised; he hadn't done that since he entered Narnia. "KeshEESH!"

The girls stared at each other, and both turned to Edmund, who had paused before going into the tent. Oreius had an eyebrow raised and frowned, grunting under his breath in annoyance.

"Bless you," Edmund called, and Peter looked up, stunned. He nodded his thanks and ordered his brother away with a wave of his hand.

"You should rest too," Susan soothed after Edmund disappeared through the main flap. "We still have a full day until the battle."

Peter watched as a dyrad ducked under the flap of his tent with meal plates, and looked at them. "Go and eat some breakfast," he encouraged, kissing each on the forehead.

"Promise you'll rest?" Susan asked, and he smirked.

"I promise," he said, placing a hand over his heart, and she grinned, giving him a hug.

"I love you," she whispered, before following Lucy into their tent.

When Peter eventually joined Edmund, he found his brother sitting on the edge of his cot, staring at his plate of steak and eggs. A fresh piece of bread sat on the corner of the plate, and a cup of wine at his feet.

"Are you all right?" Peter asked, sitting down with his own food, and putting the plate on his knees to steady it.

Edmund wet his lips, reaching down to pick up his glass, and took a sip of the bittersweet drink. "I…Peter…" he looked up. "There's something I want to tell you, but I don't know how to start."

Peter smiled. "It's all right, Ed," he promised, and Edmund shook his head.

"No, it's not that. It's…something else. It's strange, really. I don't know how to say it. But I saw…I thought I saw…" he paused, not sure if he wanted to see his brother's expression. "You're going to think I'm mad," he added, and Peter snorted, taking a small bite of his breakfast.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, and Edmund smiled softly.

"It's okay. But…when I was still in the witch's camp, I saw him, Peter."

Peter lowered his glass, his eyes narrowing. "Aslan?"

"No…" Edmund bit his lip. "Not at first. Ethan. I saw Ethan."

There was a crash as Peter's glass fell to the ground and shattered, wine spilling all over. Edmund jumped, catching his plate before it fell also.

"Peter, I'm sorry…I didn't mean," Edmund breathed, watching as the expression on his brother's face changed instantly.

"No, no…" Peter squeaked, and Edmund set his plate on the cot, and went to stand beside his brother. "It's not your fault."

"I don't even know if I saw him or not," Edmund admitted. "I though it might have been a trick of the light."

Peter swallowed, pressing the back of his hand against his lips. "It wasn't," he said softly, and Edmund raised an eyebrow.

"He's here?" he breathed, and Peter looked up, his eyes filled with tears. "In Narnia?"

Peter swallowed. "I think Im going to be sick," he whispered, and Edmund immediately helped Peter to his feet, bringing him outside. The two of them dashed to a clear patch of ground that was fairly far away from the others, and rubbed his back while he vomited onto the grass.

"I'm sorry," Edmund gasped. "Peter, I'm really…"

Peter gasped after he finished, sweat pouring down his face. Edmund helped his brother sit down for a moment, encouraging him to put his head between his knees. "It scared me, too," he said. "I don't know why he came, Peter. I didn't even know him that well. Actually, I was rotten to him, really."

Peter took a trembling breath, massaging his throbbing forehead.

"Is everything all right, sir?" The cheetah who had come to fetch Peter the night of his meeting with Ethan, came to check on them.

"Yes," Edmund insisted. "Could you bring a canteen of water, though? Thanks," he said, when the animal gave a small bow, and let them be.

Peter looked at Edmund after a moment or two of silence. "I'm sorry I didn't come, Peter," Edmund whispered after a moment, and Peter looked at him. "When you…I mean…"

"Ed, I know," Peter promised, smiling weakly. "I know."

"What if you'd died in the hospital, and I…I didn't get the chance to say goodbye?" Edmund asked, as water was brought to both of them, along with Susan and Lucy, who were both worried.

"You threw up?" Susan gasped, and Peter looked at her.

"Let us be, girls," he warned, and Lucy bit her lip.

"Oh, but…" she said, and Edmund nodded.

"He's all right," he said, and Susan handed the canteens to them, urging Lucy away. When they were gone, Edmund turned back to Peter.

"Edmund, what happened to me last night hurt more than anything I've ever felt," he said, struggling to his feet after drinking from the canteen. "Ethan told me he saw you. He told me you were going to be fine."

"So you saw him, too?" Edmund breathed. "Wow."

"Yes," Peter replied, folding his arms. "I still have a lot to think about. I'm still sick, Edmund, but I'm getting better. I've been feeling a lot stronger since we came into Narnia, but I…I have to fight in this battle. That's the only way anything can be helped."

Edmund smiled. "Yes," he nodded. "Yes you do." He lowered his head.

"And about what happened at the hospital," Peter continued, "didn't Aslan tell you not to dwell on the past?"

Edmund nodded. "I know," he said softly. "And I'm not disobeying him, truly I'm not. I suppose, what I wanted to really say, was that…" he bit his lip. "I love you, Peter. I never really wanted anything to happen to you."

Peter smiled softly. "I love you too, Edmund."

Edmund looked over his shoulder. "Well, I suppose we should go back," he said, and Peter patted his shoulder.

"I'm glad you told me this," he said quietly. .

"When you…if you…see Ethan again," Edmund continued, "tell him I'm sorry."

Peter nodded. "I'm sure he knows," he replied. "Go on to bed. We'll get in some sword practice later."

Edmund laughed. "All right," he agreed. "We'll show them all."

Peter ruffled his hair and sent him along, before following in his wake shortly afterwards.