Hey everybody! Sorry this chapter took a long time to put out. Band geeks rule!!!

Thanks to Swanwhite2, TimeMage0955, Theophila, imakeladrygirl, and ChabeMica for reviewing last chapter!

Chapter 2

Edmund felt very uncomfortable. Sitting in a plush carriage wasn't bad, but there was tension in every corner of the carriage coming from Edmund's hosts. It was a very silent ride from the boat to the Manor, but probably the loudest silence Edmund had ever heard. There were definitely some problems, grudges, and quarrels within the Bridger family. He glanced at his hosts.

The young lady, Andernil, looked exhausted. She would have been pretty if she didn't have those bags, wispy light hair, or pale white skin. She must have a lot of burdens put on her that sapped her of every color or glow that she had. She looked as if a breath of wind would blow her away. Edmund wondered what would make her happy again.

The older man, Pennwath, looked as if he had a keen memory of arguments and past grudges. Sitting with a stiff collar and an iron gray mustache, he looked terribly legalistic and prudent. Edmund could bet he was a scholar and spent a lot of his days in a library reading thin, dry pages of long-forgotten philosophers and historians.

Edmund looked at the little boy Freddy and gave him a grin. He was probably the most friendly member of the family but Edmund coud spot loneliness from behind his big brown eyes. Edmund could guess that he was the only child on the island.

The young man Saphad looked as if he was very irresponsible. Edmund could tell by his mismatched tunic, untied boot and messy hair, that he didn't keep himself too clean either. Probably a nice man in all other respects.

"Well, King Edmund, what were you planning on doing while you were here?" asked Saphad who spotted Edmund looking at him.

"Oh, erm..." stuttered Edmund. He had no idea what to say. Luckily for him, Andernil broke in and said,

"I thought that we might go to the seaside tomorrow and maybe have a picnic."

"Andernil!" Saphad groaned, "They're not children!"

"I was only suggesting!" Andernil flushed, "You needn't get so worked up about it!"

"I'm not getting worked up! You're the one who---"

"I think it's a lovely idea," Lucy said, trying to make peace and bringing an end to the argument.

A few minutes past slowly before the Manor came into view. Edmund gasped. It was a huge, gray fortress with a spiky, black fence running across it. There were a lot of towers and bulwarks and it looked as if it were built for war. It looked to Edmund that it would defend from an outside attack, but it obviously couldn't prevent the battles between the family inside of it.

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Edmund untangled himself from the bedclothes in his room. Lucy had insisted that he take a nap and Edmund was glad that he followed her advice. He felt wonderfully refreshed, not to mention a bit more energized. He spotted a pitcher of water and a glass on a table and eagerly reached for a drink, but before he could put the cup to his lips, something wet and slimy jumped from the brim to Edmund's face. He yelled and sputtered and realized that it was a frog. Just as he threw the frog out the window he heard giggling.

"Lucy, if that's you, I'll write to Susan!" Edmund threatened, "You really have grown out of childish games like this! Come on out from wherever you are!"

But the giggling continued and Saphad's son Freddy opened the bedroom door, laughing hysterically. "You should have seen your face!" he gasped through tears of laughter.

Edmund couldn't help it; his stern face cracked a grin and he laughed with the boy.

"Do you always do that to people?" Edmund asked.

"Yep," said Freddy, "I did it to Uncle Pennwath once!. He wasn't too happy. His false mustache fell out when my frog jumped at him and so I took it and ran. He chased me around the manor with his cane until I gave it back to him."

Edmund smiled, "Are there any other children on the island?"

"No," Freddy sighed.

Suddenly there came a voice from downstairs, "Dinfred Adel Bridger!!! You come down here this minute!"

"Oops, that's me," said Freddy and he raced out of the room.

Edmund laughed, made his bed, and went down to see what all the commotion was about.

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Well, what did you think? Please review to tell me! I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I can!