Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine :D
A/N: LOL, I finally updated. I know, I know, I was supposed to update ages ago. I'll explain everything in detail at the end of the chapter.
So, for now, read this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty: Nursing
The Great Hall burst open and in came a frantic Edmund, followed by Hermione, whose arm was wrapped around a sobbing Lucy.
"Peter, I'm listening," the just king said, all traces of humor gone from his face. Instead, graveness and alarm were written all over his face.
The High King sighed and slowly sat back on his throne. Beside him, Susan had been suppressing her tears but had failed miserably. Her husband had been consoling her, although it was plain to see that his attention was divided. Caspian had also been mirroring the expressions on Peter and Edmund.
Peter then ran a frustrated hand on his hair and sighed, the letter clutched in his other hand, which was now crumpled and almost torn. "I received a letter from Ettinsmoor this morning," he said, his voice grave and exhausted. Slowly, he lifted his face and stared straight into Hermione. "They threatened to revolt unless…"
"Unless what, Peter?" Edmund asked, urging him to continue.
"Unless we surrender the Daughter of Eve spoken in the prophecy," the High King finished with a whisper.
Edmund froze on the spot, his eyes widening and his jaw dropping. Slowly, he looked behind him and stared straight at Hermione. She, too, was stunned and all the color on her face was gone.
"I…" she squeaked, but Edmund had beaten her with an enraged sound.
"No," he said with so much conviction it had brought chills down their spines. "You know we can't."
Peter released a mirthless laugh and shook his head. "Ed, you know me," the High King said. "I… we can't risk her."
"But!" Hermione reasoned out, stomping forward to be closer to the kings. "They want me. You can't just jeopardize the safety of Narnia all because of me."
"Hermione, listen, they'll kill you," Caspian pointed out, releasing his hold of his wife as he silently joined Peter's side. "We can't risk you. You are our only hope in the prophecy. So, that is why Peter and I decided to go to Ettinsmoor and have a pact with the giants."
"I'll be going, too," Edmund offered, and Peter nodded in agreement.
"No, you can't," Hermione interjected.
Susan sniffed and sauntered down the steps. "Hermione, love, do not argue," she said, although the sadness in her eyes was evident. "We both know we can't win against them."
Lucy walked closer to Hermione and looped her arms around hers, her eyes shining with silent pleading to back-down.
Tears started to gather at the corner of Hermione's eyes and she looked away from them, obviously resentful. "So, this is how Harry always feels when people risk their lives for him," she murmured under her breath, tears now streaming down from her face.
"We will be leaving first thing tomorrow," Peter announced, standing up from his throne. "I've already asked a few soldiers to come with us."
"A few?" Susan exclaimed, a look of horror on her face. "Peter, it's dangerous. Why can't you bring a whole troop to guard the three of you?"
Peter shook his head. "That will alarm the giants," he reasoned out. "Remember, all we wanted to do in Ettinsmoor is to make a pact with the giants, not engage them in a civil war [1] with Narnia." He then turned to his brother and brother-in-law. "Rest well and bring everything you deem as necessary."
Edmund and Caspian simultaneously nodded.
With a grim face, Peter looked at each person in the room. "We must hope that everything will be better in the end," he said.
And Hermione, stuck at the very middle of things, fervently hoped that everything would be really better in the end.
Hermione woke up the next morning and immediately felt the tension in the air.
Today was the day High King Peter, King Edmund, and King Caspian would all embark to Ettinsmoor to talk to the giants and make a treaty of peace with them.
Slowly, she lifted herself up from her bed and sighed. 'Me or Narnia,' she told herself, a little sullen that they had chosen her over their safety and perhaps Narnia's safety, too. A part of her was relieved, of course, since she did not have to go to the North and surrender to the giants. It was selfish feeling and she had felt it with shame.
A large part of her, though, perhaps the Gryffindor side, wanted to adamantly refuse Peter and the others' plan. If she were to go to Ettinsmoor instead, then all threats to Narnia would be halted. 'But that would make them lose their only hope in defeating Jadis in the future,' she told herself, bringing herself out of her bed and into her comfort room.
Still, it was not truly established that she was the Daughter of Eve in the prophecy. 'But remember, Edmund pointed out that everything fits you,' she sullenly told herself as she looked at the mirror and washed her face.
Exhaustion was evident in her eyes; the dark bags underneath were also prominent and bulging. It was obvious that Hermione had a fitful sleep. How couldn't she when all she could think about was the looming dangerous journey of the three kings of Narnia to Ettinsmoor.
A soft knock from her bedroom door broke her off from her reverie. "Hermione?" the unmistakable muffled voice of Lucy asked. "Are you awake?"
Hermione sighed and splashed cold water against her face before walking outside the restroom. She wiped away the water on her face before opening her bedroom door.
Lucy's look had been equally bad and the brunette couldn't help but smile at their uncanny resemblance.
"Is it time?" the brunette asked and wordlessly, the valiant queen nodded.
Hermione closed the door behind her and together with Lucy, they both walked towards the Great Hall. Their little journey was silent although their paranoia spoke volumes. Lucy kept on wringing her wrist while Hermione kept on nibbling her bottom lip.
By the time they arrived in the Great Hall, their anxiety never left them.
At the left side of the room stood Susan and Caspian. The pregnant queen was softly sobbing against a handkerchief Hermione knew belonged to Caspian. The said king had been whispering soothing words for his wife, which Hermione guessed were his reassurance that he would come back to her in one piece.
At the opposite side stood Peter, now talking softly to some of his soldiers. Hermione was able to recognize Reepicheep the Mouse, a proud and determined look on his face as the High King gave him instructions.
At the very middle of the two stood Edmund, his back ramrod straight as he furiously scanned the documents on his hands. Hermione guessed they were some of his battle plans and strategies in case something went wrong in their journey and they had no choice but to fight off the giants.
A fond smile formed on her face as she regarded the three kings with warmth in her eyes. They had become three of the most important people in her life and Hermione knew she would be… empty if something happened to all of them.
Her eyes stayed longer on Edmund's form, the king's face the epitome of concentration. Hermione did not want to admit it out loud but it had utterly scared how much she had worried more about him among the three. Involuntarily, her hands closed into tight fists, imagining what would happen to her if something happened to him…
"Hermione?"
She jolted out of her thoughts and stared down at Lucy. To her surprise, a small tear rolled from her face down to Lucy's collar.
The young queen sadly smiled at the brunette and raised her right hand, gingerly wiping away the tears Hermione didn't know she had been shedding already. "They'll be all right," she assured her, although her voice betrayed her current emotions.
'I must be strong,' Hermione told herself, regarding Lucy with awe, knowing that it took all of the queen's willpower not to cry and stay strong.
The brunette immediately wiped away her tears and sniffed, allowing Lucy to pull her towards the others.
It was Peter who first saw them and after some final instructions to the soldiers, he walked closer to Lucy and her lady-in-waiting. "We must leave now since the journey will be long," he told them, his eyes landing on Lucy and then to Hermione. His gaze lingered on the latter before looking back at his sister. "Lucy, I'm appointing you as the temporary High Queen while I'm gone. I know Susan cannot handle this job since she is pregnant and… emotionally unstable."
He pointedly looked at the far corner where Susan and Caspian were huddled together.
"I still think she is traumatized of what had happened with Caspian in Archenland," he said, prompting Lucy to nod her head. "And Hermione…" He turned his eyes away from Lucy to the brunette standing beside her. "Whatever happens to us, do not blame yourself."
Hermione looked away from him and frowned. "Easier said than done, your majesty," she said, making Peter smile.
"You are the Chosen One," he said, holding her chin and forcing her to look at him. "It is only natural for us to protect you."
The brunette closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that arguing with the High King was pointless. "Just… stay safe, okay?" she asked, slight desperation in her voice. "I don't have a good feeling about this."
"We have the best strategist with us," he said, jutting his thumb towards Edmund. "I'm sure he already formulated a lot of back-up plans in case Plan A was not followed."
From beside her, Lucy chuckled, fondly smiling at her other brother. "Yes, that's Edmund Pevensie for you," she said. When she looked back at Peter, she lunged forward and gave him a tight hug. "Be safe, Pete," she said, her voice already starting to sound thick with tears. "I want my big brothers back."
Peter gently kissed Lucy's head and patted her back. "We will be back," he said, this time saying it to both of the ladies. "And please, do not alarm our people. They must not know that something is looming until I deem it is the right time to reveal it already."
Lucy nodded and pulled away from Peter.
"Miss Granger," he said, holding her hand and brushing his lips against her knuckles. "Take care of my sisters."
Hermione gave him a watery smile. "I will, your majesty," she said.
Peter then released her hand and excused himself, walking back to Reepicheep and the others for his last minute instructions.
"Look at him," Lucy said, sadly shaking her head.
"Peter?" Hermione asked.
The queen smiled. "No, Edmund," she said, directing Hermione's gaze towards her other brother. "At times like this, his obsession over battle plans and strategies resurfaces." Lucy then walked towards Edmund. Scratch that; Lucy lunged towards Edmund and enveloped him into a tight hug, startling him in the process.
Hermione reluctantly stepped forward, knowing that she might be intruding this special time between Lucy and Edmund. She had always known that they had a connection far different from Peter and Susan. The brunette had concluded from the original books she had read that Edmund had always felt guilty about betraying Lucy and not believing her at the beginning. Their relationship had never been the same before and judging from the observations she had made before, Edmund and Lucy had the strongest sibling bond.
The brunette's eyes widened when Edmund's eyes suddenly landed on her. Lucy shot her a knowing look and pulled away, bounding off towards Susan and Caspian. Hermione pursed her lips and looked away, only to discover that Edmund was cautiously approaching her.
"So," he started and Hermione bit her bottom lip. "We will be leaving now."
Hermione looked back at him, wide-eyed, and nodded. "I think we've already established that," she said.
He smiled and nodded, suddenly offering his hand. "Please take care of my sisters," he said.
The brunette laughed and stared at his hand. "Why the sudden formalities?" she asked. "I thought we are already on the casual stage?"
Edmund raised an eyebrow. "We are?" he asked, smiling when Hermione slowly grasped his hand and shook it.
Electricity immediately surged into Hermione's hand, down to her spine, and until the roots of her hair. She almost gasped and retrieved her hand but he held onto her hand. The shaking had stopped now, and they were merely looking at each other's eyes.
"We'll be back," he assured her, squeezing her hand for comfort. Hermione's bottom lip trembled when his thumb brushed against her knuckles. "I know we will."
It was perhaps her disorientation, knowing that three important people were going to risk their lives for her and the safety of Narnia, but the next thing Hermione knew, she released his hand and launched herself into his arms. She tightened her arms around his torso, buried her face against his neck, and just breathed.
"Be safe," she shakily whispered, slowly untangling herself from his arms. A look of sheer astonishment was present on his face.
Hermione trapped her bottom lip in between her teeth, knowing that if she didn't control herself, she'd lose it. "Please," she whispered, this time laced with the underlying desperation in her voice.
Edmund blinked and connected his eyes with hers, slowly nodding since he was too speechless to say anything.
High King Peter then had called for Edmund and Caspian. The just king abruptly turned away, his muscles tensed. Hermione, with a shaky chuckle, thought he was still in shock. Caspian, on the other hand, reluctantly pulled himself away from his pregnant queen and joined the other kings.
Both Lucy and Susan stood beside Hermione in front of the castle as they watched the kings and some soldiers mount their horses. Hermione could see Stardust and she smiled, knowing that the horse would protect his owner no matter what happens.
"Come back," Lucy whispered, holding both Hermione and Susan's hand once the kings and soldiers started on their journey to Ettinsmoor.
"It's been ten days, Lucy. Ten. And we still have no idea what happened to them," Susan exclaimed, slumping down on her throne.
Hermione bit her bottom lip and ascended the stairs. She walked towards the panicking queen and held her hand for comfort. "Queen Susan, please, stressing yourself out will not be good for the baby," she softly beseeched, her heart clenching when the queen merely helplessly placed her hand on top of her protruding stomach.
The brunette lifted her eyes and stared at the youngest queen. Lucy was staring outside one of the tall windows in the Throne. Peter's staff, the symbol of the High King, was clutched tightly in Lucy's right hand. Even from afar, Hermione could already detect the silent anxiety of the queen.
Like what Susan had stated, it had been exactly ten days ever since the Narnian kings embarked into a journey towards Ettinsmoor. Peter promised them a letter, although without giving an exact date. They had waited, night and day, just for the arrival of a letter but still, nothing came.
Hermione held Susan's hand tighter, feeling the queen's tremors. "I think it is best if you retire to your bedchambers, your majesty," she urged, but Susan adamantly shook her head.
"No, I will wait until I have news about my husband," she exclaimed. The brunette sighed, knowing it was futile to fight back.
Of course, these past few days had been hard for Hermione, too. There were nights when she couldn't sleep, wondering what might have happened to the others. Judging from the extreme reactions for the other queens, she deduced it was very dangerous for Peter and the others to venture to Ettinsmoor, surrounded by almost-barbaric giants.
But, among the three, Hermione thought she was the calmest. Susan had been a bundle of nerves for the past few days and the brunette constantly worried for her, especially for her health and her baby. Lucy had been somber ever since her brothers' departure and had merely busied herself with monarchy work, sometimes neglecting basic necessities. There were times when Hermione wanted to just burst into tears and worry more for the others, but she kept in mind what Peter and Edmund had told her – "Take care of my sisters."
It was silly, but she knew she had no time to think about herself. After all, the kings had done what they had to do all because of her… to protect her.
A loud gasp from Lucy broke her off her reverie.
"What is it, Lucy?" Susan asked, alarmed by her sister's reaction.
Lucy dashed towards the door and walked outside. Hermione and Susan exchanged looks and even before they could descend the steps, Lucy came back, a wide, relieved smile on her face and a letter clutched tightly in her hand. "It's from Peter," she proclaimed, and Susan released a cry of relief.
The youngest queen then walked towards the others and opened the letter. Aloud, she read:
Dearest Susan, Lucy, and Hermione
I apologize for writing so late; things had been busy here in Ettinsmoor. And in this letter, I bring both good and bad news.
The good news is that we are able to establish a pact between the giants. I am afraid, that this will merely be momentary. We have this inkling that once Jadis regains her power, the giants will immediately break this treaty and join her side.
The bad news, on the other hand, is that we had engaged ourselves into numerous battles with the giants before we are able to make a pact. Edmund… he is badly injured due to a bad encounter with one of the giants a few days ago. He is holding up but I'm afraid the only thing that could save him is Lucy's healing potion.
We are coming back two days from now. Don't worry; we are taking care of Edmund. You know him; he is strong. I am sure that he would regret it forever if he broke his promise of coming back.
Be safe and stay strong.
High King Peter
Lucy suppressed a sob as she read the last few lines of Peter's letter. "Oh, Ed," she cried, hugging the letter to her chest. "I always knew you'd be reckless."
All the color from Hermione's face was gone and she plopped down on the last step, breathless.
"Hermione?" Susan asked, looking down at the brunette with alarm. "Hermione, love. They said Edmund was… holding up. The least we can do is to pray for their safety back home."
The brunette looked from Lucy and Susan and for the first time after the departure of the kings, she released a monumental sob.
The clock struck midnight but none of the ladies seemed to mind. Susan was already dozing off on her throne and no matter how much Lucy and Hermione urged her to go to her bedchambers and sleep, the older queen would refuse.
Lucy, on the other hand, was pacing. Hermione found it a little amusing that now that she assumed Peter's position, she had also developed his queer habit of pacing. The brunette mused if such habits would be passed on to those who would become High Kings or Queens in the future.
Hermione sighed and firmly told herself that she would stay put. She had this urge of peering outside the window ever since they all walked inside the Throne Room and it took all of her willpower not to do so. 'Worrywart,' she sadly told herself, remembering how she had uttered the same name to Edmund months ago when they were waiting for Peter, Lucy, Susan, and Caspian's arrival.
The thought of an injured Edmund had increased her worry again. For the past two days, she could not sleep properly. Nightmares about Edmund, mostly of him being brain dead or worse, lifeless, always plagued her nights; thus she hadn't had a good night sleep at all.
Under normal circumstances, Hermione would be alarmed as to why she was worrying so much over King Edmund's safety. Both Peter and Caspian were risking their lives, too, and yet, Hermione's mind was filled with Edmund, Edmund, and Edmund.
For now, she did not dwell on that matter at first.
For now, she allowed herself to worry over him.
The doors suddenly burst open and in galloped a Centaur. Both Susan and Hermione simultaneously stood up from their seats and Lucy stopped her pacing.
"They're arriving," he announced, abruptly bowing down.
A cry of relief escaped from Susan's mouth and Lucy released a humongous sigh of relief. "Good, good," she said. "Are they complete?"
The Centaur nodded. "I've seen all of the faces of the kings, your majesty," he politely said.
The relief on Lucy's face increased. "Please call for a Narnian Healer," she said. "Tell him King Edmund is badly injured."
"Yes, your highness," the Talking Animal said and soon disappeared from the room.
Lucy rushed outside, closely followed by Hermione and Susan. It was too dark for them to see but they could make out a dotted, moving blur.
The sound of hooves grew louder and louder and soon, they could make out the faces of both High King Peter and King Caspian. A carriage followed behind and they all assumed that it held an injured Edmund.
"PETER!" Lucy exclaimed, her voice loud with overwhelmed relief and glee. She did not wait for them to stop; instead, she completely ran outside the castle and met the arriving kings and soldiers half-way.
Susan's eyes filled with tears and Hermione had to hold her shoulders in order to keep her up.
Caspian was the first one who dismounted from his horse, not even minding if he landed on the ground properly or not. He ran, a myriad of emotions on his face, and soon enveloped his wife into a humongous hug that almost crushed the bump separating them at the middle.
Susan's sobs filled the night and Hermione couldn't help but shed a few tears. Both Susan and Caspian already fell into their own little world and she knew that no one, not even Peter or the others, could pull them apart.
Peter and the others had completely stopped. The High King dismounted from his horse, an unreadable expression on his face, as he rushed towards the carriage and pulled the door open. With a simple wave of his hand, some of the soldiers ran to his side and together, they carried an unconscious Edmund outside the carriage.
Lucy covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. Her tears had immediately turned uncontrollable upon the sickly sight of her brother.
Wordlessly, a pale Hermione approached her mistress and wrapped a hand around her shoulder. The brunette reckoned that she was not only trying to comfort the youngest queen but also herself.
"Lucy, your vial," High King Peter sternly ordered.
The valiant queen vigorously nodded and shakily placed her hand inside her pocket. They all followed inside as Edmund was placed on one of the chairs. Hermione blanched upon seeing his blood-stained shirt and it took all of her willpower not to breakdown at his sight.
"LUCY!" Peter barked, alarm now evident on his face.
With trembling hands, Lucy pulled out the healing potion from her pocket and knelt down in front of her brother. "Oh, Ed," she blabbered, trying her best to uncork the vial but failed to do so. Hermione held it in her hands and graciously opened it for Lucy, knowing that she was too shaken to function.
Peter slowly unbuttoned Edmund's shirt and that was when they clearly saw how deep his wound was. Hermione took a sharp intake of breath, seeing the hole that almost punctured his torso. Lucy released a soft whimper, immediately placing three drops on his wound.
They waited in silence, not even minding when the Narnian Healer rushed inside.
To their immense relief, the wound started to close up.
Peter's relief was the most evident of all for he had suddenly fallen down on his knees and buried his head on Edmund's chair. "Thank Aslan," he gasped, tears already glistening in his eyes. "Thank Aslan."
"Now that he is away from the brink of his death, King Edmund needs some rest," the Narnian Healer, the Centaur, advised. "I am assuming that since you all came from Ettinsmoor that he was attacked using a poisoned weapon. I am afraid that no matter how powerful Queen Lucy's healing potion is, it wouldn't completely heal his wound. Hence, King Edmund would be in pain for the whole week. His wound must be constantly dressed so as not to open it up again."
"I understand," High King Peter said, slowly standing up once again. He looked at his soldiers and said, "Bring Edmund to his bedchambers and let him rest."
The Narnian soldiers saluted and left with the still unconscious Edmund in their arms. The Narnian Healer followed, leaving the other royalties and Hermione behind.
Once they were alone, Peter plopped down on his throne and ran a hand through his face. "I fervently apologize for worrying you all," he tiredly said, looking up and staring at all of the occupants. His eyes lingered on Susan and Caspian, a small smile now growing on his face. "I am glad that all of you are all right."
Lucy scrambled towards him and sat beside him, her hand immediately clutching his. "What happened?" she asked, the worry still evident on her face. "Why was Edmund injured?"
Peter shook his head and sighed. "Negotiating with the giants was harder than what we expected," he explained. "Some were brutal enough to threaten to use force against us if we do not stop. Edmund, knowing him, had been too reckless and was then injured by one of the giants."
"Oh, Edmund," Lucy said, a forlorn smile on her face. "You really know how to make people worry."
"At least he is well now," Hermione spoke, her voice surprisingly quivering.
The High Kings' eyes landed on her and fondly smiled. "Thank you for taking care of my sisters," he earnestly said, but she merely shook her head.
"It's my duty as Queen Lucy's lady-in-waiting," she replied back.
Peter tiredly chuckled and rubbed his eye. "I think it is best if we all retire back to our bedchambers," he suggested. "This day had been truly exhausting for us."
Everybody concurred and soon, the Throne Room was empty.
Hermione slowly peeked inside and internally released a sigh of relief upon seeing the King Edmund was still unconscious on his bed.
She then walked inside and gently closed the door behind her. She immediately walked inside his loo, emerging a few minutes after with a basin filled with warm water, a towel perched on her arm, and bandages tucked underneath her armpit.
During breakfast that morning, Peter and Caspian and recounted the events of their twelve days in Ettinsmoor. To say that Hermione was horrified was a big understatement. What they went through were one of the worst things she had ever heard. And that was saying something since she also had a not-so-pleasant experience during the Second War in Hogwarts.
Like what the Narnian Healer requested, King Edmund's wound must be dressed everyday so as not to have any infection. All of them wanted to help, but apparently, all of the royalties had other matters that needed to be immediately addressed.
Peter and Caspian had to settle a lot of things more about their pact with Ettinsmoor. Although they were able to negotiate, the threat of their rebellion was still obvious for the kings, especially because they knew they would immediately side with the White Witch as soon as she regained her power. Susan had to rest for the whole day due to stress; her stomach had been hurting for a while and the Narnian Healer advised her to rest for the safety of her health and her baby. And lastly Lucy had to still assume the position of High Queen until Peter had resolved the problem regarding the giants.
Thus, the job of taking care of Edmund was left to Hermione.
The brunette actually did not mind. It had slightly scared her to think that she was more than willing to offer her time and effort in order to take care of Edmund.
So, here she was now, with a basin, a towel, and a bandage at hand. She immediately placed the basin on his bedside table and sat down on the chair, a slightly damp towel now clutched tightly in her hand.
King Edmund was half-naked, with his torso merely covered by a bandage. It already had blood splotches all over it and Hermione immediately, yet gingerly started to unfasten his bandage.
She struggled, especially because he was lying down and she could not unwind the bandage properly.
"Her…mione?"
She jolted, startled, as her eyes landed on Edmund's face. He was squinting at her, some of his perspiration already slowly trickling down his face. Hermione absentmindedly wiped his face with the towel and smiled at the obviously disoriented king.
"Edmund," she greeted back, secretly relieved that he was awake. "How are you feeling?"
He slowly licked his lips and softly groaned. "Not good," he croaked, followed by coughs. He stopped midway, his face showing excruciating pain, and Hermione guessed that the mere action of coughing was hurting his wound. "Where am I?" he asked.
"You're back in Cair Paravel," she reassured. "And I am going to change your bandage now. Can you sit up?"
"Perhaps," he whispered, momentarily closing his eyes.
"If I have magic, I would have magically changed it for you," she grumbled, annoyed that she felt powerless at that moment.
To her surprise, a soft chuckle escaped from King Edmund's mouth as he struggled to sit up. The brunette immediately aided him, supporting him as he pulled himself up. The whole time, his face showed pain, and Hermione was tempted to let him sleep again, leaving his bandage unchanged.
"I'm alive," he croaked, pressing the back of his head against his headrest. Hermione leaned a little closer and grabbed a pillow, gingerly placing it in between his head and the headrest.
"Yes you are," she whispered back, now slowly unwrapping the bandages.
A groan of silent pain escaped from his lips multiple times and she had to stop just so his pain would be alleviated. "That's the price you pay for being reckless," she reprimanded, which prompted him to merely smile.
Hermione then grabbed the damp towel and very gentle patted it on his wound just so she could wipe away the blood. During this, a sour expression was glued on his face. He was biting his lip just so he would not exclaim in pain.
She haphazardly finished, just wanting to dress his wound so that she could ask him to sleep again.
"Peter… he - "
"He is all right," she said, smiling gently at him. "King Caspian is well, too. You are the only one who got injured because of your little quest with the giants."
Hermione closely leaned against Edmund, her face peering above his shoulders in order to properly fasten the bandage. Once she was done, she slowly pulled back away and sat down on her chair again.
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
She pursed her lips. "Why are you apologizing?" she asked.
He closed his eyes and heavily leaned against the headrest again. "For making you worry," he whispered. "For making you all worry."
"Damn right that was," she shot back, although the menacing tone was lacking.
Silence settled and Hermione thought he was asleep already. She almost stood up from her seat when he suddenly spoke.
"I dreamt of you," he softly revealed, freezing Hermione on the spot. "I can't remember what it was about. But I saw your face."
"Me?" she squeaked, a small blush growing on her cheeks.
"And your voice…" he added, almost inaudible to her ear. "In my head. Again and again. Calling my name. I… it made me want to survive, Hermione."
He then stopped. Judging from his deep breathing, he was already asleep.
Hermione was thankful for this because she did not want him to see how her cheeks furiously burned. "My voice?" she whispered, the redness on her cheek intensifying.
She intently stared at him, confused as to what she was feeling. 'My voice,' a little voice inside her head whispered, sending thrills down her spine up until the roots of her hair.
A small smile appeared on her face as she leaned closer to him and dropped a kiss on his forehead. Without a glance back, she stood up from her seat and strolled out of his bedroom.
His eyes slowly opened upon hearing a strange noise in his bedroom. Edmund inhaled deeply but paused midway, immediately releasing the breath he was holding due to raw pain. His right hand shakily landed on his torso and he groaned, the pain he was feeling too enormous for words.
"Finally," a voice from the corner of the room breathed out, attracting the king's attention. His eyes landed on a relieved Hermione, who was sitting down on his window sill. He deduced she was the one who had made that strange noise that woke him up.
"How are you feeling?" she asked as she rose up from her seat and approached his bed.
He shrugged and slowly tried to sit up. To his surprise, Hermione immediately bent down and helped him up until his head was comfortably resting against the headrest. His eyes widened a little when she leaned so close to him, only to pull back once again with his pillow now clutched in her hand. She then placed the pillow behind his head, making him more comfortable. "I… err… what are you doing here?" he blubbered, his cheeks slightly coloring.
A soft laugh escaped from her lips. She plopped down on the chair beside his bed and sighed. "I knew you were a bit disoriented when you woke up three days ago," she said.
He blanched. "Hold on, hold on," he said. "I've been unconscious for three days?"
Hermione nodded, pursing her lips. "The day after your arrival from Ettinsmoor, you woke up," she explained. "I am sure you remember how you got that wound on your torso and let us just say you were almost at the brink of your death. Let us thank Merlin that Lucy's healing potion was able to help you. If not…"
Edmund visibly swallowed, staring at his wound with sheer horror. Memories of his quest in Ettinsmoor with Peter, Caspian, and some soldiers rushed back into his mind. "Oh dear God," he murmured, scrunching up his face upon remembering the giant who crashed a spiked club against his chest.
"You're not completely well, though," she added. "The Narnian Healer said that the weapon used against you has a powerful poison and although you are not in a critical condition already, it will take some time for your wound to completely heal. Which reminds me…"
Hermione then stood up from her seat and rushed towards his bathroom. All the while, the just king's eyes followed her until she emerged back outside, a basin full of water clutched tightly in her hands. She placed it on top of his bedside table and grabbed a towel. "I have to clean your wound," she stated.
"You?" he asked, clearly surprised.
"Unfortunately, yes," she said, although a small smile was present on her face. "I've been doing this to you for four days already, your majesty. I believe I've been quite skilful over this matter."
She leaned against him, her face hovering behind his shoulder. Edmund jolted and pulled back, disregarding the sudden shot of pain he felt on his chest. She looked back at him, confused and startled at the same time. "Is something the matter?" she asked, blinking thrice and frowning.
'YES!' a voice inside his head roared. 'Don't get too close to me!'
His head seemed to betray his mind, though, since he slowly shook his head.
Hermione stared at him strangely for a few more moments before she leaned against him once again. Her sweet smell of vanilla invaded his senses and he took a sharp intake of breath. He soon regretted it when his chest started to hurt once again due to his deep breathing.
"The Narnian Healer said you have to rest for a few more days," she whispered.
Her breath tickled against his cheek and he swallowed. It made him thankful that she was too preoccupied with what she was doing.
A moment of silence settled between them while Hermione unwound the bandage around his torso. Every so often, her hand would touch some parts of his skin. Without meaning to, goosebumps would erupt on the spot where she would touch.
Again, he was thankful she was preoccupied.
"Does it hurt?" she asked, breaking the silence. Hermione paused for a while and looked straight into his eyes. Edmund realized that she was dangerously close. Her face was almost inches away from him and he could already count the freckles sprinkled across her nose.
Wordlessly, he nodded, and she sighed, resuming her work. "I cannot fathom as to why you've acted recklessly, Edmund," she grumbled under her breath. Hermione quickly stood up from her seat and grabbed the damp towel, this time wiping away the dried blood on his skin. "As a battle fanatic, I think you've known how to act with proper thinking."
He softly snorted, making her stare at him in amusement. "At desperate times like this, people can act recklessly," he explained, defending himself.
She frowned without looking at him. "I've heard that line countless times already," she told him, pausing.
"You did?"
Hermione nodded and a forlorn smile appeared on his face. "From Harry," she whispered, prompting him to raise his eyes. "He has this so-called hero complex, just so you know. He wanted to save everyone who is in danger without thinking about himself. Often, it had almost cost his life but he managed to survive."
"This… Harry Potter friend of yours," he said. "Is he good?"
She laughed and placed the towel down, now grabbing the new bandage and leaned against him again, this time wrapping the bandage around his wound. "Good… well, in a sense you can say that. People thinks he's a god; the only person who can save them from their misery. That notion did not exactly help Harry because he started to think that people are pressuring him to do what is right. Or better, what would benefit them."
Her nose brushed against his cheek and his eyes involuntarily fluttered close. "Do you regret befriending him?" he asked, his voice strangely husky.
Her actions had halted and Edmund thought she was merely thinking. But when he opened his eyes in curiosity, he saw that tears had already gathered at the corner of her eyes. His eyes widened in horror and Hermione was able to catch it. She released a shaky laugh and waved a dismissive hand.
"No, no, I'm sorry," she said. "I-I'm being ridiculous but it's been a while since I've last talked about Harry to another person."
Hermione leaned once again on him, hiding her face away from her sight, as she concentrated on properly wrapping the bandage around him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, eyebrows knitting in worry. "I…I didn't mean to - "
A few drops of her tears landed on his bandage and skin and that was when Edmund realized that her tears had increased.
To his utter surprise, she leaned her forehead against his shoulder and heaved a shaky breath. Her sobs were a little stifled but Edmund knew she was starting to cry uncontrollably.
"Oh, I'm being ri-ridiculous," she cried, muffled by her tears. "And here I thought I would peacefully ch-change your bandage for you today."
Edmund fisted his hands around his comforter, at loss of what to do. His body seemed to react in an overdrive over the mere fact that Hermione Granger is hugging him and he knew that if he did not control himself, he would do something he would greatly regret.
"Harry was…" she blubbered. "H-his friendship was very precious to me and be-befriending him was the best decision I had ever made in my whole life. I just… I-I can't even begin to explain how much I-I wanted to see him now."
His control was slowly thinning when his hands relaxed and slowly lifted, gently landing on Hermione's back for an almost reluctant hug. Edmund started to pat her back comfortingly. "I am sure that Harry Potter never regretted befriending you, too, Miss Hermione Granger."
She sniffed and slowly, she lifted her head up again. Her gleaming eyes connected with his and she tried her best to give him a smile. The only thing she managed to do was release another sob.
At that moment, Edmund knew his metaphorical band of control snapped. With his arms wrapped around her, her face excruciatingly close to him, her smell intoxicating his senses, her wonderful eyes staring straight into his soul, her bottom lip trembling with suppressed sobs, and the painful thudding in his chest which he knew had no connection with his wound at all, he knew he had lost it.
And then, without any warning, time froze and the whole world stood still as he captured her lips for a sweet kiss.
[1] According to research, the King of Narnia is occasionally the head of Ettinsmoor since, you know, their type of government is an anarchy. Hence, Ettinsmoor is technically under Narnia so the type of war between the two nations would be a civil war, then :D
A/N: SO END! Eep a kiss :) A little cliffie, though. How'd you like it? Good? Bad? Eh? Meh? I'm hoping it was worth the wait.
Speaking of waiting, I think it is fair that I explain the reason why I haven't updated on the proper dates. So, everything started when a thunderstorm happened in our country. A blasted lightning struck the telephone line so we had no phone and internet. And then, we couldn't do anything about it yet because the storm hadn't subsided for like two more days.
AND THEN, we had to travel to our province for a vacation. I was hoping there would be an internet connection but alas, there was none. So yeah, I failed to update and all that blah. We just came home yesterday and the telephone company was only able to fix the problem today. So there you go, a new update for my lovely readers.
I discovered new TV series, though. I finished watching the season one of "Supernatural", which is, by the way, AWESOME but I had to stop a few times because I am honestly scared shitless in some of the episodes. I was also able to watch the first season of "Castle" (which I loved, too). And UGH, I finished the whole two seasons of "Downton Abbey" and I had to like wait 'til next year. I'm going to start watching the second seasons of "Supernatural" and "Castle" soon so there :)
Anyway, so I read all of your reviews and there were a few suggestions about the horseback riding thing and swordsmanship lesson blah. Very helpful, I tell you, but then again, I am COMPLETELY clueless when it comes to these two. I know that a good story will be better if I get all the facts straight but eh, this is fanfiction. I can do whatever I want XD
It would be very helpful if you all read my A/Ns or footnotes. I mean, I explain most of my stuff in there. I know that they could be quite long and boring. Trust me, as a reader, I normally skip the author's notes, too. But it would clarify you all and save me from repeating my explanation again and again. It can be tiring, you know :p
So anyway, that's it. I'm going to update tomorrow, though, because I won't be home on Friday. I have this Team Building whatsoever. I'll be returning on Sunday, so you need not worry.
That's it for now! I am eternally thankful for your patience, my lovely readers.
With love,
WickedlyAwesomeMe