Disclaimer – Still own nothing.

To PadrePedro – Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like it! I did my best to keep as close to canon as I possibly could. Hope you like this chapter!

To MagicofNarnia – Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like this story and I hope you like this chapter!

AN – I am so sorry guys. I really didn't mean to take this long to write and post this chapter, life just got so crazy busy. Also, I am not that great at writing fight scenes and since this chapter is mostly in Edmund's POV, it kind of skims over most of the fighting. Sorry. On the bright side though, this chapter is pretty long! I hope you all like it!

Enjoy!

War had been on Edmund's mind for a while. How could it not be with his home being in the middle of one and his father being called to join the others called to fight? But he never thought that he would actually be in one, especially not at his age. And yet, he was here in a magical country, about to be in a battle with strange creatures against an evil witch. And leading them was none other than his brother instead of Aslan.

When he and Peter were woken up early that morning by the dryad with the news that Aslan was dead, neither of them knew what to think. They quickly got up to tell Oreius and to see for themselves if the Lion was really gone. Edmund didn't think it was possible, but his guilt grew and became heavier when they found that the dryad was right. Aslan had been killed by the Witch. He had been wondering hours earlier what Aslan had promised the Witch in exchange for his life, but he never thought it would be that. He never thought that the King of Narnia would take his place.

Edmund didn't really have time to think about that though, not when he saw Peter's face as he looked at the map on the table outside Aslan's tent. He looked so, lost. He had never seen his older brother look like that. For his entire life, Peter always seemed to know what to do, and was willing to take charge. Now, he looked like he was doubting himself. So, for the first time in his life, Edmund encouraged his big brother. He told him that he believed he could lead the army, that he believed in him. Peter then looked at him, as though questioning if he actually meant it. Edmund then gave him a small nod, and just like that, as if that was all he needed to hear, his big brother took charge like the leader he was.

Before he knew it, Edmund was standing on the edge of a cliff with several Narnian archers, overlooking the other soldiers that were going to charge at the Witch's army, the soldiers being led by his brother. Peter insisted that he stayed with the archers as far away from the actual battle as he could to keep him safe. While Edmund couldn't deny that a small part of him was glad he wasn't on the front lines, he was scared enough even in his position, he did wish he was down there by Peter's side. As terrified as he was, he wanted to fight alongside his brother and with the other Narnians against the Witch, wanted to stop her from hurting anyone else. But Peter was in charge and this was where he wanted him so this is where he would stay.

It felt like hours before Edmund saw the griffin that was sent out ahead as a lookout for the Witch's army returned. Then, he saw the army itself on the other side of the field of Beruna. It was so much bigger than he remembered it being back when he was in the Witch's camp. It was more than double their own numbers. Would they even be able to defeat her?

He looked back down at Peter, just in time to his head turn in his direction. Despite the distance, he could see how uneasy, how worried, how scared he was and Edmund didn't blame him. He was scared too. They were kids and yet here they were, about lead an army into a battle. But he did his best to look as brave as possible and gave him an encouraging nod. Peter still looked a little scared, but he did seem a bit more confident than before.

Everything after that happened faster than Edmund thought possible. The Witch sent out her first wave and Peter sent out the griffins. Then Peter led the Narnian army and met hers in the middle of the battlefield, and all Edmund could do was watch, until of course the Witch started to join the battle with the second half of her army. Then he got to yell 'fire' to one of the centaur archer's, who then sent a flaming arrow at a phoenix that was on their side in an attempt to keep their enemies from reaching the battle. It didn't do much through. The Witch simply used her wand to put out the fire that the magical bird made and joined the fight.

All of that seemed to happen in only two minutes. Before he knew it, the signal was given to draw the Witch and her soldiers to the rocks. That wasn't a good sign. It meant that they needed help, but Edmund was more than willing to do anything to help his brother and help the Narnians. So he gave the order to start shooting their arrows at the enemies running right towards them. It was then that he watched the unicorn Peter was riding get hit with an arrow and stumble to the ground, throwing his brother down in the process.

Edmund felt like all the air had been forced from his lungs at the sight of his big brother lying flat on the ground. He had no protection, didn't even have his helmet on anymore, was an open target for any of the Witch's soldiers and there wasn't anything he could do about it. For all he knew, the fall had actually killed Peter. But then he saw him start to move, start trying to get back up, but Edmund still couldn't breathe. Peter was still so vulnerable and was moving slowly. Then, he saw Oreius and the rhino start charging right at the Witch's army, giving Peter the time and cover he needed to get back to his feet and Edmund was able to breathe again.

There was no staying out of the fight after that. Drawing the enemies to the rocks had helped lower the Witch's numbers, but not by much. They needed help, so Edmund, and the others that were staying back along with the archers went to their aide. Edmund did the best he could but he only had one day of training. He barely knew what he was doing. So what he did was attack the foul creatures that had their backs to him so that cutting them down was easier and helped the Narnian soldiers that were fighting them. It was working pretty well until he heard a voice calling out his name.

"Edmund!" He quickly cut down the creature he was fighting at that moment and turned to face Peter who was about ten feet away when he heard him yell. Without his helmet, Edmund could clearly see his older brother's face as he shouted, "There's too many! Get out of here! Get the girls, and get them home!"

Before Edmund could even process what Peter just told him, Mr. Beaver grabbed his hand and said, "You heard him! Let's go!"

Despite not wanting to leave Peter behind, Edmund allowed the beaver to lead him up the hill and away from the battle. He knew deep down that the odds of Peter and the rest of the Narnians surviving this war with the way it was going was not good. He knew that his big brother also would not abandon them, would stay until the end and Edmund wanted to as well, but Peter was trusting him to find Susan and Lucy and get them out of here and he couldn't let him down, not after doing that so many times before.

As they reached the top of the hill, Edmund looked down over at Peter, wanting to make sure that he was alright and was still fighting. That's when he saw the White Witch walking straight towards him, holding her wand tightly in her hand. Immediately, he grabbed his sword and pulled it out of its sheath. There was absolutely no way he was going to let her anywhere near his older brother, not if he could help it.

"Peter said get out of here." Mr. Beaver said when he saw that Edmund had pulled out his sword and was getting ready to go back to the fight.

"Peter's not king yet." Edmund reminded him, then took off running.

Ignoring the rest of the fighting around him, Edmund kept going as fast as he could until he reached a small ledge that stuck out right near where the Witch was. With a shout, he jumped off with his sword outstretched, aiming to strike at her wand. His shout however, gave him away and the Witch pulled her weapon out of the way and turned to face. For a minute, they stared at each other, both with hard glares on their face. Then, the Witch went to use her wand on him but Edmund turned to the side and brought his sword down on her wand, breaking it into two.

There was a bright blue glow around it as it broke and the Witch looked so stunned that she didn't move and neither did Edmund. He didn't really know what to do now and so he waited for the evil, fake Queen to make the next move and he didn't have to wait long. She went to attack him with the sword in her other hand and he quickly blocked it, unaware that by doing so, he left his side open and she stabbed him with her broken wand.

He gasped in pain and shock, dropping his sword as both hands instinctively went to his injury. It felt like ice and fire were both running through his body and it was agonizing. All the sounds of the fighting faded away as his heart pounded in his chest and his ears. The Witch glared at him, hate and disdain covered her face before she pulled what was left of her wand out him and he fell to the ground.

Everything turned to black after that. Edmund couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, couldn't even think of anything besides the pain in his abdomen and getting air into his lungs. It was like he couldn't breathe at all and yet he must be because he would've passed out by now if he wasn't, right? It felt like hours had passed already and he just wanted it to stop. Every small movement he made just made the pain worse. The ice-fire was flooding his entire body so badly that just trying to breathe hurt.

Suddenly he could feel hands lifting his head, placing it on some kind of pillow or something. Then there were fingers fiddling with the strap under his chin that kept his helmet on his head and it then it was gone. At the same time as that, he felt a hand on his arm, squeezing it tightly but he had no idea who it was. Had no idea who had taken his helmet off, had no idea who was now with him and he couldn't really bring himself to care. All he wanted was the pain to stop.

Then, Edmund felt something warm drop into his mouth. It ran down his tongue to the back of his mouth and he instinctively swallowed. It tasted so sweet and seemed to calm the pain. He felt his body relax and go limp as the warm, whatever it was, ran through his body, chasing away the ice-fire that was there before. He could feel his heart stop pounding so hard and could now hear something. It sounded like crying. Someone was crying, but why?

He then started coughing, only now realizing that while that was all happening, he had stopped breathing. He then opened his eyes, not knowing when he had closed them in the first place. There, right above him, his saw Susan's face looking down on him. There was a tear running down her cheek but when she saw him looking at her, she smiled and ruffled his hair. It must've been her that took off his helmet and if he was right, his head was on her lap, not a pillow.

Glancing over at his right side, Edmund saw Lucy, holding a crystal bottle filled with a red liquid in her hand. There were more tears in her eyes and on her cheeks than Susan but a smile was also now appearing on her face. It was probably her crying that he heard. Then he looked over at his left and saw Peter, his face and eyes red, filled with unshed tears. The expression on his face was more confusing. It was like he couldn't believe what he was seeing but was hoping that it was real. The sight of all of his siblings, alive and unhurt, brought a smile to Edmund's face.

Then, Peter, still holding tightly to his arm, grabbed his shoulder with his other hand and pulled up and into his arms. Edmund immediately returned the embrace, sensing that his older brother really needed this right now and if he was being honest, he did too. He didn't know what had happened after the Witch stabbed him, had no idea why it felt like the wound was suddenly gone, or where Susan and Lucy came from but he was certain that he did almost die. And that scared him a lot more than he would ever admit.

After about a minute, Peter suddenly pulled away and with his face still a bit red, tears still in his eyes and a bit of a choked-up voice he asked, "When are you going to do what you're told?"

Edmund could only smirk at the question. He would've thought that by now Peter would know that he was probably never going to do what he was told, not when he thought there was something more important than whatever he was told to do. Peter didn't look angry though which was a nice change. Usually when he asked that, he was so mad and frustrated by Edmund's lack of following orders but he was actually smiling right now.

Apparently not needing an actually answer, Peter hugged him again and this time, Lucy and Susan joined in. Edmund could not remember at all being hugged by all of his siblings at the same time. It made him feel loved, warm, and safe and he relished in it. The battle was over, from the looks of it. The Witch must've been destroyed and he, and his siblings were alive. They survived and they won the fight. It was over.

NARNIA

Due to how long the battle had taken, how long it took to help all the soldiers that were hurt or turned to stone and how long it took to cremate the fallen soldiers, those that remained of Aslan's army returned to the pavilion to spend the night and tomorrow, they would head to Cair Paravel. Edmund was glad that they didn't leave that night. Some of the talking animals seemed like they wanted to, were eager to have their new Kings and Queens, but he was so tired after the battle. Even though Lucy's cordial healed his injuries, the ones from the fight and the ones he got when he was the Witch's prisoner, he was still a bit sore. He tried his best to help his siblings and the other soldiers with their tasks, but with the aches and his now very protective older brother and sister, he didn't do much.

When Lucy left to go help those that were injured, Peter, after making sure that Edmund was alright, went with her. Edmund wasn't sure if his brother really wanted to though. If the roles were reversed, he knew he wouldn't really want Peter out of his sight either, but Peter knew there could still be followers of the Witch in the area and the last thing anyone wanted was Lucy suddenly being attacked by them.

While they did that, Susan led Edmund to where some of the other soldiers were gathering, awaiting orders. Aslan, whose presence confused him before Susan somewhat filled him in on what happened, told them to gather the wounded into an area to make it easier for Lucy and for any medics to help them. He also gave orders for funeral pyres to be prepared for the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the battle. Edmund quickly jumped up to help with Susan practically glued to his side.

That night, after a small ceremony and the cremations for the fallen soldiers, they had a feast in celebration of the White Witch's defeat. Now, it was past midnight and Edmund was still awake. He could hear others outside his tent, also apparently still awake, but it didn't sound like there were a lot. Everyone was tired out from the battle, and yet, he could not fall asleep. He almost died today. He had been an actual battle, had been stabbed and almost died. If it hadn't been for Lucy, he would've. And then, after helping the other wounded, Aslan called him over and knighted him there on the battlefield. He was now a knight of Narnia and tomorrow, he would be crowned King alongside Peter and Susan and Lucy would be crowned Queens of Narnia and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He was a traitor, there was no doubt about that. True, he was now completely loyal to his family, to Aslan and to Narnia, but he had still betrayed them all, even if he was unaware of what exactly he was doing. Why would they allow a traitor on the throne? He did have his siblings' and Aslan's forgiveness but that didn't just erase what he did, did it? And not only that, the Witch promised to make him a king if he did what she told him to. He didn't want that anymore, not if it made him desire it so much that he'd do anything to have it. Then there was the fact that he was only ten. Wasn't he too young to be a king?

A loud sigh had Edmund's head turning to look at Peter who was lying in his hammock on the other side of the tent. He had assumed that he was asleep, but could now see that Peter's eyes were open. The blonde then looked over at him and said, "Can't sleep either?"

"No. Too much on my mind." Edmund answered. Peter nodded as he averted his gaze and said, "Me too."

They were both silent for another minute or two before Peter asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Edmund replied, trying not get annoyed. He knew he had terrified his siblings; he'd be scared too if he saw one of them get stabbed and almost die, but it felt like was someone was asking him that every five minutes.

"You sure?" Peter then asked, apparently not convinced.

"Lucy's cordial fixed me right up Pete. I'm okay, just tired." Edmund responded, hoping he sounded reassuring instead of frustrated. Peter nodded, but didn't stop watching him and still had a worried expression on his face. Instead of letting his annoyance get the best of him, the dark brunette closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.

"What were you thinking Ed?" Edmund snapped his eyes open when he heard Peter's question.

"What do you mean?" The younger brother asked though he had a feeling he knew exactly what his older brother meant, especially when he saw that Peter's worried expression had turned to one of anger.

"What were you thinking when you decided to go fight the Witch? She already almost killed you before the battle. Why on earth would you go face her, especially when I told you to go find Susan and Lucy and go home?" Peter explained his question, his voice also angry but Edmund could hear a scared undertone in it.

Edmund turned his gaze to the ground. He waited for a moment, wondering if he could answer, but knowing Peter probably wouldn't stop until he got one, he quietly said, "She was going after you."

"What?" Peter didn't seem to understand what he was talking about.

"When I got up the hill with Mr. Beaver, I saw the Witch. She was going right for you. She was going to turn you to stone. I couldn't let her do that. I couldn't let her hurt you, couldn't let her hurt anyone ever again." Edmund told him, still keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Edmund." Peter called out, trying to get his little brother to look at him, but Edmund didn't move a muscle. He didn't really know what else to say to what he had just been told. He hadn't even noticed that the Witch was coming towards him during the battle. While he never wanted his little brother to die, even if it was for him, the realization that Edmund was willing to die for him actually gave him a warm feeling inside. Due to how strained their relationship had been over the last several months after their Dad left, Peter started to wonder, and fear, if Edmund had begun to hate him. Now he knew that he was wrong.

Seeing that Edmund was still staring at the ground and had a pained expression on his face, worry filled his stomach again. Watching him closely, he said, "Ed?"

"She threw me in the dungeon when I got to her castle. The whole place was made of ice and was freezing cold. Then, when the sleigh got stuck, her wolves came with a fox. I guess he was helping Aslan gather troops or something." Edmund suddenly found himself saying, still not looking up at his older brother, shivering slightly at the memory of how cold he had been in the Witch's dungeon and his eyes beginning to fill with tears at the thought of the fox frozen in the middle of the woods. He wasn't exactly sure why he was telling Peter this and why now. He had been planning on never telling anyone what happened when he was with the Witch, but it just came out and he didn't think he could stop.

"She was going to turn him to stone, because he wouldn't tell her where you all were going. But I got in front of him and told her that you were going to the Stone Table. I thought if she had her answer, she'd leave him alone, but she didn't. She still turned him to stone and then hit me if not telling her earlier." Peter's blood began to boil at the thought of someone hitting his baby brother but before he could even think of something to say to that, Edmund continued.

"When she made her camp and her army started to arrive, she had her dwarf tie me to a tree. I could hardly move at all, and I couldn't say anything because they gagged me." Edmund's hand suddenly touched the corner of his mouth, still somehow feeling the cloth around his face even though it wasn't there anymore and hadn't been there for a while. Once he made sure that it was still gone, he finished the story.

"Her dwarf was going to kill me, actually had a knife to my neck, but before he could, Oreius and the others arrived and saved me."

Peter had no idea what to say once Edmund had finished talking. He wasn't sure if Ed would ever tell him what all happened when he was the Witch's prisoner and if he was being honest, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. He had his brother back, all of his siblings were safe and they defeated the Witch. He wanted to leave everything that happened in the past in the past. However, he knew that it wasn't that simple. Everything Edmund went through wouldn't just disappear as though it never happened.

Edmund still wasn't looking at him and the only thing that Peter could think of to say was, "We can tell Aslan about the fox. I'm sure he'd go help him."

"Yeah." Edmund agreed with a quick nod of his head, yet still wouldn't meet his eyes. While that might have made the younger Pevensie a little glad, knowing that there was something that he could do to help the poor animal, it was clear that that wasn't what he needed to hear.

"Edmund, what happened wasn't your fault. You didn't know what you were doing." Peter then said, trying to get him to believe that though he had a feeling that he would have to repeat it.

"No one forced me to do what I did Pete. I made my choices, and I deserved what I got. I deserve worse." Edmund's voice grew quieter at that last sentence and Peter saw a tear starting to run down his cheek. Immediately, Peter got up out of his hammock and walked over to Edmund.

"No you don't Ed." Peter told him as he crawled in beside Edmund, who had slid backwards a little to make room. Wrapping his arms around the smaller and shaking figure, he said, "You were tricked. You didn't deserve any of that."

At that point, Edmund was silently sobbing so he didn't say anything. Peter just held him and let him cry. Even when the shoulder of his shirt became wet with his brother's tears and his left arm, the one that the Witch had stabbed when she pinned him to the ground in the battle ached, he stayed still. The only move he made was rubbing Edmund's back comfortingly as he cried.

When he had calmed down a little, Peter quietly said, "Ed, we forgive you. Me, Susan, Lucy, Aslan and the other Narnians forgive you. You need to forgive yourself too."

Edmund took a deep breath before replying, "I don't even know why the Narnians want me as their king. I betrayed them."

"Maybe, but again, you didn't know what you were doing. You aren't that person anymore. And Ed, you saved them. If you didn't break the Witch's wand, we probably would've lost by the time Aslan got there." Peter responded, leaving out that the battle was pretty much lost before Aslan and the reinforcements arrived. There was no need for Edmund to know how close the Witch actually got to killing his older brother in spite of his efforts to stop her or the fact that the sword that was used to stab his arm and keep him stuck on the ground was Edmund's own sword.

Still keeping a tight hold on him, Peter added, "I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but I do know that you won't be remembered as a traitor because you aren't anymore. You're going to be known for something bigger, something better."

When Edmund stayed silent, Peter looked down and saw that his eyes were closed and his face, red from crying, had relaxed and his breathing was evening out. He was almost asleep. With a smile, Peter closed his own eyes and fell asleep right there with his brother in his arms.

AN – In the book or in the movies, it's never shown what they did with the soldiers that were already killed before Aslan, Lucy, and the rest of the reinforcements arrived, so in my mind, they were cremated. And I looked up what happened on the wiki page what happened in the battle and apparently, the Witch, after stabbing Edmund, did take his sword and used it when she was fighting Peter and that gave me so many emotions, so I put some of it in this chapter. I hope you all like it! Next chapter will hopefully be up soon! See you all then!