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The Return

Chapter 5. Wake Up

Edmund's POV

"Alex, Alex, Allie, wake up. Come on stay awake." I begged. Caspian walked up. "What's going on? Why is she passing out? Why?" I asked quickly.

He didn't respond but instead went pale. "Trufflehunter? Come here." he ordered urgently.

A friendly looking badger walked over. I gulped, and looked down at Alex. She was really pale and she was burning up.

"Oh dear." the badger said.

"Oh dear, what's oh dear?" Caspian asked, eyes wide.

"She doesn't look to good. I haven't seen her this bad." the badger replied.

"Well what do we do, what do we need?" Caspian asked urgently.

I was trying to figure out why he was so urgent to help with Alex. "How long have you known my wife?" I asked.

"A few days." he replied.

I gave him a confused glance but immediately turned my attention back to Alex when she started shaking. I looked up at Lucy. "What's going on?" I asked.

She looked confused. "I... I don't know." she replied leaning down beside me pushing Alex's hair out of her face.

Caspian looked up at Peter. "Look what you did!" he yelled.

"Me?" Peter asked, shocked.

"You threw her!" Caspian yelled.

"I was only defending myself. If you hadn't attacked me, I wouldn't have had too!" Peter yelled.

"And if you hadn't gone after one of your own people I wouldn't have had too!" Caspian yelled back.

Alex moaned. Apparently she could still understand. "Stop it!" I yelled hoarsely "It doesn't matter who's at fault. Peter was just defending himself, and Caspian was defending one of his people. Now will you two just shut up!"

The both seemed shocked at my sudden outburst, but I could care less right about now.

Lucy gulped. "Ed... I... I don't think she's going to make it." she said breaking off into tears.

My heart stopped. "Why do you say that?" I asked.

She pulled back Alex's hair to reveal a huge spider bite. "Oh dear Aslan." I whispered.

Lucy went deadly white. "And my cordial doesn't heal poison's." she whispered.

No! Alex had to live! She had to! And she's pregnant! She can't die. Dear Aslan, she can't! I heard Lucy crying beside me, but I was to busy crying myself. I heard Susan crying too.

"Ed, she wouldn't want us to do this. She's not dead yet. And it's not a given she will." she said bending down.

I nodded and gulped. I looked up to see tears in Caspian's eyes as well.

"Why are you so upset, you barely know her?" I asked.

"She's helped me so much, your majesty. And I have never really had a friend before, until now." he replied.

I nodded. He had good reason's. "How much has she helped you?" I asked.

"Well, for one she saved my life at least twice. Tended to my wounds, pulled Reepicheep off of me, and kept two Telmarines from what they were planing. Then she helped me get the loyalty of the Narnians. She's been great company, alongside Trufflehunter." he replied, and as he did a black dwarf cleared his throat "Nope, just Alex and Trufflehunter. And probably more I just can't think of at this moment."

I smiled. "She sure has done alot for you." I said looking down at her pale face.

He nodded his head. "Aside from my Professor and my old nurse, out of my entire life, she has been my only friend." he said.

"Until now." Lucy said.

I nodded my head and looked back up at him. "Until now. You have more than one friend now." I said.

"Thank you King Edmund." he said.

"Call me Edmund, please." I said.

"Oh." he said.

"And call me Lucy, I'm heading off the Queen Lucy stuff before it comes." Lucy said.

"And call me Susan, don't even think of adding the Queen part." Susan said.

"And count the same for Peter, he'll get over it." I said.

I heard Peter growl at me. I snorted.

"Let's get her back to the How, I don't think all of you arguing and meeting is going to help her any." the badger, apparently Trufflehunter said.

I nodded and carefully picked her up. She was light, and I thought she was supposed to be pregnant. This was not normal. I looked up at Peter. "Do you remember how much she weighed when we first met her?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "I could if I picked her up." he replied.

I handed her to him and he got a funny look. "She's lost weight, big time." he said shaking his head and handing her back to me.

I gulped and started walking. Caspian walked up to Peter, and I heard him apologize. Peter, very reluctantly, accepted it and they had started conversing over what the battle plans should be, when it came to that. It was actually nice to see them getting along. To bad Alex wasn't awake to see it, this'll probably be the last time it happens. Lucy and Susan were on my left side, beside Alex's head. Susan had her arm around Lucy's shoulder's, and had her other arm pulled through my arm. We were so tight together it's a miracle we didn't run into anything, but we were slightly used to it.

When we got back to the How, Trufflehunter showed me where Alex's room was. I pulled the blanet's tight around her and sat down beside the hammock. I sighed and took her hand, willing myself not to cry.

"I get you back, and now you don't even know I'm here." I said through shuddering breathes.

"Edmund, come here. You... you need to see this." Lucy said walking in.

I looked up at her, but then looked back down at Alex. "But, what about Alex?" I asked.

"We will watch her, your majesty." Trufflehunter said as he and Trumpkin walked up.

I nodded and followed Lucy. I went after Lucy and I was glad I did. Pictures of tales from the Golden Age covered the walls.

"It's us." Susan stated.

"What is this place?" Lucy asked looking over at Caspian.

"You don't know?" he asked.

We shook our heads. He grabbed a torch and walked past us, motioning for us to follow. Peter and I already had torch's, so we motioned for the girl's to go first. The farther we walked the darker it got, but still it didn't matter, I had this rotten feeling in the pit of my stomach, the same feeling I had when I first laid eyes on my siblings once getting back with the witch... guilt.

And when we came to a room, and Caspian lit something that brought a fire throughout the entire room, I knew why. The Stone Table. But behind the table was a big stone picture of Aslan. He was so beautiful, but that didn't seem to help comfort me any, if anything, it only made me feel more guilty.

Lucy walked towards the Table and Susan and Peter followed closely behind, but I seemed to be stuck to my spot.

"He must have known what He was doing." Lucy said calmly turning around to Susan.

"I think it's up to us now." Peter stated.

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"That's your plan?" I asked. Everyone looked over at me. "Go it alone. We're not even going to think about waiting for Him?"

"Ed, we have no time." Peter replied.

"No time? No time? Was no time when Aslan sent the Narnians in perfect time to rescue me from the witch's clutches? Was no time when Aslan saved you from the Witch? Was no time when Aslan came and gave Alex her life back? No time! Peter, are you blind! Aslan is always on time! He created time! And are you crazy? You think we can actually go this alone? Who defeated that damn witch in the first place?!" I said, my voice yelling by the end.

He blinked a few times and looked down.

"Yeah... I thought so." I growled throwing the torch at the oil wall, making the fire go higher, before walking from the room. I was really mad, and I didn't want to yell at Peter with both Susan and Lucy in there. That would only upset them I don't want that.

I walked back into Alex's, and apparently now mine, room and froze. The scene in front of me was more horrible than anything I could ever imagine, save for the night Aslan sacrificed himself for me, but I hadn't been there so this came in second. Nikabrik was now in the room and both Trumpkin and Trufflehunter had extremely sad expressions.

"Wha... what's going on?" I stuttered.

They each looked over at me. "We're sorry King Edmund." they said bowing their heads.

"No." I thought, looking at her pale face.

"No." I whispered not seeing any movements whatsoever.

"NO!" I screamed running forward.

They backed out of the way, and I feel to my knees beside the hammock. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Alex?" I whispered. I took her hand and pushed the hair from her face. I felt a sob break free. How could this happen? I bent my head down gently against her stomach, hiding the tears I was now crying. I felt her take a breathe. I couldn't bare to look up again though.

"Ed, why are you crying?" I heard her ask.

My head shot up and she had her eyes open, they were glazed over but they were open, and she had concern in them. "Alex?" I whispered.

She smiled and put her hand on my cheek. "I'm ok Ed, I'm fine." she said weakly.

I put my hand over hers. "But you almost weren't." I said.

She wiped my cheeks and she reached forward to kiss me, but I moved forward for her.

When I pulled away I looked her in the eyes. "You need to stay as calm as possible for a few days if you and the baby are to live." I said.

She nodded. "Could I go outside?" she asked.

I sighed and looked over at Trufflehunter. "Fresh air would do her good." he replied.

I nodded and helped her up. Despite the fact she had literally just died, she seemed perfectly normal. Trufflehunter said she typically would, though she had never actually died.

And when I tried to ask Alex what happened she just shrugged and said she had probably fallen into a mini coma. But I suppose if she could shrug it off for now, I could shrug it off for now.