Dedication: To Elecktrum, for sticking with me through all my bad moods and pain. She truly is the Peter to my Edmund sometimes, and visa-versa. E? I hope this helps you as much as you help me. You are amazing. Never forget that.

Chapter 6: Battle of Wills

"You see, Your Majesties, we Red Dwarfs have had a long history of working the western bank of the Rush River. And now the Black Dwarves believe that they may take the far end of the western bank for work even though the know without a doubt that within our agreement, the western side is rightfully ours and the eastern side is theirs. We are humbly and simply asking that you-"

"I protest! We Black Dwarfs have never encroached upon your territory. That western bank is ours, and has been for many a Black Dwarf's lifetime. The agreement struck up by our ancestors says nothing about that far end. It says your territory ends a full stone's throw away. Your Majesties, do not be taken in by the lies of this red-bearded fool. I beg of you to see the facts plain as they are! That territory is rightfully the Black Dwarfs' and as such..."

Edmund barley held back a heavy sigh. Could court really have only started half an hour ago? It felt as if he had been listening to the dwarfs of the Red and Black clans bicker about the Western bank of the Rush River for far, far longer. Every time he went to end the debate, seeing as he had read the penned version of the agreement himself, he was quickly cut off, and the two representatives went at it again, hammer and tongs. He wondered idly if they really wanted this settled or if they simply wanted to argue with each other. If the first was the answer than he hoped they would let him give them an answer soon. However if the latter was the truth, then he could think of several places that would be better suited for them to continue the past time other than in court.

He chanced a glance towards his younger sister. Edmund knew that Lucy was probably still listening to the argument. She tackled everything about their new duties with the same caring and determination that had already endeared her to so many of their subjects. He wondered if she was actually as absorbed as she looked, or if some small part of her was wondering what was going on back in Peter's chambers.

Seeing as their older brother still had yet to wake up nearly six days after that fateful evening, he, Susan, and Lucy had decided to keep an ongoing vigil by Peter's side. The three siblings took turns watching over their sleeping charge during the day, leaving the other two to handle lessons, court, and the various other jobs that presented themselves. They would switch every few hours, always keeping someone in those rooms. Edmund would have stayed by Peter's side at all times if he had his way. Unfortunately he had not reckoned with Susan, who had started watching him almost as much as they were all keeping watch over Peter. When he could finally send her and Lucy off to bed however, when they were too tired to keep their eyes open, he kept watch, keeping his brother safe from whatever haunted him.

Despite his offhand comment to Lucy on the dosage that night, he was starting to worry that he had made some grave error. Surely Peter was not supposed to be asleep for more than a day or two? Did his body need to replenish that much energy? Who knew the plant he had used affected humans so strongly. Given the choice, he would have chosen instead a more carefully considered and controlled way getting his brother to sleep. Edmund felt like kicking himself for such a major miscalculation. The last thing he had wanted was to hurt his brother while he was trying to help him.

"Your Majesty?"

"King Edmund?"

"Ed?"

His head snapped up with a resounding crack, hitting the back of his throne as Lucy called his name. He tried to resist the urge to rub his aching head. If his head hadn't hurt before it defiantly did now. He blinked back the tears, trying to focus on the court before him. The reigning silence pressed in as the two dwarfs waited expectantly, obviously pausing long enough for Edmund to answer their plight. He struggled to remember what exactly they were arguing about. Something about disputed territory. He cleared his throat, trying to buy himself time to gather his thoughts.

"Yes. Well, uh... The court has heard both opinions in this grievance and. . ."

Suddenly, the doors flew open with a bang. The court turned almost as one to see who had interrupted the proceedings. Susan, her hair a mess with pieces of it hanging in her face, all flushed cheeks and large eyes, stood trying to catch her breath. Fear gripped Edmund's heart and he exchanged a terrified glance with Lucy. His eyes traveled back towards his older sister. What could have happened that would make her run to see them?

Aslan please, please let Susan have good news. Please do not tell me that something has happened to Peter because of my mistake. Please please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. I'll do absolutely anything just please let him be okay. I can't do this King thing without him, you know that. He's your King. He's my King. I'm begging you please let her have good news.

He rambled on, to the point where he wasn't sure if he was praying or if Aslan was listening to a riot in his head. As long as his prayers were answered though he wasn't sure he minded either way.

"What is it, Susan? Is he..." Susan smiled, and at that moment Edmund thought it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

"He's awake, Edmund."

Lightheadedness rushed in upon him, and he wasn't sure if it was from relief or the fact he hadn't been breathing since Susan had entered the room. He took a deep breath, and strode towards the door.

"Court dismissed!"

"But . . . Your Majesty! What about-"

He paused, turning to the dwarfs. "Good my dwarfs, listen and listen well. If you are interested in an answer to your inquiry, come back at a later date. If your only interested in hearing yourselves argue, do not come back."

"But, King Edmund!"

"Silence! Not one more word. We are done here, gentlemen."

He turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

OoOoOoO

Edmund hesitated outside his brother's bedchamber before plucking up the courage and entering the room. It was as dark as the hour of midnight, the only light coming from a candle on the bedside table. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the small amount of light. And there was his brother, sitting with his back propped up against his mound of pillows, arms crossed, his hair a complete mess, and a glower to rival their mother's on his face. It was honestly one of the best sights Edmund had seen in a long time.

"You're awake!" A silly smile spread across his face. He felt as if he could float.

"No thanks to you, Edmund," Peter growled.

Edmund ignored him. Nothing could spoil his joy now, not even Peter's anger.

"So I take it you're angry at me?" he remarked, trying to make small conversation as he slowly headed towards the curtains. It was too dark in the room.

Peter paused, considering the question. "Am I angry with you? No, Edmund, I'm not angry. I'm absolutely furious. Anger doesn't begin to describe how I feel. What were you thinking? Where you even thinking? How on earth could you . . . Ahh!"

He covered his eyes as the curtains were thrown open. Edmund grinned. "Some light will do you some good, brother. And don't worry, I was thinking of you. At all times. Your best interest was always at heart."

Peter's eyes narrowed dangerously as Edmund's grin widened. "First you knock me unconscious, then-"

"Wait, wait, wait! I did not knock you unconscious. I drugged you, there is a big difference. Knocking you unconscious would have been barbaric. And I am a civilized brother."

"Oh, yes. Drugging me is so much better. I suppose you did me a great kindness. And now you try to blind me only minutes after I am awake. Ed, there are better ways to kill me."

"I'm glad you see it my way, dear my brother. I did you a kindness greater than you understand at this moment. And really, Peter if I was trying to kill you, I would have succeeded." He finished with a nasty grin. Peter rolled his eyes.

Edmund paused, drinking in every detail he could get. Seeing his brother alive and moving, whether he was annoyed or not, was far better than seeing him asleep or like the living dead. His older brother really was a sight. He had not been eating well before he had been drugged, and six days without food had not helped. He had always been on the skinny side, but this was defiantly taking skinny a bit too far. Scrawny might be a better term; or half starved. His usually neat mop was now stringy and lank. Edmund made a mental note to order Silvo to attack his brother with soap and water after he left.

The worst of it, however, was that Peter was still pale. In fact he had gotten noticeably paler in the last six days, and the dark circles under his eyes were just as bad if not darker than the last time he had been awake. Obviously the enforced six-day rest had not done anything except make things worse. He was sure that Peter knew the reason he no longer slept and Edmund wondered if it might just be easier to face the problem head on and force Peter to tell him what was plaguing him.

Doubt assailed him, just as it had done in his rooms the night of the dinner. What if Peter didn't trust him enough to tell him? Was that the reason Peter hadn't come to him in the first place? He pushed the idea aside. It didn't matter now.

He looked up to see Peter staring at him, worry pushing aside the anger for just a moment. It warmed his heart, to know that Peter was willing to put aside his anger for the moment at least if it was needed.

"Ed?"

Edmund pulled the curtains shut once again, hoping that would cover some of the dark circles. He didn't want to see how bad his brother's condition was getting.

"Yes, Peter?"

"Curtains open, curtains closed. Make up your mind," Peter grumbled. Edmund watched the anger cloud over his brother's face again. He sighed. It appeared nothing was going to detour Peter from trying to get his answers, or at least vent some steam at this moment. However, all he could do was grin like an idiot. Relief that his brother was awake and moving was far greater than anything else at the moment.

Thank you, Aslan.

"You drugged me!"

Edmund chuckled. Peter may have exploded, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to defend what he had done.

"And do you feel better for it?"

"Well . . . "

"And if you'd been sick you would have taken your medicine and slept, correct?"

"I wasn't sick!"

"Says who?"

"I do!"

"Well I beg to differ, but you haven't slept well in over a month and according to Felern, if that's not sick it's well on it's way to getting sick. Now why on earth are you complaining?"

"Because you drugged me."

The two brothers glared across the room at each other. The battle of wills was not going to be won today, that was obvious. Edmund rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of himself. There was no way Peter was winning this round.

"What's that?" Peter asked, looking over Edmund's shoulder at something behind them. Edmund spun around only to find the empty air. He turned back around slowly.

"Oh, very mature, Pete - AGH!"

Edmund spit feathers out of his mouth. Peter grinned wickedly, the half empty pillow case falling off the bed. Edmund glared, stooping to pick up a fallen pillow. He stalked towards his golden-haired brother. Peter's eyes grew huge.

"Now Ed, you said yourself, I've been sick! Attacking someone who's sick is rather low don't you think? I'll tell Susan on you!"

"Go ahead, Peter. It'll be worth it." And with a swing, another pillow broke its seams, and Peter was the one spitting out feathers.

"Now you're going to get it."

Edmund grinned as Peter threatened him. "I'd like to see you try."

And the first pillow fight battle in the history of Cair Paravel began.