A/N Hey y'all! I am so sorry it as long as it did to get this chapter out and it's not even that long or good if you ask me! However I felt as though you guys deserved something after the amazing response to the last chapter! Warning, this is not beata'ed so all mistakes are my own!

Disclaimer" I still don't own Narnia despite how much I wish I do.

Lucy's POV

The sun is beating down on our backs, filling me with a warm, bubbling feeling. Something I haven't felt for a while. I can't help but grin. We're back, we're finally back! My smile falters slightly as I remember the last time we were here, all four of us and my hearth throbs painfully. I don't have time to think on it more though, because Caspian drags us down to his cabin to find some proper clothes.

He is older now, more man than boy. He holds himself with a pride and confidence that was nonexistent during our last trip. Yes, it seems Caspian has already made a great king if the looks of his adoring subjects are anything to go by. Unfortunately, for Edmund and me, he has gotten a lot quicker too. Everything seems strained, and his eyes that were warm and friendly upon our arrival have turned cool and calculating as he analyzes our every move. He knows something is wrong and he wants answers.

When we enter his cabin we stick with small talk. We wait for Caspian to bring it up while he waits for us. He finally opens his mouth but snaps it shut quickly as Edmund meets his eyes and shakes his head. Edmund would explain, but not now. We only just got here after all.

"I'm sorry we don't have any lady's clothing on board but perhaps we'll find you something that fits."

"No matter Caspian, I've always preferred pants to dresses anyways. They always seem to get in the way when you're running or climbing trees!" I release a small giggle as I recall the hundreds of times Susan must have scolded me for soiling a dress or parading around in pants when it was considered indecent for a lady. Still, I was never one to care what others thought.

"Here, these look to be your size." He grins at me. He hands Edmund slightly larger clothes and they both depart to allow me to change. I slip into the new clothes quickly. Knowing that Caspian is probably waiting with Edmund as he gets changed I put my ear to the door.

"-happened? And no more of this, 'I'm fine' business because it's obvious you're not!" Came Caspian's voice.

"Hm, you sounded a bit like Peter there for a second." Edmund's voice was joking but there was a sad ring to it.

"Really Edmund, what happen- Sweet Aslan, what is that?"

"What? Oh, that. It's nothing."

"That is not nothing! That is a handprint on your neck!"

"Well, I got in a fight."

"With what, a gorilla?"

"No, our Uncle, though he does resemble one slightly."

Caspian gasped as everything sunk in. Strangely it almost felt the same for me. I never really considered it abuse, more of just trying to survive. Abuse was such a strong word and very deserving of the situation. I force myself to continue listening though. I know Edmund won't talk about it unless I'm out of the room. He's afraid it will hurt me and ruin our time here.

"Edmund, take off your shirt." Normally, many would laugh at the statement but from the number of times I've heard Peter say that to Edmund I cringe.

"Edmund, take off your shirt." Peter commanded. They had returned from a campaign only hours ago, but things were already going wrong.

"I'm fine! It's nothing but a couple bruises and a scratch!" However, his words were slurred and any truth we might have thought they carried was gone as his face paled and his legs gave out from beneath him. Peter gently scooped him up and placed him on his bed. As gently as he could, he attempted to pry the shirt from his torso but it was sticky with blood. Finally, Peter slips the dagger from his boot and cuts the shirt off. We were appalled to find our brother's torso a mess of blood and crudely wrapped bandages. We quickly called for a healer and I ran to fetch the cordial. I remember wondering how much time he had left. If it was a s serious as it looked. If I was going to be too late. The terror built inside me until I felt as though I was about to throw up. Tears flowed down my cheeks and I didn't bother to wipe them away. A sob escaped me but I kept running. Suddenly I tripped and fell to my knees. The blasted dress kept getting in my way. My palms were cut on the rough landing and my dress has a hole at my right knee, I kicked off my shoes and left them in the middle of the pathway as I continued to sprint. When I reached my room I ripped the key from the string that was attached to on my petticoat and fumbled with the decorative box. I couldn't make the bloody key fit properly! I let loose a noise that was half scream half wail as I tried again. Finally it popped open and placed the cordial on its rightful spot on my belt. I dashed straight back to Edmund's chambers never stopping once, not caring I had my skirt hitched up above my knees and people were staring. The fear was eating me alive. It was getting worse and I couldn't breathe. Edmund could be dead right now and it would be my fault. When I reached his chambers I threw open the door only to find my worse fear. The healer, shaking her head with a solitary tear racing down her her slender hand she places the sheets just below his stomach. There was an imprint of his chain mail on his shoulder and a deep gash on his side. It was too late I thought, but I couldn't give up. I uncorked the cordial and toss it to the side. I allowed one small drop to enter Edmund's mouth and I waited. He still had breath in his body so it wasn't over yet. Color slowly began to return to his face and his breathing became deeper. I finally took a step back and glanced at Peter and Susan. Peter was tightly grasping Edmund's left hand in his and had his other arm wrapped around Susan as she cried in to his chest, deep sobs wracking her slim frame.

"Wha-" A weak voice mumbled.

The memory cuts off as voices erupt from the other side of the door.

"Edmund, when was the last time you ate?"

"I don't really…remember." His voice sounded broken, like a lost child who had just realized what wrongs had been done to him. At the same time, maybe he was.

"The bruises and cuts, oh Aslan, does Lucy look like this too? I'm going to kill them! This isn't fair!"

"I don't know. I only got out today- I mean I didn't ask." His cover up came too late though and I wait expectantly for Caspian to harass him with more questions which is probably what he was trying to avoid.

"Got out from where?"

"Did I say got out? Oops, sorry don't know what I was thinking!"

"Got out from where, Edmund?" I can't take it anymore. I push the door open and find both Edmund and Caspian starring at me in shock.

"He just got out of being locked in a broom closet for nearly two weeks! He didn't have any food or water and we weren't allowed to see each other. Aunt Alberta would taunt him and call him worthless or say that she did terrible things to me! And it was all my fault! If I had just hidden the letter to Peter better none of it would have happened!"

"Shh, Lu-Lu. None of it was your fault. If anyone was to blame, it's me. I wasn't there to protect to you and Aunt Alberta took advantage of it. Not that you can't take care of yourself Lu, but you shouldn't need to! I promise Alberta, Harold and Eustace are going to pay for what they did to you, for what they did to us." The room is silent for a moment as we let the weight of everything that happened truly sink in. I glance at Edmund again and truly look at him. His Narnain clothes fit him in height but are otherwise too baggy, proving just how much weight he lost. There are bags under his eyes and bruises enhance his high cheeks. If anything he looks sickly and is in dire need of some fish and chips. As I catch my reflection in the mirror I realize that I look very much the same. I close my eyes and throw my arms around his waist. He flinches violently at first but as his mind registers that the danger is gone, that it can't touch him here, he relaxes and returns my embrace. When we break apart Caspian looks at us with a great sorrow in his eyes.

"I'm truly sorry you two had to endure this abuse at the hand of your own flesh and blood, but I can assure you this will not go unpunished. No one deserves this least of all you two, the most pure hearted people I know." With that I notice Edmund's eyes glaze over slightly and he is lost in memories. He may have let it go and forgiven himself for his mistakes but I doubt it makes it hurt any less.

A/N Sorry, it's short I know, please don't hate me. Just thought it would be a nice time to update! Finally, I also wanted to let you know that I'm not going to have Edmund still latching on to him being a traitor and not forgiving himself for that in this story. I feel like he dealed with that in Narnia and figured out how to get over it. Here all of the crazy jank that is happening to them now is what is bringing back memories so slight words might jog his memory sort of.

Hope you enjoyed it!
~Hain