Let Go Brother

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"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property!" The White Witch proclaimed. Edmund averted his eyes; he could no longer bear to look upon her, the White Witch. He felt his body grow stiff and cold in her presence, and his mouth went dry.

"Just make it go away, please!" Edmund cried out to himself.

"Try and take him then!"

Edmund's eyes shot back up, but not to the White Witch. His eyes lingered on Peter whose sword was drawn on Jadis, "Is he bloody well mad?"Edmund was too stunned to move or speak; he only looked on as his brother stood brave and defiant against the White Witch. She smirked at Peter's efforts to protect what was rightfully hers.

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right little king?" Jadis spoke mockingly.

Peter kept his gaze steady until he finally faltered under the pressure. Not by the intimidation of Jadis, but by Edmund pushing on Peter's arms, attempting to get him to lower his sword. Peter looked down at his brother, Edmund's face expressed true fear that he had never seen before. As Peter looked into Edmund's eyes he began to understand just how frightened he was of the White Witch and what she could do. Peter wasn't able to fully understand what the White Witch was capable of, but Edmund would never be able to forget. The fear in Edmund's eyes made Peter sheath his sword, and Jadis carried on.

"Aslan knows that unless I have blood as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned! And perish in fire and water! That boy!" Jadis proclaimed turning and pointing directly at Edmund, "Will die on the Stone Table, as is tradition. You dare not refuse me!"

"I will speak with you in private." Aslan said slowly as he turned and walked into his tent

The White Witch followed Aslan inside, and a disturbing quiet fell over the entire encampment. The four Pevensies all sat together on the grass, not speaking a word to each other. Susan held Lucy in her arms in an attempt to comfort her younger sister, although Susan needed reassurance just as much as Lucy. Peter plucked at the grass and would toss it into the air, letting it carry on the wind, but he never once looked up. Edmund spent the entire time simply staring at Peter. Edmund could no longer read Peter's face; he had become almost a stranger to him now. At one point Peter could be treating him like a complete stranger, or defending him. Edmund knew he should be concentrating on the fact that his life was once again in danger, but his mind kept wandering back to one thing: Peter. He no longer thought about his own death, he had reached a point where death was meaningless to him. He no longer cared what his fate was, for all he truly wanted was freedom. He wanted to be free of all the pain, and since forgiveness seemed so far and unattainable, death seemed like a release. Narnia would be a more joyful place without the stain of Edmund Pevensie upon it. So as his siblings sat trying to comprehend the idea that their brother might very well be killed, Edmund had not only come to terms with it, but welcomed it. Now that he had accepted his fate, he was free to focus on his brother. Despite accepting death, the one thing Edmund knew he could not bear was dying without the forgiveness of Peter, his only sibling who had yet to forgive him.

Edmund suddenly felt cold as a chill ran down his spine, and instantly he knew of the White Witch's presence. He looked away from Peter toward Aslan's tent where Jadis had in fact emerged. She looked at Edmund with a triumphantly smug grin forming on her face, and he knew what was coming, she had won. Edmund stood ready to meet his fate, and his siblings were quick to rise as well. But the White Witch turned away from him, and Aslan finally emerged. Edmund looked to the Great Lion for his answer.

"She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood." Aslan said simply.

Aslan's camp began cheering but Edmund was deafened to it all. Lucy hugged him tightly, relieved that her brother would be safe, and Susan put her hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort that everything would now be alright, but Edmund did not take notice. All he could think of was that his suffering must continue. His eyes began to tear up, which most assumed were of gratitude and joy. But that could not be further from the truth, and Peter was beginning to catch on.

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Peter stared long and hard at the battle field before him. The Fords of Beruna would soon become a battlefield, much like back at home. He had an entire army ready to defend him and die for him and his family, yet he felt an overwhelming sense of dread. At first he had believed it was because of the Witch's army, which he knew greatly outnumbered his own. But as he thought more and more about it, it was more about his brother's attitude toward the battle to come. Shortly after the discovery that Aslan was gone he and Edmund had gotten into another fight.

"I want to fight with you Peter." It was not a question, it was a demand.

"Out of the question, you will be no where near the frontlines Ed. You're to be up on the cliff face with the archers." Peter replied.

"Peter I need to fight with you." Edmund demanded once again.

"I'm sorry Ed but I cannot let you. You almost died once because of the White Witch, if I can prevent that from happening again I will. You will be safer this way, it's what Aslan wanted." Peter spoke softly.

Peter knew instantly at mentioning the Great Lion's name, Edmund would listen. It was petty and wrong, using Aslan to guilt Edmund into surrendering his futile attempts of arguing with him, but if it kept Edmund as safe as possible then it couldn't be so dishonorable. Peter smiled lightly at Edmund and placed a hand on his shoulder. Peter went to move past his brother and suit up for battle when Edmund grabbed his hand. Before Peter could turn around to face him, Edmund began to speak.

"Why can't I fight? Am I so unworthy a person that I can't die in battle for the ones I love and hold dear? How come you can fight and I must be left behind?" Edmund asked.

Peter would almost be unsure if Edmund was even speaking to him at all had he not grabbed him by the arm. Edmund spoke in such a soft and reserved manner it was as if he was voicing his thoughts out loud to himself, rather than to Peter.

"Ed…" Peter sighed as he turned around.

Edmund stood with his back to Peter, unable to move, or unwilling. They had yet to make peace because Peter was still so unsure if he could forgive his brother and come to terms with what he had done. Despite all that, it did not change the simple fact that he wanted Edmund safe, if not for his own sake then for the sake of his family.

"Peter you don't understand…" Edmund whispered his voice cracking.

Peter wrapped his arms around his little brother and hugged him delicately from behind. He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but after hearing his brother shatter in front of him he had an overwhelming urge to protect and comfort Edmund. This was the only way he knew how. Peter rested his chin carefully on Edmund's shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"I know you hate it when I tell you what to do. But I swear I don't do it to make you feel smaller, or to seem like I'm always right. I just want to keep you safe. So if you ever do one thing for me, please listen when I ask you to not fight me on this. I don't want you in the front lines, I want you no where near the battle unless it's absolutely necessary to fall back. Please just this once, if you ever do one thing for me, please listen: stay with the archers where it's safer."

At this Edmund finally turned to face his brother. Edmund's face showed no emotion of any kind, he merely nodded and walked away. Peter could only hope that he somehow got through to Edmund, that Edmund understood he only wanted what was best for him. Peter's thoughts were growing more and more uncertain by the second, he was still unsure if he could do this.

"Edmund…" Peter turned and looked up, trying to locate where his brother was up on the cliff. He found Edmund who was looking down staring directly at him as well. He looked on as Edmund nodded his head in reassurance. Peter turned back around, facing the oncoming enemy. Peter finally drew his sword, indicating the challenge to the White Witch.

It had begun.

Edmund watched on as the battle was raging below. How he wished to be a part of it.

"I know you hate it when I tell you what to do. But I swear I don't do it to make you feel smaller, or to seem like I'm always right."

"Peter you just don't understand. I have to fight, I need to fight. I need to help these people who I've hurt and let down. I need to help Lucy, and Susan and you. I need to fight because I can not go on knowing what I have done and not try to make it right. You'll never see that I've changed… you still think I'm some immature little prat who loathes you. I know you're trying to protect me, I don't just think you're trying to make me feel small… but you can't see that. You can't see that I've changed…"Edmund contemplated.

Edmund continued to watch, waiting for the Witch to make her move. All he could do was wait, wait for her to come forward. Edmund raised his sword above his head, and thrust it toward the battle field before him.

"Fire!" He shouted

One of the many centaur archers cocked and fired an arrow out into the battle. Half way to the battle field it burst into flame and a phoenix emerged. The phoenix tore through the battle field, denying the White Witch access to Peter and the rest of his army by lighting a division line of flame. Edmund couldn't help but smile a little, Peter was safe. But that happy feeling quickly faded as Jadis used her magic to break through their defenses. As the White Witch advanced on them Edmund saw Peter glance up at him quickly before shouting a command to his army.

"Fall back! Draw them to the rocks!"

That was the signal Edmund had been waiting for. He and the rest of the Narnian army turned and ran to aid the rest of their comrades in the ongoing battle below. As Edmund ran to aid his brother all he could think of was now he would have his chance to make it up to him. He would make it up to Narnia and his family. He'd set things right, and then he could be at peace.

"I did as you asked me Peter. I stayed with the archers, until there was no other choice. I listened and now… now I don't want to be here any longer Peter, I want to set things right and then fade away. When I know I have mended the damage I inflicted on Narnia and our family I want to disappear and become a memory, which is what I deserve."