Chapter Two
Secrets
Edmund was lying in his bed resting when he heard a knock on his door.
"Who is it?" he questioned.
"It's me, Peter."
"Come in."
The door opened slowly revealing Edmund's blonde haired, blue eyed older brother.
"Ed, I need to speak with you."
Edmund sat up in his bed. "Aren't you speaking to me, now?" he joked as he gave Peter a grin.
Peter was not smiling.
"Ed, I need you to listen to me."
The tone of Peter's voice was enough to cause Edmund's heart to pound.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Edmund asked, yet dreading the answer.
Peter looked down and sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to tell you this."
Now, Edmund was really worried.
"I'm listening." He replied.
"A maid found this in your room, early this morning, lying on the floor, while you were still sleeping." His face grave and his eyes serious, Peter handed Edmund a folded up piece of paper.
With trembling hands, Edmund slowly unfolded it.
It was a letter from Baragorn, a black dwarf, unloyal to the kings and queens and unfaithful to Aslan. In short, Baragorn was a trouble maker.
Edmund began reading:
King Edmund the Just:
Sire, I am writing this letter as a confirmation for our little arrangement. I thank Your Majesty for the wanted information- it will be most useful to the Calormenes, who I am sure will pay a much desirable sum for it. If it will please Your Highness to meet me in Lantern Waste tomorrow evening, I would be very honored indeed. Your payment awaits, My Lord.
Your Loyal Subject,
Baragorn
Edmund's blood ran cold. The letter fell to the ground as he faced his brother, the High King.
Peter's eyes were full of pain and hurt. "Am I to believe that you have been selling military information to the Calormenes for jewels?"
Edmund could not speak.
"If you have nothing to say in defense… then, you might very well be guilty of treachery."
Peter sadly turned to leave the room when Edmund managed to call out.
"Pete!"
His brother turned back around and faced him once again at the sound of that one simple word.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Edmund?" Peter questioned, his tone cold and empty.
Edmund cringed at the way Peter said his name.
"Surely, you do not believe this foolery!" The accused gasped out.
"Have you given me reason not to believe it?" Peter challenged him.
"Pete… after all we've been through together, you don't trust me, your brother?" Edmunds eyes held a glint of pain as he waited for his brother's answer.
"You have betrayed us before. What reason do I have to believe you would not betray us again."
Edmund's face shown disbelief and horror.
"Must you bring the past up? Aslan said that what's done is done. I was young, Peter. I was foolish. I have not made that mistake again. Have I not proved myself, yet? I fought right beside you in every battle. Every battle, Pete! I nursed you to health when you were sick with the fever. I helped Susan daily with archery practice. I tucked Lucy into bed when you could not, busy with kingly duties. Would I do those things for naught? Would I do those things, only to betray you all, once more? Do you think that I have no love in my heart, only traitorous greed? Well, you are wrong. You may be the High King and you may be right almost always, but this is an exception. For once, you are wrong, Pete, and I do not hesitate to say so."
Peter watched his brother, looking into his eyes with a steady gaze, full of truthfulness and boldness.
"Then, I believe you." Peter stated simply.
Those words meant more to Edmund than anything in his entire life.
His brother trusted him.
It was worth it all just to see the faithfulness in Peter's eyes, the unconditional love, and the relief that his brother spoke the truth.
"Is that what was bothering you, this morning, Pete?" Edmund asked. "Were you troubled with the thought that your brother was a traitor?"
Peter nodded, shame written all over his kingly face.
"I was wrong, Edmund. I was so wrong."
The two brothers embraced and the letter was immediately thrown into the flickering flames of Edmund's fireplace, forgotten and unheeded but for only a little while.