Chapter Six
The Life of a Prisoner
Edmund felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.
His brother's words repeated over and over in his head.
"For the time being, King Edmund is to be held under house arrest."
Though it was not as horrible as he had imagined, it was almost as bad as death and exactly the same as banishment, besides the fact that he would continue living in Cair Paravel.
He did not know how he would live without seeing the bright, cheerful face of Lucy or without hearing motherly lectures from Susan.
Most importantly, he did not know what he would do without Peter comforting him after another brutal nightmare.
He was led back to his room and the door was bolted shut with two guards posted in the front of the wooden structures.
He was a prisoner.
"The Elders decided on what!"
Peter could tell from the tone of Lucy's voice that she was not happy.
Susan sat at the dining table, grim and stoic, showing no emotion, as though she was one of the White Witch's stone statues.
"Peter already told you what they decided, Lucy. I would rather him not repeat it." Susan said quietly as she stared at her hands folded in her lap.
Peter was thankful for his sister's intervention.
He did not want to repeat it, either.
"Why didn't you stop them?" Lucy questioned defensively.
"What could I do, Lu?" Peter asked helplessly.
"You could not have brought it to the council in the first place." Lucy harshly replied.
Peter glanced at Susan and by seeing the hurt in her deep blue eyes, he knew that she agreed with Lucy.
"How is it that you trust the testimony of a minotaur and a hag, against the pleas of your only brother?" Susan responded, her voice full of confusion and disbelief.
"You just don't understand do you?" Peter raised his voice as he continued, "All of the evidence and testimonies of the witnesses lined up together! What was I suppose to have thought?"
"Did Edmund not deny it?" Lucy wondered.
"He denied it every chance he got." Peter answered quietly.
"Then why did you not believe him?"
"I- I don't know." Peter replied with a small sigh.
"Don't you still have a chance to refute the sentence of the council?" Susan continued Lucy's questioning.
"Yes, Peter. I'm sure that you still have time." Lucy added. "You most certainly have the authority to undo the sentence."
Peter slammed his fist on the table as he abruptly stood up, forcing his chair back a few inches.
"I have had enough of these ridiculous questions! Edmund is guilty and there is no denying it!"
The High King stormed out of the room, leaving his sisters shocked and confused.
Lucy softly asked the question nagging the minds of both of them.
"What is happening to our family?"
Edmund sat hopelessly on his bed trying to make sense of the recent events.
Everything seemed to be going wrong so quickly.
He could not believe that it had only been three days since his brother first wrongly accused him of treachery. Now, he was a prisoner in his own castle unable to speak with or see his beloved sisters and especially his older brother. Something was not right in their household- and he was going to investigate the problems, with or without permission.