Oooookay, really short chapter here. I wrote this just to get me going again before I move up to the longer chapters again. My writer's block has prevented me from writing this, and I'm sorry for the so short chapter, but I really don't--and can't--link this with a lot of words that will turn into nothingness. Soo...Here you go...I guess...

"Eddddmunnnd..."

No response.

There was a silence.

"Eddddd..."

The persisting annoyance buzzed out yet again, softly jostling him awake. Something poked him in the shoulder.

"Edmundddd..."

A soft grunt. That was all the intruder needed.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" She was bouncing the bed now.

A groan managed from him as he squinted at his little sister, eyeing her as an unsightly insect. "Go away," he mumbled, burying his head a pillow, attempting to send her off.

She flopped down next to him, shaking his shoulders. Such a pest. "Get upppppp," she commanded. "The sun's up and you're not!"

"As it should be." He curled up under the covers, trying to ignore the annoying little sister refusing to let up until her brother was out of bed. As it was, she wasn't about to give in anytime soon.

"But everyone else is up!" she whined. "Peter is up; Susan is up; Lila is up-"

He stiffened. The humor in her voice angered him for some odd reason, arising a thrown idea that she was laughing at him. Laughing at the emotion he felt. Laughing at his guilt. There was nothing funny about that girl.

"-Even that wretched Maible is up!" She did laugh, truly and freely now, shaking him again. "And you are not! Awaken, Brother!"

"Alright!" He threw away the covers, his eyes narrowed. "I'm up! Are you now contented?" She fell back, the mirth in her eyes retreating at his sudden outburst. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Edmund to be frustrated and short-tempered in the mornings; most would label him as murderous. But she knew that his anger was not one to be taken as falsely, so she stood, watching as her brother followed her. His movements were jerked in a way she didn't ever remember seeing, and it confused her greatly (and slightly annoyed her), but she said nothing. He only glared at her, scowling. "Lucy, you're my sister, but would it be a bit much to ask for some privacy?"

She rolled her eyes in a very un-Queenlike fashion, before bowing low to him. "O Great King Edmund of the West, forgive me for angering you by attempting to get you breakfast," she scoffed, her voice exaggerated. She had lived with him for fourteen years; she had learned how to retort when she felt it should be so.

He had turned, roiling through his room having expected her to leave, when he snapped back, eyeing her with disbelief and suspicion. "O Gratifying Queen Lucy of the East, I herby accept your apology, despite the fact of your pestering and annoyance you have put me through." She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him with distaste.

"I shall spread the joyous news through our Royal courts."

"You do that."

She turned, placing a hand on the handle to leave, and then paused. Thoughtfully, she gazed at her brother, taking in his roughened appearance. She couldn't help but shake off the feeling that something was different.

Irritated, he threw up a hand, uninterested in his sister's careful studying. "Well?" he demanded, using the word as an invitation for her to leave.

She didn't depart quite yet. "Edmund Pevensie, I have known you long enough to know if something is wrong or different about you, and I am not about to forget that knowledge now," she announced, giving him a look.

He faltered, but managed to keep from paling. He was determined to have her not know anything. Contorting in a scowl, he shook his head.

Lucy caught the falter, if nothing else. So..."You're hiding something," she confirmed.

"I am not," he shot back.

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Come now, Ed, you can tell me."

Pause.

"I'm not hiding anything."

The valiant queen rolled her eyes. She was stubborn, but Edmund withheld her abilities by a long shot. Even if it was abnormally taking him a few moments to respond. "Just tell me."

"There is nothing wrong! Now leave!" He finally moved forward, shoving his sister from his room and slamming the door behind her.

Her face twitched in a moment of her own irritation, just about ready to burst back into his room and confront him about what ever was wrong, until a different, gentler voice spoke out to her.

"Queen Lucy?"

She turned away from the door to see Lila gazing back at her questioningly. The other girl's face was slightly tired, very much like Edmund's had been, but instead of anger tracing with the fatigue, there was a soft sort of guilt and confusion clouding her face. Lucy nearly fell to sympathizing the gir--waitaminute.

Just like Edmund's had been.

Oh. She was so stupid.

"I-I'm fine, Lila," she managed, casually leaving the newfound understanding and giddiness out of her voice. "Good morning, by the way."

"Thank you and a fair morning to you as well." Lila offered a small smile.

"Thank you entirely... My brother the High King had sent me to awaken our other King, who, unfortunately, cannot enjoy the morning as we do." A flicker of emotion flashed through the other girl's face at the mention of Edmund, veiled as it was, and it was all the younger girl could do to restrain a quirky sort of smirk.

It became increasingly hard when her brother suddenly threw open the door, his features far from kingly or handsome, for that matter. But that failed to comprehend with Lila; she still looked to him with the same emotion Lucy had caught unchecked before. And more to the girl's undying humor, Edmund first glanced at her the same way.

And he always made such a fuss when Susan acted the very same way.

Lucy clapped her hands together, flipping her hair behind a shoulder, before saying, "Well! Su and I are going for a ride again, so I best be off." She gave her brother a hug of farewell before skipping off down the hall, leaving the other two, very flustered, in the hall.

Again, there was almost no point to this chapter except to build a bridge to the next chapter. I know it wasn't great. Deliver your complaints to writer's block.