Hey. This is allforthejust. First of all, i want to give a shout out to my new beta Angel8621. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. You make me feel loved. disclaimer stuff- don't own, etc.
After the incident with the White Witch, it wasn't unusual for Edmund to have nightmares. He would wake up in the early hours of the morning and stumble into Susan's room, which happened to be closest to Edmund's chambers. She was always able to calm him down, living up to her title of 'The Gentle'. When the four siblings were traveling, Peter would sit, talk, and even sing Narnian lullabies to his younger brother until they both drifted off to sleep. On many occasions, Lucy and Edmund would go riding for a few days. On these nights, Lucy's mere presence would prevent the night horrors from haunting the Just King's slumber. His siblings never asked Edmund about the content of the dreams, and Edmund never discussed it. Peter and Susan mutually suspected that Edmund was reliving the events leading up to the Battle of Beruna. They still didn't know the entirety of what Edmund had experienced during those dark times, and they didn't dare press the issue with the younger brother. Aslan told the Pevensies not to approach Edmund on the subject. The two decided they would talk only if Edmund brought it up. Lucy didn't even concern herself about what was in Edmund's dreams; she only wanted Edmund to heal completely.
Time passed, and in about the fifth year of the Pevensies' reign, the dreams that had plagued Edmund for so many sleepless nights ended. He flourished as a King and was known far and wide as the greatest diplomat of the era. Whenever a border dispute occurred, Edmund was called upon to ease the tensions. If the Talking Geese disagreed as to who should lead the V on their journey south in the winter or if a lion's pride was insulted, Edmund could placate the Animals and offer a solution that was pleasing to all parties involved. He had successfully created the strong alliance with Archenland and reclaimed the Narnian territory that had been ruled by corrupt regents when the Witch took control. His most difficult task was to judge the creatures that had fought for Jadis, betraying their fellow Narnians. Edmund gave each creature a fair trial and, being the Just King, conducted the proceedings with fairness unheard of at the time.
When the Pevensies were whisked back to England during the peak of their Golden Years, all four children were forced to return to the life and customs of their previous home. Luckily, they could confide in Professor Kirke, who surprised the siblings when they learned he was the same Diggory who was present at Narnia's creation. Peter took their return the worst, resorting to fights and confrontations rather than peacefully resolving his problems. Susan tried to ignore her problems, while Lucy began to cry almost every day. Edmund, seeing his siblings' sorrow, promised himself that he would remain strong for his family's sake. He decided to release his emotions silently and, therefore, took up writing in a journal daily. He would write anything from school events to the letters his sisters had sent. He was able to be the listener of the siblings because he had found a means to inner peace.
The entire Pevensie family was relieved when they saw Edmund hadn't returned to the prat he was before Narnia. When the four returned to London, Mrs. Pevensie could barely recognize her younger son, due to the dramatic behavioral change he displayed. Edmund rose to the top of his grade and ended the term with the highest marks. The adventure with Caspian was invigorating for the boy, and he looked forward for the next trip to Narnia, whenever that may be. He now enjoyed his classes and participated in discussions regularly. His favorite subject was history, by far, and he believed his professor was extremely knowledgeable, so he made sure to continue doing his best in class. In time, the results of his efforts were quite rewarding. All in all, Edmund was happy…
…But the good times he had been reveling in didn't last.
Peter had grown accustomed to the soothing voices of nature that lulled him to sleep in Narnia. The violins of crickets and the whooshing of the cool night wind through the branches of ancient oaks composed a tranquil cadence more effective than any lullabies in England. It was difficult for the eldest Pevensie to fall asleep at Finchley, where the noises of the night were train horns and midnight hall wanderers. His younger brother expressed the same sentiments, so the young kings would talk long into the night. They discussed schoolwork, told Narnian folk tales, exchanged riddles, even talked about a girl in London that Edmund had come to fancy.
On the night everything fell apart, they had been speaking about the particular girl in question, whose name was Eileen, when Edmund blurted abruptly, "Peter, what do you think happened to Father?"
Peter seemed startled by the question, looked into Edmund's chocolate brown eyes, and then answered, saying, "I honestly don't know Ed. When we received Mum's letter in the post last Wednesday she said she hadn't received mail or a telegram from him in ages. The only news about the war we can get is from the BBC radio feeds, which doesn't tell us what we want to know."
Edmund merely sighed in response, then said, "Lucy says that we must continue to trust in Aslan, which I'm trying to do. Susan, once again, ignores the subject, as she does with any serious matter."
Peter nodded in agreement, and the younger boy continued. "I'm worried about Su, Pete. She's losing her faith, and I'm not sure how to help her."
"I know, Ed." But we can't help her at this point; our words won't do any good. It's all up to Aslan now," Peter said, trying to reassure his younger brother with the familiar Narnian mantra. "Aslan accepts us all, no matter what wrongs we've committed."
Edmund appeared at least slightly encouraged by Peter's words. "I of all people should know that," the younger boy mused, remembering Aslan's ultimate forgiveness. "Sleep well, Ed," the eldest Pevensie said before switching off the bedside light. "And the Lion's slumber to you," Edmund replied, using the traditional Narnian response to wish his brother pleasant dreams. With the thought of Aslan on the boys' minds and his name on their lips, the two brothers drifted into a deep sleep.
At one in the morning, Peter Pevensie was ripped from his slumber by a pained scream he hadn't heard since the early years of the Pevensies' reign. For a few moments, Peter thought he was waking up to a battle, and he instinctively reached to his bedside table for his sword Rhindon. When he looked to the bed next to him, he realized that the piercing cries were not battle calls, but a terrified Just King, screaming in his sleep. 'Dear Aslan,' Peter thought, fearing the worst for his brother. 'They're back!'