Doing As You're Told- Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, the Pevensie children, or anything else affiliated with them! C.S. Lewis does :) I just own the plot :)

Susan held Lucy as she sobbed softly into her big sister's shoulder. "Shhh. It's alright, it's all over now. Lucy...Lucy, it's alright. You're fine."

After Susan and Peter had finished talking, Susan had made her way to the veranda and Peter had gone to find Edmund, so he could also be there with Lucy. He came back about 10 minutes later with no luck.

"I don't know where he is. I'll find him later. Right now, you-" his index finger met Lucy's nose, "-are more important then my finding him." Lucy had given him a small, nervous smile.

Mr. Tumnus had been present, as he was skilled in the area of medical matters. He had spoken softly to Lucy, explaining to her that her cordial would not do the trick just yet, as it would close the skin over the bits of crystal stuck in her foot. "I don't want to cause you any excess pain, my friend," he had murmured, not quite meeting her eyes. He felt tremendous guilt at the pain he was, in fact, about to cause her. He would have to be the one to extract the crystal from his precious Majesty's foot.

He took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Lu?" He smiled internally. Lucy had thrown a near fit when Peter had insisted that Tumnus address her as, "your Highness, your Majesty, Queen Lucy," etc.

"He's my very best friend!" She had shrieked. "I won't have it! You're bloody mad if you will! I'm no higher than anyone else!" And she had fled in tears to her room. Although she had received a sound spanking from Peter as a result of her choice language, he had later renounced insisting Tumnus call his little sister anything more than, "Lucy," and "Lucy," it had been ever since.

Now, she gave him a tiny, shaky smile.

"I...I think so."

"My valiant queen," he sat up from where he had knelt and kissed her hand tenderly. She leaned down and kissed the top of his furry head.

"Do what you must." He met her eyes and they both smiled slightly, then burst into nervous laughter.

"Get on with it..." Susan broke in anxiously.

Tumnus knelt again and grasped the small foot.

"No, no, wait-"

"Lucy-" Peter spoke.

"No..." She reached for him. At once he crossed the space between them and lifted her up and into his lap. Susan, who had been sitting next to Lucy, scooted in closer, and grasped her little sister's hand in both of hers.

Tumnus glanced up at her, and she gave him a nod.

He grasped the foot again and reached behind him for the tweezer-like tool that Peter had seen earlier. He bared his teeth, then closed in on the first shard of crystal and pulled, slowly and steadily. Lucy whimpered, then let out something between a shriek and a scream before dissolving into tears. Peter pulled her closer as tears filled his eyes. Glancing over at Susan, he saw that she was extremely pale, her hands clutching Lucy's as if something horrible may happen to the two of them if she let go.

"I'm sorry..." The faun's eyes blurred with tears, and he brushed them away so as to clear his eyes for the task.

Lucy's screams had echoed through the veranda and outside and around the castle. Servants who heard her cries, having been forewarned that the little queen was in no real danger, stopped what they were doing, bowed their heads, winced, and whispered prayers for Lucy as their eyes stung with tears. Finally, after a little less then an hour, the tortured cries could no longer be heard. The castle residents gave sighs of relief, and only then did they return to their duties.

Tumnus, having finished extracting every piece of crystal he could find, and after doing a thorough search, sat back and wiped his eyes. Lucy sat shaking, sobbing, struggling to breathe, on Peter's lap. He had had to secure her there; Susan had had to grasp her arms as they flailed, in an attempt to get away. Now, she sat with her head bowed and her hand covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face.

There was no one on the veranda with a dry eye. When their darling Lucy was in pain, it seemed as if all the joy in the world was non-existent.

Tumnus turned and found Lucy's healing cordial. Peter reached for it and Tumnus passed it to him. Peter brushed his thumb against Lucy's cheek and she sat up a little.

"Lu, can you open your mouth for me?" He asked her, his voice rasping and shaky from the tears he had tried and failed to keep in. She complied, and he landed one drop on her tongue. Lucy closed her mouth and Tumnus watched as the broken, mutilated shreds of skin on the bottom of her foot came together and healed, the blood evaporated, and all that was left were a few, faint, pink scars. Lucy collapsed against Peter in relief, breathing heavily. Susan, unable to bear it any longer, reached for her. Lucy stumbled into her sister's lap, threw her arms around Susan's neck, and wept.

Peter closed the door to Lucy's chambers and gave Susan a forced, tired smile. "She's done."

"Sorry?"

"She's so worn out. I don't think I've seen her cry that hard in a long time." Susan sighed.

"Poor dear." The two made their way downstairs.

"Susan?"

"Yes?" Peter stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"Have you seen Edmund at all?" Susan shook her head.

"Not since I left the dining room this afternoon." Peter chewed at his lip.

"I'm getting quite worried. I haven't seen him since I got back and usually he runs to greet me and to see what we've brought back. Do you suppose he's alright?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know where he is." Peter sighed.

"Would you like to take 3 or so servants with you and search the grounds, please. I'm going to search round here." Susan nodded.

"Yes, Peter."

After what seemed like forever, Phillip finally reached the castle grounds. "Sire, we've not long now."

"Thank you, Aslan," Edmund breathed. His stomach flipped and jumped. Peter and Susan would be furious. If luck was with him, he could try and play innocent, and maybe Peter would just send him to his chambers for the rest of the night.

A lightening bolt of pain shot through his arm, leaving him gasping for breath. He just wanted it to get over with. That's what he cared about the most as Phillip rode into the barn.

Peter. Was. Frantic. It had been 6 hours since Susan had seen Edmund and he was most definitely worried. Lucy had long since gone to bed, only after being reassured that Edmund would be there when she woke up.

He met Susan in the middle of the hallway. "I want you to grab a horse and go no further then the eastern woods. Alert the citizens. Search for him. Get any word you can of him at all and alert me via the trees." Susan nodded, grabbing her quiver of arrows and her bow off of the table next to her. "Be back no later then midnight."

"But that's only an hour, it's 11 right now-"

"Susan." She stopped. She didn't dare contradict him when he was looking at her like that and using that tone of voice. "Midnight."

"Yes, Peter." He must have noticed that she was immediately subdued, because he reached out and hugged her tightly.

"I'm quite thankful for you." He pulled away and kissed her nose and she blushed.

"I'd better get going." He nodded.

"Be careful."

"I will." She turned and heading toward the stables.

Susan rounded the corner and stopped dead. "Edmund?"

Heeheeee cliffhanger ;) Just so it's clear- there's no romance or anything going on between any of them. They're just quite affectionate :) I'm LOVING reading y'all's reviews so far! They keep me motivated :) So please continue to review! xo