Doing As You're Told- Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, the Pevensie children, or anything affiliated with them! C.S. Lewis does :) I just own the plot :)
**Warning**: This chapter doesn't contain a full spanking, but it does contain a few good swats. I've said it before and I'll say it again- don't like, don't read.
"Edmund?"
He turned to face Susan and his eyes grew wide.
"Oh my god, Edmund..." She rushed forward and threw her arms around him, and he cried out, stumbling back against the wall when she let him go. "Ed, what's...what's wrong? What's happened to you?" He clutched his arm, gritting his teeth.
"I think it's broken."
"Oh, god...come on." She put her arm around him on the other side and firmly guided him into the castle. Once they were inside she led him into the dining room. "Come here." She pulled out a chair and he sat. She bent down in front of him and put her elbows on his knees. "And this time, you stay put, or so help me..." She didn't finish, just bore into his dark brown eyes with her own. Fierce. Exasperated. "I'll be right back."
She went upstairs to Lucy's chamber and opened the door silently, going over to where she lay. Susan studied her baby sister for a moment, then gently reached under her pillow to where Lucy kept her healing cordial. She pocketed it, then froze as Lucy sighed and smacked her lips. "Sleep easy, my precious darling." She leaned down and pressed her lips against the small, flushed cheek before exiting the room, shutting the door with nothing more than an audible "click".
She headed back downstairs to the dining room, relieved when she saw Edmund still sitting where she had left him. She pulled a chair over next to him and sat. "Open," she commanded. She administered a drop of the cordial to him and was immensely thankful when she saw the bruising and swelling disappear, as well as the pain ebb out of her brother's eyes. "All better?" She asked. He nodded. "Right then, go on off to bed. We'll have a talk in the morning."
Silently, he stood and made his way to the door. He was about to open it when he felt her grasp his arm. He turned and she enveloped him in a hug. He suddenly felt very small and very tired and very frightened, and he partially hid his face against her shoulder, welcoming the embrace. A lump grew in his throat and tears pricked his eyes, spilling over when she wrapped her arms around him even tighter. "I love you, idiot," she murmured into his ear. "You gave us a right scare earlier." He couldn't speak, only moved to fully hide his face in her neck. Susan was a bit startled. Edmund wasn't usually this affectionate unless he had had a nightmare or something else horrific had happened to him. She felt him shake against her. "Shhh," she hushed him, rubbing his back. "No tears right now. I'd suspect you're going to need them tomorrow."
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice muffled into her chest. "Please don't be angry at me."
She pulled away slightly, just enough so she could see his face. She brushed away his tears with her sleeve.
"The only thing I care about at this moment, Edmund, dear, is that you are home safe and sound. All else can wait. But it is almost midnight, and you need to go to bed. Right now," she insisted, kissing both his cheeks and squeezing him tight before pulling away. "Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight." Edmund walked down the hall toward his chambers. He was almost there, when-
"Edmund?" He turned.
"Hello." Peter strode forward and pulled Edmund into a strong hug. When the two pulled away, Peter drew himself up to his full height.
"She found you, then." His face was cold and hard and angry. His voice was clipped, and Edmund knew he was barely short of lashing out.
"Yeah, she did."
"That's, 'yes, sir,' to you, if you please," Peter corrected harshly. "You have no place for anything but the utmost humility and respect right now." He grasped Edmund's shoulders and shook him a bit. "Do you have any idea what you have put the girls and I through today?" Edmund nodded.
"Yes, sir!" Peter seethed.
"Yes, yes, sir." Cold fear began to grow in the pit of Edmund's stomach. Peter was not going to take it easy on him.
"I don't believe you do, actually. But no matter. We shall resolve all of this tomorrow, and if I have it my way, and mind you, I probably will, you will not sit for a month." Peter sucked in his breath and let it out sharply. "Now go to bed." Without a second thought, Edmund turned and fled down the hallway and into his chamber. He shut the door behind him, flopped down onto his bed, and cried bitterly.
In the morning, breakfast was silent and tense. Edmund, who usually ate the most between the three, ate nothing more then a hard-boiled egg and a cup of milk. Peter spoke kindly to Susan and Lucy, but didn't say a word to Edmund except, "pass the rolls." Edmund squirmed uncomfortably, resisting the urge to get up and run from the table.
"Sit up, and sit still if you please, Ed," Susan admonished. Peter met Edmund's eyes and the boy almost melted under the hot steel glare. Lucy, sending the tension, finished quickly and excused herself. Edmund slumped low in his seat, heart pounding. Susan and Peter chattered pointlessly. "Edmund? Edmund...Edmund!" His head shot up.
"I said sit up, if you please." Susan looked at him pointedly.
"Sorry..." He slouched further down in his seat. Suddenly, strong arms hoisted him out of his seat and began raining hard smacks down on his clothed bottom.
"If Susan or I tell you to do something, you WILL obey! Without question!" Peter bellowed. "And you WILL NOT deliberately disobey after being asked to do something, TWICE, for that matter!"
"Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Edmund begged, trying to pull himself out of Peter's grasp. Peter landed 5 more hard hits before shoving him back down in his seat.
"Sit UP." He grasped Edmund's shirt and yanked him upwards to make his point. Edmund straightened his back and began to cry silently. Susan rose from the table, stalking over to Peter. This time, it was her turn to grasp his arm. She led him away from the table to the wall.
"Peter, that was absolutely uncalled for. That was not necessary at all."
"He needs to learn-"
"And frightening him into it is going to solve the problem? No." She crossed her arms. "You need to calm down. This is not going to work unless we discipline him with love."
"You sound ridiculous-"
"Peter!"
"Alright." He put his hands up in mock surrender. "You talk then. Let's deal with this-all of this, everything that happened yesterday-right now. And you talk, since I'm obviously not capable-"
"That's not what I said and you know it."
"Just go. Get on it." Susan let out a frustrated huff before turning and walking toward Edmund.
"Ed," she said softly, once she had reached him, "I think it best if you go to your chamber and wait for me there." He stood. "Go on," she motioned.
"Are...are you quite going to spank me?..." His voice trailed off and he stared at her with pleading eyes.
"Edmund, just go, please."
"Please, I need to-"
"GO, Edmund!" Susan raised her voice. He jumped and then turned and fled the dining room. She sighed.
"Discipline him with love, hm?" Peter strode toward her, smirking. She sank into the chair that Edmund had just occupied.
"Oh, I don't know..."
"I think I ought to go have a talk with him." Peter announced shortly. Susan shook her head.
"Oh, no. You're not calm enough to try and talk to him right now."
"No, no, I mean that you can handle the spanking. I will simply talk."
"So we are spanking him, then?" Peter ran a hand through his hair.
"I really don't see anything else being effective. That and grounding him."
"I almost feel like this warrants both..." Susan trailed off.
"Do you?"
"Well, I suppose, I mean, he lied to me about sneaking out yesterday morning and trampling on the flowers, knocked over the vase and Lucy stepped in it, ran off and caused us all so much fright last night...what do you think?"
"I don't think that both spanking him and grounding him would be too severe in the least. It makes sense."
"Alright then." Susan twisted her hair in her fingers nervously. "How long?"
"How long will he be grounded? I think 2 weeks sounds about right. What do you think?" She nodded.
"Two weeks."
"Alright, then. I'll find you when we've finished our chat."
"Please don't frighten him anymore unnecessarily," she pleaded. "Be calm, be firm, but don't be angry. We want him to obey, but not be afraid of us." Peter gave her a look. "Just...take it into consideration. Please."
"Alright," he breathed, "I will. Wish me luck."
"And me as well." Peter made his way to Edmund's chamber.
Ooohhh, Peter's royally pissed o.O Spanking in the next chapter, just so y'all know. Implement preferences? Lemme know and review! xo