A.N. Edmund's chapter. This one will be less sad than Susan's, and as Edmund is my absolute favorite Narnia character, it may be longer than the others.

***Edmund***

My brother Edmund is his name. A protector. Not for nothing did Aslan call him Just. Before his 'difficult period', Edmund was a very good brother. He followed me all the time, accepted Susan's hugs and mothering without complaint, and might as well have been Lucy's best friend. He was so kind to us all, and he loved Dad.

His troubles began when Dad went away to war. He felt betrayed and alone, and he became withdrawn. He didn't accept Susan's affection, and he yelled at me more. But he never did anything to Lucy. Susan and I went into much discussion about this odd phenomenon, and came to a conclusion. He couldn't bare to cut himself off completely, and as Lucy offered the least judgment, she was the one he chose to keep close.

Nothing destroyed him like school though. Lucy was no longer there to offer her nonjudgmental sweetness, and he fell in with the wrong people. These boys tormented the youngest members of their group mercilessly, and when Edmund joined, he was their favorite target. I didn't stand up for him ever, and when he lashed out at me, I didn't realize the part I played in his suffering. Instead of offering my support, I gave him my contempt, and didn't understand the condemning looks given to me by my younger brother.

Susan was his most active defense, and always flashed me a look when I was hard on him. But Lucy, she always stood by him, even when his insults hurt her deeply, and the pain shone in her eyes. But she never abandoned him, not like I did, and not like he felt Dad had.

The final straw for me was when he lied about having been to Narnia. It was also the final straw for Lucy. She had put up with his mockery for too long, and no one blamed her when she snapped at him.

When Edmund betrayed us, no one was more hurt than Lucy though. He had turned traitor on the only person who wouldn't judge him and who always loved him. I was more angry than anything. How dare he ruin our first time in this country? I later realized that the Witch had laid bare his weaknesses and offered that which he had always wanted.

Edmund proved himself a thousand times over in our first battle though. He had faced the woman who had tried to kill him and his family and he had triumphed over her. His knighthood was merited a thousand times over, for he had saved many from that horrid fate of being turned to stone. I eventually asked him why he had done it.

His answer was that he had seen her advancing towards me, and he refused to let her at me. I had never felt such love for my younger brother as when I heard those words.

Edmund had been my constant companion in battles when he wasn't with Lucy, so when we were exiled from our country and I pushed him away, he wouldn't leave me. He stayed with me through it all, even through a broken nose. Lucy confided in me later that he was somewhat glad, for our return to England had erased the signs of his broken nose from a minotaur's shield.

My brother Edmund, despited being wholeheartedly Just, never judged someone without fully understanding their situation, and therefore never judged me.

I once had the chance to speak with General Glozelle after the battle, and he told me this play on words of Edmund's. Miraz had addressed him as Prince Edmund, and when he corrected Miraz he said 'Just King'. Edmund is a Just King, and I am forever in awe of him.

I am a beyond proud older brother, for Magnificent is nothing when compared to Just. I am High King Peter the Magnificent to the Clear Northern Sky.

OoOoOoOo

In appearance, Edmund of all my siblings and I were most alike, even in personality to an extent. But we were also so very different. I never could disconnect myself from situations emotionally, unless I was dealing with unwanted suitors, but he could. He was meant to wear a silver crown, for he was like the moon, a light in the dark. He had lived through the darkness to become a light.

He was a terror on the field of battle, long and lithe like a cat. His dual swords fit him so well, double the fury. He was powerful, and had more natural talent with the blade than Peter, not that Peter ever would have admitted it.

My younger brother was handsome, and attracted more women than Peter ever let him see. Peter did that to everyone, but he was especially protective of the younger two, no matter the fact that Lucy could drink a Dwarf, for pity's sake, into a stupor and not have a hangover, and that Edmund could match them drink for drink.

Edmund always thought things through carefully, unless someone threatened his family. Then there was no thought process. He always stopped just short of killing the offender; his Just nature was too good for that. But do not let him catch you doing wrong, for he would judge you guilty more quickly than any other judge to be found throughout the land.

His quiet presence was always there, the dark haired young man with calculating eyes. But there was some sort of joy like no one other than Lucy possessed. It came from their close bond to each other, the younger pair dealing with overprotective and overmothering siblings. Their joy was contagious, and when those two were happy, all of Cair Paravel was as well.

I remember once on Lucy's seventeenth birthday, Peter and I awoke to our servants inviting us to the training grounds. When we arrived, we were confronted with the two of them fighting with two swords each. It was like a dance, the way they moved. Edmund had adjusted his level to hers, and brother and sister fought like only those who have grown up together. Peter and I were beyond astounded.

England seemingly did not hurt Edmund like it had Peter and I. Justice was Edmund's specialty, but while in Narnia he had built up his reputation. He had started from the bottom of the pit, but by Aslan's grace, he had pulled himself out of the bottom, fighting tooth and nail everyday. Eventually, our people trusted him unconditionally, and they loved him. He lived up to our expectations.

But in England, he had to begin all over again. He had been the worst kind of beast, and that was what people remembered about him. Before Peter completely lost himself, he said that Edmund's first act was to give a kind word to everyone he met, no matter who they were. But through his new acts, his newfound kindness, he gained respect. The bullies who had been his friends bothered him, but even though they never liked or forgave him, they eventually left him alone.

In Narnia, he worked hardest and longest to put Caspian on the throne. He knew that our reign had ended. This time around, he didn't really need to prove himself. The Narnians believed in Peter at first, but Edmund was the one who truly gained their trust. He looked out for their best interest. The centaurs became rather fond of him, if I remember correctly. I never knew why though.

When I forgot Narnia, Edmund was the one elected to talk to me. The only thing I recall of that conversation was the point when I threw my hat at him. His words were simple.

"One day you will regret this, my dear, dear sister." He was right, of course. He usually was. The next day, they were gone.

Oh Little Brother, I won't forget anymore. I will embrace who I am, Queen Susan the Gentle to the Radiant Southern Sun.

OoOoOoOo

Edmund is the smartest of us all. He plans, thinks ahead. He was the highest judge in our court, and everyone for leagues around respected his rulings. He did not let the fact that he himself had been a traitor affect his judgment so that he could not tell right from wrong. No, because of his betrayal, he learned what true Justice is. No one could beat him in chess after he learned how to play, and no one could match his pranking. I was often his assistant.

Once, Peter slept in. Oreius was not pleased, and he set Edmund on him. By this time, I had begun joining my brothers on campaign, so I was there when it was implied that Edmund go wake him up. I went along just for the pleasure of it. I won't say much, but let's just say that Peter never overslept again.

Edmund and I were the silver crowns. Peter and Susan were gold, glowing, Narnia's parent-like rulers. We were more like Her siblings, always looking for fun. The older two tried to make us "grow up and behave like adults" but we wouldn't. That always seemed to be Susan's cry. Grow up. Act like adults. In Narnia we could be adults because adults were not grown ups, they were still children at heart. Susan wanted Edmund and I to forget that in England. But how could we? We are forever young. And because we refused to "grow up", we now have the greatest reward.

I don't mean to say that growing up is bad, but like makeup, Susan used it as a mask, not something to enhance what was already there. Adulthood is not bad, but the way Susan chose to do it was. When we met with Jill, Eustace and King Tirian by the stable door, Aunt Polly said she wasted all of her school time trying to get to a certain age, and then tried to stop there.

Edmund and I understood each other so well. He was my best friend, still is really. All of us had a special bond with each other, but the firmly established ones were mine and Edmund's and Peter and Susan's. Brother and sister, looking out for one another. Edmund was the one who helped me pick which suitors I would entertain, for he knew I deserved the best. Any man who could lose to him in a fight and still be genuinely gracious about it was worthy of my time. He could do very passable imitations of the ones who weren't worthy. I preferred his methods over Peter's.

My devious older brother, smartest of us all, had the craziest schemes of anyone I've ever met. In England, Mum didn't quite trust him, so he wanted to stage something to make her trust him. His plan consisted of his making her dinner and cleaning the house. He forgot that he'd never been very good at cooking. While he did succeed in making her trust him, he was thereafter banned from the kitchen. His planning skills were meant for the bigger picture, not for stupid reasons. It was admirable though. He always got a little crazy when people doubted him. That madness never extended to his most important ideas though.

My brother Edmund is Just, and Valiant, Gentle, and Magnificent need just. I need Just even as I am Queen Lucy the Valiant to the Glistening Eastern Sea.

A.N. Chapter 3 is up! Sorry for the delay, I was travelling and couldn't use the computer. Next up, Lucy!