Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia

The Request

Suddenly Edmund's grip on Peter's hand tightened and he let out a great cry of pain. Peter gasped in shock and held on with both hands as Edmund continued to scream. Doctors all around began to franticly move about.

"Ed!" Peter gripped slightly harder on his brother's hand "What happened? What hurts?"

Edmund who usually would have rolled his eyes at Peter's over-protective questions only let his scream die down into painful moans.

"I- I don't know... sudden pain..." Edmund mumbled, closing his eyes. His teeth clenched and he let out a hiss of pain before moaning again. Peter almost couldn't take it anymore. He turned to one of the doctors who didn't seem as busy as any of the others.

"Can black magic really do this much damage?" He asked, his voice demanding an answer.

"Only when it's been lurking amongst the infection for a long time" Was the short reply followed by a look of sympathy. It was the only look Peter had gotten from anyone except for Edmund who could hardly keep his eyes open enough to look at him.

Peter only nodded in response, making sure he still wore his kingly mask on his face. "What about a medicine, could you at least take some pain away while you're finding how to treat it?"

The doctor hesitated for a moment before replying "I suppose..." Then he turned to the other doctors and they began to discuss a topic with hushed voices.

Peter sighed in frustration before turning back to the victim of black magic himself, who seemed to have calmed slightly. Sweat was still beading on his forehead from fever and his body was still shaking slightly but at least he had his eyes open and not squeezed tight in pain.

"Pete..." Edmund let out a shaky sigh.

"Yes, Edmund?" Peter replied, wiping the boy's black hair from his eyes.

Edmund moaned loudly, sitting up slightly about to hold onto his stomach but Peter grabbed his hands and pinned him to the bed.

"Don't touch, Edmund" He commanded then added almost pleadingly "Please, for your own good."

Edmund relaxed his back muscles and let his head hit the pillow again, out of breath. There was a moment of silence between the two brothers before Edmund asked quietly "What's going to happen to me?"

Peter bit his lip, and helped Edmund's arms back to one laying on his chest and the other still in Peter's tight grasp. He thought over the question for a little while then said "I don't know... I think we'll try to do all we can to make this less painful for you then..." Peter paused. What would happen then? Would they find medication in time? Or would it be to late...?

"Here you go your highness." An older faun came up to Edmund with a cup of what looked to be hot tea in his hands. Peter moved to the side as to make room for the faun.

"What is it..." Edmund asked wearily taking the cup with his shaky hand. Peter helped Edmund hold it to his lips.

"Just drink" Peter soothed, holding one hand on the cup, the other on the back of Edmund's head as if he were feeding an infant.

"It's a simple remedy, a hot drink that has certain elements in it that can help your body filter out all traces of magic, even black magic..." the faun paused "Of course the side effect is that whatever good magic is in there can be filtered out too, but white magic is easy to gain again with the help of a magician."

Edmund who had just finished the tea looked at the faun and gave him a sceptical glance before looking at Peter.

"Hey Pete?"

Peter was almost overjoyed at the fact Edmund's voice was already beginning to sound better. "What is it, Ed?"

"Perhaps, not tonight, but tomorrow... I hear it's getting lovely during the evenings in the garden... the Zetopia's are starting to bloom tonight..." He trailed off. Peter looked at his little brother's eyes, the pain and hope that loomed about in his irises was so powerful to watch. It showed Edmund had doubt and hope of surviving. Doubt because Zetopia flowers only bloomed once a year and Edmund thought he wouldn't get to see them bloom again. Hope in that he thought that by tomorrow he'd be able to actually go out into the gardens in order to do such.

Peter smiled at his bother and looked at the faun.

"Would it be alright, if tomorrow I were to take Edmund out to the gardens for a little while?"

The faun smiled down at Edmund and reached out to his pale, bare chest and felt where Edmund's heart was. Feeling a healthy pulse he looked back at Peter and smiled warmly.

"I don't see why not."