Author's Note: Yet another chapter for you, faithful readers! This one practically wrote itself. Don't forget to review!
Chapter Seven: First Meetings
Peter slowly raised his head and blinked when everything stopped moving. As he shifted his weight, he heard a crackling noise from underneath his hands, and he looked down to see that he was lying in a large pile of fallen leaves. They were much older than the current year, soft and damp with moisture. He looked around and saw tall trees all around. Birds were singing softly in the highest branches.
"Susan? Edmund? Lucy?" Peter called, looking around again and spotting his siblings lying in the pile of leaves beside him. They were all blinking at him and slowly sitting up, stretching carefully to make sure that they weren't hurt. One by one, they sat up and then slowly rose to their feet, picking their way out of the pile of fallen leaves.
They were all silent until Lucy suddenly whooped and threw her hands in the air, looking more like the nine-year-old that she was and not as much like the Valiant Queen. "We're back! We're back in Narnia!"
That was all it took for the others to start their own celebration. Susan and Edmund threw all signs of maturity aside and wrapped their arms around each other and Lucy and started a wild, three-person dance that left them all dizzy when they finally broke apart. They were so ecstatic to be back, that they didn't notice that Peter hadn't joined in.
Lucy was the first one to notice that Peter was still standing quietly near the pile of leaves, looking around with a look of shock on his face. She stepped over to him, quietly, and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Peter? Are you all right?"
Peter looked down at her and slowly the stunned look faded from his face, although Lucy was shocked to see his blue eyes fill with tears. She glanced over her shoulder at Edmund and Susan and the two of them came over to stand by their brother and sister. Lucy looked back at Peter. "Peter, what is it? What's wrong?"
"We're back…" he whispered. "Kris…the baby…our friends…"
Susan wrapped her arms around Peter and pulled his head down to rest on her shoulder as she began rocking him gently. "It's all right Peter. We'll find them. We'll help you reunite with Krisalyn."
All the strain and stress of the last four months washed over Peter in a wave and he willingly hid his face in his sister's shoulder and allowed the tears to come. He had been trying so hard to get through the pain and the grief…to know that they were back in Narnia, that he would be reunited with his wife soon…it was the relief of answered prayer that brought these tears, and the easing of grief, loneliness, anger, and denial.
Susan just held him, rocking him gently back and forth and allowing him to cry. Edmund and Lucy wrapped their arms around their siblings and together the three of them supported Peter, giving him what he had desperately needed, but hadn't known how to ask for.
Several minutes passed before the flow of Peter's tears eased and he was able to raise his head and gently push away from his siblings. As they backed off, he reached for his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief before using it to wipe his eyes and nose. He gave them a hesitant, but grateful smile. "Thank you."
"You're our brother, Peter," Lucy said simply, knowing that he would understand with just those words. Peter nodded and folded his handkerchief again, before pocketing it.
Edmund looked around. "I don't recognize this area. Where in Narnia do you think we are, Pete?"
Peter looked around as well, as did Susan and Lucy. "I don't know, Ed. I suppose we should just pick a direction and start walking. Sooner or later we'll have to bump into something that we recognize."
The others shrugged or nodded in agreement and after a moment, by consensus, they decided to head east, towards where Cair Paravel was. That would be the most likely place for them to find Krisalyn, and Susan, Edmund, and Lucy all knew that was the thought that was foremost in Peter's mind. They were not particularly opposed to seeing their home of fifteen years again either.
Three hours later…
Lucy was looking around the forest, feeling very uneasy. It was a feeling that she hadn't had in a long time. The forest had always felt comfortable and welcoming to her once the Witch had been defeated, but now it felt ominous and…well, dangerous, just as it had been when the Witch had ruled. The trees were much too quiet, and other than the subdued chirping of the birds, there was no sound, and no sign of any Narnians anywhere.
"Lucy, is something wrong?" Edmund dropped back from where he was walking between Peter and Susan to talk to his little sister.
Lucy hesitated before she answered. "I honestly don't know, Edmund. The forest doesn't feel the same as it used to. It feels…foreboding, like it did when the Witch was still around." She hadn't really wanted to say anything about the Witch to Edmund, who was still somewhat sensitive about the whole subject, but it was the only way that she could express what she was feeling in a way that he would understand.
True to her expectations, Edmund's mouth tightened at the mention of the Witch. While he knew his siblings no longer blamed him for going over to her side when they first entered Narnia, and that it was supposed to be behind him, it was still a sore subject with him, and the others did their best to never mention that time to him. Other than the tightening of his lips, however, he showed no signs that it still bothered him as he considered what Lucy had said. Lucy had always been more closely connected to the magic of Narnia than the rest of them had. She had always had a very good relationship with the dryads and other spirits of Narnia, as well as with Aslan. If she sensed something dark from the trees, he wasn't about to discount it.
His only question was, how could this have happened this quickly? They'd only been gone for four months. Could their presence (or lack of it) have influenced Narnia that quickly? Yes, the spell of winter that the Witch had cast had been reversed very quickly when they first arrived in Narnia, but most of that had been due to Aslan and his power, and Aslan's power wouldn't lead to the foreboding that Lucy claimed she could sense around them now.
He looked down at her and sighed. "Do you want to tell Peter and Susan?" he asked her, half-expecting what she would say before she shook her head.
"Not right now, Edmund," the little Queen said. "I know that they need to know, and I will tell them, but Peter is so focused on reaching Krisalyn and Susan is so focused on Peter…"
Edmund nodded, understanding her point. Peter and Susan had always had a very tight bond, probably because they were the two oldest. Susan was very sensitive to Peter's – well, to all of their – moods, and right now, given what Peter had been going through, it wasn't surprising that she was directing her focus to her older brother instead of the younger two. Peter and Edmund had a tight bond too, but they showed it differently than Peter and Susan showed theirs.
They fell silent and continued to follow Susan and Peter through the forest, although both of their attentions were now on the trees rather than their siblings. They had no way of knowing how far it was to the Cair, and they were unarmed. If something had gone seriously wrong in their absence, it couldn't hurt to be on their guard.
That evening…
Peter sat and stared into the campfire. They had walked until it started to grow dark without seeing any landmarks that any of them recognized. Either they were much further from Cair Paravel than they thought, or the land had changed greatly in the short time that they had been gone. Peter didn't think that the second option was very likely, which meant that they must be quite far from the Cair. As soon as they reached the beach, however, they'd know for sure. Cair Paravel sat on the top of one of the highest cliffs that lined the beach and could be seen for some distance, both from the north and the south. Peter suspected that they were somewhat south and west of Cair Paravel still, but hopefully another day of steady walking would bring them to the beach and they would be able to see their destination.
Being back in Narnia…Peter honestly wasn't sure what he should be feeling. He had missed Narnia, but more than anything, he had missed Krisalyn. It was good to be back in the land that had become his home for fifteen years, but more than anything he wanted to see his wife again. The first five years of their rule had been filled with joy and laughter as they brought peace back to Narnia, but the other ten years…despite the sorrow, and the separation between them, Peter felt that he had been more fulfilled and happier than he had been in the first six, simply because he was able to share it with someone who was more precious to him than anyone save his siblings.
The rest of the Court was mingling and laughing, filling the Great Hall of Cair Paravel with the sounds of joy and music. Peter smiled to himself as he spotted Edmund taking Lucy around the dance floor, and one of the ambassadors from Galma leading Susan around the floor. All three of his siblings looked like they were having great fun as they celebrated the arrival of spring. The annual festival was one of the most anticipated events after the long cold months of winter, and each year it seemed like the Narnians and their allies greeted it with more and more enthusiasm.
After a moment, he turned his attention back to King Lune, who was walking through the hall with him, both of them enjoying the chance to simply walk and talk in a more informal setting than they normally used. Their conversation had already ranged from arrangements for the next shipments of trade goods to King Lune's upcoming marriage to Lady Adelie at the end of the summer, which Lune had asked Peter to officiate for them, and which Peter had readily agreed to do.
"Tell me, my friend," Lune asked as they walked along the edge of the mingling courtiers, wineglasses in hand, "Is there anything more I can provide to Narnia after the winter? Some of my aides told me that the northern reaches were hit by terrible storms this year."
Peter pondered the answer. It was a valid observation. The northern areas had been hit hard by the winter storms this year, and Peter and his siblings were still trying to provide aide to the residents in that area. Fortunately, those who chose to live that far north had stockpiled plenty of supplies to get them through the winter, but now that spring was here and the snow had melted, the extent of the damage caused by the storms was just now being revealed.
"The only thing I can think of at the moment, without having the lists of requests in front of me is that we may need some more able-bodied men to help clear water sources and passes through the mountains and valleys. My people do what they can, but not all of them have a human's capacity for fine detail work. If you have anyone you could spare, I would be willing to trade their labor for whatever assistance my people can provide in the areas where your folk would be taken from. Say, an even exchange of labor?" Peter suggested. The sad fact of the matter was that Peter and his siblings were the only true humans in Narnia that didn't come from Archenland, Galma, or one of the other territories governed by Peter and his siblings.
Lune pondered the idea. "I would have to make some inquires, to see if there is any areas where we can pull that type of labor from," he began, "but it seems to be an even exchange to me."
Peter nodded, understanding that such deals couldn't simply be sealed on the spot. At the moment, it was a proposition, and Lune would have to do some checking, to see where he could spare the men.
Before he could continue, King Lune's face brightened and he steered their path a little closer to the mingling courtiers. "Ah, Lady Krisalyn," King Lune stated. The older King turned to Peter. "High King Peter, I would like to introduce you to my niece, the Lady Krisalyn. Krisalyn, this is High King Peter of Narnia."
Krisalyn dropped immediately into a low curtsy. "It is a great honor to meet you, Your Majesty." She waited respectfully until Peter indicated that she could rise, before raising her eyes to meet his.
It took all of Peter's control to hold in the gasp of surprise. Lady Krisalyn's eyes were a rare and striking violet color, and her hair was jet black, woven into a graceful braid and pinned into a coil at the base of her neck. She wore a gown to match her eyes, trimmed in silver, and around her neck was a slender necklace of silver, with a large amethyst. "The pleasure is mine, Lady Krisalyn," he managed after a moment, taking her hand and kissing it gallantly.
King Lune looked very pleased with himself, although Peter couldn't for the life of him understand why. With a small smile, he excused himself and moved through the crowd towards where Edmund was leading Lucy off the dance floor, leaving Peter and Krisalyn standing face-to-face. Peter felt tongue-tied for a long moment as he simply stared at Lady Krisalyn, before he mentally shook himself and smiled at the young lady. "Forgive my rudeness, Lady Krisalyn. My compliments on your gown this evening. It becomes you quite beautifully. If I am not being too bold, may I ask how it is that we have never met before? I have visited Anvard many times, and your uncle is a regular visitor to Cair Paravel."
Lady Krisalyn smiled in pleasure at the compliment. "I thank you, Your Majesty." She glanced in the direction that her uncle had gone and her smiled took on a rueful tinge. "I am not a regular visitor to Anvard. My father is King Lune's brother, and he chose to retire to an estate out in the country rather than participate in the daily life at Court. I have only recently been coming to Anvard to visit my uncle, and when he insisted that I join them on this trip, I couldn't refuse. I fear that you have been set up, however. My uncle has been hoping to get the two of us in the same place for almost two years now." She laughed a little bit. "He is an invariable matchmaker, I am afraid, and his upcoming marriage has only strengthened that tendency."
Peter chuckled, understanding where she was going with her words. It was quite true. A great many of King Lune's courtiers had recently been bound in marriage and all the rumors said that King Lune was behind many of the matches. He sent her a small, secretive smirk. "Perhaps we should not disappoint him, then?" He offered his hand as the musicians began a more sedate piece. "May I have the pleasure of a dance, Lady Krisalyn?"
She nodded and placed her hand in his and allowed him to escort her out onto the dance floor, to the chorus of surprised murmurs from the assembly. While it wasn't unusual to see Peter escorting someone around the dance floor, it wasn't one of Peter's favorite past-times either. He was normally quite happy to leave the dancing to Susan, Edmund, and Lucy and watch from the sidelines, despite the many young ladies that had tried to gain such an honor of having the High King of Narnia dance with them.
Krisalyn was a fine dancer, and to Peter's pleasure, she didn't use the opportunity to flirt with him or try to get him to agree to marry her. She kept the conversation light and quiet, and at points Peter had to lean a little closer in order to hear what she was saying, not because she was shy, but simply because she was soft-spoken.
As the song came to an end, Peter saw Edmund grinning broadly at him and saw the teasing glint in his eye. Peter knew that look all too well. He was going to hear about nothing else but this dance for the remainder of the night. A mischievous grin came over Peter's face. If he was going to hear about it…
He turned to his dancing partner. "Lady Krisalyn, do you by any chance know the Spring hummingbird dance?" The dance he was referring to was a complicated partner dance that had been written by a Faun after observing the jewel-bright little birds flitting from flower to flower. It was filled with quick, precise steps and rapid turns, but when it was properly performed, it was amazing to watch. All four of the Pevensies had been required to learn it when they had been instructed in Court dance after taking the throne, and despite being so complicated, it was one of Peter's favorites, and one he could do very well. Edmund, on the other hand, didn't particularly enjoy it although he could perform it well enough when the occasion warranted.
To his surprise, Lady Krisalyn nodded. "I do, Your Majesty. I have some friends among the Fauns and they taught it to me." She saw the look on his face and tilted her head to the side. "Why do you ask?"
Peter quickly explained his plan to her, and to his surprise, received an amused chuckle and an immediate agreement. She offered to go and speak to the musicians to allow him time to put his plan into effect. They parted with a proper bow and both of them headed off the dance floor in separate directions.
Peter made a beeline for his younger brother, who was speaking to another lady who had arrived with the Archenland party. Edmund saw him coming and grinned broadly at him. "Nice dance, Peter. I'm surprised that you decided to step out on the dance floor tonight. I thought you told me that you weren't planning on dancing."
Peter just shrugged. "I changed my mind, and I had a lovely partner tonight, so it wasn't all bad." He slung his arm over his brother's shoulder, earning a suspicious glance. "However, I haven't seen you dancing with anyone except Susan and Lucy tonight. I do think we need to remedy that."
Edmund eyed his brother. "I don't know what you have in mind, Peter, but I want no part of it."
Peter shrugged. "That's all right, Ed. I was just going to propose a little wager."
Susan and Lucy wandered over at the sight of the intense conversation that their brothers were having in time to hear Peter's remark. Lucy giggled. "Go for it, Edmund. What can it hurt?"
"My dignity?" Edmund retorted, although there was a spark of interest in his eye. "What do you propose, Peter?"
Peter grinned. Hook, line, and sinker, he thought to himself. His brother had taken the bait. "I heard a rumor among some of our people that you're the better dancer out of the two of us, but I think that comes from the fact that I don't dance as much as you do. So, I was thinking that I might have to challenge that rumor. Say…we each dance three songs with the lady of our choice – who is not Susan or Lucy, I might add – and then let the assembly vote on who is better? If you win, you get my new knife, and if I win, I get to keep your new cloak clasp?"
Edmund looked at least somewhat interested. He had been eyeing the new knife that Peter had received for his birthday from one of their courtiers for almost two months now, and it was a tempting prize. Peter liked the knife, but he wasn't as good with it as Edmund was, so he didn't particularly care if he lost it or not. He rarely fought with knives. On the other hand, he did like the new cloak clasp that Edmund had received for Christmas, since it was carved as a bas-relief of Aslan.
Edmund glanced at Susan and Lucy, who both giggled. "You don't have anything to lose, Ed," Susan pointed out. "You rarely use your clasp, and you've been trying to get Peter to give you the knife for months."
Edmund frowned. "Just three songs?" It sounded too good to be true.
Peter nodded. "Three partner songs. The winner decided by the assembled group here tonight."
Edmund thought fast. He did enjoy the partner songs much more than Peter did, and he knew all of them, so there wouldn't be any trouble there. Peter preferred the circle and group dances, although he could dance partner when he chose, as he had just demonstrated. Finally, he nodded. "All right, Pete." He held out a hand to seal the bargain, and Peter clasped it.
Peter turned to Susan. "Su, will you announce what's going to happen while I go and choose my partner?"
The Gentle Queen nodded, and moved towards the dais, with Lucy following her as Edmund went in search of his own partner and Peter headed for where Krisalyn was waiting for him. He nodded as he approached her and she smiled. Escorting her onto the dance floor as Susan made the announcement and Edmund and his partner joined them and the rest of the assembly moved off the dance floor, he prepped himself.
Peter smiled at the memory of that night. The first two songs had gone off splendidly, to a great deal of cheering and applause from the assembly. He and Edmund seemed to have an equal number of supporters after the second dance, and everyone had been keeping rhythm as they danced around the floor. Of course, then he had Krisalyn had launched their plan.
Peter took several deep breaths as the whirling second dance ended. He was pleased to see that Edmund was fully in the spirit of it, as were their partners. As for himself, Peter had to admit that he had never had a better partner than he had in Lady Krisalyn. She was light on her feet and graceful, and she trusted him implicitly. Those were all benefits, and they were about to pay off in the next dance, which required all three to be successful.
If this worked the way he planned, it was not only going to look splendid, but it would end with him gaining possession of Edmund's clasp. With Krisalyn garbed in a deep purple, and himself in scarlet and gold, they would certainly look striking performing the dance. Edmund had chosen to wear silver and black that night, and his partner was dressed in a pale pink. While they made a beautiful couple, the deeper jewel tones of Peter and Krisalyn's outfits would simply look more vibrant as they moved through the steps.
They took their places for the start of the dance as the musicians struck the first notes. Edmund had time to shoot a Look at Peter as he realized what dance they were about to perform, but that was all he could do as the musicians launched into the piece.
Peter forgot all about the competition with Edmund as he focused on the dance. It was a dance that required complete attention, because a stumble would break the subtle patterns of the dance and make it look like a huge mess rather than the light and airy partner dance it was supposed to be.
The steps had to be precise, and most of the dance was done on the ball of the foot, because the steps were so quick that it didn't leave time for the foot to come down completely. Plus, since the dance was written by a Faun, who had smaller feet than humans, it wasn't so surprising that the steps were more mincing than firm. To Peter's surprise, Krisalyn matched him step for step, trusting him to lead her through the dance but obviously knowing it well enough that if he faltered she could pick up the slack without appearing like she was covering for him.
Peter lost himself in the music and in watching Krisalyn's face as they stepped through the dance as if they had been doing it together for years. Her brilliant eyes were bright with happiness and her face was flushed as she moved through the quick steps, twirls, and runs that the dance called for. The finale came sooner than Peter had expected and he shifted his weight to prepare to lift his partner into the air. She was right on the beat and leaped at just the right moment to make it easier for him to get her up into the air and spin with her as he finished the final run before tossing her up into the air and catching her as the dance's final notes sounded.
Glancing over to the side, he saw that Edmund had made it successfully through the dance, although he and his partner looked less pleased about it than Peter and Krisalyn did, and as the assembly roared with yells and applause, they all took their bows before looking over to where Susan and Lucy were waiting for the noise to quiet down.
Peter glanced at Krisalyn and smiled. Her face was flushed, but it only added to her beauty, and her eyes were bright as she looked over at him. He kissed the back of her hand, drawing her attention. "I must say, although that is one of my favorite partner dances, I don't think I've ever enjoyed it as much as I just did, Lady Krisalyn."
The lady smiled prettily back at him before replying. "I feel the same way, Your Majesty. However, please call me Krisalyn."
Peter's smile broadened. "Very well, Krisalyn. To you, I am Peter."
Peter's smile grew wider as he remembered Edmund's reaction to that third dance. Although the results of the vote had been close, he and Krisalyn had won, simply based on the sheer strength of that third dance. Edmund had accused Peter of fixing the competition, knowing that the hummingbird dance was one of Edmund's least favorite and least proficient dances, but when Krisalyn had admitted to asking for the dance, he had backed off. Peter had admitted to asking Krisalyn if she knew the dance, although he passed it off as assessing his partner. If she could do that dance, chances were she could do any of the partner dances. To soothe Edmund's ruffled feelings, Peter had arranged to have his knife slipped to his brother quietly through Lucy.
That festival night had been the start of a wonderful relationship. The Archenland party had remained at Cair Paravel for several weeks as King Lune worked with the Pevensies to strengthen their already strong alliance, and Peter had made a point of seeking out Krisalyn for a few minutes every day, and dancing with her on the nights when the Court had requested it. It hadn't taken long for the rumors among the courtiers to blossom fully, but Peter had been cautious about approaching this relationship. He hadn't been sure how ready he was for a permanent relationship, and when the Archenland party left a few weeks later, he was still confused.
Two months had passed before he saw Krisalyn again, when he and his siblings came to Archenland for King Lune's wedding. Krisalyn, as the King's niece, had been waiting to greet them when they arrived at Anvard.
Peter shifted on his horse's back as they approached Anvard. It had been a long ride, but that wasn't what was bothering him, although he was trying to hide it from his siblings. He was interested in seeing Lady Krisalyn again, although he'd been careful not to respond to the rumors that a romance was in the works between the two of them. Denying the rumors would only confirm them in the eyes of the Narnians. Susan and Lucy had tried many times to trick him into admitting that he was interested in Lady Krisalyn, but Peter, knowing how much his sisters loved a good romance, had done nothing to encourage them, and thankfully most of the rumors had died out after a few weeks.
If Susan and Lucy could see his thoughts now, however...Peter chuckled softly to himself, knowing that his sisters would immediately pounce on him if they saw any sign that he was anxious to see Lady Krisalyn again.
If Peter was honest with himself, he wasn't sure that he was ready to settle down with anyone. He was only twenty-one and he hadn't really considered the thought of marrying and starting a family. He wanted to someday but he wasn't sure he was ready, and he wasn't sure that Krisalyn was the one he wanted to marry. But he knew his sisters, and he had overheard many conversations concerning himself and Lady Krisalyn over the last few weeks. From what he gathered, both Lucy and Susan had met Lady Krisalyn and liked her a great deal. They both felt that she would be an excellent choice for Peter, and although they hadn't sounded out Edmund, Peter had the sense that his younger brother approved as well, although the idea of marriage was probably as foreign to Ed as it was to Peter. That did bring some measure of relief to Peter. He wanted his family to like whoever he chose to marry, if that day would ever come.
Peter looked up at the castle as they rode up to the massive gates. This was not the first time that he had been to Anvard, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. He and his siblings tried to make a point to visit at least once a year if they could, and King Lune reciprocated by coming frequently to Cair Paravel.
The servants waiting in the courtyard all bowed respectfully to the Narnian travelers, before moving to help them dismount and to take the baggage and the horses away. Peter's group consisted of himself, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, General Oreius, Faun Tumnus, several other advisors and Council members, as well as a few members of the Court who either had friends in Anvard or who simply wanted to make the trip in honor of King Lune and his bride.
Peter patted his mount's neck and checked to make sure his sisters had dismounted before turning his attention to the castle. He was surprised to see that it was Krisalyn who was waiting for them, alone, standing on the steps leading up to the wooden doors. He swallowed and did his best to hide his reaction. Now was not the time for his sisters to start matchmaking again.
Peter led the way as the party moved towards the steps, and Krisalyn came to meet them half-way. She curtsied as they approached, and Peter and the others bowed respectfully, since they were the guests. As High King, it fell to Peter to speak for the group, and he cleared his throat and tried to remember the formal speech he had planned, which had flown out of his mind when he saw that Lady Krisalyn was their "official greeter".
"Lady Krisalyn, it is a great pleasure to see you again, and on behalf of Narnia, we've come to celebrate your uncle's marriage to the Lady Adelie."
She smiled at everyone in the group, before turning her attention to Peter. Was it his imagination, or was her smile a little brighter as she looked at him? "Your Majesties, it is my honor to welcome you back to Anvard on the occasion of my uncle's marriage. He has asked that I escort you to the throne room, as he is in the middle of a session of Court, but he would like the opportunity to greet you before dinner. Would you like to see him now? Or if you prefer, I can show you to your rooms so you can freshen up first."
Peter glanced as his siblings and saw their answers in the slight shakes of their heads. He turned back to Lady Krisalyn. "We would like to see King Lune, although I thank you for the offer of rooms. The trip here was very easy and not too taxing."
Krisalyn nodded and led the way into the castle and through the halls. Anvard was as fine a castle as Cair Paravel, and almost as familiar to the Narnian rulers, since they visited so frequently. It didn't take long to reach the throne room, and when they did, Krisalyn slipped inside to speak to the herald, who gained the attention of the assembly by rapping his tall staff on the stone floor so he could begin to make the introductions.
Edmund came over and laid a hand on Peter's shoulder, shaking him out of his reverie. "I'll take over the watch, Pete. Get some sleep. With luck, we'll be at the Cair tomorrow and you'll be with Kris again."
"Thanks, Ed," Peter said, rising to his feet and moving over to where Edmund had made up a makeshift bed out of fallen leaves. He glanced back at his brother as Edmund settled down to take the rest of the night's watch. "Ed?"
Edmund turned to look at Peter, who gave him a small smile. "Thanks…for everything." He knew Edmund would hear the unspoken message in the words. The thanks for the months of support, for being a sounding board…for being Peter's brother.
Edmund smiled back. "You're welcome Pete."
Peter lay down in the leaves and closed his eyes. Sleep wasn't long in coming, and it carried him off on gentle wings, with dreams of seeing his wife's face the coming day.
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