Chapter 8: Invasion

"Are you mad at me or something?"

I didn't know him very well, but I knew when I was getting the cold shoulder. Edmund had been silent with me ever since we decide to take the Telmarine castle from the inside, issuing a surprise attack. However, I was confused on what I had done.

"No," he mumbled.

"You're an awful liar."

"I am not."

"Then why are you lying?" I asked, folding my arms across his chest as he slid his sword into his scabbard. He continued to avoid the question as he turned his back to me, checking his vest to make sure it was secured on his shoulders. "Why are you mad at me?"

He finally whirled around, his ears and cheeks were red. "Because you sided with the-wanna-be Prince!"

"His name is Caspian," I growled.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "Don't care."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I think Caspian is right. Besides, I've been in that castle and I know how well-guarded it is! It's a stupid idea!"

"You're just saying that because it isn't YOUR idea."

"I didn't even have an idea!"

"Exactly!" He barked.

"You don't make ANY sense," I shouted.

"It's nothing new," he shrugged, brushing off the argument, coldly. "You never were good at understanding me."

Somewhere deep within, that stung. Almost like a slap to the face: one that wasn't really there, but hurt nonetheless. I felt my cheeks and neck flush with anger. I balled my fist at my sides, biting down on my anger.

"I know exactly who you are," I said in a quiet, cold voice. "You're an egoist, jerk who cares about no one but himself."

His eyes met mine for brief second and something swirled behind his brown orbs, something I couldn't make sense of. His gaze was long and I shifted uncomfortable under his stare, expecting him to lung at me or yell more. But he didn't even look angry, anymore. It was a look that I couldn't quite explain. He looked hurt almost.

Before anything else could be said, Peter stepped in. He must've noticed the tight atmosphere for he faltered briefly. "Uh… Everything okay here?"

"Its fine," I said under my breath, moving my eyes from Edmund to my feet.

"Good…" Peter hesitated before adding, "Jessie, I'm sending you with Edmund. You're to watch his back as he signals the other with his torch. It should be an easy shot, just take the one guard out on the tower and take his spot. Wait for the signal to draw the others over."

My disappointment was written all over my face, but I stood up a bit taller and nodded. "Got it."

Peter nodded, turning his attention to Edmund, who didn't look anymore thrilled than I. "You alright, Edmund?"

Before I could look up at him, he had turned his back on both of us. His voice sounded strange as he replied, "Yeah… I'm going to make sure the others are set to go."

Peter and I stood there and watched him go. Edmund's shoulders were slouched more than usual. His older brother turned to me then with a look of skepticism.

"What did you say to Edmund?" He accused.

I scoffed, tucking my hair behind my ears. "I didn't say anything!" There was a long pause as Peter seemed to mull over this lie before I added, "It's not like he cares about what I say, anyways. We're strangers, remember?"

Peter sighed, running a hand through his long blonde locks. "Look, Jessabelle…"

"And quit calling me that." I interrupted him. "I don't know who that is! Whoever she is, she isn't me!" And with that, I turned and left the room just as Edmund had: shoulders slouched and a hole chewing the inside of my chest.

It wasn't long before nightfall came to greet us. We were quit to get going: everyone leaving on their assigned hippogriff. I watched Edmund jump onto his before he held his hand out to me. He still wouldn't look me in the eye, though.

I sighed before placing my hand in his. His long fingers curled around mine before he helped pull me up. Once seated behind him, I hesitated. It wouldn't be hard to hold onto the soft feathers behind me to keep from falling, but honestly, the idea of flying terrified me.

Before I could think of another solution, Edmund's hands found mine once more and he wrapped my arms around his waist. He kept his eyes forward, not bothering to look back at me, but I just barely heard him mumble, "Hold onto me."

I bit my bottom lip, trying not to grumble. How is it that my stomach still flutters, even when I'm angry with him? And why is he being nice when he's made at me?

But honestly, I was too nervous to focus on being angry at the moment. As soon as the animal lifted its paws off the ground, I couldn't stop the sequel that left my mouth. I leaned forward, putting my weight onto Edmund's back and squeezing myself close to him, holding him in a tight grip. I was close enough to feel his chest rumble as he chuckled.

"Don't squish me to death now." He laughed.

"Oh, shut up," I sighed before hiding my face into his shirt as the hippogriff took off into the sky.

We glided through the air, feeling the wind rush through our clothes that would never be thick enough to stop the wind from biting our clothes. The feel of the wind running through my hair increased my curiosity and I removed my head from the spot between Edmund's shoulders to get a good look at our view.

We rushed above trees and flew right below the tinkling of stars. I felt the smile spread on my lips as I reached up. If I closed one of my eyes, it looks like I could pinch one of the stars in between my forefinger and my thumb. I giggled before returning my arm to the spot around Edmund's waist. I felt his hand touch mine as if he needed reassurance that I was still there. I squeezed his torso in return. I'm still here.

Unfortunately, our view was short-lived because it didn't take us long to get back to the castle. I tensed slightly at the sight of the stone walls and brass gate. Edmund winced under my applied pressure to his waist and I quickly mumbled a "sorry" before loosening my hold.

The hippogriff landed effortlessly on the shingles of our assigned tower. We shifted to the side to avoid the wandering eyes of a Telmarine guard who was keeping watch, before Edmund slid down the roof and behind him. Just before the guard turned around, the hippogriff lifted the man up by the shoulders and disappeared up into the air. Edmund gestured for me to come down and I slid just as he did, but wasn't ready for the landing. Edmund must have sensed this for his hands shot out and caught me around the waist to help support my feet. His touch was warm and I questioned myself for thinking of something so random.

"Thanks," I said as he let go of me.

He just simply nodded his head before standing at the edge of the tower and shining his light to the sky. We watched the other three fly off to their designated area. And then we stood in silence for quite some time as we waited.

"Are you still mad at me?" I finally whispered into the quiet atmosphere.

He was leaning back against the ledge, tossing the flashlight from one hand to another in boredom. His eyes met mine for a brief second before he looked away.

"No," he admitted.

I sighed, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

"You were right."

"No, I wasn't-,"

He surprised me by cutting me off. Except his voice wasn't raised, it wasn't quieter than usual. "I was a traitor."

"What?" I asked, not sure I heard him correctly.

He sighed, still fiddling with the torch. "I was a traitor… I planned to turn my family in to The White Witch for desserts, the first time I came to Narnia."

His voice was strangle, dripping with remorse. His eyes swirled with that unexplained emotion again and this time I had a word for it: repressed sadness. He was hurting and wasn't allowing anyone to see it. I didn't find it fair: I barely knew him and yet he held me when I was upset. I had hoped to help him so I spoke up.

"But you didn't." I noted. "If you had, they wouldn't be here."

"But I tried to." He pointed out.

I shrugged, "You live and you learn."

There was a short smile on his face, the corners of his mouth just slightly lifting, but it was there. It was enough to lift my spirits. He glanced at me from below his bangs. It made him look a tad shy, which made him look a tad cute. Kinda. Sort of. I wouldn't tell him that though.

"That's how we met, you know?" He told me, tossing the torch from his left hand to his right one.

"Because you betrayed your family?"

He nodded. "You were already in the White Witch's dungeon. You didn't do anything wrong, though. You were just human. And she was evil." I nodded, trying to picture it and coming up with nothing. However, his eyes were distant and I knew he was reliving every moment that I couldn't remember.

He chuckled then, almost startling me. "You told me to quit being a loser and start sticking up for my family."

I laughed, leaning against the ledge beside him. "Ah, that does sound a little like me."

It was silent again and I knew we were thinking along the same terms.

I wish you could remember me…

Me too.

Suddenly he gasped and I about jumped out of my skin as he turned to me. He was reaching for the torch just as it slipped out of his grasp and off the ledge onto the ground below us. We both peeked over as a guard noticed it and picked it up. Obviously not knowing what it is, he lifted it to his face and turned it on, blinding himself for a second.

"Oh, great." I whispered sarcastically.

Edmund sighed, "I got it." Without a warning, he jumped down, landing on the guard.

"Edmund!" He chuckled. "What? Are we just going to jump from roof to roof now?!"

"Come on down."

This jump was much farther than the last. I shifted from one foot to the other, unsure.

"I don't know, Ed." I had never called him that before, but it slipped out naturally. I didn't notice him smile when I used his nickname.

"I got you." He assured me.

And I believed him. But the sound of an alarm cut off my confidence. I looked past Edmund's shoulder to the courtyard below where Peter was fighting off some guys. Just as I noticed him, two guards burst through a door on Edmund's floor.

"Ed, look out!" I watched as he dodged their sloppy attacks and fought back with nothing but a flashlight.

"Signals the troops, Edmund!" Peter shouted.

"A bit busy, Peter!" Edmund called back.

I gasped as Edmund's feet were kicked out from underneath him. Within seconds, the guard stood above him, preparing to lunge a sword through his chest. I don't remember the idea of jumping flitter through my head, I just did it. I somehow managed to land on the guard's back and knock his sword out of his hand with the element of surprise. Unfortunately, I didn't weigh much compared to this guy, and with a growl, he flipped me over his shoulder and I landed on my back next to Edmund.

Edmund kicked upwards, knocking the guard away from us, but losing his grip on his torch. I heard a grunt, before the guard lunged at us once more. Taking the metal torch from the ground, I jumped in between Edmund and the guard and swung my arm, hard. The contact of the flashlight ramming into the guard's cheekbone caused my whole arm to vibrate with the impact. I almost fell back with the motion as the guard toppled to his side, out cold.

"Nice shot…" Edmund breathed out, astonished.

I pressed the button on the torch, my victory diminishing immediately. "Oh, no…" I mumbled when the machine no longer lit up. Edmund's eyes widen before he took the torch from me. He continuously smacked it with the palm of his hand. "I'm sorry!" I apologized before the light shone, causing us both to gasp. And quickly, Edmund used it to signal the others.

In the end, the fight led Edmund and I to be cornered on a whole different tower, with the only door locked so the guards can't get us, and nowhere to run. I watched Edmund lean over the ledge as if he was debating whether or not we could jump, but there was no way. We were thousands of feet away from the ground.

"Edmund, what do we do?" I asked right before the door swung open.

I felt Edmund's arms go around my waist and he backed me up against his chest. The guards unsheathed their swords from their scabbards and I voluntarily stepped back to press my back firmly against Edmund's chest, feeling his heart beating and his arms shaking with adrenaline and the unwanted terror. So, this was it…

"Do you trust me?" I heard his voice right in my ear, his breath tickling me slightly and I might've smiled at the sensation if I wasn't so frightened.

"Yes." I blurted out without even thinking about it. I did.

This dark-haired King had my full trust and loyalty and I didn't even know why. I knew I trusted Caspian because he earned it and I had his back because I owed him that. But this King was something else entirely.

It was as if I could the need to protect this guy come back to me and not understand why. I didn't need to know how I knew this King, I didn't need to know how I knew him or why we were so close. But we were close and I cared about him more than I had words to explain how it felt to have his arms around me.

And then he stepped back and the empty atmosphere took us together.