CHAPTER 7

Kate and Edmund watched as the Witch was lifted through the Narnian crowd, Ginnabrick in front calling "THE QUEEN OF NARNIA...EMPERESS OF THE LONE ISLANDS..." Aslan came out from his tent. The Witch's henchmen set her chair down and she stepped off and walked directly to Aslan, staring at Edmund the whole time. Kate gripped his hand and squeezed it at her words "You have a traitor in you midst Aslan..."

"His offence was not against you!" he replied calmly. The witch had an air of power about her "Have you forgotten the laws on which Narnia was built?" Aslan growled.

"Do not site the deep magic to me witch...I was there when it was written" he said in a low powerful voice causing the witch to smirk.

"Then you remember well...every traitor belongs to me! His blood is my property..." Peter got mad "Try and take him then..." holding a sword out to her. Some of her henchmen growled at Peter and Edmund started shaking. Kate tried to calm him by rubbing her thumb on his hand she was holding.

"Do you really think mere force will deny me my right..." she looked Peter up and down "Little King!" She turned to Aslan "Aslan know that unless I have blood as the law demands..." she turned to the crowd "ALL OF NARNIA WILL BE OVERTURNED AND PERISH IN FIRE AND WATER" the crowd gasped and Jadis turned and pointed at Edmund "That boy will die on the stone table...as is tradition" Edmund was at this pointing breathing heavily. His siblings were looking at him scared and Kate simply held his hand taking in the Witch's words. Edmund can't die! was the common thought amongst the 5. "You dare not refuse me!" she finished. Peter was looking at Aslan with pleading eyes to save his brother.

"Enough!" Aslan growled "I shall speak with you alone!" turning walking into the tent followed by the witch. Once they entered everyone fell quiet. After a few moment they realised they would be waiting a long time and people sat down. The Pevensies hadn't taken their eyes off their brother and Edmund was still looking at the ground. "Edmund?" Kate whispered trying to get him to do something. Instead he crumbled, pulling Kate down as he was still holding her hand.

"Oh Edmund..."Susan fell beside her brother putting an arm around him. Lucy had sat too but Peter looked down at his family. "I'm sorry..." Edmund whispered. Peter and Edmund locked eyes and he sat with the others in front of Edmund. "No Ed, I'm sorry..." Edmund looked at Peter confused. "For what?"

"For pushing you away...if I wasn't so hard on you then..." But Edmund stopped him. "Peter I knew what I was doing. It was my own fault...I hurt you guys and I'll never forgive myself for that...and now I'm doing it again, hurting you" Susan had a small tear in the corner of her eye which she quickly wiped away. Lucy looked worried and Kate said nothing. She just held his hand while they waited. Everyone sat in the same position not moving. It seemed like hours and maybe it was, before Aslan and the Witch rejoined the group. They all jumped up and Lucy caught Edmunds free hand. Peter and Susan shared a quick scared look before looking at Aslan.

The Witch passed the group eyeing Edmund and Kate holding hands. She scoffed silently to herself and walked back to her chair. Everyone was waiting for Aslan to speak.

"She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood..." Applause broke out and Kaye hugged Edmund before she knew what she was doing. Letting go quickly he was embraced by Lucy and Susan. Peter looked like he had aged 10years in the last few hours but was smiling none the less.

"How do I know your promise will be kept?" the Witch asked. Aslan growled so fiercely that the ground shook. The witch dropped into her chair and the Narnians jeered her as she left. Narnians surrounded them to congratulate them. Only Lucy noticed Aslan's sad expression as he turned back into his tent. Kate too slipped away from the group. She decided to allow Edmund some time with his family. She went to sit on the hill overlooking the sea; the same one Peter talked to Aslan on. She sat there for a while just looking at the ocean. It reminded her of her last day on Earth before everything she knew changed. A tear escaped when she remembered Sara but more for the fact she was forgetting. Forgetting things about her, things a sister should know. She was startled from her thought by Susan.

"There you are! We've been looking for you, or should I say Edmund was" Kate blushed and Susan smiled and sat beside her. "Are you alright?" She sounded like such a mother. "I'm fine" Kate whispered. Susan didn't believe her. "Well if you want to talk, I'm here..." Kate smiled at her and sighed. "I was thinking about Sara" Susan placed a hand on hers.

"I can only imagine what that was like...losing her...If I lost Lucy or Peter or Edmund for that, I don't know what I would do!" Kate nodded not replying. Susan asked the dreaded question.

"What was she like?" Kate tilted her head to the sky. "I'm starting to forget" She shook her head trying to gather her thoughts "I mean I remember bits about her but not everything. I remember she had long hair like me" Susan looked at her "Well before I cut it, it was like yours. And she was like my mother, much like you are to the others" Susan smiled shyly "But I can barely make out her face and things I should know like her middle name and her birthday are gone" She took a breath "I'm a terrible sister! She gave her life to save me and look how I repay her. I forget her" a tear escaped down Kate's face.

"You can't say that. You have never really talked about her because it hurt right?" Susan asked and Kate nodded "Well then, maybe it you tried you might remember..." but Kate shook her head. "I can't" she said and Susan put an arm around her. "It's alright, but when you're ready, I'm here."

"Thank you Susan" she said wiping her remaining tears. "Not a problem! So is there something between you and my baby brother I should know about?" she asked teasingly breaking the tension and causing Kate to blush, heightened by the setting sun casting a golden red glow over them.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to give the protective big sister talk. This is the happiest I've seen Edmund in a long time and I believe you are a big part of that" Kate looked down "I don't see how! I mean he helped me more than anything"

Susan smiled "Exactly. At home mum always turned to Peter or me for help regarding Ed and Lucy as children. He hated that fact but with you, I guess he feels protective about you, like watching over you is his job..." Kate looked at the ocean and smiled.

"I thought a knight protected the Kings and Queens, not the other way around" Susan laughed. "There's a first for everything..." Lucy had walked up the hill and found Kate and Susan talking. She was about to call Edmund when she decided to go over to them. "I hope you're being nice Susan" she joked as she sat down. Susan smirked at her and Kate smiled. "I was just telling Kate how protective we are of our brothers"

"Oh yes! Very protective" she laughed and Kate and Susan joined in. "Bur seriously, Edmund really seems to care for you" Kate smiled. "And we would like to ask you something..." Lucy started looking at Susan who nodded, giving Kate the impression they had discussed this earlier "We wondered, we know no one can replace Sara but if you want, you can be our sister" Kate looked between them and smiled. "I'd really like that, that you!" Lucy leaned forward and hugged Kate and Susan joined in.

Down below Peter had seen his sisters talking to Kate. Edmund noticing his gaze followed his eyes and saw the same, smiling at the sight. "I wonder what they're talking about" he said to his brother. Peter smiled. "I'd hazard a guess at you!" he laughed at Edmunds expression. "Don't worry Ed, I'm sure they're being nice" punching his brothers shoulder lightly. Ed looked back the girls who were now hugging. "You really like her, don't you!" Peter asked not mockingly or teasingly, just simply stating the fact. All Edmund could do was nod. Peter smiled and watched as the girls stood and walked down the hill towards them. Edmund straightened up as they approached.

"Hey...what's going on here?" Peter asked as they approached. Lucy answered "Nothing really...you have a new sister though" she said nudging Kate.

"So you asked her then..." they nodded and Peter waked forward. "Welcome to the family..." Kate smiled as she hugged him. It felt like what she imagined a brother's hug would feel like. "I've never had a brother so this is a new experience and thank you for asking me" He smiled and walked away Lucy and Susan following, allowing Kate and Edmund a minute alone.

"So...why did you leave earlier?" Edmund asked. Kate shrugged "I wanted to give you some time with your family..." He smiled but Peter called that dinner was ready. Neither of them missed Susan slapping him for interrupting. "We'd better go" Edmund said starting to walk away. "Edmund?" he stopped to look at her. She quickly kissed his cheek. "I realised I never said thank you...for everything you did for me while we were with the White Witch, so thank you!" she smiled before walking over to where Susan was sitting. Edmund felt his cheek and smiled going to join them.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of talk and laughter. The Beavers were delighted when she told them of The Pevensies offer and by nightfall she was exhausted. She was sharing a tent with Lucy and Susan and left to go to sleep with them. As soon as she lay down she was asleep.