Chapter 4

Far From England

"Why are we here?" Peter questioned the cunning animal as she jumped up upon a rock. The king was led into the Aslan's how where of course Peter intended to come here.

"Because this is where…I lost my pups." She confirmed her answer. Peter glanced at her carefully examining her expressions hoping to get a clue of her true intentions. The stone table in front of him was also making him feel unsecured. "And…" The fox spoke up. Peter looked at her. "This is where I lose you too."

Peter's eyes widened as he felt a pair of hands grabbed him from behind. He quickly struggled from whoever that held him down. "No, let me go!" He cried helplessly. The fox herself looked uneasy.

A creature, a harpy to be exact lurked into the torches' light. She was figure of beauty, her body mostly covered by her black feathers and eyes of violet glazing upon Peter. "Well done my dear." She stared at the fox. "You brought the king in as you were told."

"You trick me…!" Peter cried as he struggled to make a move of the beast that held him. The harpy looked pleased as she watched the werewolf that held Peter to the broken stone table.

"So where is your part of the deal?" The fox called out to the harpy. The harpy quickly gave her calm stare. "I believe you didn't heard me, where is my children!" The fox cried that immediately hit Peter's head of understanding. Peter glanced up to see the harpy laugh and thrown some small bones at the fox.

"There you go, fox, your pups." She gave a wickedly smile, "Me and my friend couldn't wait…" The fox was in terror, her tears foaming, her moaning and her anger begun to rise.

"You monsters…!" She growled. The harpy simply smacked the fox across her face as she landed to the ground.

"No stop!" Peter cried as the harpy pulled out a dagger from her wreaked raven colored cloak.

The fox looked up to Peter and replied; forgive me as the harpy finished her off. Peter choked as the fox's twitched its last move. After awhile Peter glanced up to the murderer and found the violet cunning eyes she had.

"Long live the king." The Harpy replied as she let her dagger touch the side of Peter's face. The High King wasn't amused as she accidentally made a small cut on his skin that made Peter flinch. "But…" The Harpy recalled as she removed her bloody blade from Peter. "Our queen requires you." She thrown her dagger across the room and hit a stony pillar where the pillar itself begun to change, slowly ice begun to foam between two pillars in front of Aslan's honor. Peter watched in horror as the white witch herself, Jadis appeared their presents, free from her icy prison.

"Peter dear, did you miss me?" The white witch was pale; eyes steady with strong cunning glaring, her long hair flowed by with a tint of blonde color and yet she seemed so nice.

Quickly the king shut his eyes, avoiding contact of her beautiful white figure. The white witch again, grew nearer to Peter telling him that everything is alright and she can make anything happen to please him.

"I have heard rumors…" She announced. "That your brother...the king of just is hanging around a bit to much to what his name…?"

She thought for a moment and finally replied. "Oh yes…Caspian X." She then slightly giggled to herself, Peter then growled. "I can help you to avoid that…problem…" She finally said as Peter at last opened his eyes as he stared into Jadis with an emotionless face.

"Can you?" Peter questioned as Jadis nodded her head to the werewolf, the werewolf in return release his grip on Peter. "Can you stop that?"

"Yes of course, and I'll only do it to make you happy, Peter dear." Peter for sure felt like he wasn't hypnotized by her powers. He stared at her once again and questioned her more.

"I just want them apart." Peter said. "I don't want Edmund to love a man because that is wrong in England, no…in general." He continued to explain as Jadis just smiled.

"I understand, same gender, ew…who ever thought that your brother is one." Peter then shook his head.

"No, wait. I shouldn't make deals with you!" Peter begun to recalled, he looked away from her.

"And why not, I have done nothing wrong with you…" She cooed as she came closer to Peter, her minions scattered off as she only looked at them to get lost. "I only want what you want, Peter…"

"Well…" Peter begun to say but he was unsure what to say. He was confused as his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Unless you like Caspian, Peter." Peter flinched in anger as he looked at her.

"What no! I just I want him away from my brother!" Jadis then concealed her smile.

"Then what are you waiting for? If you continued to let them be together the problem would only become harder to break apart." She said as she left Peter thinking.

She right, he thought. If this is only the start of their relationship, the faster he breaks it, the better of the future incoming. "Fine," He replied.

"Pardon, I didn't quite hear you, Peter."

Peter gulped as he stared at the white beauty; he had trusted her enough to do something simple. "I want you to separate them."

"Very well, your highness," She respectfully said.

"But, no tricks and nothing on Narnia or anything just on Edmund and Caspian," Peter said as she nodded her head. "Oh and another thing," Peter recalled as Jadis looked at him. "What do you get in return if you did this?" Jadis just smiled.

"You already gave me what I wanted, Peter. You gave me, my freedom and I want nothing more then that." Peter then nodded his head, and exits out, clearly remembering that he made a deal with the White Witch.

At the entrance of Aslan's How, Peter was unexpectedly greeted by Caspian and Edmund. He gave them each a serious look that even Caspian couldn't stand as he walked in between them. Edmund sighed knowing why he was in his mad-mode style, he gave a quick look at Caspian and right there, Caspian understood as he kept his distance from his king.

Riding upon their horses, their ride back to the Telmarine Castle was a quiet one. Edmund was dawdling behind as Caspian rode beside Peter. Questioning him of what happen in Aslan's how.

"She just appeared and nothing more."

"That it…? No tricks or hypnotize on you or anything?"

"Caspian, I told you. She just appeared and vanished after that. That is all. Do you understand?" Peter announced as Caspian sighed and nodded his head.

"Yes of course, your highness." Caspian replied.

"You yet to worry me, Caspian…your actions are becoming childish lately and I want you to be ready to be a king before I go back to my world." The High King explained as if Caspian was a child to him.

"Are all of you leaving?" Caspian questioned.

Peter looked serious as he looked at him. "Yes." He checked Edmund behind him. "All of us are." Caspian seem hurt upon his face as Peter stared back to the front. "And Caspian…"

"Yes your highness?" The prince snapped out of focus.

"If you know what's best for you, you stay away from my family. So you don't grow too attached to us once we leave." Caspian took the hint at the tone of his king's voice. He sounded upset as if he didn't know; Peter didn't want him near with his brother because of that, he actually wished he was born as a woman or wished Edmund was the woman…anyway even if that happened, they still lived in two different worlds and someday Edmund would have to leave Narnia, and be in a long-distance impossible (to contact) relationship. Oh…in Aslan's name…how did it end up like this?

"How is she doing, doctor?" The tall blonde elf looked at Edmund and his little sister Lucy. Beyond from him was Susan resting peacefully as she should be.

"Very good actually, your highnesses; she in good condition to let her wounds heal nicely." The doctor exclaimed as Edmund looked relief, Lucy too just smile. "Also there is a chance that she's wake up next morning. Believe it or not, her spirits are strong, now if you excuse me, I'll let you have private time with your sister, your highnesses."

"Thank you doctor," Lucy exclaimed loudly as the doctor nodded with a smile and left. Lucy was the closest to Susan's side followed by Edmund behind her. "Hey Susan, if you can hear me it's me, Lucy and Edmund here too! Sorry that Peter isn't here to visit you but you know about the High King stuff. He's always busy and such…anyway I went to visit….today…and…"

Edmund sigh as he thought about the white witch but as he did he felt guilty. That white Minotaur that…evil…creature…

Edmund gripped his fists, he thought of how that Minotaur attacked Susan just because he couldn't find him. Edmund looked away from Lucy disgusted to be reminded he has a little sister too. What if Lucy was next? Maybe Peter or even Caspian? Why in the world would the White Witch want him again?

"Ed…!" Lucy called as Edmund lost his serious focus. "It's your turn to say hi to Susan." Lucy said with a smile.

"Oh…right…yeah…sure…" Edmund choked as Lucy giggled. She pulled on her brother's hand moving him closer to Susan's side.

"Here Ed, you can have time with her alone, I gonna go." Edmund suddenly spoke up.

"Where you going…?" Surprised of her brother's reaction, Lucy gave him a truthful answer.

"I'm going to see Peter. He seems uptight today, and I'm hoping that I could cheer him up." She said full of confidence. Edmund sighed as he knew why he was uptight about but he let Lucy go since he knows she and Peter are in good terms.

Looking back at Susan, Edmund stared at her calm beauty. "I'm sorry…" He begins to say avoiding her face. "Yesterday…when that Minotaur attacked you…I was scared…it was my fault Susan...I was the reason of why that Minotaur attacked you. He wanted so badly to find me instead he found you…hurt you and…Susan…I…" He continued to shudder with guilt on his shoulders.

"Edmund…" A voice called out, Edmund looked up with tears in his eyes. "It's alright…little brother…things happen…"

"Susan…" Edmund whispered out, Susan's eyes were wide enough to see Edmund clearly; she slowly sat up and pulled in her brother into a warm embrace. "Sue…" He continued to cry.

"It's not your fault, you silly brother of mine." With that soft touch of her comfort, Edmund released all his depressing emotions into his sister's arms. "You couldn't have known that the Minotaur had hurt me. Remember you were with Caspian that time. I love you as much as you love me little brother…"

Edmund then looked up. "But Sue, I…!"

"It was never your fault Edmund!" As she embraced him closer, Edmund continued to cry on her shoulder as he let her hold him.

As if it was expected Caspian came in unannounced and realized the situation. Susan who only noticed Caspian's presences looked up and without sound; she replied 'thank you' to him. Caspian in return nodded and quickly left the room without disturbing their comfort moment.

The young prince, Caspian wandered in the castle's hallways and thought of many things. England? Yeah that right, Edmund has to leave some day…Caspian bit his bottom lip a bit scared when that time comes. Peter of course would be glad and himself…? Can he even live on without Edmund? He probably can but still…this was one love…he couldn't forget his face in his mind and the time he was allow to touch him so carefully. His lips, his skin, his soft hair and his sad eyes even he could feel his pain…his pleasure…

Caspian choked, he felt a bump in his throat forming up. He quickly covered his mouth realizing he was releasing tears from his eyes.

"Ed…I'm sorry…" He claimed. The more he loved his king the harder he couldn't forget about him. Against the wall, his body slid down to the floor with his knees bended in, in front of him. He was lonely; he was in despair after awhile he stopped crying as his tears dried up against his face. A voice called him.

"Caspian…?"

The prince looked up and saw him. "Ed…"

The king looked nervous as he saw Caspian rare downfalls. In a second the Telmarine Prince stood up and ran up to embraced the young king. Again the prince released his tears.

"Are you crying?" Edmund recalled as he felt tears soak through his shirt. Embedded to his shoulder, Caspian spoke.

"Please…let me come with you to England."

Edmund widen his eyes in shock.