Chapter 6

Doubtful Sorrow

Next morning, Caspian woke up to the banging at his door; he quickly changed his nightgown into his casual clothes, realized that Edmund wasn't in bed, he was probably feeding the horses, Caspian thought as he rushed to the door to answer. When he did, he wished he didn't. Peter, the High King of Narnia invaded his privacy and also begun to shoot him with some questions.

"Where is Edmund, Caspian?"

The prince was silenced.

"Where is he, Caspian?" Peter recalled again. "Is he sleeping in here?" He responded more rashly.

Again Caspian was silenced, Peter then grew angry.

"Where the hell is Edmund, Caspian?"

"He's not here, Peter." Caspian replied truthfully that made Peter sane for a little while.

"Do you know where he is?" Peter then changed his question.

"Why? What is the matter?" Caspian recalled getting concerned since Peter changed his mood a bit.

"Is none of your business just tell me where is he!"

"I don't know I haven't seen him this morning."

"I swear to god, Caspian! Tell me and—!"

Suddenly another voice joined in, "What is going on…?" Both the High king and prince of Narnia looked towards the other royalty, King Edmund of the Western Provinces.

"Edmund…" Peter called out.

"Why were you yelling at Caspian for, Peter?" Edmund suddenly spoke up.

Peter walk up to his younger brother. "Ed, I have to tell you something."

"No, Pete. I don't want to hear it!" Edmund said as he back away from Peter. After seeing Peter argued with Caspian, Edmund thought this wasn't the time to stand down.

"Ed…" Peter called out as Edmund stayed away from Pete.

"Stay away from me, Pete. I don't know what you're planning but…" Edmund was quiet until suddenly his mind burst through his mouth. "I refuse to go back to England!" Peter was quite in a shock.

"No Ed, we are a family, we are to suppose to stay together!" He suddenly cried out.

"Then let me be who I am!" Edmund cried.

The High king then remembered what Susan recently said, 'Pete, you always expect Edmund to be just like you but you can't just force him to be like you! You're clouding his mind from his own dreams and goals! Please let Edmund be who he is.'

It was true that back in England being the other boy in the family, Peter expected very much that Ed would be the reasonable one to him. Totally expected that they are true blood brothers and such, since the day, he was born. Peter was excited that Edmund would grow and become just like him. With the same reasons, and similar traits, he was wrong…when Edmund grew. Edmund was not like Peter, he was a rebel at some point, and the one that mind his business and also rather to save his own hide but he did taken some of his traits such as stubbornness. Edmund always felt like he was being pushed around by his big brother that is why, he never really showed some emotion at his face. Susan and Lucy was no help either. Susan was to concern of her own image, and ideas and Lucy was too young to understand such feelings. Even on the day when Edmund touch a piano in a pawn shop owned by an old man. Some other boys were there too, spotted Ed and they started to tease him that musical instruments were only for sissies. Edmund begun to feel ashamed for even liking the piano but the old man knew of what he felt. So he taught him, whatever makes you happy is the best way to go. If it something you love, you wouldn't let others stop you right? The old man soon taught him to play as well, whenever Edmund touched the keys, he felt the tingle in his heart. He found warmth and when he was with Caspian, he found that same warmth also and he wasn't alone to feel that too.

"Ed…" Peter called out as Edmund made up his final choice.

He ran off making both of the royalties uneasy, Peter especially felt the blame for everything.

"Your majesty…?" Caspian called Peter.

The high king looked at the Telmarine with anger. "Don't ever come near to my brother again." He blamed as he wandered off leaving the prince speechless and despair.

"What do you want now, Susan?" Peter recalled as Queen Susan entered the throne room where the lonely king sat in his throne.

"What is going on, Peter…?" Susan questioned. "I have heard that you had a fight with Caspian and Edmund to follow that."

"I just wanted to know where Ed, okay?" Peter grumbled.

Susan wasn't impressed. "What is with you? Ever since the day, you came back from your trip to Aslan's How, you act like you have no control of anything!"

"Exactly, my point Susan, Edmund shouldn't be loved with another man! What would dad think or even mom?" Peter outbursts.

"They're not here are they Pete?" Susan shouted out that brought Peter out of his mind. "Besides…if mom and dad really cared about Edmund, it wouldn't matter that he's in fact in loved with a man. They would of course, hoped for his happiness."

Peter felt deceived by his own mind and heart. He looked away as he still recalled he made a deal with the White Witch.

"What's the matter now, Peter?" Susan called as she realized Peter was becoming nervous.

Peter was quiet but he knew he couldn't hide the fact that he sends his enemy after Edmund and Caspian to ruin their relationship. "I did something wrong, Sue…" Susan waited as her brother sat up. "I send her," Peter confirmed.

Susan was still confused. "What…?"

"A visitor came by today and told something that I wished I didn't." Susan waited as Peter continued. "Those two have fallen to deep to break but as they say till death do us apart." Susan was still confused as Peter stood up looking ashamed. "I made a d-deal…with the…" Peter begun to stutter…

"No Pete, you didn't! Did you?" Susan cried out, realizing what Peter was trying to mention as her older brother shamefully nodded his head with forming tears and reddish face. He looked up to Susan.

"I did, I freed and made a deal with her as well."

"You idiot…!" Susan screamed as she ran away. She went off searching for Edmund since it was clear that night when Edmund's chamber was froze. Jadis, the White Witch, all she wanted was revenge to her little brother, Ed. When she found Caspian and told him what Peter was trying to point out. Caspian was getting more concerned as the two searched the whole castle to find their lost confused king of the western provinces. Edmund on the other hand had once again hid in Lucy's chambers. Lucy was there, comforting Edmund as she patted his back.

"I'm sorry Lou, I don't just don't understand what Peter is making out of me."

"You don't have too, Ed." Lucy explained. "Just be yourself if that doesn't make you happy. Then find something else that makes you happy."

"Lucy, you make it easy then it sounds." Edmund reclaimed that made Lucy pout.

"There you go again, feeling glum about yourself, come on!" She grabbed Edmund's hand and pulled him out of her room as the two walked down the stairs and into a room where the piano was presented. Edmund had that smile that pleased Lucy as they sat down on the bench. "I want you to play that song again, Edmund." Lucy recalled as Edmund reached over the keys.

Edmund shuddered as he removed his hands away from it. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I don't want too, today."

Lucy looked sad, she have known that Edmund played piano, it was the other only thing that Edmund happy besides Caspian. "Do you want me to leave you alone then?" Lucy recalled running out of opinions to cheer up her brother.

Edmund seems dimmed, "That would be nice…actually…" He said rudely that proved Lucy enough, she wasn't wanted for now. As she left, Edmund was alone in the murky room. He begins to shred tears as he reminded himself after he goes back to England that would be the end between him and Caspian. "Damn that Caspian, fool…" He complained to himself. He wiped his tears like he use to do in his depressing years. "No…it's my fault…if I wasn't so…" He continued to cry, he had no control of his emotions. Typically he was just having an emotional breakdown until the door opened suddenly. Edmund looked up aware of the creaky noise of the door opening slightly. No one came in and Edmund was curious. When he walked over to the door, he peeks through seeing nobody in the lobby. He was alone; he had hoped he was alone. As he walked past the doors, a shadow beckoned him. With his instincts in check, he quickly turned around to see claws and fangs collapse onto him.

Lucy suddenly screamed that alarmed Caspian and Susan to run into the lobby as they saw Lucy frightfully staring up to a wall. They followed her glare as Susan gasped as she covered her face into Caspian's shoulder. As Caspian pulled his arms around her, Peter appeared to see why Lucy has screamed. They upon the wall were letters; words marked in blood that made Peter shudder as he felt like he had breathing problems. 'Till Death do them apart' as the words were in a chilling writing that made Caspian gather his anger and sadness at the same time. After while, Caspian ran out from the castle into a small batch of the forest, he weld his blade. Placing all his mixed emotions into his blade, he swung it, attacking at nothing, blowing off his steam and fighting his tears as he thought that his lover…Edmund was dead.

When the investigation sealed off the lobby, Peter watched in despair, he was convinced that his little brother was dead. It was known that his body was no where to be found but after seeing that bloody wall, Peter lost hope and Susan blamed him for what he done. Committing a deal with the White Witch, Jadis only did it to cause them to feel pain by taking Edmund away. Lucy was the only one, crying by herself in her chamber. With the old sepia family portrait beside her, she wiped her tears and somehow she had a feeling…that she shouldn't lose hope. When Lucy came to the forest where Caspian had stayed to calm down his doubtful sorrow, Lucy watched him, crying his tears over the lake. As Caspian removed his tears, more came to follow. Lucy being the valiant one walked up beside Caspian and spoke.

"It's nice isn't it?" She said, trying her best not to remind Caspian of what he saw.

"I guess…" Caspian said quietly as his tears dried up.

"I know this is crazy thought, Caspian….but…I think he's still alive."

Caspian looked up, his face brighten. "Really…?" He asked as Lucy replied with a nod. "If that was true…then…"

"He might still need us." Lucy said.

Finally the prince stood up, and decided what he should do.

"Caspian…" Lucy called as the Telmarine looked at the youngest Pevensie.

"Let's go." Caspian recalled not realizing another being was overhearing their conversation. Caspian then pick up his blade, and put it away. "We'll find him." He said, feeling confidence in himself.

"Yes." Lucy said with a smile as she stands up beside him.

Yes, they had enough with this doubtful sorrow.