A/N: Hey guys. I forgot to add this earlier, so I'm doing it now. This is really just a disclaimer (not the legal type) about the fact that, truth be told, I am not very invested in this story anymore. So please don't expect much from this last half. Literally the only reason I'm finishing it at all is because I hate leaving stories unfinished. It's been so long since I've read the first half of this that I don't even really remember the feel of the story or what I had planned... so these last few chapters are probably going to be very different from the first half, likely less funny and slightly different in writing style.
BASICALLY: This last half will probably be crappy. Just a heads up, haha.
It was still dark when I opened my eyes the next morning, and with the lack of light came the temptation to go back to sleep. But I didn't want to. My dreams had been unusually dark and vivid, as if my mind had only begun to process the events of yesterday when my head hit my pillow. I swung my legs over the side of the hammock and let my feet dangle.
I could have died yesterday.
The claws, the teeth, the hot breath on my face... Sure, with the adrenaline flowing through me I had tried to cope by making light of it. But now? After all my defenses had been used up? I finally realized how terrified I had been. How terrified I still was.
I shuddered, rubbing at the goose bumps that sprung up along my arms. The morning was chilly, but not unpleasantly cold. I just needed to get out of the tent and away from my thoughts. Maybe a walk will do me good.
As I stepped out of the tent, I tried hard not to think about yesterday and instead tried to focus on the orange-yellow-reds of the first morning light. It's difficult to feel anxious when you're looking at something this beautiful.
I walked to the top of the highest hill I could find and sat down on the soft grass. I rested my chin upon my knees and watched as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Slowly, a sense of calm purpose began to wash over me like the tide coming in, wave by wave drawing me deeper and deeper. Maybe I wasn't meant to do anything great in Narnia. Maybe I would go back home before I could accomplish anything. Maybe I would stay and eventually die in the coming conflict. My fear began to return, but I suddenly came to the conclusion it didn't really matter. Alive or dead, Narnia or Earth, there were two things I knew to be true: Aslan was good, and he was eternally trustworthy. Whatever happened in the future, I knew he was going to take care of me. And I knew he meant for me to be there at that precise moment, watching a Narnian sun rise over the hills of Beruna.
Thank you, Aslan.
A soft cough came from behind me and I started at the sudden noise. Turning around, I saw a pale and battered figure standing a few feet away.
"Edmund," I whispered, my heart filling with an indescribable joy. Aslan did it. He's safe. He's alive.
Edmund stood quiet and still, barely looking up from his shoes long enough to meet my eyes. "Eden... I'm, uh... I-"
Before I could stop to think, I was on my feet, arms around Edmund's neck, hugging him like he was my own brother. When I realized he wasn't hugging me back, I let go and took a step back. Oh crap, what if he hates hugs? My face turned pink as I looked at the ground. "I'm sorry, I should've, um, asked... I'm just really happy to see you alive and well."
There was silence for a moment and I looked up at him with an apologetic smile. To my shock, his eyes were misty and his lower lip was trembling.
"What's wrong?" I asked, eyebrows creasing in worry. What a crappy thing to ask someone who just lived through a literal nightmare.
He looked at the ground. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be happy that I'm back."
The simple sincerity in his words hit me like lightning, and I felt my eyes filling with tears. Stupid sympathetic crying reflex.
"Edmund... you can't honestly think that your family would give up on you that easily, can you?"
He shook his head and finally met my eyes. "After what I've done, I would understand if they did."
I fell silent, remembering past times when I'd felt the same way about myself. I knew from experience that lying and trying to make light of what he did would only make things worse. What he needed right now, more than anything else, was the healing grace and forgiveness of a higher power. If only Aslan were here...
"I'm always nearby, dear heart."
His warm voice swept over me and any remaining emptiness in my heart was filled to the brim with pure golden light. I heard a muffled gasp beside me.
Edmund was visibly trembling, eyes downcast and shoulders slumped. Aslan walked closer to him, and the closer he came the more Edmund shook.
"You fear me, and rightly so, Son of Adam," Aslan murmured. Edmund closed his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Look at me," the great lion commanded, and Edmund immediately, but fearfully, met his gaze. The lion and the boy stared into each other's eyes for several long moments, before Aslan spoke again:
"Your heart is full of sorrow, Son of Adam, but are you truly willing to repent?"
Edmund fell to his knees with his eyes clenched shut as if in pain, whispering, "I am willing... please, Aslan, forgive me. I'm sorry, so sorry..."
Aslan walked over Edmund, who knelt before him with his head to the ground in a posture of completely surrender. The lion lifted one giant paw and placed it on his quivering back, then breathed gently on him.
"Be still, my child. The time for pain and fear has ended. The time for forgiveness and peace has come." Aslan looked over at me and his golden eyes met mine, communicating more love and hope through that one glance than I could if I had ten languages and one hundred years.
"Go tell the others the good news."
I ran as fast as I could back to the tents, my new found joy pushing all darkness out of my mind and heart. I couldn't wait to tell the Pevensies.