XIX

EDMUND

"I don't know why this is so important to you that it demanded you be in my office at first light, Su," Edmund said, hand clasped on his half-suspended quill as it haphazardly dripped ink.

Susan narrowed her eyes, "The ball is the day after tomorrow, I would say the matter is paramount."

Edmund shook his head stubbornly, "She's not of the court, it's not an expectation that she attends."

"She is a ward of the Crown; it is an expectation that we take care of her needs."

"And this extends to parties?" Edmund sarcastically muttered, "Of course, how could I be remiss. Please, let us give her the perfect opportunity to escape."

Susan sighed, "You know that will be nearly impossible, not with you watching her every move."

"I will be far too busy for that," Edmund grunted and returned to his work.

"She's going to be there in any case, Edmund," Susan reasoned, "She is leading the Long Trot with the dancing troupe."

Edmunds mind filled with the humorous image of Grace tripping over her own skirts, "I'm sure she is," he said dismissively.

When Susan didn't reply, he looked up to her poised face.

"You're serious?" He asked.

Susan eyed him with a look that always made him feel stupid, "Grace is a member of the Orchestra, brother, did you think this would mean that she didn't perform at functions?"

"I didn't-"

"Think that far? How rare of you," Susan cut him off, "Though I suppose it is understandable considering that when it comes to Grace you seem to be blinded by some negative emotion."

"I am not," Edmund protested, frustration boiling under his skin. Had he not already proven to her that he was rational? He let out a huff of exasperation, followed by dropping the quill in it's well with a little more force than necessary, "I did as you asked Su, I lessened her sanctions. The fact that I did proves that my mind is as clear as it has always been."

Susan merely raised her brow, "Clearly not if you're reacting this way to a simple ball."

"No ball is simple when you are involved," Edmund said slyly, "As for my reaction, I have my reasons."

Arms crossed; Susan awaited further explanation.

Edmund only held out for a few seconds before he admitted defeat, "I caught a letter from Margrove asking about the Lantern."

"I think the Faun has a right to ask his uncle about such things," Susan said mildly.

"I believe that he did it at Grace's behest," Edmund reasoned.

His older sister closed her eyes and rubbed them wearily, "I'm sure that isn't true."

"Susan-"

"No, that's enough, I will not have you continue to slander Grace in such a way when you haven't even taken the time to get to know her."

"I know her well enough," Edmund grumbled.

"You don't," Susan countered, "By all accounts you have spoken to her twice."

"And heard of her far more times than necessary. All I hear from you, Lucy and whomever else frequents her company is that she 'just wants to go home'," Edmund spat, rubbing a tired palm across his forehead, "That's great, I am well aware of the fact that she wants to return to Spare Oom, however, the current situation requires caution on our part before we allow her to do so."

"What other caution is necessary at this point?" Susan asked, "Grace has been here for nearly a month and her time in the Kitchens and with the Orchestra are sufficient evidence that she means us no harm."

"She still went behind our backs in having Margrove send the letter. She's trying to obtain intel on the portal in the woods."

Susan instinctively shook her head, "I refuse to believe that is what was intended."

"It does not matter, in any case," Edmund muttered sourly, "Tumnus's letter gives me more questions than answers on the subject."

Susan's lips pursed thoughtfully, "Still no result on that front?"

"Not yet," Edmund muttered, "I fear I will need to investigate myself."

His sister looked up, eyes wide in alarm, "You are planning to go West by yourself?"

Edmund waved her off, "Do not fear, I have no plans to enter the portal. Merely to ascertain its location."

"I don't know if that is a good idea, Edmund."

"What choice is there? It is not as if any of you could go; Lucy would absolutely enter it on accident, Peter is far too busy and you need to be here for the organisation of your upcoming nuptials," Edmund's hand had progressed to rubbing his eyes, his sight only catching bleary visions of light between his fingertips.

When he'd finished, he caught Susan's watchful gaze. Clearly, his sister had not had the time between her heartfelt pleas for Grace to assess him properly, something that Edmund realised he was strangely grateful for… until that moment.

"Did you sleep last night?" Susan asked softly.

Edmund sat straighter in his chair and grunted, "I had too much work to do."

She shook her head, eyes turned with guilt, "If this is the consequences of my resignation, I am sorry."

Edmund scoffed, "That work is inconsequential. I haven't touched it since we spoke." He gestured vaguely to the parchment strewn about on the desk, "I am working on your marriage contract. As it turns out, the Calormene Ambassador has a lot of requests."

"He left them with you?" Susan asked, warily picking up a sheet from the edge of the desk, "I asked him to deliver these for my personal review."

"It seems he did not get the message." Or ignored it, Edmund thought sardonically.

"I'll take them," Susan said as she began deftly collecting the sheets.

Edmund stopped her, palm planting on the sheet he had copied from the Ambassador's list, "They were left with me."

"And you have made a wonderful beginning, brother, but I will take it from here," Susan persisted, lifting the parchment from under his palm and tucking it away in her arms, "You will go directly to bed from this place."

He shook his head fervently, still eyeing the sheet in her arms, "I can't, I have training with the knights this morning."

"Then I will advise them you are not to attend," Susan replied.

"That is not happening."

"Then choose; you can either go to sleep now and be well rested for this afternoon, or you will go to bed early tonight. I will not have you snoring through my birthday ball."

"I have too much work to do for either," Edmunds voice heaved slightly as he attempted to swipe the sheets of parchment from Susan's arms.

She merely stepped further back, her normally serene face stern in the soft sunlight, "I will take the work off your hands, no matter what you choose. If you continue to protest I will commit you to both options."

Edmund's arms dropped atop the desk, giving up on the direct route of retrieving the list. He would either need to send Shese to retrieve it or find a way to delicately tell his sister that he had broken about a dozen laws retrieving it.

"What a generous amount of sleep you are offering, Sister," He noted mockingly.

"What an extraordinary amount of sleep you need to catch up on, Brother," Susan countered, "If you continue to refuse then I will involve Lucy."

Edmund visibly paled at the mention of their younger sister; Lucy was the Mistress of the Healers Guild and took her position very seriously. The moment it was revealed that he felt the least bit poorly she would commit him to a full examination.

"I will go to bed early tonight," Edmund relented, knowing that 'early' was a general term and could be pushed.

"As soon as dinner is completed," Susan decided, taking a moment to adjust the stack of parchment in her arms before adding, "And not a moment later."

"Fine," Edmund begrudgingly agreed.

She smiled warmly at his acquiescence as a streak of sunlight caught the glint in her eye, "You may also include Grace's attendance to the ball in that agreement."

Edmund looked up, mouth agape in surprise, "Are you blackmailing me?"

Susan's warm smile grew to a cheeky grin, "Indeed I am."

Edmund could only watch, slack jawed, as his sister waltzed towards the doorway.

At the handle, she turned back; the mischievous glint in her eyes rivalling Lucy's as she claimed, "I trust that you'll make an effort to help Grace feel welcome."

His scoff was covered by the creak of the door sliding to a close.