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Chapter Text

One could say that it was a rare sight to see Narnians and Telmarines talking together without any animosity. It hadn’t happened for decades, even before the eternal winter had fallen upon Narnia. Humans didn’t understand Narnians, and what humans didn’t understand they feared and chased until there was nothing left to understand and fear.

However, on this day, there were no witnesses to the exchange, besides the followers of each part. It was maybe for the better, for an intrusive would have been quickly eliminated. What happened here was highly sensitive for both parts.

So, at the border of Narnia, only miles away from Archenland, were standing two people, a man and a woman, talking calmly but in firm voices to each other. The negotiations they had conducted these last two days had been hard but finally they had managed to come to an agreement. After all, they wanted the same thing.

“It is a most generous offer, Queen Jadis," said the man with a respectful nod , “I think we came to an agreement.”

The Queen, a tall and beautiful woman with cruel green eyes, also known as the White Witch, smiled at the Telmarine.

“Of course. It is good the people of Telmar have a man like you to guide them. Once the actual King is out of the game, of course,” Jadis added with a sardonic smile, “Telmar will be rightfully yours, King Miraz.”

“Of course. Dispositions have been taken by my spies for this stupid kid. And for your son? Will he respect our agreement?”

“He will obey,” the Queen answered in an icy voice , “He knows it’s his only use.”

A chill ran through Miraz’ body. This woman had no scruple or pity, even towards her own son. Her heir . Poor boy, to have a mother like her. His life mustn’t have been easy...

“Of course, you’ll have to get rid of all obstacles first,” Jadis said then in the same impassive voice, as if she wasn’t talking about murdering people.

“Naturally.”

But Miraz couldn’t really judge her, witch or not. He wasn’t really better after all, but he was a man on a mission.

“You have a week to make them disappear.”

With these words, the Queen Jadis turned around to the minotaur, dwarf and wolves waiting for her beside her carriage. Miraz went to his men who were waiting too. 

“Are our men on the roads?” He inquired dryly.

“Yes , they are. They have sent us a raven. They are after them. Caspian and the Pevensie children are heading to Narnia just as we talk."

“Good. We need to finish this quickly. And don’t forget to be ready. The Prince and the Queen need to die.”

Of course, there was no way he would respect his part of the agreement. They were Narnians and if there was something he despised more than knowing his stupid nephew sitting on this throne, it were the Narnians. No, Miraz would be the King of Telmar and Narnia. He would lead the most impressive army of this world. He would lead their world in a new era, his . And he would eradicate everything threatening them.

“But, the agreement…?” Another man asked. 

Miraz chuckled darkly. They were so naive. No wonder they needed a man like him to lead them in this cruel and deceptive world.

“She plans to do the same. Her or their Prince will cut my throat at the first opportunity they’ll be given. I have no illusion of that. She wants Telmar. She wants the whole world and she’ll use all the tools she has at her disposal. We will stop that. For our people's safety, the Queen and the Prince of Narnia must die.”

The man who had asked nodded lightly, understanding what his King was telling him. It was all for the common good.

“Now contact them and tell them the agreement is concluded. They can kill them. No prisoners or witnesses.”

OoO

Edmund had always said to himself that he didn’t have a harsh life. Sure, it wasn’t easy to live in a perpetual winter like the one they had in Narnia, and his mother wasn’t the most loving by far, but he was counting himself luckier than a lot of people. Edmund had food and he was living in a castle, and just that alone was a lot more than what the Narnians had. His mother was always reminding him how lucky he was to live there, with her, and not out in the cold, freezing to death. 

He never told her but Edmund was rarely cold. He wasn’t warm either though, but it was better than nothing to him. 

Edmund couldn’t do what he wished, such as to come and go around the castle, as he was often busy with his studies, but he was never bothered by the secret police instilled by the Queen. He found himself close to the wolves which he knew since he was born. They weren’t friends, oh no, the wolves didn’t befriend, not even in their own pack, but they had a mutual respect. Edmund liked to think that they were the closest thing to friends he had, especially when they tended to his wounds.

The wolves, minotaurs and dwarfs had taught him languages, history, the art of sword fighting and many other things. Training had been hard, but he knew he was good because of them. His mother didn’t like him to be lazy and she liked to remind him that he was not good enough,  she pushed him to always be better. She was a great fighter and a greater witch. 

Of course, physical training was not enough. He had learned to sharpen his mind and to debate too. He had read every book he had been able too, which  weren't  many, as his mother had banned a lot of them.

It was regrettable that he couldn’t even put his competences to work. It wasn’t like Edmund had someone to talk to, except for the wolves when they were at the castle and not on missions, and Narnia didn’t really have contact with the exterior anyway. It was often just him, his mother and her servants. 

That was the thing that was really difficult to support, to never have people around him. He never knew what true tenderness was. He didn’t have any friends, all of the inhabitants were too afraid to approach the Prince Edmund of Narnia, son of Queen Jadis. And again, she wasn’t one for love. 

The Queen didn’t love him but he didn’t think she could love at all so he got over it a long time ago. She never took him in his arms when he was sad, or on any other occasion. Edmund could remember rare times where he had been slapped for saying words he shouldn’t have said or things he shouldn’t have done.

As time had gone by, Edmund had learned that sadness was useless, and it wasn’t like someone had an interest in it. Narnia was not a place you could afford to let yourself go to sadness in. His mother had taught him well and Edmund was glad for the education she gave him.

The Queen’s heart was blackened by some magic he couldn’t understand and sometimes Edmund was afraid he had the same disease. After all, he didn’t know a thing about love. What if he couldn't feel this emotion, like his mother? This thought terrified him. Edmund didn’t want to be alone all his life. 

At the verge of his eighteen’s birthday, Edmund was a melancholic and introspective young man who was asking himself what his life was going to be like. He was already sure his mother wasn’t going to ever let him rule -and he wasn’t really sure he wanted it himself-, as she was an immortal witch who was at her hundred year of reign. Even  he didn’t know her age and the only thing he knew was what he heard from the  wolves' rumblings. For them, she had been here when Narnia had been created, over a thousand years ago. 

Edmund often asked himself why she bothered with an heir, to have him raised and educated. He had been quite useless to her and the kingdom so far. He had never dared ask the question. He was too afraid of her for that, with her great size and unnatural green eyes. It was maybe because of that that he was avoiding her the best he could. 

Fortunately, these days she was often out of the castle, and that’s why he took the opportunity to leave it too. He hadn’t had many opportunities in the past, except when he traveled with the Queen, which was rare. So there he was, in the middle of a forest not too far away from the castle, walking in the snow while thinking about his miserable life without anyone to counsel him on anything, and his heart as cold as this land. 

Edmund suddenly stopped his walk when he arrived in front of a strange lamp-post with no trees around. The lamp was enlightening the glade with a warm light and he closed his eyes to enjoy that rare moment of serenity. He opened them as quickly as he had closed them when he heard a branch break beyond the snow coated bushes. He held his breath during a minute to be sure to not miss another sound. Nothing. 

“... Is  someone there?” Edmund asked in a loud voice.

He didn’t dare move. It had the bad habit of making people run away from him. He was probably the only humanoid of Narnia and therefore they knew who he was. Especially this close to the castle.

“Oh, sorry if I startled you.” A calm and warm voice replied. 

It was a beaver. She came out of the snow, smiling and pleasant, well, until she realized he was human, or at least part. There was only one humanoid in these woods and  that was the son of the Queen. Him. 

“Oh… Your Highness” she squeaked while bowing down anxiously, “I am sorry I didn’t know what I was doing…”

She began to retreat and Edmund’s belly contracted nastily. She was afraid of him. Afraid he was like his mother, cruel and ruthless.  

“No- I…”

Edmund tried to reach her but he couldn’t move and the beaver disappeared straightaway. He felt his eyes watered as the realization that his life was just going to be like this. A tear escaped his eyes and ran over his cold cheek but he refused to sob and he whipped that tears immediately in a furious gesture. 

Sadness is a weakness , he could hear his mother's voice in his head, and she was right. How  would sadness help him achieve anything in this world?

Edmund hated it. He hated this winter, hated his mother and he hated Narnia even more. He abhorred this place where he couldn’t be free. He might just leave  as well. Who was going to miss him after all?

… What if he’d left for good? 

A sharp breath escaped him at the sudden realization that, in fact , Edmund could leave. 

What was stopping him from doing so? His mother was still away and Edmund didn’t have many possessions; he could just pack some of his clothes, some precious objects to sell later, his daggers, and leave Narnia for good this very day. Maybe he could cut across Archenland and go to Calormen and his desert. Oh, he might get sunburn, as his skin never saw one sunray.

The warm feeling of the sun… Edmund didn’t remember seeing the sun even once and he imagined it might be nice. 

Edmund didn’t have a harsh life but he decided it wasn’t really a life either. He turned around and with a firm step and a determined look on his face, the Prince took the direction of the castle. 

OoO

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, not far away from the border of Telmar and its impressive mountains, four friends were making their way through the frozen land and the eternal winter of the western woods of Narnia. 

“Caspian,” Susan said in a serious voice, “This isn’t careful. At all ! You are our King, you can’t just go with us like it’s a silly adventure !”

Caspian turned to the lady at his side and had the nerve to smile maliciously at her. She huffed, outraged. 

“It’s exactly because it isn’t a silly adventure and  because I am the King of this Kingdom and the protector of its people that I have to come with you,” Caspian replied in an equally serious voice like he didn’t escape his counselor, then ran out to follow the three Pevensie like a young teenager.

“Susan is right,” Peter intervened severely, “What if something happens to you?”

“We already went through the mountain,” he sighed. They already had had this conversation at least a hundred times since they departed. “It’s a little too late now, don’t you think? And by the way, the only thing I risk is catching a cold. Gods, I thought it was a mission to check what the dryads told Lucy? Why are you all so tense now that we’re here?”

Two weeks ago, as Lucy walked by the border of their land as a patrol, on the other side of the mountain, a dryad had appeared. She had warned the young lady that what had happened to Narnia a lifetime ago was going to spread to all the kingdoms around. The winter was going to cover all lands and the White Witch will rule them all in an eternal and frozen reign. 

No one alive remembered the days when Narnia was only green forests and blue crystal lakes. There were stories of course but it wasn’t easy to imagine when the only thing they always  knew of this mysterious land was the freezing cold of its wind. What they knew though, was that they wouldn’t let Telmar suffer the same fate.

Nevermind the danger they were told about as toddlers, they decided to go and see for themself what was really happening. They had departed a week ago without escorts, hoping to be discreet and for now it was a success, but they had just arrived in Narnia. The real danger was on their way.

“Yes, it’s what we are going to do,” Lucy said a little too hesitantly. 

“Yeah, and that has nothing to do with your hatred of the White Witch?” Caspian insisted in a knowing voice and the three siblings shared a look that he knew all too well. 

Caspian had known them for most of his life and the three of them were his best friends, his family. Of course he knew that their sudden enthusiasm for this mission wasn’t completely related to their love for their country. 

“Caspian,” Peter began, “we will check what is going on and what is the truth behind that curious and concerning message, but you will go back to Telmar after. We, on the other hand, are going to hunt her.”

“Oh by the Gods,” Caspian muttered while  pinching the bridge of his nose, “this is exactly why I didn’t want you to go alone. She has an army, and what do you have?”

“They have me,” Lucy affirmed valiantly, “I am a mage and I will avenge my brother's death.”

Lucy was the first born of the kingdom gifted by magic coursing through her veins and one of the few in the world known. She had learned to use it all her life, to fight with it to defend their kingdom. 

And for their brother… 

The baby, who hadn’t even been named, had disappeared in a cloud of snow, literally, a day after his birth. Caspian had been too young to remember clearly, but he could remember the frozen crib, with nothing in it when it should have been a newborn.

Magical protections had been set after that by Calormen witches to protect the castle and the lords and their families living there. 

It had happened eighteen years ago and they never knew why the baby had disappeared. All they knew was what the witches had told them: the magic was the same that covered Narnia in ice and snow. The Narnian Queen’s magic, Jadis, the same one that had never been defeated before. The precedent King, his father, had taken this tragedy for a warning : the Queen could kill anyone of them.

Caspian didn’t know if the magical barrier had been useful, but it never happened again since then.

“So you will kill Narnians?” Caspian asked Lucy, frowning, “they didn’t do anything. From the little we know about them they are captive of the Witch. And, again, from the little we know about her, she won’t hesitate to use them against us.”

Lucy was taken aback. Even if she was a fierce warrior, as her brother and sister, she wasn’t a killer and had never taken a soul before. She always spared her adversaries. But with the Witch, it wasn’t the same. She had broken her family. 

“Lucy might, but I won’t,” Susan said with determination, “we will take care of them.”

“We’ll see when we are there,” Peter just said as he shrugged, “but if she wants to attack Telmar, she will have to deal with us first.”

“I suppose I can’t change your mind. Let’s go,” he only said while walking through the forest. 

Caspian had been crowned last year, on his twentieth birthday and since then he hadn’t been able to leave on campaign. His reign was young and unstable and it had been dangerous to leave the castle. His uncle had fled after his failed coup d’état, abandoning wife and child behind him without regard. The fact that Caspian had let his aunt and nephew live had proved him weak to the eyes of his detractors, and the Lords who followed him were concerned to know them alive for they were threatening his position as king. 

Caspian didn’t see it like that. Where they saw weakness, he only saw mercy and he was not cruel. He couldn’t imagine harming his family. He might not hold any love for his aunt, as she didn’t like him either, but a truce had been established between them with a new respect. Miraz might have been cruel to him but she had done nothing against him and, for a reason he  couldn't explain, Caspian already loved his cousin beyond reason.

“Alright,” Peter sighed. “Anyway, we can’t let you go back alone…”

The King smiled at that. He pated at Peter’s back. If he couldn’t change their mind, he could at least go with them.

“Let’s hurry, we still need to find a shelter.”

They resumed their walk towards the frozen woods without another word. 

However, they didn’t see the men who were following them at a good distance nor the raven flying upon them to join them.

Chapter Text

Edmund had quickly packed his stuff. He hadn’t embarrassed himself with warm clothes as he was heading south. Instead he had stolen food in the kitchen, two or three books, the map of Narnia even if he already knew it by heart, and taken his weapons. Edmund prefered his daggers over his sword that he never used it anyway, plus he knew it would seem  suspicious to leave the castle with it. He wasn’t under surveillance but the wolves were always cautious and the guards tended to tell his mother everything. Finally, he took his gold coins. He was ready.

After almost eighteen years, Edmund would have thought it would be more difficult to leave this place to start a new life but the only thing he was feeling was anticipation.

Edmund took the way to the great door and he passed  the courtyard which used to fill his nightmares with its Narnians’ statues. He knew they were real people, frozen forever in  their stony prison, and that  this was the work of his mother. Oh, Edmund had seen her at work, and it wasn’t something he enjoyed watching, or remembering.

‘How did I not give up and leave before?’ Edmund asked himself as he swallowed hard. 

This place was terrifying, a living nightmare. 

“You go out already, my Prince?” Maugrim inquired as he snorted, “you just returned to the castle.”

“I went to grab something to eat,” he said in a forced calm and disinterested voice. “But I want to stay outside a little more as long as there’s still daylight.”

Edmund grinded his teeth. He shouldn’t have to give justifications. He was his Prince, he had every right to do as he wanted without any pretext to give to anyone. Pretexts weren’t good. Too much justifications were always suspicious. He had seen that often enough with Narnians conspiring against the Queen, and dying for their lies.

Still, it was Maugrim, and he had always known him. He had practically raised Edmund with his pack. He had teached Edmund how to move and how to fight. Maugrim had been the one to tend to his bruises after a harsh training, licking his wounds clean after a harsh correction from his mother. 

Edmund realized he would dearly miss the old wolf.

“Do you know when mother will come back?” He demanded blankly to distract Maugrim while he continued his walk through the courtyard, “it's been a few days since I have seen her.”

“She should be at the castle by tomorrow morning, my Prince.”

“So I’ll return before to be sure not to miss her.”

He will be long gone to be sure to never see her again. 

Once Edmund reached the first trees bordering the castle in a slow and controlled manner, and  had made sure the forest was hiding him enough from any curious stare, he began to run wildly through the snow. 

Running in the snow wasn’t easy at all, especially for long periods. Every footstep was hard because he kept sinking into the white layers that also hid branches and roots on which he tripped several times. But it was exhilarating, because he knew what he was running from: a solitary life full of despair. Edmund had no desire to stop running. 

After having run southward for at least an hour into the woods without seeing anyone, Edmund sprawled into a tree stump to take a rest, exhausted and sweaty. Urgh, he usually enjoyed running, especially with how high he was feeling to flee like that, but this wasn’t agreeable at all. Edmund closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. It was time to really think about his itinerary. He had had times in all these years to study the map of Narnia and to roam its lands. As he needed to stay hidden as much as possible, he would continue in the Western Woods then turn to the frozen lake to arrive in the Shuddering Woods. Finally, he would go along the Archen river to Mount Pire and finally, Archeland. 

Then he would think about his next move. If he remembered well, there was a desert between Archeland and Calormen. Maybe finding a boat?  

The only thing Edmund was worried about was that he might come across his mother during his trip. He had never headed this south before, not alone, and he was sure Maugrim was already suspicious of him. 

Edmund got up with a wince. He shouldn’t have run like a mad man. His legs were weak from it, but it would have to do. Edmund wasn’t going to stop now. He was totally conscious that all this situation was ridiculous and that he had acted stupidly on the spur of the moment. What was he going to do in Calormen ? He had never worked in his life and  had barely talked to anyone in years . It was dangerous and inconsiderate, but Edmund needed to go away. 

If he was honest, it wasn’t the first time he thought about leaving Narnia for good. 

“Whatever... “ He muttered as he began to walk again with a pang to his heart. “It’s not like someone is going to miss me, with an immortal mother and folk so afraid they won’t even look at me…”

No, it was maybe a sudden decision but that didn’t mean it wasn’t  a good one to take. He would make a good life for himself. After this lonely life, Edmund had every right to be selfish. No one was going to save him and offer him the life he wanted on a plate, just like that. Things like that only existed in fairytales, not in real life. If he wanted something, he had to act upon it. It didn’t matter if he had to give up his title of prince and his privileges. He didn’t even want them and sometimes, being the Prince of Narnia just felt like a curse.

“Stupid title…, ” Edmund groaned. 

He walked during what seemed an eternity, until he reached the Western Woods’ south border, not too far away from the Telmar River.

What happened next took him by surprise. Edmund just barely had the time to hear the sound of heavy footsteps in the snow before he lifted his head. A man came out of nowhere, hurtling down steep slopes and brutally collided  with him. Edmund let out a scream as he fell  hard on his back with a painful moan. With his jelly legs he hadn’t got the time to dodge the man, but thankfully, the snow had softened his fall, but this stranger was heavy… And he was right on top of him. 

Wait- A man?! A human ? What- There  weren't  any humans in Narnia! What was he doing here? His mind was frantic. If someone saw him and alerted the wolves… He needed to go!

The stranger -more of an invader!- groaned and  propped his hands up on each side of Edmund’s head to elevate himself and the Prince found himself glaring at two deep black eyes who were staring at him in return, the world around them hidden by long brown hair fallen from each side of his ridiculous handsome face, which was barely inches away from his. Edmund found himself blushing and confused for an unknown reason.

“Ouch… Oh damn. Excuse me, I didn’t mean to fall on you,” the man bantered with a funny accent, definitely not narnian, and what seemed to be a… A flirty smile? Really? In this situation? “Oh, are you happy to see me or is this… Oh, a dagger, of course.”

“Get the hell off me,” Edmund hissed angrily as he pressed his dagger to the man's side, “or falling on me will be the last thing you’ve done in your life.”

The man ceased his stupid insinuations and easy smiles, and cautiously got up on his feet. Edmund did the same with precipitation to not lose his advantage over the stranger. 

“Who are you?!” The Prince spat as he took his second dagger from the inside of his boot to take a defensive posture. “What do you want?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, I don’t want anything from you,” the man said while raising his arms in appeasement. “Please, I was attacked and separated from my group. People are after me and you don’t want to be here when they’ll arrive.”

Edmund breathed loudly, trying to calm his fast beating heart. He concentrated on the lines of the stranger’s face in an attempt to pull himself back together. He was by all means what one would have called a handsome man. He had a tanned skin partially covered by a light beard, with long hair of the same brownish color, and he had eyes so dark Edmund couldn’t distinguish his pupil from the color of his eyes. A warm deep voice and a singing accent. Edmund couldn’t help but to swallow even his if his mouth had gone stupidly dry for no reason at all.

“Who are you?” He repeated less harshly. 

“My name is Caspian, please calm down and lower your daggers,” Caspian said with his hand up, his visage now serious but open. 

Edmund looked at him and saw no sign of hostility. During all these years, he had become quite skillful at reading other people's expressions, especially with the wolves and his mother. One didn’t want to be in the same room as them when they got angry. 

He took down his daggers but he kept a solid grip on them. This man might not want to hurt him, but there was no way he would sheath his weapons now. 

“You said people were attacking you? Narnians? Wolves?”

“What, no! Humans like you and I,” the man replied immediately, a worried frown on his face.

“I am not human,” he stated with a raised eyebrow.

He was probably a half-blood as his mother was a humanoid herself. Though she definitely wasn’t human either. She was too tall for that and the aura she always had around her was too inhuman. For his father, he didn’t know. His mother had never talked about him, and he had bothered asking.

“Alright, hm, I mean, you look like one.”

Edmund closed his eyes and pinched his nose, irked. This guy -Caspian, he reminded himself- was already getting on his nerves. Were all humans that bad? Talking about humans...

“Humans. Like in plural. Here, in Narnia? But you were banned from here.”

“But you are here too!”

“I am not human,” he repeated, annoyed and glaring at the other man, “I am part giant.”

“You’re quite small for a part giant,” Caspian said to him in his weird accent, his arms crossed on his chest, assessing him with his eyes as Edmund blushed.

“Oh, shut up!”

He heard footsteps and Caspian seemed to hear them too. They stopped their quarrel and the man turned to face the snow-covered hill he had previously fallen from. Voices reverberated in the forest and soon enough, they both saw men partially covered in armor approaching them. Edmund took a quick look  at Caspian and guessed they were the same ones who attacked him. 

“Who’s this one?!” One of the men asked. 

“Don’t care, no witnesses. Kill them both.”

Kill them both?! But he had nothing to do with it! Urgh, why him? Why now? Edmund grinded his  teeth together. It would have been the perfect timing to tell they were threatening the Prince of this land, but Edmund had already decided to abandon his title. It wasn’t really his day, was it? Well, they were going to pay for his bad day. He exchanged a look with the stranger. They both understood that they were together in it, and that they had few chances if they didn’t work hand in hand against the five men. Edmund huffed, already done to have to work with this Caspian. 

“I’d like to see you try,” he jested in their direction. 

Caspian unsheathed his sword and put himself on guard, just like Edmund who just realized that they were really going to fight. His heart raced in his chest and his pulse began pounding  in his ears. One of their opponents said something but Edmund didn’t hear anything. He had this block-ear feeling, the same water-like sensation and felt strangely dizzy at the perspective of fighting, but not in a bad way. 

Edmund had never really fought before. Of course, he had trained against wolves and minotaurs and they were always quite harsh -order of the Queen. They often finished their training with bruises and bad wounds, but they never fought to death, they always stopped before that. Edmund had never taken a person’s life even if he had been prepared for that. 

Edmund lifted his daggers, took a deep breath, and the second after the men were charging them. Four of them lunged over Caspian to his surprise, letting only one man to attack him. Edmund suddenly felt completely underestimated, as they thought he wasn’t a worthy opponent. 

He took a quick look  at Caspian who was fending off the air with raw strength and deflecting the blades of four of their aggressors like they were nothing. Edmund didn’t like to admit it but the man was really good. However, even if he was a good fighter, he wouldn’t be able to fight like this for too long. 

The Narnian Prince fixed his gaze on the man in front of himself and raced for him. He bent his knees to avoid the sword aiming for his head and stabbed the man in the  thigh, severing the artery that was here, making the blood spurt. Edmund heard him cry out but he didn’t stop and his second dagger went for his throat, unprotected and now so easy to attain. A rich scent of copper hit his nostril and he frowned at the offensive smell. It was sickening and he tried to detach himself from what he was feeling at this moment. 

Edmund didn’t even hear the body fall in the snow nor the sounds of the man choked in his own blood. He was already focusing on their other aggressors.

“Fuck ! The wimp killed Cole !”

He didn’t let the man who just talked have a chance. Edmund was already on him, quicker and deadlier than the icy narnian wind. He was used to snow, he knew how to walk and be quick in spite of it. He had fought all his life in this damn, white, traitorous snow. Edmund didn’t have to think, just aimed for his target and striked like the serpent his mother had shaped him in.

A second man fell to the ground, Edmund’s daggers deep in his guts as blood damped the snow in red and bowels. Caspian took advantage of their sudden confusion to jump on a third enemy who  fell in the snow too , a split in the chess, dead. 

“Who sent you?!” Caspian shouted out to the two men still breathing. 

“As if we’re tellin’ you!” One of the men spat while raising his sword again. 

“Hey, I don’t wanna die for that!” The other squealed, his voice quivering with fear. “It was supposed to be easy!”

Edmund took his first look at  the ground since the beginning of this assault and he had to fight to not throw up, understanding why their opponent was now shivering before Caspian and himself. The snow was red, as were his daggers and hands. He was sure there was blood on his face too. Edmund swallowed hard and forced himself to look up. It wasn’t the time for weakness. He had to keep his cool head  if he wanted to live another day.

“You fuckin’ pussy...”

“You are Telmarines, aren’t you?” Caspian asked. “I can recognize the accent of my own people. There aren’t many people who wish for my death. Miraz, I suppose?”

The two men looked at each other worryingly, betraying themselves. 

“It seems you have your answer,” Edmund said to Caspian even if he didn’t have any idea of who this Miraz was. 

“And it seems you  have to die!” The man growled and this time he turned to him before charging. 

He was huge; tall, big and heavy. He should have been an incredible warrior on firm ground, but narnian snow was a treacherous thing. Edmund avoided the large sword aiming at his head, taking steps back, until the man was where he wanted, near that big tree whose roots were hidden by the snow. All it took for him was a second of distraction. 

The man walked on the stem and was unbalanced. It was Edmund’s chance and he lunged towards him to sink his daggers in his neck but he realized a moment too late that he had overestimated his own capacity. His run through the woods and the fight they were in had weakened him, and he hadn’t been quick enough to reach his opponent. The man suddenly raised his arm to catch his throat and lifted him from the ground so his feet couldn’t touch it anymore. The brutal grip took his breath away as the leather gloved fingers were sinking in the fragile skin of his neck, and he found himself unable to breath. The only thing he could do was to struggle but he was quick to stop when his back was thrown rudely against the tree.

‘Damn!’

“You’re dead, boy ,” he grumbled with a nasty breath, the smell worse than the blood. He was ready to slay him with his large sword. 

Edmund waited for the cold pain of the blade sliding through his body, eyes closed, but it never came. He opened his eyes and saw blood running from the Telmarine’s mouth, Caspian sword sticking out his throat. The hand firmly locked around his neck loosened his grip and Edmund fell in the snow, letting him cough loudly and try to inhale some air. He didn’t watch the now dead body bleed out next to him.

“Are you alright?!” Caspian was already at his side, a hand on his back. 

With a quick gesture of his hand, he wiped off the tears that had come to his eyes during the fight. His throat hurt like hell and his back was painful, but he would survive. This would leave a mark and he would probably have difficulties to talk for some days. He got up with a pained moan and with the help of Caspian who was holding him. 

“Yeah… Thanks...  What of the other?”

“I tied him up while you distracted this one… Thank you for working with me, I suppose. You shouldn’t have gotten hurt because of me, and for that I am sorry.”

God, the easy smile was on again. 

“They wanted to kill me too, for a reason I ignore,” he managed to whisper.

“It’s complicated?” Caspian tried, fidgeting as they stopped before their prisoner.

“It must be!”

“Well, thank you nonetheless… I didn’t get your name?”

Edmund almost said his real name, distracted by the pain he was in but he caught himself back in time. 

“My name is Philip. And before you ask, I come from the Land of the North and I am heading south.”

“Oh, so you’re not Narnian ?”

Yes, he was.

“No, I just don’t have a choice but to walk through Narnia to join Calormen.”

“Well, thank you Philip from the Land of the North. I am in your debt.”

Edmund huffed as Caspian was graciously bowing down. 

“Why is he still alive ?” He asked as he turned to the last of their aggressor.

It was dangerous. If the wolves took him alive… Even this Caspian, he was doomed. He might have given a false name, but it wasn’t enough protection. Not with his scent on them and with them knowing his face, and that wasn’t now that Edmund was going to run away. He was exhausted by the fight and his wounds. 

“I need to interrogate him. We weren’t aware they were following us. I know now it is my uncle's doing but…”

“Your uncle wants you dead ?” Well, Caspian had been right, it seemed like a complicated story. 

“Yes. I’ll explain to you later.”

Edmund suddenly wanted to say that he didn’t want a “later”, just to spite the man, but... he also wanted to know now. He grunted. Edmund was curious and Caspian was one of the first living beings to act like he was actually a person with feelings, and Edmund liked this. 

Even if Caspian was a thorn in his side, and even if his smiles unnerved him, he liked the way he was talking to him. 

“You, tell me everything you know,” Caspian prompted in a demanding voice to the man tied up on the ground. 

“I- we were told to intercept you as soon as we can and kill you, that's all,” the man immediately said.

“You are not very useful, we already determined that by ourselves,” Edmund said with a frown and he raised his dagger. 

“No no! Please! There is more! The Queen! The White Witch, she is concerned too!”

Edmund froze on the spot. His mother was involved in this debacle? But why? Who was this Caspian? His name was telling him something, and the fact that he was a Telmarine was rigging a bell in his head. He knew it, but what was it? By the Lion’s mane, damned was his mother and the lack of exterior communication!

“Why her? Why is she involved?” Caspian asked dumbfounded. “We have no quarrel with Narnia.”

“They concluded an alliance. If Miraz kills you and the Pevensies, she’ll help him have the Telmar throne.”

“But… What does the Queen have to gain in this alliance?” Edmund asked, at a loss and brown frowned. Why would she do that? She had never had interest in the other land before that. Besides, she never bothered herself to educate him in these matters. Her only concerns were always about Narnia. What had changed?

“Miraz has agreed to marry the Narnian Prince in exchange.”

Chapter Text

“Miraz has agreed to marry the Narnian Prince in exchange.”

Edmund didn’t react right away to these words. Marriage? It was impossible! He was the Narnian Prince and there was nothing of the sort planned in the future! He would have known it, right? 

“Our contact said that the wedding was due in a week.”

Edmund felt his drained legs tremble under him, threatening to let him fall. But... He couldn’t understand. Why? It had to be a lie! Edmund knew his mother was indifferent to his fate but- No. This man was a liar, he was just saying anything he could to save his unworthy life, but Edmund was petrified and numb and-

He blinked several times in a row to make his tears go away while breathing as deeply and silently as he could manage to. No weakness allowed, especially now. He was portraying a stranger to this land. A foreigner wouldn’t react to this revelation. However, if Edmund had a steady grip on his body, aside from his nails digging painfully in the palm of his hands, he couldn’t do anything about the mess going through his mind which was burning with so many things that he couldn’t distinguish one from another. Should he believe this traitor? Was he feeling sad? Or was it wrath? He didn’t know what he was experiencing and he was silently drowning in it, in a slow and deadly desperation.

“A narnian prince?” Caspian repeated, startled, and Edmund focused himself on his voice to not lose himself in this torrent of negative emotions. “I thought there was just the Queen. She has a son ?”

Edmund’s head turned quickly to look at Caspian when he heard his voice suddenly so dark and concerned. Was his existence such bad news? And why the fact that this man, this natural enemy of Narnia that he only knew for a few moments, was making him feel worse about this whole situation?

“Yes, the Queen has an heir, and Miraz accepted to marry him just so he could kill him and the Queen to take over Narnia,” their prisoner blurted out.

Edmund forced himself to breathe slowly even if his heart was on the verge of bursting out of his chest. What was going on? What was this madness? Maybe the man who had tried to strangle him had made him lose consciousness and he was now having a nightmare. His head was going to explode and he wanted to scream instead of struggling to keep control. It had to be lies. Why had his mother said nothing about a marriage? Why wanting Caspian dead and-

Oh damn! That was it! Caspian was the name used by all the Telmarine’s Kings! This man was the King of Telmar !

“This doesn’t make sense,” Caspian growled, “the Narnian Queen isn’t stupid enough to promise her heir to my uncle. Even if he kills me, she doesn’t gain anything from it.”

“If Miraz kills the actual King, and if her heir marries Miraz, the Prince will be King Consort of Telmar,” Edmund said in a detached voice and it felt like he wasn’t a part of his out of his own body anymore as he said those words, “they kill Miraz and Telmar belongs to Narnia.”

Was that really her plan? It was the only logical explanation Edmund could come up with right now. It was, after all, a cold and ruthless move. It looked like her. And maybe Edmund was like that too, to come to this conclusion. 

“The boy says the truth,” the man said while nodding wildly, “Miraz thinks that this is going to happen if he doesn’t kill the Prince first, just after their wedding.” 

‘Breath. Don’t betray yourself. Control your emotions .’ 

This was too much for him to swallow. Why didn’t he leave earlier? Edmund could have fled the day before, or even just after her departure. Just an hour sooner . Now he was stuck with the King of a foreign nation, four corpses on the ground, a damned traitor and an engagement of all things. He was feeling worse as the minutes went by, physically and emotionally, and he had this horrible sentiment to be carried by the current, without any means to cope with it. He couldn’t swim and he was drowning. 

Edmund needed to bring his emotions under control and locked them out. He could do this. He could . He did this before so many times with his mother.

“So,” Caspian said, “all I have to do is to kill Miraz, or this narnian Prince, before their wedding.”

He couldn’t do this. Edmund felt himself fall to the ground. This was too much for him, he wasn’t strong enough and he felt so tired.

“Philip ! Are you okay ?!” 

He recognized the worried voice of Caspian but he couldn’t see him. His eyes were locked on the prisoner and his traitorous mouth. Why didn’t he leave when he had the occasion? Why did he stay to hear that?

“Yeah, my back hurts, that’s all,” Edmund lied, and while it wasn’t the truth, his back was really hurting. Then, he found himself grunting when he felt Caspian’s hands on him again. What was this obsession with touching? Edmund didn’t like what he was feeling when these warm hands were on him, he definitely wasn’t used to this kind of gesture. He was already perceiving too many things to deal with conflicting feelings right now.

“I am good, now stop handling me, I am not a damsel in distress,” he growled. 

“You like to complain, do you?” Caspian said with an amused smirk. “But don’t worry, I saw that you could defend yourself just fine. Where did you learn to fight ? It was impressive. Promise me you will spar with me one day.”

“Shut up, you- Urgh.”

This man was so unnerving and he didn’t have the strength to fight with him, even verbally. And why should he fight with him, hm?! They didn’t even know each other!

“Are you two done flirting? Can you untie me now? I told you everything I-Arghh-”

Edmund, his face hotter than he had ever felt in his life, had just cut the man's throat in a quick and brutal strike of his dagger. At his side, Caspian had taken a step back, surprised by the violence of his gesture.

“You know,” Caspian began slowly, “I don’t think you can kill a man just because he said you flirted.”

“If you don’t want your throat cut too, you better shut your mouth,” Edmund snapped, “he had to die, he is a traitor.”

“And that justifies what you just did?!” 

Oh, finally this King had some temper? Edmund looked up and gazed at an angry Caspian with a taunting smile.

“You just don’t know a thing about Narnia, hm?” Edmund answered with a mocking tone. “There is magic at work here. Traitors belong to the White Witch. She has power over them. She would have felt him, tracked him and made him spill his secrets. That he saw you, that you said you wanted her and her son dead. And that I helped you of course, and I don’t fancy ending up dead because of him.”

Edmund closed his eyes as the man died just under his eyes. He just killed three men in cold blood, and his mind was already in such a tumult that he wasn’t even feeling sad for their death. He hadn’t actually thought that he had that in him.

He pressed harder his fingernails in his palms to avoid thinking about his mother’s insensitive nature.

“So, what are you going to do now, King Caspian ?” He taunted instead.

Caspian sighed at that and he saw him rubbing his face.

“So you knew?”

“Only a fool wouldn’t have guessed. And I can remember that Caspian is, by tradition, the name of Telmar Kings.”

“It is actually a pretty popular name in Telmar,” Caspian mooted with a fake frown.

“Try and fool someone else, your Majesty.”

Edmund couldn’t believe that in this situation, with five corpses around them and their hands covered in blood, Caspian could still smile warmly at him. Hadn’t he been angry at him five minutes ago because he had killed this man? Was this being optimistic or completely stupid?!

“CASPIAN!” 

By the Lion, more people?! Was a God actually hating him? 

Three young people, two women and a man, around his and Caspian’s age, entered the glade to  freeze on the spot as they looked at the mess they made. 

“My friends, you are safe! I was worried about you!” Caspian smiled at them warmly, relief clearly appearing on his face.

“What happened here ?” The blond-haired man asked. “Caspian, are you alright ? Who is this ?”

The man had his sword in hand and he was looking at him suspiciously. Edmund, even with his head so full it might explode in a second and his body so tired he could barely move, gripped his daggers in his hands. 

“Peter please, lower your sword, he isn’t our enemy. This is Philip,  we fought them together. I would have ended up dead without him.”

Caspian was at his side, a hand over his shoulders, stating by this gesture that he was under his protection.

“Are you always this cheerful?” Edmund finally asked while trying to get on his feet just to fail doing it.

“Whoa, easy,” Caspian said as he helped him to hold still. “This mountain of a man has been rough on you, you shouldn’t get up now.”

“We should leave when we still have time. Narnia is not a safe place, if you didn’t know.”

Damn, Edmund couldn’t stand up. His back was really hurting him now and he was feeling so tired. He just wanted to hide in a hole in the ground, stop thinking and sleep . Even if he was physically trained, it wasn’t enough, and his head just kept pounding .

“Lucy, can’t you do something ?” He heard Caspian saying and the younger of the girls approached him.

“Not here, it’s too cold and if you didn’t see it, we’re in the middle of a slaughter.”

Yes, she was right, it was so cold. How was he this cold ? Edmund had never felt it like this in his life… Suddenly, he felt all his members shivered and his heart tightened in his chest so hard his breath was suddenly taken away from him. His vision blurred and all went black.

OoO

Caspian felt Philip faint and he gripped him by the shoulders before he could touch the ground, then without hesitation took him in his arms to lift him from the frozen ground. Philip’s face was even paler than before and the expression he showed was betraying his pain. 

“We need to find a safe place,” Caspian said while he got on his feet with the young man in his arms. “The night will fall upon us shortly.”

“You really won’t explain to us what happened? How did you- Look at this!” Susan cried as she pointed to the ground and the dead men on it. 

“Oh, I will explain to you and you will have difficulties believing what I -we learned,” he answered while looking at his charge. 

Caspian’s face was grave and he was feeling concerned with the state of this young man he knew nothing about. He didn’t trust people on the spot and that despite the fact that he was by nature a doting person who could easily make friends. However, he felt that he could trust this young man. Caspian had felt it immediately after taking a look at him, just like he felt that he wanted to get closer to him.

For once Caspian had thought that his pretty face would help, as his smile worked on women and men alike, and even on his dear friends when they were angry with him. Even Susan, who was always so prompt to scold him when she thought he wasn’t behaving like the King he was, was receptive to his smile. 

But Philip, with his intense chestnut eyes and pouting lips, had just looked through him while Caspian was smiling at him and had threatened to stab him. 

‘Who are you? ’ Caspian asked himself, looking at Philip with a thousand questions on his mind. 

It wasn’t rare for a traveler to possess weapons, it was even highly recommended, but it wasn’t often one knew how to use them. This man had killed two of Miraz’s men, trained soldiers , in an instant, with startling precision, like they were nothing. Caspian had been sincere with him. He had been impressed and, if he was honest, a little aroused too.

Philip was brutal and honest and Caspian hadn’t talked to him for more than ten minutes but he wanted to learn more about him. 

However, it wasn’t the time for amusement. If Philip had been right there were wolves in this forest and Caspian didn’t want to face them now. He began to walk, wanting to move away from this blood bath. It wasn’t safe.

“You’ll have to explain while walking, who is he?” Peter required while following him. 

“I’d like to know, but we just met ! His name is Philip and he is heading south, that’s all I know.  I fell upon him, quite literally. Miraz’s men arrived a short time after and we defended ourselves. He saved my life and I saved his. End of the story. This really isn’t what matters and-”

“You said Miraz?” Lucy interrupted. “He is behind this?”

“Yes,” Caspian nodded with a worrying frown. “They were Telmarines. And there really is something happening to Narnia. The Dryad you saw was right, Lucy. Miraz has made an alliance with the Queen. She wants Telmar.” 

“But- how? Is she going to marry him or something?” Peter asked, as dumbfounded as he had been when he learned of it. 

“If what the soldier said is true, he is going to marry the Narnian Prince .”

They had exactly the same reaction as him. They froze on the spot and fear passed on their faces. The Queen was bad enough, and now they were learning about an heir, old enough to marry. Old enough to fight and conquer, like his mother.

“Narnia has a Prince…?” Susan said in a voice so low Caspian nearly didn’t hear it.

“Oh yes, that would be Prince Edmund.”

They turned  simultaneously to the sound of the male voice that had just shrilled among the trees, but there was just a beaver looking at them. 

“Well? What are you looking at like that?” Then said the beaver while crossing his tiny arm on his fury chest. 

“He talked,” Lucy said in the most neutral voice Caspian had ever heard her talk with.

“Of course I talk! What were you expecting exactly? Growls?”

They all jerked in surprise. So the legends were true. Talking animals dwelled Narnia! Excitation filled his heart and a smile spread on his lips. It was fantastic!

“Excuse us, noble beaver,” Caspian said while bending the knee when he felt Philipp becoming too heavy in his arms. “But... You know of the prince?”

“Yes! No, hm. This is complicated. We never really saw him, the Queen is quite secretive, but Narnia has a prince. Hm, I’d like you to excuse me too, because I listened to you but...” The Beaver turned to Lucy. “Young Lady, did you see the Green Dryad?”

“... Yes, I saw her, she told me a great danger was upon us, because of the White Witch.”

“Oh, thanks Aslan! The Dryad gave her life to have you fetch! She searched so long for a human with magic, one who could help us, like in the prophecy!”

Caspian and the Pevensies looked at each other with questioning looks. Suddenly, the situation became quite more complicated. 

“All Narnians are not loyal to the Queen,” the Beaver explained, and by the Gods, he seemed so natural about talking to them and it shouldn’t have been, “Not at all. She took our land years ago, by force, and she plummeted us in this cold and eternal winter. If you need an army, you’ll have one to help us get rid of her. And the Prince, of course.”

“Alright, alright. This is too much information, noble Beaver. Please, my friend here needs attention and care. Do you know a place where we will be safe ?”

“Yes, come with me ! My wife won’t like it but- It’s not every day a prophecy coming to fruition!”

Again, they exchanged looks, except for Lucy who was already following the Beaver. Well, if Lucy trusted this creature, they probably should follow her instinct. She was a good judge of character. And after all the Beaver knew of the Dryad. 

Caspian looked again at the beautiful face of the young man in his arms. They didn’t really have a choice.

“Caspian,” Peter called. “Give him to me, you’re tired.”

“What- No, I am good !”

He wasn’t sure he could trust Peter with Philip, which was stupid. Peter was his best friend, as close as a brother. Caspian had always been able to count on him and it was true that he was tired. 

“Come on, I won’t steal it from you, promise !” Peter smirked. “I saw how you looked at him, you fickle man.”

Caspian felt his cheeks burn and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Well, he couldn’t really hide something from Peter. 

“So? Will you obey for once, my King?”

“Alright! Be careful, his back took a bad blow.”

Philip looked so fragile and delicate like this, in Peter’s big arms. So different from the defiant and deadly young man he briefly talked to. 

“Let’s go. We don’t want more bad surprises…”

He was right. They didn’t see this attack coming. Miraz’s men had been well prepared and had known where to wait for them to separate them easily. If he hadn’t found Philip, and if Philip hadn’t been such a great warrior, he would have ended up dead. Caspian was finding himself seduced by this curious stranger, with his pouting lips, intense stares and the rudeness he had when he talked. 

They kept walking and with time they arrived at a dam on a frozen lake and in the middle of it was a little house. It was unfortunate that the sky was already so dark and they could barely see a thing, because Caspian would have loved to look at it more. 

“Please, enter. It’s warmer inside.”

And it was. The four of them sighed and they quickly found themself around the reassuring hearth of the beaver’s home. 

“Oh, you can lie this one here.”

Peter laid Philip down on the couch furnishing the surprisingly large room and Lucy approached him. 

“Are you sure he helped you ? He doesn’t seem really tough,” the blond-haired man said. 

“He took down two of them in a breath. Killed a third after, and we made it through the big one only because he was distracting him. He is fast.”

“Those are a lot of words to say you were quite useless, don’t you think ?” Susan gently mocked him.

“I would have liked seeing you fight against four men!” Caspian complained with a smile. “Our chance was that they treated him like he wasn’t a threat.”

Lucy extended her hands over the boy’s head and a gentle light erupted from her palm to grace his face. The frown he had disappeared and he seemed to be less in pain. His throat, already blue and swollen, took a shade less aggressive too. 

“He should be alright now,” Lucy said with a smile. “We should let him rest.”

Susan helped him clean Philip's face and hands which were coated in the blood of their enemies, and they put a warm blanket on him.  Caspian admired the line of his face for an instant before joining his friends.

They retired near the fire and began to talk while the Beaver (Mr. Beaver) was making hot chocolate in the kitchen. Caspian told them what he had learned from the soldier. The murder attempt, the existence of the narnian prince, the impending wedding between said prince and Miraz and of course, the likely plan of the White Witch to take over Telmar once his uncle was dead.

Chapter Text

Mrs Beaver, Mr Beaver’s wife, finally came home and she nearly fainted when she saw the five humans in her humble house (her words, not his, Caspian quite like the cozy and warm house in the middle of the frozen dam, and even Susan said it was lovely). Then, she cried over her husband for inviting strangers while their home was in such a mess (it wasn’t, really). Finally, she became nearly mad when her husband said that they were the ones they were waiting for. Of course, the Beavers became extremely flustered when they learned who  Caspian was in reality.

It wasn’t everyday you receive a King at home after all.

After what seemed an eternity, both Beavers calmed themselves (and because Caspian had insisted for Philip who was still asleep). 

It was a strange thing for Caspian and his friends. Talking animals! Of course they knew of the legends, but it wasn’t the same to see it from their own eyes. They were in the dam of talking beavers, for Gods’ sake! Wasn’t all this absolutely wonderful?

“We didn’t know about the marriage,” Mr Beaver said, concerned in his voice to the four humans sitting around the table, after they had told them their story. “It is strange and it doesn’t look like her. It must hide something else…” 

“What do you mean by ‘we didn’t know’?” Susan asked curiously while drinking her hot chocolate. “You talk about all of this like there is a sort of coalition against the Queen…”

“Because it’s the truth!” Mr Beaver laughed. “We have spies around, and we are ready to fight! We waited for many years, and now you, Adam's flesh and Adam's bone, are here to save us.”

The situation had become so complicated at once. Caspian might have suspected Narnians were prisoners of their own land but… A war?

“Please Mr Beaver, stop frightening these children!” Mrs Beaver admonished him with a glare.

“We are not frightened,” Peter said with this serious and paternalist voice he had and that Caspian hated beyond reason. “We came here for her. She killed our brother, she’s going to pay for that.”

The Beavers froze at his words and a pained look appeared on their face. It was obvious they too had  lost people they cared about. 

“Well,” Mr Beaver sighted, obviously feeling awkward as he passed a nervous hand on the back of his neck, “at least you are motivated.”

They fell in silence again. Caspian reached for his hot chocolate and took a sip of it. He nearly moaned. It was absolutely delicious and warming. 

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Caspian thanked with a smile which was quickly returned by the two Narnians, “we don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“The nights are cold and this one was really weak,” the Beaver replied while staring at Philip. “Is he one of your siblings ?”

“Oh no,” Peter answered, “he is just a lad Caspian met.”

“His name’s Philip,” he clarified, “he was heading to Calormen, and he got hurt helping me… I owe him my life.”

Philipp could have run away after killing his opponent, he could have just abandoned Caspian, but he didn’t. Instead he put his life at risk to save his.

“Well, I thought he was,” Mr Beaver said, looking at Susan. “He does look a lot like you, missy.”

“Oh, Susan, he is right!” Lucy exclaimed with excitement.

Susan raised an eyebrow and turned her head to the young man asleep. Caspian hadn’t paid attention until now, but it was true. There was something alike in their face. Their lips maybe, and the freckles on their skin. They had the same black hair too.

“Lucy, don’t say stupid things. And no,  there are just the three of us,” she said lowly. 

There was a long moment of silence between all of them. Even if they were here for revenge, the subject of their family wasn’t easy. Their parents had never been the same after the death of their brother. Peter and Susan were too young to remember about him, and Lucy hadn’t even been born at the time, but the event had reached everyone and every person they met had been a reminiscent of what they had lost. It had been worse after their parents death, years ago. 

‘Poor children.’

‘Such a fate.’

‘First their brother, now their parents. ’

The Pevensie family had been close to the royal family, and when Caspian had lost his family, they had taken him under their wings, and they had become each other's family. It had been before Lord and Lady Pevensie died. That’s why Caspian hadn’t been able to let them go without him. How could he have let them go when they were what he cherished the most on this earth? He might be a King, but they were his family.

Caspian’s eyes lingered again on Philip. He was glad he came. 

“Oh! I know this boy! I saw him earlier!” Mrs Beaver exclaimed when she took a look at their sleeping guest. “Oh by Aslan, I mistook him for the Prince!” 

“That explains your reaction…” A hoarse voice croaked behind them.

Caspian smiled when he saw Philip straighten on the couch to open his tired eyes.

“You’re awake,” Caspian said as he approached him with a cup of hot chocolate. “Lucy, you did a brilliant job.”

“Thank you,” she beamed, then she addressed Philip, “but I thought you would be sleeping all night.”

Philip took the cup in his hands, long pale fingers curling around it, then touched his throat and his back. 

“You healed me?” The young man asked, surprise painted on his attractive face. “How?”

“I am a mage,” Lucy smiled while showing her glowing hands. “It’s not perfect, but it clearly does the trick, doesn't it?”

“Yeah… My throat is just a little sore, as is my back. I thought it would be much worse. Thank you…”

“Lucy. And this is my brother Peter and my sister Susan. You already know Caspian.”

Philip nodded towards the two Pevensies who bowed the head in return, then to the Beavers who were fidgeting. 

“So… You thought I was your prince? He must be terrifying. You run away without even looking at me,” Philip said bitterly, like it was normal to see two Beavers drinking hot chocolate with humans. But again, Philip had said he wasn’t completely human. He was probably already used to Talking Beasts. 

Caspian decided not to talk about the part giant. His height seemed to be a sensible matter. 

“Oh, I am so sorry, I have been so rude...  It is true that we never really saw him, only from far with the Queen, but she and her son are the only people looking like human beings in Narnia. But it wasn’t against you.”

OoO

Not against him?! Edmund was horrified. They didn’t even know what he looked like! And Edmund never did anything wrong to any Narnian folk in his life! All of that was her doing , not his! Why should he pay for his mother’s acts?

Edmund had just woken up but he was already so angry. Sadness had been locked in a corner of his mind to deal with it later, but he couldn’t help but feel angry. And now he was annoyed to have to support Caspian who had been staring at him since he had woken up. 

“Stop staring at me,” he growled at the King. 

On the corner of his eyes, Edmund saw the girl named Susan smirking slightly and the boy named Peter laughed in his hand. Then he drank the weird brown liquid in his cup. Edmund stilled immediately to look at it like a treasure. This… This was the best thing Edmund ever tasted in his life! The liquid was so sweet and rich, so thick on his tongue. His stomach burned with how warm it was and he immediately felt better. 

Edmund brought up this drink once more, greedily. It was so good. 

It was only a second later having finished the cup that he realized how he had just behaved. His face went red in a second as Caspian, Lucy, Susan and Peter were laughing. In an instant, all his anger was gone, replaced by the taste of sugar and something he couldn’t quite name as he heard them laugh heartily.

“Well, you seem to like it!” Caspian said in this stupid accent of his, amusement coating his voice. “Mrs Beaver, can Philip have more?”

“Oh certainly! You can see this as an excuse for earlier, dear boy.”

The she-Beaver approached with a pitcher smelling of this incredible mixture to serve him another cup which he drank at a slower pace this time.

“... What is it?” Edmund asked, his cheeks still hot and burning. 

“It’s hot chocolate,  of course!” Mrs Beaver said smiling. 

“Oh…”

“You never had hot chocolate?” Lucy asked, surprised. 

“No.”

His mother didn’t like sweet things. The food was always minimalist and cold at the castle. It wasn’t about the taste but the need to eat, and the Queen hated to lose time over things like this. Edmund just never really thought about it himself.

“It’s delicious, thank you,” Edmund said to the beavers with a tentative and hesitant smile, not really sure how to do it right. It could have seemed stupid, but Edmund couldn’t remember the last time he smiled to anybody, except the wolves but he wasn’t sure he could smile at these strangers like he did to his pack.

“You’re quite welcome my dear. Tell me and I will give you more.” 

It was foolish but the Beaver made his heart swollen in his chest and his stomach curled to her warm voice and gentle smile. 

“It’s not normal you never had hot chocolate! Everyone should drink hot chocolate!” Lucy stormed like it was the most important thing in the world. 

“Maybe for you,” he said in return, flatly. “There is no such thing… where I come from.”

“It’s sad... No one has ever made it for you?”

Why was this girl asking all those questions? Edmund was grateful she healed his wounds, as he was grateful to all of them for taking care of him when he was only a stranger to them, but she was making him queasy and he didn’t like it. Edmund had had a good life, until now. Everything hadn’t been perfect, but it had been enough.

“No. My m-family has no interest in such things. They would find it useless.”

“Oh…”

Lucy's sadness seemed genuine and Edmund didn’t understand why she was sad over things like that, over a stranger. He hadn’t imagined that there were people that could be sad over other people’s lives.

“Is that why you left your land?”

Caspian had asked the next question and he stilled. Had he left for this reason? No, it was so much more complex than that, but there weren't enough words to describe all the things why he wanted to flee. 

“... I left because there is nothing for me back there. They just… They don’t appreciate me. They don’t love me and they will never be able to do so, so I decided to leave.”

Again those sad stares, but this time they all wore them. Why did Edmund have to say that ? Why didn’t he lie to them? Urgh. Even the Beavers seemed like they were going to cry! By the Lion, they were all so unnerving with their feelings painted on their faces! It hadn’t bothered them all these years! They were even planning to get rid of him. For once he regretted the stoic muzzle of Maugrim. At least they knew how to behave around him. 

“Are you always this curious?” He asked in turn with a growl. 

“Oh- well you can ask us questions too ” Caspian answered and this time Edmund was happy to see this foolish smile of his instead of the sad stare that made him look like a kicked puppy. 

“Alright. You,” Edmund turned to the siblings “you are his friends, his protectors or something ?”

“A little bit of both,” the blond one, Peter, replied. 

“And, as a protector, do you think this is normal to bring a King in your quest? I can’t believe he seemed surprised to have been attacked!”

“Hey…” Caspian complained and this time it was Edmund’s time to smile, mocking him.

“He didn’t let us the choice! He followed us.”

“Why would you do that?” Edmund scoffed at Caspian. “This isn’t prudent at all, it’s quite dangerous! You should have anticipated this attack!”

“Ah, even a stranger agrees with us!” Susan stated with a proud grin. “Thank you, Philip.”

“When did this become a ‘let's kick Caspian’ party?” The King chided while crossing his arms over his broad chest. 

At this, they all laughed and at his own amazement, Edmund began to laugh with them. His eyes and Caspian’s met and he saw the King smiling at him, making him blush.

“Do you want to sit with us ?” Lucy asked as she pointed a free seat around the fire. 

The question surprised him and Edmund took several seconds before reacting to it. Why would they treat him like this? Was it a normal thing going on between normal people? But Caspian was not part of ‘normal people’, he was a King after all. So why? 

“Please, join us,” Susan said with a smile to support Lucy’s demand. 

“A-Alright.”

He pushed back the blanket that covered him and he joined them around the table. 

“How much time did I sleep ?”

“Not long,” Caspian answered as he sat just next to him, “two or three hours I think.”

Edmund took a deep breath to calm his mind and took a sip of this delicious and comforting hot chocolate. It had to be dark out there and therefore impossible to advance in the forest. He had to stay for the night. It wasn’t good but he didn't have a choice. 

“I am sorry I delayed your journey,” Caspian apologized quietly, getting nearer to him and making him flutter nervously, “and that you got hurt.”

“...You shouldn't be sorry,” he said as his heart beat faster in his chest, “you would be dead without me. What is done is done.”

Edmund wished he could just go back in time to depart an hour earlier, but would it have been a good thing? If he had let Caspian die, that person, Miraz, would have had a claim on the Telmarine throne, and his mother wouldn’t have let him go without putting up a fight. She would have done everything to retrieve him to have him marry that man. For now, his mother didn’t know he was missing.

As long as Edmund was with them, he didn’t have to be a prince again. For now, he was just ‘Philip’.

“And we are very grateful you saved his life,” Peter said with a kind smile. 

“Yes, thank you Philip.”

It was odd to hear this false name in Caspian’s mouth. Edmund didn’t like it and he was feeling guilty. They were nice to him and he was lying to them all. 

‘Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. They wish to kill me, ’ Edmund thought bitterly. 

It wasn’t really their fault, but it wasn’t his either. They all had a false impression of him, because of what his mother did. That was why he needed to leave Narnia. 

“Caspian said you were heading south. What are you planning there?”

“Shouldn’t you be talking strategy instead of asking me questions?” Edmund pointed out in order to avoid the question.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” Peter said while drinking his hot chocolate, “we learned too many things this evening, I don’t think we’re in the right mindset to plan anything. So please, enlighten us.”

Edmund groaned lightly but he understood. He didn’t know what to do with all these informations himself. For now, he was calm but he felt that his mind was still buzzing. After all, maybe talking was a good idea to not go mad.

“I didn’t really plan anything. I just needed to leave. I took things I could sell once there, food and my daggers. And books, for the fire.”

“You were going to burn books?” Susan seemed outraged by it and Edmund smiled. 

“Those aren’t really interesting, besides you can’t make a good fire with snow coated wood... Don’t tell me you didn’t gather wood for it to dry for later ?” Edmund asked when he saw her dull face.

Those didn’t really know a thing about living in a savage land, did they? Edmund might have lived in a castle but he knew about it. How did they even survive until then? 

“I hope you weren’t going to burn wet woods? There is nothing better to be discovered. If you managed to light a fire with it, that is.”

Oh by Jove, they were going to, he realized as they were exchanging elusive stares. 

“You know how to light a fire, at least?” He jested with a smirk on his face. 

“Ahah, very funny,” Peter pouted, “of course we know.”

“Philip has a point though,” Mrs Beaver said. “It’s not a careful thing to venture in these woods unprepared.”

“Let’s not talk about it now, the day has been quite busy and full of revelation and I don’t want to think about it now. Philip, what do you do in your spare time ?” Lucy asked with a smile. 

“... I play chess, when I have company.”

And it wasn’t really often. He played against Maugrim, and sometimes his mother, and she nearly always beat him. It was one of the rare moments they passed together and that she wasn’t too mean to him. Edmund liked it.

“We have a set !” Mr Beaver exclaimed, joyful. “I only play with my friend Mr Tumnus the Faun and Mr Badger. Please, have a play with me !”

Edmund didn’t know how but he was soon before a chess game while the girls were helping Mrs Beaver in the kitchen and the boys were moving the furniture to make place for the night. It had been decided that Susan and Lucy would take the couch (Edmund insisted after they all said he should be the one to take it as he was still hurt, but he wasn’t that weak), and that Caspian, Peter and him would sleep on furs put on the floor.  

“So, who is winning ?” Mrs Beaver asked when she came to give to each one of them sandwiches. 

“Not I, my dear. Bravo, Philip,” Mr Beaver said as he tried to protect his king, but it was a futile attempt. “I have played for years and it is the most tricky game I have ever played. My friends would love to play against you.”

“Thank you, Mr Beaver. You are an honorable adversary.”

It was refreshing to play against someone who didn’t want to crush him like a beetle. Maybe he should have been easier on the Beaver.  

“Play against me now!”

Peter just took the beaver’s place and was already resetting the game. Edmund didn’t really have a choice, but he wasn’t bothered by it. He liked playing  and it was a good distraction from his dark thoughts.

“Okay, I hope you’re ready to lose,” he couldn’t help but taunt, feeling strangely at ease in front of this man he barely knew. 

He immediately saw the difference between Peter and Mr Beaver’s game. Mr Beaver was calm and he knew how to wait for the good opportunity. Peter was more brutal and rushed into the battle too quickly. Mr Beaver would probably have beaten Peter, and so did Edmund. Peter gruffed and fumed, but he couldn’t do anything in the end. Unlike the Beaver, Peter didn’t abandon and Edmund had to take his king to reach the end of the game. 

“So, who’s next ?” He bragged with a smirk. 

“Me, I suppose.”

Caspian sat on the chair and Edmund realized that he nearly forgot about him being so near. His presence was making him flustered and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like his smiles either. They were way too warm and flirty, and because of them his stomach curled everytime they looked at each other. And finally, he didn’t like his telmarine accent, more pronounced than his friends’.  

Edmund was going to crush him. 

Chapter Text

Edmund gritted his teeth while looking at the playing board then he looked up to Caspian who was frowning too above their play. It was extremely closed. He hadn’t expected the King to be this good, nor he had expected to have so much fun playing against him. Edmund was surprised, in a good way. 

“I think that’s a draw,” Caspian said, looking up at his turn to stare at Edmund. 

“It’s not finished,” Edmund growled at the man, “it’ll be finished when I win.”

There was no way Caspian was beating him, nor would he accept that it was a draw. 

“Come on, we can’t do anything.”

Caspian was right, unfortunately, he thought while scanning each piece on the set.

“... Alright,” Edmund finally conceded after several long seconds of reflection, “but we’re doing another game.”

It was maybe a draw, but he would win the next party!

“Excuse-me boys, but it’s late, we should go to sleep,” Susan interrupted them. “Especially you, Philip, you were hurt, you need to rest even if Lucy did a marvelous work on you.”

Edmund suddenly wanted to reply “yes mom” while rolling his eyes, but he didn’t dare to do so. It would have seemed terribly familiar and a little weird too. He wasn’t their friend with these people after all; he barely knew them at all.

“You are right Susan, we will play later,” Caspian conceded, standing up.

“But-”

Edmund stopped himself when he saw this stupid Caspian smiled at him in a way that made him hot in the chest. He blushed and quickly stowed the game. 

“I wish we could continue too,” Caspian said in a low voice so only Edmund could hear him while helping him with the pieces. “Maybe later?”

‘There won’t be any later!’ He thought frantically. Edmund should already be far away. 

“Whatever you say…” He muttered.

They went for the white king at the same time and their fingers briefly touched. Edmund took his hand to himself like he had been burned and it actually felt this way. He only knew his mother’s hands, cold as ice, but Caspian’s… His skin was warm and it didn’t hurt him like he thought it would. 

“Sorry…” He said and he abruptly turned to help Susan and Lucy with their bed.

OoO

Caspian watched with a sad eye as Philip turned his back to him. 

“Where is Peter?” He asked Mr Beaver a minute later. He didn’t know what to do now and he was feeling awkward standing still in the middle of the room. 

Was it normal to feel like this after such a short time? It wasn’t like Caspian hadn’t ever been in love, but love was a fickle thing and at only twenty-one he was quite the heartbreaker. However, he looked at Philip and he felt that this time it was this young man who was going to break his heart.  

“He just went out. He is cutting wood for the fire,” he replied. 

Caspian took his coat and went out in turn to meet with his friend. He needed to talk.

The blond-haired man was indeed splitting woods into kindling, putting all his energy in his axe. 

“Hey Pete. You’re cutting wood now? Do you think about becoming a logger?” He teased with a smile. 

“Ahah, and you into a chess player, don’t you?” 

Caspian chuckled at that, but the heart was not there.

“What do you think about Philipp?” He asked and he instantly knew that Peter had guessed he was going to question him about the young man. 

“He is nice. Seems tough. Clearly he grew up in a harsh environment.”

“He ran away.”

“Yes, he did,” Peter sighed. “And I saw his reaction to touching. He acted like you used to.”

Caspian winced. After his father’s death, Miraz hadn’t been nice nor considerate. It was before the Pevensies took him out of his grasp. Caspian didn’t have many memories of this time, and it was for the better, but Peter who was already his best friend, his brother, remembered how he was back then. A shy and elusive boy who startled at the slightest touch.

He swallowed as he remembered the burning pain of a slap on his cheek and the feeling of wet tears on his face. Miraz hated it when he cried. 

It stopped when Peter’s father realized what was going on. The regent was beating the future King, a child the same age of his own children. For a man who had lost a child, it was unthinkable. 

It took him time to understand that the touch of another person was the most beautiful thing in the world, a way to connect and to share emotions, and he had been as affected by the death of Lord and Lady Pevensie as Peter, Susan and Lucy.  

“His family abused him. I am glad he ran away from them,” Caspian murmured gravely.

“And I suppose that it makes you want to protect him even more, am I right?”

“You know me too well. He is cute.”

“He killed three men, you said it yourself.”

“In cold blood. It was impressive.”

“Gods, you are a lost cause,” Peter said while laughing. “You are the only person I know to be aroused by that kind of thing. But the good news is that he doesn’t seem indifferent.” 

“Really?!”

Peter scoffed and stopped slitting the wood to look at him with a smirk and sparkling eyes. 

“He reacts too much to you. Whenever you say or do something, there is a reaction. So, either he hates your guts or he’s attracted to you but doesn't know how to deal with it.” 

Caspian felt himself all flustered at these words. He had once seen a maid acting like she hated one of the guard’s attention, to finally catch them in a dark corner kissing passionately. Was Philip the same? Did it mean that the young man wanted to be pushed in a dark corner to be kissed senselessly? 

His abdomen warmed deliciously at the thought as his imagination was running wild, but Caspian calmed himself immediately. Philip barely bore the touch of their fingers, so kissing was out of question. He could live with glares and mean words for now.

“...Caspian please, take care of yourself and don’t attach too much to him. He wants to leave and there is a high probability that you will never see him again.”

Caspian was quite aware of this. Philip seemed determined to go and he understood, but… He didn’t know what to think. He had taken a single glance at this young man and it had been enough for him to realize he wanted him. 

It was even more foolish because Caspian knew he wasn’t free to do as he wanted. He was a King and he needed to marry for the good of his people, for Telmar’s interests.

“You know I won’t push him. I don’t have any right to do it,” Caspian sighed, “I just want to live in the moment.”

“I know. I am sorry Cas.”

Peter smiled sadly at him as he knew the situation, as Susan and Lucy knew. 

“They want me to marry, you know?”

“... Yeah, I learned of it.”

“Of course, you are Lord Pevensie now,” the King jested. 

“Ahah, you can laugh, King Caspian!”

They laughed together and Peter gathered the wood he had slited. It was time to go inside. Caspian shivered under the freezing wind. It was so cold… And people had lived in those conditions for a hundred years?

“I don’t want to marry some noble I don’t love, or worse : that I don’t even know,” Caspian sighed sadly, even if he was resigned to his fate.

“I know. I am part of the Lords of the Kingdom and believe me, I won’t ever push you to someone you really don’t like. I’ll do what is good for you. You’re my brother and you know that.”

Caspian took his best friend in his arms to hold him tight against him. Even if they were the same age, Peter was so much more mature, probably because he had always been responsible for his sisters. A real adult. He had always protected him and he kept doing it. Caspian wished he was more like him, more responsible.

“Thank you Peter.”

“Come on, let’s return to the dam, it’s freezing here.”

When they entered the dam, Lucy, Susan and Philip were already under their blanket, the ladies on the couch and the young man on the furs that had been settled on the ground. Caspian saw Peter deposited the woods beside the hearth, then turned to him. 

“You can sleep beside him, but no funny business, hm?” Peter joked in a low voice. 

“Me? Never!”

They were jesting but Caspian still blushed deeply as he took place beside Philip whose eyes were closed and his breath steady. He was already asleep, probably more tired than he had let them know. Caspian couldn’t help but smile. Philip really had a beautiful face. It was sad he was never going to see it graced by sunlight. Undoubtedly, he would have been gorgeous. 

 OoO

When Edmund woke up in the morning, there was something different that he couldn’t explain. He kept his eyes closed and his breath regular at first, the time to understand. First of all, he was feeling warm, really warm and it was somewhat agreable. Secondly, the girls were chattering and jingling softly, but he couldn’t hear about it. Edmund concentrated on their voice to hear what they were saying.

“Did you see-”

“-so cute!”

“I can’t wait to see-”

What were they talking about? Edmund finally opened an eye, then he opened both of them widely. Caspian was lying next to him, right next to him , so near he could indeed feel the heat of his body against his own, and one of their hands and fingers were tangled together. What- How did that happen? No wonder Edmund was this warm with this heating pad against him!

Edmund tried to take his hand back but he saw Caspian’s face frown at that and his fingers gripped his. He stopped moving and he finally felt his cheeks heating. What was this stupid King doing? If he moved more he was going to wake him up and he definitely didn’t want to see on his face the expression he would take. Would he be smug? Satisfied? Or maybe he would just smile at him like it did last evening when they were playing chess.

He swallowed hard then closed his eyes hard. Edmund was stupid. Why would Caspian, a King, be happy about holding his hand? He was a nobody to him. Just some guy he was indebted to. And why was he so confused about this? 

Yet Edmund found out that he couldn’t take his hand from Caspian’s and he found himself squeezing it lightly, just to experience the feeling of a hand in his. It was definitely warm and soft, even if the King’s hand was hard and calloused, probably by hours of sword fighting. It was nice.

Edmund opened his eyes again and looked at Caspian’s face. He wasn’t frowning anymore now that Edmund had ceased moving. He seemed calm and so-

The prince breathed deeply, refusing to think what he was going to think. He was being stupid again. 

He got up, wrestling his hand from Caspian and spanned the bodies of both Caspian and Peter who were sleeping. Or had been, because Edmund had just woken them up.

Susan and Lucy looked at him with surprise but he didn’t care and just got out of the dam. He needed fresh air. Edmund walked in the snow while breathing deeply to calm his traitorous heart beating way too fast in his chest. 

“Are you alright?”

Lucy just got out of the dam at her turn, a heavy coat on her shoulders, and was looking at him worriedly. 

“...Yes.”

“We’re sorry, we weren’t mocking you, you know. It was just… cute!”

Cute? Was that what they really had thought about this awkward situation? 

“How was it cute?” Edmund requested.

“Well, certainly you remarked that Caspian wanted to be close to you?”

“...Really ?” He asked before he could stop himself.

His cheeks, still red and hot from what happened earlier, reddened even more. Edmund was feeling happy to know it, but he couldn’t fathom why he was feeling like this. 

“But Caspian is so obvious!” Lucy exclaimed in a joyful laugh. “You really didn’t see it?”

“No,” he just said with a pout. “I- I am not used to it.”

“...How is it possible? But you are so kind!”

Edmund couldn’t help but chuckle. He was not kind.

“Why are you laughing? You really are!”

“I am sorry, Lucy, but I am not. And I don’t think your King is interested in me. He might just be thankful I saved his life, that’s all.”

“You’re stupid if you think so! Caspian isn’t like this.”

“Well, I won’t know, you are all strangers to me…” 

“You could be more if you wanted.”

Edmund was afraid to understand what she meant by that. 

“What do you mean?”

“You run away from your country to live an adventure, so come with us and help us in our quest. You know how to fight and Caspian would love that.”

Lucy had a hopeful expression on her pretty face, but Edmund couldn’t say yes. He didn’t really know why they were here in the first place, but he knew now that they wanted to eliminate his mother, and him. He couldn’t really go into the Queen’s castle and say ‘surprise! I am Prince Edmund, sorry I lied to you, but you wished for my death. ’

And if Caspian had feelings- ugh- something! for him, well he would forget it quickly. 

If it were anything else, going through the land to fight anyone else, retrieve a lost treasure, anything really, Edmund would have said yes, but this? He couldn’t go back, not if wasn’t forced to, even if it meant becoming closer to Caspian. 

“I can’t,” he said in a voice colder than he intended it to be. “I have to go and walk south.”

“But-”

“Lucy, give him a break.”

Susan had joined them at her turn and Edmund wondered if they were all going to go out to talk with him.

“It’s understandable that he doesn’t want to come. It’s a perilous mission, you can’t ask him to risk his life for strangers.”

…Was she calling him a coward? Edmund said nothing in spite of it, and instead decided to stay silent. Susan could insult him, it was nothing. His mother was much more hurtful and didn’t hesitate to say the worse things to him when she wanted to.

Lucy seemed disappointed but Susan gave her a look, the same look the dwarves gave him when he was a child so he would shut up in front of his mother. It worked on Lucy who didn’t say another word. 

“I should prepare and go,” he said in a low voice, “and you should do that too, whatever you want to do.”

That was the only thing he could do. Take his things and walk away, far away from the castle, his mother, his wedding and all of this. Edmund had every reason to flee. They would too if they were in his situation, but they were not, they couldn’t understand what he was fleeing from. 

He didn’t stay to hear what the older woman answered, but in less than five minutes, he had packed and was ready to go. Caspian and the Pevensies were too. 

“Thank you so much for your help, noble Beavers, we are forever indebted,” Caspian said with a bow.

They all did, even Edmund who was looking at the King. Despite what he said, he was sad to leave them. They were going to part just like this and-

“Oh but we will see each other again, King Caspian! You will find our people waiting for someone to lead them, east from here. You can’t go to the Queen’s castle just like that.”

“Mr Beaver is right, you know,” his wife added, “there are Wolves and Minotaurs. And Hags, Werewolves... You won’t survive it.”

And they both were right. They were going to their death and the only thought of it was making his heart ache. 

“You should listen to them…” Edmund said even if he had no right to tell them anything, “you won’t be useful to your land if you end up dead.”

“Philip is quite right, as always.”

Edmund smiled at the Beavers, genuinely. Lucy hadn’t been right, he wasn’t kind but the Beavers were. They were strangers but they had fed and protected them by housing them for the night. Caspian looked at him, hesitantly. It seemed he hadn’t given up their first plan to confront the Queen.

“Caspian, it’s not stupid. Miraz will be there, probably with men,” Susan intervened. “It’ll be wiser to go east. And you, Philip, where are you heading?”

The prince hid a smirk. He had totally understood what Susan wanted him to say, to convince Caspian to take the right decision.  

“East, until I reach the Great River, or the Shuddering woods. Then south.”

Caspian’s gaze changed and like that , the King smiled and decided to go east with enthusiasm. Edmund turned his eyes away when the King looked at him, blushing and feeling suddenly shy.

“This is wonderful!” Lucy beamed. “We will be able to be together for a few days!”

And with that, the young girl just hugged him hard, squeezing him against her. Susan smiled at him with a knowing look and even Peter clasped his shoulder. Edmund was feeling warm again, but he noticed that it wasn’t really the same feeling as with Caspian. He wasn’t all flustered and his heart wasn’t aching from this sudden act of affection. Just a feeling of odd tenderness for these strangers. 

“I suppose, yes…” He agreed with a small grin. “Ah… Thank you for your hospitality. And for the hot chocolate.”

“You are welcome, young man. Please, stay safe.”

And with that, after a long hug from Lucy to the Beavers, they walked away. Edmund had handed his map to Peter for him to guide them, and he was now following them like it was something normal, but in his mind nothing had really changed. Indeed, they were going to spend more time together, two or three days maybe. Two or three days having to lie to them about who he really was, to hear them calling him by a name that wasn’t his. 

“Good morning Philip.”

Edmund shivered at the sound of Caspian’s deep rich voice and replied quietly. 

“We didn’t talk this morning,” the King added quite blandly. 

“Indeed,” he replied, his fingers fidgeting awkwardly, feeling shy to know that the man was maybe interested in him in a romantic way. 

“I am glad you are coming with us.”

“...It’s only a part of your trip.”

Caspian stayed silent after that and Edmund cursed himself. He was stupid. What was bad about enjoying the King’s company after all? Alright , he admitted he appreciated talking to him and maybe that all the emotions he was going through, all these feelings, weren’t all unpleasant even if they were new to him. However, Edmund had replied harshly and now Caspian wasn’t talking anymore.

“How is Telmar?” Edmund suddenly asked.

“What?”

The Prince smiled then chuckled at Caspian's surprised expression. 

“Telmar, your homeland. I’d like you to tell me about it.”

“Oh, well…”

And Caspian began talking to him about the harsh but so familiar land of Telmar, about the radiant forests, the huge green valley and the crystal blue lakes, then the castle he lived in with the Pevensies. He talked about the sun and the summers spent outside with his friends and Edmund imagined all of it. The laughing and the warm feeling of the sun on his skin.

Edmund didn’t see the stares the three others were exchanging nor the soft murmurs between them. His attention was solely focused on Caspian and the way the other man had come closer to him as they walked, so near that their fingers were almost touching now. 

“Are you sure you want to go south?” Caspian asked without looking at him. 

“...Why this question?”

“I don’t want you to go.”

Edmund blushed deeply and without being conscious of it, he began to smile as he watched Caspian. The King had his cheeks red too and Edmund found the sight of it endearing. Maybe he could eventually stay? Not to the rebel camp but just a little more. He wanted to stay too.

All of this stopped when bark and howls reached their ears.

“Wolves…” Peter murmured after they all hid behind rocks and trees. 

“The sound,” Lucy said with worry. “It comes from behind us. The Beavers…”

They stared at each other for a second then they began to run in the direction of the sound, back to Beaversdam. In less than fifteen minutes, the five of them were on a hill overhanging the beaver’s dam, breathless but ready to fight. There were a dozen of wolves, and Edmund didn’t need to count to know their number, he knew the pack after all.

They knelt  in the snow, hidden by the trees and the large bushes.

“Tell us what you are hiding from us, Beaver,” a voice Edmund knew too well growled.

Maugrim was here with his wolves and he wasn’t happy. 

A squeak rang into the glade and they all flinched at that. Edmund looked down when he felt Caspian take his hand in his, and he gripped it hard. 

“We found corpses in the forest this morning, and the smell of blood is around here. Tell us who you are protecting, or you will die.”

“I- I don’t know anything.”

“Please believe us!” He heard Mrs Beaver cry.

Oh by Aslan, they were really lying for them. But- Why ? They barely knew them and- 

Another shout reached them. It was too much to bear. And Edmund could stop it. He could stop them. He turned to Caspian who was boiling, knowing too that they weren’t enough to beat an intelligent and organized wolves’ pack. If they tried to fight, they would be captured or worse, and Edmund knew he would be helpless. He could fight, but he would never kill the wolves. Fighting Maugrim was impossible for him.

The King looked at him in return and Edmund smiled sadly. 

“I wish you could have told me more about Telmar,” Edmund murmured with a shattered voice. 

“What are you-”

“Stay silent until they’re gone.”

Edmund squeezed Caspian’s hand one last time, just to feel the warmth of it. Caspian seemed to understand he was going on, and when their eyes crossed he saw the panic in the man’s regard. 

If only Edmund had departed five minutes earlier, run a little longer, just-

“Maugrim,” Edmund called in an icy and commanding voice -the narnian prince’s voice-, his eyes closed in an attempt to stop the tears from coming, “stop this.”

He got on his feet and ignored the look of sheer surprise the four Telmarines were giving him. 

“Your Highness.” 

Maugrim and the wolves -way too many for them to fight- stopped what they were doing and bowed before him, and the Beavers did too after a look to their tormentors. Edmund emerged from the hill and descended it in the most dignified way he could, without another look at Lucy, Susan, Peter and Caspian who probably had guessed his name wasn’t Philip after all, and that he wasn’t some traveler going through Narnia.

“What is going on here?” He demanded with cold authority.

“My Prince, we found bodies in the forest. Humans. We tracked the scent to this dam.”

Probably the scent that Edmund and Caspian had on them when they arrived here.

“It’s normal, Maugrim.”

“My Prince…?”

“I killed those men, which was your mission, and the Beavers housed me for the night, as I got hurt during the fight.”

Edmund looked at the beavers whose expressions were expressing both their surprise and gratitude. 

“You… killed them ?” Maugrim asked, dumbfounded.

“Someone had to. Humans roaming through our land,” Edmund complained with a disgusted sniff.

He had to let them think he had been all alone. He didn’t want the Telmarines or the Beavers to be involved. 

“Th-Thank you, P-Prince Edmund,” Mrs Beavers said while bowing deeply again. “It was an honor to entertain you.”

Edmund wanted to say to them that he was sorry for this whole situation, and that he had loved every minute with them, but he didn’t respond. It would have seemed strange and he didn’t need Maugrim to be more suspicious of him. 

“We should go back to the castle, your Highness, before her Majesty comes back.”

“...You are right, let’s go.”

The wolves came around him to escort him. This time, Edmund couldn’t flee. He had lost his last opportunity.  

The beasts began to walk and Edmund followed them, just looking to the place he knew the Telmarines were hiding. He was already so attached to them and the thought that they were probably going to face each other as enemies in the future made his heart sink. Just before Edmund stopped looking at the hill, he saw Caspian’s handsome face, rattled.

Chapter Text

Once alone in his bedroom, Edmund crashed on his bed trying hard not to cry, then not to sob as hot tears ran over  his cheeks. What was he going to do now? He stupidly condemned himself to an arranged marriage with a man old enough to be his father, and he was now officially Caspian’s enemy, and he felt even worse at the thought of the King hating him.

All the emotions he had tried to suppress the last two days just came back to lash on him like a hurricane. His head was starting to throb and he felt like he might vomit.

Edmund hated this, he hated this . His life was totally out of his control and he felt once more like he was drowning. 

“Stop this,” he murmured angrily to himself through his tears, “don’t rely on your emotion and think . There’s necessarily a way to get this situation right.” 

Edmund was already feeling so tired. How could he elaborate a plan to flee in this mess? There was no way the wolves were letting him out again, and soon his mother would be there with his fiancé . 

He knew she wouldn’t give him a choice, and he didn’t want to imagine what she would do if he had the nerve to refuse marrying Miraz. She would punish him and then she would make him wed to the Telmarine. Then kill him.

He sat on his bed and dried his tears, then he took deep breaths in order to calm himself. He had to get his mind under control.

Edmund couldn’t believe he had thought about staying with Caspian. What was he thinking? He was the Prince . He couldn’t participate in a rebellion that existed to kill him and his mother . He couldn’t fight her. Oh, it would have been funny, ‘ oh you didn’t know? But I am Prince Edmund, of course! ’ He was bloody stupid. 

The thought of Caspian and the other made his heart beat faster in his chest, so much it hurt. He didn’t even want to think about their thoughts. Did they hate him for lying? For being who he was? Maybe they would understand he didn’t have the choice than to hide his identity and to flee. 

His whole life was a joke and he had only one certainty now : Edmund was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to avoid that. 

OoO

Edmund didn’t know how much time he spent sitting on his bed, dwelling on all the things that happened in those last forty-eight hours, but at one point of the time, he fell into a dreamless sleep. When he woke up, he didn’t move even if his mouth was dry. He was feeling numb and he wanted to go back to sleep again, to never wake up.

“Your Highness,” Maugrim said from the other side of his door, “the Queen is here.”

The wolf’s words woke him up efficiently. Edmund's eyes opened widely at this and he got  on his feet immediately, panic arising in him. He took a quick look outside and saw it was already dark. Edmund had passed his day sleeping, and his mother was late. She was supposed to be home by morning, and it was already the evening? What had happened? 

“I am coming.”

He adjusted his leather coat and it’s with trembling legs that he opened his door to follow Maugrim through the hallways of the castle. 

“She arrives late,” he commented, hoping the wolf would know more about the situation. 

“She does. She has encountered… difficulties.”

Another word for fights and enemies. 

“Is she hurt?”

The Queen might be cruel and heartless, and even knowing about this dreadful situation, she was still his mother. She was his whole world, even if he had tried to escape it. 

“No, my Prince. She is safe.”

Of course she was. She was tough and she knew how to yield a sword. Who could possibly defeat her? Then, his heart missed a beat as he thought about the Pevensies who were seeking revenge and wanted to protect their kingdom with Caspian. What if she had encountered them? What if they were already dead…?

Fear coursed through him and Edmund felt himself on the verge of falling as he imagined four bodies transformed in stone status, forever. 

“What of her opponents?” Edmund asked in a trembling voice. 

“She made prisoners."

Oh by the Lion’s mane. She never made prisoners before.

He kept walking to the throne rooms and he stopped on the spot when he saw his mother, so tall, beautiful and proud, the Ice Queen, sitting on her throne, and two people he knew on their knees down the steps. 

Peter and Susan were chained and gagged, glaring hatefully at the Queen. Caspian wasn’t here, Lucy neither.

Edmund was relieved his mother had nothing but he was now so afraid for the life of the two Pevensies. How did that happen?! Edmund had surrendered himself so they could flee with the Beavers! Why did they attack her?

“...Mother,” he greeted her with a light bow, without any emotion, “you came late. Are they the reason?”

His mind was again burning with thoughts and emotions, but before her he couldn’t say anything nor could he express his feelings. It was too dangerous for him and for them. She might not know what they had planned and he couldn’t give them like that. 

“Edmund, my son. Yes, we played a little game in the woods,” she said in this voice he hated, the one she used like she was addressing a child. “I won, as I catched them.”

The Queen got up and approached him slowly, the train of her heavy white gown sliding on the ice behind her. She stopped just before him and Edmund lifted his head so he could watch her in the eyes. He knew better than to avoid her stare. 

“My dear son, what happened to your throat?”

Edmund’s hand went to his throat. He had completely forgotten his wounds as they weren’t hurting since Lucy had healed him. He didn’t think it might still be blue. 

“Humans attacked me in the woods,” he answered in a neutral manner and cold eyes, “one tried to strangle me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Five men attacked me. I killed them.”

The Prince didn’t see the slap coming nor did he expect it. He closed his eyes as his head brutally turned, and he felt his cheek burn with pain. Edmund’s eyes opened and he saw Peter and Susan looking at him in shock. Immediately he turned his eyes away to straighten and look at his mother.

“You stupid child. You had to wander in the forest, didn’t you? Just this day.”

Edmund felt blood flowing over his cheek. She turned to him again and he saw her wince as she looked at him.

“Look at what you made me do,” she sighed dramatically, “you’re damaged now.”

Edmund retained his neutral expression and didn’t show the pain and the distressed he felt as these words. She really did see him only as a tool and not her son. 

“Because of my fiancé?” Her eyes widened at those words and he explained, “I interrogated one of the men before killing him.”

“Well, I don’t have to explain to you for your wedding.”

She was so cold. How could she say that being so indifferent to his feelings ? Edmund wanted to cry and scream but knew that it would have been totally useless. It wouldn’t help him, so he remained calm and emotionless.

“And those?” He asked while looking at Peter and Susan who were watching the scene with anger written on their faces. 

“They are Miraz to kill.”

Edmund looked at his mother, frowning. She never had let an enemy live. She always killed them, why did she spare them? He didn’t understand, but for once he was glad she acted this way. At least he could give them a chance to flee. Edmund didn’t know how he would accomplish that but he would try. 

“We should put them in cells,” he commented without looking at them, “Maugrim?”

“Yes, my Prince.”

The old wolf got up and groaned after their prisoner as he and his pack directed the two humans to the dungeon. When they disappeared in the hallways, Edmund turned again to his mother and sighed. 

“I understand why I have to marry this man, so we can gain control over Telmar and force Calormen to enter into war, but is he only the King ?” 

“And how did you come to the conclusion that it will force Calormen into war ?” She asked, ignoring his question. 

“... Telmar is an ancient Calormen’s colony. They are only men, proud men. Calormens will want to possess it again when they’ll learn Telmar doesn’t have a King anymore, not a Telmarine one at least. They’ll fight us to have power… And they’ll lose.”

“My son, I have taught you well, I see. Indeed, they’ll lose. They will belong to me.”

Edmund’s heart sank down his chest at the awareness that it really was her plan, to overpower all the other countries and to dominate the world. He couldn’t let her do that, Edmund realized with guilt. It was his mother, his Queen, but all of this was so wrong. He could understand that she needed to keep control over her own lands, but to attack other countries? To organize assassination attempt?

Why did she do that? Was Narnia not enough? Of course not, it was not enough, he thought with sadness. Edmund knew how she was. He knew his mother’s heart was devoured by greed and envy. He even wanted to ask why she was acting only now. 

“And for Miraz?”

“The Telmar King is already here. Miraz will kill him, you will marry Miraz and then you will kill him, my son.” 

“Of course.”

Why did Narnia have to endure her ? Edmund had seen the Beavers and how they lived, freezing in the snow, permanently afraid of their Queen, even of a prince they had never seen. 

“When will he be here?”

“Soon enough. Go to your room and change yourself. I had a new suit made for you for this occasion. And please, have this bruise hidden, it’s hideous.”

Edmund didn’t respond and turned his heel to take the direction of his room, but instead of continuing in the hallway, he took another to the dungeons while he wiped off the blood of his face with his sleeve. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he couldn’t let them be killed. They needed to get out to warn Caspian of the Queen’s scheme. 

First, he had to talk to them. He will see after to have them freed. 

“Maugrim,” Edmund took a step in the piece where Maugrim and two other wolves, “I want to interrogate our prisoner.”

“Did the Queen ask it, my Prince?”

“No, she doesn’t, but I want to know more of my enemies. Leave us.”

The wolves looked at Maugrim who nodded. Edmund smiled lightly at him as they went out. He closed the door and turned to face Peter and Susan who were locked up in a cell. He passed a hand through his face as he felt anger go through him. 

“How could you- Why didn’t you take this opportunity to flee?!” Edmund couldn’t help but be angry at them. He had turned himself to the wolves, for Aslan’ sake! He had wanted to save the Beavers and the Telmarines, as Edmund suspected they were too noble to let the two Narnians be hurt for them.

“Well excuse us, Philip ,” Peter said wryly, “or is it Prince Edmund? I am a little at a loss.”

“We didn’t plan to be captured,” Susan cut her brother off after kicking him, “and we wanted to go east but Caspian-”

“Hey, don’t tell him that, he is our enemy, Susan!”

Edmund felt his face go white and his heart tighten uncomfortably in his chest at these words. Did they really see him as their enemy…? His eyes fell to the frozen floor to not have to affront their gaze. 

“Oh by the gods, Peter, Philip, I mean, Edmund isn’t our enemy. If he were, he would have denounced us to the wolves, then to the Queen, and he certainly wouldn’t be here, being angry at us for being caught. And he wouldn’t have tried to flee his own country.”

The prince looked shyly at Susan and Peter. Susan had a gentle smile on her lips and an understanding gaze in her eyes. Peter seemed more reserved but at least he didn’t seem like he wanted to slit his throat open anymore. 

“I-” Why was it so hard? “I am sorry I hid my identity. But I don’t have time for that now. I’ll probably be killed just after my wedding and- You need to get out of here and warn your King about her plan. She wants the whole world. Not just Telmar, but it’s an imperative first step for her. You need to save Caspian. Protect him. If she kills him, Miraz will be King, and war will be everywhere.”

“How can you be so detached about your own death?” This time Peter seemed sad as he looked at him. 

“My mother can’t have Telmar if I am the new King,” Edmund began with a tired smile. “If Miraz doesn’t kill me, she will.”

“But she is your mother,” Susan whispered, horrified by the thought of a son being slaughtered by his own mother. 

They probably understood now why Edmund had needed to flee her and Narnia. Jadis loved power a lot more than she loved him. Edmund wasn’t sure she could love at all. She tolerated him, at best. 

“It certainly didn’t stop her from beating him,” Peter remarked just to get kicked again. “Ouch, why are you hitting me, Su?”

“Shut up, Peter!”

Edmund smiled at them with amusement and even laughed a little. They turned to him when they heard him chuckle and at their turn they grinned at him.

“I’ll make sure to have you freed. But then you need to leave Narnia with Caspian.”

Maybe Edmund was going to die, but at least he would prevent the world from falling into his mother’s hands. And Caspian would be safe.

“But the Queen, she plans to get the world under her winter, we need to stop her.”

Edmund suddenly stopped and frowned at that.

“...This is not possible. She is powerful, but not enough for what you just said. She would need more power, more magic and-”

He looked at Susan and Peter who immediately understood as they looked frantically at one another.

“Lucy,” he said with panic in his voice. “Your sister Lucy has magic and she is powerful. If she captured her…”

“She could steal her magic. That’s why we are still alive. She doesn’t care about Miraz killing us, we are here to lure her,” Susan concluded, understanding the emergency of the situation, and Edmund understood why the Queen hadn’t killed them on the spot.

They needed to get out of here, and quickly. 

“Alright.” He took his daggers from his boots and gave them to Susan and Peter. “I’ll create a diversion so you can run away. I’ll find something. The lock won’t be too hard to break. Find a window and jump, go to the forest, then get Caspian and Lucy out of Narnia.”

“Why are you helping us?” Peter asked suddenly, probably trying to guess if Edmund could be trusted.

Edmund turned to the blond and opened his mouth to talk, but he didn’t know what to reply. Why was he helping them? Why was the only thought of them dead tearing something in his chest?

“... I don’t know,” he then answered and he walked to the door which opened before him to reveal the wolves. 

“My Prince,” Maugrim said lowly. “Are you finished?”

“Yes, they don’t know much more than the men I took down. They are useless. I wonder why mother keeps them alive.”

Without another look for the siblings, Edmund went to his room while thinking about a way to create a distraction. Maybe he could create a wildfire? But it would seem too obvious, and just how would he even do that? There wasn’t any fire or even wood to create one! He couldn’t make them believe enemies were in the castle either, as they would only protect the cells even more. His mother would only think her plan was working. No, he had to think of something else to incapacitate the guards.

An idea occurred to him and he smiled as he entered his room while thinking about the execution of his plan, just for his mind to go silent right away. 

On his bed was a pale blue suit, almost white, magnificent and shining with little cristal sewn on it. A narnian wedding dress. Edmund approached his couch slowly and touched the fabric with fingertips. It was beautiful and so silky, way too beautiful for him and he didn’t dare take the fabric in his hands. 

Besides, his hands were dirty, and his face blooded. He needed to wash before touching such a beautiful thing.

Edmund shook his head. It wasn’t the time to dream about weddings and stupid happy endings. First, the wolves. He would think and worry about the suit, his mother's plan and all the things that had happened later. He needed to help the Pevensies first. Edmund took the basin of water that was in his room to rapidly clean his hands and face, then he took the way to the kitchen in the castle’s basement. 

Edmund quickly opened the door and entered the kitchen with a determined look on his face, just to come nose-to-nose with a Badger and a Faun. The Faun was holding a key and the Badger a tray, probably one to bring to the prisoners so they lived until they had to face their end. And they were on the verge of putting the key in the mash. 

Edmund recognized immediately the two Narnians Mr Beaver had told them about. They were Mr Badger and Mr Tumnus, and they were trying to help Peter and Susan. 

“Y-Your Highness!” They both exclaimed with panic in their voice, their legs clearly trembling from terror. 

“Not in the mash, you fools. It the bread,” Edmund instructed as he began to go through the cupboards. 

“Wha- But-”

Clearly, they had expected something else from him. Maybe to meet their creator sooner or at least for him to call for the wolves. He didn’t know when Miraz would arrive and he didn’t have time to explain why he was acting like this. Edmund himself didn’t know.

“The wolves will eat the mash, I know them, but the stale bread is too hard for them to eat. That’s why you need to remove the bread’s crumb to hide the key. And that’s why we’re going to drug the wolves.”

The two Narnians went silent then quickly obeyed his orders. 

“So what Mr Beaver said is true. You are on our side, my Prince.”

“I am on no one’s side. I-” Edmund interrupted himself, not knowing what he could say to them. “I just don’t want them to die and the rest of the world to be plunged in this winter too.”

“This suffices to me, your Highness,” the Faun said with a prudent smile. “Now tell us how we are going.”

This was enough for them to trust him? They were definitely fools, but Edmund didn’t have the time to lecture them about that, and maybe he wasn’t the best suited for it either as he had trusted Caspian, the Pevensies and the beavers way too fast.

“I know we have poppy seeds. We’re going to poison the mash, but the poppy needs to be really concentrated. Can you do that?”

“I think we can, but-”

“They will be slow enough for Peter and Susan to get out of this. And I gave them my weapons.”

The two Narnians seemed even more surprised, but Edmund was running out of time. He didn’t want to arise suspicion. Finally, he found the poppy seeds. Thanks Aslan, there were a lot of them.

“Take that, smash them all and add them to the mash. With this quantity, I hope they will be weak enough for Peter and Susan to be able to flee. I have to go now.”

Edmund stopped to talk and moved an instant to look at Mr Beaver and Mr Tumnus who were still motionless, with a serious glare. 

“I am forced to trust you. Will you be able to do it? If not, I need to know.”

“You can trust us, your Majesty.” 

They were both looking at him with big eyes and a smile on their face and Edmund felt his cheek grewing hot.

“You shouldn’t be calling me like that, I am not your King,” Edmund whispered so low he wasn’t sure they heard him before they talked.

“But you may be one day. Now go, you can count on us.”

Edmund took a deep breath and went out of the kitchen. 

Chapter Text

Edmund looked at his reflection as he was facing the mirror of his room. It was hard to admit, as he usually wasn’t one to put effort into his appearance, but he looked good. 

The suit, made in blue silk and muslin so clear it was almost white and with small crystals here and there, was tight at the waist, while not too much, just enough to perfectly fit his body, with silvery arabesques delicately sewn over each side of it. The delicate silver thread wound over the cloth in a symmetrical pattern runned through the collar -fortunately high enough to hide his neck still black and blue from the attack Edmund had gone through with Caspian-, his sleeves and over his pants. 

Edmund looked good but he was feeling too thin in these clothes, almost ethereal with his black hair and too white skin. 

He looked weak, and he didn’t like it.

He turned his back to the mirror and turned his head to look at the back of the suit to check if the three knots made of silver ribbons closing the cloth were tight enough. Edmund had managed to make the knots, but he didn’t really know how. It seems almost too delicate to be his work.  

The sleeves weren’t too tight as to inhibit movement, but they were thinner than the rest of his suit, thin enough for a breeze to touch his skin and make him shiver. Usually, his leather clothes would keep him warm, but not this time. Or maybe was it due to the apprehension he was feeling? 

Edmund nervously adjusted the train of his suit behind him and looked again at himself, even if his thoughts were now on another urgent matter. Had Susan and Peter managed to escape? Were the two Narnians safe? Something dark curled in his belly as he imagined Mr Badger and Mr Tumnus dead, with the two Telmarines.

By Aslan, he needed to stop worrying over people! A few days ago he didn’t even know Peter and Susan, how could he worry about strangers? Edmund didn’t recognize himself. He had turned himself in to save them when he wanted nothing more than to flee the country and his mother. 

Edmund knew he couldn’t trust people, but them... There was something in Peter’s brash attitude, Susan’s gentle manners and Lucy’s shining eyes that made him want to trust them blindly. 

And there was Caspian’s sweet smiles, his dark, seductive eyes and stupid voice curling over words like a song, and the more Edmund thought about him, the more he was feeling flustered with a want he didn’t quite understand.

Edmund reached for his iced sword, too cold for his hand, and tied the sheath to his white belt, then he turned to the iced crown his mother had magically created for him, years ago. Edmund took it in his hand and turned once again to the mirror to put it on his head. Now, he really looked like royalty.

He was ready.

OoO

Edmund waited for what seemed an eternity. He was used to boredom and he was usually patient, but this time he was restless. Edmund had already taken many turns in his room, walking from one wall to another, again and again, but it had only been a useless attempt to think about something else than the prisoners he couldn’t help but be worried about.

How glad he was when Maugrim went for him, saying Miraz had arrived at the castle.

The night had long fallen now, and Edmund wasn’t quite sure of the hour now, but he was certain that by now the Pevensies had successfully run away. Miraz was maybe here but his preys wasn't there anymore. It’s with this certitude in mind that, once again, he followed the wolf through the hallways to join his mother and his betrothed. 

“Your Majesty,” Maugrim said when they arrived to introduce him, “the Prince is here.”

Edmund took a step in the throne hall and he saw the man he was meant to wed. He was at least twice Caspian’s age and he almost frowned as he plunged his eyes in the man’s dark stares. He could see some resemblance with Caspian, but there was nothing about easy smiles or gentle gazes. His face was hard and he bore a cold and sufficient sneer.

“Lord Miraz, my son, Prince Edmund of Narnia.”

With slow and prudent steps, Edmund approached the man and bowed lightly before him, clearly expecting a deeper bow from him. He was maybe sold to this man by the Queen, but Edmund stayed a Prince while Miraz was only a Lord. Even him had his pride.

So , he told himself as he was looking at Miraz, this is Caspian’s uncle, the man who wants to kill us all to take power over our Kingdoms . Now that he was closer to the man, Edmund could see in his eyes the same hunger as his mother and the same hunger for battles and blood. He was dangerous. 

Miraz took a step and bowed deeply before him and Edmund felt pleased to see this man who was currently trying to ruin his life in this position, even if his dark eyes never left his.

“Your Highness, it is my pleasure to meet you. I didn’t expect Narnia to hide such a gracious flower,” the Telmarine said in the same pronounced accent as Caspian. 

Miraz took his hand in his and Edmund showed nothing of the disgust he felt as Miraz laid his lips on his skin in a kiss, and he didn’t turn his eyes from this pathetic show. He refused to show him any weakness.

“The pleasure is all mine, Lord Miraz.”

It wasn’t. At all . Edmund wanted to take his hand back and to wash it until it was dull and that he couldn’t feel anything.

Finally, after several moments that seemed endless to Edmund, Miraz let his hand go and he turned his back to him to join his mother to stand beside her throne. A shiver ran through him as he felt a burning gaze on his back. Miraz was probably wondering how he was going to kill him.

As for his mother, she was still on her throne, looking at the scene with a pleased smile on her face.

“He seems to like you,” his mother seemed satisfied with this fact, but Edmund didn't know how she could know that. 

“He doesn’t like me,” Edmund commented in a murmur and her smile flattered, “he wants to kill me, and you too.”

“Do what you have to do to gain his trust,” his mother hissed while she smiled at Miraz with a knowing look. “Everything, you hear me, foolish boy?”

Edmund didn’t respond to that and at his turn he smiled at Miraz. He could do that. He was only buying time for the humans, so they could run as far as they could. Miraz wouldn’t dare do a thing until the wedding, and Edmund was confident enough in his own capacity to defend himself if he ever tried to hurt him.

“Lord Miraz,” Edmund called, taking the opportunity before his mother had the time to say anything. “I would greatly enjoy giving you a turn. Maybe I could show you to your room. You must be tired from your journey and it’s quite late already.”

The man’s eyes shined at his offer, and his mother said nothing even if he felt her tense at his side. Edmund was sure she would have rather prefered Miraz to kill Peter and Susan on the spot, but she couldn’t say anything as he was only following her orders. Or maybe was it her intention to wait? After all, if Peter, Susan and Edmund had seen right through her plan, she needed Lucy to steal her magic to gain more power. Dead, Peter and Susan weren’t making good baits. Of course, she didn’t know that Lucy would never come.

“Of course, Prince Edmund, it would be my honor.”

Miraz was courteous enough, and Edmund could see nothing of his real intentions towards him. He might have been a great politician when he was still a noble of the Telmarine Court, before he tried to kill the rightful King. He might look like a regular man, but Edmund knew that he was only thinking about killing Caspian and being Telmar’s new King. 

“Please, follow me,” he said after a moment. “I’ll see you later, mother.”

The Queen nodded and she sat on her throne as they disappeared in the hallways.

Edmund did the conversation for several minutes, asking what he thought of Narnia and its eternal snow and iced lake. Miraz answered shortly at each one, telling the bare minimum.

“I am surprised we aren’t escorted by your wolves,” Miraz suddenly said.

Edmund couldn’t help but smirk at Miraz. 

“It’s because they know I am not in danger, my Lord.”

Miraz chuckled darkly and the sound of it chilled him. Edmund didn’t like this man. He wasn’t afraid of him, but he had a weird feeling crawling under his skin and something in him was yelling at him to run away from here. But then he remembered that he was doing that to gain time. It was the only thing that mattered now. 

“You shouldn’t trust strangers, Prince Edmund, even the allies of your mother.”

“I don’t trust you, Lord Miraz,” he said as he stopped walking to turn to the man, “but it is not in your interest to harm me, am I wrong?”

“Indeed, but-”

Miraz was suddenly on him, pushing him against the wall behind him so fast Edmund didn’t have the time to defend himself. Miraz blocked him with his own body and when Edmund went to get his dagger from his boot, he remembered he gave them both to Peter and Susan. His other hand went for his sword, but in this position he couldn’t take his sword off his shreath.

“I wasn’t thinking about hurting you,” Miraz whispered to him, “I didn’t lie, Prince Edmund when I said I didn’t know you were this beautiful. Bards should be singing your beauty and grace, but instead you are here, hidden in this frozen and dead land.”

The man pressed himself even more against him and Edmund felt like he could throw up at any moment as a hot breath touched his face. Edmund realized the gaze he had felt earlier hadn’t been one of hatred but of desire. Miraz was lusting after him. The Prince’s face, already so white, paled even more as the sudden realization and he felt himself gotten sick. 

“Get off me,” Edmund hissed angrily, disgusted by Miraz’s reactions.

“Why would I? You are now my fiancé. You are mine, boy.”

“I was promised to a King,” Edmund snarled, “and as far as I know, you are not, Lord Miraz.”

Edmund pushed away the Telmarine with a disgusted look on his face, only to see the man's angry gaze. Miraz plunged on him, hand stretched to grip his tender neck. In normal circumstances, Edmund would have been able to deflect this hand and to hit his enemy so hard they would have been moaning on the ground, but the memory still so fresh of the soldier strangling him came back on his mind like a wave. His back suddenly burned against the frozen wall, reminiscent of his wound that was now healed, and Edmund found that he couldn’t breath, even though the hand around his neck wasn’t tight enough. 

Edmund thought again about Miraz’s words as he was struggling against him. Why the wolves hadn’t come with them? Surely his mother had seen the Telmarine gaze. She had known . Unless she expected exactly this situation to happen, even wanting it to happen.

Do what you have to do to gain his trust. Everything.

Something in him broke at the realization. She would let this man abuse him just to earn a little of his trust. Edmund felt panic rising in his chest and his heart beating fast as tears came to his eyes. How could she do that to him…?

“You are mine, stupid little boy!” Miraz groaned at his ears before biting it and he let out a cry. 

You’re dead, boy , Edmund heard as the memory of a nasty breath on him came back to him. 

A hand pressed hard against his waist and this time it was too much for him. It couldn’t happen. Edmund had never been touched this way before and he felt so lost and afraid. He felt a tear escape his eyes to sink down his cheek. Edmund had forgotten how to fight and he just couldn’t think logically. All he wanted was to leave these awful arms, and he was struggling again like a wild animal, trying to break free and breathe . 

“No!”

But Miraz wasn’t stopping and the man was now fighting with his suit’s collar to gain access to his skin. Edmund pushed him, hands against his chest, but there was no force in his arms and the man didn’t budge-

“Let him go!”

Edmund felt the grip on his neck lessen and suddenly, Miraz was on the ground, unconscious. Peter and Susan were both here, sword and bow in hands. They had just saved him. 

Edmund found himself gaping and coughing, trying to catch his breath, and his vision blurred by his tears, not understanding what was going on. Did he have to scream at them for being here, did he have to thank them for saving him from Miraz? His mind was fuzzy and he realized he was shaking hard. Finally, his legs let go under him and Edmund felt himself fall on the ground. 

“Edmund, are you alright?!”

Susan came to his side to help him gettin up, but his legs seemed to have turned into jelly and were refusing to carry him.

“Y-yeah. Thanks…” he managed to mumble.

“Come on, we have to go,” Peter murmured as he helped his sister. 

“Why are you still here?” Edmund finally reacted. “I was buying you time and-”

“Not now.”

Peter with his strength lifted him and helped him walk.

“Tell us the way to get out of here.” Edmund raised his head to look at Peter. They were going to take him with them? Just like that? “Don’t look at me like that, of course you’re going with us. You saved us twice, and you saved Caspian. We’re not going to let that woman kill you or marry you off to Miraz !”

A strange warmth grew in his chest as Edmund looked down. Why would these people want to take care of him? They didn’t know him and he was their enemy.

“Stop thinking this loud, dimwit and tell us where to go to get out of here, we’re lost.”

Edmund couldn’t trust himself to talk so he pointed them down the stairs going down. There was the basement with an entry for the few servants who came to the castle, just after the kitchens where he had found Mr Tumnus and Mr Badger. It was risky, but less than if they tried to slip away by the great entry.

They took the stairs and passed through the kitchen to find the back door. 

“How did you- You didn’t have this sword and this bow.”

“Caspian and Lucy brang them,” Susan explained. “They gave them to us when we managed to get out thanks to you. They were already by the castle when we managed to slip out, so we planned to get you out.”

This situation was getting worse. Peter and Susan should be away from this castle, far away from here, but they were here with him and now they said Caspian and Lucy were here too? It was too dangerous! Why didn’t they understand?

“Has my sacrifice meant nothing for you?” Edmund protested while getting away from Peter’s arms, still shaking. “I get you time to flee and you-”

“We came back for you,” Susan opened the door and Peter pushed him through it. The woman smiled at him, “we told you, we couldn’t let you here.”

Edmund didn’t know what to say so he just followed them and walked in the snow. He couldn’t really go back to his mother and explained for Miraz, he thought, shivering from the cold. By Jove, it was freezing! He had forgotten they were in the middle of the night and this damned suit was too thin on him. Edmund was rarely cold and he was used to it, but he wouldn’t be able to bear this for long. He looked a last time at the castle they were departing from. This time, there was no return. Edmund was leaving for good.

“Let’s hurry,” Peter said as he began to run to the forest, “they are waiting for us and I don’t want to be there when the witch finds out about your disappearance.”

It wasn’t easy to run with these pants so tight, but Edmund forced himself; the wolves and the Queen would soon discover Miraz’s unconscious body and their escape. They would be after them. By the Lion’s mane, they would never be able to flee for long, not in the night and in this freezing cold. 

“Peter, don’t go this fast, we can’t follow you and Edmund has just been assaulted.”

“I know but we need to hurry.” 

“Susan, Peter, please,” they both stopped to look at him, “don’t tell them what happened. I don’t want them to know.”

Edmund didn’t exactly know how he felt about it. The only thing he knew was that he felt so filthy, to have had those hands on him, his nasty breath on his face. It had been horrible and he didn’t want more people to know about it. He was already so ashamed they found him in this despicable position. He couldn’t only imagine the poor scene they had seen, Miraz upon him, tackling him against the wall and Edmund trying to fight for freedom. Edmund had always thought that he was strong enough, that he could have taken care of every situation. He had been raised that way, but he couldn’t even beat a single man. Edmund had never felt so ashamed of himself.

“But-”

“Please,” Edmund insisted in a low trembling voice. He was so pathetic, even now he couldn’t put himself together. 

Susan looked at Peter who was glancing worryingly at the castle. 

“Alright, we won’t tell them,” Peter decided and they quickly resumed their run. “But don’t think we won’t talk about it later.”

Edmund didn’t understand Peter’s statement about that. He didn’t want to talk about it now and it would certainly not change in the future. All he wanted was to forget, but as they were running to flee the castle, he didn’t retort to him and just followed the two siblings. 

They were soon in the forest and Edmund couldn’t see a thing now. He knew he was following Susan because she didn’t let go of his arm. 

“It was a brilliant idea to drug the mash, I think they are still sleeping,” she said quietly while they slowed down their walk through the forest so dark they barely could see a thing. “Mr Tumnus explained to us when the wolves ate it that it was your idea.”

“I told you I’ll do something,” Edmund told her softly in return, “and they helped me a lot.”

“Thank you Edmund, really.”

“...You’re welcome,” he murmured with a smile no one could see.

Edmund finally recognized the road they were taking even in the darkness of the night. They were returning to the beavers’ dam, he realized as he watched at the light emanating from the glade.

“Peter!”

Lucy’s voice rang through the glade and he saw Peter running towards his sister to take her into his arms. She had a worried frown on her delicate features but it disappeared upon a second when she saw her siblings seemed uninjured. Then Lucy looked at him and her eyes opened wide. Ah, yes… His suit really changed him, he supposed. The crown too, probably. He didn’t look the same in pale blue and royal clothes than in leather with his face and hands covered in blood. 

“We’re ready.”

Edmund turned his head to Caspian who just talked. Burning torches were enlightening the glade and the King’s face. Caspian was gaping, looking straight at him, his eyes roaming frantically over his body. Edmund would probably have blushed under such a stare in other circumstances, but he was too tired and foggy to do so. He was feeling fragile and lost, and he didn’t like it. Edmund didn’t want to be looked at when he was feeling that way.

“Caspian, let’s go!” 

Susan pulled him and it was at this moment that Edmund saw three giant eagles waiting for them. They were magnificent, he thought as he approached them slowly, maybe a little afraid to know if they were going to escape his touch.

“You, with me.” Peter gently grabbed Edmund’s arm, and he had him mount one of the eagles in a quick motion. “Susan, you go with Lucy, Caspian you take the last one. Come on.”  

Peter went on his back and after an impulsion of the incredible beasts, the eagles took off.

Chapter Text

Edmund might have fallen asleep at one point because when he opened his eyes again, he was dazzled by the bright color of the sun.

Wait- The sun ?!

“Oh…” was the only sound coming from his mouth and Edmund heard an amused chuckle beside him. 

“So you’re awake, sleepyhead.”

Edmund felt his cheeks grow hot as he realized he had fallen asleep against Peter, who had his arms passed around his waist to maintain him on the eagle. 

“Sorry,” he said in a rough voice, still hoarse from sleep. “Have I been asleep for long?”

“Two or three hours, I think? But you seemed like you needed it. A lot happened.”

Indeed. So many events in such a short time. His mother’s betrayal, Caspian, the Pevensies, Miraz -gods, Miraz !-. There was so much to think about, to process, and to accept, but at this moment, as Edmund looked at the blinding and warm light of the sun, none of it mattered.

“It’s beautiful,” he couldn’t help but say with a smile on his lips.

Peter said nothing but he knew at the way he stiffened in his back that he wanted to. 

“Yes, it’s the first time I see the sun,” Edmund said, knowing exactly the question that burned the other man’s lips. “It’s pretty pathetic, isn’t it?”

“It is not !” Edmund smiled as the Telmarine’s arms tightened around his waist. “Don’t say that. It’s not your fault.”

The embrace was so warm and comforting. Edmund's life had been stripped of all of this, of talks that made him feel like he mattered, and of warm contacts. Of any contact actually, and Edmund found that he quite liked them. After what happened with Miraz, and the way this horrible man had touched him, he would have thought he wouldn’t bear the touch of any contact, but surprisingly he did enjoy this one. It was nothing like it. 

He realized at the moment that the contact of Susan’s hand during the night when they were fleeing should have repelled him too, but that it hadn’t. There was something about this family that Edmund couldn’t understand.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t say it, it’s normal. She was using you like a tool. You too were one of her prisoners.”

Had he been? Edmund had never seen it from this perspective. He was the Prince of Narnia, not some criminal trapped in a cell. He had had some freedom, an education and a place to live. He hadn’t felt like being a prisoner.

“Lord Pevensie, we’re almost there,” the eagle they were on said. “We’re going to descend, please grab on me firmly.”

Peter and Edmund obeyed and they both tightly clung on the impressive beast as they picked down to the earth to what seemed to be a gigantic campsite, devoid of snow. The land was of the most luxurious green Edmund had ever seen before, with bright colors. Red, yellow…  It was beautiful. No, it was more than that, it was a dazzling sight. And all these people…? Edmund knew why they were here, to defeat his mother for good, but he never thought there would be so many of them united against her!

“Whoa. You do have an army!” Peter exclaimed, enthusiastic, and Edmund couldn’t help but nod in agreement. “Mr Beaver wasn’t joking about it!”

The eagle chuckled and sped his descent until they were on the firm ground, making the two young men yelp in surprise. Edmund thought he might throw up, and he sighed in utter relief when they landed on the ground. How happy Edmund was to not be up there anymore! It had been an exhilarating experience, but he was more at ease on his two feet.

Two other eagles landed beside them and Edmund saw Lucy and Susan as they got down their mount shakily. Peter dismounted too, as Caspian did, but Edmund hesitated. There were a lot of Narnians surrounding them, and more were approaching them. There were so many sounds, scents and life around them and it was making him uneasy, like he didn’t belong to this joyous world. And of course, he was afraid of their welcome toward him, as the son of Queen Jadis. They were all gathered against her after all. 

“You should get down too, your Highness,” the eagle said gently. 

“Yes, I suppose… Thank you for your help- Hm. What’s your name?”

“I am Tiris, your Highness,” the Eagle said. “Don’t worry. We know now we don’t have to fear you, and what we owe you.”

It seemed that one Badger and one Faun had already done their talking. “Thank you for your kind words, but I didn’t do anything… Mister Badger and Mister Tumnus did all the work.”

“And I know this isn't the whole truth. Without you, the sons and daughters of Adam wouldn’t be here.”

Edmund looked at the four Telmarines, who were waiting too for him to get down. He took a deep breath and finally he joined them on the ground, awkward and not at ease. His heart was beating fast in his chest and his mind was still numb. It wasn’t only the Narnians he was afraid to face. There was Caspian too who was still looking at him with awe and expectation, and Edmund had difficulties holding his gaze. This time, he wasn’t just a commoner, he was a prince, royalty just like him.

Edmund couldn’t play brave or be sarcastic to hide who he was. The only fact to stand up in these clothes, wearing a crown, was screaming royalty to everyone around them. It was proof that he had lied to him. God, how he hated those clothes. He was feeling uncomfortable and still too cold in them. And so alone.

Narnians were whispering around them and he could see that even if their eyes were settling on the Telmarines, they were mainly looking at him, judging him and maybe trying to choose what they should do of him. Should he say something? They seemed to be waiting for him to do something. Maybe they were waiting for him to talk? But Edmund was completely speechless and his head was totally empty. Or maybe he was just going to throw up.

“Prince Edmund.”

This time Edmund breathed sharply and gaped while his heart pounded wildly in his chest as he looked into the kind gaze of a giant lion. In the corner of his eyes, Edmund could see that obviously the Telmarines didn’t know what was happening. They were fidgeting and glancing at him, but he couldn’t care less at the moment. 

“Aslan,” Edmund just whispered with deep respect in his voice, as he knelt before him. 

“I’d like to have a word with you, your Highness,” the lion demanded in a soothing and warm voice.

Edmund nodded and, uncertain, he took a step towards Aslan as the Lion turned to a pavilion, bigger and more majestuous than the other surrounding it. 

 OoO

Caspian looked as the Narnian Prince, absolutely dazzling in his dress made of crystal, followed the great lion. 

He knew of the old legends about a lion creating Narnia and the whole world by the magic of his song, but he had thought, as his friends had, that it was only that, a legend told by the oldest, until now. They had been so wrong. Edmund, as the Prince of this land, had immediately recognized him and had submitted to him on a whim. 

Beautiful Prince Edmund, in his shiny white clothes, with chestnut eyes brightened by sunlight. He was more beautiful than Caspian had thought when he had first wished to see Edmund’s face graced by the sun. 

“I hope he will be alright,” Lucy said with a worried frown as they watched Edmund walking away from us. 

“He will be,” Peter told, confident. “He was never on her side. He wouldn’t have lied to the Queen and helped us escape if it had been the case.”

“He wouldn’t have tried to flee Narnia in the first place,” Susan added with an uncertain smile, “don’t worry Lucy. And you too, Caspian.”

The discovery of Philip’s real identity had hurt him more than it should have. It was stupid, but Caspian had fallen for these daring, alluring eyes and pouting lips. Before they had brutally parted, and even if they had barely known each other, Caspian had thought that maybe there was something between them. The young man had stopped being so defensive and had talked to him, smiled at him. Caspian would have given everything to just be able to hold his hand in his.

But he wasn’t ‘Philip’, he was Prince Edmund and it wasn’t the same anymore, because he hadn’t thought about himself as King Caspian either when they had talked together. Now they were back in their respective role, and it wasn’t easy to ignore Edmund’s statute when he looked so regal. 

Caspian swallowed hard when he looked at Edmund entering the pavilion, the crystals and silver wires sewed to his white clothes making him shine with the bright sun of the morning. The Prince was so very handsome.

“Caspian?” Susan called him when she saw he wasn’t reacting.

“I am not worried about him,” Caspian heard Susan huffing at his words. “What? it’s true!”

“We know it’s not. Don’t tell me you resent him?”

The King didn’t answer her. Yes, he was angry, but he couldn’t tell if he was to Edmund for not telling the truth, to himself for being an idiot who had fallen for a man he didn’t know anything about, or someone else. His eyes lingered for a second on Peter. Caspian wouldn’t admit out loud that he was jealous of his best friend, nor that he was maddened by jealousy at the thought of Edmund asleep in Peter's arms. 

But that wasn't all. Of course, Caspian was angry at himself because he was a bloody idiot who had announced in front of the Prince that they had come to kill him and his mother. Since the moment Caspian had seen Edmund getting up to stop the wolves from killing the beavers, all the things he had said before had been playing in his head, again and again, making him feel even worse each time he thought about it.

A narnian prince? I thought there was just the Queen. She has a son ?

So, all I have to do is to kill Miraz, or this narnian prince, before the wedding.

Caspian remembered the way he had said it, and the way Edmund had flinched to his words. He had hurt Edmund and he couldn’t help but feel distressed about it. Edmund must have felt so awful, learning about all of this situation this way.

“I don’t resent him,” Caspian finally said, avoiding his friend’s gaze.

“Because the Queen has been awful to him,” Susan added, “we saw them interact and- it was terrible to watch.”

That made him even more miserable. Caspian hadn’t thought for a second that the Prince of Narnia might suffer from the Queen’s hands too. He had just assumed he was with her and by consequences Telmar’s enemy. What a terrible king he made if he couldn’t even help those in need.

Caspian didn’t know how to behave towards Edmund. Should he apologize? Give him space? Wait for him to come to him? But what if the Prince didn’t want to talk to him at all after everything that happened? 

A thousand questions turned in his head and he was exhausted. 

“Susan, let him be,” Peter said, “For now, we should rest.”

“My Lords, my Ladies.”

A centaur -oh gods, a centaur !- had just approached them.

“My name is Oreius and I am Aslan’s general. I would like to thank you for answering the Dryad call.”

Lucy took a step with a big, even if tired, smile and began to talk animatedly with Oreius. A few moments later, they were led to their own tent, one for the ladies and one for Peter and Caspian. 

The two men fell asleep nearly immediately after they laid down on their respective couch. The night had been exhausting and finally they found themselves in security, even if the situation was beyond unusual. 

All Caspian knew was that he now had the means to defeat the Witch.

OoO

Peter and him had been woken up by an excited Lucy. She hadn’t been able to sleep for long and had already visited the camp, making friend with everyone in the process, and even gained a crown of flowers made by Fauns. When Caspian finally emerged from the tent with a sleepy gaze, a day later, he finally remarked on all the things he should have seen when they had arrived. The trees and the valley were of a bright green, so full of life, and filled with hundreds of tents. The sound of metal and the smell of fire hit him and all of this was so familiar to Caspian that he couldn’t help but smile. 

He spotted Susan not too far away from there and he guessed that she had probably been woken up by her sister too, and a second later he noticed Philip- no, Edmund sitting around a fire with the ladies. Lucy was talking animatedly to them and Aslan, also there. Caspian couldn’t help but to gaze at the gigantic Lion with awe.

“Good morning,” Caspian said as he sat next to Susan, his eyes skipping from Aslan to Edmund. 

The Prince was still wearing the same near white clothes, except for the crown and sword he had arbored the day before, and he was still a delightful vision. Edmund raised his eyes and gazed at him with an uncertain look. Something fragile emanated from him at this moment. Edmund didn’t look like the fiery warrior he met a few days ago and Caspian definitely didn’t know how to react to him anymore. He was still feeling angry and somewhat hurt by the young man's lie while understanding why he had acted like he did. Aside from this, Caspian still desired him fiercely. He wanted nothing more than to be closer to Edmund. Gods, he wanted to take him into his arms and lost himself in his fragrance. 

“Hello,” Edmund said and just after he turned his eyes to the great Aslan.

“Good morning, King Caspian.”

Caspian would have loved nothing more than to talk to Edmund and hear his voice again, but he forced himself to turn to the lion who was smiling at him. 

“Aslan,” he said and he bowed his head before he added sheepily, “I can’t believe you actually exist.”

“I have this effect on people,” the lion chuckled, “and I am happy to have all five of you here with us.”

Out of the corner of his eyes, Caspian saw Edmund’s shoulders loosen.

“What is going to happen now?” the King asked while looking again at the Narnian Prince.

“Prince Edmund had agreed to help us defeat the White Witch,” Aslan said calmly, “with your help, King Caspian, if you accept.”

Edmund turned his gaze at him again, but kept silent while biting his lower lip. Caspian wanted to say something but he found he didn’t know what to say. Or maybe he just wanted to kiss him so they both didn’t have to say anything.

‘By the Gods, Cas! This isn’t the moment to fantasize !’ 

“Of course we accept. We arrived here for this reason,” he answered, forcing himself to look at Aslan instead of the handsome Prince.

“Can’t we send a message to Telmar for them to send us help?” Susan asked. “We’d have a whole army to help Narnians defeat the Queen.”

“I am afraid, dear child, that while the Queen’s magic is weakening, she is still powerful with spies everywhere. Narnians have already tried to ask help over the years to the neighboring nations.”

Susan frowned, but the nervousness on her face disappeared when Peter showed up at his turn.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Aslan said as he got up on his four large paws, “I have much to do, but we shall talk later again.”

Silence fell upon the group even after Aslan had gone to his tent with Oreius. Caspian stare fell on Peter who was eyeing Edmund. The burn of jealousy he had already felt the day before swelled on his chest at this sight, and it was worse when Edmund smiled at the blond-haired man in return. Why-! What was happening between them? Peter wasn’t even attracted to men!

“Edmund, aren’t you cold?” Peter asked the Narnian. “Your clothes seem to be thin.”

“No, I am good now, it’s awfully warm here actually, I am not used to it. But I wouldn’t say no to something else to wear.”

Lucy immediately took the opportunity to propose her help. Clearly the younger woman had difficulties standing by and needed to move around the campsite. 

“Go to your tent!” Lucy said, excited. “I am going to find you clothes so you can change.”

The young man didn’t have time to thank her that she was already on her way to accomplish her mission.

“You can take your time,” Susan said and Caspian remarked the bowl full of fruits in front of Edmund, still untouched, “she won’t come back immediately.”

“And you should eat, I think this day is going to be tiresome,” Peter added as he attacked his own bowl.

Caspian looked at his bowl without appetite but forced himself to eat, and he saw Edmund doing the same. 

When they all finished, and that Susan and Edmund had returned to their respective tent, Caspian went to Peter. 

“Pete, can I have a word?”

His voice was tight and Peter understood right away that there was a problem. The two men took a few steps away to be sure not to be overheard by one of the incredible Talking Beast.

“Alright,” Peter said as he crossed his arms on his chest, “are you going to explain what I’ve done for you to have this attitude toward me?”

“What-! What are you talking about? I don’t have ‘an attitude’ toward you, Peter.”

“Oh please, if a look could kill I would be certainly dead by now! Is this about the Prince?”

Caspian hesitated. He suddenly felt stupid, but he couldn’t help it.

“... Yes. I saw how you were looking at him. How you hugged him.”

“Come on, Caspian! Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

Peter began to laugh when he saw his cheeks turn into a deep shade of red. Caspian turned around to hide but his friend just took him into his arms. 

“You are stupid, King Caspian, if you think for a second that I will try to woo the Prince of Narnia.”

Caspian faced Peter again and he saw him smile. 

“... But he is about Susan and Lucy’s ages and he will need a Queen once of all this is finished, so-”

“Peter,” Caspian growled menacingly, “I forbid you to finish this sentence.”

“I am joking! Gosh, you should see your face my friend. I was just being friendly toward Edmund. He will be in need of a friend when you’ll finally drive him mad with your jealousy.”

Peter laughed earnestly at the face he made. Caspian knew he could get jealous, but all the relations he had were slight inclinations. Of course he had affairs before, should it be with nobles or with maids or stableboys, and he hadn’t been really jealous… Just a little.

“So… You are not attracted to him?”

“No! You say that because he fell asleep in my arms, but he was exhausted and I couldn’t let him fall off the Eagle! And he needed comfort after everything he had lived these last days.”

Peter had a point, and again he was laughing at him.

“Alright… So there is really nothing?”

“No! You are a stubborn one, aren’t you? I pity Prince Edmund, with you as his suitor!”

“Hey!”

“Alright, go find Lucy and take the clothes so you can have a moment alone with him. I think you need it. Both of you actually.”

Caspian followed Peter's instructions and promptly went to find Lucy who had procured herself clothes for Edmund. She gave them to him quite easily, but she had a knowing smile and the young woman had clearly guessed why he wanted the clothes for. 

“Good luck,” she whispered to him, then she left him after having spotted Mr Tumnus with the Beavers who had just arrived at the campside.

Caspian took a breath and then marched to Edmund’s tent. Contrary to what Peter and Lucy obviously thought, Caspian wasn’t obsessed with the idea of wooing the young man. Edmund had lived so many things in such a short time, probably traumatics events, he didn’t need an enamoured (and stupidly jealous) foreign King on top of everything else. Caspian just wanted to talk to him and to reassure him. And maybe to reassure himself.

“Prince Edmund?” Caspian called when he arrived in front of the tent.

The first thing to answer him was silence, then, and after several seconds that seemed to be hours, Edmund finally responded.

“You may come in.”

The King pushed the fabric of the tent and found Edmund trying to attain the fabric of his back, and failing miserably. The cape he had worn was on a chair and Caspian could see three tight knots that were holding the suit together.

“Urgh, they don’t want to go…”

“Oh, let me help you!” Caspian put the new clothes on the chair, with the cape, and went to help Edmund who was struggling with the knots.

“I must have tightened them too much the other night and now it’s stuck,” the young man grumbled. 

Caspian smiled at the sound of this, liking the sound of his grumpy voice, but he suddenly stopped. He was awfully close to Edmund now, and he was about to put his hand on him, he realized as his heart fluttered. Gosh, he was such a stupid romantic… 

“I am going to take them down,” he said in a low voice. 

“Thanks…”

With trembling hands, Caspian began to untie the knots made of silk and tried not to focus on the fair and perfect skin he could already see under the thin fabric and the space allowed by said knots. 

“They are indeed really tight,” he said just to hear something else than his own pounding heart. 

Edmund didn’t respond and silence fell again upon them. Caspian had wanted to talk to him but the truth was that he didn’t have any idea of what to say. It wasn’t like he could reproach him about anything. He had betrayed his mother and Queen to free Susan and Peter, and to help them escape the wolves. He didn’t have any place to go and he had lost his only family because of them.

“I am sorry,” Caspian finally said as he untied one of the knots. “It’s because you met me in the forest that all of this happened.”

“Don’t be,” Edmund answered sternly, “I should be the one to be sorry for lying to you all. And my mother would have catched me anyway. I was her mean to have Telmar under her control, she would have hunted me at once so I would marry that despicable man…”

“You mean my uncle?” Edmund didn’t respond but he did nod. “It’s true that he is despicable, and he is still married anyway, so you can’t marry him.”

The Prince laughed lightly at that and Caspian shivered at the sound of it.

“I can’t believe your mother engaged you to him,” he continued when he saw that Edmund seemed more at ease, “if she wanted to marry you off to have Telmar, she should have proposed your hand to me, not him!”

Just when he said that -did he really just say that out loud ?-, Caspian untied the third knot and he could only watch as the silk fell over Edmund’s shoulders who squeaked. There was now a large piece of naked pale skin exposed to his eyes and Caspian gulped at the sight of dozens of moles covering it. His mouth watered at the delirious thought of his lips tracing the line of moles up to his neck, tasting the warm shivering skin, then to one of his reddening ears to lick it slowly, then bite the tender flesh and suck...

Caspian regained control over his thoughts -what was he thinking? They hadn’t even kissed yet !- when the fabric fell a little more, revealing part of his beautiful bottom. Heat began to rise in him and his breath became heavier. Fuck. Edmund was hot and he was beginning to panic.

Fortunately for the little control he had over himself, Edmund turned around to face him, his arms crossed over his chest to stop the fabric from falling more, but failing to hide his tempting shoulders. Once again, Caspian’s mind was fuzzy with want. He wished he could lay his lips on this enticing skin... 

“Thank you for your help, King Caspian. You should go now,” the young man said in a low voice as he blushed adorably.

“Yes, of course,” he immediately said in a husky voice as he took a step back. With that he turned to the tent’s exit, then stopped to add with a flirty smile, “and you can call me by my name, Edmund.”

This time he didn’t wait to hear his answer and went out of the tent hastily.

Chapter Text

Edmund stayed still for a moment after Caspian departure, his cheeks hot and red. What had Caspian meant? And why was he so flustered? And- And-!!

‘If she wanted to marry you off to have Telmar, she should have proposed your hand to me, not him!’

Had he been serious? Because Edmund was feeling too many things about it. The vision of Caspian in a more royal suit, coming to the ice castle to marry him, invaded his mind and he relived his encounter with Miraz, except that this time it was Caspian in his place, taking his hand in his to kiss it softly and telling him how beautiful he was. 

‘I didn’t expect Narnia to hide such a gracious flower ,’ Edmund could hear Caspian saying those words, rolling every word with his singing accent, and his heart fluttered in his chest as a delicious shiver went through his body, making his loins burn in yearning.

Edmund let the clothes fall over his body, leaving him naked. He needed to calm down, his fantasies were only that, and nothing would ever happen between them. Yes, he just needed to stop thinking that way. Just stop.

He put his new clothes on quickly and even if he found them a little too thick, it was better than his wedding suit. He was feeling more confident in those new clothes, and he would need some courage once he would find himself facing his mother.

All fantasies forgotten, Edmund let himself fall into his bed to groan.

Had he really done the right thing by fleeing? He thought as this terrible sensation of being unable to do anything took possession of him. There was no way his mother would ever forgive him after that. No matter if Aslan had said it wasn’t a treason, Edmund was feeling in his gut that he had betrayed her. She was still his Queen and his family. No one should ever betray their family. 

Edmund was feeling terrible and sad and so alone now that he had finally left everything he ever knew.

Edmund had discussed at length with Aslan about Narnia, the beginning of this world his mother had assisted, the golden apple she had stolen and eaten which had changed her into a heartless being (more than she had already been). He was feeling that Aslan hadn’t told him everything, but he hadn’t dared to ask him at the moment. 

Anyway, Edmund already suspected what Aslan had neglected to say, and if he was honest, he had been feeling it for quite some time, even if he hadn’t the courage to admit it to himself, but the Queen’s actions were speaking for herself.

Jadis wasn’t his mother. 

Well, she had raised him -not alone, of course, but she had been there- and called him her son -with a lot of other name like stupid boy, useless, damaged…-, but she hadn’t birthed him. 

And if he couldn’t figure out why the Queen had adopted him and made him the Prince of Narnia, Edmund didn’t understand either why Aslan hadn’t told him. Why did he call him the Prince of Narnia in front of everyone else when he had no claim to such title? He understood that Aslan couldn’t give Narnia to Caspian just like that -even if the man seemed to be kind and just, and just that made him a much better King than his mother-, but Edmund was a nobody. He didn’t even know where he came from. Was he from Archenland or Telmar? Or maybe Calormen?

It wasn’t easy to admit to himself that his whole life was a lie, completely meaningless and without any purpose. How was he supposed to live now? If he survived, of course! Edmund had to fight into this war opposing him to the only people he ever knew, at the side of the people he lied to. 

Of course, nothing was sure. He could be wrong and really be her son. He wasn’t sure what option he liked the best.

Edmund went out of his tent and took a moment to admire the green of the grass and trees, and the bright colors of the young flowers growing out of the ground. It was a beautiful sight. Instead of going to Calormen, maybe he would be allowed to stay in Narnia? Edmund would certainly love to wake up every morning with such a view. 

“Edmund! I mean, Prince Edmund,” Susan called with a smile just after she spotted him.

“Please, call me Edmund,” he said immediately, awkward. “I don’t need you to call me by my title.”

Again, there was a chance that it wasn’t really his.

“I wanted to thank you for your help. Without you, we would be dead and the world would have been in great danger.”

Edmund didn’t really think of that. It was true that by saving the two Telmarines, he had helped save the world, or at least delayed the Queen’s plans. He approached Susan slowly and she extended his two daggers. 

“Oh! Thank you,” Edmund said with a genuine smile. He cherished his daggers, as they were his first gift from Maugrim and the wolves. Immediately, Edmund put them in his new boots and he felt better knowing he had them with him. “And you are welcome. Clearly you needed some help.”

Susan rolled her eyes but she was still smiling. 

“It’s sure we wouldn’t have been able to do anything without you.”

They both laughed and Edmund found quickly that he appreciated Susan and her witty mind. It wasn’t the same feeling as with Caspian -there was something exhilarating talking with the King, and his heart always fluttered in his chest when he did so, and clearly he didn’t imagine the woman kissing his hand or to kiss a woman’s hand-. It was more like what he felt with Peter. It was a warm feeling, and Edmund was quite sure he would feel the same with Lucy. He didn’t have this need to be cautious around them. Maybe he trusted them too much and too quickly, but he couldn’t help himself.

“I heard Peter wanted to train at sword fighting,” Susan said as they were walking quietly in the camp.

“It’s a good idea, we should prepare ourselves… My m-The Queen’s army is terrible. It’s made of Minotaurs, Hags, Cruels and a lot of awful creatures.”

“It was a terrible thing what she wanted to do…”

Edmund didn’t know if she meant that his mother had wanted to sell him to Miraz like he was nothing, or if she was talking about her plan to conquer the world. He prefered not to ask as he didn’t want to talk about these two subjects.

“Yes. She is a terrible person. And powerful too. I probably should join Peter to train with him, I’ll need it.”

Susan didn’t insist when she saw that he wouldn’t talk more about it and they both went to the training ground, in the middle of the camp. Susan left him halfway when she spotted the archers training. She wasn’t a sword fighter, unlike Caspian and of course Lucy who was at ease with magic and swords. So Edmund joined the training ground by himself, followed by dozens of curious stares.

When he arrived in front of the field, Peter and Caspian were already there, fighting each other while laughing. It was clear for Edmund that they were rather fighting for fun than for training seriously. Then, just after his eyes came across Caspian’s, he noticed that the fight was turning more serious and intense. Caspian was more fierce at each strike. It was the same incredible energy he had shown against the four rogue telmarines in the forest when they had fought side by side minutes only after they had met. Edmund admired him as he was fighting, a smile on his face. He wouldn’t say it was beautiful, but it was certainly impressive. Peter answered Caspian’s efforts by taking the fight more seriously at his turn. He blocked every blow and was feinting his King with energy. 

After several minutes of this incredible fight, there was a large group of Narnian looking at them, even Aslan himself had joined them, and it was finally because the ground, which was still slippery from the thaw, that the fight ended as Peter slipped and fell. 

“Treachery!” Peter groaned while he got up with the help of his friend.

“You just mean that I am stronger than you?” Caspian laughed. 

“You wish!”

Edmund didn’t dare approach them. The first reason was that it was clear that the two men were close as brothers and he didn’t want to disturb them when they were enjoying each other's company. The second reason was that Edmund was still feeling awkward after what happened between them in the tent, and the fantasies he had imagined just after Caspian had left him. Edmund knew he would blush terribly if he was to talk to Caspian right now.

Caspian had to hear his thoughts as he was now heading towards him. Edmund wanted to run away to not face him and his flirty smiles that made him squirm. Had Caspian really intended to flirt with him? It was the first time Edmund really thought about it, and this time his cheeks were definitely growing hot and red.

“Prince Edmund.”

‘Aslan blessed the Centaurs’ , he thought as Oreius approached him.

“Yes?” He asked a little too eagerly to be natural, but he was too happy to escape Caspian to care. 

“Now that King Caspian and Lord Peter have finished their duel, would you like to spar with me?”

It was a challenge Edmund couldn’t refuse and he gladly accepted. He was given a sword and they both walked to the training ground where Peter and Caspian had fought a few moments ago. He also wanted to impress the crowd -and maybe he wanted to impress Caspian too- and prove himself to the Narnians. He was still their Prince at this moment, so he wouldn’t disappoint them until Aslan spoke the truth about his origins.

Until then, Edmund would say nothing that could undermine the morale of the troops.

Oreius took place in front of him with a sword in each hand and squared off. Edmund smiled and took the same position. Signal was given and both of the fighters charged toward the other to attack. Orieus gave a powerful blow, using all the weight of his body in it, but Edmund was quick to react and dodged the blade by jumping on the side, then fell to the ground to not be cut in two by Oreius’ second blade. So the Centaur wanted to have a serious fight. He took a quick glance to Aslan who was watching intently. They both wanted to show the rest of the Narnians how strong he was, even when facing a bigger enemy than himself. 

He understood why Aslan and Oreius had planned this. The Queen was herself part giant, and she was impressive.

Well, Edmund was used to fighting Minautors at least thrice his size, he certainly wouldn’t be afraid of one Centaur. He took one of his daggers off his boot and went into position.

Oreius raised his swords once again and charged him. This time Edmund didn’t try to avoid the blow and went to encounter his blades with his sword, while he tried to reach him with his dagger. The Centaur unfortunately saw his move and jumped backward.

“We didn’t say when we should stop,” Edmund said to his partner. 

“I say we stop at first blood.”

“Good for me!”

This time around, Edmund attacked first and aimed for the Centaur’s legs. He countered Oreius’ swords with his blades and plunged forwards to strike, but the Centaur had seen him coming and caught him off guard with a powerful kick of his hoofs. Edmund fell on the ground but was quick to stand up again before Oreius could charge him. 

He would have already succeeded to hurt him if only he didn’t have these two large swords. He needed to get rid of at least one of them. Edmund stayed at a good distance, judging his next move. He breathed deeply and then ran towards Oreius. 

His adversary raised his swords once again but instead of heading for them to protect himself, Edmund let himself slip on the ground still wet and muddy to pass under the Centaur. He gave the creature a blow to one of his legs and when Oreius’ arms were within his reach, Edmund smashed the Centaur’s hand with the knob of his sword. 

One of the swords fell and before Oreius could get his head straight -and aimed for his head-, Edmund took it and threw it away with all his strength.  

“Well played, Prince Edmund,” Oreius said with a smirk, “but you could have finished the fight, why didn’t you?”

“I don’t want to spoil our fun, of course,” Edmund replied as he raised his sword along with his dagger.

They both didn’t hear the crowd’s cheer. Their attention was solely on the other.

If Edmund had thought the fight would have been easier after getting rid of one of his sword’s adversary, he had been wrong. Oreius’ blows were getting stronger and any of them could have cut Edmund in half. He was now forced to retreat and he was taken steps back as he couldn’t contain anymore the sword wielded by the Centaur.

At his turn, Edmund lost his sword in the battle, but he was quick to take his second dagger, even if it meant having to fight at short range. Edmund was getting tired, and even if he saw that Oreius was in the same state, the Centaur had more energy than himself. They needed to finish the fight, so it would be the last assault.

Oreius charged. Edmund jumped aside and spined before attacking him, knees folded near the field to try to slice his legs. Oreius bucked and with the weight of his body, he went down on Edmund who couldn’t go back. The Prince braced himself with his daggers raised, but the blow never came. 

Oreius was on his four legs again, his sword at only inches from his daggers, as if the sword was suspended in the air. Edmund’s eyes went wide when he realized that Oreius was fighting to keep his hold. It was coming from himself . Edmund didn’t know how he did that, but he was doing it. 

He didn’t think more and he spined to touch Oreius’ arm and make him bleed. So the fight ended.

Cheers exploded, and Edmund understood that maybe they didn’t see what had just happened. The space between their blades had been narrow. 

Peter and Caspian were applauding with big smiles on their faces and he remarked that maybe Caspian was a little redder than he had been before. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at him and it made him blush.

“Prince Edmund,” Oreius called for him, “this was a good combat. You fight like a young wolf.”

“I am afraid I have been raised by a pack,” Edmund replied with a tense smile. Was Oreius doing like nothing happened?

“Keep smiling, my Prince,” the Centaure said like he had read his thoughts, “your secret is safe with me.”

Edmund turned his gaze on Aslan whose eyes were sparkling. He had seen everything, of course, but he didn’t seem angry. He seemed curious. The other one who had this spark of curiosity in their eyes was Lucy, on the other side of the training grounds.  

Edmund swallowed. There were two people who had seen what had happened, so there was to be more. What if they saw this obvious act of magic in a bad way? Would they think he was like the Queen?

“Edmund, it was a fantastic fight!” Lucy declared as she was nearly jumping with excitation in his direction. “And we definitely have to talk!”

“Lucy, please, don’t be this loud…” Edmund cringed.

“But-”

“Please.”

Lucy’s excitation went down like a lead balloon and disappointment painted on her face, but Edmund couldn’t talk about it now. He didn’t know how to feel about it and for now he was just putting on his brave face, waiting for the moment he would be alone to really think about the fact that he had just used magic he didn’t know he had in himself.

“Alright…” 

Edmund tried to smile again, but he knew he failed. He walked away from the cheers with this fake smile stuck on his face and went into the forest to isolate himself and think. 

Never before had he shown any sign of magic. Edmund had tried when he was a little boy, to imitate his mother, but in vain. She couldn’t have known, not when he himself hadn’t known about it. 

Was it a sign that maybe he had been wrong about Jadis and that she really was his mother? Edmund breathed deeply and kept walking in the forest. Lucy wasn’t a Narnian but she still had magic. Gods, why was everything so complicated?

Edmund sat at the foot of a tree and just stayed there. He didn’t want to talk to anyone and the crowd in the campment was too thick. There were too many people (and way too much noise!) for him that was used to an empty castle with only rock statues as inhabitants. Socializing was definitely a complicated thing he wasn’t ready for.

Maybe his magic didn’t appear before because he had just turned eighteen years old in the morning.

Oh. Edmund stilled suddenly. Today was his birthday. He had completely forgotten! 

The strident sound of a scream ended his thoughts as he recognized the panicked voice of Susan. Edmund stood up immediately and ran toward the sound, only to see the woman in a tree, with Maugrim and three wolves at its foot, growling menacingly.

“Go away from my sister!!”

Peter arrived, his sword raised high, ready to strike the beasts. Edmund’s heart jumped in his chest when he saw the young Lord advance to kill the wolves, and said wolves ready to strike at the first opportunity. 

“Maugrim, stop that at once!” Edmund commanded, distressed.

Maugrim and his wolves hesitantly stopped their assault on Susan and Peter, and turned to him. 

“Please, stop this,” he repeated softly.

“My Prince, the Queen sent us to kill the human intruders and to fetch you. It is time to come home,” the old wolf said. 

“You know I can’t do that,” Edmund replied in a whisper, a sad smile on his lips, “she will kill me.”

He saw Maugrim flinched at that. 

“And she will kill us for not obeying her, your Highness.”

“Then don’t go back to her. Flee south, go to the mountain.”

Edmund already knew that they wouldn’t be welcome here. They had been loyal to the Queen for far too long, denouncing every rebel they found to her. Narnians would not accept them in their rank. All they could do now was to go into exile in order to survive. 

“They are criminals!” A Faun cried. “They have to be judged and condemned!”

Edmund mouthed another silent plea to Maugrim, his eyes tingling with hot tears as Narnians arrived around them, asking for their immediate execution. Aslan might be merciful, but he knew Maugrim won’t be living to see another day. They all needed to run away, he thought with cheer panic as he saw that the crowd of Narnians was growing bigger by the minutes. 

The wolf bowed deeply before him and his pack followed, submitting to him. 

“As the Prince of this land, I sentence you to exil for your crimes against Narnia and its people,” Edmund declared to the pack of wolves. “You shall never set a pawn to Narnia again.”

‘Please, say you will obey, say you’ll leave immediately .’

Narnians growled menacingly and Edmund hoped that the little authority he had thanks to Aslan would prevent any harsh reaction. He didn’t dare look at Peter, Susan or Caspian who were assisting to this scene. The wolves had attacked their family -he knew now that Caspian considered the Pevensies as his family- and probably they had the same opinion than the Narnians and wanted the wolves dead.

“We will obey his Highness,” Maugrim said to his pack while looking straight at Edmund, “and we accept our punishment.”

Edmund sharply breathed, relieved by his decision and profoundly sad at the thought that he would never see the old wolf again. He finally turned his gaze to the crowd who was looking at them, choked.

“If you dare set a pawn to Narnia, you shall be executed,” he added to appease them all.

The crowd growled in agreement and space was made so the pack could leave. 

“It was my honor serving you, your Highness,” Maugrim said while bowing a last time before him, then they took their leaves. 

After a long and quiet moment, Aslan joined them and whispers arised. Edmund hadn’t moved yet while Caspian and Peter helped Susan get down the tree. He didn’t know what to say or say that wouldn’t enrage the Narnians more than they were.

“What happened here, dear children, for your minds to be this agitated?” The great lion asked in his soothing voice.

“The Prince has let the wolves escape!” A talking horse said quite angrily. 

“And now they will go to their Queen to prepare their attack! Your Prince has betrayed us!”

“I didn’t betray you!” Edmund vehemently replied. “I sentence them to exile, to never see Narnia again. There is no greater punishment than to live without being able to come home again, and to let them think about the crimes they committed.”

Edmund turned to the great Aslan. “They won’t come back. They will obey.”

“I believe you, my child. You did what you thought would be the best solution for everyone.”

“But they didn’t deserve to live! They are traitors to Narnia!” The Faun who had already spoken earlier argued. “They followed her!”

“They fear the Queen as much as us,” Edmund stated, feeling suddenly very tired. “They just didn’t have any other choice. But I know they did many despicable things and that many of you suffered, and that’s why I condemn them to exile.”

“Calm your minds, my friends, what is done is done. Prince Edmund hadn’t been lenient in his judgment and had shown mercy, as we should all do.”

Edmund bowed his head before Aslan and went back to his tent, ignoring the whispers behind his back and the dark gazes that followed him.

Chapter Text

Edmund had been in his tent all day after the wolves' departure and he only went out in the morning. Thankfully, no one had disturbed him and he had been able to drown peacefully in his sorrow.

That had been a hell of a birthday… Not that he really had a good one before. His mother, with her sweet dispositions toward her son, had never really been keen to celebrate it. At least, Edmund knew he was born that day.

So he had passed his day utterly miserable -wasn’t it a recurrence these days anyway?-, thinking about all the good moments he had had with Maugrim and his pack, and that it was the last moments he had had with them. He still remembered this day, long ago when he was only a child, when his mother had been absent and he had straddled one of the bigger wolves to ride him like a horse. Maugrim wasn’t even an adult at this time, and not yet the Alpha of the pack. He had been so young back then but his memory wasn’t fading and was still clear in his mind.

Maugrim had done many bad things during his life, and had hurt a lot of people, but Edmund still loved him dearly. The wolf had been a monster to them, not to him.

It had also been the occasion too to think about the way too many things that happened to him in such a short time. His mother, the Pevensies, Caspian… 

There was a lot to think when it came to the Telmarine King. His dark eyes, his long brown hair, his stupid and attractive flirty smiles. His big calloused hands.

Edmund finally went out in the morning to eat quietly near the fire, looking around to see if he could talk to the Telmarines, worrying that they might be angry against him, and when he was finished, always without a sign of the humans, he took the direction of the woods. He had heard of a pond a few minutes away from the camp. The water for the camp was taken upstream so the Narnians could bath below, and Edmund definitely needed to wash. Fortunately, it would help him forget his worries, even if it was just for a short time.

Edmund sank into the woods, amazed by the bright colors of the leaves, sparkling with droplets of water. Never had he thought something like that could exist. It was a lot of things that made him realize that the woods were full of life. The colors, the sounds of the wind into the branch, the subtle clatter of insects at work, and of course the scent of fresh grass, of pines and of flowers.

Edmund advanced in what seemed to be a small heaven but suddenly stopped when he heard noises further ahead. Someone was already bathing. It wasn’t a surprise, they were many after all. Edmund approached slowly and hid behind the trees. Caspian was here, alone, and already deep into the water. 

The young Prince swallowed with difficulties, feeling suddenly very hot at the view of all this tanned skin unveiled and enlightened by the bright rays of the sun. Edmund shouldn’t be here, it wasn’t good to spy someone like he was doing. 

He decided he would go back later. Edmund began to retreat but walked on a branch, making it crack under his feet. 

“Who’s here?” Caspian’s commanding voice rang in the forest.

Edmund gulped as he stilled but didn’t make any other noise. Maybe if he stayed silent long enough, Caspian would think he had dreamed…

“I saw you move behind the trees, show yourself!” He repeated in a commanding voice that had him shiver.

Or maybe the King had good eyes.

“It’s just me, Edmund,” he said as he went out of his hiding place, feeling awkward. “I wanted to wash, but I saw you were already here, so I was on my way back to the camp…”

It wasn’t the first time they were alone together, as they had been in his tent, but Edmund still felt clumsy. His feelings weren’t clear and it affected his judgment in a way he wasn’t used to. He observed the man while trying to keep his eyes on his face and not lingered over his naked and wet chest.

“Oh, it’s you,” Caspian said with a smile. “You know, you can come, it won’t bother me.”

Edmund blushed. Even if he was glad to see that Caspian didn’t seem to hold grudges against him, Edmund wasn’t sure it was a good idea to stay. Their relationship was so singular. It wasn’t like Peter, Susan and Lucy. Even if he barely knew them, he felt at ease with them, but with Caspian there was something more, something that was devouring him from the inside each time they were near each other. And Edmund wanted to give in to the desire he felt for this man.

“I am not sure,” he said hesitantly, approaching the pond slowly, until reaching the water.

“Please, stay.”

Edmund couldn’t say no to that plea and he nodded shyly. After several minutes struggling with his clothes, his back turned so he wouldn’t have to support Caspian gaze on him -oh he knew he was looking, he could feel his eyes roaming over the skin of his back, and he felt strangely proud to attract his gaze-, he entered the water slowly, staying on the riverside, a little afraid to go to the Telmarine, to be near him when they were both unclothed. 

He plunged his head under water and emerged immediately. 

“Are you afraid of water?” Caspian asked while he swimmed through the pond to come back to him just after.

“No, not really. It’s just that I can’t swim,” Edmund revealed with a smile. 

“You can’t?” The man asked with surprise.

“Well, you don’t see so much water that isn’t iced in Narnia.”

“Oh, of course.”

Edmund was feeling awkward again, and he didn’t know if it was the fact that he had let Susan’s aggressors go, or if it was the fact that he was naked in front of Caspian, and that Caspian was equally naked and so beautiful and attractive. The Telmarine’s gaze was hot upon him and Edmund had difficulties meeting his eyes without feeling his cheeks growing hot. And, as he had difficulties looking straight at Caspian, Edmund's eyes laid upon his board and muscular chest and there was too much firm skin unveiled for him to stay focused.

“Maybe I could teach you?”

“I don’t think we have much time for that,” Edmund replied quickly, “and I don’t really have use of such a skill.”

“Of course,” Caspian said softly while he retreated to the firm ground.

Urgh, why was socialization so complicated? Caspian seemed taken aback and disappointed by his remarks and refusal, and it was stupid because it would mean to have more time with the King and Edmund would certainly love that. That and maybe the feeling of his warm hands on him. 

“Maybe you can teach me later?” He proposed awkwardly in order to hold him back. 

“Yes, I would like that,” Caspian replied instantly, his face illuminating and that apparently was enough for him to stay in the water with him. 

They both smiled at each other and Edmund bravely sank into the water, careful to not go too far ahead and to reach the pond’s bottom. It was weird, Edmund had never been in so much water before, but it wasn’t desagreable. After a moment, he turned to Caspian, hesitant.

“I was afraid you would be angry at me,” Edmund confessed with his heart beating in his ears as he was afraid of what Caspian could say and sad to think about the wolf, “because of Maugrim.”

“I was, at first,” Caspian said and he seemed oddly embarrassed too. “Peter was too. We didn’t understand why you decided to send them away so easily. They attacked the Beavers, and Su.”

“I understand.”

Of course they had been angry. They had seen the wolves at their worst, Edmund shouldn’t feel surprised or sad. It wasn’t because Aslan had approved his judgment that everyone had accepted it as easily. Still, it was difficult to hear.

“But Lucy told us something that made us change our mind. She heard Oreius say you fight like a wolf, after your duel. He taught you, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Edmund replied with a longing smile, “Maugrim mostly raised me, with his pack. He wasn’t always the cruel chief of the secret police, at least not to me.” 

Caspian smiled at him and approached him at his turn. Edmund felt his face flushed once more at their proximity. He had already found himself naked before Narnians, but it wasn’t the same to be naked in front of Narnians than to be naked in front of a man. An attractive and very naked man that made him want things he never thought about before.

It was not the time nor the place. Edmund needed to stop thinking about Caspian this way, even if the Telmarine seemed equally interested. 

...Was Caspian really interested? Edmund didn’t dare imagine what would happen if he kissed Caspian just now. How would he react? Surely, it wouldn’t be the same thing as when Miraz had wanted to impose himself on Edmund. He couldn’t imagine doing this to Caspian, and he knew Caspian wasn’t the sort of man to do this. He was too sweet and loving. 

His heart was beating hard and fast in his chest at the thought of them kissing, and suddenly, behind Caspian -and in front of Edmund- the Narnian Prince saw water levitating in a mass of droplets in the air. He knew instinctively that it was his doing. Edmund was doing this . The magic disappeared immediately as he realized it was coming from him, and the droplet dropped in the water. Caspian turned over to see the source of the sound that seemed to come from nowhere.

“Are you alright?” Edmund asked lightly like nothing had happened and Caspian looked at him with a puzzled gaze but quickly dismissed what had just happened. Fortunately, he had seen nothing and apparently Edmund’s presence was a suitable distraction. 

“Yes…” Caspian said, frowning. “I was just thinking that you seem to have a lot of affection for him.”

“Ah, yes,” Edmund admitted nervously, “I couldn’t let you kill him, or the other wolves. I just tried to think about a sanction that would seem just to everyone.”

“I understand better now.”

Once more, Caspian smiled at him with warm eyes that made him hot inside and Edmund had to contain himself and to get a hold on his emotion to not let this new and strange power take over him. 

Soon enough the hot feeling running through his body and induced by Caspian’s gazes and smiles was replaced by the coldness of the water and they both had to get out of the water. 

“Where are the Pevensies?” He asked when they were both clothed again -and even if the temptation was here, Edmund hadn’t turned to look at Caspian’s naked body. “I didn’t see them today.”

“Oh… It’s a particular day for them,” Caspian replied with sad eyes, making Edmund frown slightly. “Their brother died on this day.”

“...They had a brother?” Edmund mused with a heavy heart. It must have been terrible to lose a member of their family, even if he couldn’t imagine it. 

“Yes, he was killed by the Queen, your Queen I mean, eighteen years ago, the day after he was born.”

Edmund went entirely still and all the blood of his face left in a second, completely focused on the words the King had just said. 

“Edmund?”

“...Why would she do that?”

This wasn’t possible, was it? Edmund couldn’t help but hope , but it was impossible. It couldn’t be this simple. And why on earth would his mother do that? No, no, no, he wasn’t in his right mind. Edmund was still getting used to the magic that had suddenly appeared inside of him, surely he was completely mistaken in his logic. 

The Pevensies couldn’t be…

“We have no idea, but we are certain it was her. My father and the late Lord and Lady Pevensie assured themselves of this fact. And of course, Peter, Susan and Lucy took the first opportunity to go to Narnia to avenge their brother’s death. I certainly didn’t think it would evolve this way.”

Edmund blushed under Caspian’s gaze and he felt a little better when the man took a step closer and slipped his arm around his shoulders. He was probably imagining things about the Pevensies, it just wasn’t possible. And he didn’t care about not having a family, if someone kept looking at him the way Caspian did right now. 

“They lost a brother, long ago, but we gained new friends, don’t we?”

Edmund wasn’t sure to want to be just a friend, but he smiled nonetheless. “Yes, we do.”

“This day I prefer to leave them alone, especially Peter and Susan.” Caspian said softly, “but they will join us when they are ready, don’t worry.”

“I am not worried,” Edmund reassured, smiling, then he added teasingly. “You know, I have the greatest difficulties imagining you as a King. You seem so…”

“Yes?” Caspian queried with an amused smirk. 

“Nothing,” he dismissed rapidly, turning over to go back to the camp, escaping the arm around him. 

“No, no, Prince Edmund, stay here and keep talking.”

Caspian grabbed his arm while laughing and trapped him against a tree. 

“Did you mean to say that I am dull? Simple-minded?”

“No!” Edmund explained with his voice full of giggles. “I was going to say too friendly, but that’s definitely your words, not mine!”

The Telmarine was so close to him now and Edmund had definitely forgotten his doubts. He licked his lips and saw Caspian’s eyes following his tongue. Oh Gods…

“Edmund…” Caspian called in a breath.

“Yes?” He inquired weakly while looking straight at the King’s lips, his mouth suddenly drier than it had ever been before, and his stomach in a knot. 

“You should stop looking at me this way, or things you might not want will happen…”

Edmund smiled and he finally decided to stop thinking . He slipped a hand on Caspian’s neck to press their lips firmly together. For a second, he had the impression that nothing else existed around them. There was only the warm contact of their lips against the others, and his body hotter than he had ever been in his whole life.

“Things like this?” Edmund teased while he slipped from Caspian arms after he had broken the kiss, his cheeks red and his eyes sparkling. 

“You couldn’t even bear the sight of me a few days ago,” Caspian whispered with a delighted smile on his lips, his eyes shining with pleasure and wit. “And now you kiss me?”

It was true and at first Edmund had only felt anger, just to look at him. It was probably because Caspian was the first man he ever met, and because he had been immediately attracted to him. After all, it had been the first time Edmund had felt something like this and he hadn’t known how to react to these new feelings outside anger. After a few days, Edmund had experienced so many things. Everything was different now. He wasn’t sure to understand all the things he felt, but for now, he liked it.

“We should go back, don’t you think?”

And with that, Edmund disappeared through the trees.

OoO

Lucy smiled wildly, her hand on her mouth to stop herself from giggling too loudly. She knew she had seen something the other day, during the fight as she was cheering Edmund and Oreius. She had seen it and felt it. 

People might say she shouldn’t be this happy on this funnest day, but Lucy hadn’t even been born when her older brother had disappeared. She barely remembered her parents and she mostly felt sad for her siblings who remembered them. It was for them she wanted to avenge her brother, and not for him himself.

And Lucy was naturally cheerful. She couldn’t brood for too much time over something. She needed to move, to learn new things and to meet new people. 

Lucy loved her family and that was why she was ready to do anything for them, even fight for a person she never knew. And even if they weren’t always just towards her. Well, today she wasn’t fighting only for the Pevensies. She was fighting to free Narnia from this witch, and for Edmund who had suffered at the Queen’s hands. 

So, when the young lady had left the pavillon she shared with her sister and that she had seen Edmund going to the forest with a towel, she had followed her intuition and tailed him. 

Of course, she hadn’t meant to spy on Caspian and Edmund on this very private moment, but it didn’t stop her from watching.

‘ I can’t believe Caspian !’ She thought while trying to suppress her grin. This pervert hadn’t even diverted his eyes from the Narnian Prince when this one had taken off his clothes. When she would tell Susan…! Lucy didn’t want to be in the King’s place when her sister would yell at him for looking at Edmund in such a way. Susan was maybe gentle, but she was impressive once angry.

Lucy had looked away until the young man was in the water. Then she had seen Edmund using his magic, unconsciously. And their kiss. She had had the biggest difficulties not to giggle during the whole scene. She would have never suspected the Prince to be such a tease! Caspian was definitely and hopelessly smitten with him. 

Lucy was now following Edmund, committed to finding him and confronting him about his magic. He hadn’t wanted to talk about it, but this time Lucy had seen him clearly. Nevermind she had seen him nearly naked, she needed to talk to him! They could train together, and find a way to defeat the Witch once for all.

“Prince Edmund!” She called when they were at the edge of the forest. “May I talk to you?”

“Oh, Lucy…” The Prince seemed embarrassed as he looked at her and she guessed Caspian had talked to him about the meaning of this day for the Pevensies. Clearly, he wasn’t used to comfort other people, but she could hardly blame him for that with the education he had been given. “Hm, are you alright?”

“Yes yes, you will be sorry for me and my family another time, will you? Now, I’d like to talk to you about your magic.”

Edmund's face whitened at Lucy’s words and he tried to deny weakly. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, your Highness! I saw you with Caspian in the glade, bathing together like lovers .”

Well, he knew how to blush too, he was redder than the apple she ate that very morning, and this time she had her entire attention.

“And kissing too,” Lucy mocked with a childish voice then she began to sing loudly, “Caspian and Edmund kissing under the treeees, Caspian and Edmund ki-hmpph!”

The Prince had just put his hand on her mouth to stop her. 

“Don’t say another word, young lady or else…”

“Or else what? You will use magic on me?” Lucy teased as she laughed. “Come one! You have magic too! Why didn’t you tell me?"

Lucy looked at the lost expression on his face and she frowned. 

“Edmund?”

“I- I didn’t know. It never showed up before. I thought I was normal, I suppose.” 

“It’s weird!” Lucy exclaimed with surprise painted on her face. “My magic showed up when I was just a child, how yours…”

“I don’t know,” Edmund said quickly and she frowned. He clearly hid something. 

“Well, you still need to learn how to use it.”

She knew by experience that grown-ups (she didn’t count herself in that matter) didn’t like to be pushed to open up to others. On the contrary, they closed to other people. So, ignoring the Narnian reluctances and the things he was hiding on purpose, Lucy sat on the ground and began to explain to him the magic’s basis. 

Astonishingly, Edmund already knew a lot of things about magic.

“My mother didn’t tell me much,” the Prince explained, “but I wasn’t blind and I discovered some very old books in her room when I succeeded in sneaking in. It was advanced magic, but I remember a few things. Rituals mostly, explanations about how to direct magic, and really dark magic.”

And, gradually, Edmund told her what he had discovered about magic through the years and Lucy listened with utter attention to his every word. 

He told her about his childhood in the Queen’s iced castle, how he would spend all his time reading all the books he could get his hands on, and the time he got punished for sneaking in his mother’s room to steal more books to read. The Prince was clearly a scholar with an excellent memory, and he had a natural talent for magic. 

Lucy was so excited! All her life she had learned with old bald men, it was the first time she could share her passion with someone her age. She could only imagine all the rituals they could do together in the future, and what a mage-warrior Edmund would become if he properly learned magic.

“Come on, try to use your magic, like you did in the pond!” She cheered with excitement and the young man executed himself, a small smile on his lips.

And like that, as Edmund squinted in concentration, several little stones elevated in the air. If Lucy believed what he had said, he had discovered his magic the day before. Being able to have such control over his magical core was normally impossible! Not in such a short time! 

“Lucy?” She looked away from the levitating stones to look at Edmund. “I talked about what happened yesterday with Caspian and… Thank you, for talking to your siblings and Caspian.”

She smiled brightly. The Prince was adorable and while she wasn’t attracted in the slightest, Lucy understood why Caspian was so charmed by him.

“You are welcome. It must have been hard for you. I am sorry you had to do this.”

“It had to be done, I suppose.”

“Still, I think you made the right decision,” Lucy decided. “You don’t have to be cruel to be a good ruler.”

Edmund smiled sadly and even if was fighting it, Lucy could see his eyes watered. She couldn’t stop herself : she took him in her arms and hugged him strongly, and quickly, she felt tears wetting her neck. 

Chapter Text

Edmund couldn’t believe he had cried over Lucy’s shoulders. He hadn’t done the same over Caspian when they had talked about Maugrim, but he hadn’t been able to hold back with the young woman. When he had finally come around, he had seen no sign of pity in her eyes, only comprehension and sincerity. 

After that time spent together, Edmund hadn’t felt sad or regretful anymore (he was sure Lucy had used her magic on him), and they had spent their time together, Lucy helping him to have a grasp over his magic -and Edmund liked to think that he was quite good at it-.

Really, Lucy Pevensie was incredible.

After this day with Lucy -trying not to think about Caspian and the warm feeling of his lips on his-, they had passed several days in Aslan’s company with his generals, to talk about the war incoming. 

True to his word, Maugrim had taken all his wolves from the Queen’s army and they were spotted  retreating south, towards the mountain of Archenland. According to their spies (trees, mostly), the departure of the pack had bewildered Jadis and delayed her moves for at least two or three days. She probably hadn’t predicted that Maugrim would be loyal to Edmund, and not to her. 

She should have been so angry at him, and for once, this perspective hadn’t made Edmund fearful but proud.

That had certainly helped Edmund to be more popular to the Narnians. His actions that had made him so unpopular had finally helped them get more time to prepare for the battle to come. Not everyone was thrilled -some were hot-blooded and wanted to fight-, but Aslan seemed content. All mighty that he was, he didn’t seem eager to fight, and they weren’t ready.

Edmund knew the Queen’s army was large and bloodthirsty. They needed as much time as possible.

Of course, nothing could be easy, could it? 

The next morning, Edmund was found eating near the fire as he had taken the habit over the last few days. He found mesmerizing the sight of the warm and soothing flame dancing in front of him. 

“Hello Prince Edmund,” a now very familiar voice drawled behind him.

“It’s ‘prince’ now?” He jested with an amused smile. 

The King of Telmar smiled at him. They had barely had the time to talk together the day before, as they spent it training and talking strategy with Aslan, but they had taken every opportunity to brush each other's hands, like it was the most intimate thing in the world. And to Edmund, it definitely was. 

“I was only trying to be decent,” Caspian said as he sat beside him, his own bowl in hand.

“So, do I have to call you ‘King’? or ‘your Majesty’?”

“I think I’d like that.” The Telmarine’s voice was smug and his eyes were sparkling with a hot glim that made him gasp in surprise while his cheeks blushed in a bright red. “It could do good on you, as you can’t imagine me as a King.”

“Oh, you are very kingly, your Majesty,” Edmund mocked in return, even if still blushing. 

On the contrary, after their day talking strategy, Edmund had been quite impressed by Caspian’s mind and leadership. He was clearly used to fighting and to plan attacks, which wasn’t surprising with Miraz planning to kill him to take his throne. The King wasn’t just a pretty face after all, and it was making even more attractive. 

Edmund stood up after having finished his spread, Caspian tagging along after devouring his own dish, to his amusement. The Prince surely never had a suitor before and he loved how eager Caspian could be with him. They walked side by side through the camp, their hands and fingers brushing like they had done the day before, doing like nothing was happening as they greeted Narnians as they went by. 

Despite the situation they were in, Edmund felt lighter than he had been in a long time. To walk with Caspian, to talk to him about nothing important seemed to be like breathing. The Telmarine made him smile and bring him this warmth he had been looking for all his life.

“Edmund…”

“Yes?”

“Nothing.”

He frowned as Caspian clearly hesitated. 

“What is it? You can tell me.”

“I was thinking about the reason you wanted to leave Narnia. You explained to us back then, but… Never mind.”

Oh, so it was that. Edmund hadn’t felt the need to tell the Telmarines his reasons before. It felt pretty obvious after what happened and he wasn’t sure he really wanted to explain himself to everyone, but for a reason he didn’t understand, Edmund trusted Caspian and he wanted him to know.

“No, I suppose it’s normal to want answers… In reality I left on an impulse. The day I left, I took the opportunity to walk in the forest when my mother left -probably to meet with Miraz- and I went by the Beaver. She never saw me before but she was so afraid I was going to do something horrible to her… I realized it would always happen and that no one would ever really love me if I stayed… Sorry. I am a pathetic excuse of a Prince, running away for that reason.”

“No, you’re wrong,” Caspian said with a warm smile, and he took his hands in his to kiss them, making Edmund blush deeply. “You survive so long on your own... Hm. How old are you again?”

Edmund laughed at the air of deep reflection on Caspian’s face. “I never said it to you actually. I am eighteen.”

“I was afraid you were younger actually.”

“Oh, because you are so much older, ô ancient and wise King Caspian,” Edmund jested with a playful grin. 

Caspian laughed and slipped an arm around his shoulders to keep him close. Edmund’s heart fluttered at the sudden heat he felt in his heart and he smiled shyly at Caspian. The Telmarine led him to the edge of the forest while looking around. Edmund found himself pushed against a tree (again!) and a second later, Caspian’s lips were on his, pressing gently against his mouth. Edmund momentarily tensed, memories of Miraz assaulting him coming back to his mind like a wave, but he instantly realized that it was nothing like what had happened with the other Telmarine.

Caspian was gentle and lovely, his voice reassuring and his presence like an anchor in the ocean he was drowning in. Edmund finally relaxed and, hesitantly, he slipped an arm around Caspian’s waist, then relinquished in his warmth.

“I wanted to kiss you all day, yesterday,” Caspian whispered against his lips. 

“Really?” Edmund asked, amused by the other man’s antics.

“I’m afraid you’re hard to resist.”

Edmund laughed and at his turn he kissed him.

Soft and innocent kisses turned into languid ones, making Edmund moan softly as their tongues encountered for the first time to taste and feel each other, making Edmund discover a new world of sensation and pleasure. Caspian’s hands were on his waist, holding him still while he kissed him deeply, and Edmund felt something he never experienced before, deep in his core. There was a heat and a hunger in his belly that was new to him, something devouring and urgent that made him want to touch Caspian more, to feel more of his body against his. His hands slided in Caspian’s back to touch him over the clothes, wishing he could feel more of the firm muscles under them..

Heat spread wider in his body to concentrate between his legs and oh , he was feeling so hot now, more than Edmund had ever been. His hands on Caspian’s waist got up on his neck to make him feel that urgent need to be touched, but Caspian broke the kiss, panting, his cheeks red and eyes shining with what he guessed was lust. Edmund tried to kiss him again, but the other man’s hands blocked him against the tree. 

“We should calm down,” the Telmarine said in a breathless voice, his front against his, “or I am afraid I won’t be able to stop myself.”

Edmund’s face heated at these words, but aside from the embarrassment he felt, there was something else he never felt for anyone else before. He was feeling lust. 

“I don’t want you to stop,” he whispered against him, “please…”

Caspian’s face became incredibly red when he heard his plea, and Edmund was ready to beg again just to see him lose his composure.

“I’m afraid that we can’t just do that, we’re royalty… And certainly not against a tree.”

Edmund hated Caspian for being so reasonable, but he was right. It wasn’t really royal for a King and a Prince of enemies nations to kiss behind the trees, even if it was without a doubt an extremely pleasing thing to do. He felt a little ashamed with his behavior now.

“We should go back to the camp,” Edmund said, his eyes firmly on Caspian chest in an effort to not look at his lips. 

“You’re right.”

Caspian took a step back and immediately Edmund missed the warmth emanating from his body. They walked side by side, at a certain distance this time, as Edmund wasn’t sure he could control himself. He never felt like this before; darn, he even barely touched himself! For one, it was too cold for that, and two, he had never met another humanoid that he could have found attractive. Desire and want was a whole new world that Caspian had unlocked for him.

“So,” Edmund inquired shyly, “I am not used to that kind of relationship. Where do you usually take your conquest to do that ?”

“You seem quite certain that I have had several relationships, I am not a fickle man, Prince Edmund.”

“I never said you were, just that you kiss a little too well to be inexperienced.”

And Caspian wouldn’t be able to make him believe that with his face and easy manners he didn’t have several lovers already. Edmund might be innocent, but not at this point.

“Oh, so you do like my kisses?”

Edmund gaped and felt his cheeks burned terribly once again. Refusing to look at Caspian, he walked faster to run away. 

“No, Prince Edmund, you won’t run away until I have my answer!” Caspian guffawed as he ran after him. 

“Let me alone, King Caspian,” he whinged, “I don’t want to talk anymore.”

“Let me at least answer you. I usually take my conquests to my royal bedroom, and I lay my lovers in my…-”

Edmund turned around to clap a hand over Caspian’s lips. If he heard the end of his sentence, he might not be able to look at him again without imagining things between him and faceless men and women. He regretted asking him that, as jealousy was burning in him just to think about Caspian’s former lovers.

"Ugh shut up! I don’t want to know anymore!”

Caspian laughed and took his hand to kiss it lightly, then he kept teasing him.

OoO

They both separated to help in various tasks in the camp, but even from a distance, Edmund could see Caspian looking at him, making him laugh with his deep dark gazes that he kept sending him.  

“You should stop that, your Highness.”

Edmund turned his head to the Faun who had just talked loudly enough for him to hear. Immediately, he recognized him. It was the same Faun who had asked for the wolves' execution. He was one of the Narnians that didn’t want him here, in the camp, for they believed that he was still loyal to the Queen.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, maybe you can explain?”

The Faun laughed at him in a mocking way, making him frown and tense. Edmund might not have a high esteem of himself, but he wouldn’t allow anyone to mock him. 

“I’m waiting, Faun,” he said icily. 

“My name is Qaestio, and I believe you should stop what you’re doing with the Telmarine King.”

Edmund frowned a bit. “What I am doing with King Caspian isn’t your business.”

“I only think about your wellness, your Highness,” Qaestio said but it was clear at his voice that didn’t care at all about Edmund. This one was a troublesome Narnian and Edmund was even surprised he was loyal to Aslan with his character. It was clear that he was intelligent and that he was looking to create some trouble with his behavior. “If I may remind you, your Highness, one day, soon enough hopefully, the Telmarines will leave for their land. King Caspian probably already has a Queen, and if he doesn’t, he will have to give an heir to his throne… So will you.”

Qaestio made a ridiculous bow and took his leave, letting him alone in his thoughts. The day had been so wonderful so far; he had forgotten his problems, his mother and the war they were in for a few hours, with only thoughts of Caspian’s and his lips on his in his mind. The Faun had gotten him back to reality quite brutally. 

The fact was that Edmund never thought he would actually be King. Of course, he had been raised in a certain way, learning about politics and strategy and he had one day thought he would rule, but Jadis was immortal and he had wanted to flee his country, and so he had wished to abandon his rights and duties over the throne of Narnia. It never crossed his mind that if they vanquished the Queen, Edmund would be King, and being the King implied a lot of things, such as marrying the daughter of a powerful Lord to strengthen Narnia and giving an heir to his throne.

Everything had happened so fast that Edmund didn’t even have the time to realize that. 

It was the same for Telmar. Edmund didn’t know much of Caspian, but he was quite sure he wasn’t married. Regardless, Qaestio had been right when he had said that the Telmarine would have to go back to their country, leaving him all alone. 

Then he realized, just like that, that they weren’t meant to be together. 

If they beat Jadis, then they would have to rule their own country, separately. If they didn’t win, then it would mean that they were all dead.

No matter the outcome, they would never be together.

Edmund felt suddenly very hot and cold at the same time, and he went to sit immediately as he felt his legs wouldn’t wear him any longer. He breathed deeply, remembering once again his mother’s words. 

‘Control yourself. Control your emotions.’

Edmund liked Caspian. Oh yes, he really did, and he didn’t know what to do now. Edmund was feeling stupid to have thought that something might happened between them, when in reality there was no hope at all.

Caspian, Peter, Susan and Lucy would leave him soon to go back to their country. They would leave him all alone in this terrible ice castle, no matter what. Their lives weren’t in Narnia but in Telmar. It would happen, no matter what, and he didn’t want the one to be left alone. Because of course, Edmund would stay in Narnia. He needed to fix everything his mother had done wrong during her terrible rule.

Oh gods, Edmund realized, whatever they had between him and Caspian, this needed to stop.

Edmund needed to tell Caspian it was over, to finish this situation before it went too far, and before they developed more feelings than they already had. Before Caspian realized at his turn and had the chance to finish this himself. 

Maybe it was for the best after all. Edmund might not have any experience in love, or relationship in general, but surely what existed between him and Caspian happened too fast. He might have greatly enjoyed what happened, but maybe it was too much in a too short time, he mused in order to convince himself. 

Never had he needed someone in his life before, there was no reason for it to change. He could just go back to who he was before.

Edmund took a long time to calm himself before he stood up to resume what he was doing. All he needed was to do something useful in order to think about something else.

And Edmund did. That day, until late in the afternoon, he helped with the armor at the forge, even if it was just to bring water, he helped with the training, then he helped the cook who was in charge to feed all the camp. Edmund didn’t spare any effort that day. 

At some point of the time, he found himself before Aslan’s pavillon. They needed to talk about the war that was to come and especially what would follow, but he hesitated, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer to his doubts.

“My boy, your mind seems to be disturbed,” the majestic lion said behind the heavy curtains.

Edmund gulped but took his courage in both hands like he did the first time, several days ago, and he entered the pavillon. 

“Is it so obvious you can tell without seeing me?”

“I can see many things that are not in front of me, your Highness. Please, tell me what is on your mind.”

Again, Edmund hesitated to tell.  “I am afraid.”

“It’s normal to be afraid. Wars are terrible things, but when the Witch is defeated…”

“I am not afraid of fighting,” Edmund interrupted, his eyes on the ground. “Nor am I afraid of dying.”

If he was honest, Edmund would say he was afraid of surviving the war and living in the world that would come after.

Aslan stayed silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on him and Edmund had the weird impression that he could read in him like an open book. Edmund looked up after a minute of silence and he saw Aslan’s big brown eyes looking straight at him without any judgment. 

“You have affection for King Caspian. A lot of affection.”

“Yes, I have.,” Edmund admitted as he blushed in shame. “ I don’t know what to do. He is a good man but… What of his duties as a King…? What of mine’s?”

What if he wasn’t good enough for Caspian and Caspian realized it?

“Being a prince, nearly a king, is not an easy thing, but because you think this way it shows that you will be a way better ruler than Jadis ever was.”

Warm spread in his body under Aslan’s gentle gaze and his words relieved him, and it felt like magic. He was just realizing the role he would have at the end of all this.  If he had to be King, he didn’t want to reproduce the terrible reign his mother had made everyone suffer. 

“Thank you, Aslan.”

“I can’t tell you what to do regarding King Caspian, Prince Edmund. You’ll have to follow your heart without forgetting your reason. But maybe you won’t have to make a choice.”

Edmund nodded, not quite understanding what the Lion had wanted to mean by that, but he knew in his core what he had to do. 

OoO

Aslan and Edmund had kept talking about their army and the strategy they would apply during the battle that would oppose them to the Queen, and were joined by Orieus at one point of time. When the sun had begun to decline, Edmund had left them alone to discuss. He was exhausted, and the only thing he wanted to do was to sleep, but before he could reach his tent, he was stopped by the only person he didn’t want to see at the moment.

“Edmund, finally you are here. I have been looking for you all day.”

“I have been busy,” he only answered without looking at Caspian.

Heart and reason. It should have been easy, but it wasn’t. 

So, when Caspian leant on him, a hand put on Edmund’s hips, in order to kiss him, Edmund put a hand on his chest to stop him. Edmund took a step back, his eyes down so he wouldn’t have to face Caspian.

“We can’t do this anymore,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.

“What do you mean?” Caspian immediately asked as he put his hand on Edmund’s shoulders to hold him back, his tone very serious. 

“Whatever it is between us, this needs to stop from now on.”

They both stayed silent for a moment. Edmund didn’t dare look at Caspian, sensing the man’s darker gaze on his face.

“I refuse,” Caspian declared forcefully when he understood Edmund was serious, his voice quivering slightly.

Edmund looked up to Caspian. The Telmarine’s face was very stern and so hurt, but Edmund said nothing even if his chest ached painfully. He didn’t want to talk about it. His decision was made : he would protect his heart from what would come inevitably at the end of the war.

“Edmund, what is going on?”

“Please Caspian, don’t make things more difficult.”

“I am doing nothing!”

“You are King and I am to be one too! You can’t fool around with me like this!” Edmund blurted, his tone more vicious than intended.

Caspian’s gaze hardened suddenly and his hands left his shoulders. “You weren’t saying that this morning. You were quite eager if I remember well.”

Edmund’s face flamed in shame at the hard words, his stomach tightening as he thought about this delicious moment, but he didn’t bulge. He had to be strong and he wouldn’t let that happen again. 

“You are right. I shouldn’t have kissed you in the first place. I am sorry I have misled you. This won’t happen again.”

Caspian was stunned, gaping at him and his face so angry now, his eyes reflecting the pain he was getting through. Edmund didn’t want to cause him this sorrow, especially since Caspian had been nothing but sweet and loving toward him, even forgiving him for his lies. Edmund took a step back as he intended to flee, but Caspian grabbed his wrist to hold him back.

“Edmund, I don’t know what is going on, but believe me, we’re not finished here.”

The Prince tensed at the grim tone and piercing eyes who were still looking straight at him. Edmund knew that if he went in his tent, Caspian would follow him immediately and he didn’t know what would happen if they were all alone. 

Screams rang through the camp, cutting both men. Caspian didn’t move for several seconds before he let him go to turn around to go and see what was going on. Caspian didn’t look at him when he left, almost like he was running away from him, and he certainly was after what had just happened. 

Edmund realized he had contained his tears all the time he had been talking to Caspian, as they were now prickling his eyes. 

What had he just done?

He took a moment to try to calm down, persuading himself that he made the right decision for both of them, and he followed Caspian, at a good distance. 

He saw the King join the Pevensies and before he could even think about joining them or not, Edmund abruptly stopped as he recognized the Queen of Narnia standing, immense and proud, in her chariot pulled by polar bears. Everything seemed to stop around him and all the air in this immense valley didn’t seem enough for him to breathe. 

Her icy and dark gaze laid on him, freezing him on the spot, and her lips spread in a mockery of a smile. He felt small and weak, like he always had been when he was in her presence. Then her eyes turned to Aslan who was standing before her. 

"Aslan," Jadis said in a clear and strong voice. "You have a traitor in your rank."

Voices rose around them, each Narnian looking frantically at his neighbor, but Edmund already knew who she was referring to. 

"Silence!" The Dwarf Ginarrbrik. “You should bow before your Queen, scums!”

“Calm down, Ginarrbrik,” the Queen said calmly. “I demand, as Magic allows me, the blood of Prince Edmund of Narnia, for his treachery towards myself.”

Edmund breathed sharply, his face white and the legs trembling even more than before. He had guessed immediately why she was here, but it was still so hard to hear it from her mouth. She was here to kill him. 

“That boy will die on the Stone Table!”

Instinctively, his eyes found Caspian’s who was looking at him with sheer panic. Edmund wished he had Caspian’s arms around him this time to feel protected. Tears came back to his eyes but he was determined to fight back. Now was not the time to be a coward and to run away again. He wouldn’t let her have her way. All his life she had crushed him, making him feel like he was useless, but he wasn’t now. He had a utility. Narnians needed him to fight against her.

“Witch…” Aslan growled as he showed his teeth menacingly. 

“Surely you will obey your own law? If I don’t obtain satisfaction I-”

“I know magic, Witch.”

“As I do,” Edmund intervened, walking bravely to Aslan to stop when he was beside him, despite his trembling legs and racing heart. “We won’t obey, because Magic never asked for my blood.”

“Stupid child, how dare you contest my right?! How dare you contest my knowledge?!”

“The betrayal of a loyalty obtained by deception and lies isn’t treachery,” he spatted, disappointment appearing clearly on his face.

Never in his life Edmund had dared talk to his mother this way, and how good and exhilarating it was to do it. Each time he had tried to speak against her, she had punished him, quite harshly, but this time he had Aslan by his side. Oh, he was afraid, of course. There was a risk that he had been wrong, that he was her son by blood and that she hadn’t lied. Edmund had told Aslan earlier that he wasn’t afraid to die, but he was afraid to die by her hand , as he knew it would be a slow and painful death.

“You can’t claim my blood,” he repeated intently.

“This is your last chance, child, to come home and do this right,” Jadis greeted her teeth, her eyes throwing daggers in his direction. “You will marry Miraz and all will be forgiven.”

Edmund felt his heart break : she didn’t deny his accusation. He had been right. She wasn’t his mother and his life had been nothing but a terrible lie. All that interested her was the power he could give her. Finally, it was Jadis who had betrayed him, and not the way around. He wanted to yell at her, to be angry and tell her to go burn in hell for what she had done to him, but Edmund found that he was only tired and that he wanted to cry after all the events that had happened. 

“Go, Witch,” Aslan growled. “I won’t attack as I know that if I do, your army will arrive immediately to slaughter as many Narnian as they can. Go, and we shall fight tomorrow in the Valley of Beruna.”

And with that the Witch left, her face distorted by rage.

Chapter Text

Susan had immediately seen that something was wrong, even if she herself was shaking out of fear before the Queen of Narnia. Even surrounded by his family, the army of Narnians and Aslan, Susan wasn’t feeling safe. Jadis was even more terrifying than she had been when she had made them prisoners, as at this moment she hadn’t wanted to kill them. 

‘How has Edmund been able to live with her all this time? ’ she asked herself, shivering from sudden coldness.

Caspian had joined them outright, his face pale and stern and his eyes full of pain, not caring for a second about the Queen. When she saw Edmund arrive a second later, his face white as well with red eyes, she knew something happened, and not because of the Witch.

Jadis took her leaves at once after Aslan’s announcement and the Lion had to roar so they would calm down and go back to work. The next day would be decisive and they needed to get ready for it. Every second mattered.

“Caspian,” Susan asked after she had grabbed his arm to hold him back while everyone dispersed, “what happened?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Su.”

“Oh please. Edmund is looking dreadful and you’re not at his side like you should be.”

“Why should I be at his side? He clearly doesn’t need me.”

“But-”

“Let this be, Su.”

Caspian took his arm back and fled, leaving her with a worried frown. She already knew that her friend was completely infatuated with the Prince and that said Prince was equally enamored with her King. Susan had seen them getting closer and closer through the last few days, and she had been worried about Caspian who was always so honest about what he felt. Right now, the Narnian Prince was unstable, and emotionally vulnerable, and she was afraid Caspian might not have realized that yet. The poor boy had seen his entire life changed after all.

“Susan?”  

She turned to her sister with a frown and kept looking at Caspian. She didn’t like to leave him in this state, but this was not over and she intended to discover what happened between the two young men. Now, she needed to focus on her little sister who was looking at her with a mysterious glim in her eyes.

“I asked Peter to go to our tent. We have something to discuss,” Lucy said seriously. 

Susan nodded and followed her towards their tent. 

“You don’t want Caspian to come too?”

“Not this time I’m afraid. Come on. It’s important, I think.”

That was certainly mysterious, and for now, she decided to leave Caspian alone, promising herself to go after him the moment they had finished. They entered their tent where Peter was already installed on Susan’s bed. 

“What is going on Lu? You seem bothered by something. Is this because of the Witch? We won’t let her approach you and hurt you,” her older brother said with confidence, making her smile.

“This isn’t that, Peter…” 

Lucy seemed uncertain and she was fidgeting. Susan knitted her brows, annoyed by Lucy’s hesitations when the only thing she wanted was to join Caspian to be sure he was doing alright and to discover what had happened with the Prince.

“Please Lucy, tell us and stop fidgeting this way. You know I hate it when you do this.”

And it was even more annoying now that Aslan had announced they were to fight on the next day. It wasn’t like they had the time for this.

“Sorry,” she said while blushing. “I think there are things you need to know. Things that I know and that made me think…”

She hesitated again and Susan nearly groaned. Didn’t she see that Caspian and Edmund both looked hurt before and after the Queen left?! Susan wanted to find a way to comfort both of them, and not let them alone in their sorrow.

“Lucy,” Susan snapped as she pinched her nose and opened the tent to leave, “we are on the verge of a war and I don’t have time for your waverings. I need to talk to Caspian, something is wrong.”

“I think Edmund might be our brother!” Lucy said quickly and this time Susan stopped.

There was a long silence after her sister revealed this. Susan looked at Peter as his face went white. Lucy was red, her eyes shining with tears. Susan was speechless, her mouth open as she tried to find something to say to that . 

“What are you talking about Lucy?” Peter finally said, his voice blank and his face serious. 

“Edmund has magic, just like me, and-”

“This doesn’t mean anything, Lucy,” Susan said, this time exasperated as memories of their parents crying over the death of their little brother came to her, making her heart heavy in her chest. 

“Will you two stop interrupting me and let me talk?! Why are you always so insufferable with me?!” Lucy screamed her face red with anger and tears escaping her eyes. “You always do that, everytime I suggest something! You listen to what I have to say only when it goes your way, but this time I won’t let it be! So now, Susan, stop pretending to be so high and mature! Sit down and take the time to listen to me!”

Susan’s voice died and she felt bad for talking to her sister like this when she seemed so serious. It was true that sometimes she was hard on Lucy, because she was younger and because Susan had more experience of life, but she would have never thought her sister was feeling like this, to the point of crying of anger and frustration, she that was always so light-hearted.

“I’m sorry, Lucy…” Susan whispered, closing the tent once more to go and sit beside Peter who was gaping. “We’re listening.”

Lucy took a minute to calm herself, pacing the tent. “Alright. So, Edmund has magic. I talked with him about it, and it’s not because he has magic that I say he might be our brother. His magic has just manifested, two days ago, and it’s not logic, it is not possible! Magic doesn’t appear just like that, not this powerful.”

Susan remembered when they were children and that Lucy’s magic had begun to show. Little things like objects -mostly toys or feathers- levitating when she was happy. She only grew stronger, but it had taken time, years for her to control the force she had in her and to use it to fight or to heal. And she wasn’t at her full potential yet.

“I felt that Edmund didn’t tell me everything and I suspect that the Witch might have cursed him to have control over him, to hide his magic. I read about such enchantments and a witch, or a wizard, can’t hold the curse after the eighteen birthday. There is something in this number that always breaks curses. Four days ago was his first time using magic, he told me. Four days ago should have been our brother’s eighteenth birthday. Our brother disappeared in ice and snow and we never had an actual proof he was dead.”

Susan felt Peter tensed at her side and she turned her gaze to him. She remembered now that the he-beaver had said that Edmund looked like her, when they were at his dam. Lucy had immediately agreed and again she had dismissed her like it was nothing, but she did have remarked it too. 

“But… This isn’t possible…” Peter muttered, then he put his face into his hands. 

It shouldn’t have been possible, but Susan felt that her brother was beginning to believe Lucy and to hope.

“Lucy, do you really think it’s a possibility?” Susan asked softly.

“We know the Witch hasn’t enough power to extend her authority outside Narnia’s borders. She needs to sacrifice a person with magic, so she kidnapped the first child born with magic and waited for him to be powerful enough to steal his magic. Edmund revealed less than an hour ago that the Witch had lied to him about something, and that she had been the one to betray him. That’s why she came so far to have him back and I really realized at that moment that it was real . I think he understood too that she intended to steal his magic at his eighteenth birthday… Just after his wedding with Miraz.”

“It makes sense,” Peter whispered, then he gaped in horror, “oh god…”

Suddenly, Peter was up and pacing through the tent, as Lucy was a few moments ago. 

“What is going on Peter?!” Susan asked with panic. “Did you think about a detail or-”

“I encouraged Caspian to woo Edmund! I would have never done that if I had known there was a chance that he was my brother! Oh, if he dared lay a hand on him, I swear to God that King or not…”

Susan couldn’t contain herself a second more and she bursted laughing. “Is this seriously the only thing you’re thinking about?”

“Don’t mock me, I don’t want Caspian to seduce him like he did with other boys and girls in Telmar.”

“Well, it’s a little too late, don’t you think?” Lucy managed to say between her laughs.

“... What do you mean?”

“I mean that they already kissed! I thought Cas told you.”

“They kissed!” Both Susan and Peter exclaimed at the same time. 

“How do you know that?” Peter asked immediately after, eyes dark and focused.

“Because I talked about it with Edmund, and because I saw them kissing in the forest,” Lucy laughed. 

If they had kissed, that meant that their relationship was at a new level, Susan thought while thinking back at Caspian hurt face, but something had gone awry for a reason she ignored. 

“I think they fought,” Susan said quietly. “Just before she came.”

They went silent for a long moment, the time to assess what they had learned, especially Peter who had the most memory of what happened so long ago. 

“We need to talk to Edmund,” Peter decided with determination. “If he is our brother…”

Susan smiled at his brother and took his hands in her’s. She knew her brother and she had seen Peter getting closer to Edmund too, but clearly not in the same way Caspian did. Peter had been more protective of him, but the fact was that it never happened in Telmar, he had never grown so close to anyone like this. He had quickly acted like an older brother to the young Prince and they all felt something strong to him, just like Edmund trusted all of them in a very short time when he had such a hard life who had hardened him. 

“Caspian needs us too,” Susan pointed out, “Peter, maybe you should talk to Edmund, and I will talk to-” 

She didn’t have the time to finish her sentence. Peter was already outside the tent, running to Edmund’s to find him. 

“You were both easier to convince than I thought,” Lucy said slowly. 

“I think we felt it,” Susan stated with a sad smile, “instinctively we felt there was something between us, but I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it.”

Maybe it was selfish, but Susan was hoping that Edmund wasn’t their brother. She liked him a lot, and she was already foreseeing that they could be close, but the situation would be too complicated for everyone. Narnia would be without a King, Edmund would find himself uprooting to an environment he knew nothing about, and the life of everyone would be changed forever. 

What if he died tomorrow and that she had to go through losing her brother a second time?

However, even if Susan thought that in a part of her mind, there was another part that screamed at her to welcome her little brother and to comfort him, no matter how difficult it seemed for her, and she wanted to give in. 

Lucy smiled at her and she ran into her arms. Susan pressed her little sister against her, thinking about all the things that were going to change now. 

“I am so sorry Lucy for being so hard on you all the time. I’ll make efforts to change.”

“It’s all forgiven, Susan. You know I love you no matter what.”

Susan kissed her head and smiled. How lucky she was to have this family. And soon, her family would expand.

“Lucy, you should go with Peter, or he will frighten Edmund with his brotherness. You know him.”

Lucy nodded, laughing at the thought of Peter driving the Prince mad, and she left the tent. Now, Susan had a certain King to talk to. 

The sun was now long gone and the moon had taken its place in the sky, but she still found her friend easily. Caspian was sulking alone by a fire, his eyes fixed on the flames, sad and serious. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Susan asked quietly as she sat by his side. 

“No.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile and put his hand on his shoulder, staying silent as she looked at him. They stayed in this position for several minutes, Susan waiting for Caspian to open up to her. 

“He said he wanted to stop everything,” Caspian whispered, his eyes fixed on the fire, his face devoid of emotion, “that I was fooling around with him and that he regretted kissing me.”

“Why would he say that?” Susan asked while frowning and shocked by Caspian revelation.

“I don’t know, he hasn’t told me,” Caspian replied in a breath, his voice full of resentment.

“I am sure he had a reason. It is clear that he likes you.”

“Then why?” Caspian moaned, bitter.

She knew they didn’t know Edmund well, but he didn’t seem one to do and say things like this. He was a brilliant young man, strong and tough, generous and more sensible than Edmund thought himself to be. Something must have happened for him to act this way towards Caspian, even if clearly he had hurt himself by rejecting her friend.

“Maybe…” 

Susan stopped herself suddenly and Caspian looked at her, serious and determined. 

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh no, not that again. Tell me Susan.”

She hesitated. Edmund had her and Peter promised not to tell anything about Miraz, but what if it was this terrible event that had motivated his last actions?

“... There is something we didn’t tell you with Peter,” she said hesitantly. “Something that happened in the ice castle. Edmund hadn’t wanted you to know but…”

“Su, please,” Caspian pleaded in a whisper. 

“Miraz tried to… To assault him.”

“He did what?!” 

Immediately, Caspian was on his feet, his face red with anger, and pacing before the fire.

“We stopped him in time, but…”

“Did he do anything to Edmund?”

“I’m not sure of it.”

Caspian cursed, making Susan startled and her eyes opened wider with surprise. He had been King for years now, but it was the first time she saw him in this state. Caspian passed a hand in his hair, breathing hard. 

“I should have never let him flee, I should have killed him when I had the occasion…”

“Caspian…”

“I need to talk to Edmund.”

“What- Oh wait Caspian!”

And Caspian didn’t listen to her and left briskly to Edmund’s tent where Peter was already confronting the Prince. She knew how Peter could be, and that’s why she asked Lucy to go with him. But even like this, Edmund wouldn’t be able to bear those two stupid and pigheaded men. 

“Please, this is not the moment!” Susan yelled, running after him. 

Gods, she shouldn’t have told him this.

“No, I need to know, he can’t tell me our relationship has to stop just like that. I don’t care if he is to be King, I love him.”

Oh. So it was that and not Miraz. 

Susan stilled as she realized what had really happened earlier. Edmund had spent all his life with a mother who didn’t love him. The wolves were gone and soon he would be King, all by himself. It was logical to think that the Telmarines would go back to their land. So Edmund had rejected Caspian because he was afraid of being left alone after the war was over, and he probably chose to end everything before this moment happened : he had rejected Caspian so Caspian wouldn’t do it first. 

It was exactly what Susan would have done if she had been in that kind of situation.

But everything would be different if he was their brother.

“Edmund, you are so stupid!” Susan muttered, resuming her walk to Edmund’s tent. 

OoO

Edmund had avoided Aslan’s gaze after the Witch had departed and had walked away, taking advantage of the confusion of Narnians to do it without being seen.

Why did everything have to go wrong each time? Why wasn’t it easier? And why was Edmund always a mess?

Edmund entered his tent, a grave expression over his face, thinking that he had the confirmation now that Jadis wasn’t his birth mother. He was feeling strangely empty knowing it. It wasn’t the same to guess it as to know it.

He thought about speaking to Aslan about it, but he was sure the Lion was already aware of the situation and he was afraid of what he would have told him. After all, it was clear that Edmund wasn’t a Prince, he didn’t deserve the throne. 

It was good Edmund had rejected Caspian before the fact was known.  No one would be able to say that he was trying to take advantage of Caspian, and he was sure Caspian would be glad to not be associated with him, now that he had become nothing more than a commoner. 

Edmund stayed sitting on his bed for some time, dwelling on everything that happened and that had changed his life forever. Finally, maybe he would have the opportunity to see Calormen, as nothing held him in Narnia, not even his blood. 

“EDMUND!”

His tent opened brutally and Peter entered before Edmund could say anything. He squeaked as Peter took him in his arms with familiarity and warmth. Peter pressed him hard against him with no reason and after a second, Edmund began to struggle against him. What was going on this time?!

“Peter! What are you doing? Let me go!”

“Oh no! I won’t let you go before you and I had a good conversation.” 

“I don’t want to talk,” he replied firmly, hoping that it would make the Telmarine go, but it didn’t work as the man didn’t let him go. 

“Then don’t talk, I’ll do it for you.”

Edmund pouted a little but was feeling comforted by Peter’s presence, as the silence and loneliness was getting away now that he was here with him. So, Edmund didn’t make it more difficult and they both sat on his bed, Peter holding his hand in his. 

“What do you want, Peter?” He asked without looking at him. 

“Lucy told us you might be our brother.”

Edmund's head rose suddenly to look at Peter with big eyes. How-! When had she understood it?

“You knew!” Peter exclaimed, accusation rolling in his voice. “You knew and you didn’t tell us!”

“I didn’t know!” Edmund interjected vehemently. “I couldn’t be sure without a confirmation, and I began to suspect it only a few days ago...”

Peter was frantic and Edmund panicked. Once again, his heart was pounding madly in his chest, out of control, and his head was numb with anxiety and fear, but Peter finally calmed himself and Edmund relaxed a bit. 

“Lucy told us she began to suspect it because of your magic,” Peter continued softly, a smile on his lips. “You really hadn’t known before?”

“No! I- Caspian told me your brother’s birthday was a few days ago… And so was mine.” 

Once again, Peter took him in his arms, surrounding him in a warm hug. 

“By the gods, you really are our brother! I can’t believe it!”

“You can’t be sure!” Edmund’s voice faltered but he felt himself relaxed in Peter’s embrace.

Edmund couldn’t believe that Lucy had arrived at the same conclusion as him. So, it wasn’t just him, the Pevensies were thinking that he was their brother too and if Peter’s behavior was an indicator, they weren’t angry by the whole situation. 

“We’ll ask Aslan, this witch, anyone , but I believe Lucy and I believe you.”

“You’re not disappointed?” Edmund asked in a breath, his heart sinking down in his chest, fearing to hear the answer.

“Why should I be?”

“Because I’m me… You probably expected more of your brother.”

Peter shivered against him and Edmund felt warm just by the word. Brother . 

“An hour ago my brother was dead to me. It’s so much more than what I ever expected, Edmund. And, how haven’t I remarked before how much you look like Susan, just like our mother.”

Edmund lifted his head suddenly. Their mother. Of course he had parents, real ones, and it made him wonder what it would have felt to grow with them, surrounded by their love and by his siblings. 

Shouting voices outside broke the moment, and both Peter and he recognized Susan and Caspian’s voices. Edmund gulped, not really sure if he wanted to see Caspian now, but it was already too late. The Telmarine King entered the tent, his body tensed and ire in his eyes as he looked at them, Peter’s arms around Edmund’s shoulders.

Chapter Text

A shiver ran through Edmund when Caspian’s dark gaze laid on him. 

“I see…” Caspian muttered to himself. 

“Caspian,” Peter began to say as he stopped hugging Edmund, but he was immediately shut down by his friend.

“Don’t bother Peter, I understand very well what is going on.”

Edmund’s eyes went wide as he understood what had gone through Caspian’s mind. He thought Peter and he were lovers ! A surprised chuckle escaped his lips and he saw Caspian’s eyes becoming darker with anger. Oh no, and now he was thinking that Edmund was laughing at him. 

Edmund didn’t have time to say anything, as Susan arrived behind Caspian just to see her friend leave quickly, his face serious and pained. 

“What happened?!” Susan asked, bewildered as she looked at Caspian leaving. 

“He may think that Edmund and I are a couple,” Peter replied quite sheepishly, still stunned by what just happened. 

“... I really can’t leave you alone, can I?” 

“I’m going to talk to him,” Edmund said as he got up even if he wasn’t sure what he could possibly say to Caspian after their last conversation. So many things were still unsaid, and he didn’t know if the King would want to talk to him now. 

“Wait for a second,” Susan said. 

The woman approached him and all of sudden, she was hugging him too. Edmund flushed and hugged Susan back, and the second after, it was Peter that was hugging them too.

“Now you can go after him.”

Edmund smiled at her, then frowned as he looked around. “Where is Lucy?” 

Susan looked around her. “Urgh, she’s probably with that Faun, Tumnus! And yet I told her to go with you, Peter!“

“We’ll look for her with Susan, now go see Caspian,” Peter said then pushed him outside the tent with a smile. “But I don’t want any funny business, you hear me?”

Edmund blushed deeply at the comment. He wasn’t even thinking about this! And who- Oh by Jove, Lucy had told them about the kiss!

“There is nothing between me and Caspian,” Edmund said quickly. “Not anymore.”

He didn’t let them the time to argue or to ask what it was about; he left the tent. Even if it was better to end their relationship, he didn’t want Caspian to think it was to be with someone else. 

Edmund looked around for the King and spotted him walking to the tent he shared with Peter. Immediately, he began to run towards him while he called his name for him to stop. “Caspian!”

Of course, Caspian didn’t stop and didn’t even look back, worse, he walked faster to escape him. Something bad moved in him, a bad sensation that made his stomach twist. The thought that maybe he really had hurt the man crossed him. Maybe he really didn’t want to talk to Edmund now? But… He couldn’t accept that. “Caspian!!”

Why in hell did Edmund have to reject him that way? Why had he thought it would resolve his problems? It had solved nothing. Worse : it had made things more complicated. 

Edmund didn’t want to be alone, but maybe they could still be friends? He shouldn’t have talked to him like he had done. Caspian was a King when Edmund was nothing. 

Why was behaving like a normal human being so difficult? So much for his resolution, now he needed to talk to the Telmarine and get everything right. So, he followed him when Caspian entered his tent. 

“Get out of my tent,” Caspian said calmly without looking at him the second Edmund went in. 

“No, you don’t understand, I...”

“Oh I understand quite well, Prince Edmund, and what I just saw certainly explains some things. Next time, just say the things as they really are, instead of hiding the truth.”

“Peter is my brother.”

Caspian stopped instantly and stared at him, his mouth gaping and eyes wide with astonishment. “What?”

Edmund stilled for a second. How could he explain the situation? They weren’t even sure it was real...

“Peter, Susan and Lucy, they are- I mean, there is a high probability they are my, my…”

“You didn’t find a better excuse for your behavior?” Caspian said abruptly when Edmund stopped talking, his expression surprised and uncertain but no more angry. 

“It’s not an excuse! And it’s the truth! I would never lie about that!”

In reality, Edmund had only been lying to them all since they met, so it wasn’t exactly a surprise Caspian thought he was lying. He lied about his name, his family, about being a prince… Edmund’s face fell as his stomach burned painfully at the thought that maybe he had definitely ruined everything that could have been between them. Edmund had a family - he had a family! - but what if Caspian, after Edmund’s harsh words and his lies, didn’t want him to go to Telmar with the Pevensies? He was the King after all, he had all powers over his lands.

“But it’s alright if you don’t want to talk to me anymore. I won’t impose myself,” Edmund continued softly as tears welled up in his eyes at the thought of being alone again, and worse, without Caspian.

It wouldn’t have mattered a week ago, but in this short time Edmund had discovered so many things about himself, and he didn’t want to be left alone anymore. He wanted the warm heat of love, Caspian’s warmth. And it was too late now, he could see it in Caspian’s ired face. 

“I’m sorry,” Edmund added in a trembling voice, then he turned around hastily to leave the tent before his tears could run down his cheeks. He had understood that he had overcome his welcome.

A hand grabbed his arm to hold him back. 

“Is it the truth?” Caspian asked blankly.

Edmund didn’t dare turn around to look at the man, even if he was glad Caspian had stopped him from leaving.

“Yes,” Edmund replied without looking at the King. “We think it is.”

“Look at me,” Caspian ordered in a calm but commanding voice, and Edmund obeyed immediately. “I am so angry at you. I don’t know why you rejected me, why you really did, and I want us to talk about it. I want to speak about Miraz. But first I need to calm myself or I’ll say things I’ll regret later.”

Edmund wasn’t sure he wanted to speak now, he thought while guilt and embarrassment rushed through him, then fear when Caspian talked about his uncle. 

“How-” 

“Caspian, Edmund!” Susan said as she entered the tent, alarmed. Her face was grimed by cold fear. 

“What is going on?”

Edmund took his hand back to himself and a step back from Caspian, his presence a little too distracting for him to concentrate on Susan. 

“We can’t find Lucy. I asked her to go with Peter to talk to you and she hasn’t been seen since then…” Susan said worryingly. 

Caspian and Edmund didn’t need to look at one another. This conversation would have to wait. 

OoO

They looked everywhere in the camp and even on the edge of the wood without any luck. They couldn’t find Lucy. The Pevensies, Caspian, the Beavers, Mr Tumnus and other Narnians had helped, but they had to face the fact that Lucy wasn’t in the campment anymore. Never would she have left without saying a word. She would have never left at all! Not in these exceptional circumstances.

They all went to Aslan’s pavillon to explain the situation to the Lion who seemed as worried as them by Lucy’s disappearance. 

“Aslan, what can we do?” Susan asked, her voice trembling as she pressed herself against Peter to search for comfort. “We are to fight tomorrow and we don’t know where she is… What if something happened to her…?”

Aslan growled slightly, his brows frowned in a worried expression.

“I am afraid something happened when we weren’t looking.” Susan gasped, her hands on her mouth and tears in her eyes. “But I can feel she is fine for now, though the Witch is blocking me. If we want to act, we’ll have to do it quickly.”

Edmund’s hand found Susan’s. They knew it was the Queen’s work as they knew why she had taken Lucy. 

They lost no more time and all went to prepare to go on an expedition in minutes only in order to save the young mage. In only a few days, Lucy, with her easy manners and brilliant smiles, had captured the heart of every living creature in the campment and everyone was ready to risk their life for her.

“Where will we be looking, Aslan?” Mr Tumnus asked shyly, fidgeting. 

“I think I know where she went, but you must be quick.”

Edmund nodded. It was clear to him what his mother intended to do. She will use the power of the Stone Table for her evil deeds.

Aslan led them to the forest. “I can’t go with you, as I am sure the army’s Witch will attack the moment I leave, and can’t take our fighters either, for the same reason. You must do this on your own, sons of Adam, daughter of Eve.”

“We can’t go with them?” the she-Beaver asked, and you could hear panic in her voice. “They are children!” 

“No, the sons and daughter of Adam and Eve must go alone, so you shall remain here. It is their mission.”

The Narnians protested but when Aslan growled dangerously, they all went silent. Of course, the Lion was right to send them alone. They would be spotted far more easily if they went with a small army, and it would leave the campment exposed to their enemies. Four people were enough. 

And so, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Caspian went to the woods, going south to the Stone Table, like Aslan had told them to find the Witch and Lucy.

They were walking fast through the forest, taking care of being as noiseless as possible to not alert the Witch sentinels, but Edmund wasn’t worried about them after the wolves departure. They were the bestest sentinels the Queen had, and in this part of Narnia, he was sure the trees wouldn’t betray them. 

Caspian was just behind him, and Edmund could feel his eyes on him, watching his every movement, making him feel both restless and reassured. He didn’t know why Caspian was looking at him like this. Was he still angry at him like he said he was or was he worried something might happen to him? Maybe it was both. Edmund wanted to know, but it wasn’t the moment to talk about it. It wasn’t the time to think about it either, they were on a mission, and Edmund couldn’t afford to think about his and Caspian’s relationship, but thoughts were whirling in his head about them and the words they had exchanged. 

“Ed,” Peter called in a low voice, pulling Edmund out his thoughts. “Do you think they are far away?”

“They can’t be too far ahead from us. It hadn’t taken us too much time to notice Lucy’s disappearance, and they couldn’t go too fast themself with her. Not without being caught by our army,” Edmund explained, trying to be reassuring but still worried himself knowing what Jadis had planned to do to the young woman. His little sister.

If they were right, the Queen was planning to sacrifice Lucy to steal her magic, but Edmund knew it would only be the beginning. Lucy wasn’t powerful enough for Jadis' projects, she needed his magic too, but there was no way Edmund would let her empty out his magical core. It would mean his death, and contrary to a few days ago, Edmund cared about staying alive. He wanted to live and to learn to know his family. 

His eyes lingered briefly to Caspian and he gulped.

They kept walking, climbing in the forest until they heard Lucy’s voice, heated and angry. They all held back a sigh. They weren’t too late. 

Edmund looked at Peter who made them signs to split into two groups. Him and Susan would pass to the right while Edmund and Caspian were to pass by the left. They would encircle them and hope to surprise them long enough to free Lucy. 

Except that Peter didn’t count on the presence of Jadis. The three Telmarines weren’t used to magic like he was. Jadis wouldn’t play fair and would use every mean at her disposal to eliminate them. And there she was there, near the immense rock table, a knife in hand while Lucy was getting tied up on it by Hags. The Queen had her magic wand in hand, making Edmund shiver in fear at the terrible thought of his found family frozen forever. He turned to Caspian who was just next to him, their side almost touching. Edmund couldn’t bear the vision of Caspian dead. It was unacceptable.

They wouldn’t make it if they attacked at the same time, Edmund was sure Jadis was expecting it.

“I am going to make a diversion,” he whispered to the Telmarine King without looking at him.

“Oh no, I won’t let you sacrifice yourself again, Edmund,” Caspian protested, trying to contain his frustration. “You did once, this won’t happen again.”

“I don’t leave you any other choice, Caspian. Get Lucy out of here with Peter and Susan.”

Edmund applied his hand to Caspian’s sword, murmuring some words he remembered reading in Jadis’ books, several years ago, concentrating just like Lucy had explained him a day ago. Edmund remembered it well, as Jadis had circled this spell as she intended to use it, and he now realized why. The ritual wouldn’t be complete, but it would do the trick.

When his hand left the sword, its metal was glowing softly, leaving Edmund’s body numb and heavy. It was more tiring than Edmund would have thought, even if he wasn’t certain it would actually work.

“What did you do?” Caspian whispered before Edmund stood up with difficulties.

“It’s just a little something to protect you against the Witch if needed,” he replied mysteriously, half lying.

Because Edmund wasn’t certain to live after that, he drew Caspian against him, a hand over his neck and kissed him forcefully. Edmund was always amazed to feel how warm the man was against him, and how good it was to touch him this way. Caspian looked at him with awe. This scene was familiar now and he smiled at the Telmarine as he stood up to face the Queen. 

Jadis was hovering over Lucy, trying to have her tell the same word Edmund had just recited himself a few moments ago. The stone table was carved with protection runes, stopping Lucy from using her magic to free herself.

“Let her go.”

The Queen smiled when she saw him and she immediately ignored Lucy to approach him. 

“Edmund, my dear son, I think I missed something in your education. First you flee, then you betray me, and now you behave like a fool. If you had followed my lessons, you would have never gone to me like this. Is she worth it?”

“She is my sister, so I suppose she is.”

Jadis’ smile disappeared straight away and she frowned. 

“You call me your son, but we both know it isn’t true.”

“Does it change something about our alliance, Queen Jadis?”

Edmund paled when he saw Miraz leaving the shadows and going beside the White Witch. The man had an horrid smile on his face, making Edmund shivered with fear. 

“No, he is still Prince of Narnia, you will wed him as agreed.”

His heart missed a beat. Lucy squeaked and began to shoot after Miraz, menacing him if he dared lay a finger on her brother, but a Minotaur grabbed his arm roughly and he was led to the Queen who was looking at him with a dark and calculating gaze.

“Free her, you have no use for her,” Edmund said while fighting against the tight grip.

“She can still be useful,” she spatted cruelly.

Edmund saw Peter and Susan behind the Witch and Miraz, still hidden in the forest, ready to strike. They had understood that he was distracting the Queen, as they knew that she wouldn’t kill him on the spot. Edmund hoped Caspian wouldn’t act foolishly in order to save him and would follow his friends’ actions. 

“Now let’s get your magic out of you, dear son,” the Queen continued with a dirty look.

Jadis grabbed him by the collar but an exclamation of surprise left her mouth as she let him go. Edmund fell loudly on the ground but he had a satisfied smirk on his face. She had immediately felt it. He didn’t have any magic left in his body. He already striped himself off his magic, placing it in Caspian’s sword. 

“What did you do, foolish child?!”

“Don’t tell me you believed I would come without any precaution, do you?”

At this moment, an arrow flew next to the Queen’s head to hit the Minotaur straight in his chest. The great beast fell in a pained grunt as Peter attacked the hag next to Lucy. Caspian showed himself too, his sword shining with a supernatural glow in hand. The King went next to Susan to help her as he deflected a white ray of magic coming from the Queen’s hand with his glowing sword. It had worked, Edmund’s magic was protecting Caspian from her attacks.

Edmund took advantage of Jadis' momentary surprise to roll towards Lucy. He took his dagger and cut the rope to free her.

“KILL THEM!” Jadis screamed to her minions, her face deformed by rage and her wand in hand, ready to strike them. “KILL THEM ALL!”

Just after Lucy left the table, she raised her hands, pure light emerging from them to blind their enemies. 

“Retreat!” Edmund heard Peter say. A hand grabbed his arm and he found himself dragged towards the forest by his little sister. 

“Oh no, you stay here!”

His other arm was seized by Miraz’s hand. Edmund felt so tired he couldn’t bulge. He didn’t have the force to do anything and Miraz seized him by the waist as he couldn’t react.

“As I am letting you take him!” Caspian aimed at Miraz’s head, but missed him when the man stepped back, letting Edmund go who fell back on the ground. Caspian stood between the two of them, protecting him from his uncle. Edmund could only see the King’s back now and his glowing sword.

Miraz growled, his eyes flicking  to Caspian to Edmund, his sword raised and ready to attack. “I see, you are in love with this little Prince. Maybe you wish you were betrothed to him? But he is mine, Caspian, I’ll take him from you, as I am going to take my throne back.”

“Caspian, the sword!” Edmund hissed.

Miraz charged and Caspian raised his own glowing sword. When the blades clashed, Caspian’ sword seemed to explode in a bright and blinding white light, violently throwing Miraz over the stone table. He looked at his uncle, ready to attack him and kill him for good, but there were too many opponents now. The Witch had seized her two swords and was already ready to attack them, her green eyes glowing darkly as she glared at them. Edmund couldn’t let Caspian take so many risks now that they had freed Lucy; he grabbed Caspian’s hand and led him to the forest. 

“Edmund, let me go, I have to kill him!”

“There are too many of them, you shall have your vengeance tomorrow,” Edmund replied as he ran for their lives.

They both ran and soon it was Caspian that drew Edmund as he was too tired now to see a thing in the dark forest. 

“Edmund, are you alright?” Caspian whispered as he passed an arm in his back to help him walk.

“I transferred my magic I had in your sword, I am drained…” Edmund barely managed to reply, missing Caspian’s shocked look as they walked now, reaching the edge of the forest where Narnians were waiting for them, the Faun Tumnus, the Beavers and the Badger particularly impatient. 

Peter, Susan and Lucy were already there and immediately after they saw them, the three siblings jumped on them for a collective hug. Edmund fell in their arms, his legs too tired now to wear him. 

“You saved me,” Lucy said with a trembling and angry voice. “You could have died, you idiot, don’t ever do that again.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“You’ll talk later,” Mr Tumnus said, looking around to see if any enemies were coming. “You should all go to your tents and stay together.”

They all obeyed the Faun without question and they returned to the Pevensies’ tent while Narnians applauded and cheered around them, happy to have won against the Witch this day and already waiting for the battle that would come. 

Chapter Text

That night, the five of them had slept in the same tent. They hadn’t said another word before they went to sleep. They had just laid down on blankets put on the floor and had immediately fallen asleep, completely exhausted by all they had lived that night and anxious about the battle that was to come in only hours. Caspian had held Edmund’s hand all night while Lucy was pressed against Edmund’ side, Susan in her back, and Peter beside her sister, the young man protecting them all.

Edmund had never felt this warm in his life. Later, he would think of it as a wolf pack, and that he quite liked the sensation of it. Even with the menace of the Queen and the battle they had to fight in, he was just feeling warm and comfortable between these people he didn’t really know but who were now his whole world.

They were woken up by Oreius when the first ray of the morning sun appeared, only a few hours after they had gotten to sleep. War was coming and they all needed to prepare for the battle. 

Edmund prepared and left the tent just after his siblings, when he felt a hand on his arm, holding him back.

“Edmund,” Caspian called him after they left the tent. “We need to discuss.”

He couldn’t help but tense at these words, perhaps because Caspian’s voice was tight, or maybe it was because Edmund didn’t want to talk with Caspian right now, when they were on the verge of a battle. Edmund didn’t want to be distracted by another dispute, and he didn’t want to relive what already happened the last time they talked. 

“Do we have to do this now?” Edmund asked in response, anxiously twisting his fingers, eyes looking around for his siblings, praying for help. “We need to prepare…”

“We can’t be sure to be victorious,” Caspian interrupted him, his voice softer and maybe a little hesitant. “I might die today, and I’d prefer to talk to you in case it happens.”

Of course, Caspian was right, but Edmund had hoped they wouldn’t have to talk, even with the knowledge that he would feel eternally guilty if something happened to the Telmarine. Edmund nodded to Caspian and they walked back to their tent, safe from prying eyes. 

Caspian was silent for a moment, and Edmund guessed he was hesitating on the way to talk to him now, after the revelations of the day before.

“Are you still angry?” Edmund asked softly to break the heavy silence, remembering the words Caspian had said yesterday, just before Susan had found them to announce Lucy’s disappearance. 

“I think I am angrier.”

Edmund flinched and looked away. After what happened, he would have thought maybe Caspian would be less upset at him, but clearly he had been wrong. At least, Caspian didn’t look as furious and hurt as he had been after thinking that Edmund was attracted to Peter.

“You lied to me, several times at that, and you risked your life like it meant nothing, several times too,” Caspian said quickly, eyes heated. “And without caring for any of us.”

Caspian didn’t seem too angry, more like disappointed, and Edmund didn’t find any word to defend himself, knowing well that Caspian was right. 

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Caspian asked. “Anything to add?”

“I don’t know what I could say,” Edmund replied faintly, not daring to look in the dark, judging eyes staring right at him. “You already decided I was guilty.”

“This is not the question!” Caspian shouted, his face now red from anger. “You didn’t tell me what you wanted to do! You risked your life without caring for what could have happened! You just kissed me, hours only after saying that you didn’t want me! What am I supposed to do, Edmund? How am I supposed to feel now?”

“Lucy was in this situation because I fled away from the Queen!” Edmund retorted, not without feeling guilt rising in his chest. “I had to do something!”

“You could have told us, you could have told me.”

“We didn’t have any time to do so, every second passing was important!” Edmund fumed, irritated by Caspian’s reaction. Why couldn’t he understand?!

“You should have followed Peter’s plan!”

“You would have ended up dead if I had!” He snapped angrily, tears in his eyes and  his voice broken by the sheer terror of the thought of Caspian dying. 

Caspian froze. Edmund turned around, his mind a mess of twirling thoughts. He hadn’t thought it possible to get emotionally attached to another person so quickly, not with the loveless life he had, but it had happened, and now he couldn’t let something happen to Caspian. 

“You were the one to tell me what was between us had to stop. That you misled me. Now I want answers. I want to know what happened with Miraz. I want to know why you rejected me if it’s to kiss me again.”

Caspian took his hand and forced him to turn again towards him. Caspian lifted up his head with two fingers, forcing him gently to face him. Edmund’s face went red and the only thing he could hear was his own beating heart. Again, Edmund didn’t have the courage to look at Caspian’s intense gaze.

“I… What happened with Miraz doesn’t have anything to do with the decision I took. He- the Queen wanted me to be agreeable to Miraz, and he took liberties. That’s all.”

The King’s face whitened at these words. He probably had guessed what he meant by that, as he already knew Jadis had promised Edmund to Miraz. Edmund didn’t want to think about this. He didn’t want to think about the things Miraz would do to him if he captured him. 

“She dares calling you her son while she gave you this man, knowing his intentions?!”

“Susan and Peter saved me. It was just before we escaped the ice castle. Nothing really happened.”

“I am going to kill him for that.”

Edmund felt stupidly flattered by Caspian’s attention, and he dared a small and hesitant smile. “Not if I do it before you.”

Caspian smiled at him, and Edmund regretted saying these words immediately. He needed to stop flirting with the King like he just did. Caspian must have seen a changement in his behavior because he got his arm around his waist to stop Edmund from stepping back. Caspian moved closer so their chests were almost pressed against the other.

“Why are you rejecting what is going on between us when you obviously like it?” Caspian whispered. “Why are you rejecting me?”

“Because you are the King,” Edmund faltered, his voice only a murmur.

“And you are a Prince; I don’t understand what it has to do with your refusal.”

“How can’t you understand?! You have to marry for your Kingdom! You have to sire an heir to your throne! And if I am truly the heir of Narnia, I will have to do the same. We can’t be together, I am a hindrance to your rule, I can’t-”

Edmund felt his shoulder fall, as despair swelled up in his chest. He liked Caspian and he didn’t want to imagine a life without him. Edmund already lost so much; he couldn’t get more attached to Caspian than he already was, not if it was to lose him too.

“So it was that. Why didn’t you tell me before, you stupid Prince?”

Before Edmund could open his mouth to retort, Caspian’s lips covered his in a languid kiss. His eyes closed and Edmund couldn’t do anything but melt in Caspian’s strong arms and broad chest. He felt a hand twirling in his hair, guiding him into the kiss. A warm tongue went against Edmund’s, inviting him into a sensual dance that left him hot with unknown desires. 

The delicious ballet went on, and Edmund was completely helpless. He didn’t have any will to stop this and he wasn’t sure he wanted it at all, despite all the things he had said and thought. His hands found Caspian’s neck and he held onto him like his life depended on it, their bodies pressed against one another.

The hand on his waist lowered down and found his bottom, and Edmund finally reacted when said hand began to squeeze it lightly. Edmund managed to step back, his cheeks redder than ever from the humiliation that went through him and glaring angrily at Caspian who was looking rather smug and satisfied. 

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Edmund squeaked, not sure to understand what had just happened, when Caspian had been saying that he was still angry at him. 

“I was merely touching you.”

Touching him? But why touch like this at this place…? Edmund remembered having seen wolves mating when he was a few years younger. Oh. Caspian wanted to do that to him?!

“And here I thought you couldn’t blush more than that,” Caspian commented with a delighted smirk, probably figuring out that Edmund had understood what he wanted from him. “May I remind you you’ve been begging me last time we kissed?”

“I dare you to say another word,” he replied dryly, his face flaming with heat. “And weren’t you angry at me?! Why are you doing this all of a sudden?!”

Edmund tried to escape, but Caspian was already on him, blocking him again against his chest. Lips nudged at his neck, right behind the sensitive skin of his ears and Edmund closed his eyes as a breathy moan escaped his mouth at the delicious sensation running under his skin straight to his groin. 

“I desire you, Edmund,” Caspian continued in a low and deep voice that made his legs tremble so hard Edmund thought he might actually fall. “I am not fooling around like you said, and I won’t take a ‘no’ for an answer with the reason you just gave me, so if you want to reject me you’ll have to find a way better excuse, because I won’t stop wanting you.”

Caspian’s mouth was now nibbling his ear, hindering Edmund from thinking clearly. Edmund wanted to give in. It’ll be so easy to relax in this warm embrace, to turn his head to make more room, to say that he wanted Caspian too. 

“You’re a King,” Edmund whispered again. “You have duties.”

“To marry a woman to strengthen your kingdom, to sire an heir?” Caspian replied playfully, with a grin on his lips. “Is it really your only objection to us?”

“...Clearly I am not really a prince, so once all of this is over I won’t have any right over the throne of Narnia but if I had been-”

Caspian interrupted him with a chuckle. “Then don’t worry. I already have an heir. My cousin Rilian is two years old and I intend to have him succeed me when the time comes. And whatever you say, whatever your real name is, you are the Prince of Narnia and our union will strengthen Telmar.”

“You-!”

Caspian didn’t let him talk and pressed their lips together again in a gentler kiss, leaving Edmund blushing and shivering. How good it was to feel these lips pressed against his in such a loving way.

“Shh, no more complaining from now on,” Caspian shushed him. “You’re going to tell me everything now, from the beginning. I want to understand. You and the Pevensies, the magic you hid from me, everything.”

After a moment of hesitation, Edmund surrendered to Caspian’s will and began talking. He told him about the witch who had kidnapped him after his birth, his magic, of Lucy who had come to the same conclusion, and of course about his fear to be left alone once the war was over, if they came out of it alive. Caspian had listened without interrupting, his eyes never leaving Edmund’s while he talked. 

“I am so sorry,” Caspian said softly against him when Edmund was finished, tightening his hold on his waist and pressing their body together in a tight and warm embrace. “I should have guessed what you were going through, I should have understood. I must say that I don’t like being a King, it’s a lonely function and I suppose I forgot on purpose the problems that it could create. I only thought about my feelings, and not about yours.”

Edmund felt somewhat honored to have this great man confess his weakness to him this way. He smiled gently at him, his hand lingering on his arm to appease Caspian. 

“So I suppose your reaction really had nothing to do with Miraz?”

He tensed instantly in Caspian’s embrace, cursing him to talk about it again.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Caspian murmured against him.

“...I didn’t want you to know how weak I really was,” Edmund replied, unsure and awkward. “I couldn’t defend myself against him. If Peter and Susan hadn’t arrived...”

He looked up at Caspian when he felt the man tremble in front of him and saw that his gaze was obscured by rage. “I promise you I’ll kill him.”

“I told you : not if I kill him first,” Edmund said as a smile returned to his lips. 

“Then let’s make a competition out of it,” Caspian proposed as he calmed down, grinning wildly. “The one who kills Miraz can ask anything to the other who will have to execute without question.”

A laugh escaped Edmund’s lips before they were stolen by the King’s who devoured his mouth with passion. “I suppose you already know what you’re going to ask me, if you ever win?” Edmund inquired against him as he tasted Caspian’s mouth with his, nibbling gently at his bottom lip, all inhibition finally lifted between them. 

“You will be my prize, Narnian Prince. I will marry you.”

Edmund didn’t react right away, as he had already guessed that Caspian was going to ask that of him. He just smiled and laid another kiss on Caspian’s lips. “We met less than two weeks ago.”

“I won’t ask you to marry me on the spot, Ed! And a ceremony asks for time, and I’m afraid your siblings won’t let me marry you without putting up a fight first.” 

“We still met just two weeks ago, thinking about wedding is still too fast!” Edmund said as he laughed, strangely pleased by the prospect of marrying Caspian, or maybe he was pleased that Caspian wanted him at all. It must have meant something Edmund thought as his heart swelled with a happiness he never felt before. 

“I knew the moment I met you that you were the one. Just know that I won’t give up on you.”

Edmund blushed with pleasure, a needy moan escaping his lips. 

“Alright. I’ll marry you if you kill Miraz.”

Caspian’s smile widened and his cheeks became redder, and the sight of it was strangely alluring to Edmund. 

“We should go back, war is coming,” Edmund whispered after stealing another kiss from Caspian.

“This won’t last long. We’re going to defeat the Witch, and put yourself on your throne, your Highness.”

They kissed again, savoring one last time the sensation of being in the other’s arms. A moment later, they left the tent and the sound of the horn rang in the campment.

It was time.

Chapter Text

Edmund had lost sight of Caspian and he hadn’t seen him for what seemed to be an eternity. He wasn’t sure if he still had a concept of time in this hell. Two minutes could have passed, like an hour, or even several. He couldn’t have told. 

The sun was shining bright above their heads, but the only things Edmund was aware of was the sound of metal and the sour smell of blood and sweat surrounding him.

The only thing Edmund could do was to defend himself against his enemies, sometimes with a heavy-heart, as some of the Narnian he was fighting were looking at him with recognition in their eyes. 

Why was he even fighting them? They were his people! His mother didn’t even care about them, she was just using them to achieve her terrible project to dominate the whole world. It was just Narnians fighting other Narnians over nothing. It was unfair and Edmund was afraid the people he knew, his family and his new friends, would end up dead in this aimless conflict. 

Susan was with the archers, away from the battlefield, but he didn’t know where Lucy and Peter were now.  The three of them had insisted for Lucy to be away from danger, but the young woman had vigorously refused to be treated like a helpless child. She was a magician and a fighter. They made her promise that she would remain with Susan and the archers, but Edmund had the feeling that she was on the battlefield with Peter, Caspian and himself, fighting against the White Witch’s army.

Edmund avoided the attack of a Minotaur and passed between his legs to cut him at the knee, making him fall. 

“Stay down,” he warned as he didn’t want to hurt him more. 

“Why don’t you kill me?” The Beast faltered, confusion and anger in his voice. 

“I’m the Prince of Narnia, I won’t kill my subjects,” Edmund groaned and to his astonishment, the Minotaur stayed on the ground, obeying him. 

So it seemed he still had some authority over his mother’s minions, but Edmund knew it wouldn’t be enough. They were so many, and so much more terrific and bigger than the proud soldiers of Aslan’s army, he didn’t even know how they could still fight against them, but they were. Fangs and claws were ripping flesh in the most horrendous ways, but Edmund didn’t have time to focus on it. There was only one way to end this bloodshed. 

Edmund had to find the Queen and kill her.

“Boy.”

He suddenly froze and he stayed motionless for a few seconds when he heard Miraz’s voice. The man was just behind him, his face blooded as was his sword, with cold and murderous eyes.

“Finally we meet again, my darling ,” Miraz taunted with a bittersweet smile on his lips as he walked around him like a predator with his prey.

“Don’t call me that,” Edmund snapped, his fear momentarily forgotten, leaving only his anger and desire for vengeance. This man had humiliated him, seeing him only as a piece of meat to fuck, only a tool to gain more power. 

Edmund had tried so hard not to think about Miraz in the last few days, but it had been an impossible thing to do, but now that he was before him in broad daylight, the man didn’t seem so frightening. He wasn’t that tall, nor really imposing. He was just a vile creature, and  Edmung wanted to put that man at his place, on the ground, with his sword up his chest. He wouldn’t be satisfied until this man was dead. Edmund wasn’t keen on killing Narnians, but luckily, Miraz wasn’t one.

“You’re still my fiancé,” Miraz pointed out with a smirk. “Or have you forgotten?”

“You are nothing to me,” he growled menacingly to the man. 

Edmund raised his sword and jumped towards Miraz, aiming to kill. 

“Your mother said I had to bring you to her alive, so we can get married. After the ceremony, I’ll kill her and I’ll keep you tied up to my bed, Narnian Prince.”

A shiver of disgust ran through his whole body. He rather died than to let that sick fantasy happen.

“Oh you are right to be afraid, boy, it won’t be pleasurable for you.”

“I’m not afraid,” Edmund growled. “I’m disgusted by what you are suggesting, and I’m disgusted by you.”

The young man didn’t wait a second more and lunged to the man, his sword ready to strike and pierce his heart. Miraz didn’t let it happen though and fought back immediately, using his height and weight to make him step back. Their swords clashed soundly, but Edmund was momentarily blinded by the sunlight and Miraz took the opportunity to put him on the ground by kicking his gut. Edmund fell with a pained moan, a hand over his stomach, but still rolled on the ground to escape Mizaz’ sharp sword.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to kill me?”

“I will boy, believe me,” Miraz spat. “Once I’ve fuck you once or twice, I’ll slit your throat.”

By the Gods, this man was revolting! How Edmund hated him for even thinking about that. He took his dagger off his boot and went back on his feet, utterly focused on his enemy, this time determined to kill him. 

What a shame his magic was still so weak. Edmund would have loved to test his powers on this man. He deserved it.

However, Edmund didn’t plan for one of Miraz’s men to sneak behind him as he prepared to attack, and to beat him on the back with his sword’s hilt. Edmund let out a yell of pain and fell one one knee, already spinning around to face his attacker to stab him in his guts. The man fell beside him, bleeding out on the ground, while Edmund tried to catch his breath, but Miraz didn’t wait and he seized him by the hair, throwing him on his stomach and kicking him to be sure he wouldn’t get up.

“Stay down, I don’t want to damage your face, doll.” Edmund groaned, unable to stand up and to make the man pay for his words. “Tell the Queen I have the Prince!” he heard Miraz yell to some unknown soldier. 

Edmund tried to crawl to get up, but Miraz saw it and put a foot on his back, pinning him to the ground. “Don’t try to escape, boy, I won’t let it happen. I recognize you’re strong, but still so inexperienced. The fact is that you’re alone, boy, and I’m not.”

Damned! Edmund couldn’t even take his second dagger hidden in his boot. 

“Who said he is alone ?”

Edmund heard swords clashing and suddenly Miraz wasn’t on him anymore. He lifted his head and saw Caspian attacking Miraz with all his might and fury. 

“I forbid you from attacking my fiancé,” Caspian snarled.

“What-”

“I may have promised Caspian I’ll marry him if he kills you today,” Edmund said slyly as he got up. 

Miraz was looking utterly furious, but he quickly took control over himself and said with a smirk. “I’m surprised, but glad. Finally we’re more alike than I thought. Marrying the Prince of another land to gain power.”

“I am nothing like you !” Caspian spatted, disgusted as the thought of being like this terrible man.

Caspian jumped on Miraz and Edmund joined him, blocking the man as he was trying to retreat. He was surrounded and couldn’t flee. Miraz blocked Caspian’s attack, but couldn’t escape Edmund’s sword, which plunged on his back, right through his heart. 

“Argh!”

Blood spurted from Miraz’s mouth as he cried in pain, realizing that the two boys he hated so much had got him. 

“You- She won’t let you win,” Miraz groaned with difficulty.

“Well, you won’t win either,” Caspian said with a smile. “And that’s enough for me, uncle.”

Edmund removed his sword from Miraz’s body. He felt on the ground loudly.

“It seems I won,” Edmund said as he watched the man dying at his feet. “I killed him.”

“You cheated!” Caspian accused him. 

“How so?”

“You struck him when I was keeping him busy.”

“I took my chance.”

“Hey lovebirds, stop flirting over a corpse!”

Peter just arrived, looking tired but relieved to see them both alive, and their enemy on the ground in his own blood. 

“We weren’t flirting,” Edmund said weakly while trying not to blush.

“We definitely were,” Caspian stated, grinning.

Peter glared at his King, but didn’t reply, choosing instead to demand. “You said something about Edmund winning, what’s this about?”

“We both wanted to kill this man, so we made up a little contest,” Caspian admitted. “But Edmund cheated.”

“I didn’t!”

“You did.”

“Both of you, stop this!”

And they had to stop, because just a second after that, they were attacked by Hags and Werewolves. But it wasn’t because they were fighting that Edmund would ever admit he cheated, he won fairly! 

As they were defending themself, Edmund groaned, but smiling in himself. “Peter, I didn't, I swear, and Caspian’s only saying that because I agreed to marry him if he ever won.”

“What!”

Peter got rid of the beast attacking him and turned to Caspian. 

“Caspian, you can’t ask my brother’s hand like that!”

“Why not? I love him.”

Edmund stilled, then blushed, and then blushed even more. He wasn’t realizing what he had just heard. “What?” 

“Even covered in blood, you blushing is the most endearing thing I ever saw in my entire life,” Caspian mused with a disarming and charming smile.

‘You are the most endearing thing I ever saw ,’ Edmund thought dreamily, even if he would never say it out loud. Had Caspian really said he loved him? 

“Caspian, I don’t know if you are aware, but we are in the middle of a battle, this is not the most ideal time to do a love declaration to my brother!”

“Well it’s now or never!”

As they were fighting for their lives, Caspian grabbed him by the waist and kissed him. “I love you, Ed.”

“I- I-” Edmund only stuttered, caught off guard and his face completely red by now. “Caspian…” 

Could he say he loved Caspian? It was right to say he had feelings for him, strong ones even. Never before had he felt what he was feeling for him now.

“I really love to see you so restless, but it’ll have to wait until the end of this day.”

Caspian laid another kiss upon his lips then went back to the battle to guide their troops and to give the word of Miraz’s death, leaving him in his brother’s care. 

“I really don’t like seeing him kissing you,” Peter grumbled. “And telling you that he loves you just to leave after that! I can’t believe the nerve of this man!”

Edmund just smiled. He wasn’t really in a fighting mood anymore with all that, even with Miraz’s dead body at his feet. He was just feeling warm and whole. By Aslan, they barely know each other! But still… Edmund loved him. He didn’t know a single thing about love, about tenderness, but he knew he loved Caspian with all his heart. 

And that might be the only thing that had him still breathing right now. 

“Hey, it’s not the time for daydreaming.”

Edmund nodded, even if he couldn’t stop smiling. Peter growled again, but stayed by his side as they walked into battle again, looking for their own, for Aslan, and above all, for Jadis. It was time to face her.

“Come on, let’s find her.”

And they fought their way in, killing and hurting Narnians as they advanced, some of them staying on the ground as he passed, just as the Minotaur had done, others more loyal to their Queen and dying for her. It was so sad, Edmund realized, because Jadis would never have this kind of loyalty for them. She would have sacrificed every one of them in a heartbeat if it could bring her victory. She would rather see them all die rather than lose to them or to anyone else.

And her army was enormous. Edmund could see that Narnians fighting for Aslan were fewer in number. This needed to stop, right now, before what they were fighting for was reduced to nothing.

Then he heard her and his blood froze in his veins.

“Edmund, my dear, dear son.”

She was there, impressive in her armor, terrifying and towering them.

“I am so glad to see you again,” she kept talking with this cold calm that always made him shiver with fear. It never had occurred anything good. And of course, he was right to be afraid. 

“I’m not your son,” he said too weakly to his taste. 

Edmund never had been confident before her, but this time he wasn’t alone. Peter, by his side, took a step ahead, his sword high and his expression grave, and said, “he never was yours. You took him from his family. You took away his life.”

“How could you say that? I raised him, I made him a Prince,” Jadis said with a fake pained tone. “You hurt me, my dear Edmund, you and your little family.”

She snapped her fingers. 

A Minotaur walked towards them, holding Caspian tightly in his grasp. 

“Caspian!!” Edmund went to run to him, but Peter stopped him by taking him in his arms. “Let go of me, Peter!”

“You won’t be able to do anything,” his brother said in his ear, as pained as he was to see his friend and king in this position. “The only thing we’ll do by acting hastily is causing his death.”

And of course he was right, but it didn't mean Edmund was happy with that. If the Queen had wanted to kill him, she would have done so by now, but Caspian was still alive and unhurt.

“What do you want?” He asked between his teeth.

“I heard Miraz was killed. I wanted him to die of course, but not this soon. But fortunately, I have the King of Telmar now. I don’t need the spare anymore.”

Always so cold, how could he have one day love her? He asked himself as he looked at this woman, this person who had raised him, but still a perfect stranger.

“Marry him, Edmund. I’ll give him to you, my son. Surrender you magic to me and I’ll let you both live, after you both officially gave me Telmar.”

Edmund gasped as he heard her offer. She- she would…? Would she really let them live in peace, together, if they accepted her proposition?

“I will never do that!” Caspian screamed, waking Edmund up from his desillusions. “Edmund, don’t you dare accept!”

“Shut his mouth,” the Queen ordered and the Minotaur complied, stopping Caspian from talking. “My dear son, I’m not giving you a choice in the matter. Marry him, or lose him forever.”

By the smile on her lips, Edmund knew that she would even prefered that option. She would probably love nothing more than to see him suffer for his deeds against her. And by Aslan, he knew he couldn’t let her win. He couldn’t sacrifice the whole world for his own happiness. Not even for Caspian’s life. 

They had talked about being King and Prince, about their duty. It was their duty to do anything to protect their land, even if it meant to die for it. Edmund looked up at Caspian, and he knew by the spark in Caspian’s eyes what he had to do.

“I refuse to yield to your horrendous blackmail, mother ,” he claimed in a broken voice and he saw the relief in Caspian’s eyes. 

Jadis’ face twisted in a grimace of pure rage as she ordered her troops, “kill him.”

Caspian let out a cry as a dagger was plunged down his heart. 

Edmund heard someone yell. Later, he’d realize that it was his own scream he had heard, but at the moment it didn’t care. All he knew was that Caspian’s body was released and was now lying on the ground, in his own blood, at the feet of the cruel Queen of Narnia. 

“I’ll give you one last chance, Edmund. Swear loyalty to me, accept to obey whatever I say, and I’ll let him live.”

She knew of course that he would still say no. He couldn’t accept it, but he couldn’t do anything and let this man, that he loved so so much, die at her feet. If Caspian died then… 

Where was everyone?! Why was no one helping them out?! Where was Aslan for god’s sake ?!

Edmund broke free from Peter’s grip and lunged towards the Queen in an attempt to kill her. If Caspian died, if he had to die himself, he would bring her in their downfall.

Magic flooded out of his body without him being conscious of it, and the Witch backed down under the power of it, but she was smiling madly.

“ Gods , boy. You really are as powerful as I expected you to be.”

He managed to crawl to Caspian who was bleeding out on the ground, his face so, so pale. His dark eyes were foggy and he was breathing too erratically. 

Tears ran on his cheeks. Why…! He had known Caspian for only a few days…! Why was his heart hurt so badly…? It was like being stabbed on the chest repeatedly, like his heart was splitting. 

“Don’t die…” he whimpered weakly.

“Ed… don’t cry…”

“Bring the boy to me.”

“Edmund!!” He heard Peter cry but he didn’t move, he couldn’t let Caspian alone.

A howl rang through the valley. Edmund recognized immediately Maugrim’s howl and he turned his head to see the old wolf standing on the hill, proud and surrounded by his pack, but not only. There were Narnians. So many Narnians, ready to fight. At Maugrim’ side appeared Aslan, who was smiling at his people. 

Aslan had gone alongside Maugrim to the Queen’s castle to free all the Narnians trapped in their stone’s prison. 

“What… You dare betray me, Maugrim?!” The Queen raged, her face red with anger.

“No, I just understood where my loyalty lies… To my King.”

Maugrim bowed in Edmund’s direction whose heart missed a beat. 

“Kill them! Kill them all!!” Jadis screamed, taking out her own sword along her wand.

Part of her army didn’t react immediately. Maugrim still held power over them. He had been by Jadis’ side for a long time, at least the last eighteen years, and he was a true Narnian. The Narnians on her side knew him, they knew the pack, and the pack was on Edmund’s side, naming him their King. 

“Maugrim, you dare-!”

“Long live the King!” The wolf proclaimed and Aslan roared at his side before they threw themselves in battle. 

A moment later, Maugrim was by his side. 

“My King, you can’t stay here, it’s too exposed.”

“No, I can’t let Caspian… I need to save him…”

“Ed… Listen to him, go, it’s too late for me,” Caspian managed to say weakly.

“Shut up you stupid man! I forbid you to say anything like this!” 

“...Take him away…” Caspian groaned. “He won’t listen.”

A Minotaur suddenly emerged in front of them, a gigantic axe in his enormous hand, ready to strike. Edmund was so tired of being told what he should do. He was so angry at Aslan, for not being here with us, at Peter for not helping him, at his sisters for being he didn’t know who, and at Caspian for dying at his feet. His magic responded to his desperate call and the Minotaur flew backward, projecting him away from them.

“My King, maybe you can still save him,” Maugrim said suddenly as he looked at the Minotaur, astonished. “You can still put your magic away from the Queen.”

Edmund looked at his hands, then at the White Witch who was standing a few meters away from them, blocked by the wolves and trying to have her troops fighting. Yes. Maybe he could still protect Narnia and stop the Queen and her projects. Maybe he could still save Caspian.

He remembered quite clearly what he had done the night before, how he had transferred his magic to Caspian’s sword. Except that this time he wasn’t aiming for an object, he was aiming for a living being. 

‘Take all my magic if you need, but save him’ Edmund silently prayed. He didn’t know if there was someone to hear his plea, but he still prayed as hard as he could as he concentrated all his magic in his palm. ‘Please save him, please don’t let him die. I love him .’

Edmund should have hated Caspian for all the feelings that were tormenting him at the moment. He should have hated him for the tears sliding down his cheeks, him that prided himself for being so emotionless. He had known Caspian only for a few days, just a few days , but it was now clear that he had fallen in love with him at the moment their gaze had met, just as Caspian had fallen in love with him at the same very moment.

The Telmarine’s eyes closed.

‘I can’t live without him. ’

Magic flooded from his hands, coming in white luminous waves. 

‘Take everything if you need, but let him live!’

Edmund gave a last look to the Queen, who was eying at him hungrily, and he applied his hand to Caspian’s chest. The Witch’s eyes spread wide as she hurled in their direction. Caspian’s body jolted and his eyes went wide open as he brutally expired, coughing violently.

It was working! He smiled through his tears as Caspian gazed at him with stupefaction. Gods, he was alive. Caspian was alive. At his surprise, he nearly yawned despite the dangerous situation, and felt his own being tremble. He felt suddenly so terribly tired, as if all the strength he had been sucked out of his body. His thighs trembled under the weight of his own body and he felt himself fall on Caspian’s chest. 

“No!! Stop him! Stop him!”

But it was already too late, Edmund wanted to tell her. He hadn’t a single drop of magic in him anymore, he knew it. He wanted to yell it at her, but he had no longer any strength left, not even to talk, so he just smiled at her, satisfied by his deeds.

She charged, her face red and her eyes glowing from the rage that was inhabiting her at the moment, her wand high and ready to strike. Edmund didn’t hesitate a moment and covered Caspian with his body, his eyes closed, accepting that this was the moment everything ended. He was ready to feel her wand turning him into stones, but nothing came. He managed to open his eyes again, just to see Maugrim, his dear Maugrim, turned into stones before his eyes. 

The wolf had jumped over them to protect them from the Queen, giving his life for theirs.

“No…” Edmund only whimpered as he felt himself fainting. “Maugrim…”

“And I won’t let you save this one,” Jadis taunted as she raised her sword to strike the statue.

Everything faded and became dark before his eyes. He fainted.

Chapter Text

Lucy and Susan had quickly left the battlefield at Aslan’s demands. The big Lion had quickly seen that their troops would be decimated by the Queen's army, larger and trained to kill, and he had had an idea, something he had worked on secretly for the last few days. 

At the moment Maugrim and the pack had decided to submit to Edmund’s will, Aslan had known something was possible, so he had sent his most loyal spies after them to conclude a truce. They were loyal to a human Aslan would gladly accept as the new King of Narnia. 

He had learnt that Jadis had kept all her victims trapped in her castle, and there was a way to free them all, but they needed to act at once.

The moment the Queen and her last troops had left her castle, the wolves had invaded the place, and Aslan had been warned. It had been the moment to free all the poor Narnians imprisoned in the castle. Aslan had transformed them back, and they had run to the battlefield where the others were trying to hold on. 

Susan had had to restrain her sister from jumping in the battle when they saw Caspian, Edmund and Peter in front of the White Witch.  They had seen everything, Caspian being stabbed, Edmund’s magic explosion, and Maugrim sacrificing his life as Edmund was saving Caspian.

The wolf had threatened Susan, he and his pack had hurt the Beavers and so many others, but in the end, his loyalty had gone to Edmund. Susan and Lucy had both screamed when they had seen the Queen destroy the statue, killing the wolf for good, and this time the older woman had been unable to stop her sister from running into the battle. 

Lucy had used her magic to have the Queen step back, her eyes full of tears, stopping her from attacking their brother. 

It was at that moment that Aslan had finally attacked. The lion had jumped over Edmund and Caspian, to land on the Witch, and just like that, everything was over. 

The major part of Jadis’s army had stopped fighting after Maugrim had challenged the Queen, and with her defeat, everyone had finally stopped battling. 

Susan tried not to look on the bloody ground, knowing she would probably puke if she did.

“My dear child,” Aslan said as he was looking at Lucy. “Please, would you use your magic to try to save as many as you can?”

“Yes, Aslan,” Lucy immediately responded even if she had difficulties getting away from Edmund who was lying unconscious in Caspian’s arms.

“Go Lucy,” Susan pushed her with a smile. “We’ll stay with him, don’t worry.”

The young woman finally went to the battlefield to heal the Narnians, no matter which side they were on at the beginning of this war. Susan saw Aslan smiling at that sight, and maybe she saw something else in his intense and wise gaze. She said nothing but she understood what it was. 

“How are you feeling Caspian?” She asked, her hand going to Edmund’s head to pass it through his hair. 

“I’m more than fine, for someone who had just been stabbed in the chest.”

She couldn’t stop a nervous giggle from leaving her mouth. They were alive. Peter, Lucy, Edmund and Caspian. They were all alive, she thought with emotion as tears left her eyes.

Caspian went up, wincing slightly at the movement, and he took her brother in his arms, gazing at him worryingly. 

“Do you think he will be fine?” Peter asked Aslan, just as worried as was Caspian.

“I don’t know, children. I hope he will.”

They went back to the camp silently, trying to ignore the corpse of the Narnians at their feet, while Lucy was still working to help the wounded Narnians. They had won this battle, but Susan couldn’t help but feel like they had failed as she observed the battlefield. There was so much pain. She hated fighting as she hated battles and wars. It only brang death and pain, she thought as she looked at Edmund, still unconscious. 

It was unfair. Her brother had suffered probably all his life, and he kept losing people he cared about. But now, she would make sure he had a good life. Edmund deserved it, and he was her little brother. It was her role as her oldest to make sure he was happy and well.

“I know what you are thinking Su,” Peter said as he went to her side.

“I don’t want him to lose anything else,” she said, determined. 

“So you want to stay here. You want us to stay here.”

“He is to be King of this land. I can’t go back to Telmar and leave him all alone here,” she said firmly.

“He is not her son, he isn’t really the Prince of Narnia, and I can’t just leave Caspian behind. He needs us too.”

Susan had thought about it, of course. She loved Caspian, dearly. He was her brother too and she didn’t want to leave him alone in Telmar, surrounded by enemies. 

“So what are we going to do…?” She inquired. “Do you propose we leave Edmund here?”

“I propose that Edmund comes with us. He is a Telmarine by birth, not a Narnian. He belongs with us. And with what I heard these last days, I can say that they don’t deserve our brother as their King.”

Susan had also heard what some Narnians had whispered about Edmund. For them, he was still Jadis’s son. They didn’t know who he was. But during all these years, he had also suffered at the hand of the Queen, and no one had helped him. No one had tried to rescue him.

Of course, it would be cruel to say that all Narnians thought badly of Edmund, especially when more and more of them trusted their Prince. “I’m not sure Edmund will agree with you.”

“If he doesn’t, then I’ll just have to use Caspian,” Peter declared, his arms crossed over his chest. 

Susan couldn’t help but smile. That was a good idea, as it was obvious that the two young men were in love with each other, but she also knew that it wouldn’t be that simple. 

OoO

Caspian gazed at Edmund, still asleep, after he was put into bed the time of his recovery. As soon as Susan and Peter had checked he was in good health, he had gone to Edmund’s bedside, and he hadn’t left him since then. 

The young man had been sleeping for days now, and while everyone was doing their best after the battle and the Witch death, he knew Narnians were waiting for their new King to arise. They had all seen what he had done to defeat the Witch, the way he had fought, and his mercy towards his enemies.

Already, people were naming him ‘King Edmund the Just’, and Caspian found it quite fitting for him, even if the thought of Edmund being King was leaving a sour taste in his mouth, and an odd feeling in his heart.   

He passed a hand through the young man's hair, wishing he would wake up already. It had been days, and he was still unmoving, dead to their world. However, even like this, Edmund was still the most beautiful man he had ever met. Gods, he loved him. The young Prince would have given his life for him to live, Caspian  knew that. 

Edmund might also have given his magic away for him. 

Caspian put a hand over his chest, at the exact place the minotaur had struck him. He didn’t have even a scar. He was completely healed. He had felt himself die, but Edmund had brung him back from the dead. Edmund hadn’t said he loved him, but did he really need to, after what he had done for him?

“Edmund, wake up…” He whispered as he took his hand in his to caress his skin. “I still need to ask you to marry me.”

“...You haven’t won. I have,” a rough voice answered his plea.

Caspian smiled, his eyes swelling with tears of happiness as Edmund slowly opened his eyes. “That doesn’t mean I can’t ask for your hand. And for the reminder my love, you cheated.”

“I haven’t, silly man…” 

The young man seemed extinguished, and ready to go back to sleep, but at least, he was finally awake.

“You definitely have, now stop talking, you need to rest.” He dropped a kiss on his forehead and went immediately to find the rest of the Pevensies and Aslan. 

Caspian went out precipitaly from Edmund’s tent, a joyous smile on his face and ran towards Aslan’s one, knowing the Lion would certainly want to say a word to the young man. 

“I certainly won’t accept that!” 

Peter went out Aslan’s tent, furious, his face red with anger. 

“Peter, what is going on?” Caspian asked, confusion on his face.

“Peter-” Susan and Lucy went out at their turn, more anxious than angry. 

“I won’t let a Lion tell me what I can do or not. And Edmund won’t stay here.”

His friend turned to him and Caspian saw immediately that he had put his ‘Lord Pevensie’ persona on. 

“My King, I’ll ask you only once, do you love my brother?”

…Well that wasn’t what he had expected. “Of course I love him, Peter, what is going on…”

“Then I give you my permission to marry him.”

…And here Caspian thought he couldn’t be more surprised!

“What is going on here?” Caspian inquired, completely at loss.

“It seems, your Majesty, that Lord Pevensie is willing to do anything if it means that King Edmund is following you to Telmar.” 

Caspian smiled at his friend’s silly plan. It was clear for Peter that if he and Edmund were to wed now, Edmund would come to Telmar with them as the new King Consort. He would love that, oh Gods yes, Caspian would love nothing more than to come back to Telmar married to this gorgeous Narnian Prince, victorious and finally happy, but he wasn’t sure the love of his life would agree with that particular plan. 

“Peter, maybe you should discuss this with your brother,” Caspian said, uncertain of himself. 

“Well once he is awake, I will-”

“Peter,” Caspian interrupted Peter. “Edmund is awake.”

Lucy gasped and immediately ran towards Edmund’s tent, and the young King saw that Narnians had begun to gather around the tent, waiting for the Prince to come out, whispering between them. 

“Maybe you should go too,” Caspian said to her siblings. “He is still tired and you might need to refrain Lucy’s enthusiasm.”

Susan huffed and went after her sister, followed immediately by their brother.

“...I hope they won’t try too hard to convince him to follow us to Telmar,” Caspian said without looking at Aslan. 

“Don’t you want him to go with you, King Caspian?” Aslan asked him, and Caspian could hear some surprise in his voice.

“Of course, I want it more than anything, but I’m not sure about Edmund’s feelings on the matter.”

“You don’t think he’ll follow you?”

Was Aslan worried? From the moment they had met, Caspian had seen the Lion be calm, sure of himself, his troops and their faith, but now he seemed uncertain about the future of Narnia and the throne.

“I think Edmund is used to Narnia. Even if the White Witch raised him to kill him, he had lived with the belief that he would rule.”

And Edmund was suited for ruling. The young man had told him before that he was confused about his role in Narnia, that he didn’t know if Aslan wanted him on the throne of Narnia. From the moment he had learnt he wasn’t Jadis’s son, Edmund had doubted his own value, but Caspian knew he would be a wonderful king. But his heart was also bleeding at the thought of Edmund wanting to stay in Narnia.

“If you tell him to rule Narnia, he will do it,” Caspian affirmed. “I know he won’t let you down.”

“I know he won’t.”

Weirdly enough, both of them seemed saddened by this fact.

OoO

After Caspian’s departure, Edmund was left in his thoughts, even if just the fact of trying to think was hard. He was so tired and he could barely move at all. What had happened…? 

It came back to him at once. The Witch, Caspian being stabbed, Maugrim…

Maugrim! 

Edmund tried to get up, but only to moan in pain and to fall back on the bed, tears rolling down his cheeks. He remembered now. His dear friend had given his life for his. 

Maugrim was dead. 

“Edmund!”

The young man lifted his head and saw Lucy, Peter and Susan enter the tent. 

“Did we win…?” He managed to ask. “Did she…?”

“Yes, we won. She’s dead.”

Edmund breathed sharply and even more tears escaped his eyes. Lucy took him in her arms and she pressed him against her in a warm embrace. 

“Why aren’t you happy?” Peter asked weakly, clearly not understanding why he was in this state. “We won!”

“Peter…” Susan began to shush him down. 

“What? It’s what we all wanted! You must have hated her, Edmund! She made you suffer all these years!”

“...She was still my mother.”

…And she was dead. Edmund knew she deserved it. After everything Aslan had told him about her, about all the people she hurt, he knew it was necessary, but still, she had raised him. She was his mother and she had called him her son until her last moment, and even if Edmund was disappointed and angry, and even if she had been a cold and hateful woman, he knew he would never be able to completely hate her.

Peter fidgeted but didn’t say anything else, probably guessing that he would only make his little brother even more miserable. 

“But we’re here,” Susan said, smiling shyly. “And we won’t leave you alone.”

Edmund smiled through his tears. It was a big consolation for him. 

“And for Maugrim,” Lucy said in a low voice, like she had read his thoughts. “Aslan said something I didn’t understand, he said he had welcomed him in his country.”

Edmund startled. Aslan’s country…? It existed for real? And he had welcomed Maugrim?

“Oh…” He just breathed, relieved to know that his friend and protector was now in a peaceful place, forgiven for his sins. “He really said that?”

Susan nodded with a smile as long as Peter.

“It seems to be a good thing,” Lucy said gladly. 

“It is.”

His sisters and brother installed themself around his bed and they told him what had happened during his sleep. 

After he had fainted, just after Maugrim’s death, and while the army they had brought back with them was taking down Jadis’s army, Aslan had attacked the Witch to finish this war. 

Everything had happened quite quickly, and for the last few days, people had been mourning their death, and celebrating the liberation of Narnia. Already, the snow had melted everywhere, and life had come back.

And all of that meant only one thing.

Edmund was now the King of Narnia.

“Ed,” Peter began to talk after a moment, hesitant. “We wanted to talk to you about our return to Telmar.”

He gulped as his belly tightened. It wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have now. Not only was he utterly tired and he wanted to sleep, but he was also afraid of what they were going to say.

“Can we have this conversation later…?” He asked tiredly, avoiding looking at his brother. “I’d like to sleep.”

“Yes, of course brother.”

Brother . Edmund smiled to his family, content despite everything that had happened, and he fell back into a blissful sleep. 

OoO

In the end, Edmund had managed to avoid the discussion about his future with his family for a few more days, pretending to be too tired to do so, when he was now feeling a lot better. 

He was still undecided and lost about what he had to do. Follow his family, and be with Caspian, or stay and rule. 

Edmund really wanted to go to Telmar, and maybe learn to be someone normal, but he was afraid to discover what it was to live with humans that wouldn’t be as gentle as the Pevensie and the Telmarine King. What if they were like Miraz and his men? What if he wasn’t able to fit in with them?

And if, on the contrary, what if he stayed in Narnia? What would he do? Will he even be allowed to stay, knowing that he had no right over the throne as a kidnapped child? 

He knew he was being stupid and that he was once again overthinking everything, and that talk with them was the only thing to do. He was even avoiding Caspian, and the gods knew Edmund wanted to spend more time with the other man, even more after what had happened on the battlefield when Caspian had nearly died. 

Edmund also knew Caspian had to go back to his country. He had been away from his throne for far too long now, and Edmund had to act now, before he lost the chance to tell him goodbye. 

“Your Majesty,” a Fawn said as she bowed before him, just after Edmund had left his tent. 

“You don’t have to call me that, nor to bow before me…” He said, embarrassed to see that she wasn’t the only one, far from that actually. Every Narnian around him had stopped what they had been doing to pay him respect. 

“But you are our King now!” He heard someone else say. 

They still didn’t know he had no claim over the throne of Narnia. Aslan probably didn’t say anything on this matter, probably guessing that Edmund would accept his role. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but he was an utter fraud. These people had been lied to, so they would keep fighting against the Queen. It was time for him to tell the truth. 

“I am not. The Queen isn't my birth mother. She kidnapped me just after my birth. I am from Telmar. I am Peter, Susan and Lucy’s brother.”

The Fawn near him gaped loudly, and Edmund heard several of them react with surprise as well.

“So, you see I don’t have any claim on the throne. I’m not even Narnian.”

The Narnians looked between themselves, and Edmund noticed that they were even more numerous than a few moments before. Good, the word would spread quicker this way. It was already unbearable to him to tell them the truth, after lying to them all this time, he certainly didn’t want to do it again later.

After everything was settled here, he would be able to talk to his family and to Caspian about Telmar, and…

“It’s alright with us.”

“Yeah, isn’t it better that way?”

“I’m not sure I would have liked to have the Witch’s blood on the throne, so it's good news, right?”

Edmund frowned in confusion. What was happening?!

“Haven’t you listened to me? I’m Telmarine! Not Narnian!” Edmund insisted.

“But you have been raised here!”

“And you don’t sound Telmarine to me, you definitely sound Narnian.”

“And you know our history and our culture, not Telmar’s.”

All of that was right, but… 

“You proved by standing up to the Queen and by fighting against her that you were worthy to be our King.”

“And you have Aslan’s trust and respect too!”

But- that wasn’t what Edmund had expected at all! Despite all of that, they still welcomed him as their rightful King?

“Did you really think we would reject you?”

“Narnia needs a King.”

Oh by Aslan… Why was he going to do? He wanted to go with his family, even if leaving Narnia was utterly terrifying for him who had known nothing but the coldness of the snow. He also wanted to stay with this people, in this beautiful land he felt so comfortable in. He wanted to rule Narnia. 

He had thought that Narnians would make the choice for him, that they would reject him, but on the contrary, they were opening their arms for him, welcoming him as their ruler. Edmund was lost. 

“If you stay, maybe I can stay too.”

Edmund turned to see Lucy looking at him with a shy and sad smile. 

“Lucy…”

“If you allow me to, your Majesty,” she continued with a light bow. “I refuse to leave you alone, and I’ve never felt so at home than here. I love Narnia.”

Edmund loved Narnia too, especially now that it was green and joyful. But what about Peter and Susan? What about Caspian? 

“I don’t know what to do…” He murmured to his sister, his eyes wet with unleashed tears. 

“You know exactly what to do, my dear brother. You just don’t want to accept the consequences of it.” This time, it was Susan who had joined them. “You don’t belong to Telmar, Edmund. You belong here, and I’d like to stay along with Lucy and you.”

Edmund didn’t have the words anymore. Had his sisters completely lost their mind? They wanted to stay? 

“What about your life in Telmar?” he asked, his voice quivering.

“I like my friends, and I hope they will visit me in the future,” Susan said lightly. “But I feel that I can be useful here. More than I will ever be in Telmar. Women don't really have a say in the matter of the state. Or in any matter, actually.”

“Exactly. I want to be able to do magic here without being insulted behind my back because I’m a woman” Lucy said with force. “And I love Narnians. We’d love living here, with you.”

Edmund saw the Narnians looking at them, then again they looked between themselves once again, an whispering. He knew exactly what they were thinking right now.

The antic four thrones’s castle, standing by the sea. Cair Paravel.

Four thrones, for four monarques. Two Kings and two Queens. 

He had himself thought about it during the last few days he had isolated himself. He would have been a foul not to! It was an unexpected thing, and it was foolish to think this would happen. However, with his sisters agreeing to stay in Narnia… 

“I know what you are thinking,” Edmund told the Narnians. “This won’t happen. Peter wants to go back to Telmar.”

“But you could convince him to stay too, like Lady Susan and Lady Lucy,” the Fawn insisted, excitement in her voice as the other Narnians around them cheered with agreement. 

“What is this about?” Susan asked, a confused frown on her face. 

“They want us to rule Narnia! The four of us.” Edmund’s sisters startled at his sudden words. 

“You got to be joking!”

“The three of you already want to stay, you only need to convince Lord Pevensie to stay.”

This time, it was Aslan who had spoken. The Lion was walking toward them, followed by even more people, Peter and Caspian among them. Oh gods…

“Aslan, what do you mean?” Peter asked who didn’t know what this was about, as lost as Susan and Lucy. 

“I mean, Peter, that you could stay here,” Aslan answered calmly. “As one of the new Kings of Narnia.”

“Several Kings…?”

“Cair Paravel, the castle where the royal family used to rule, has four thrones,” Edmund explained carefully. “And it’s been a long time since anyone has sat on them.”

“I thought, when you first arrived, that King Caspian would be the new High King, but it was before knowing about you, King Edmund,” Aslan explained in a soothing voice. “But Peter, you can be the second King of Narnia, along with your brother and sisters.”

“And if I refuse?”

Edmund turned to Caspian who had just spoken, his face showing no emotion. The man was trembling slightly. Was he disappointed by his choice? By Aslan’s?

“Would you really refuse them the right to rule along with me, King Caspian?” Edmund asked.

Caspian turned his gaze to Edmund’s who had difficulties to stare back at him. He wanted them all to stay, his siblings and Caspian, but he knew it was an impossible thing to achieve. 

“Edmund… Do you really want to stay here?”

His heart broke in his chest as he murmured, “Yes, I want to stay.”

‘I want you to stay here with me,’ Edmund’s eyes said as he looked into Caspian’s gaze. 

“I see… Peter?” Caspian turned to his best friend. 

They all looked at Peter who was fidgeting, uncomfortable and his eyes on the ground. Oh gods… Peter was hesitating. He was actually thinking about it!

“Caspian… I…” 

“Alright.” 

His voice was tight and his expression sour. Caspian was disappointed, and probably heartbroken by their decision, and Edmund was feeling terrible. It was his decision that had decided his siblings to stay. The Pevensies were his family too. 

“Congratulations, Kings and Queens of Narnia” Caspian proclaimed with a light bow, sadness in his dark gaze, but also a spark shining with pride. Everyone around them cheered with force, people dancing around them and jumping so hard that the ground was nearly trembling under their feet. 

Narnia had its Kings and Queens.

Chapter Text

For the first time in a hundred years, Cair Paravel was literally vibrating with life.

After the snow had completely left Narnia for good (until next winter that is), Narnians had reunited and quickly, everyone had begun to work to make the antic castle as good as new, and it was finally ready for the coronation of its monarchs.

It had been abandoned for a whole century, and there was work to do, just to be able to welcome the guests of the other Kingdoms who would come for the event. One of these guests was more awaited than the other, naturally.

After Narnian had proclaimed Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy as their Kings and Queens, King Caspian had quickly left for his own Kingdom, escorted by Oreius and several other Narnians to his castle in Telmar. 

The goodbyes had been hard. A lot more than that actually. Susan and Lucy had been crying, and Peter had had a lot of difficulties letting Caspian go from his arms. And Edmund… 

Both men had barely talked. They had barely looked at each other, and everyone hadn’t dare say a word about it. They had all known that a single word from them might have chattertered the little confidence both Kings had at the moment. Who knew what would have happened if their will had gone into pieces…

The night after his departure, Edmund had cried all night, and for several days he had barely talked to anyone, even to his siblings, let alone to the Narnians or Aslan. This behavior had lasted for four whole weeks, and it had stopped only after the Pevensies had received letters from Telmar.

Caspian had written to them. 

Edmund still didn’t know what the man had written to his siblings, and he never asked. Peter, Susan and Lucy didn’t ask either what he had written to him. 

At first, he hadn’t dared look at it. He had been so frantic, excited, hopeful and so utterly afraid to read what Caspian had written. His departure had been sudden and had broken both of their hearts, and he feared to read reproaches. Edmund had felt -still felt- so guilty about it.

After much hesitation, he had finally read it. It was a love declaration. 

‘ My dear Edmund,

At the moment I am writing to you, I have all the difficulties holding my pen. Maybe it’s showing because I’m trembling. I might also cry, but I’ll try to be strong until the end of this letter. 

Since my return, the Lords of my counsel have been trying harder than ever to make me meet Ladies, so I would choose one of them to marry and sire an heir. I was so sad and angry after my return that I agreed to meet one of them. I wanted to forget about you, I wanted to stop thinking about you, about your beautiful eyes, your sweet voice and the softness of your lips under mines, but she was a dull woman, uninteresting and bland. I realized that, before you, I would have probably found her pretty and amusing, but who can hold the comparison with you?

I love you. I love you so so much. Meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened in my entire life. It’s been a few days since I left Narnia, but the distance that had been put between us by our respective roles in this world had only reinforced the feeling I hold for you. 

I know now that I won’t be able to live without you in my life, even if I ever tried to. I feel deep into my soul that I belong to you. I would say that I feel it deep into my heart, but it’s clear to me that I already left it with you before my departure from Narnia and that it doesn't belong to me anymore, but to you.

So, one day, I will come back to retrieve my heart and you. I don’t know when, and I haven’t figured how for now, but we will be together, and I will marry you. This is my promise to you. Wait for me, my Narnian King, as I am yours, as much as you are mine.

Caspian, the tenth, King of Telmar’

Indeed, his writing was a bit shaking, and he could guess by the blur on several letters that the man hadn’t been able to contain his tears while writing. 

Edmund had cried even more, from the sadness of being so far away from the one who held his heart hostage, and from happiness to have a promise from Caspian that he would come back to him. 

Nearly immediately, Edmund had got paper and a pen to write an answer.

‘I will wait for you, your Majesty.’

It only said.

After that, they had exchanged letters every few days transported by flying Narnians, and they finally learned to know the other without the burning desire they felt when in the presence of the other, while Edmund was discovering who he really was, with the help of his family. 

Of course, even by letters it was difficult for them to hide their vibrant desire for each other, Edmund thought as he remembered their last exchanges and Caspian’s words.

‘ My darling,

I can’t believe it’s been three months since my departure and I am now counting the seconds that are keeping me away from you. 

Sometimes it seems that it was yesterday that we parted, as I can recall in the tiniest detail your beautiful face and the bite of your words, but some other time, especially at the darkest moment of the night, it seems that I haven’t seen you for an eternity. 

I’m yearning for you and I want nothing more in this word than to be next to you, touching you and kissing you. The force of my desire is making me fearful, as I don’t know how I will react when you’ll finally be in my arms. I am afraid I won’t ever let you go, as my greatest wish is to be with you forever. 

You are haunting me ; you have invaded my dreams, leaving me shivering in the morning with a lust I’ve never known until now and a thirst that I can only be soothed by the taste of your skin.

In a few days, I will be with you. I can’t wait to be with you. ’

Edmund’s response had been quick, but he didn’t have the talent Caspian seemed to have with words. Caspian was quite the poet to him, and Edmund wasn’t as bold as the other King was. Edmund still hoped that the few words he had written to Caspian had had the same effect on him that the Telmarine’s letter had on him. If Caspian was shivering in the morning because of his dreams, Edmund was literally burning for the Telmarine King after reading that letter.

‘ Caspian,

I wish I could be with you. Your last letters were torture to me and make me wants things I know nothing about. I don’t know how to stop this fire you have created inside of me. 

Please, come to me and end my supplice .’

Even with the short time they had passed together, he knew how eager Caspian was for anything Edmund was willing to give him. He hadn’t had any news since this last letter, but he didn’t need it. He knew Caspian would come for him soon enough.

And after three long months which felt almost like an entire life, it was the day they would be crowned Kings and Queens by Aslan, before the kings, queens and nobles of every land known. 

Everyone in the castle and around was running around, getting ready for this unique celebration. The Narnians were so excited. It has been a century since they had received so many humans in their land, and they wanted everything to be beyond perfect. It wouldn’t have surprised him to learn that they hadn’t slept at all last night. 

Edmund himself had been waiting since dawn at the balcony of his bedroom, hoping to see Caspian arriving from afar, incapable of shutting his mind down. 

“Brother, you should be preparing,” Susan said after entering his bedroom. “At this rate, you won’t be dressed at the moment Caspian arrives.”

He turned to his sister, royally dressed and he smiled as he took a look at her. Her dress was blue sewn with golden thread. “You’re quite beautiful, sister.”

“Thank you,” she returned, smiling gracefully, her cheeks pink. “Now prepare yourself. I don’t have time to mother you, I still have to make sure Lucy has put on her dress, and not a uniform!”

He laughed and watched her go to their little sister, then went to prepare himself. Today, Aslan was going to crown them officially. Today, he was going to see Caspian again.

Today was the day.

He quickly put on his outfit prepared by the servants, and went out in excitement. He was rarely in this state. Edmund was always composed and mostly cold to anyone except for his family and close friends, like the Beavers and Aslan. He just felt stupidly happy and couldn’t help but smile. By Aslan, it was a difficult thing to wait to see Caspian’s carriage.

He would wait for Caspian on the forecourt, to be sure not to lose any second away from him. Edmund ran through the corridors, saying quick ‘good morning!’ to surprised Narnians who bowed in his path, until he was stopped by a group of foreigners. Archenlanders.

Of course, Caspian wasn’t their only guest during their coronation. People -nobles, which, he had learnt, were the worst kind of humans- had begun to arrive, and with them the delegation from other countries. And for the last few days, they had been testing his patience. 

The group of Archenlanders bowed before him, but Edmund saw quickly that King Lune and his son Corin, were not among them. Still, they were richly dressed, and arbored some suffisance indicating that they were important (or that they thought themselves important), especially one man, clearly a noble, surrounded by young beautiful women. 

“King Edmund, it is quite a beautiful morning,” the man said as he raised his gaze to meet his. Edmund couldn’t remember his name. Peter would probably have, but Edmund still had difficulties with other humans as, for a reason he didn’t understand, they needed to have more than one name. 

“It is indeed, my Lord. I hope you are well installed. It’s been a long time since Narnia has hosted guests.”

“Your hospitality honors you, your Majesty.”

By the Lion’s mane, those conversations were so dull! This was going nowhere, and Edmund needed to go… His mother had been brutal and harsh, but at least she had never talked for nothing. However, the man didn’t seem to be finished.

“May I present to you my dear friend, Lady Vasnesca ?” And he pushed a young woman to Edmund. She was his age and she was quite beautiful with her long blond hair. The girl smiled sweetly at him and bowed deeply, giving him a perfect view on her rounded breasts. It was clear what the man wanted to do, and he felt pity for the girl who was used like this. Especially when one knew that he wasn’t attracted to women.

“My Lady,” Edmund greeted her nevertheless, and she giggled, red blushing her cheeks. Urghh. Couldn’t he go already? He was feeling awkward and he didn’t like the fact that the Lady was attracted to him -or to his title-. “I hope you’ll enjoy Narnia while you stay here.”

Meaning : ‘don’t think you’ll be here longer than that.’ She clearly didn’t get it because she beamed at him, “Oh your Majesty, will you show us the castle? This place is so beautiful! You probably know all its secrets.”

‘Just let me go! ’

He was on the verge of responding to this request quite rudely, when a voice he knew all too well rang out.

“Edmund!”

Edmund’s entire being froze at the sound of his voice. He turned his head to Caspian who was standing a few feet away and this view stole his breath away. He was absolutely glorious, even more handsome than the last time they saw each other, three months ago. 

Oh… When had he arrived?

“Caspian…”

Edmund felt stupid as he felt his eyes watering, his eyes fixed on the man before him. Gods, he had missed him so much. Ignoring his guests, he ran toward the Telmarine and crashed against his chest, all but crying. 

“Caspian, you’re here…”

“Didn’t I say I would be?”

“You did…”

Edmund lifted his head to Caspian whose dark eyes were sparkling with tears of joy, and he gave up his desire to kiss him, moaning when their lips finally touched, his heart swelling in his chest. 

“I missed you,” he murmured against his lips, feeling like breathing for the first time in weeks. 

An arm passed around his waist to press him against Caspian’s body, and Edmund melted against him with pleasure. 

“I missed you too, Edmund.”

Gosh, he was such a bloody girl to behave like that, heart fluttering in his chest, and his belly burning with desire to be alone with Caspian. He really wanted to be alone with him right now. During the past months, Edmund had been able to explore his body like he never could before, and now he wanted to explore Caspian’s body the way he did with his. His hands were hitching with the desire to caress the skin of his lover.

“I hope you did.”

They kissed again, and he heard someone clear its throat. It was the Lord… He still didn’t know his name, with the Lady Vanesca who was red and embarrassed. Well, at least they had understood that he wasn’t a bachelor in need of a partner who would try to manipulate him.

“Oh, sorry my Lord, maybe you already know King Caspian?” Edmund said slyly, looking falsely apologetic. 

“King- Your Majesty!”

They all bowed before Caspian, whose arms tighten around his waist. 

“Oh you may stand up,” Caspian said with a warm smile, but it dropped as he warned them,“I will only tell you this once, don’t try ever again to push a girl into my fiance’s arms.”

Edmund blushed deeply at those words. 

“Fi-Fiance?” one of the Ladies stuttered, devastated, and Edmund could understand her. Caspian was disarmingly handsome and until now he was one of the most desired bachelors of the continent.   

“Indeed, I’m engaged to King Edmund,” Caspian answered with satisfaction in his voice, his eyes solely upon Edmund’s face. 

“Not officially,” Edmund precised with a smile.

“This will come, my darling.”

And with that, Caspian smiled his way, making his heart flutter one more time. 

OoO

They had quickly made their exit after this, right to Edmund’s rooms. Edmund wanted to tell so many things to Caspian, things he hadn’t always know how to write in his letters, like the things he had discovered in this new world without snow and ice and the books he had read, but once they were alone in his bedchamber, they hadn’t been able to do anything but kissing madly, thirsty for the other’s taste, like two men lost in the desert. They were each other's oasis and they had missed one another so badly that it wasn’t imaginable at this very moment to not be in the other’s arms. 

Edmund found himself pinned to the wall by Caspian’s warm body, hands on his waist and lips against his. His own hands had found the other King’s hair, trying to take control of the kiss.

“I missed you so much, my darling,” Caspian whispered against his lips. “I wish I could have left Telmar sooner, but it wasn’t possible.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just so glad you’re here now…” Edmund replied softly. 

Caspian kissed him deeply, his hands traveling over his body, getting lower and lower, drawing delicious moans from Edmund.  

“Do you remember Edmund, the first time I undressed you? You were already in a wedding dress, and you were so beautiful. You don’t know what you did to me this day, what the view of your naked skin did to me.”

Edmund smiled cockily at him. “I can’t imagine what you felt when we bathed together in the pond.”

“Oh, this moment inspired many of my dreams…”

And just when it was really beginning to be good, as Edmund had finally slipped his hands under Caspian’s clothes to feel and touch this warm firm skin, someone knocked three times excitedly to Edmund’s door.

“Edmund, are you here? People told me Casian has arrived! Come out and help me look for him, I’m sure you’re excited, you’ve been waiting for him all week and-”

Edmund had ceased moving, his face flushed with embarrassment as Caspian laughed softly against him. “I’m in here Lucy,” the man said. “We’ll join you and your siblings in thirty minutes.”

They heard a gasp and the girl replied, embarrassed, “Ooh-Hi Caspian, we- I’ll tell Peter and Susan… We’ll wait in our apartments… See you later!”

Sound of footsteps was heard and soon enough, there wasn't any sound at all.

“So, you were excited to see me,” Caspian taunted the poor Edmund whose face was burning red. 

“Oh, shut up, stupid man! I know you are as excited as I am…”

“You have no idea, my darling.” Caspian resumed his kissing, his face nudging on the crook of his neck to nibble at the smooth skin, his hands resuming their stroking. 

“So…” Edmund sighed in pleasure, light-headed and feeling like he was in a blurr. “Thirty minutes only?”

“I’m afraid your siblings won’t give me more time for now…”

And so, Caspian pinned Edmund to the wall once again as his hands expertly slipped into his pants to take his half-hard member in hand, making the young King gasp in both surprise and pleasure.

“Already, Edmund?” Caspian asked with a satisfied smirk.

Edmund couldn’t reply, his mind overwhelmed by the fact that Caspian’s warm hands were on him and that they were giving him pleasure. He moaned as he tried to respond, his head spinning under all the sensation that was assaulting him at the moment.

“Hm!!” A hand slided up and down around him, making him groan and buck against the other man. “Caspian…”

He finally came to his senses and his own hands opened Caspian’s pants, wanting desperately to feel him against him too. Edmund had dreamt about it, about touching Caspian, about pleasuring him. 

“Edmund…” Caspian moaned in a sinful way that had him shivered in lust, when he successfully reached his building erection. “The bed?”

Edmund didn’t respond right away, his eyes closed as he felt the other man’s virility in his hand, the skin so hot and smooth, twitching at each movement he made as he discovered him shyly.

“Ye-Yes.”

Their bodies detached from one another and they fell on the bed to reunite and after a few moments, no one could tell where their bodies began and ended. 

OoO

An hour later (more or less), Edmund and Caspian finally joined the three other Monarchs of Narnia in their private apartment. Susan and Lucy were waiting on the couch, with a knowing smile on their lips, deeply amused, while Peter seemed ready to rip someone’s head, pacing impatiently through the room.

“My dear brother, you finally deign to show yourself,” Lucy mocked in a giggle after they entered the room, both of them with red cheeks and shifty eyes. “May I remind you, you said thirty minutes, not over an hour.”

“My dear royal sister,” Edmund said with all the dignity he possessed, despite his blushing cheeks and wild hair. “It was King Caspian who said thirty minutes, not me, so please do not seek quarrel with me on this matter.”

Lucy giggled again, and Susan rolled her eyes, and finally she stood up, walking to Caspian before taking him into her arms. 

“Caspian, we missed you so much,” Edmund heard her whisper and he smiled. 

Caspian’s absence had been hard for himself, but he had forgotten too many times that the rest of the family was even more affected. They had known the King all their life, and he has also been a brother to them. He was their family. Caspian responded to her embrace and told her something in her ear that made laughed.

“King Caspian,” Peter said, his voice icy as he joined his family standing before the thrones. 

“King Peter,” Caspian bowed lightly, amused.

“I see you already deem fit to disgrace this castle and our welcome by defiling my brother as soon as you arrived.”

The words, cold but at the same time marked by mockery, caused Edmund to blush terribly. At his side, Caspian wasn’t even disturbed by his remark, and was, on the contrary, smiling brashly. 

“You shouldn’t assume things like this, Peter. You know that I’m pursuing your brother and that I’ll marry him one day. I think I wrote it to you quite often in these last months.”

“You-you wrote to Peter about it?!” Edmund said, blushing even more. He hadn’t been aware of that! 

“Of course, he already knew about it, and in truth, Peter had already given me his permission to marry you.”

“That was only if we had gone back to Telmar, which is not the case, Caspian,” Peter growled, separating the two men with his body, shielding Edmund from Caspian.

“High King, may I ask you what this is about?” Edmund formally asked, turning to his brother with furrowed brows. 

After that they had decided to stay in Narnia to rule together, they had agreed that Peter, as the oldest of their family, would be the High King. Edmund hadn’t wanted this role to fall upon him as he still didn’t feel valid towards the Narnians, due to his relationship with the late Queen Jadis. However, for some reasons, when a decision was to be made, Edmund would always have the last word; Peter had always respected him, and his wishes. Still, it remained that Edmund considered Peter as his High King. They had talked a lot about it, often in the evening, and about everything. During these last months, they also had discussed over Caspian, and the feeling they had for each other. So what was the meaning of this? 

“Eerr…”

Seeing his brother wasn’t responding and was now avoiding his gaze, Edmund turned to his lover. He didn’t like this, and he was feeling anger slowly boiling inside of his chest. 

“Caspian.”

“...Yes, my darling?”

“What is this about?” Edmund repeated suspiciously.

“...Eerr…”

Edmund groaned at the two men, and it was finally Susan who intervened before he committed a murder. 

“Brother, before we all agreed to stay here to rule by your side, Peter gave his permission to Caspian to marry you, hoping that you will follow us to Telmar.”

Edmund blinked, and stated with disdain, “...This is the most stupid thing I ever heard in my entire life.”

“And you ,” he continued, glaring at Caspian, “you accepted it?”

“Of course I did!!” Caspian exclaimed naturally, an eclatant smile on his beautiful face. “It wasn’t a mystery I wanted to marry you after all, even if the circumstances weren’t the best.”

Edmund blinked again, then blushed deeply. He still wasn’t exactly happy with this whole situation, and he had this mean desire to have the last word, so he turned again to Peter. “I can’t believe you would marry me off like you sell a cow!”

“I-no! It wasn’t like that,” Peter tried to defend himself. “I always had your best interests in mind! And-and I was afraid to leave you alone in Narnia, if we were to leave for Telmar. I only wanted to be sure you were happy, with all of us.”

Finally content to have his brother stuttering, Edmund smiled at him. “Alright, brother. I understand. But I don’t forgive you. I’m still quite angry. At both of you,” he said, glaring at Peter and Caspian.

Caspian came to his side and whispered in his ear, “if I do what you did to me thirty minutes ago, will I be pardoned?”

Well determined to keep his composure despite the sudden fire burning in his stomach, Edmund responded with an interested smile. “Hmm… I’ll let you try, I’ll consider after if I pardon you.”

Caspian’ smile widened and his eyes shone in pure desire. 

“Caspian, don’t flirt with Edmund just under my nose,” Peter groaned as he pinched his nose. “He is my brother, not some maid you can seduce freely!”

“Edmund is my fiance,” Caspian stated seriously. “So I will flirt with him as much as I want.”

Peter went to respond, but Susan, tired to see the two men bickering like children over sweets, chided them. “Stop this now, both of you!”

Both men startled at Susan’s strict voice. “We need to prepare, our coronation is today, we can’t let ourselves be distracted by this kind of quarrel. You are Kings, not children.”

Edmund smiled at the royal air emanating from her sister. She looked like she was born to rule, to be a Queen. 

“Susan is right,” Lucy approved, which was a rare thing between the two sisters, Lucy being less respectful of the Etiquette and ‘other royal things’ like she liked to say. “Everyone worked hard for today. For us.”

They all nodded, and indeed, it was time. 

OoO

Everyone was in the room, Talking Beats and Humans reunited in a new alliance forged by the four new Kings and Queens. 

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were already in front of everyone, and Aslan before them. 

Caspian’s eyes passed on every one of them before fixing on Edmund. They smiled at each other as Aslan spoke while they were crowned by their fellow Narnians and friends, the Beavers.

“Narnia suffered, but today this great country rises and shall prosper once again. May I present to you, the Kings and Queens of Narnia !”

‘All hail the Kings, all hail the Queens’ was sung in the hall by all the people standing before them. Edmund’s gaze went into Caspian’s who was too repeating these words with the rest of the crown, love and devotion in his eyes. 

Later in the evening, as the nobles of all lands were laughing and dancing together in a perfect peace, and after Aslan had left them without a word, two Kings did the same as they left the party to isolate themselves.  

Edmund and Caspian stood on a balcony, their hands linked and their eyes on the stars shining upon them. “How long will you stay ?” Edmund asked, trying not to feel depressed at the thought of being parted from Caspian again. 

“Next week, probably. Unfortunately, I don’t trust my people enough to leave them for too long. I have the support of my people for putting you on a throne and for helping Narnia with the White Witch, but I can’t say the same with the nobles.”

Edmund sighed miserably. They would only have a few days together, and of course they wouldn’t be able to spend all of their days together. This event was the occasion for the Kingdom to open to other countries too, and to form new alliances. Edmund would be busy and wouldn’t be able to see Caspian often. At least, they would be together at night. Edmund had already made it clear to the servant that Caspian wouldn’t need a room, as he was to share his. Yet, it wasn’t nearly enough for him. 

“I don’t want you to go so soon…” Edmund whispered. “You just arrived…” 

“I know, but we’ll make it work. Your siblings already have ideas.”

“What do you mean ?” Edmund asked curiously. 

Caspian sighed. “Telmar has many enemies, and of course Peter knows it well. He was a Lord from Telmar after all. Originally, Telmar was a colony from Calormen, and of course Calormen never accepted that we took our independence, even if it happened centuries ago. Calormen wants Telmar to submit to the Tisroc once again.”

It explained why Caspian couldn’t leave his country for too long. It was a dangerous thing, especially if they were spies from Calormen in his castle. Edmund didn’t know human nature well, but he had learnt that many would do terrible things to acquire some power.

And yet, for now that is, Telmarines and Calormens were drinking together, feasting over the new royal family of Narnia.

“...I see.”

“It is dangerous for me to leave for too long, but an alliance with Narnia would change that.”

Of course, it definitely would ! Narnia was a new force to be reckoned with in international politics. Even with the fight of Beruna which had occurred several months ago and that had weakened the Kingdom, Narnia’s army was strong and frightful for humans who had never seen Talking Beats in living memory. 

“And what form should this alliance take, King Caspian?”

“I think you already know the answer, King Edmund.”

Edmund smiled at what his lover was implying, and he kissed Caspian who immediately kissed him back.  

“We’ll have occasion to talk to your siblings about it, but I think it would be good if one King was to come here and there to Telmar to show how strong our alliance is. And maybe introduce Narnians to Telmarines.”

Caspian wanted both of their people to get closer, he mused, guessing what the Telmarine King had in mind. “You want to unify our Kingdoms?”

“I want to form a partnership, to begin with. And, maybe, in two or three decades, we’ll be able to talk about forming one Kingdom.”

Two or three decades… That seemed so far away. 

“We won’t be able to live together until then.”

“Indeed, but I do hope you will be the King who is to come to Telmar.”

“I don’t do well with humans,” he told him. “They are selfish, and I don’t trust them.”

“It would be fun to watch you snap at them, my love.”

Edmund huffed and said in what seemed to be a grunt, ‘I’m not that rude, you idiot,’, but he let Caspian take him in his arms, and he passed his arms around the Telmarine’s waist. 

“We shall establish a calendar,” Caspian said. “To know when you’ll come to Telmar, and when I’ll go to Narnia. I also want you to meet my heir, Rilian. He is a cutie, and one day he shall be a great King.”

They kissed again as they smiled.

“I can’t wait to meet him,” he whispered against Caspian’s lips. “So, we shall discuss diplomacy during your stay, King Caspian. I’m sure we’ll come to an agreement.”

Edmund gasped as hands slipped under his clothes and Caspian chuckled, “oh I’m sure we will…”

“You have a funny idea of diplomacy, King Caspian,” Edmund moaned as he melted in Caspian’s strong arms. “I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising to me- aah…”

“Maybe we should continue this conversation in your chamber, King Edmund… I’d love to talk to you more about my sense of diplomacy…”

Edmund nodded vigorously and they left the balcony they were hiding in, and joined his bedroom. A week was a short time for a new blooming love, but now they knew they would be able to make it work despite the obstacles. For now though, it was enough.