Not More, Most

Chapter 33- Two Slow Dancers

Two Slow Dancers- Mitski

"Sa- oh, hey, Ed." Susan said frettingly, looking around the sitting room.

Edmund didn't respond, as he was too absorbed in a book and he was hoping she would go away.

Susan clicked her tongue, and he had no choice but to look up, sighing inwardly. He'd been so engrossed in the description of the drainage system.

"What is it?"

"Have you seen Sanya?"

"She's not here."

"I can see that." Susan scowled at him- sometimes his sarcasm made her want to throw a bucket of ice-cold water over him. "But where is she- I had something to ask about the wedding-"

His eye twitched, but he managed to say, "Out."

"Out where?"

"Swimming."

"At the beach?"

"A pond in the woods a dryad showed her a few months ago."

"Is Peter with her?"

His eye twitched again, and he set his book down beside him.
"Why would Peter go with her?"

Susan looked perturbed- what sort of a question was that?
"Because he's her fiancé and they've been joined at the hip for the past few months?"

There was a peculiar expression on Ed's face that she couldn't quite place, even after he'd finished speaking his next sentence.
"He was her fiancé." Edmund corrected her, being careful to keep his tone flat. "They called off the engagement and broke up two weeks ago."

Susan had to sit down, she was so astonished. For all of Peter's declaration that they were happy- she'd doubted whether they'd last, but after his words during that meeting, she'd genuinely thought they wouldn't.
"WHAT?"

"Don't look at me like that." He said immediately, figuring he'd be blamed. "I didn't even know until an hour ago when Pete-" He jerked his head to the balcony, where a blond figure was visible, "told me about it. I haven't spoken to Sanya in days."

"B- b- ho- wh-" His sister stammered, unable to think any coherent thought. What? "W- why haven't they told anyone?"

Edmund shrugged, picking up his book again.
'They wanted to ease us, and the people, into it."

"But they were- they acted absolutely fine and normal- not as touchy, but still- I mean," She began to talk to herself, which suited her brother just fine, "when Edmund broke Sanya's heart into tiny pieces, she locked herself up for so long-"

Edmund glared at her, "I'm right here."

"And Peter isn't the type to keep something so huge from us-" She pulled away Edmund's book, her bright eyes even brighter with curiosity, "why did they break up?"

He shrugged again, "Something to do with some look in Sanya's eyes. Peter doesn't make much sense, you know. You'll get a clearer picture from Sanya."

"Clearer picture of what?" Lucy asked pleasantly, as she flounced into the room, sitting on Edmund's other side. "Oh, I couldn't find Sanya in the grounds, sorry, Su-"

"She's in the woods." Susan told her, before adding, "She and Peter broke up."

"WHAT?"

"My EARS." Edmund complained, and made to get up but his sisters held him down.

Lucy's eyes were dangerous and her nails dug through his tunic and into his skin.
"What did you do?"

"I didn't expect YOU to blame me. What happened to being my most stolid and steadfast supporter?"