An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 14

After Susan and I chatted, I decided to speak with Edmund that night. I wanted to talk to him when I knew we wouldn't be interrupted, specifically by Peter. After night had fallen, I saw Peter blowing off steam sharpening his sword. Given the tension in his brow, I figure he won't be sleeping tonight. I sneak over to the tent he and Edmund share and slip inside. I see Edmund lying on his back with his arm draped over his eyes blocking the bright moonlight that somehow shown through the tent's thick fabric. His other hand is resting on his stomach, rising and falling with his steady breaths.

I make my way to Ed's raised mattress and sit on the end of it. I put my hand on his shoulder and whisper to him.

"Ed?" I lightly shake his arm. "Edmund?"

"Mm?" He grunts and lifts his arm from over his face and lifts his head, looking at me with his confused sleepy eyes. "Y/n? Why are you here? Is everything ok? What's going on?"

He starts looking around frantically.

"Shh...nothings wrong; I just wanted to talk to you about something," I assure him. He lays his head back down on his pillow.

"Can it wait until morning? I'm exhausted," he groans as he rolls onto his side.

"It's about Peter."

At this, Ed opens his eyes again and looks at me.

"What about Pete?"

"I thought it might be good for you to talk to him about Caspian. Clearly they're not getting along very well, and I think he'll listen to you," I explain as Edmund sits up. "He and Caspian are leading us, but their fighting is causing tension. I think if you suggest asking Caspian for his opinion on Miraz's weaknesses, he might be open to it."

"I'm not saying I won't talk to him, but do you really think that will help?"

"If Peter asks Caspian for help, he gives Caspian the chance to lead without actually apologizing," I tell him. "I think it might at least ease the tension."

Edmund smiles at me.

"What?" I ask. As much as I love his smile, it makes me feel like he's not listening to me. "Why are you smiling?"

"I think you're very wise, Y/n," he says as he looks at me. "I think you make an excellent leader."

This boosts my ego quite a bit, but it also makes my heart flutter because it means Edmund sees my capabilities and strengths. I lean my head into his shoulder and smile.

"So you'll talk to your brother?"

"Of course I will," Edmund says as he strokes my hair. He pulls his head back and says, "Are we going to talk about what happened earlier?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, you said there'd be a next time..." he says with a soft smile.

"Ah, that," I say. "Yes, I guess we should discuss that."

"So-ah-does this change-what we are?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

"If you'd like it to," I take his hand in mind.

"I think I'd quite like that," he says with a smile.

I smile back at him and look over his face. The moonlight shone through the tent onto Ed's face, making his dark eyes stand out on his face. His cheeks a dusted pink, I assume from our decision to be together. The ties on his shirt hang loose around his neck, revealing a sliver of his chest. The breeze blows through the tent's door as I didn't seal it shut upon my entrance, blowing some pieces of his hair around his face.

I reposition myself on his cot so that I'm facing him. I take his face in my hands, tracing his soft lips with my thumb. He grabs my wrists gently and brings my hand to his chest, leaning in ever so slowly until our lips touch. We sit there in bliss for a few seconds before Ed puts his hands on my face, pulling me deeper into our kiss. His lips start moving against mine, and I move my hands to his waist.

I pull him closer to me. At this, Edmund puts his hands on my waist and pulls me onto his lap so that I'm straddling his waist. He runs his tongue over my lower lip as he continues to kiss me, moving his hands to my lower back. His tongues enters my mouth, and I feel myself sigh into him. I run my hand through his short dark hair, and he traces my jaw with his thumb. He breaks away from our kiss but remains close to me, touching our foreheads together.

"Y/n?" He whispers, careful not to ruin the quiet tone of the tent.

"Yes?" I whisper back.

"Will you stay with me tonight? I don't think Peter will be returning this evening."

"As you wish, my king."

Edmund lifts me off of him and shifts to the far side of his small mattress. He smiles up at me and pats the open space next to him. I slip under his blanket and lay on my side so that I'm facing Edmund. He drapes his arm over my waist and pulls me close to him.

"Goodnight, love," Edmund says to me, nervously waiting for my reaction to his new pet name for me.

"Goodnight, love," I say back as I close my eyes.

And with that, I get the best sleep I've gotten since arriving in Narnia.