Traces of Narnia...featuring Peter Pevensie

Section 2 - The Knowledge of April: Chapter 8 - Night and Days

The house was dark and quiet when April came back down the stairs. She was still dressed from the day not feeling it appropriate to wear her nightgown. Entering the living room with the journal and an additional lit candle she thought that Peter might be sleeping he was so still. He looked uncomfortable and in pain.

He heard her moving around. She was placing some pillows on the floor for comfort and to be closer to his level. The couch was already low the ground. He stirred. She checked his hand to make sure the bandages didn't need to be changed yet. Her mother had showed her how to change the dressings if needed. She sat down on the pillows and looked at him.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Oh Peter," she cried, laying her head on his chest. "I thought I had lost you. We just found each other and I couldn't bear the thought... I prayed so hard! You were so sick and white and still..." She started to sob softly against him.

"Hey now," he said indignantly. "You can't do that!"

She looked at him in surprise and he chuckled, "If I can't comfort you, you can't cry! I can't even move my hand to touch you." He took his other hand and tried to touch her face but winced in pain. It must have happened when he fell. Sometimes the old shoulder injury acted up when it took another hit.

She laughed and smiled through her tears. "I love you Peter Pevensie, but don't you ever scare me like that again!"

"Come here," he said.

She leaned in closer, kissed his lips gently, and then sat back. He sighed. She laid her head back on his chest. Is was bliss to hear his heart beating. She must have slept but awoke with his movement. She got him some water, and helped him get more comfortable. Her father came out once during the night to help him up. As he settled him back on the couch, she got ready to change the dressings on his hand. Her father watched her for a long moment and then went back to bed. Amazing, she thought, and then turned her attention back to Peter.

She was very tender and gentle with him. They hated his being sick but knew they would not be together like this if he were well. She read to him her grandmother's version of the Caspian and Telmarines story from the beginning. And, they talked of little things, of nothing, and of the day. They relished being alone and awake together in the middle of the night. It was almost like being in the grove again but without the passion.

She did get rather brave and kissed him more than a few times, but the kisses were sweet and tender full of love and the relief of his being well enough to kiss. As morning began to dawn, they watched the sun rise through the window. The house began to stir for the day.

He smiled and whispered, "You were a great nurse."

She kissed him one last time, "you were a great patient."

Her father cleared his throat. April turned, not embarrassed in the least, and carried the medical supplies into the kitchen. Her father checked on Peter, helped him up, and just steadied him as he walked on his own. She sighed in relief, he was going to be okay.

~~Section Break ~~

Peter was feeling better, not up to running any races, as he liked to joke, but his hand was healing and his strength had returned. He had spent a whole day on the couch after April's night of nursing, but by the next morning he threatened bodily harm to anyone who tried to keep him there. They spent that day around the house and in the gardens, looking at the book and journal, then picked up Elisa at school.

April was helping her mom in the kitchen, Peter was sitting at the table drinking the constant glass of water that Miranda shoved in his hand. Delicious smells were starting to overcome the kitchen. April was making an apple pie and his mouth water. Miranda was working on the beginnings of dinner and the roast chicken was about to go in the oven. They were talking about school and telling Miranda about when they met and Peter's struggles with adjusting to this world from being in Narnia for so long.