A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part two)

345: Things will get better

December 11th - Prompt: Ice-Skating

------------

"The lake's frozen over!"

Peter jumped and dropped the knife he'd been using to butter his toast with, muttering under his breath when he got butter all down his tunic.

Edmund snorted from where he was sat at the table munching on a apple, and ducked his head when Peter glared at him.

Lucy ran into the room about two seconds after they'd heard her rather loud, excited shout. "The lake has frozen over!" She repeated.

Peter took a deep breath, before wiping down his tunic and smiling at her sister. "Has it?" He said.

Lucy nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah." She said happily. "Can we please go ice-skating?"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Is the ice thick enough?" He asked.

Lucy nodded quickly. "Tumnus said its definitely going to be thick enough." She told him. "Plus its not too far away either. Oh please Peter!"

Peter smiled gently. "I don't see why not." He said softly.

Lucy had never looked so happy, and she quickly turned to Susan. "Will you come?" She asked.

Susan chuckled gently. "Sounds fun." She said, placing her spoon down.

Lucy's grin, if possible, got wider, and then she turned to Edmund. "Ed?"

Edmund froze, swallowing the bite of his apple before taking a deep breath. "I-" He stopped talking, unsure what to say.

Peter stepped in quickly after seeing the terrified look in his little brother's eyes. "How about you and Susan go and get ready?" He said. "I'll join you in a minute."

Lucy looked a little confused, but left with Susan, peering back over her shoulder as they walked through the door.

Peter waited until they were gone, before turning to his brother, who had his head buried in his hands. "Ed?" He murmured.

Edmund took a deep breath, but didn't say anything.

"Ed you don't have to go ice skating if you don't want to." Peter told him gently.

Edmund swallowed hard. "I want to." He choked out, looking up at Peter. "I just - can't. I can't even look at the snow without feeling sick! Without thinking of her! And I hate it!"

Peter quickly moved his chair closer to Edmund's, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders and pulling him close. "I know, I know." He murmured. "I know it sucks."

Edmund buried his face into Peter's chest, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry." He mumbled.

Peter shook his head. "Don't be." He said firmly. "Your reaction to winter and the snow is perfectly normal. I know it's been a horrible week, trust me, nothing pains me more than to see you after a nightmare. But this is also only the first winter, it's understandable you feel this way, but give it a few years and I know you'll get better. You may never be fully okay with winter, but it'll get better than this, I promise."

Edmund swallowed hard. "Thank you." He whispered.

Peter nodded slowly. "Why don't you get some sleep while we're gone?" He suggested.

Edmund seemed to freeze for a moment. "I don't want to sleep without you there." He mumbled almost guilty.

Peter bit his lip. "You want me to stay?" He asked.

Edmund sighed. "No," He mumbled. "I don't want to be the one that stands in the way of you having fun, I'd feel awful. You go with the girls, I'll just go to the library and read for a while."

"You sure?" Peter mumbled.

Edmund took a deep breath, slowly pulling away from his brother and smiling weakly at him. "I'm sure."

☆☆☆

"Go on, you two go warm up a bit." Peter chuckled as the three bundled through the doors. "I'll talk to Mrs.Beaver and see if she can make that hot chocolate you like Lu."

Lucy, despite her shivering, beamed. "That sounds like a good idea." She said, teeth chattering as she shoved her gloved hands under her arms.

Susan smiled. "Come on Lu," She breathed. "Let's go get you out of these damp clothes. Gosh you're so cold."

"It was worth it though." Lucy said as they headed off down the corridor. "Ice skating is so much fun!"

Peter chuckled as he watched them go, before heading the opposite way down the corridor.

Before finding Mrs.Beaver, he needed to check on Edmund.

He pulled off his hat, scarf and gloves as he walked, and entered the library as quietly as he could.

There seemed to be no one in there except Edmund, and when Peter spotted his brother his face fell.

Edmund was curled up on a sofa by the fire, buried under two blankets and fast asleep.

He had a book open in his lap, which told Peter he must've fallen asleep reading, and the fire was burning high which told him he would've been cold when he'd sat down.

Sighing softly, Peter wandered over, sitting carefully on the end of the sofa and placing a hand gently on Edmunds knee.

"I Don't want to sleep without you there."

Peter hesitated, before he made himself comfortable.

He wasn't going to leave Edmund whilst he was asleep, the hot chocolate for the girls could wait, he was sure they'd understand.

He sat there, watching his brother closely, hoping and praying he managed to have a peacful nap that wasn't disturbed by any nightmares.

Peter wished he could've gone ice skating with them, after all the three had had so much fun, but as much as it broke his heart, he understood why Edmund couldn't, and he knew it was an extremely justified reason.

As he watched his sleeping brother he couldn't help but curse the witch. She had done this to Edmund, she had traumatised him so much that he couldn't stand the sight of snow and had a nightmare every night during the season.

He knew it couldn't be changed, but that didn't stop him from hating that woman with every ounce of his being.

"Things will get better," He choked out after a while, still gripping Edmund's knee as his brother slept on. "I can promise you that right now."

☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆