Letters To Edmund |book 1|

Chapter 40. Children

Peter loved serving his people, he thought it to be his duty, and his siblings followed his lead. Usually, they would go out into the village that surrounded Cair Paravel and fix buildings. Susan and Lucy would play with the kids and Peter, Edmund, and Caspian would help fix their houses. Most Narnian villages that surrounded the royal castle suffered from attacks by those who disagreed with the royals. Usually the witch's shadow army. As a royal guest, Angelina was invited to participate in their crusade for justice and restoration of property. Lucy decided to drag Angelina with her to play with the kids. There was no way a young lady of her gentle complexion would have to deal with stone picking, and chopping of trees. 

Children instantly surrounded the three ladies and danced around them in unison. Some grabbed Susan by the hand to show her dolls they made out of straw and string. Others jumped on Lucy's back and demanded that she be their royal carriage. Angelina wasn't very good with kids, they didn't seem to enjoy her company. However, Lucy was not giving up. She made Angelina read them a story and tell them about her adventures in Narnia.

"You see she is a keeper of Aslan's light!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Have you seen the mighty lion himself?" One of the children asked, her eyes glistening with excitement.

Angelina turned to the little girl and smiled, "yes I have."

"I heard that Aslan doesn't exist!" Another one said, and Angelina turned to his direction.

"Why, who told you such a thing, of course He exists, I saw Him with my own two eyes!" She enjoyed talking to the children about Aslan, and they seemed to be engaged in her stories.

"Is it true that you could kill us with just a strike of your hand!?" a little girl sitting next to her asked.

Angelina felt uncomfortable with the question, she could do so, but why would she. Not knowing how to explain it to the children she looked at them sympathetically before Lucy stole her spotlight by telling the children it was time to go play hide and seek. They all screamed with happiness and ran away, leaving Angelina with the thought of how dangerous she actually was.

As if reading her thoughts, Edmund appeared next to her, sitting down on the stone ground. "What's bothering you?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for answers.

"Have you ever actually considered how dangerous this light is. I mean you all treat me like I can control it." She shook her head, frustrated with the tasks and expectations everyone put on her.

"Can't you control it?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

She turned to him, "more or less. Sometimes this light goes crazy, like it has a mind of its own. In the woods, I had no idea I could do that. But then when the white witch came, I couldn't even talk back to her let alone defeat her!"

"Things happen for a reason. Maybe this battle was not meant to be won?" He looked down at her, noticing that his words had no comforting effect, "I trust you. You will find a way to control it." He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to himself.

"Well, I can't be around children anymore, they are afraid of me." She looked into the distance, knowing that she was never on good terms with kids, especially when she couldn't understand what they wanted from her.

Edmund smirked, "children don't like me either. See, I'm king Edmund of justice. In their eyes I am a brutal warrior who knows one thing; blood must have blood. Justice must happen."

"But you are not like that, you have the kindest heart I've ever seen," she said, almost teasing him about his soft nature.

"Thanks, but one thing I know, there are a lot of parts to me and they are not very pretty. Some might even call them scary." He smiled to her, hiding his fear of disappointing her.