FAITH | Caspian X [1]

The Calm Before the Storm

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

    Susan and I walked out of our tent, with Lucy following closely behind, only to see Peter staring at something off in the distance. We followed his gaze, only to see Aslan on a rock hill, talking with someone. A boy. Our brother. Edmund. Lucy gasped once she realized who it was, and ran forward.
"EDMUND!!" She screamed happily, and tried to run to him, but was stopped by Peter's arms. She looked at him in confusion, but he just shook his head, and slowly let her go. This time, she stayed in place. WE all looked back to our brother and the Great Lion, only to see them already looking at us. They must have heard Lucy's scream. Edmund looked at Aslan, who gave him a soft, small nod in encouragement, and then started walking down the hill, with his hands in his pockets. I caught Aslan's gaze, and sent him a very grateful and thankful smile, which he returned with a soft one. He then jumped down from the hill, and followed Edmund, whose head was hung down in shame. They then slowly approached us and stood in front of us. Edmund didn't dare to catch our gazes, but only looked down in shame. I smiled a small smile. this isn't his fault. The White Witch tricked him. Besides, he is our brother. We will always forgive him.
"What's done is done." Aslan spoke, making us all look at him. "There is no need to speak to Edmund about what is past." He said wisely, sent me a small smile, and walked away, leaving the five of us together. Edmund looked up at Peter for a second, only to drop his gaze a moment later after seeing our older brother's hard gaze. He then glanced at me.
"Hello." He greeted quietly, before looking back down. I smiled softly, as did our sisters. I then couldn't hold myself back any longer. I stepped forward quickly, and engulfed my younger brother in a tight hug. He hugged me back tightly, and snuggled into my embrace. I smiled into his hair, and then slowly let him go. As soon as I did, Lucy ran forward with a smile and wrapped her arms around his waist. Edmund was hesitant at first, but then quickly wrapped his arms around her, and lied his head on top of hers. I smiled at the sight. Susan then stepped forward, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Edmund then let Lucy go and smiled at her, before hugging Susan tightly. They then let go of each other, and I looked at him with a smile.
"Are you alright?" I asked, wrapping my arms around him once more. He nodded, smiling at me.
"I'm just tired." He admitted, and I smiled at him one more time, ruffling his hair lightly. I took in his appearance. He looked awful! He was pale, and had a deep gash on his bottom lip. The blood has already dried, but the wound itself didn't heal. He also had a red bruise on his temple, and a yellow bruise on his left cheek. I felt my blood boiling inside of me. How could someone be so cruel to beat up a 12 year old boy?! But I already knew the answer. The White Witch.
"Go get some sleep." Peter ordered softly, making us all look at him. Edmund looked back to me for a second, and I could see the hurt in his eyes. I completely understood. Even I expected more of Peter. I just send my younger brother a small smile in encouragement, and kissed his head, before unwrapping my arms from around him. He then put his hands back into his pockets, and started walking to the tent Peter gestured to. He walked past our older brother, glancing at him in the process. Peter looked back at us, and I send him a hard look. He then must have realized what he has done, and quickly turned back around. "Listen!" He called, making Edmund turn around to look at him. "Try not to wander off." Peter said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. Edmund smiled back, understanding what Peter meant. Those weren't just words. They let our brother know that he was forgiven and welcome back in our family. Peter then turned back around, and I smiled at him.

*1 hour later*

    I sighed, and stood up.
"I'm going to get Edmund." I said, and my siblings nodded. We have been sitting by our small table that has been brought out for us by some female fauns. They were now serving breakfast, and Edmund definitely needed that more than sleep.
"Give this to him." Peter called after me, and I turned around to see what he meant. In his hands were some new clothes, and I nodded, grabbing them from him, and walking towards his and Edmund's tent.
    I entered the boys' tent, only to see Edmund peacefully asleep on one of the hammocks. I smiled softly, and sighed quietly. I really didn't want to wake him up, but he had to eat something. I walked forward, and sat on the side of his hammock, before gently shaking his shoulder.
"Ed." I said quietly, and he groaned before opening his eyes.
"Anna?" He asked groggily, and I nodded.
"I'm sorry to wake you up, but breakfast is being served, and you need to eat." I said, and his eyes lit up at the mention of breakfast. I smiled a small smile, and ruffled his hair.
"These clothes are for you to change into." I said, standing up and putting them on the chest next to his hammock. He nodded and I turned around to leave.
"Anna!." He called, and I turned around, only to see him sitting up in his hammock.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry." He said quietly, and tears filled his eyes. I looked at him for a second, and then quickly walked up to him and sat down on his hammock once again, wrapping my arms around him. "I never wanted any of you to get hurt." He choked out, and I ran my hands over his hair.
"Ed, it's okay." I assured quietly. "You were tricked by the Witch. You didn't know this would happen."
"She said she'll make me King." He said quietly, and I pulled away, looking at him in confusion.
"What?"
"She told me that she will make me King of Narnia, and that if I bring my siblings to her, she will make Peter my servant. I really didn't want any of you to get hurt, but I was so sick of Peter treating me the way he was, that I agreed. Because I wanted to be more important than him for once." He explained with tears in his eyes. "And then when I hurt you and Lucy, I thought that no one cared about me anymore. I thought that maybe, just maybe, she did." I sighed. It was our fault that he went to the White Witch. I hugged him tightly one more time, before kissing his head.
"Don't worry about it. You were tempted. It wasn't your fault. If anything, it was our fault." I smiled at him, kissed his forehead, and then got up. "I'll leave you to change, and then you can join us for breakfast, alright?" I asked with a smile, and he nodded. I then left the tent.

*15 minutes later*

    Peter, Susan and I have already finished breakfast and were just relaxing. Susan and I were still sitting by the table, side by side. Edmund was sitting on my other side, and Lucy was sitting next to him. Peter was sitting in between Susan and Lucy, but now he was standing, leaning against one of the stones further away from us, drinking his drink. Lucy was finishing her breakfast, whilst Edmund kept eating.
"I'm beginning to worry that you might eat even us." I joked, making everyone chuckle. Except for Peter.
"i'm sure they'll let you take some food on the way back." Peter called, making us all look at him.
"We're going back home?" Susan asked in confusion, and sadness. She has grown to love Narnia. Like all of us.
"You are." Peter replied, making us even more confused. He then walked back to us and sat in between Susan and Lucy. "Mom has told me to take care of you. But that doesn't mean I can't stay and help."
"I will stay too." I said, and before peter could protest, I cut him off. "Mom has told me to take care of you all too. Besides, no offense, but I think I will be more capable of helping than any of you." I said, and my eyes flashed gold. I saw Edmund's eyes widen in shock, and realized that he didn't know about my magic yet.
"Anna's right." Lucy spoke up. "But they need all five of us."
"Lucy it's too dangerous." Peter protested. "You and Annabelle have almost drowned. Edmund was almost killed."
"Which is why we have to stay." Edmund spoke up quietly, making us all look at him. "I've seen what the Witch can do. And I've helped her do it. We can't leave these people behind to suffer the same fate." I looked at Peter, and we both looked at Edmund in pride. Edmund then looked down once again, and Lucy reached out and grasped his hand in hers, whilst I wrapped my arm around him comfortingly. I rubbed his shoulder, and then stood up.
"Well, I guess that't it then." I said, and walked over to where our weapons were.
"Where are you going?" Peter called, and I smirked, grabbing my quiver with bow and arrows in it, before turning around to look at them.
"To get in some practice." I answered, and looked at Susan. "Are you coming?" She smiled, and quickly got up, jogging over to me, and grabbing her quiver as well. Lucy then ran up, and grabbed her dagger. We shared a smile, and then ran off to the practice area.

*5 minutes later*

    Susan loaded her bow, and took her stance. She then aimed her arrow at the target, and took a deep breath before letting it fly. We looked at the target, and saw that it has hit the outer part of the circle outside of the middle one. It was pretty good for her first try. I looked at Susan with a smile, only to see her grimace.
"It could have been better." She muttered, and I wrapped an arm around her.
"It could have been worse too." I said with a smile, and then loaded my own bow. I then took my stance, and my aim. I aimed a little above the target, and released a breath, before letting my arrow fly. I looked at the target, only to see that I have hit the very middle of the target. I looked at Susan in shock, only to have her smile at me. We then heard something hit the target, and looked over, only to see Lucy's dagger embedded in the very middle of the target, splitting my arrow in half. We both looked at our younger sister in shock, only to see her smirking at us. I looked at Susan, and then we both gave laughs of disbelief. I turned around once I heard the horses neighing and galloping, only to smile once I saw that it was my brothers. I nudged Susan, and pointed at them. Once she saw them, she smiled as well. They finally were like real brothers. Edmund was riding a saddled, beautiful brown horse, whilst Peter was riding an unsaddled, magnificent, white unicorn.
"Come on, Ed! Sword point up! Like Oreius showed us!" Peter called, once they began having a little sword battle.
"En Garde!" Edmund called, making me smile.
"Now block!"
"Girls!" Mrs. Beaver called, running up to us, making us look at her.
"Yes?" I asked, and she tried to catch her breath.
"They White Witch is coming. She has demanded a meeting with Aslan. She will be here any minute." I shared a look with Susan, before the four of us ran off.