Afraid to Love》Edmund Pevensie✔

V

"Shut up you two" Avelyn groaned.

The queens were all in Avelyn's chamber talking about the party. Actually, about Edmund to be precise.

Apparently, Talon had told them about what he'd seen in the balcony.

"We were just talking!" Aves argued, smoothening her nightgown.

"You could've done that without getting into each others faces" Susan chuckled.

"And why is it that you both decide to unveil your 'hopelessly in love' side out by the balcony" Lucy smirked "is there something wrong with acting like that indoors?"

"Shhh" Susan giggled "it's their secret, they can't let everyone know"

"Ooh" Lucy cooed "it's a forbidden love! That would make an amazing story"

"Shut up" Avelyn laughed at their antics "I can't believe you think I'd be in love with Edmund"

"As if you aren't already" Susan rolled her eyes.

"I'm not!" Avelyn protested "when have I ever acted like it?"

"At the party," Lucy went on "the coronation, and that one time you both snuck away from Aslan's camp"

"At our Coronation?" Susan asked, confused "and when did they sneak away? How do I not know this?"

"We didn't sneak away" Avelyn explained "we just went to look around"

"Are you sure you'll be able to find your way back?"

"Yes" Edmund assured for the fifth time "now come on,"

"I'm not sure" Avelyn softly mumbled "it's getting a bit dark anyway"

"Wasn't it your idea?" Edmund narowed his eyes "or are you just afraid of the dark"

"Me? Afraid?" The girl scoffed "I'm just, concerned"

"Stop making excuses"

Both kids walked deeper into the woods, searching for those pixies Avelyn had claimed to have seen earlier.

The girl get sneaking glances at Edmund, just to make sure he didn't go back, leaving her alone in the dark.

"I'm not going to run off" Edmund called out from behind her "if that's what your worried about"

"I didn't say I was"

"Oh hush" Ed scoffed "your scared of the dark, aren't you Aves?"

"Shut up, I'm not"

"Sure you are. Stop being such a baby"

"Stop it or ill punch you"

"I'd like to see you tr- oof!"

Edmund landed on his arse, holding his upper arm where the girl had punched him. He'd not expected her to do it so it caught him off guard and made him fall.

"Ow" he grumbled "why'd you do that?"

"You asked me to" the girl smiled innocently as she stretched out her hand to help him up.

The boy didn't accept her help and tried to get up himself but tripped over his own footing and fell over.

"Will I have to carry you now?" The girl laughed at the now flustered Edmund.

"Let's just go find those pixies"

The two however, didn't find them and headed back, upset.

The girl looked at Edmund, his expression to be exact. She knew his current mood was because of their failure to find those pixies. But Ed always seemed to have a grave expression on his face if he wasn't with his siblings.

"Edmund?" The girl called out sweetly.

"Hmm?"

"You don't smile much do you?"

"Does it matter?" The boy kicked a stone, his hands in his pocket.

"I've just always noticed you don't really smile much, or laugh or joke around me"

"You do realise you just described a clown" the boy turned toward her "am I supposed to be some sort of entertainment for you"

"I didn't mean it like that" the girl halted, Edmund doing the same "there's no need to be so blunt"

"Sorry to disappoint you ma'am" the boy retorted "but that's just who I am, at least who I've become now"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing"

The girl stood in front of him as he tried to walk away, making him stop and look at her.

"Is something wrong?"

"When was anything ever right with me?" The boy sighed "I've tried to live up to people's expectations but I'm just never good enough. No one really likes me for me. I've always been compared to my siblings. That's why it was so easy for the White Witch to manipulate me and turn me against them"

The girl listened to him sadly.

"I nearly had Narnia perishing in fire and water. All because of what? I wanted to be loved. Because the White Witch promised me to  make me a king, loved by all. And that's honestly the only thing I wanted. Look where that got me"

"Edmund..." the girl went over to hug him but he flinched, leaving her feeling confused.

"I..I'm sorry" he muttered "I'm not really used to it. And I'd rather it remain that way. All these actions of love, Love itself, it's just stupid. Don't get me wrong, I love my family but that's just because we're all related by blood. I don't expect anyone else to love me like how they genuinely do"

The boy waited for her to move out of the way. Once she did, they both walked back in silence.

That's when the girl truly realised what Jadis had done to him.

She'd broken him completely. It made him believe that love leads to blind ambition and false hopes.

Two things were unveiled that day:

Avelyn was afraid of the dark,
Edmund was afraid of Love.