The Secret Fifth

19: Five Pevensies

The mighty roar stopped the Witch in her movements. Peter, from his painful spot on the ground, looked to the hills. There was Aslan, with his sisters by his side. His three sisters. A girl wearing a very tattered tunic and black pants stood bravely next to Susan. Her blonde hair, who even Peter could admit was identical to his, flew behind her in the wind. In her hand was a gleaming silver bow staff, and Peter knew instantly that that was the pipe he had held himself through their journey here. Peter blinked, and the Witch was thrown from his chest. A blur of gold ran past him, and the blonde girl that had tackled the Witch ripped the sword from his arm. She offered him a hand, and he took it with wide eyes.

"Peter!" Lucy and Susan's voice reached his ears. He turned quickly and took them both into his arms. They pulled back, and Lucy instantly stood and took the blonde girl's hand.

"Where's Edmund?" The blonde asked. Peter's eyes widened and he launched to his feet, his sisters right on his heels. He dropped to his knees next to his brother as the blonde stood behind them. Susan quickly shot a dwarf approaching the siblings, then slid her knees under Edmund's head and removed his helmet. Lucy removed her cordial from her belt and held it to Edmund's lips, letting a single drop fall from it before taking it away.

The Pevensies sat breathless. Edmund coughed and gasped, gripping his stomach tightly with his eyes clenched in pain. Then, he went still. His breathing stopped, and his eyes relaxed. Lucy let out a sob while a stream of tears ran down the three eldest Pevensies cheeks. Finally, Edmund gasped. His eyes shot open and Peter instantly pulled the boy into his arms. Lucy tucked herself into their hold, and Susan threw herself on top of them. Peter held Edmund out in front of him as he smiled through his tears.

"When are you gonna learn to do as you're told?" He chuckled. Edmund breathed a laugh as his siblings pulled him in again. Through the shoulders of Lucy and Peter, his eyes wandered the field. They widened as they landed on the girl standing a foot away from the group.

"Anne!" He shouted, ripping away from his siblings on the ground. He nearly tripped over Peter as he lunged towards the girl, wrapping his metal covered arms around her waist. Annelise chuckled, putting her hands around Edmund's back and resting her head on top of his. She pulled away from him with tears in her eyes.

"Hello Ed. You gave me quite a fright." She chuckled. Edmund wiped his own tears and smiled up at her.

"I did it for you. The things that wand did to you, and so many others...I'm so sorry Anne." He put his head back on his sister's chest, who smiled and ran her hand through his hair comfortingly.

"We already talked about this, Edmund. I forgive you." Annelise ruffled the raven hair of her brother with a smile as she looked at him. He smiled back, and then furrowed his eyebrows.

"The flower petals, and the dryad. Was that.." Annelise shushed him with a wink.

"Let's talk later." she said. Edmund nodded and pulled away with a grin. Susan and Lucy smiled at the two as Peter walked to stand in front of the girl. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and smiled up at him sheepishly.

"Hello, Peter. I'm-" Annelise was cut off abruptly as the taller blonde pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders tightly.

"Annelise." He breathed. More tears streamed down his cheeks, and Peter could not recall a day he had cried more. Annelise smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his much taller shoulder.

"Yeah." She whispered. Edmund wrapped his arms around the back of the girl, and Lucy and Susan took haste in joining the family hug. It was finally complete.