Heart and Home~ Edmund Pevensie

Chapter 3| Edmund

Edmund didn't think before he jumped into the brawl. His mind had switched to an old instinct – save Peter. He hadn't felt that urge in almost a year; the urge to fight, to defend, to conquer, to rule. He could recall every single punch Orieus had taught him in the training room at Cair Paravel. His muscles, his nerves, his very being followed his memories of sparring with Amelia in the courtyard and battling it out with Peter on every other occasion.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" The children's calls echoed around him as he pushed the one guy who was holding his brother to the floor. Edmund landed on top of him but was quickly pushed off and shoved against the wall of the train station. Edmund's muscles moved on instinct as he shoved his opponent to the floor again before tackling the other one that was throwing punch after punch at Peter's face.

He could feel the worried glances of his sisters' on his back, but he kept fighting. He managed to jump onto the back of the third aggressor, forcing him to the floor, before the tunnel was filled with the familiar sound of police whistles.

Edmund scurried off the boy, making sure to disappear into the crowd before the police had the chance to see him. Students scurried all about him, everyone trying to avoid the prospect of getting into unnecessary trouble. Edmund could just about catch a glimpse of Peter being pulled onto his feet by an officer before the crowd dragged him away, back to his bag that he had left abandoned on the floor. He sighed as a sense of nostalgia overtook him. The feeling that had coursed through his veins – the old instinct that reminded him of Narnia – had now faded into the back of his mind, into a place so deep he was afraid to pull it out. He knew he would only feel worse if he let the memories fill his mind.

Edmund made his way back to the platform where his three siblings already sat on a bench. As he sat down, he made a point of gazing at his brother, "Your welcome." He said.

"I had it sorted," Peter scoffed back before standing up and walking to the edge of the platform. Edmund was tempted to retort, but his mind was hardly in the mood for another quarrel.

"What was it this time?" Susan questioned. He could hear the frustration in her voice.

"He bumped me"

"So you hit him?" Lucy questioned.

"No. After he bumped me they tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him." Edmund knew the problem lay far deeper in the situation. Peter wasn't one to get angry easily.

"Really? Is it that hard just to walk away?" His older sister, ever the wiser.

"I shouldn't have to!I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?"

"Um, we are kids," Edmund felt the need to point out.

"Well, I wasn't always." None of us were, Peter. As his older brother made his way back to the bench he said, "It's been a year, how long does he expect us to wait?" He sat down between Edmund and Lucy with a frustrated thump.

"I think it's time we accept that we live here. It's no use pretending any different." But Edmund couldn't bear to hear the words coming out of Susan's mouth. He didn't want to be in London. He didn't want to be in England. He wanted to go home; to Narnia – his real home. Susan glanced behind her for a small second before turning to face her siblings, an irritated look on her face, "Pretend you're talking to me."

"We are talking to you." Edmund butted in. His sister gave him an are-you-serious face before a loud cry bolted out of his youngest sibling.

"Ow!" Lucy cried out, jumping off the bench.

"Quiet, Lu."

"Something pinched me!"

"Hey!" Peter got up as well, sending a pointed look toward Edmund, "Stop pulling!"