King Edmund the Just : A Lifetime In Narnia

Chapter Twenty

"Caspian! Stop!" I laughed, jumping as high as I could to try and get my book from his hands.

"Come on Alex, you can do better than that!" He teased.

I poked out my tongue and took a few steps back before running and jumping onto him. We fell onto the deck, laughing. I rolled off him and picked up my book from the ground. "Got it." I smirked.

Caspian reached over and attempted to grab it but I, and I blame reflexes here, kicked him in the stomach.

"Ow!" He gasped, clutching his ribs and moaning.

"Caspian! I'm so sorry!" I crawled over to him. "I didn't mean-" I was cut off by him grabbing the book.

"Thanks Alex."

"That is not fair!" I growled, standing up and crossing my arms.

"What's not fair?" Edmund's voice sounded behind me.

"Caspian stole my book." I pouted. Caspian was standing up now and brushing himself off.

"I don't know what you are talking about." He answered with a blank face, his hands behind his back.

"As King, don't you think you should behave a little more mature?" Edmund grumbled.

"Ed!" I laughed. "It's just a game."

Edmund was glaring at Caspian, he turned on his heels and walked off.

"Edmund!" I called after to him. I excused myself from Caspian and followed him to the main deck. "What's got your knickers in a twist?" I teased, jumping down and grabbing his hand.

He shrugged me off. "Don't." He snapped before walking into the hallway towards where he and the other crew members slept.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Don't just walk away!"

Edmund spun around. "Why don't you go back to courting Caspian."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that what this is about? Ed we are nothing more than friends."

"Oh yeah, it looks like it." He answered sarcastically and flung open the door to the room of the crewmen.

"Well it is. In the past three years we've become close. We love each other as siblings, nothing more Edmund."

He ignored me and fussed about with his hammock.

"What else was I supposed to do while you were gone? Mope about?"

"You could at least have stayed loyal to me!" Edmund's voice was raised now.

"Of course I stayed loyal. How do I get this into your thick head? We are just friends!"

"Oh yeah. Just friends when you are laughing and teasing each other! Just friends when you are all over him! Just friends when you're calling out his name in your sleep!" He yelled.

I glared at him. "Yes and if you can't accept it, then we are over." With that I stormed out.

---

My nightmares returned again that night, just as violent as the first. However, this time there was no Edmund to come in and wake me up. I would wake up each morning, covered in sweat and with large, dark circles under my eyes.

Edmund and I didn't talk for the next week. During the thunderstorm, which lasted three days, all we would do was yell at each other again as we attempted to keep the boat afloat.

"Alex! You have to get some rest!" Caspian called over the thunder.

"No! I can't! I have to help!" I protested.