The Voyage - Edmund Pevensie

4

Edmund recovered from my initial strike quickly and soon we were trading blow after blow, block after block. I would gain the upper hand for a few strikes and push him back a few steps, then he would gain the upper hand and push me back. 

Ed smiled at me, a real genuine smile, from where he stood a little ways in front of me. I grinned back, but made sure not to lose my concentration. Ed swung down at my head and I deflected his strike, but he used the momentum to spin and strike out again down towards my knees. I easily jumped over his blade to the amusement of the crew. That was just another thing I admired about Edmund. While he'd never had the raw power of Peter or even Caspian, he'd always been creative and crafty with his fighting. 

As if he could hear my thoughts, he swung at my head which I dodged, swinging up in the hopes of catching him off guard. It did, and he stumbled back a step which I knew right away was my opening. With his arms out in order to try and help him catch his balance, I surged forward and used my sword to knock Edmund's out of his hand. It landed next to him on the deck and before he could take a breath, I was at his throat with my blade. He blinked once in surprise, then smiled good naturedly as the crew clapped and applauded both of our performances. 

"Not bad for taking a whole year off," I offered, stepping back and putting my hand out. He grabbed it and pulled me close making me chuckle. 

"Not bad," he smirked. "I'd say that was pretty good considering I didn't lose to you in the first five minutes." I laughed out loud at this, gazing into his brown eyes that looked almost like honey in the sun's golden rays. I kissed him lightly on the cheek which prompted some hazing from some of the crew members close by and my cheeks reddened. 

"Alright, I'll give you that," I told him.

"Then how about you spar with someone more on your level," a voice asked from behind us where Caspian held his own sword. The crew cheered at this proposal and I dropped to pick up Edmund's sword. 

"What do you say Edmund?" Cas asked. "Too tired after one fight?" Ed took his sword from my hands winking at me. 

"After one fight?" He shifted to get into a fighting stance. "Never."

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Caspian and Edmund's duel ended in a tie with Caspian's sword at Edmund's neck and Ed's sword across Cas's stomach. They were both laughing as they pulled away, the crew clapping and applauding yet another duel which had been quite the show. 

Caspian clasped Edmund on the shoulder, flipping Peter's sword in his hand. 

"You've grown stronger my friend," my brother said.

"It seems I have," Ed replied and I smiled. 

"Alright, back to work!" Drinian called out and the crew immediately began to separate to their prospective jobs on deck. During their duel, I'd gone to sit with Lucy who had been watching from on top of some barrels. Edmund began making his way to us, accepting a cup of water from a crew member on his way. 

Edmund and I shared a smile before he leaned against the railing of the ship to our right. 

"Edmund, Cat," Lucy started. I glanced at her. "Do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world we'll just... tip off the edge?" 

While I wanted to ask her what made her think that, I paused as I realized I wasn't even sure myself. I couldn't remember any record in the Telmaranian library that specified what waited at the edge of the world, but some part of me knew that it couldn't just end.