The Offspring || Edmund Pevensie Fanfiction ||

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💕Blooming Affection💕
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Charlotte was certain that a week flew by with a blink of an eye since she started training with Edmund. In a week, they had accomplished so much, far beyond the adventure she anticipated initially. She had learnt to ride a horse and a gryphon, disarming and attacking techniques, and how to use a crossbow, with the weapons they raided from the Telmarines, as Edmund had promised.

With every training session, she found it increasingly challenging to cast aside a blossoming affection for him. They constantly teased each other on the training fields. He would blame his losses on going easy on her, and she would blame hers on him not being a qualified teacher. But in every moment they shared, she found a piece of her heart stolen.

"Your attacks are getting sloppy," Edmund commented, as he shielded himself from her blade.

"We can't possibly be in the same league," Charlotte replied dryly, "I've only had five days of training, while you've had fifteen years."

"Actually, even with fifteen years of training, I rose to become a better expert than Peter in weeks," he corrected her proudly with a smirk.

"Then you should be qualified to teach me," she suggested, "unless, you're not."

"You're learning well," he complimented, "considering you've had to learn a lot this week. I'm impressed."

"Would you say I'm better than you, taking our different circumstances into account?" She teased, locking their swords together.

"It's hard to say," he withheld his judgment, smirking at her as he countered the technique she had just applied, "I'll let you decide."

"I think I might just be better than you, give it a few more days," she said confidently, swinging her blade and knocking his out of his hands.

"I let you win," he denied, grinning, "but well done."

Seeing that attractive grin on his face did something to her. She smiled in response, very subtly mesmerised by its beauty.

Day by day, his features captivated her and his personality inspired her. Visuals of his beaming smile, sounds of his melodious laugh, and the gentle ways he treated her often lingered in the back of her mind. Whenever she laid at night trying to fall into a slumber, he somehow always snaked his way into her mind. She often looked back at their journey and replayed moments of their small interactions in her mind.

On her third day of training, she prepared herself to learn horseback riding. He waited for her outside the How with two horses.

"I've never ridden a horse before," she nervously reminded him, "what if I get hurt?"

"What's the worst that could happen?" He chuckled, "You can't possibly miss the horse."

"Have you ever missed the horse?" She questioned.

"Let's get right to it," he answered, a little too quickly to her amusement, gesturing her to position herself beside her horse.

She let out a giggle, following his instructions. He demonstrated mounting a horse, proving to her that it was manageable since they were almost the same height. It made her feel a bit at ease, and more keen to try it out. She attempted to mimic his demonstration, successfully mounting the horse.

At first, she understood his directions in guiding the horse. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Soon, she found herself screaming as she clung to the galloping horse, completely out of control. It annoyed her how Edmund was amused and simply snorting with laughter at her suffering.