Lost and Found

25: He's only trying to keep us safe

May 3rd

"One day down." Peter muttered as they packed up camp the next morning, already extremely warm despite it being early. "Aslan knows how many more to go."

Susan sighed as she watched him. "I'm sure he's somewhere close." She mumbled.

"Eveytime you say something like that it never turns out to be true." Peter said quietly, packing some water into his bag.

"But one day it will be right." Susan reassured him. "And anyways, it's best to hope, right?"

Peter swallowed hard. "I suppose." He mumbled, walking across the sand to find Orious.

"We should be ready to continue our search in a few minutes Sir." The centaur told him.

"Thank you Orious." Peter breathed, nodding his head and flinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Peter?"

Peter looked down and nearly jumped to see Lucy stood beside him, but he couldn't help but smile a little. "Yeah?" He asked.

Lucy frowned up at him. "You haven't been sleeping much have you?" She mumbled.

Peter's smile vanished and he had to take a deep breath. "What makes you say that?" He mumbled, even though he knew she was right.

"The dark circles under your eyes look like makeup." Lucy pointed out, before looking rather upset. "You need to sleep Peter."

Peter's heart broke. "I do sleep Lu." He murmered, kneeling down in front of her and brushing a stary piece of hair back behind her ear. "It's just sometimes hard to get to sleep straight after I lay down."

Lucy stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "You'll make yourself poorly." She all but whispered. "Then who will find Edmund?"

"I'll be absolutely fine Lu." Peter reassured her. "You've seen me function perfectly on little than an hours sleep a night."

"I wouldn't exactly say perfectly Peter." Susan suddenly said, having come over to stand behind Lucy. "After three days you were all but sleepwalking around the castle, we had to steal your work away from you so you'd actually get some sleep."

Peter took a deep breath. "Well," He said, determined to weave his way out of this one. "I'm not getting an hours sleep a night right now am I? I get at least five."

Susan sighed sadly. "I'm not going to argue with you right now because we're leaving." She muttered, taking Lucy's hand and walking away with her. "I'll bet you anything he doesn't get more than four." She muttered.

Lucy nearly snorted and nodded her head in agreement. "That does sound like Peter." She whispered.

The party walked for around half an hour before Peter finally rejoined his sisters. "You two okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." Susan replied. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"It's just rather hot is all." Peter said with a shrug.

"It's a desert Peter, what did you expect?" Susan said, smirking at him.

Peter rolled his eyes. "You know I mean it when I say if we don't find him in the desert and have to go into Calormen, you two are going straight home?"

Susan stared at him for almost ten seconds before eventually nodding her head. "So you said." She mumbled.

"I mean it Susan." Peter said almost desperately. "I'm not taking any chances with that country."

"Orious himself said no one would pay any attention to us as long as we have guards to protect us." Lucy stepped in.

But Peter shook his head. "That doesn't matter." He said quickly. "You're going home. End of story." And with that he walked on ahead to join Orious and Philip.

Susan sighed. "He's only trying to keep us safe Lucy." She mumbled, taking a hold of her sisters hand.

Lucy rested her head against Susan's arm as they walked, slowly nodding. "I know." She whispered. "But I just want to find Edmund."

Tears filled Susan's eyes but she held them back for Lucy's sake, taking a deep, shaky breath before replying. "So do I." She murmered. "But I'm sure Peter is perfectly capable of doing that himself. You know he won't give up until he has Edmund back, not if we know him.."

Lucy nodded hesitantly. "But what if-"

"Edmund will be absolutely fine." Susan cut her off quickly, before sighing. "Just don't think of anything like that Lu, I did and it was the worst thing I could've done."

"We all know he's gonna get hurt Su." Lucy grumbled. "There's no use hiding it."

Susan stared down at her little sister... well, she wasn't exactly little anymore, she was 14 after all. "I know." She sighed eventually. "I just find it easier not to think of things like that."

Lucy nodded. "I understand." She breathed, lowering her stare to the sand beneath her feet. "It really is hot isn't it?" She muttered, changing the subject for both their sakes.

Susan let out a quiet chuckle. "It honestly is." She breathed. "But if you're struggle don't let on to Peter you are, he'd send us home in a heartbeat."

Lucy giggled. "He would." She agreed.

"We're gonna walk until lunch and then stop for a bit!" Peter suddenly called from ahead.

"Wow, Orious managed to persuade him to actually stop for lunch." Susan said, looking impressed.

"He's probably more exhausted than he's letting on." Lucy said sadly. "You can see in his eyes how tired he is."

"No one his age should be that tired." Susan whispered, shaking her head slowly.

"He is twenty now." Lucy reminded her.

Susan nodded a little. "I suppose he is." She mumbled. "But he'll drive himself insane if he keeps worrying so much."

Lucy giggled a little. "He'll go grey by the time he's thirty." She joked.

Susan smiled at her and let out a small laugh. "At this rate I wouldn't be surprised." She said.

Lucy grinned up at her and gave her a quick hug. "I'm going go walk with Peter." He told her sister. "You coming?"

"I'll stay back here I think." Susan told her. "But go ahead."

Lucy nodded, before running ahead towards Peter, leaving Susan behind with a few of the fauns, worrying herself sick over both of her brothers.

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