In The Stars | Casmund

XII. HE MESSED UP

"I doubt the lords stopped here. No sign of living." Reepicheep told Caspian.

"Right, when we reach the shore take your men and search for food and water. The three of us will search for clues." Caspian stated.

"Wait hold on. Don't you mean the four of us?" Eustace added. Everyone looked back at him like he was dumb. "Come on. Please don't leave me with the rat again."

"I heard that!" Reepicheep yelled. Eustace rolled his eyes sassily at him.

"Big ears." He muttered under his breath.

"I heard that too!" Lucy began laughing and Edmund turned back to look at Edmund as they both laughed and smiled at each other.

They arrived at the shore and the men unloaded the boats as the kings and queen adventured off. They saw a rope tied to a rock that led under the surface. "Look, we're not the first ones here," Caspian said.

"The lords," Edmund stated.

"Could be." Caspian threw a rock down there to see if it was safe. "What do you think could be down there?"

"Let's find out." They slowly lowered Edmund down the rope, Lucy and Caspian followed shortly later. When they got down there was a body of water with a gold statue in it.

"What's that?" Caspian asked.

"I don't know. It looks like some sort of gold statue." Edmund grabbed a stick and dipped it in the water. Gold quickly made its way up the stick. Edmund dropped the stick and stood up to fast. "Ah!" He almost fell into the water but Caspian grabbed him.

"It's okay. I got you."

"That was close. Thanks."

"No problem Ed."Caspian crouched down looking into the water. "He must have fallen in."

"Poor man," Lucy said walking over.

"Is he one of the lords?" Edmund asked.

"Yes," Caspian confirmed frowning.

"His sword!" Edmund exclaimed pointing by the statue.

"We need it." Edmund pulled out his sword and began to stick it in the water.

"Be careful Ed," Lucy stated looking scared. Caspian seemed to agree because he nodded and grabbed Edmunds's hand.

He leaned forward and used his sword to grab the lord's well Caspian made sure he didn't fall in. "He mustn't have known what hit him". Lucy frowned.

"Maybe." Edmund shrugged. "Maybe he was onto something."

Caspian knew Edmund and quickly placed the sword on the ground, Ed was being tempted, but so was Caspian. "What are you talking about?"

Edmund didn't respond and grabbed a shell dipping it in the water and then dropping it well it turned to gold. He then grinned and picked it up looking at it like it could save his life. "What are you staring at?" Lucy asked.

"Whoever has access to this pool... could be the most powerful person in the world." Lucy and Caspian shared the same concerned look. Lucy could feel it deep down, they were both tempted by the mist and this wasn't going to end well. "Lucy we could be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or who to live with.

This wasn't Edmund, she had to do something, but she didn't know what to do. "You can't take anything out of Narnia Edmund."

"Says who?"

"I do." great here we go she thought. Edmund gave him an annoyed look, standing up and walking over to Caspian.

"I'm not your subject," Edmund stated.

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you. You never liked me, you just wanted to challenge me. You doubt my leadership." Edmund could feel his anger rising and he could feel tears forming.

"You doubt yourself," Edmund argued stepping closer to Caspian, the sexual tension becoming thicker.

"You're a child!"

"And you're a spineless sout!"

"Edmund!" Lucy yelled grabbing his shoulder, but he pushed her off. "I'm tired of playing second fiddle. First, it was Peter, then Susan, and now it's you. You know I'm braver than all three of you. Why did you get Peter's sword! I deserve a kingdom of my own. I deserve to rule!"

"If you are so brave then... PROVE IT!" They both yelled and pulled out their swords and began to go fight. Lucy quickly shoved them both away and stood between them.

"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU. Can't you see what this place is doing to you, it's tempting you. We have the sword so we can leave now." She yelled. Lucy could see Edmunds's hurt look and when they got the rope she turned to Caspian. "You go ahead. I want to talk to Edmund for a second."

"Okay." He simply said sounding hurt, but not as bad as Edmund. He tried to make eye contact with Edmund but he was obviously avoiding eye contact with Caspian.

When Caspian got up there he sat by rocks and could hear the two siblings talking. "Are you okay Edmund?" He didn't respond to her. "Please answer me. I hate seeing you like this. You can vent I don't care, I don't want you to be sad so answer me. Are you okay?"

He lost it when he looked up at his sister who looked sad. "No." He said pulling her into a hug and letting the tears pour out of his eyes. "It's all my fault. I messed up. Why am I so fucking dumb?! I'm so ungrateful because all I want to be is powerful. I'm obviously ugly and disgusting because i've been cheated on 3 times in the last year! I-."

Lucy cut him off. "Edmund this isn't your fault. This stupid mist is tempting everyone and trust me Caspian didn't mean anything he said." Speaking of Caspian, he was crying and felt disappointed in himself. They were so close to dating and that spark was probably gone now.

"But he did mean it! I know he did it. I don't deserve his friendship nor love." Caspian wanted to get up and run down there, tell Edmund he loved him, and kiss him, but he knew that the world doesn't work like that and he was going to have to be mature and suffer the consequences and apologize properly at the right time.

He stood up and started walking back to the crew, wiping his tears away as he walked.

***

Edmund and Lucy eventually caught up with him. When they got to the crew Caspian spoke. "What food did you find?"

"It's volcanic. Not much grows sir." Gaels dad answered

"Where's Eustace?" Lucy asked looking around.

"I believe he's out nor helping us load the boats." Reepicheep sighed.

"EUSTACE!" Lucy yelled. "Eustace!" Suddenly the steam hisses over in the mountain and Lucy turned to Edmund. "I've not a bad feeling Ed."

"I'll go find him." Edmund sighed annoyed, starting to walk off.

"I'll come with," Caspian said quickly starting to catch up with Edmund, who turned around and gave him an annoyed look. They walked up to the mountain in silence when Caspian finally spoke. "We-."

"I don't want to talk to you. Please shut up." Edmund stated plainly. They arrived at an area that was filled with fools' gold. "Treasure."

"Trouble." Caspian corrected.

"No, it's gold. We could be rich!" Were they really going to have this argument again?

"No Edmund! It's fools gold. Please shut up and stop being an idiot."

Edmund threw his hands in the air. "I'm so sorry that I'm not perfect Cas! I don't need the reminder that I'm ugly or an idiot because I constantly remind myself of that every day. I'm fully aware I'm a mess up, but that's just me so please stop." The two walked down the pathway and to the end of the pathway of gold. Edmund spotted Eustaces burned-up clothes. "Oh no. I never should have left him. He was just a boy."

"He was only 12.... he must have been tempted by the gold."