definitely this time (e.p. fanfic)

Chapter 9

'You mean squash us? With your fat bellies?' Edmund sassed. The one legged creatures exclaimed in agreement before realising what he actually said. Raina rounded on Edmund.

'Seriously? I was gonna go for it.' She whined. Edmund smiled innocently and shrugged. Just then her exhaustion came back again as she swayed on her feet, nausea overwhelming her stomach. She stumbled forward, and would've fallen flat on the ground, had it not been for Edmund pulling her back up, his arms securely wrapped around her waist. His eyes bore into her dark brown orbs which stared back at him with a tenderness and cautiousness he had never seen before.

Raina felt her cheeks redden and grow extremely warm. Being in close proximity to Edmund was enticing, as she felt her heart rate speed up the same way it used to. For a moment, she wondered about leaning in closer to see how he would react, when she pulled away and refused to look him in the eye.

To say Edmund was confused and hurt, was an understatement. However, he shifted his attention to the dwarf-like creatures.

'Fat bellies?' The weird creatures questioned in offence, as they looked down to see if it was true.

'Tickle us with your toes?' Caspian sassed, as the creatures tumbled, face first to the ground. Laughs echoed off crew members at the sight. Drinian stepped forward and levelled his sword at the chief, as Edmund too stepped forward.

'What have you done with my sister, you little pip squeak?' He growled, as he placed the tip of his sword at the creature's neck.

'Boy doesn't have the guts to do anything chief!' A voice spoke from the side, as the chief gave Edmund an evil grin.

'You won't do it boy.' He taunted.

Raina, despite feeling sick, groaned as she marched forward, and grabbed the chief by his collar and lifted him up in the air, causing surprised squeaks and yelps.

'Oi oi chief!!' The remaining creatures hollered. Raina paid them no mind, as her eyes turned blue and her palms began to glow slightly.

'Listen here, you little mushroom, and listen clear.' She seethed. The chief's expression suddenly went still.

'I've had about enough of you and your friends' little shenanigans this early in the morning. You also had the gall to grab my hair and call me puny? I think you should really thank the stars, I'm not burying you in the ground right now.' She growled.

Everyone was terrified, and yet somehow, there was something magnetic about the way Raina threatened the chief. It's the same as when she challenged Caspian, the first time they met, when he flung a dagger at her.

'I'm going to ask you this once. Where is Queen Lucy?' She demanded, her voice increasingly low. The chief was shaking in fear from the glow in her eyes, and the anger that practically radiated off of her. When the chief struggled to reply, Raina roughly threw him to the ground, and used her power to bring him up to eye level.

Believe me when I tell you that Edmund was flushed, heart beating rapidly, as well as a very very dry throat. He tried to convince himself that it was simply because of the early morning cold. Caspian side-eyed the Just King, as he hid a smile.

'Believe me when I tell you. You don't want to see what this Goddess is capable of.' She growled, as her chest practically heaved from anger, exhaustion, pain, the whole shebang. But it's not like she's going to let anyone know she's within an inch of passing out or worse, right?

'I-In the mansion.' The chief stuttered out. Raina squinted, as the glow in her eyes and palms began to dim.

'What mansion?' Edmund questioned coming closer, trying to shake off his previous emotions. The chief, still hovering in the air, surrounded by Raina's power, looked to the side, as Edmund followed his gaze. Raina too looked, and found a mansion forming out of thin air. Damn that's fancy, it's like Manderley. Raina thought.