Fearless • P. Pevensie

Traitor

"Rose, Rosemary!" Beetee shakes me awake.

We'd spent the rest of the afternoon training, so as I sit up, my entire body aches. I've don't more physical activity these past few days than I've done in an entire year back at the Professor's Estate.

"What, what is it?" I ask, stretching as I yawn a bit.

"They've brought back the second Son of Adam!"

Within a moment, I've already got my shoes on. I grab my sword, just as a precaution, before tearing my way out of the tent.

Dawn's just breaking on the horizon. I stare at it for only a second as I race up the hill, before turning my attention to the task at hand. I reach the top of the hill, watching as they carry Edmund into a tent below. Oreius stands at attention outside of the tent, which is probably going to be a problem.

Edmund is home. Well- as much of a home as this meager camp is. But he's home.

I creep down the hill slowly as to not draw attention to myself. As soon as I get to the base of Aslan's camp, I slink my way through the workplaces. Nearly everyone is asleep. It's not as hard as it seems.

I find a hooded cloak, wrapping it around myself to further disguise myself against the pitch blackness of the night. I creep along the edges of tents, working my way carefully to where Edmund is being kept.

I throw a horseshoe, catching Oreius' attention as he takes a few steps forwards to look for the source of the sound. It gives me just enough time to slink into the tent unnoticed.

"Hey, what are you-" Edmund asks, getting my hand covering his mouth. For a moment his eyes widen, before realizing who I am. I feel guilty for a moment. Having scared him, knowing what atrocities he must have witnessed while in the Witch's custody.

I hug him.

He slowly returns the favour, hands wrapping around me. I'm not sure if it's him, or me, or both of us, but someone is crying. My left hand cups the back of his head, pressing him into my chest the way that mothers do to their young.

"I- I am so sorry." My words are shaky as they come out in a low, quiet voice. I nearly don't get them out at all.

It takes him a few moments to compose himself enough. Once he does, he pulls away. He looks up at me and it nearly breaks my heart.

"I'm sorry." He tells me. "I put all of you at risk when I-"

"Shh." I tell him, hugging him again. This time I'm sure that I'm the one crying as I cradle the boy in my arms. "We shouldn't have taken our eyes off of you. We should have paid more attention. Ed, I am so sorry for how we've treated you. For how I've treated you." I tell him.

"It's alright." He tells me, honestly. He looks up at me with a nervous expression. "My- my siblings?" He asks me.

"They're here. They're safe, Peter and I made sure of it." I nod to him. "Aslan probably wants to talk to you first, but that's not fair. I had to see you, I had..." I trail off, my voice cracking as I look down at him.

"Rosemary-"

"Rose." I nod to him, giving him a weak smile.

"Rose." He looks up at me. "The White Witch. She- she's turning them into statues. She...there was a fox, she turned him to stone! Right in front of me!"

Another wave of sorrow hits me, sending more tears streaking down my face. I can do nothing but hold the boy in my arms as I try and make sense of it. The fox, the fox who helped us escape, no doubt. Caught by the Witch.