Lost and Found

52: Everything

"Did you get him to eat anything?"

Peter glanced up from where he was packing some water into his shoulder bag, sighing at Susan's question. "He ate about five spoonfuls of porridge and two bites of an apple." He muttered, standing and slinging the bag onto his shoulder.

Susan sighed. "I suppose it's better than nothing." She said hesitantly.

Peter shrugged. "I suppose." He breathed.

Susan glanced across at Edmund and Lucy, who seemed to be just sat in silence whilst Orious packed up the last of the supplies. "He doesn't look great does he?" She whispered sadly.

Peter sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know if he'll ever be the boy he was." He choked.

Susan shook her head. "Don't think like that Peter." She told him. "Ed will recover, I promise. It will take time, possibly a lot of time, but he will get better."

Peter stared at her, before nodding and wandering over to Edmund, who glanced up, looking hopeful.

"We're ready to go." Peter told him gently, feeling beyond relieved when Edmund smiled, a true, genuine smile.

He stood shakily, with a little of Peter's help, and was clearly ready to go. "Come on." Peter said. "You're riding with me on Philip."

Edmund didn't argue with this and agreed silently, following Peter over to his horse, who greeted him with a smile. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

Edmund shrugged. "I'm okay." He breathed, instantly going to climb into Philip.

Peter had to really help him, but eventually he was on the saddle, his hands gripping the reins so tightly his knuckles had gone white.

Peter placed a hand on his knee. "I'm just going to talk to Orious a minute and then I'll be back okay?" He said.

It took a lot of persuading, but eventually Edmund let him go, and Peter hurried over to the centaur before he could change his mind.

"How's your brother?" Orious asked sadly.

Peter sighed. "That's what I wanted to ask you about." He said quietly. "He's so weak Orious, and he's scared to even eat!"

The centaur was silent for a while, before answering. "He's been through a lot, physically and mentally." He told him. "He's exhausted, as well as weak from any blood loss, also it was highly possible he had major heatstroke, all this has made him weak and tired, and he's going to be that way for a while."

Peter swallowed hard. "And the eating?" He murmured.

"He's gone so long with hardly any food." Orious explained. "It's gonna take a while for his body to get back to the way it was before. But you need to make sure he does eat, even if its only something small for each meal."

"Yeah, we've been doing that." Peter breathed, before swallowing hard. "Alright." He murmured. "Thanks."

Orious bowed his head, and Peter quickly hurried back to his brother, swinging himself up into the saddle behind him.

Edmund immediately relaxed back agaisnt him, his whole body going completely limp, and Peter suddenly realised that it had probably taken all Edmunds strength to stay upright on Philip, and he instantly felt guilty. "Sorry." He breathed, placing a kiss to the top of his brother's head.

Edmund shook his head weakly. "Fine." He whispered.

Peter nodded a little, spotting Susan and Lucy on Amir. "You okay?" He asked Edmund.

Edmund was silent for a while. "I'm a bit hot." He murmured.

Peter glanced up at the sun, squinting before looking away. "We'll get out the desert as soon as we can okay?" He said gently, Orious' mention of heatstroke echoing in his mind.

Edmund shrugged. "Used to it." He slurred, his eyes closed.

Peter's eyes closed too, but in sadness, not tiredness. "That still doesn't mean you can deal with it." He said firmly. "If you get too hot let me know, I'll have Orious put up a shelter and you can sit in the shade for a little, do you understand?"

Edmund sighed but nodded, swallowing hard. "Thanks." He whispered.

Peter's eyes opened and he smiled just a little, before gently kicking Philip into a steady trot.

Edmund winced the second Philip moved, and Peter panicked. "What?" He asked quickly.

Edmund sighed. "Everything still aches is all." He breathed. "And it hurts, riding I mean."

Peter frowned, riding never really hurt Edmund, but he guessed he hadn't ridden in over a month, and he was tired and achy and weak, so it explained why pretty well. "You'll get used to it." Peter said quietly, hoping he was right.

"I have missed it though." Edmund slurred, his head rocking back and forth with the motion of Philip.

Peter chuckled gently, tears in his eyes, but they were happy tears. "I'm sure you've missed a lot of things." He murmured gently.

Edmund nodded. "Everything." He breathed. "Even you're overprotective ways."

Peter laughed at the smirk on Edmunds face, and slowly shook his head. "But yet you moan about it when you're with me." He teased softly.

Edmund gave him a cheeky half smile. "Obviously." He murmured.

Peter smiled at him, before placing a kiss to the top of his head. "Why don't you get some sleep?" He suggested, making a note to himself to keep an eye on how hot his brother was getting.

"I'd like that." Edmund said with a small nod. "Will we be home when I wake?"

Peter frowned deeply. "Ed Narnia's at least a few days away." He told him. "You know that."

Edmund was silent for a while, before he sighed. "Sorry." He said with a nod. "I'm just tired."

Peter looked extremely upset. "Don't apologise." He told him, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "Just get some sleep and we'll travel as fast as we can."

Edmund smiled weakly at this promise, and slowly nodded his head, extremely close now to dropping off. "Thanks." He whispered.

Peter waited until he was asleep to bury his face agaisnt his hair, tears in his eyes. "Don't mention it."

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