labour

cup

warning: this story contains details of domestic vïolence and emotional trauma, please look after yourself and do not read if any of this may affect you <3
(this is a very long chapter x)

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edmund's pov

The orange glow neared the castle, the scrapes of blades being unsheathed acting as our own entrance music to battle.

Caroline and I walked, our fingers intertwined as Peter sat upon his steed, Rhindon in close proximity to his grasp in case of an emergency. It is no surprise that nearby guards were alerted of our presence, but we didn't care for them. There was only going to be one targeted tonight.

Although none of us could know what happened inside that castle, we didn't have to. It appeared as though our presence was soon noticed by the temporary King, since as quickly as his face appeared in a window, it appeared before us.

"Darling, what is the meaning of this?" The man spoke with an annoyingly calm tone, his eyes glued to our interlocked hands.

"It's over, Xander." Caroline responded.

"Is it?" At his words, his own measly army of guards stepped to his side. Yet his attention seemed to have shifted from his wife.

"Ah, Edmund, Peter. I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

He laughed at our furrowed brows and frantic gazes.

"What? You really thought that I wouldn't notice my own wife sneaking out of bed? Tut tut, I thought you were smarter than this." His voice sent chills down my neck, icing my organs and paling my face. I sensed Caroline's hands tensing at his words.

"Although, I'll give you credit where it is due, the note in the diary, quite clever of you." His obnoxious laugh was more than just an irritant this time, it was a catalyst for the rage that bubbled in my chest, ready to explode from my lips.

"You read it?" The Princess uttered, her shaky voice shattering her facade.

"Yes, my dearest, I did." His footsteps became louder and echoed in my ears like a second heart beat until they stopped beside me, in front of Caroline. His hand raised and it was hard to miss the fear that flashed in her iris, before his fingers lay upon her cheek affectionately.

"Stay away from her!" A voice yelled, yet it was not my own. It was that of a small girl.

Her petite frame flew forward and shoved the man away from her friend.

"Oh, you shouldn't have done that, dwarf. Guards!"

The aforementioned soldiers approached Solace, grabbing her harshly as to appease their 'King'. She fought oh-so desperately, flailing her limbs and scratching at any exposed flesh.

"Kill it."

Their hands hesitantly found their knives as one guard stuck it between her ribs, the other pushing her to the ground after the deed was done.

"No!" Caroline pleaded, dropping my hand and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Her distress provoked something within me, my eyes saw only crimson, and my ears tuned out every sound. I could do nothing but take meaningful strides towards the barbarian, expose my blade and slash it against his own.

And so the battle begun. Every Narnian immediately found a guard and used any means necessary to protect themselves, bows, knives, swords, even rocks and sticks.

Alexander charged directly at me, hollering at the top of his lungs and at the last moment, he drew up his sword, and snapped it down towards me. I brought my own up and rotated it, his blow bouncing off like rain on a roof.

I lunged and steel met steel. He barely managed to block my attack yet returned it with a thrust so quick, his blade swung across the space where my stomach was less than a second ago.

Alexander slashed at my uncovered arm, the sting of blood rushing against my skin.

My eyes fell upon Caroline for a nanosecond, just long enough for me to notice her frame barrelling into the castle, but I couldn't focus; my concentration had already cost me once with Alexander, Instead I took a difficult parry, channeling all my strength into the action.

I drew my arms back and into his nose with the handle of my sword. Head flying as his eyes locked onto the sky and he braced his heels against the rough ground. He was now where I needed him.

But before I could strike once more, a voice interrupted.

"Everyone stop!"

It was only now that I noticed the state of the battleground, the pungent stench of blood and metal stuffed itself into my nose and consumed my senses. Only a selection of soldiers had obeyed the voice, whilst the others took the distraction as an opportunity to grasp the upper hand.

"Prince Alexander is trying to kill King Lune!" Caroline bellowed from the crate on which she stood. This caught their attention.

The man in question stood almost immediately in his own defence.

"He has been regularly poisoning his brother with delphinium flowers! Lune recovered when we left for Cair Paravel!"

Everybody stood motionless as she spoke, trying to regulate the flow of emotions as the new information penetrated their ears.

"And I can prove it." She trailed.

It was only then that I noticed the small container of liquid in her hand, a cup directly from Lune's bedside. She held it high above her head, refusing to let fear and anger show through her face.

"Now come on, darling, this is unnecessary." Alexander spoke with nothing but pure composure in his tone and a soothing look in his eye.

Her expression faltered.

"We can talk about this, there is no need for violence."

My gaze never wavered from her frame, studying the way her arm slowly lowered.

"Just put down the cup, okay? We can fix this, I love you Caroline."

There was something in the way that her eyes hardened at those words, that lead me to the realisation of what she was about to do. Her trembling lip fell still and her brows lowered, not breaking the eye contact with her husband. And within a matter of a mere moment, she brought the cup to her lips.

"No!" My voice screamed. My legs desperately trying to take me to her side and my arms wanting nothing more than to rip that god forsaken cup from her mouth. Alas, I could not. Peter's arms enveloped me, holding me back from my blinded manoeuvre as he repeated words of wisdom that did not enter my ears.

There was nothing he could do to stop my blind rage as her body fell limp to the dampened earth.

I tore myself from his grasp, the world around me moving in slow motion.

The air was stagnant and my breathing shallowed.

Alexander had turned to run away, but he was too slow.

My knee met the back of his own, my fist shoving his torso against the floor. My blade raised above his head.

The last words I were to hear before my blow?

"Please, just kill him"

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