The Path of the Brave [Edmund Pevensie]

Chapter VI: Prince Caspian

"I just-- I thought you'd be... older."

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Alex's pupils dilated at the sight of a scene that could easily be mistaken for a hallucination, she stopped dead in her tracks. He looked as if not one of his curls had been moved from his head. He carried the same elegant and strong bearing she had seen in him all his life, despite being a fugitive, prosecuted to death. Unlike her, he seemed to have everything under control, as it had always been.

That was him. That was Caspian. Her Caspian.

It was only when his sword got stuck in a tree that she started to regain conscience. As he struggled to get it out, his enemy raised a rock, looking to smash it against his head. The girl could feel Edmund, who had arrived only some seconds after her, trying to unsheathe his sword behind her back. Lucy's shouts at Peter finally brought her back to reality. 

"Peter, DON'T!" Alex yelled, and both the boys fighting stopped at once. Peter looked at her in confusion, but his sight was not met with hers. Her eyes were focusing on someone else.

Caspian's brows furrowed. Maybe at the sight his friend's new look, or maybe simply at the sight of his friend. "Alex? What-- OH!" Those were the only words he was able to pronounce before Alex surged forward and basically tackled him into a hug. "I-I thought you were..." He stumbled, a hint of tears hiding in his voice.

"Yeah, almost," The girl joked, just then letting go of him. She turned to the siblings; Susan and Lucy stood side by side, with concerned looks on their faces (they looked too similar that way). Peter was stunned too, which made him drop the rock to the floor. Yet, instead of answering their psychic questions, she focused on the black-haired boy whose hand was still prepared to yank out his sword at any moment. "I got lucky, I guess." She smiled at him.

The boy let go of his tensed posture and softly smiled back. Was this her way of thanking him? It was silly, how a glimpse of thanks made him feel tickles in his stomach.

"Prince Caspian?" Peter asked Alex, making Edmund leave his thoughts aside. The girl nodded at the question. "I believe you called." He said, offering him his hand.

Caspian turned to the curly-haired girl. Her eyes said something imposible. Everything pointed to the same possibility, the same insane possibility. The four children, the horn, the myths. His eyes widened, and she only nodded, realizing he had found the answer. Caspian looked at the boy's hand. "High King Peter..." He muttered. "I just-- I thought you'd be... older."

Alex snickered at the comment. But the oldest Pevensie didn't find it as funny. He took his hand away. "Well, if you like, we could come back in a few years..."

"No. No, that's alright." He said quickly, seeing how he had offended a King. "You're just not exactly what I expected." He said, and his words and eyes trailed back to the group of siblings. To one tall, beautiful sibling in particular. "Not at all..."

Susan smiled, flustered. Alex's pleased smile fell for a second; something in the left side of her chest poked from the inside.

"Neither are you." Edmund spoke. He sounded angry... frustrated.

Suddenly something came out of a bush. A... rat spoke: "My liege," He directed himself at Peter. "We have anxiously awaited your return."

Alex's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. It was one think to talk about a talking animal, and it was completely another to hear an animal talking. Her shock prevented her from hearing Lucy's comment about how cute the little guy was.

"WHO SAID THAT?" The creature pointed his tiny sword at the group, trying to find out who had disrespected him. Alex hid behind Caspian's back, genuinely afraid of him. 

"Sorry... " Lucy said. And instead of ending with a sword the size of a toothpick in her eye, she received a respectful comment.

The animal bowed before the little girl, giving Alex enough time to come out of hiding. "Your Majesty, with the greatest respect, I do believe 'courageous', 'courteous' or 'chivalrous' might more befit a knight of Narnia". He seethed his sword with ease and bowed once again. 

"Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade." Peter said.

"Yes, indeed. And I have recently put it to good use, securing weapons for your army, sire." His tiny chest swollen with the pride of having helped one of the Kings of Narnia.

The blond boy talked again, now much more serious. "Good. Because we are going to need every sword we can get."

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If Alex had learned one thing about herself during her adventure with the Pevensie siblings was that they walked a lot, and that she hated it. The only reason why she tried to keep up was that Caspian had promised her a safe haven was waiting for them. And she needed a bath.

She followed closely the rest of the group. Peter was leading, as always, striking a conversation with a centaur (as crazy as that could sound). Behind them were the mice knights; they swung their tails from side to side and performed extremely complicated tricks, perhaps practicing to amaze the Narnian Royalty.

And just before her were Susan and Caspian, laughing. Maybe at the mice. Or maybe at something he had said. It didn't matter, it was evident they were having a good time. The dark-haired girl covered her mouth, trying to keep her chuckle in. By the looks of it, Caspian wasn't against the idea of hearing her laugh openly.

Alex tried to keep her mind off the pain     the boots were causing her feet, by looking at the reliquary hanging from her neck. A brave heart always finds its way. She read the inscription to herself, thinking. Thanks to that hidden compass, she had been able to find Caspian. It had pointed her in his direction, helping her find her way to him. And yet...

Well, it didn't matter.

"Oh, so now you're walking..." Edmund's voice startled her.

Gaining composure, she dropped the compass letting it hang from her neck. "Yeah, well, being carried like a potato sack wasn't exactly a nice experience I would like to relive," She joked. "So I haven't any other option."

"I don't think you remember that correctly." He said, with irony and a certain mischievous aura.

"You seem to have a LOT of problems with how I remember things." Alex mentioned. "You know, the beach and all..."

Edmund rose an eyebrow. "I thought you told Caspian you had 'been lucky'."

"No I- I don't recall saying that. Doesn't sound like me, sorry Eddie." She pat his shoulder in a fake apologetic manner and kept on walking.

Eddie. Huh, that was a new one. 

He caught up to her. "Well, let me freshen up your memory..."

"What? No, NO, Edmund! Edmund put me down right now!" She tried to sound serious, even harsh, but she couldn't. The black-haired boy had picked her up, bridal type this time, and had started running around with her arms holding onto his neck in fear of falling.

Except when they fell, the game didn't stop but turn around. Alex now chased him, running between the people in the line to catch him. 

The rest of the group turned to them. Narnians, Royals, everyone gave the pair at least a glance as they deviated from the path to play their silly game. It was the first time in months the Pevensies had seen Edmund in such a joyful mood. It was the first time in years Alex was having fun with someone other than Caspian.

Laughs replaced the silenced forest, the trees seemed to like the new atmosphere. Alex's words mixed with a chuckle she wouldn't bother to try and cover.

And, by the looks of it, Edmund wasn't against the idea of hearing her laugh.