Don't Fall for the Temptation

1. What Have You Done?

"What are you trying to prove Edmund? That you're a man?" It seemed the Witch could see into the very depths of his soul; what he was thinking, wanting, and his weaknesses.

I'm not trying to prove anything. Edmund told himself, but the Witch was right. He wanted to show Narnia how deserving he was of the throne. He wanted to show Caspian how much braver and heroic he was. He wanted to become a legend, like his brother Peter. He wanted to show the world he was more than just a school boy. He wanted to to prove that he was a man.

"I can make you that. I can make you anything you like. Just a take my hand." The White Witch, who wasn't white at the moment but had taken the form of green mist, tempted the young King. Edmund gripped his sword, trying to stand strong against her.

"Just give in." She pleaded, an evil smirk on her lips.

Edmund thought of himself now: the younger, neglected brother, the school boy from Finchley, second in command, he cringed at each and every description. Then he thought of what he wanted to be, what the Witch could make him: High King, Respected Commander, Ruler, and even rich.
Her hand was extended, waiting for him. He looked down at the crew below, to Caspian who had taken matters of the sea serpent into his own hands.

Exactly. He doesn't trust I can do it. Edmund thought, anger boiling over inside. He lifted his head and stared into the Witch's sharp green eyes. Then he looked down at her hand, just waiting for him, King Edmund, to give in. He dropped his sword, Peter's sword, and grasped the Witch's hand. A smile made of pure evil spread over her face. She cackled and all the sudden, poof! Everything froze, literally.

The sea was a flat sheet of ice, the serpent buried underneath. The air was sharp and cold and fog began to spill in all around them. Snowflakes slowly fell from the darkening sky above.

Edmund turned to see the White Witch, now in solid form, standing proudly next to him. He looked down and watched the crew muttering to each other in confusion. He caught sight of his sister who was furrowing her eyebrows, bewildered.

She raised her head and as soon as she saw Edmund standing with the Witch her face grew pale and her body weak. Her knees shook and she wondered how long she would be able to stand.

"No! He couldn't!" She breathed. "Edmund!" She screamed desperately. "What have you done?"

As soon as he heard his sister's voice reality flushed over him. What had he done? His stomach grew tight and his palms started to sweat. "I-" he tried to speak, but his mouth was utterly dry.

"This, Narnians, is your new King. You will obey him or answer to me." The Witch declared. "And you!" She said quietly but firmly to Edmund. "You must obey everything I say."
"Wouldn't that pretty much be making you queen?" Edmund asked.
"You learn quickly, my boy." She answered, the same evil grin displayed on her face.
"And if I don't obey you?" Edmund wondered.
"If you don't, let's just say your little sister pays the price." She said, tilting her head to the side towards the deck. Then she let loose one of her terrible laughs that sent a chill down Edmund's spine.

He watched his innocent little sister and wondered how she could stay so strong in a time like this.

"Now, the mainland is too far so I guess this little island will have to make do." The Witch sighed, glancing back at Dark Island. "Come with me, King Edmund. We have a castle to build." She said. Edmund's eyes widened in horror when he saw her wand gripped in her hand.
"If you don't mind," He said. "I would like to stay here and...and make sure my people are not plotting against us. I know how they are."
"Very well." She decided after a bit of debating in her head. Then she left towards the island.

Edmund climbed down from the crow's nest of the ship and to the deck. He made a beeline towards Lucy and grabbed her arm. She whipped her head around and gasped in shock.

"Edmund what do you want? Let go of me!" She exclaimed, yanking her arm free.
"Sorry Lu. I'm here to apologize. I didn't want this, I really didn't. In all the excitement I guess I just made a stupid decision." He explained.
"I guess you did, but don't apologize to me. Apologize to them." Lucy said, motioning around.

Edmund scanned the deck filled with Narnians. They were muttering in hushed tones, and some were giving him dirty looks. Edmund stood on the steps, facing the crowd.

"Narnians!" He yelled, getting their attention. "I-I'm so sorry. I made a stupid decision, and I fell into the temptation. I let my country down, and that's the opposite of what I wanted. But I can't undo it now, I can only fix it, and that's what I'm going to do." He scanned the crowd before him before continuing on. "But I can't do it alone. It's a very difficult task and I'll need your help, and Aslan's." His mind flashed back to the first time they had dealt with the White Witch. "Are you with me?"

Murmurs went up throughout the crew and after a few moments of silence Edmund was beginning to feel discouraged.