April 6th
This can't get any worse
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"Okay, well if you're so smart what do we do?!"
"Guys!" Edmund shouted as loud as he could, wincing. "Please - just - just stop arguing."
Peter and Susan turned to face their younger brother, who was sitting against a tree, an arrow sticking out of his side, looking on the verge of passing out as he glared weakly at them both.
Peter ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry." He murmured.
Susan took a deep breath.
Edmund just sighed. "This can't get any worse." He groaned almost to himself.
"Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it could." Susan muttered. "If we pull that arrow out you could bleed out before we can get home."
"So then don't pull it out." Edmund whispered, eyes slipping shut as the pain continued to grow.
Peter swallowed hard. "If we leave it in, getting you home is going to be more than a little painful." He choked out.
"Well, it's better than dying." Edmund muttered. "I can handle it, I've had worse."
Peter shuddered, but forced himself to ignore that sentence. "Right." He whispered, "Stay still."
Edmund opened his eyes and watched closely as Peter snapped the arrow as short as he could get it, unable to keep back a groan of pain.
Peter apologised under his breath. "Reckon you can stand?" He asked hesitantly.
Edmund sighed. "Well no isn't really an option here is it?" He said. "So yeah, I can stand."
Peter stared at him for ages, before turning to Susan, who nodded at him a little.
"We're gonna get you home Ed." Peter told him. "I promise."
They did eventually manage to reach Cair Paravel, but by this point it had been at least two hours since Edmund had been hit by the arrow, and he was in so much pain that he wasn't even bothering to try and hide it anymore.
The second he was laid on a bed there was talking of obviously having to take the arrow out before he could use Lucy's healing cordial, but Edmund immediately had something to say about this.
"Can - can it be healed naturally?" He choked out, eyes half closed.
The faun that had been called over to help hesitated slightly but in the end nodded. "It can be yes." He replied.
"Then - then no cordial."
"Ed-"
"No," Edmund cut his brother off, voice weak. "It's not life threatening."
"Yeah, but it's causing you too much pain." Peter argues.
"I am not - not wasting the cordial."
"It wouldn't be a waste, Edmund, honest." Lucy spoke up, sounding upset.
"I won't take it." Edmund said, and that was final.
Peter rolled his eyes in frustration. "Just take the arrow out." He muttered.
He softened a little when Edmund's hand shot out and grabbed his, and gripped it back just as tightly. "You're okay." He whispered, reaching forward to brush his brother's slightly sweaty hair from his eyes. "It's okay, just take a deep breath."
Edmund opened his eyes and stared at him.
Peter only nodded. "I'm right here."
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