An Unexpected Return (Edmund x Female Reader)

Chapter 5: Making a small friend but learning of an old enemy

Walking further into Cair, still lit torches line the walls. It's flames create a warm orange hew that lights the rooms and corridors as Edmund and Y/N stop at the end of a corridor with two different ways to go. Left or right.

Edmund looks both ways and then Y/N asks "Which way?"

"Hmm...well the left corridor leads to the kitchens and the right goes towards the dining hall. Then it Splits off to the library and upstairs to the bed chambers."

Y/N looks both ways as Edmund had done only moments before and then suggests "shall we split up?"
Edmund takes in her suggestion but seems cautious of the idea.
"Neither of us are armed. Let us go to the kitchens first, at least in there if something happens there is plenty of items we can utilise if necessary." He says with a shrug, making Y/N laugh a little.
Edmund gives a small smile as they both begin to walk down the left corridor towards the kitchens....

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He had been sat in the darkness for a while now since the iron gate had closed once again with a sound that pierced his ears.
Everything hurt.
Everything.
He shut his eyes, waiting for the next time that dreaded gate would open once again...

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"This is the largest kitchen i have ever seen!" Y/N says with her eyes slightly wide in amazement.
This gets a little laugh out of Edmund before he says "This is fairly standard for a castle."

Y/N then begins walk around the room, looking at all of the cupboards and shelves, filled with foods, spices and all manor of cooking equipment.
With all of the food and spices come the smells, the spices especially making all sorts of different smells that float around the room. It didn't feel overwhelming though, with the fire in the large fireplace dampening the smell a little bit. The flames were small, giving the impression they had been going for quite some time now and were on their way to going out.

"What sort of thing are we looking for Edmund? I'm not sure what we would find in a kitchen." Y/N asks, stopping to look at a small but well used cooking book.
From the other side of the room near the fireplace Edmund says "Anything that could be suspicious i suppose, or anyone hiding like-"

He then pauses, making Y/N look up at him, seeing his gaze seemingly locked onto something.
"Edmund?" She says, walking over to him.

He crouches down and from Y/N's perspective seems to be looking under a small table that was sat against the wall near the fireplace.
"Like...this." is all he says, tilting his head a little lower.
Y/N then does the same, her eyes widening a little as she sees what Edmund had seen.

It was a fox. A small white fox with bright blue eyes. Curled up into a ball with its ears bowed down.

Edmund could very easily tell this young fox was frightened so he gave it a little smile as he says "It's okay young fox, you are safe now."

The fox's ears perk up as Edmund speaks but it still is hesitant.
Edmund's expression turns more neutral as his words seemed to not have helped much to ease the fox's nervousness.
Y/N walks over and crouches down next to Edmund, tilting her head down a little lower still and turns her tone more gentle, saying "it truly is okay to come out now, here..."
She then slowly reaches out her hand towards the fox, being slow as to not startle it. Edmund watches with slight intrigue as Y/N waits patiently.

It hesitates once again but then seems to point it's nose towards her hand, it's ears twitching a little.
Then the fox gets up, Y/N moving her hand back a little as it moves towards her. The fox looks up at Y/N then to Edmund, their gaze lingering on Edmund a little longer.