Fire and Ice(Narnia Book 3)

Chapter 1 Painting

(Edmunds POV)

'Life is completely unfair.' I thought to myself as laid across one of the beds in the room I was currently sharing with my annoying cousin Eustace Scrubb. I rubbed my hands over my face as Eustace begged Uncle Harold for something downstairs, his obnoxious, wining voice carrying throughout the house. 

I glanced up as the door opened quickly and Lucy popped in, shutting it behind her and leaning her back against it. "Does he ever stop?" She made her way over to the bed directly across from mine and sat down lightly. "We got another post card from Susan and Maggie."

"Good news I hope." I sat up and faced her as she began to skim over it. "Anything?"

"Not really." She shrugged. "Susan has been invited by a general to some sort of party, she thinks he fancies her." I scoffed, earning a look from Lucy. "They miss us terribly and wish we could be there, but they want us to know they're extending their trip and hope we wont mind a few more months in Cambridge." Her voice growing more and more desperate as she read on.

"A few more months?" I exclaimed. "I'll be lucky if I survive a few more days with 'it'."

"It's not fair. Peter and Susan got to go. Even Maggie went and they couldn't take their other two kids?" Lucy fell back on the bed dramatically, raising her eyebrows as Eustace suddenly screeched my name.

"Edmund! Your lady friend is here!" The sound of a door closing and the tinkling laughter of none other than Emmy Porter rang out, immediately giving me chills. 

"Would you two like to be alone?" Lucy smirked. "Oh come on Ed. We all know you fancy her."

"We've only been around for a year."

"So, you two have been writing letters ever since Maggie introduced us to her dear cousin and that was when you were what? Thirteen? You two are super close. Always have been."

"Who's always been close?" Emmy met my eyes and smiled as she entered the room. I dont know how she always managed to catch me off guard, even when I knew what she was about to do, which was hardly ever. The girl was a complete mystery to me, and everyone around her. 

She uncrossed her arms and brushed her shoulder length, brown hair out of her face. She had high cheek bones that every other girl envied, and bright, twinkling auburn eyes. Her lips were perfect, and that still isnt a good enough description of the beauty in front of me. It became quite clear I was mad for her when I realized in our third letter that I had finally found someone as sarcastic as me. 

"Oh, you know, You and Edmund."

"Lucy!" I growled through gritted teeth. 

"Oh!" She laughed, sitting so close to me that our shoulders and thighs touched, and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "But of course. So, whats happened?" 

"What do you mean?"

I felt the butterflies in my stomach rage into a frenzy as she squinted her eyes at me, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. "Edmund Pevensie, you know I can always tell when something is wrong. Now tell me what it is."

"Our parents have extended their stay in America for a few more months." I mumbled, looking down at my hands. 

"And staying next to me for a few more months would devastate you guys." 

"What? No! No, of course not. Thats not what I- but you knew that." I trailed off upon seeing her shoot a wink Lucy who was giggling into her hand. 

"I get it." She shrugged. "It must be hard knowing they took your older siblings and my cousin, someone you're not even related to, with them before they took their own kids."

I could only nod at her perfect description for my anger at the situation. I continued to stare at her for a bit longer, watching as she spoke to Lucy so enthusiastically about something. It took me a while before I realized they were talking about Narnia. 

"Actually, the ship in this painting looks exactly like the Dawn Treader, doesn't it Ed?" Lucy rose to her feet and approached the painting on the wall beside Eustaces bed. "It looks like the waters actually moving. Ed?" She called a few seconds later.

"Yeah." I replied as I shoved Emmys hand away that was attempting to mess up hair, smiling all the while. 

"I think it is moving!"