Trials of Faith

Chapter I

Chapter I

Peter catches himself dozing again. Edmund had already jabbed him twice, trying to keep his older brother awake, but it wasn't working. The Professor was going on and on about some great battle during the war of Naseby, the first English Civil War. It wasn't that Peter disliked history, quite the contrary, but the Professor was droning on and on about a battle tactic used by the Royalists. The teacher was trying to state how the Royalists could have changed their tactic and won the battle; he was doing so incorrectly.

"Mr. Peter Pevensie." Professor Multon calls. Peter straightens, and tries to ignore the blush creeping up his face. He never liked being called out in class, preferring to be one the teachers considered a model student.

"Sir?" Peter responds.

"If you find this topic to be within your grasp, so much so that you could comprehend it in your sleep, then perhaps you would like to come up here and demonstrate an alternative method the Royalists could have used?"

"Yes, sir."

Peter strides up to the front of the room and looks down at figures representing the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, moving them around as he begins to think of a battle tactic.

"Well, sir, if you left the Parliamentarians on that hill, then the force of the Royalists placed here would easily be able to ambush them. Instead..." Peter slips back into Narnia, his mind no longer in the classroom, or even in England. Years of countless practice kick in, and he remembers just in time not to call forces centaurs or satyrs. Instead, he switches them to their modern usage. His voice was loud, clear, and one that expected to be obeyed without question.When he looks back up, he sees the stunned faces of his classmates and his professor staring back at him. He moves to readjust his crown, out of force of nervous habit, but his hands grasp at nothing. Awkwardly, Edmund's older brother sits down in the silence.

"What did I do wrong?" He whispers to Edmund.

"We're not in Narnia anymore, Peter." Edmund whispers back.

Peter sighs. "I did it again, didn't I?" He places his head in hands to avoid the shocked stares of his fellow classmates. "Why did Aslan send us back? He knew we wouldn't be able to cope with coming here again."

Edmund looks around nervously to make sure no one overhears them. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Fine, we'll talk about this after class." Peter glances down at his watch, the watch he had received as a going-away present from their father right before Narnia. "Which is in five minutes."

"We'll meet in Asbury Hall then?" Edmund asks.

Peter nods. "Yes."

Five minutes later, Peter and Edmund exit the classroom. The brothers get their food and sit at the end of one of the large communal tables.

"I can't believe I've done it again." Peter says.

"You prat! Of course you would open your big mouth in class and started talking like we were still in Narnia." Edmund chastises.

Peter turns and glares at Edmund. "How were you ever considered diplomatic in Narnia?!"

Edmund glares at his older brother in disbelief.

"How were you ever considered diplomatic in Narnia?!" He mocks Peter.

"I was the one who lead our forces out into battle! You sat on your throne all day and talked!" Peter retorts heatedly.

Edmund angrily shoves Peter, and Peter almost retaliates.

'We have to get through this together.' Peter hears Lucy's words in his head.

Peter sighs, anger subsiding. "I'm sorry, Ed. I just don't understand why He sent us back. I was prepared to die in Narnia."

"No one understands His motives, but we can't bloody well take it out on each other!" Edmund adds.

Peter nods his agreement. "I really am sorry, Ed." He offers. "You saved more lives than I ever did with all your treaties and such."

Edmund shakes his head. "That's not true. In times of crisis, I looked to you. And so did the people of Narnia."

The blond-haired boy feels his face heat up, again. "They looked to all of us," He protests. "And Ed, I-I don't know what to say."

Peter would be the last person to admit it, but he is a very tactile person, meaning he often craved physical attention from his family members. So, it is of no surprise when Peter leans over and gives his younger brother a hug. He wisely keeps his mouth shut.

Edmund grins. "Have you gone sentimental on me?"

"Do shut up, Ed." He smirks.

Edmund opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by the lunch bell. Wordlessly, Peter stands and picks up their trays to deposit on the dirty tray conveyor belt. The line is long, and students stand impatiently, not wanting to be late to class.

"Move, Pevensie. Well, one of many, anyway. Too many. Your parents can't even afford to take care of all of you." A familiar overweight boy sneers. Peter knows him all too well: Jacob Schultz. The boy continues, heedless of Peter's deadly glower shot his way. "Look at you: second hand uniform, books. I hear your brother had to get here on scholarship, or you couldn't all afford to come."

Good mannered by nature, Narnia had only reinforced Peter's ideals of chivalry and manners. "Please, move." Peter requests as politely as he can, trying to ignore Jacob's taunts.

"Is your lunch second hand, too? Maybe you had to share it with your brother?"

"Looks like you've had no one with whom to share. In fact, it looks as if you've had enough for three." Edmund snaps at Jacob.

Peter poorly conceals his snicker under the guise of a cough. Leave it to Edmund to find such a witty retort.

"Come on, Ed. We're going to be late for class."

"Right." Edmund nods.