The Knight {Edmund Pevensie}

Goodbyes and Stags

The next day, I walked out into the hall and bumped into Dominic.

"Hello M'lady." he greeted.

"Good morning."

I tried to walk past but he stopped me.

"I was going to go for a walk in the gardens. Want to join me?" he offered.

"That's kind but I have business to attend to." I rejected.

"It won't take long."

"No thank you."

"Five minutes?"

Edmund walked in and interrupted us.

"Everything okay here?" he asked protectively.

"Yes your majesty. The prince and I were just talking." I said.

"It sounded like arguing to me."

He gave a small glare at the prince.

"Keep in mind your highness that it is our grounds that you walk on and it is our rules that you follow." Edmund started.

"Your majesty it's nothing." I interrupted. He kept going anyway.

"And you are being disrespectful to one of our officers of the throne. Do you know the punishments there are for those?" he continued.

"Your majesty.." I warned in a low voice.

"Make another wrong approach at her again and I will make sure you have the proper punishment, ally or not."

"Edmund stop." I command.

He turned around to look at me. It was the first time I had called him by his name in front of other royalty without the word 'king' or 'your majesty'. He could tell I meant business now.

I was also holding his upper arm back from moving any closer to the prince.

Dominic looked terrified to say the least. His face was white and he couldn't get a single word out to defend himself.

"Your highness you are excused." I say to him, still holding Edmund back. He practically ran away from the two of us.

I spun Edmund around and punched him in the ribs.

"Hey! What was that for?" he asked, massaging his side.

"What was that for? That was for yelling at the son of a king we are trying to make peace with! You idiot!" I shout.

"I'm an idiot? I was trying to stand up for you. It was obvious he was bothering you." he shouted back.

"I can handle myself Ed."

"Well maybe sometimes you don't have to. I'm always going to have your back, Vianna. Whether you like it or not." he defended.

I poked him in the chest.

"Don't you dare do that ever again, Edmund Pevensie." I threatened in a low voice and walked away.

Peter and King Lawrence soon signed the papers that needed to be filled and shook hands in joy. We were now allies with his land.

The farewells were next. The King and his son had a long journey back, so they would be leaving early in the day.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you M'lady. I hope we can see each other again." the King said as he shook my hand.

"The pleasure was mine." I smiled and moved to Dominic.

"Goodbye M'lady." he said quietly with his head slightly down so he couldn't make eye contact with me. He shook my hand instead of kissing it like the first time we met.

Edmund scared him real good.

They got into their carriage and soon disappeared.

"I wonder what's gotten the Prince so shaken up. He looked like he'd seen a ghost." Susan pointed out.

I just had to chuckle at that as we made our way back into the castle.

We went our separate ways except for me and Edmund.

"Vianna, I truly am sorry." he apologized.

"I know you are Edmund. Please just don't do that again. You know I can handle myself so why don't you just let me?" I asked, turning to face him.

"We've just always had each other's backs. Ever since the first war. I guess it's just instinct." he explained.

I laughed lightly and rolled my eyes.

"Always the hero riding in aren't you?

He grinned and then furrowed his eyebrows.

Reaching for my face, he brushed a piece of hair out of my eyes.

"Your cut is bleeding again." he informed.

I complained the whole time he dragged me to the infirmary.

"Edmund I'm fine."

"You need to take care of it or it will get a lot worse."

I sighed and let him patch me up.

Edmund wiped the blood off with cloth and then pressed a hot rag to it.

I winced at the sudden heat and sizzle of pain it brought with it.

"Sorry."

His face was extremely close again.

"You're perfect even with the cut."

I blushed unwillingly. "I'm nowhere near perfect. If anyone's perfect it's probably you." I stammered, getting even more flustered that I had just said that.

"I mean..um..you're kind and caring. You're honest and loyal. A wonderful sibling to your family. A very just king. You're also smart and strategic and all that." I spit out, looking everywhere but his face.

When I did look at him, he had gotten even closer.

"...you're also..very close." I whispered.

He grinned slightly and leaned closer.

"King Edmund?!"

We pulled apart again as Mr. Tumnus entered the infirmary. He looked between the two of us and our most likely red faces.

"Sorry to interrupt...whatever was happening. But King Peter has requested your presence. And Vianna too." he informed.

"Well. Thank you Mr. Tumnus. We'll be on our way now." I say with a small smile and stand up.

Edmund and I walk through the halls until we get to the throne room. There was no dialect between us the whole way there.

Peter, Susan, and Lucy waited for us at the meeting table in the middle.

"I have great news." Peter announced.

"Yes, you've been telling us that for five minutes. Are you actually going to tell us what it is?" Lucy questioned sassily.

Peter rolled his eyes and continued, "There have been sightings of the White Stag in Narnia."

We all perked up.

"The White Stag?" Susan asked.

He nodded his head and continued.

"And we are going to hunt for it tomorrow."

"All of us? Isn't that a bit excessive?" Edmund questioned.

"That's why Vianna is staying behind and ruling the kingdom in our absence until we get back." Peter stated.

"Ruling the kingdom? If anything I should go out there with you!" I argued.

"This is the right decision. Trust me."

I groaned and the four siblings continued to talk about their hunt. They would leave early morning tomorrow and would try to make it back by nightfall.

They all made final preparations and we slept as many hours as possible. I wanted to wake up early to see them go. I don't know why, but I had a bad feeling about this.