The Pevensies: The Art of Adjusting

Peter Lashes Out (Part 2)

"He made a mistake- and he's sorry. Please can we not argue, not now. We've just got back and Peter- well Peter, you- I think we all need-"

That's the exact moment Lucy felt a strong stinging sensation at the side of her cheek, causing her to stumble backwards. Her eyes watered as lifted them. The Valiant Queen swallowed a lump in her throat...

Each sibling dropped into a stunned silence. Peter immediately stepped forward, "Lu. Lucy, I didn't mean-"

Edmund lunged around Lucy, shoving Peter backwards a few steps.

"Back off." He hissed as he saw Susan rush past to help the silenced Lucy to her feet. His hand instinctively flew to his waist, as if to draw his sword from it's scabbard. When he realised it wasn't there, he simply straightened up, glaring at his older brother. Sword or no sword, he would protect his sister.

But Peter was speechless, never-mind about to fight Edmund. He'd never known hitting Lucy was something his brain could even consider. But it had. He had. He didn't even remember it happening, but he had. Peter knew that he would never hit Lucy again, nor any of his siblings, as the guilt shattered his heart.

"Peter!" Susan choked out, disbelief swarming her as she supported her now sobbing sister. "The station incident was enough, but this! We're all hurting. Why Peter, I'm in exactly the same situation as yourself. We've all had to leave Narnia- leave our home- leave Caspian-" She cut herself off, swallowed, then swiftly continued, "But that's no excuse to raise a hand to any of us- especially not Lucy! Why, if you must take it out on someone, let that be me! I could not feel more dreadful if I tried!" And with that, she spun on her heel, guiding Lucy back to the house. The boys watched their sisters disappear in silence.

"Edmund-Ed- I didn't mean to- I didn't mea- I hit Lucy." He finished, as if he was only just processing it. Edmund turned to see his elder brother's expression go from that of shocked confusion to be hidden entirely as he dropped his head, his face covered by his hair. His arms were limp by his side.
Edmund's heart broke. It broke for Peter, for Susan and for his dear Lucy. It broke for whatever was becoming of them and the events of the last hour which had left him speechless. But at this moment, his thoughts were directed at his selfless, strong, magnificent git of a brother of whom looked as broken as he, himself, felt.

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his older brother. There they stayed in the embrace, silent, lost in the turmoil of their own thoughts.

"I can't believe I hit her. I tried to apologise- I didn't mean- not Lucy. Oh, our dear, dear Lucy what have I done?"

Edmund pulled away, forcing Peter too look him in the eye. "Lucy may be young again in physical form, but she is still our Queen. Still as Valiant as ever. She's learnt the importance of forgiveness as much as we have. Her heart is too big, she's never had trouble forgiving people, especially not you, Peter." He decided, surely.

"You're right. But Susan! What she said about- I was too blind to see her feelings for Caspian- until we left of course. I've been so selfish- she must be feeling even worse than I- yet still she's been so-"

"Gentle. It is her title. And you've been rather magnificent today- magnificently a prat, but magnificent all the same. Again though, Pete, I do not need to remind you of the strength of our eldest sister, do I? We all hurt, but wounds heal. You know that more than any of us."

Peter nodded slowly, a small, thoughtful smile forming.

"We should go home- I must make amends with our Queens. I've been such an as- such a fool." He muttered, shaking his head as he began walking towards the house.