Against the Tide - King Caspian X

~Chapter 1~ | Rough Waters

"Eustace?"

"Eustace!"

Lucy's call woke Alyn from her peaceful slumber, causing her to jolt upwards a bit. She smacked her head on her headboard and groaned. Placing a hand on her forehead, she internally lamented on how today was going to be a long day. Just like yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that.

 She shook away her negative thoughts and tried to get her eyes adjust to the bright sun. She figured that she should probably try to get Edmund to wake up, since he was a bit of a heavy sleeper. If he slept too late, Eustace's aunt would not be pleased, and would probably be on him about it for the rest of the day. Mrs. Scrubb was always rather short-tempered with the Pevensies, but she seemed to like Alyn, calling her a "useful and bright young woman." Alyn never understood why, but she figured it was best to be on the stark woman's good side.

She sidestepped out of the small bed, and almost fell because the sheet was wrapped around her ankle. She hastily untied it and walked as quickly and as quietly as possible towards Edmund's room. She opened the door and peered in. 

Edmund lay on his side, facing away from her, snoring softly. Alyn moved swiftly across the room, and sat delicately on the edge of his bed, causing it to dip slightly. 

Should she wake him up with a hair tussle? A gentle shake? She pondered the thought. Nah. She smirked confidently and prepared to deliver a swift jab to the ribs.

Just as her hand grazed his bare torso, he snatched her wrist and grabbed her around the waist, tackling her to the bed. He stared down at her with messy hair and sleepy eyes and mumbled, "Shouldn't you know better than to poke a king in his sleep?"

Alyn snorted and replied, "Generally, yes. But when that certain prince is Edmund Pevensie, I'll take my chances."

"It's King Edmund actually."

Alyn gave him a shit-eating grin and shoved his face away from her. "Prince Edmund," she teased him.

He messily threw the sheets up and lunged at her. Alyn shrieked and ran down the hall towards her room, with Edmund hot on her trail. 

"Oh you're so gonna get it, Woods." he called good-naturedly.

Alyn laughed as she whizzed past her room and slipped into Lucy's bathroom. She sighed in relief and smirked at Lucy, who was pushing pins into her well-kept hair. 

Lucy smiled and rolled her eyes. "What is it this time? Did you pour water on his head?"

Alyn chuckled, "No. But great idea, Lu." 

"Well what did you do then?" Lucy raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I may or may not have called him Prince Edmund." Alyn moved behind the door to hide herself, "and he may or may not be chasing me this very minute."

"Alright, alright," Lucy said. "I'll cover for you. You hide." 

Both girls giggled quietly as Edmund's heavy footsteps sounded through the small hallway, and he knocked on the door.

"Hey, Lu?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled due to the door.

"Yeah Ed?" she responded, trying to hold back a shaky laugh.

She peeked around the door, and Alyn could practically hear Edmund's smirk in his voice. "Any chance you've seen a certain teenage female run through here?" he asked.

Lucy opened the door a bit more. "No, I haven't. Why?"

"You know I can tell when you're lying, right?"

"No, never"

"Uh-huh"

"Absolutely not!"

As the siblings bantered back and forth, Alyn had slipped out from the wall she had hidden behind.

"Yes, Lu. You have a tell when you're nervous. It's when you - GAH!" 

Edmund was cut off mid-argument as Alyn jumped out and screamed right in his ear. He stumbled a bit and glared at her, with Lucy laughing at them all the while.

Edmund charged once again at her, and she squealed as he threw her over his shoulder and trudged downstairs for breakfast. He tramped down the stairs, only setting  her down when he reached the base of the stairs.

Alyn crossed her arms and glared at her best friend, who returned her look with one of the same ferocity. This had been something they had done with each other as long as they had known each other, even when they were young kids. 

"Are we settled then?" Edmund challenged.

"For now."