Come Home - E. Pevensie [2]

10 - Briefed and Troubled

I giggled to myself as I continued to walk away from Edmund, his pleading nonstop. He quickened his pace enough to finally catch my wrist, spinning me around to capture me in his arms.

"Got you." He breathed with a smile.

"That you did." I nodded with a similar grin. He moved his face closer to mine, tipping my chin up to his.

Just as my eyes closed as well, someone stumbled in behind me and shrieked.

"Oh! Your Majesties, I am so terribly sorry!" They cried. My eyes flew open and I leaped away from Edmund, his arms dropping as I felt my face heat up. Edmund shot me a secretive pout before sliding on his lordly smile, turning to the sheepish faun.

"It's all right, Rame. Our apologies for startling you." Edmund chucked. Rame nodded and scurried away, mumbling more apologies as he fled.

Edmund reached for me and pulled me back to him by my waist. "Moving on..." He said. I smiled and shook my head, stepping back.

"No no no. You owe me a strategy briefing since you all thought it smartest to keep me sleeping." I glared at him. Edmund winked at me.

"It got you to kiss me, so I regret nothing." He said. I bit back a smile and shook his arm.

"It's not funny! Tell me the plan." I pouted. Edmund sighed heavily and took my hand, leading me to the command room. He dropped my hand once we reached the table that Peter and Caspian stood at this morning, walking around to the other side to face me.

He pointed to the marked spot representing the rubble outside of the How. "Peter and Miraz are to have a one on one duel here, to the death. The reward is total surrender, though we don't expect the Telmarines to stick to that if we win."

I cringed. If.

"Susan and Lucy will be riding into the forests though here," He pointed to a messily drawn path through the woods. "We're hoping that Aslan will show himself to Lucy again. Soldiers will be posted on top of and inside the How, prepared for war. Peter has requested that you join me and Glenstorm at the duel site. Questions?"

Edmund took a deep breath, moving his eyes from the map to my face. I crossed my arms, studying the map.

"Susan and Lu are going alone? By foot or horseback?" I asked.

"Horseback." He replied. "Caspian volunteered to follow them if needed."

I nodded. "Alright. And when is this occurring?"

"The duel is six hours after sunrise. We plan to send Susan and Lucy at least half an hour before the Telmarines are set to arrive."

I nodded again, uncrossing my arms to run a hand through my hair. Edmund straightened his back and stood fully. He knew I understood.

"I never did like the fighting part of our time here." I mumbled, frowning. Edmund breathed a laugh and made his way around the table, wrapping me in his arms.

"I know, Mae. Hopefully, this will be the last we fight. It's about time Narnia had some peace."

I nodded into his chest and we stood in silence for a minute, holding each other tightly. I pulled back enough to be able to look up at Edmund.

"Can we go eat?" I mumbled. Edmund tipped his head down to meet my eyes.

"Sure, let's go." He grinned, placing a hand on the small of my back as we walked to the dining hall.

As we entered I spotted Lucy and Susan sitting at a table and chatting away with a faun and a minotaur. Edmund kissed my temple gently and made his way to her, greeting the Narnians with a smile and a nod. Lucy looked over Edmund's shoulder to me, smiling a toothy grin and waving. I waved back before walking over to the food and making myself a plate.

"Good evening, Macey. I trust you and King Edmund...worked things out?" A thick accent spoke from beside me. I rolled my eyes as I turned to the dark-haired prince.

"Yes, Cas. We did. Will you quit your teasing now?" He shook his head and nudged my arm with his.

"But that would be no fun. He caught you up on our strategy as well, yes?" I nodded. "Good. And I am sorry for not waking you when the time came. I was worried for you as well, and I also did not feel like suffering Peter's wrath." He chuckled and piled potatoes on his plate, pausing and lifting his head back to me after a second.

"Then again, yours was not very pleasant either." He said. I finished filling my plate and turned to him with it in my arms, my eyebrows raised.

"Well, now you know not to cross me again. All the Pevensies have once before, and they can tell you it can get much worse. Hey, think of it as a sort of... initiation. Welcome to the family!" I laughed and turned to walk away.

Caspian caught my arm and turned me back, gathering me into his arms and burying his face in my neck. I barely managed to move my plate and avoid spilling its contents everywhere.

"A jest or not, that means a lot, Macey. I have never had much of a family, and you and the Pevensies are all that I have. Thank you."

I felt the collar of my shirt become damp as he spoke, and I quickly put my plate down before hugging him back tightly.

"Relax, Edmund." I heard Lucy say as Caspian tightened his hands around my waist. I bit back a smile and rubbed his back.

"Caspian, of course. You're our family now, and we are yours. We stick together. Fight together, as we always will." I pulled back and wiped his stray tears with a smile.

He returned the smile with a nod and I gathered my plate once more before turning to the table that held Edmund and his sisters. I plopped myself down next to Edmund and smiled a greeting.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Edmund questioned with a gravelly tone. I laughed and looked between him and Susan, who also held curiosity/worry over the situation, yet was better at hiding it. I pulled Edmund's face to mine and raised my eyebrow.

"Did I not just profess my love for you like an hour ago?" I smirked. He considered this for a moment before shrugging with a soft smile. I dropped his chin and faced forward.

"Besides," I took a drink from my cup and eyed Susan over it, who had her gaze trained elsewhere. "I think he has his intentions on someone else."

Susan's head snapped to mine, her eyes wide and her cheeks a dark pink. Lucy and I laughed as Edmund stole some food off of my plate, my message gone over his head.

As the siblings and I talked and I ate slowly from my plate, my stomach twisted into knots. Only Aslan knows how tomorrow will go.