𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 | ❝Hope is good, Hope will never disgrace, but make no mistake, Hope will hit you in the face!❞
In which the Just King becomes betrothed to a princess from a neighboring kingdom, only to fall in love with the prin...
WALKING IN THE WIND xiii. THE CHALLENGE OF FORGIVENESS
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CHALLENGES NEVER INTIMIDATED EDMUND. He enjoyed all kinds of challenges: riddles, puzzles, duels, political disputes, stupid arguments with his siblings. They enticed him. Every time he successfully triumphed a challenge (which was more often than not), his confidence soared, and that encouraged him to confront more challenges as he matured. That being said, something perplexed him regarding the newest test Aslan threw at him. Hope Edwards was the greatest challenge Edmund Pevensie ever faced.
Everything about her intrigued him. Something about her was so... addicting to him. Even when they first met, Edmund couldn't shake the encounter and secretly prayed he would see the girl who knocked him off his feet again.
Yes, Hope was a fascinating girl, especially for a servant. He didn't mean that negatively. The thing Edmund always noticed about servants was that they never put themselves out there, never trying to be noticed. Hope, on the other hand, made herself noticed everywhere she went. He didn't think she intended to do so though, but every time she entered a room, Edmund's eyes went to her.
When Edmund first met Hope, he was hooked by how she presented herself. She was genuine, unafraid to be honest, especially to Odette. He had to attribute that to their long friendship, but it was refreshing to witness after being around so many loyal servants who were wary of so much as joking around with him. He liked how she was loyal and kind, not to mention funny and witty. Sometimes, he'd find himself chuckling at something she said days ago amid a council. Even the mere thought of her made him smile.
He liked that she wasn't a ditzy handmaid. She was admittedly talented with a sword, and she could hold such captivating philosophical conversations that he found himself recounting them every night for hours at a time. He liked how she challenged him to think more about things, taking original perspectives and shedding supplementary light on them. He thought it was interesting how she was a klutz when she thought too hard about what she was saying or doing, yet when she was relaxed, she managed to speak some of the wisest words he'd ever heard. He liked how sometimes, she managed to render him, of all people, speechless. It made him wonder if he finally met his match.
Edmund also liked that Hope was always warm. Was that an odd way to describe someone? Sure, she was physically warm, but he meant she was always sunny. She wasn't the kind of warm that was blistering. Hope was warm like the first day of spring. She was the awakening of animals after a long hibernation, the blooming of flowers. She was a breath of fresh air.
That being said, Edmund felt like an absolute dunce after realizing what he said to her.
He didn't care about anyone's status or upbringing. He only cared about who they were as people. He knew that, yet he said such stupid words to a girl that was as sensitive as a cotton ball. Sure, she could hold herself together well enough, but one tug the wrong way and she crumbled.
