A New Beginning | Edmund Pevensie {1}

[18]

"For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward." - Jim Rohn.

I felt the pain leave me, slowly but surely. I blinked my eyes open, to see my friends gathered around me, all of them looking away, sadness written on their faces, as if they lost someone they loved. I looked over them in confusion, they were all silent, and Edmund was crying.

"Stop frowning you sad sack of fries, we won!" I yelled to them. They looked up in surprise.

"You're alive?" Edmund choked out, all of them still frozen in shock.

"No, the ghost's come back to haunt you." I said sarcastically. They all laughed, glad I was back, and Edmund pulled me into a tight hug, like I would die on him. I wrapped my arms around his neck still confused, but I enjoyed it anyway. Edmund quickly pressed his lips to mine, he cupped my cheek, rubbing it gently. It was a beautiful and loving kiss, I savoured the flavour of his lips. He pulled back, and hit me on the arm.

"Why would you do that? You almost died." he cried. I shrugged.

"It's not my fault, I didn't plan to get stabbed, plus it's what a knight of Narnia would've done." I remarked. He shook his head, grinning slightly.

"Yeah, maybe a knight with a death wish." he snorted. I glared at him.

"Say what you want, Pevensie. It was badass, and you know it!" I told him. He playfully rolled his eyes, "Plus we already decided, my cause of death will be a sarcastic comment at the wrong time." I continued, he laughed and hugged me again, his siblings coming to join the hug. Finally, I turned to Caspian, he quickly wrapped me in a hug.

"I was so worried we had lost you, you're like my little sister, what would I do without you?" he asked, nearly crying into my shoulder. I smirked.

"Probably die." Caspian playfully rolled his eyes, before releasing me. After I had been hugged until I couldn't breathe, we all turned to see Aslan watching the exchange with a smile. Lucy stood by his side, as we all kneeled respectfully in front of the great lion. 

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia." he said in a soft voice that could lull me to sleep. Edmund, Susan and Peter rose to their feet, as Caspian and I stayed on one knee. "All of you." he continued looking at Caspian, we all glanced at him, as he looked up in shock.

"I do not think I am ready." he admitted honestly, still on the ground. 

"It's for that very reason I know you are." he spoke wisely. Caspian slowly stood up, joining the Pevensies. All eyes turned to me. "Rise, Arabella Greene, noble knight of Narnia." my head snapped up, eyes wide. 

"With all due respect sir, I am unworthy of a title." I confessed. All of them looked at me in disagreement.

"I have reason to believe otherwise: you instinctively protected your friend, saving her from a bear, you persuaded another to give your friends a second chance to redeem themselves, you believed a friend on blind trust and put your faith in her, before her siblings did. You're not afraid to put people in their place, even if you don't feel worthy enough, and you fought valiantly for Narnia, putting their needs above your own, risking your life." He listed, I didn't even know that what I had done meant that much to the Narnians. He put his paw on my shoulders, then dropped it to the ground, "So rise, Sir Arabella the Audacious, knight and protector of Narnia." he declared. Slowly, I rose to my feet, all of my friends giving me looks of congratulations. Edmund put his arm around my shoulder, and kissed the side of my head proudly. 

A small jingle made us turn around, to see Reepicheep on a stretcher, gasping for breath. The mice carrying him, backed off as Lucy gave him some cordial. Slowly, he sat up.

"Thank you, your majesty, thank you." he breathed out to Lucy. Another mouse helped him to stand, and only then did he notice Aslan. "Oh, hail Aslan, it is a great honour to be in-" he stumbled as he bowed. Turning to see the problem, he saw his tail had been sliced clean off. Embarrassed, he faced Aslan, with his hands behind his back, to try hide the stump. "I am completely out of counternant, I must proclaim your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion, perhaps a drop more?" he asked Lucy hopefully. Lucy looked between the bottle and the mouse in front of her, shaking her head.

"I don't think it does that." she mumbled sadly. Reepicheep recoiled.

"You could have a go?" he tried again.

Aslan laughed, "It becomes you well, small one." Reepicheep turned towards him.

"All the same, great king, I regret that I must withdraw, for the tail, is the honour and glory of a mouse." he claimed. I watched in shock, as he removed his sword holding it up to Aslan. 

"Perhaps you think too much of your honour, friend." Aslan suggested gruffly. 

"Well it's not just the honour, it's also great for balance, and climbing, and grabbing things." he listed, trying to back track. Edmund and I exchanged amused glances. The other mice withdrew their swords, holding up to their tails.

"If I may, your majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour, denied to our chief." one mouse announced. Aslan softly chuckled again.

"Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people." Reepicheep turned to face Aslan again. I gasped, as Reepicheep's tail magically regrew. Reepicheep let out a cry of joy. 

"Oh, wow, look at this! Thank you! Thank you my liege! I will treasure it always. From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my chivalrous humility." he exclaimed, excitedly. We all laughed at his words. Humility you say...

"Now, where is this dear little friend you've told me so much about?" Aslan asked. We all looked over to Trumpkin, who was collecting the weapons of the Telmarine soldiers. Trumpkin looked up and noticed our stares. He hobbled his way over and knelt on one knee, looking to the floor. Aslan let out a mighty roar, and Trumpkin flinched at the sound. 

"Do you see him now?" Lucy asked grinning from ear to ear, repeating what he said earlier. Trumpkin released an exasperated eye roll. Breathing heavily, recovering from the shock. Edmund grabbed my hand and smiled at me, leading me away from the ford. 

(A/N Hope you enjoyed the chapter don't forget to vote xx)