Heart and Home~ Edmund Pevensie

Chapter 6: Unchained

Edmund:

I watched her like a hawk as we moved. The guards led us down the corridor with one of them carrying her in the lead. He carried her like a sack of potatoes, draped casually over his shoulder.

It made my blood boil.

She looked so... dead. If not for the slight rising and falling of her shoulders, I would've believed she was. She was skin and bones, sickly thin. Her skin was dry and greenish pale. Her brown her was knotted like I had never seen it before. Her lips were cracked. Her eyes were sunken.

She was covered in bruises.

And cuts. So many cuts. Her arms, her legs, her face.

Amelia...

They emerged into sunlight, and Edmund's eyes and ears immediately noticed Eustace standing on the podium to be sold.

"I'll take them off your hands," a stranger walked forward. Oh no, what will I tell Aunt Alberta, "I'll take them all off your hands!"

The stranger threw his cloak off, only to reveal Drinian and Reepicheep. Suddenly swords were drawn, and the crew of the Dawn Treader emerged from the crowd and from the shadows.

Seemingly in sync, Caspian and Edmund shoved the guards holding them to the side, breaking free from their grip. Edmund's guard drew his sword and Edmund used the chains of his handcuffs to deflect the blows. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the guard carrying her running further and further away from the fight. Amelia.

With all his might he swung his fist at the guard's temple and knocked him out. Immediately, his feet sent him running in her direction. He knocked other guards away, not even bothering to engage their combat. He just had to get to her. He had to.

Caspian was behind him, he heard the familiar footsteps. As he ran, Edmund grabbed a medium-sized rock from the floor, nearly stumbling over his own feet. He chucked it at the guard's legs and it hit him right behind his knee, exactly where it belonged. The guard fell to his knees, but was able to steady himself with his free hand, leaving Amelia unharmed. Caspian and Edmund worked together, Edmund lifting his love off the guards shoulder and gently placing her on the floor whilst Caspian wraps the chain of his cuffs around the man's neck.

"Get the keys!" Caspian called. Edmund looked down and noticed the shiny set of silver keys hanging from the guard's belt. He grabbed it with a quick swipe before the guard passed out.

He first unlocked Amelia's cuffs with shaky hands. Her wrists are so small... He then unlocked his own before passing the keys to Caspian. Using a wooden plank, he knocked out two Traders who were sneaking up behind them before bending down to Amelia once more, Caspian long gone. They were alone now.

He caressed her face lightly, shocked at the sharpness of her cheek bones, and angry at the sky blue bruise that rested on her cheek. He spotted an abandoned jar of water on a nearby crate and quickly brought it to her lips.

Wake up. Wake up. Please wake up.

She didn't respond, and though her shoulders were still moving, he feared she would not be breathing for long. In a swift movement, he picked her up bridal-style with her head resting on his shoulder. The fight was no longer on going, and he could see Caspian and the crew gathering in the centre of the quad.

"Caspian!" he called out as he ran towards the Telmarine King, "Caspian! She's going cold!"

The other King immediately turned around to face him, and his eyes grew wide as if seeing her for the first time. Maybe it was his first time. Maybe he didn't want to look when they were in the corridor.