No Matter What - Edmund Pevensie X Reader

Chapter 7 - Goldenwater Island

"I doubt the lords stopped here, my liege," said Reepicheep, "There's no sign of anything living."
The crew were presently rowing to a new island they had come across. And Reepicheep wasn't wrong - it looked like a ghost town.
"Right," said Caspian, "Well, once we get ashore, take your men and search for food and water. The four of us will look for clues."
"Hang on, you mean the five of us," said Eustace from the bow of the boat that Caspian, Edmund, Y/N, Lucy and a few other men were in.
Everyone turned to look at him.
"Come on, please don't send me back to the rat," he pleaded.

"I heard that." Reepicheep gave Eustace a good glare.
"Big ears," mumbled Eustace as he turned away.
"I heard that too."
Everyone chuckled lightly, while Eustace just frowned.

**********

"Look! We're not the first ones on this island," said Caspian, pointing to a rope tied around a large rock.
The rope fell deep down into a cave-like trench.
"The lords?" asked Edmund.
"Could be," replied Caspian, before picking up a stone and tossing it into the pit, "What do you think could be down there?"
"Let's find out," said Y/N, tugging on the rope to see if it was tied properly.

Edmund went down first, followed by Y/N, Caspian and finally, Lucy. They looked around. They seemed to be standing in a large cavern. Sunlight streamed in through scattered openings above them, just like the one they entered from. Pillars of mud and stone fell from the ceiling to the ground. Edmund, Y/N, Caspian and Lucy walked around for a while, looking for any signs of life.
"What's that?" asked Caspian suddenly, causing Y/N to turn around.
"Looks like some sort of gold statue," replied Edmund, looking straight into a small, but deep pond.
Following his gaze, Y/N saw that he was right. There lay the statue of a man with his arm held out, and he was completely golden in colour.

Edmund yanked off a branch that was entwined around one of the pillars. Just by the look on his face, Y/N knew he was onto something. He stood at the edge of the pond and, leaning forward very carefully, dipped the branch in the water. Then, as if by magic (which it obviously was), the tip of the branch started to turn gold, and then the gold sheet formed around it slowly began rising further and further up the branch. Edmund seemed to realise what was happening, because he soon dropped the branch into the water with a yelp.

Caspian turned his attention back to the statue, "He must have fallen in."
"Poor man," said Lucy.
"You mean, 'Poor lord'," corrected Y/N, noticing a gold shield beside the man.
"The crest of Lord Restimar," said Caspian.
"And his sword!" pointed out Edmund.
As Y/N looked at the sword, which had also fallen into the pond, she realised that it curiously wasn't gold like the shield.
"We need it," said Caspian, as Edmund drew his sword.
"Be careful," Y/N said, as Edmund placed the tip of his sword beneath the hilt of the other, and quickly pulled it out of the water.

"Your sword hasn't turned to gold," observed Lucy.
"Both the swords are magical," Caspian explained, taking the other sword from Edmund.
"He mustn't have known what hit him." Lucy frowned at the lord.
"Maybe," said Edmund, placing down his sword, "Or maybe he was onto something."
"What are you talking about?" asked Caspian.

Edmund picked up a conch shell and carefully dipped it into the pond, making sure not to touch the water with his hand. Quickly, as the shell began turning gold, he placed it back down on the ground. He waited a few seconds before picking it up again.
"What are you staring at?" asked Lucy.
"Whoever has access to this pool," Edmund muttered lowly, ignoring Lucy's question, "could be the most powerful person in the world."
Y/N's heart dropped. She looked into Edmund's eyes and she recognised the look he had - it was one she hadn't seen in ages; and it brought back terrible memories.
Edmund turned to face his sister, "Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or who to live with."

"You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund," said Caspian.
"Says who," Edmund snarled, not taking his eyes off the gold shell.
Y/N's heart beat went faster and faster by the second. She couldn't bear to see Edmund behaving so snakishly.
"I do," Caspian replied firmly.
Edmund turned to Caspian, picking up his sword, "I'm not your subject."
Y/N couldn't believe a thing she was witnessing.
"You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" said Caspian, "To challenge me? You doubt my leadership?"
"You doubt yourself."
"You're a child!"
"And you're a spineless sap!"

"Edmund!" Y/N warned, getting closer, but he pushed her away.
"I'm tired of playing second fiddle," said Edmund to Caspian, "First it was Peter and now it's you. You know I'm braver than both of you. Why  do you get Peter's sword? I deserve a kingdom of my own. I deserve to rule!"
"If you think you're so brave, prove it!" Caspian pulled out his sword.
Edmund and Caspian each let out a yell before clanging swords with one another.

"No!" shouted Y/N, running between them, before things could take a turn for the worse, "Stop it! Both of you!"
"Look at yourselves," Lucy said, stepping up to join Y/N, "Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you. This is exactly what Coriakin was talking about."
Edmund's expression changed and he looked down at the shell that was still in his hand.
"Let's just get out of here," said Y/N, rolling her eyes.

Y/N knew that all of that was the green mist's doing. She knew it wasn't Edmund's fault at all - Edmund would never act like that! Nevertheless, she was disappointed. She walked ahead of the others, letting only Lucy catch up to her. They climbed back up the rope and out of the cavern.
Walking back to the rest of the crew, Caspian asked, "What food did you find?"
"It's volcanic, Your Majesty. Not much grows," answered Mr Rhince, kneeling down next to a few baskets which held different sorts of plantation.
"Where's Eustace?" Lucy asked, looking around.
"I believe he's out not helping us load the boats," replied Reepicheep.
Lucy called out for her cousin a couple of times, but to no avail.
She turned to her brother, "Edmund, I've got a bad feeling."