A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part one)

38: He'll be absolutely fine

February 7th - Prompt: Hunger

------------

"And Edmund?"

Edmund swung around, trying not to let on how dizzy he felt after doing so, his empty stomach doing a flip. He stared at his older brother, nothing but hope in his eyes that he didn't think he could hide even if he wanted to.

"Try not to wander off." Peter eventually murmered, smiling gently at his little brother and trying not to just stare directly at the bruise on his cheek, which was currently making him feel a sort of anger he'd never felt before, and it wasn't towards Edmund.

Edmund smiled weakly at Peter, head pounding and stomach churning, but he ignored it and turned towards the tent his brother had nodded at only a few seconds before.

Susan watched from behind, a small smile on her face as Peter turned to her and Lucy, but the smile slipped when she saw Edmund stop walking just before he reached the tent.

He wavered for a moment, before sinking to his knees, reaching out to try and grab something to steady him, latching onto one of the tent poles as tightly as he could.

Susan frowned. "Ed?" She murmured, hurrying over and kneeling beside her younger brother, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Edmund seemed to jump slightly, before swallowing hard and attempting to push Susan away, but his movements were so weak he didn't do much.

"Ed stop." Susan sighed. "Just relax and let me help."

Edmund clearly hesitated, but in the end nodded, leaning back so his head landed on Susan's shoulder, eyes slipping closed.

"What's wrong?" Susan murmured as Lucy came over and sat with them.

Edmund swallowed hard, shaking his head.

Susan sighed. "Are you tired?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't tell her outright.

Edmund slowly nodded, his eyes opening a little as he moved to a more comfortable position, his head still rested against Susan's shoulder though.

Susan thought for a while. "Are you sore?" She hesitantly asked.

Edmund didn't answer, and wasn't going to answer anytime soon either.

Susan sighed sadly, before realisation hit her. "You want something to eat?" She asked slowly.

Edmunds eyes squeezed shut as he slowly, very slowly nodded his head.

Susan bit her lip. "You haven't eaten... have you?" She all but whispered.

Edmund shook his head, looking somewhat guilty as he lowered his gaze to the ground.

"Why do you look so guilty?" Lucy asked, looking upset for more than one reason.

Edmund swallowed hard and shrugged, but didn't look up at either of his sisters.

Susan sighed, before placing a kiss to the top of Edmunds head, much to his shock. "I'll find you something to eat." She murmured. "It's no wonder you collapsed if you haven't eaten in days."

Susan slowly let go of her younger brother, before turning to Peter, who this whole time had just been stood, staring at Edmund, eyes glassed over with an unreadable look on his face. "Peter?" She asked, nodding at Edmund without trying to make it obvious that that was what she had done.

Peter stood there, moving his stare to Susan.

"Can you take him?" Susan muttered, voice somewhat firm.

Peter didn't do anything for a long while, before hesitantly making his way over and kneeling beside his brother.

Before he knew it he'd had Edmund placed in his arms, his little brother too weak to do much except relax, although there was something rigid about the way he held himself which shattered Peter's heart.

"I won't be long." Susan breathed. "Perhaps take him inside?"

Peter nodded but was silent as she left, slowly wrapping an arm around Edmunds stomach and pulling him back so his chest touched his brother's back, feeling slightly awkward in doing so.

But he was appalled when he felt just how thin his brother was. Sure Edmund had always been skinny, but never this skinny, this was to the point of starvation, and Peter had to try not to burst into tears.

Edmund groaned in his half conscious state, letting out a hiss of pain which caused Peter to completely freeze.

Peter and Lucy exchanged a worried glance before Peter turned back to Edmund, only to notice his head had fallen forward and his eyes were closed. "Ed?" He murmured.

Nothing.

"Is he asleep?" Lucy asked.

Peter nodded. "I think so." He breathed, although he wasn't sure if he just tired or had in fact passed out, either way at least he'd get some much needed sleep.

"You gonna take him inside?" Lucy said, glancing at Peter.

Peter nodded, hesitantly standing and lifting Edmund into his arms, wincing at how light he was before making his way into the tent and laying him in one of the hammocks.

Lucy came up behind him and covered Edmund in as many blankets as she could, bringing the tiniest of smiles to Peter's face. "He looks cold." Lucy explained quietly, not taking her eyes from her brother as she sat down on a nearby chair.

Peter stood there, just staring at his sleeping brother until Susan came back, a plate of food in her hand. "Oh." He murmured, spotting Edmund.

Peter sighed. "He either fell asleep or passed out." He all but whispered.

"Both seem plausible." Susan said with a slow nod. "He hasn't slept or eaten in days, and he's in a lot of pain."

Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He's so thin." He choked out, shaking his head slowly back and forth.

Susan gave him a sad look. "He's safe now Peter." She breathed. "We can quite easily fix that."

Peter turned his head to look at her, slowly nodding, but he seemed hesitant.

Susan took a deep breath. "We'll have to give him this food the second he wakes up." She said. "Hunger can be dangerous, especially on this level."

Peter sighed. "You reckon he'll be okay?" He asked slowly.

Susan was quite for a while, before she forced a smile. "I'm sure he'll be absolutely fine."

☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆
I could write so many versions of what happened after Edmund was returned to his siblings 😂😂