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

227: Follow

Edmund only groaned in response, his eyes flickering before they slipped shut again, his breathing, which had been ragged before, evening out.

"Please don't close your eyes." Peter choked, grabbing Edmunds shoulders. "Please."

But after only a second he realised that Edmund had passed out, and wasn't sure whether that was gonna be a curse or a blessing.

Eventually he pulled himself together, quickly checking Edmund over for any injuries, and soon found one.

It was what looked like a stab wound, in his lower stomach, blood pouring out at an alarming speed, seeping into the rope which to Peter's horror, was placed directly over the wound.

Edmund was tied so tightly to the tree that the rope around his stomach must of been causing him absolute agony, which is why Peter was so quick to slice through them with his sword.

Edmund sagged to the side once free, but Peter quickly grabbed him and lay him on his back on the floor, instantly pressing his hands to the wound to try and stop the flow of blood before he bled out.

He cringed when the blood seeped through his fingers, and had to force back his tears as he took a deep breath. "Please hang on," He choked. "I'm gonna get you home, I promise you I will. You're gonna be okay, just keep breathing."

Edmund was indeed still breathing, but each breath was forced and slow, and they didn't come often, which worried Peter more than anything, because Edmund had to keep breathing...

Peter swallowed hard, before slipping off his shirt and tieing it around Edmunds waist, as tight as he could in the hopes it would slow the bleeding, and after that he lifted Edmund into his arms, worried when his brother didn't react in the slightest, telling Peter he was well and truly out of it.

Taking a deep breath, Peter began heading back in the direction of Cair Paravel, hoping and praying that he'd get Edmund back in time, because if he didn't, he would never forgive himself.

He'd only been walking for thirty seconds though, before Edmund began coughing, blood splattering his lips as he choked a little, and after that he began almost... fitting.

Peter eventually had to put him down on the ground, his heart pounding and tears in his eyes as he watched his brother shake, blood still dripping from between his lips, and still pouring from his wound.

"Ed?" He choked, his voice cracking, before something caught the corner of his eye.

He drew his sword in the blink of an eye, standing to face the hag, his blood boiling. "What have you done to him!" He growled. "Leave him alone!"

The hag said nothing for a while, before she took a few steps forward, smirking. "I'm killing him." She said casually. "Someone should've done it a long time ago, but here we are."

Peter swallowed hard. "Stop the fitting." He choked. "I know it's you that's doing it, a stab wound wouldn't cause that."

The hag chuckled. "Why would I stop?" She asked. "It gives me great joy to see a traitor like this."

Peter took a deep breath. "Don't you dare." He practically whispered, voice shaking with anger.

The hag nodded slowly. "You know he's lost too much blood." She taunted. "He won't be alive for much longer."

"I will not let you kill him." Peter snapped, voice firm.

"I think it's too late for that." The hag murmured, a smirk on her face.

Peter glanced down when Edmund went still, his heart skipping a beat when he realised he was too still.

"Eddy?" He whispered, kneeling hesitantly beside his brother. "Please no."

He didn't even get a chance to check his pulse, before an arrow shot through the air and struck the hag straight in the chest, ending her life in an instant.

Susan ran over the second she was sure she was dead, falling to her knees beside Peter. "I saw the blood." She choked. "What happened?"

Peter choked a little. "I - I don't know." He whispered. "He - He's been stabbed."

Susan took a deep breath. "We need to get him home and to Lucy." She said quickly. "Is he - still alive?"

Peter hesitated a little, before placing a hand to his brother's chest.

"Well?" Susan whispered after a minute, her heart pounding and her voice shaking.

Peter eventually nodded. "It's slow, but his hearts still beating." He murmured, he guessed the hag must've been playing with him, his brother wasn't dead... not yet anyway.

"Let's go then." Susan said, jumping to her feet.

Peter followed, lifting Edmund into his arms before the two headed for home, each praying that they'd make it in time.

They were met just inside the door by Lucy and Orious, who looked as though they'd both been following the blood trail, and Lucy looked like she was going to burst into tears when Peter walked through the door with Edmund in his arms.

"Quick Lucy." Susan muttered, having managed to stay mostly calm, which Peter was glad about, because he himself certainly wasn't.

Lucy grabbed her cordial, and when Edmund had been layed in a window seat nearby, she allowed one drop to fall into his mouth, trying to ignore his blood stained lips.

Peter's heart pounded as they all waited, and just like always it felt like an eternity before Edmund coughed weakly.

The second he was awake though, Peter grabbed Edmund and pulled him close, shaking as he cried, not caring anymore.

Edmund seemed a little dazed at first, but eventually returned the hug, trembling slightly as he sat there.

Peter clung to him for ages, before going to pull away, only to be stopped when Edmund quickly tightened his grip and shook his head.

Peter took a deep breath, deciding not to break up the hug just yet and instead placed a gentle kiss to the top of Edmunds head and took a deep, shaky breath. "You're okay," He whispered. "You're safe now... I promise."

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