To Defend Our Land

Chapter 9 I Was Wrong

None of us could sleep. I hadn't had any sleep for five days, but sleep didn't come to me.
"Verity," I heard Lucy whisper beside me,"Are you awake?"
"Everyone is," Edmund remarked, he was sleeping on the other side of me.
"Mmm?" Was my only answer.
"Could you sing a few songs it would make me feel better," She told me.
"Which ones?" I asked, sitting up. She lay her head on my lap and I run my fingers through her hair.
"I'd Rather Have Jesus," She answered.
"I'd Rather Have Jesus than silver or gold," I began, Peter joined me with his deep tenor and me with my alto,"I'd rather be his than have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands. Yes, I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand. Than to be the Queen of a vast domain. And held in sin's dread away. I'd rather have Jesus than anything. This world affords today."
When we finished, I felt tears coming, but I wiped them away.
"I was wrong," I whispered.
"What?" Lucy lay her head on my shoulder.
"About Susan, I was selfish," I replied remorseful
"What if we don't make it out and Lord Vervan...."
I can feel Peter put his strong arms around me and Lucy. We both cried, I of shame and Lucy out of fright.
"It will be alright?" He said soothingly.
"We're going to get out?" Edmund assured us, he joined us in the hug as well.
I felt safe, we were together, well at least some of us. Ruth and Susan were at Cair in a no safer position than we were than we were in.
I rested my head against Peter's side beside Lucy, having one around her and the other around Peter. Edmund tightened his arms around all of us and Peter did the same. We were this position for I don't know how long.
"She's asleep," Peter whispered to us, pulling our youngest sister onto his lap,"Which we all should be doing the same thing." I curled up between my brothers, my head on Peter's shoulder and fell asleep.
I woke up to hear Edmund stir beside me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"That dwarf, he's staring at us," Edmund replied warily.
I turned to face Anwir,"Hello, Anwir," I greeted him coolly.
"Hello, your majesty, seems you weren't able to be able to get away," he gave me his menacing smile."And we caught your siblings too."
I looked at Edmund then turned back to my frenemy as I called him. He was the kindest of all of them, but still my enemy.
"Not all of them," I answered.
"Only one of them," chuckled Anwir."Our king, Vervan, plans on making Susan his wife. Your sister practically fell for him."
"Very funny," commented Edmund,"Susan's not going to fall for the man who kidnapped her siblings."
"Oh, she doesn't know that," the dwarf answered silly.
"Who says," I crossed my arms.
"You can't warn her," Anwir replied.
"Why, I oughta shake you so hard your teeth will fall out. You need a new set anyways," I glared at him.
"Verity, now's not the time," Edmund placed a hand on my shoulder,"Get some sleep, please."
I lie back down, beside my two other siblings.
"Surprised they didn't wake up," I muttered to Edmund,"Anwir wakes everybody up."
"Not true!" Retorted the dwarf.
"Seriously!" I sneered,"Keep out of our conversations." I rolled my eyes.
Edmund lay down on the cold floor and sighed, placing his hands on his chest."You seem used to this place."
"Well, if you've been here for five days you would too," I answered glumly.
"This just reminds me of the witch," he replied
"It makes me feel ashamed. I was a traitor, you had a chance to be you didn't. I guess there was nothing to tempt you."
"There was," I answered."My own life, he said he would kill me, if I didn't tell how you and Peter, well...." I wipe a few tears away,"I was scared, Ed, I couldn't betray my family, but yet I didn't want to...."
"Die?" Edmund finished for me."I was way stupider, betraying you all for Turkish Delight. So what helped you?"
"Greater love hath no man than this that he layeth down his life for his friends," I answered "My Saviour did this at Calvary and I'm willing to do it for my family."
Edmund squeezed my hand,"But you distracted him, your own intelligence helped you."
"No, Aslan helped me, and Aslan did the same for you," I replied,"But after you had betrayed him."
Edmund sighed,"I deserved to die not him."
"But he loved you, Ed, to him you were a son. The prodigal son. Peter and I were a bit like the older brother. He offered his life for you. Edmund do you accept me almost sacrificing my life for you?" I asked.
"Of course," he nodded.
"You need to do the same thing with Aslan. What good is his sacrifice if you still don't think it was enough. It was enough, Ed, it was enough." I explained.
"Verity," He continued,"Remember back in our world before the war?"
"Of course, but they feel like dreams sort of," I replied,"Remember how we used to get along and those tricks we played on other people."
"And poor Ruth she tried so hard to stay out of trouble, but she couldn't. We got her to help us somehow," grinned Edmund.
"How could I ever forget,"I laughed.