Letters To Edmund |book 1|

Chapter 17. Captives

"What is it about me? Why are we even friends, him and I?" Angelina asked more herself than Susan.

Susan was lost, she wasn't sure what to say, "maybe he sees something in you others don't. You said you have Aslan's light? Well, maybe he sees that." Susan speculated. Angelina told Susan about everything that happened to her.

"But I just got Aslan's light, it can't be that," Angelina denied.

"Well then, the only other logical explanation is that my brother fell in love with you." Susan even shocked herself saying that her little Edmund falling for a girl. She hoped that this time it would end better than the last.

"No-I don't think so, we are good friends." Angelina denied it even though she unintentionally started smiling.

Susan shook her head, "oh come on. Can't you see it in the way he looks at you? He barely finds interest in all the princesses that other royal courts send him. You are the only girl he actually wanted to dance with at the ball, and I am pretty sure, knowing Edmund, he already told you in plenty of ways that he has feelings for you. It is just a pity that my brother isn't as smooth as others." Susan knew her brother better than he knew himself sometimes.

"Somehow I have a hard time believing that, I am not the kind of girl to be liked, I'm more of a friend. I fear if it will all be worth it in the end if I leave, would it all be worth it?" Angelina looked at Susan now.

"That's something for you to decide, would you take that leap knowing that you may part at any time. I sure knew what I was going to do, I was going to eventually leave Caspian and face the consequences." Susan looked away, thinking about Caspian.

Angelina looked down as a gush of wind covered her. It was a cold night, but her soul was even colder without Edmund by her side to warm it. Of course, he didn't have that great of an influence on her, but it sure would be better with him around and his arms around her shoulders. As a friend of course. Somehow Angelina knew exactly what he would do and say, so she pretended. Pretended that he was there as she lied back down on the grass to get a few hours of sleep. She turned over to the other side, to her surprise her Conscience was there, a full smile.

"You scared me!" She said and watched him put a finger to his mouth.

"What?" Susan asked. Angelina forgot that only she could see Conscience.

Not receiving a reply, Susan sighed, "I know my words might have been a little bit harsh, about parting and all that, but Narnia is just like that. It's harsh."

Angelina quickly covered her mouth, pretending to go to sleep. Conscience's smile only grew.

"I quite like it, you get to shut up and listen to me once. That's how it should be anyway since I am your conscience," he spoke.

She wanted to ask him what he was doing here, but she couldn't, instead, she rolled her eyes. It was like Conscience could read her mind, "I came here to warn you that denial is a very horrible place to be and you better sort out your feelings once and for all. I know, you're gonna ask what feelings, the ones about that boy," he said, putting an emphasis on the last word. Angelina had no desire to listen to him any further. She turned away from him to the other side and closed her eyes, muffling out the sound of his voice.

In the morning they were both off to the docs which were located near the forest. Susan knew that these parts of Narnia did not listen to the authority of the kings and queens. These were the outlaw parts and as dangerous as it was for two young women to be there, it was more dangerous for the queen of Narnia to be there.

As they walked up to the village in which the docs were located, Susan recognized the royal Narnian ship. It was filled with blue and red colors that went well with the Narnian gold on the wooden ship. She could see the Centaurs working on the ship's sails. Walking up to the ship, they were both stopped by the two men guarding it. The two of them did not look like Narnian soldiers so Susan hesitated to state that she was the queen.

"What is the meaning of this, let us through." She tried to argue her way out.

"I'm sorry miss, this ship is under inspection, we don't want any more royals dictating us here." The guard put his hand up, blocking Susan from entering the ship.

"Who does this ship belong to?" Angelina interrupted, worried that Susan might start a fight.

The guard looked down at her, "why the kings of Narnia of course. They came here just a few days ago. King Caspian, and king Edmund The Just, those foolish boys." The guard laughed out.

"Where are they now?" Susan's face was covered with worry.

"Say," the other guard looked at her, "why are you so interested in the kings of Narnia?"

"We wanna see them in the flesh, rumor has it, you will become strong if you look into the eyes of a king." Angelina realized that they weren't going to be guests if they revealed who they were, so she played along.

"You two are stupid to believe that. They are down in the market being sold into slavery right this very second. Good luck to whoever buys them." The guard laughed and Susan and Angelina were already on their way to the market to save Caspian and Edmund. Her heart raced, what if they were late? They were in even more trouble.

~***~

"Hateful place!" Edmund screamed out as he peeked outside the prison bars to look at the town.

Caspian sat on the ground, looking at the walls and planning a possible escape. "It's more hateful when you realize that these people are our subjects."

"How dare they keep us here, do they not understand who we are and that we want to save them!" Edmund couldn't hold his anger anymore.

Caspian stood up from the ground and walked up closer to the young man, resting his hand on Edmund's shoulder. "I am sorry brother, these times are hard. We have to understand it from their perspective. The White Witch and her messengers have spread horrible lies about the Lion's army and Cair Paravel for years."

Edmund didn't want Caspian's pity, he wanted a way out. There was a war to fight and they were stuck in a prison cell about to be sold to someone for work. What was worse that these people could easily take it to far and gain the desire to kill them. Edmund already had trouble listening to his brother, there was no way he'd come out of slavery with his tongue or his life.

The guards walked in and grabbed Caspian as the others reached for Edmund. The Just king was not about to give in to his own people. Edmund swung his fist and hit the guards jaw, as a blow was applied to his head from behind him, Caspian was taken out of the prison cell.

"Let go of me!" Edmund screamed as two more guards grabbed him by the arms and dragged him out of the cell. Edmund thought that maybe it wasn't the best decision to let the rest of their soldiers leave on the first ships and wait for the next ones. The people found out that they were weak and missing an army. It was only the beginning of the war and Edmund was already making unwise decisions.