Somebody Worth Coming Back To

A Crazy Hope

"Hey Pete!" Edmund jogged over to where his older brother was sitting by the stone table. The table Edmund had come so close to dying on.

"What is it Ed?" Peter looked to him.

"What do you think the rules are about bringing somebody back home with us?" Edmund threw the question out there and Peter eyed him suspiciously.

"Is this about Demetria?" He asked and Edmund found he couldn't keep a small smile off his lips. He looked to the carving of Aslan on the wall, the stone warm in the light of the fire.

"More or less." He said and Peter sighed,

"Ed, you've only known her for a day. If that." He pointed out the obvious.

"Yeah, and we don't know how much longer we will be here." Edmund countered. Peter pressed his lips together and looked at Edmund.

"I don't know what the rules are." He said after a moment, "Or if there is any at all, but be careful. I don't need you going back to England with a broken heart, or it getting in the way of what we have going on right now."

#

"She seems to like you." Susan said later when Edmund mentioned the same question, "She's either shy about it or doesn't realize it." Susan laughed slightly, "She turns so red when you so much as look at her."

"But she acts like she's scared of me." Edmund said as he oiled the blade of his sword.

"Maybe she has had a bumpy past." Susan suggested. "Open up to her about you and I am sure she'll do the same. Just be careful not to get too attached."

"Peter said the same thing." Edmund frowned as he said it. It was hard not to. The way she ducked her head, hiding her face behind a curtain of blonde curls when she blushed made his heart leap every time. Her smile and the sparkle in her dark green eyes, it was like she was seeing everything for the first time. Yeah, there was a bloody good chance he was already attached. He could only hope that she wasn't dating Caspian.

#

Demetria pushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes as she wrapped twine around the stems of herbs and hung it up to dry. Heat flared up in the makeshift oven, bring the smell of fish with it. It seemed to be the only meat that anybody would eat. A giant pot of tea hung over the fire, bubbling as the herby scent filled the room. Cooking had never been her strong suit, but it felt good to be in the kitchen again trying to remember all that she had learned. Footsteps echoed behind her and a glance over her shoulder brought a small smile to her face. Caspian smiled back as he came to stand beside her.

"What all do we have here?" He asked, picking up a bright green leaf.

"That is basil." She said as she plucked it from his fingers and picked up a few other pieces of the fresh herb.

"Since when do you dry herbs?" Caspian leaned against the table, arms crossed.

"Riverracer took me out to find some." She said,

"Riverracer?" Caspian raised an eyebrow,

"Glenstorm's sister." Demetria explained and he nodded.

"So that's where you disappeared to. But where did you go with King Edmund?" Caspian said and her hands stalled. Quickly she resumed her work, tying the string around the basil stem.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, and he chuckled.

"Demetria, you know exactly what I'm talking about." He said, "And that's why you know that I am going to tell you that there is a chance it won't work out."

"That what won't work out?" She asked looking to him and he raised an eyebrow. After a minute she sighed, "Fine. I care for him. I also know it's only been three days and-"

"That you need to tell him." Caspian cut her off. "Tell him because chances are unless you do, the poor guy won't have a clue."

"Like you and Susan?" She asked, looping the end of the string and tying the basil to a rafter above her head. Caspian crinkled his nose but laughed slightly.

"No, not like me and Susan, because it is as plain as day that he has feelings for you." He said,

"Bene." She said as she wiped her hands on her skirt, leaving behind a few green streaks. Caspian went to say something when a faun came bursting into the room, out of breath.

"Prince Caspian! They have found us! There was a man at the edge of the woods!" The faun's word came out in a jumble and Caspian sent Demetria a concerned look.

"Go find the Kings and Queens." Caspian said the faun. "I'll get the others and we'll meet at the table." The faun nodded and ran, his hooves clicking against the stone floor.

"Good luck." Demetria muttered to Caspian and he grabbed her wrist.

"You are going to be there too."