Heart and Home~ Edmund Pevensie

Chapter 10| Torture

He watched as Lucy poured a drop of her firefly juice into the dwarf's mouth, and he recalled how it had tasted when he had lain on the battlefield after attacking the Witch. He held is breath, waiting for a sign of movement. Trumpkin was still for a moment, but then his chest lifted and he took a deep breath. Edmund let out a sigh, relieved that not everyone had died today. Almost everyone did. All because you didn't listen to Amelia. You didn't stop Peter.

"What you all standing around for?" Edmund was brought into focus by Trumpkin's voice, "The Telmarines'll be here soon enough." Edmund knew he was right. The Telmarines would retaliate, and they would not hold back. Trumpkin looked at Lucy, "Thank you, my dear little friend."

Edmund didn't allow himself to feel happy at the small moment between Trumpkin and Lucy. He forced his guilt to the surface, and it hit him with a hard blow, You did this, Edmund. You killed them. You killed her.

He walked into the How without another word.

Caspian POV

Caspian found himself staring at the paintings on the wall. He admired them and walked along, watching Amelia's story play out before him. She had painted her time with the Pevensies on this wall, and he found that the paintings told her story far better than any book the Professor had given him ever did. He saw the faun, Tumnus, she had called him, standing by the lamppost. He saw the White Witch, the stone table, Aslan. But the painting that intrigued him the most – the one that caught his eye no matter where he stood – was the one of the Pevensies by their thrones and her standing to the side. No throne. No crown. Only her. You should've been Queen...

"You so glad of that magic horn now, boy?" Caspian turned to his right and saw Nikarrbrik leaning against the wall, "The kings and queens have failed us. You're army's half dead. Those that aren't will be soon enough..." He walked closer, but Caspian only stared at him, silent with guilt crushing his heart.

"What do you want, congratulations?" Caspian asked.

Nikarrbrik's expression turned dark, "You want your uncle's blood? So do we. You want his throne? We can get if for you. You want revenge for the Silvanus? We can make it happen..."

The dwarf trailed off and gave Caspian a chilling smile. Revenge... he thought of Amelia. I'm sorry I couldn't save them all.

He followed the dwarf.

They entered the large cavern where the stone portrait of Aslan was kept. The fire was lit around him, giving the stone table an orange glow.

"You tried one ancient power, it failed," The dwarf beside him said, "But there is a power greater still- one that kept even Aslan at bay for nearly a hundred years."

Caspian's brow furrowed in confusion. Was there another option? Was there a power stronger than the Kings and Queens? Could this power give him what he wanted...

Caspian suddenly heard multiple growls fill the room. The sound echoed off the walls and bounced against his eardrums. He faced the entrance as saw the unmistakable glint of firelight walking towards him. He drew his sword and quietly walked forward. Was this part of Nikarrbrik's plan? Or had something come to devour them both.

Caspian swallowed his fear, "Who's there?"

A shrill, dark voice answered him, "I am hunger. I am thirst." From the shadows a cloaked being emerged. His whole body was covered by a dark cloth, but Caspian saw the wolf-like snout that peeked out from under the creature's hood, "I can fast a hundred years, and not die." The wolf-like creature stalked towards him, but he kept his sword raised, "I can lie a hundred nights on the ice, and not freeze." Caspian saw another creature walk towards him. This one was fouler, it's head a slimy green and it had a beak for a mouth. Its skin was shriveled and its eyes seemed to be bottomless pools of black. Its hands were like a bird's – tipped with claws and crunched up as if it was holding something invisible, "I can drink a river of blood, and not burst. Show... me.... YOUR ENEMIES!" The creature lifted his hood and Caspian raised his sword, which had slowly begun dropping, at the sight of his wolfish features and large canines.