Thursday 2nd July, 1942 (14:26)
57 Eversleigh Road, Finchley, NW London
Edmund held Lucy in such an embrace that it looked as if it were with a death-grip. A tender, affectionate death grip, nonetheless. His head was bent over above hers, his eyes closed. His younger sister clung to him just as tightly, her fists balled around the fabric of his shirt, head under his.
Susan and Peter stood at the door a moment, doing their very best not to disturb such a moment as they observed the scene. The silhouette of the Young King and Queen's embrace emitted nothing but compassion, the moment seeming to be the pinnacle of fraternal love.
It was unusual, both elder Monarchs would admit, if you were to ask of the normality of such situation. Edmund had never been one to favour physical affection, dodging their embraces or mother's kisses. Yet, at this moment, he held Lucy so tightly that Susan wouldn't have been surprised if Lucy had of burst. The Gentle Queen looked on in awe, consumed with the love for her siblings as she allowed her head to rest on Peter's shoulder.
Peter's brows furrowed in worry, however. Something- something was wrong. It had to be. The last time Edmund had held anyone like this it had, indeed, been Lucy. But that had been a fateful day. That had been the day that the Valiant Queen had first announced that she would join her brothers in battle. Susan had cried for the rest of the day, begging Lucy not to and refusing to leave her side until Lucy had ordered Oreius to restrain the elder Queen as she'd mounted her horse, preparing for her first battle. Peter had done his best to comfort Susan in whatever way he could, but with little success. The best he had managed was when he had promised to protect Lucy with his life (not that he'd do anything else), yet this had only lead Susan to cry harder.
Edmund, however, had stayed silent on the matter when Lucy had made her announcement, his expression had been unreadable. It had only been later that day that Peter had overheard his two youngest siblings talking. Edmund had been reassuring her that she was doing the right thing (despite Susan's outcry) and that, as long as Aslan was with them, she had nothing to fear.
That day, their baby sister had joined the Narnian army on the battlefield, returning to Cair Paravel with nothing more than a few bruises.
So, why should this embrace be any different? Obviously, Lucy wasn't going to fight again, but it had to be something.
The moment only lasted a second for the elder Pevensie siblings however, as Edmund, ever aware of his surroundings, lifted his head and looked between them. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of Lucy's head before pulling away. His hands slid into hers as she looked into her eyes.
"We've to tell them, Lu." He told her, quietly.
Peter, unable to hold back his anxieties much longer, stepped forward into the dimly lit room, causing Lucy to spin to face him.
"Pe-"
"Tell us what?"
Lucy shifted on her feet, uncomfortably, tugging on Edmund's hand, sending him a worried glance. He nodded to her encouragingly, only to be met with a refusing headshake.
"You tell them... please, Ed."
He sighed.
"We went back."
There was a beat. Silence.
A horrid, awkward silence that deafened Edmund until he was forced to break it.
"To Narnia." He added.
"Of course to Narnia, we know what you meant!" Susan snapped but clamped her lips shut again as she continued to process this new information, glancing between her siblings.
"We won't be returning... at least, not for a while." Edmund answered the High King's question before it had been verbalised, gaining a small, slow nod from his brother. Edmund heard a squeak beside him. The 'tried-to-hold-back-a-cry-but-didn't-quite-manage-to' squeak. Lucy. He turned to embrace her, but before any potential words of comfort processed in his brain, he heard an 'oh, Lu' and Peter had her in his arms as she sobbed helplessly into his chest.
A wave of energy swept over the Just King. A childish jealousy he remembered all too well. But this time it was different. This time it was an envy to be in Peter's place, not Lucy's.
He was that one who had stayed with her when the others left them for their 'jolly holidays', so he called it, Susan in America, Peter at the beloved Professors'.
He had suffered living at their perfectly beastly Uncle and Aunt's with her when he'd had the choice to stay home.
He had told her that she was as beautiful as Susan would ever be- an insecurity that Peter had never picked up on.
He had climbed eye to eye with his greatest fear to protect her.
He had held her as she sobbed over the loss of their chance to return until- well, until whenever Aslan deemed necessary.
He was her older brother, too. And lately, he was her best friend. She should be in his embrace.
The Young King snapped out of his thoughts as he felt Susan's hand on his arm.
"I'm fine." He replied sharply, cutting into her gentle, concerned gaze.
"Ed-"
"I said- I'm fine." He snapped again, his voice louder than he wished it to be as he snatched his arm away from her grasp. Lucy turned her head against Peter's chest to face him, wiggling away slightly. Her red, puffy eyes emitting nothing but pity and understanding. She wiped her eyes before looking between her brothers, torn.
"Me too." She decided, causing Susan to sigh and Peter to shake his head slightly- as if she were a child lying about something they already knew to be untrue. It infuriated her.
"Lucy- Lu, we know you aren-"
"She's fine." Edmund cut Susan off. Lucy sent him an immediate, yet small, grateful smile.
Peter spun to him, "Edmund! You can't possibly-"
"Lucy's an adult, a Queen in case you forgot, and knows her own feelings! If she says she's fine, then she's fine. I suggest you stop pestering her on the matter or you may find her hiding more things from you in the future! I know I woul-"
Peter's ocean blue eyes narrowed to dark slates, "Why you-"
"Please- don't fight!" Lucy interjected, stepping forward to take one of Peter's and Susan's hands in hers. "I'm okay, I promise. You know I'd tell you if I wasn't. It's going to take a lot of adjusting to, that we're not going back for a while... For both Edmund and I, like it did for you two. We didn't know whether to wait longer to tell you both as we knew you'd have a lot of questions and we're- well, I just don't think we're quite ready to speak about it yet. It was only a few weeks ago and I think it's still sinking in. Please, just give us a little more time and try not to worry so!" She finished with exasperation, releasing their hands and taking one of Edmund's as he smiled proudly, giving her a nod of appreciation. She turned back to her siblings who looked slightly heartbroken, yet both nodded. Susan reached a hand up, running a thumb down Lucy's cheek.
"Oh, how you've grown, Lucy. You have all the time you need, both of you." The Gentle Queen's heart sprung open as she pulled her younger siblings in to a motherly embrace. They returned it for a moment before both the Just and Valiant felt Peter's hand on their shoulder.
"I'm sorry, both of you. I'm sorry for demanding like that- I just- well, I-"
"Worry too much."
Peter sent Edmund a mock warning glare but smiled. "Yes. I suppose I do. But we're here, always. For both of you. We've been though this. It's hard but we managed."
Lucy heard Susan swallow, but chose to disregard it.
"And I'm sure you two can, too."
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These were the main parts I've written as I've covered each character. I've a few more little bits I can add, however they won't be in chronological order.
If anyone wants me to write another snippet, or focus more on a certain relationship within the Pevensie siblings, I'll be more than up to the challenge!
Thank you for reading so far, I hope you've enjoyed it! :)