wee Narnia ficlet
Not sure I'm particularly pleased with this, but it's the first thing my muse has cooperated on in ages--hopefully a sign that she's waking up a little bit. And Narnia fic is an entirely new idea for me--I'm intrigued by the possibilities there! Edmund-centered, spoilers for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
"No need to talk to him about what is past," Aslan had said. And because Aslan was always to be obeyed, no one ever mentioned it to Edmund again.
But, Edmund knew, no one really forgot.
On rare occasions, when Peter's ire was up, he gave Edmund a warning look, and that was enough. Susan had a look as well, but hers was a cross between sympathy and condescension. Only Lucy seemed genuinely to have forgotten what Edmund had done all those many years ago.
The courtiers were less subtle. Now and then he would come into a room, and voices would halt nervously. Pieces of conversations overheard over time, combination legend and rumor mill: "King Edmund, traitor to the White Witch. Of course Aslan bailed him out in the end. I should think he's all right now."
King Edmund the Just. The title was one more knife-stab of irony; if justice had been meted to Edmund he would have died long ago.
***
Many years later, he returned to a time when few remembered his crime. Susan and Lucy were off at their own school. Peter, four forms ahead of him, had become a more consistent ally in the infrequent times they spent time together.
To everyone else, he had simply changed inexplicably. No longer a school bully, he became the object of his former friends' attacks. Again, he heard the whispers: "Pevensie's gone soft. Who does he think he is, all high and mighty?"
Edmund couldn't decide whether he was more miserable when people knew or when they didn't. Maybe there was some justice after all.
"No need to talk to him about what is past," Aslan had said. And because Aslan was always to be obeyed, no one ever mentioned it to Edmund again.
But, Edmund knew, no one really forgot.
On rare occasions, when Peter's ire was up, he gave Edmund a warning look, and that was enough. Susan had a look as well, but hers was a cross between sympathy and condescension. Only Lucy seemed genuinely to have forgotten what Edmund had done all those many years ago.
The courtiers were less subtle. Now and then he would come into a room, and voices would halt nervously. Pieces of conversations overheard over time, combination legend and rumor mill: "King Edmund, traitor to the White Witch. Of course Aslan bailed him out in the end. I should think he's all right now."
King Edmund the Just. The title was one more knife-stab of irony; if justice had been meted to Edmund he would have died long ago.
***
Many years later, he returned to a time when few remembered his crime. Susan and Lucy were off at their own school. Peter, four forms ahead of him, had become a more consistent ally in the infrequent times they spent time together.
To everyone else, he had simply changed inexplicably. No longer a school bully, he became the object of his former friends' attacks. Again, he heard the whispers: "Pevensie's gone soft. Who does he think he is, all high and mighty?"
Edmund couldn't decide whether he was more miserable when people knew or when they didn't. Maybe there was some justice after all.