Odd Narnian
For the first time in three years that King Edmund didn't go with him to the Cair's royal library, High King Peter idly opened an old book and rediscovered Old Narnian.
It was not an immediate realization.
At first, Peter wasn't sure what to do. The sixteen-year-old looked down at the page, wondered why he couldn't read the text, and flipped to check from cover to cover to find that all five-hundred and something pages described a dizzying array of blocky figures.
A normal sixteen year old boy would have pulled a face and shut the book so that he could try again at a different shelf, but Peter Pevensie is the oldest of a rather original brood. So Peter shuffled the ancient book onto the top of a tottering tower of books meant to satiate Edmund Pevensie's raging boredom and strolled out and down the halls.
Now, if Peter had known that particular copy of Old Narnian was worth at least four Cair Paravels, he might have felt a little more terror when he dropped it while waving to Ethelbert in the Gardens. As it was, he recklessly scooped it back up, dusted it roughly off, and went on his way. (The librarians, when hearing of this later, were all a little too heartbroken to make their High King aware of his sin. Edmund, being a little brother, was not.)
"Peter, you great lummox, I can't read this!" whined Edmund not two hours later. His nose was terribly congested, and red and swollen to boot. All in all he looked rather miserable, swamped by books and crumpled handkerchiefs and sweat-soggy covers. Peter made an effort not to be too sorry for him, considering that Edmund had gotten a cold by risking his neck (yet again) on behalf of his royal brother.
"That's because it's in another language, Eddie."
Edmund scowled. "Don't call me Eddie. I can tell it's another language."
"So don't read it."
"I want to read it."
"So read it."
"I can't, you idiot."
Peter sighed, loud and long. He reminded himself that Edmund was typically a miserable soul when sick, and a much reformed soul when better. All apologies would flood in by the time Edmund came back to himself. He'd probably start his penance by trying to save Peter's life.
(Again.)
It was not an immediate realization.
At first, Peter wasn't sure what to do. The sixteen-year-old looked down at the page, wondered why he couldn't read the text, and flipped to check from cover to cover to find that all five-hundred and something pages described a dizzying array of blocky figures.
A normal sixteen year old boy would have pulled a face and shut the book so that he could try again at a different shelf, but Peter Pevensie is the oldest of a rather original brood. So Peter shuffled the ancient book onto the top of a tottering tower of books meant to satiate Edmund Pevensie's raging boredom and strolled out and down the halls.
Now, if Peter had known that particular copy of Old Narnian was worth at least four Cair Paravels, he might have felt a little more terror when he dropped it while waving to Ethelbert in the Gardens. As it was, he recklessly scooped it back up, dusted it roughly off, and went on his way. (The librarians, when hearing of this later, were all a little too heartbroken to make their High King aware of his sin. Edmund, being a little brother, was not.)
"Peter, you great lummox, I can't read this!" whined Edmund not two hours later. His nose was terribly congested, and red and swollen to boot. All in all he looked rather miserable, swamped by books and crumpled handkerchiefs and sweat-soggy covers. Peter made an effort not to be too sorry for him, considering that Edmund had gotten a cold by risking his neck (yet again) on behalf of his royal brother.
"That's because it's in another language, Eddie."
Edmund scowled. "Don't call me Eddie. I can tell it's another language."
"So don't read it."
"I want to read it."
"So read it."
"I can't, you idiot."
Peter sighed, loud and long. He reminded himself that Edmund was typically a miserable soul when sick, and a much reformed soul when better. All apologies would flood in by the time Edmund came back to himself. He'd probably start his penance by trying to save Peter's life.
(Again.)