#edmund pevensie fic

[pariahsparadise]

respite

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requested by @bories : hi!! i just read a few of your stories and i'm in love with your writing,, i come to you humbly asking for any story will byers or edmund pevensie related, preferably fluff? doesn't matter much what it's about, i'd just love to read more if you ever get feel like it ! :))

wc: 0.5k

pairings: edmund pevensie x gn!reader

warnings: unedited work, not proofread, swearing

a/n: i decided to go with edmund because he is and always will be my favourite book boyfriend lol. also, it's been a while since i've written, so this is probably trash. enjoy?

“Come back to bed, idiot.”

Edmund’s head snaps up from the papers clutched tightly in his hand at the voice, shoulders relaxing once he manages to place your familiar form. Your eyelids are practically glued together, making you squint at him, and you’re swaying slightly where you stand, drooping like a wilting flower. You’re very obviously tired, and Edmund’s heart pangs at the dark circles he spots under your eyes. 

“In a minute,” Edmund tells you, not having the heart to deny you outright. “Why don’t you head back? I’ll just be a moment, I swear.” With his luck, you’ll probably be asleep in seconds, and he’ll be able to finish up his battle plans before dawn.

“Fucking liar,” you mumble, voice sleep-ridden, and Edmund huffs a laugh at the soft call-out. You drag your feet along the cold marble floor as you make your way to him, hopping slightly to sit yourself on the cleaner side of his desk. 

“I’m not lying,” Ed lies, dropping the papers so he can take your hand. He smooths his thumb over the ridges of your knuckles, before lifting it to his lips so he can brush small kisses on the trail his thumb mapped out. You smile at the feeling before his words register, which causes the corners of your mouth to drop again.

“You’ve barely had any rest this week, Ed,” you admonish him gently, shifting off the table to straddle his lap. A pink flush creeps on his cheeks as you lift a hand to his jaw, smoothing your palm up the defined edge to tilt it up.

“Not to mention,” you whisper lowly, using the proximity to lay a series of gentle kisses on his skin, ranging from right below his ear, all the way to his collarbones, beyond grateful to his unbuttoned nightshirt for giving you the shameless access, “The bed’s cold without you.”

“You’re cruel,” Edmund breathes out, growing more flustered with each heated brush of your lips, “Evil, even.”

“Yeah?” you say, pulling away to meet his eyes, “And what would you call your little stunt with my hand just now?”

Edmund purses his lips, looking away from you, “Fair point. You win.”

 “I always do,” you tell him, deadpan, as if Edmund isn’t the most infuriating person to argue with. It’s mostly because he’s usually right, but you try to avoid admitting that as much as possible. His crown wouldn’t fit his head if you helped make it any bigger.

Edmund just grins down at you, knowing you’re full of shit, before standing up with no warning. Your hands curl into his shirt tightly as your legs lock around his waist instinctively, though you know he would never drop you, and you let out a small, satisfied sigh as your boyfriend carries you through the halls towards your shared bedroom. 

Work can wait till the morning, Edmund tells himself. All that matters right now is the sleepy individual in his arms, and his own heavy eyelids, begging for a respite. 

[eds-gryff]

Dates Out of Duty

Edmund Pevensie x Gender-Neutral Reader

Okay, despite the pictures, Y/N is GENDER-NEUTRAL IN THIS FIC!! It is the first time I’ve written a gender neutral reader, and also I have been having horrific writer’s block for about two months, so this fic may not be the BEST. I tried very hard, though 😭😭 I’m sorry.

Also, I do have an Arranged-Marriage-with-Edmund-Pevensie fanfiction on Wattpad- it’s called ‘Alliance’ and it is a series of four books, so please do check that out!!

-

Requested by @potatosdragon

‘Hi, could you please write an Edmund pevensie imagine x fem reader where it's about the types of dates he would take you on after an arranged marriage. Thank you sosososossososossosooskks much’

It’s not exactly a list of dates like most fics about this scenario are, I wanted to tell a story of the reader and Edmund’s development as well- plus, the date ideas come from both, not just from Ed. Hopefully it’ll be tolerable! 🥲

-

Y/N= Your Name

Y/C/N= Your Country’s Name

Y/P/W= Your Preferred Weapon

------------

Riding Dates

It’s unfamiliar territory, romantic feelings for each other, but Edmund and Y/N both desperately need some semblance of comfort.

The first date, thus, is familiar territory.

He had learnt that they shared a love for horses very soon after the wedding- when he’d witnessed the delight in his then-affianced’s face upon learning that Y/N’s horse was going to come along as they returned to Narnia.

(Their wedding had taken place in Y/N’s kingdom, as per the agreement of the marriage alliance. Neither of them had smiled once during it. It had been their duty, and that was all. Neither had hoped or thought or even imagined that anything more would come out of doing their duty.)

The date is not the roaring success both hoped for- they had hoped, actually, that once they confessed their feelings for each other, things would get as easy as possible- but it’s not a devastating failure, either.

They have fun, playfully bantering with each other as they rode deeper into the woods- banter that Edmund’s horse, Philip, joined as well- and they attempt to, rather clumsily, kiss while on horseback as well. It makes them laugh, and then soon blush, once it turns out that they were quite good at kissing in even inopportune situations.

The problem comes when it is discovered that the path Edmund had chosen led them much further away than expected and when it is found that Y/N had forgotten to bring along the picnic basket.

Hunger and the fear of getting lost plays havoc on romance, and by the time they manage to return to Cair Paravel, the banter has turned to bickering, despite Philip’s most valiant efforts.

And by the time they return to their shared chambers after supper, anything more than a chaste good-night peck is unthinkable.

Bakery Dates

Y/N and Edmund are not very deterred by the less-than-ideal results of their date in the woods, especially since they wake up the next few mornings snuggled into each other.

It’s hard to stay annoyed when you wake up so comfortable and so warm and in each other’s arms- and, one of these mornings, the royals dawdle in bed for a good two hours before forcing themselves to get up.

They miss breakfast- something that’s usual for Y/N, perpetually a late sleeper, but not for Edmund, because although he loves to sleep in, he also enjoys having breakfast with his family- and so Y/N suggests going into town and to one of the bakeries, for the Just King is known to have quite the sweet tooth.

Edmund says yes, quite happily, and it’s hand-in-hand that the pair walk into the town closest to the castle.

They sample cakes and pastries and some things Y/N can’t pronounce but Edmund can with a funny accent- and the employees in the bakery are all aflutter at serving two Monarchs, and that, too, while they’re on a date!

They settle them in a large corner of the bakery, practically forcing every other customer into the opposite corner- despite repeated requests from the royal couple to treat them as regular folk- and they’re given so much sweet confections that Y/N’s tongue, unused to having such large amounts of desserts, goes numb in the middle of a sweet apple crumble. Edmund is having the time of his life, though, biting into a chocolate gateau and a rose parfait and blueberry cakes, and Y/N gazes at him quite contentedly the entire time- and then the gaze turns mutual and humorous and a bit alarmed, when the head baker packs them enough sweeties and desserts and chocolates to last a few decades.

They both are supposed have meetings that day- one with an envoy from Archenland and the other with a Tarkheena from Calormen- but the meetings are later in the day, and they know that the High King and the Queens of Narnia will happily keep the guests busy on the off-chance they are late.

His siblings are more invested in their relationship than they both are, the Just King feels.

As usual, he’s right, and it’s seen just how right he is at the next Ball.

Reading Dates

But before the Ball, comes winter, and with winter, comes the need to stay warm and cosy.

Especially for Edmund, since he does not deal well with the cold at all.

Y/N isn’t used to the cold, since Y/C/N is a warm country, and so they both have more reason than most to stay indoors during the most biting days of winter.

But they haven’t gone on a date in weeks, and Y/N is fearing that they could go back to the aloofness they had regarded each other with during the beginning of their marriage.

Neither of them wants that- Y/N and Edmund care for each other very deeply, and that’s something that even they, expert at denying feelings, cannot deny.

Hence, Y/N hauls candles and blankets and some of the bakery’s sweets in the middle of winter, in addition to asking the Kitchens to bring up some food and warm drinks.

Lastly, Y/N finds Edmund in his study, wrapped in a thick shawl his mother-in-law gave him, and they walk hand-in-hand to the destination.

In the Library, seated on a cosy couch, half-suffocated by thick blankets, Edmund and Y/N hardly talk. They read quietly in the candlelight, occasionally looking up to grin at each other or hold hands again, and even the meal is had in utterly comfortable silence, broken only at the end of it by Edmund’s declaration that they must have a sleepover in the Library.

Of course, both being the bibliophiles they are, they doubt much sleep will happen- it’s far more likely they’ll read and read and read until they fall asleep reading.

But neither will mind that- and so, Y/N climbs into Edmund’s lap, fishes a book from the pile next to them, and agrees.

Ballroom (And a Bit of Stargazing) Dates

Edmund dances well, and since he’s married, he knows that the one to dance with is his consort. He was the one to suggest they consider the Ball a date for he had no wish to spend the event with anyone apart from Y/N.

Y/N felt the same way, and his suggestion was met with an approving kiss.

Still, his siblings have some insane idea in their heads that the relationship between the two Monarchs needs meddling to grow- and their idea of meddling is to make sure no one else meddles.

And so the rest of the guests at the vibrant New Year’s Ball give the two Monarchs a wide berth throughout the event.

It suits Y/N just fine, because Edmund is easily the only one around who offers comfort as well as conversation, not to mention how fine a dancer he is, to make up for Y/N’s abysmal dancing skills. And even Edmund can’t mind, truly, not when he has his dear consort clasped in his arms, and he sees just how bright and soft Y/N’s smile, aimed at him throughout the night, is.

They spend the Ball dancing and laughing, and occasionally tripping, and they are not away from each other’s embrace for longer than a few minutes.

And then they steal away to the roof of Cair Paravel, and spend the rest of night staring up at the sky, with Edmund pointing out the different constellations in the sky, and Y/N speaking of the stories and fables of Y/C/N that were linked to the stars and the Heavens.

Y/N notices that Edmund’s freckles are like constellations. Edmund notices that Y/N’s eyes shine like the Moon. They gaze at each other more than they look at the celestial bodies.

And when the fireworks bloom into artificial stars in the sky, a few metres above them- the couple has their lips on each other’s, feeling something deep bloom in their hearts as well.

.

Things go sour not long after the Christmas Ball. It’s coming up on five years of marriage- Peter and Susan and Lucy and Y/N’s parents and both their countries were extremely frustrated by how long it’s taking for Y/N and Edmund to confess their love for each other.

But the couple is taking it slow. Neither are the type to fall in love quickly- rather, until each other, they hadn’t thought they would fall in love at all.

It is all wholly new and unexpected- for them- and they hadn’t quite believed what was happening when they’d quietly confessed to each other that they had feelings for the other. It was for that reason that there had been an unspoken agreement, after the confession, to do things slowly.

But the slowness was frustrating more than just the people around them- it was frustrating them, too!

Edmund regularly had to bite his tongue to keep from saying ‘my love’ in almost every single situation and at every moment of the day, but especially he’d come across Y/N be in the training field, eyes shining and sweaty skin glowing, perfecting the use of (Y/P/W).

The ‘I love you’ had been on the top of Y/N’s tongue every time the two Monarchs fell asleep while reading in the Royal Library, and then Y/N would be the one to wake up first, watching Edmund in peaceful slumber.

There are bets going on, in both Cair Paravel and in Y/N’s castle in (Y/C/N).

Peter said that Y/N would say it first, being the more impulsive of the pair.

Susan said that they’d both say it together, because underneath all their emotional unintelligence, there was some understanding and wisdom.

Lucy said it would be Edmund, because once he got over whatever fear was keeping from telling the three not-so-little words, he would surely want to be transparent with his consort, despite the possibility of his declaration being unrequited.

Y/N’s parents, for their part, thought that it would be another five years before the word ‘love’ would come into the conversation, and they said they’d announce their bet in three.

The sourness is not, however, Edmund and Y/N’s fault.

They’re doing quite well, actually, they feel, and they blush rather brightly every time the other’s name is brought up.

Then the Giants attacked.

Y/N spoke heatedly, looking with flashing eyes to the rest of the war council, “I’m going to fight!”

Edmund nodded, “Of course you are, darling, but you must stay here. It’s not safe to travel back to your country-”

No, Y/N wasn’t running back home! Of course not. That was what Peter had assumed for an awkward moment, and Y/N had almost thrown a scroll at his face.

“I need to get my army here, and I need to leave now. Narnia needs support, and it is part of our alliance treaty that our countries come to each other’s aid in the event of war.”

Peter stepped in here, “That’s right. Remember, Narnia has lent its troops to Y/C/N whenever minor scuffles at the border occur-”

“Of course I remember.” His younger brother said calmly, though not feeling calm at all.

His consort wanted to go out of Cair Paravel- which wasn’t safe in the least, as the Giants were camped practically just outside their walls. He couldn’t- he couldn’t risk losing someone he- someone he loved so much.

“We both signed the treaty, need I remind you. But then we can send a Raven to Y/N’s parents, they can-”

“I am the Monarch.” Y/N spoke, cutting across the Just King. There was no anger in Y/N’s voice, but it was simply firmness. “It is because of me that my country will be brought into this War, because I-”

Fell in love with you.

But the treaty had been signed long before that. And Edmund didn’t know that fact!

“Because I married you.”

Edmund swallowed. Y/N was right. There was no one else who could catch his tongue like that, or get him to change his mind.

“Very well.” He said stiffly, and looked to where Lucy was standing, already dressed in armour and looking fiercely warrior-like. “Lu, I’ll be going with Y/N, so I’ll ask Orieus if he may patrol with you instead-”

“No.” Y/N said, once against interrupting him. Somehow, Y/N’s hand was now on Edmund’s arm, and there sprung a need in both to clasp each other’s hand tight.

So, they did.

“Narnia needs you, dearest. I’ll be alright, and I’ll be back soon.”

Edmund gazed into Y/N’s eyes for a long moment, and Y/N gazed back.

The war council moved onto other matters soon, but Edmund and Y/N kept holding hands for the entirety of it- in fact, until they reached the Stables where Y/N’s horse was kept.

“Are you sure you want to leave now?” Edmund queried quietly, as his consort tied some necessities and supplies to end of the horse’s saddle. He’d been the one to have the sense to tell one of the servants to pack for a journey- Y/N was reckless enough to make the journey with nothing useful. “You could leave in the morning-”

“I don’t want to leave, but I have to. Sooner rather than later- you told me once they said that where you come from.” Y/N’s voice was just as quiet.

What if he was right? Well, of course he was right, he always was- but what if the Giants did attack Y/N on the way?

Death was inevitable, it was known- but to die while on the way to help in a War? What sort of Monarch did that?

But the alternative was not helping Narnia. The alternative was letting Edmund and Peter and Lucy and Susan suffer the War on their own.

Y/N turned to Edmund, “Spare Oom, was it?”

He smiled a little, and they neared each other, their arms sliding around each other so they stayed in an embrace for as long as they could.

“Or War Drobe. I’ve heard it both ways.”

He bent his head, and their lips met in a slow, needy, passionate kiss.

“I’ll be safe.” Y/N whispered into the kiss, knowing full well what Edmund would murmur once the embrace broke. “As safe as I can.”

“That’s not very reassuring.” He tried to joke, but it fell flat. They were going to part. Not for long, if they had any luck- but it was war. How often was good fortune found in the middle of battle? “I’ll wait for you.”

“And you best fight in midst of the waiting.” Y/N said- deciding to not ask him to be safe, because he would be. He would. He was a warrior and he was wise- he’d stay alive. “And try to think of better date ideas.”

Edmund smiled in spite of himself, “I’m the one with the good ideas. Yours are more hit or miss.”

Y/N chuckled softly, “Maybe a battle will give me inspiration, then. I’ll think of you anyway- may as well have that thinking be productive.”

“We’ll go on that date the moment the War’s over.” His smile softened, and they kissed once more- one last time.

The kiss lasted another few moments, before they both pulled away- and Y/N climbed onto the horse.

“G-goodbye.” Y/N almost said ‘my love’. “I’ll see you soon.”

Edmund raised his hand in farewell, not trusting himself to speak.

And then, as the horse pulled out of the paddock and just as his consort was almost out of sight- he spoke.

Well, shouted.

“Y/N!” He said, and the horse and her rider both turned.

They weren’t too close to each other, but they were close enough to hear each other.

Steeling himself, and not entirely sure his sanity was intact, he said loudly, “I love you.”

He saw Y/N’s eyes widen, and- then he fancied he saw a smile. His heart was pounding so hard, he was aware of very little except for his heartbeat and his consort’s outline against the sunset.

No- he wasn’t imagining it. He was seeing a smile. Y/N was smiling at him.

But then Y/N tugged on the reins, and the horse galloped away, and Edmund was left alone in the paddock of the Stables.

But at least he had received a smile in exchange for his impulsive declaration of love. It was far better than the rejection he had thought he was sure to get.

Impromptu Dates

Y/N and Edmund did not see each other until the siege of the giants ended two months later. They had news of each other, of course- letters tied to Ravens’ legs and messages delivered by dryads kept them, as well as every regiment fighting the Giants in the north of Narnia informed of what was happening.

And then, in the spring, the Giants surrendered, and High King Peter declared the War won, and he sent Ravens to all corners of Narnia and to the neighbouring lands to inform them of the news.

Y/N had been with Peter during the battles, while Edmund was stationed away, in a part of the land where strategy would be important to win than force. Lucy was with him, but she regularly rode far away to fight other threats that took advantage of the War to attack Narnia as well- while Susan stayed at Cair Paravel, holding down the fort in case the Giants somehow breeched their defences.

But now that the War was over, the Pevensies were to be together again, soon. Very soon, the four hoped.

Sooner than that, though, it Edmund and Y/N that were fated to reunite.

The path that Y/N was to take on the return from Y/C/N to Narnia was, coincidentally, the path that led from the Western Woods to Cair Paravel.

Edmund hadn’t spent the War there, no, but he had gone to check on his domain after it, just in case any of the White Witch’s supporters had come out of the woodwork and had tried to capture the forests once more.

(There hadn’t been anyone in the Western Woods except for one very adorable family of rabbits, and some deer that complimented his choice of swords over a bow and arrow.)

There was a brook nearby, and Y/N had taken off the armour and had washed up in that- not bathing, of course- and had managed to get some drinking water, too, since the water was cool enough. After such strenuous fighting and the wounds afflicted because of it, cold water was a must.

Y/N had decided to keep wearing the soaked tunic, as the wet fabric gave extreme relief to the hot and bruised skin.

As the horse began away from the brook, walking along a path bordered with flowers, Y/N heard something else.

Someone else.

Someone that travelled frequently with the man who had said ‘I love you’ just before their parting- and the man whom Y/N wanted to tell the same to.

It came from a bit far ahead- nearer to the mouth of the brook, where it was more a stream.

Y/N’s eyesight wasn’t the best, but the hearing was- and Philip, Edmund’s horse, had a very loud voice.

“Your Majesty.” The sienna-hued horse’s voice spoke. “Why not a bathe?”

“It’s only half a day to Cair.” Came another voice, and Y/N’s heart soared so high an attack of dizziness came. “I’ll bathe there- and it won’t do to dirty such a clean, pure stream.”

“Edmund!” Y/N shouted, almost falling off the horse.

Climbing properly off her, Y/N ran towards the sounds of the two voices.

”Edmund- Edmund-”

Edmund had his top-armour off, clad in a wet long-sleeved under-shirt, much like Y/N’s, and he had been washing his face and attempting to fill some water into his flash, even though he’d cracked it and water poured out more than it poured in.

At the sound of his consort’s voice, he dropped the flask again, and turned quickly- in alarm and quite a bit of hope.

Y/N flew at him, and they collided together, falling down onto the grass. Their arms stayed around each other, and Edmund kept calling Y/N’s name and Y/N kept calling Edmund’s, though they were clasped tight together, and neither cared that they’d landed half in the water, too.

“You’re here!” Y/N spoke into Edmund’s shoulder, clutching him tight. “What are- how- this isn’t your route-”

“Had to check on the Woods.” Edmund answered, kissing his consort’s cheek.

He was on top, and there was a grin on Y/N's face at the position, and he felt himself blush.

“You’ve been to guide your armies back to Y/C/N, yes? I thought you’d stay home for a few weeks- to rest.”

“I wanted to.” Y/N admitted- as absolutely lovely and beloved as Narnia was, there was no place like home. “But I- I had something to do in Narnia.”

Here, Philip interjected, “Good to see you again, Your Majesty!”

Y/N waved happily at the sarcastic horse, before looking back at Edmund, who was looking curious as he asked, “Official work?”

“Well.” Y/N said, and rolled them around so that their positions revered and Edmund was under. “I had to make a declaration.”

Y/N’s heart was shaking. And there were palpitations. And anxiety. A lot of anxiety. And nerves. And nausea, if one squinted.

But so much love. So much of it. It overwhelmed all else.

“What?”

His question was ignored, and Y/N went on, “And before that, I had to suggest a date idea.”

And then they kissed, beginning too soft and careful- for neither was aware of the other’s injuries- and then ending with gasps and even tighter grips on each other.

Oh, how they wanted to peel off the remaining armour and the wet tunics and make love then and there, having missed each other so painfully much- but Philip was there. They didn’t want to scar him for life- more than they already had. The poor horse had been an unwitting witness to more than one ardent snogging sessions between the two Monarchs- and, in some of those sessions, they had not been very clothed.

It haunted Philip’s nightmares, but it also gave him a lot of material to tease his rider about.

“Was that the idea?” Edmund asked hoarsely, his hand curling into his consort’s hair. He wanted to say those three words again- so, so badly. “A kissing date?”

Y/N’s swollen lips curved into a smile, “Do you mind it?”

“Not at all.” He said, thinking that all the date ideas he had had might have already been beaten- before asking, “But what’s the declaration? If it’s got paperwork, I’ll have to handle it, you know.”

He was very tired. Fighting battles was difficult. Whatever it was, he wanted to get the work done as soon as possible.

“It is a declaration to the Just King. To my darling husband.” Y/N whispered.

Oh, how could a heart possibly feel like it was creeping so high into a throat!? The anxiety was getting unbearable. It was only Edmund’s proximity and his beautiful, dark eyes gazing into Y/N’s that kept an anxiety attack at bay.

“I declare that I am absolutely and besottedly in love with you.”

“Oh.” Well, he certainly didn’t want that over with as soon as possible.

Never, in fact. He wanted it to last forever.

He smiled again, his heart aglow and both their eyes shining, and they pressed their foreheads against each other’s.

“I love you. I love you so much.”

It was the best date ever.

Vow Renewal Dates

A vow renewal ceremony is not a date, Susan tells her brother and sister-in-law repeatedly- but as far as they’re concerned, that’s exactly what it is.

It takes in a lovely meadow of flowers, and they are together, looking radiant and lovely as they gaze at each other- and they hold hands through it all. They tell each other how much they loved each other, and they promise once again to forever be by each other’s side and be joined in the bond of marriage forevermore.

Well, dates usually didn’t have parents and siblings around, but one couldn’t have everything.

They are in love, though. A love they hope would last forever, and if there’s something after that, then even then.

And it may not be everything- but it certainly does feel like it.

-

Thank you for reading!

-

[aquaticrunner]

Y’all I don’t know why but for some reason I just cannot figure out part 2 to Silent Pain. So many people have asked for it and I want to deliver it but I am so stuck on how to end it. Writer’s block has hit me like a train and I just don’t know how to get past it. Anyone have any ideas they wanna see incorporated into part 2?

For those who haven’t read it here is Part 1. Feel free to offer suggestions. If I use anyone’s ideas I will absolutely tag you for credit :)

[birdiebortnik]

The first chapter of Meadow Sweet Fennel is out! This is the sequel to White Catchfly and the second story of the Larch series.

After their return to Narnia, the Pevensies navigate a life so different and so familiar. ___

"He wasn’t trembling when he stopped, he was shaking from the shoulders to the still scabbed knuckles. He felt like a fool. He’d known beauty in this life with these feelings in another world drifting further and further away from him. His siblings had loved him and bolstered him in this. But things were different now. Now they had parents to give grandchildren and laws to abide by. And Edmund was tired."

[softlyblues]

Burrowing, Burrowing, Burrowing - Part One - an Edmund Golden Age Fic

Maithas Bristlebrow rubs his hand down his face and wishes, very fervently, that he was dead. "Tell me again," he says evenly.

The two dwarflings, holding hands and trembling in the face of their fearless leader's reaction, press together. Someone - possibly them - has braided their beards together, so every time one of them moves the other one wobbles and they both have to screech and windmill their arms to stay up straight. "Um," says one.

"It's the burrow," says another.

They both look at each other. Neither of them are old enough to remember last year, never mind before it was winter; to them, this spring is more terrifying than anything else they know. "It flooded," says the first one timidly.

Maithas buries his head in his hands and bites down hard on the meat of his thumb.

It doesn't work.

He's still screaming.

In the aftermath of the White Witch's death, the sudden restoration of Spring leads to some unexpected issues. When the Bristlebrow burrow floods, Maithas Bristlebrow - now Chief due to the death of his brother in the final battle - reaches out to his new monarchs for aid. King Edmund the Just is quick to respond.

read on ao3

The days after the coronation are exhausting; Edmund has never felt more alive.

For one thing, Cair Paravel is mostly in ruins around them. The four Pevensies sleep, therefore, underneath their regal cloaks on the floor in front of the thrones, using their arms and each other for pillows, and wearing and wearing again the clothes Aslan gave them to be crowned in. The party attendees have slept off the wine and wandered (or run) back home, for the most part; Oreius, who Edmund had come to see as part of the furniture, has returned to the remnants of the camp at the Stone Table, giving no word of return. Maybe he won't. Maybe he was a winter general, and now Spring has come he has no intention of doing anything but... whatever it is centaurs do, in their spare time.

Edmund wanders outside onto the first pavilion. His shoes are hurting him. They're uncomfortable Sunday shoes, because he'd been saving his best boots for exploring the woods in the Professor's country, back a hundred years ago (a week? two?) before he came here. Now his other hurts have gone, his shoes are back to being his primary worry, and worry he does; what if there are no shoemakers in Narnia? What if none of them want to make him any shoes?

Inside Cair Paravel, Lucy and Susan are exploring what remains of the basements. Peter is down on the beach, poking into caves, having decided that there must be smugglers somewhere. Edmund kicks listlessly at the grass. Do the other three feel as he does? They walk with a lot more purpose, even Lucy. She's found a leather belt for herself, and has looped the little vial into a free hook, draping it over her waist. It sloshes when she walks.

Edmund does not like feeling sorry for himself.

The pavilion is a pretty place. Maybe once it was roofed, but he suspects not; the tiled floor has mossed and grassed over, and the pillars are blue with salt from the sea and general neglect, but it's still a place someone loved, once.

"Oh, bally it all," Edmund mutters, kicking off his shoes. The knots have swollen with river-water, and are now impossible to unpick; he tosses them into the long grass on the other side of the pavilion and then gets down to his hands and knees, beginning at one corner, wresting thick moss and wildflower stems from between the tiles, pulling them free of the ceramics and throwing them the same way as the shoes.

It's a picture!

Tasked now, Edmund works with a frenzy for hours. Certainly long enough for the sun to rise to an apex in the watery blue sky, and set again - begin setting - with the sort of premature joy a Springtime sun feels, as though it hasn't realised yet that winter is over.

It's a picture!

When dusk is well and truly upon them, and the voices of his siblings are chattering in the Throne Room again, Edmund stands. He brushes his earthy palms against his thighs. He'll have to get up high, to properly see what the picture is.

Perhaps it's a bad idea, but he doesn't put his shoes on. He heads right for one of the curly apple trees on the edge of the pavilion, an old thing long beyond flowering, and clambers up.

"Pretty, that," says the magpie on the branch beside him, in a conversational sort of voice.

Edmund falls out of the tree.

His head aches, but not as bad as his back, where he's landed flat on a gnarled root. His heart is thundering a horse-race in his chest, and he feels stupid and afraid. "Ow."

The bird in the tree flutters down to the rock beside him, and cocks its head. It's a magpie, but it's definitely a Talking Magpie - Edmund is beginning to recognise the hallmarks, the sheen to the feathers, the size of the animal, the intelligence in the beady eyes. "You one of the yoo-mans, then?" The bird asks, still looking at the pavilion, "Damn odd thing for a yoo-man to do."

"I'm human," Edmund says. He's still lying, looking up at the stars. God, his head throbs.

"You one of the Kings or Queens?"

Edmund nods and instantly regrets it. "Queens are girls," he explains, "Kings are boys. I'm a King."

"How in damnation am I to know whether you're a girl or a boy?" The Magpie scolds him, cackling deep in its throat, "You ain't no pretty bird, so who's to tell?"

"I can't tell with you," Edmund says with considerable injury.

"Well!" The Magpie preens, looking as offended as a bird can get, "Well! That's a fine thing to say to a body, and a body what's your loyal subject and all!"

"Oh." Edmund thinks about that for a second, "Yes. Sorry. That was rude. Sorry."

"Hmph."

After a while, Edmund feels safe enough to sit up; he leans against the trunk of the apple tree, surprised enough to see the Magpie still beside him, perched on a log. "I don't want to climb up again," he confesses to the bird, "Will you... what's the picture?"

The Magpie quirks its head. "It's a pair of yoo-mans," it says, "Looking real fine. Wearing pretty feathers. Got gold and stuff on their heads, and a Pegasus with them."

"A Pegasus?"

"You dunno what a Pegasus is? Hell, maybe you is simple."

Edmund doesn't say anything. He isn't sure what to say.

"'S a flying horse," the Magpie says sullenly, after a few moments, "And I'm Maulkbone. And I'm a boy Magpie, so don't go making no assumptions, you."

"Oh," Edmund turns and grins, unable to help himself, "Maulkbone - it's lovely to meet you - I'm Edmund."

"King Edmund," says Maulkbone with a grin in his beak, "Not Queen Edmund?"

For the first time in several days, Edmund laughs and means it.

Maithas Bristlebrow still wishes he was dead, because being dead - surely, surely - would be less hassle than this.

"We have to camp, Granny," he repeats for the fiftieth time, "Because the burrow is full of water."

Granny Bristlebrow folds her arms over her chest. "I amn't going," she declares, much to the amusement of the various Bristlebrows witness to this argument, "And you amn't gonna make me, Maithas, Chief or no Chief!"

In the hours since the Bristlebrow clan has been flooded out of their burrow, a sort of refugee camp has grown in the forest near the river, higher than the floods can possibly reach. We hope. Dwarves are always prepared and many-layered; a mish-mash of tents made out of jackets, half-tanned leather, trousers, jerkins, shirts, towels, and blankets has become a sort of aboveground burrow, where Bristlebrows of all sizes now sit, feeding babies and sharpening shovels and braiding hair and generally looking about as displaced as Maithas feels. Dwarves are not made for sitting around.

"Granny," he tries again, lowering his voice, "C'mon, please. People're starting to watch."

Granny Bristlebrow just cackles, her walking stick brandished like a weapon. "I'm staying on this bank until Winter comes back or you dig me a new burrow," she says. "Yessir, Chief Bristlebrow, Sir!"

Maithas closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. His ribs are still bruised. "Granny," he says, "Until you move, we can't start digging you a new burrow."

Some murmurs of admiration among the gathered Bristlebrows at this new piece of diplomacy.

Granny Bristlebrow nods her head in acknowledgement, like a master chess player impressed at a reckless move from a rookie. "Fine, then," she says, and holds out her hand, "You can carry me up the hill if you truly must, but I ain't moving any further than that!"

Thankfully, Granny Bristlebrow weighs about as much as a sack of spuds, and Maithas is strong even for a dwarf. She still beats the backs of his knees with her stick as he walks, but that's just to keep him on his toes. "I'll kill her!" Granny says cheerfully, swinging with every step Maithas takes, "She'll die!"

"Pretty sure she died already, Granny," Maithas says, depositing his grandmother at the mouth of one of the first tents. The Bristlebrows have dispersed again, back to their pasttimes, Maithas's entertainment having left them, "I should know. I seen it, didn't I?"

She pats him on the head with her free hand. "Everyone's seen it."

"Sure, but I was there."

"I know, son," Granny Bristlebrow keeps patting him. It makes Maithas feel very young, and very un-Chiefly, "Was it that brave Son of Adam what did it?"

"No," Maithas admits, "It was..." And he finds he can't remember. He'd been Captain of the Black Dwarf team, a group of about twenty Bristlebrows, Blackbanes, Beardbraids, Ballangers, and Bluebanders; by the time the news spread, Maithas had still been wrestling with a particularly savage Red Dwarf from the other side (hence the bruised ribs, he remembers with a wince).

Granny pats him on the cheek again.

When Maithas stands, knees cracking, and surveys the hill, his heart sinks. There are maybe three hundred Bristlebrows currently lying in the woods - the burrow that flooded was the central campment, and that's not counting the cousins, uncles, aunts, siblings and distant relations still returning through Narnia. In a week, he will have five hundred dwarves to house, and nothing but watery soil to house them in, should they miraculously learn how to breathe underwater.

He wanders up the hill, lest Granny start giving him advice again. He's been Chief for - Aslan's Mane, how long ago was the battle? It can't be a week, can it? - and already he can feel the grey hairs in his beard.

"Caw! Caw!"

Stopping just below a tree, an Aunt of his - Charia Bristlebrow - and her fourteen children stirring a stew pot, Maithas squints up. The voice is familiar. "Maulky?"

Sure enough there's a Talking Magpie in the tree, although when Maithas meets his eyes the bird flutters down onto his shoulder. One of Charia's children, a little dwarfling not much older than a year, giggles.

"Pretty pickle you're in here, Bristlebrow," Maulkbone Magpie says. He chucks, an instinctive noise in the back of his throat, and starts to preen his feathers.

Maithas slumps. "I know," he says. Charia very kindly turns the children back to the stew, to let him have his breakdown in peace. "Ye gods, Maulky, what am I going to do? My burrow's flooded, and Matthein is - Matthein is-"

Maulky pecks fondly at Maithas's ear. "Sorry," he coos, "Sorry-sorry-sorry. Pretty pickle you're in here, all the same."

The dwarves up the hill a bit have started singing a mournful gold chant. So many men and women have not returned; the Bristlebrow clan is either very very young, dwarflings without hardly any beard, or very very old, hobbling around on two sticks. The very first thing Maithas has done, on becoming Chief, is make the whole bloody lot of them homeless.

Ye Gods.

"I know summat that could help," says Maulky thoughtfully. Well. Pretend-thoughtfully. The sort of thoughtful he says, sometimes, when he's scheming.

Maithas both hands on his eyes and presses until he sees stars. "What? What could possibly help?"

Magpies can't grin, but Maulky does a damn good approximation of one. "You ever make it to that funny coronation up the country, in the end?"

[thirstywaffles]

Got bored and doodled older Pevensies

[idkaguyorsomething]

it’s thinking about the last battle time again

[criesinliess]

━FEBRUARY 2024; susan's recs

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS

━━LUKE CASTELLAN

look at me @indecisivemuch

apples @↑

love me anyway @okaytapes

a rose and her thorns @atlabeth

always an angel, never a god @cobrakaisb

when you get me alone, it’s so simple @emiliehornby

what’s a girl gonna do when she’s in love with you? @↑

kiss of life; part2 @sunsburns

you free 2night? @ilycosy

the killerverse @tangledinlove — still ongoing but one of my favorite things rn, luke and killer my beloved

STRANGER THINGS

━━STEVE HARRINGTON

dark honey; part2 @caxde

closeness @↑

picking drunk reader up @weird-is-life

go for it @nervoushottee 

pretty girl @stevie-petey

oh, you didn’t know? @↑

(it’s not like) he’s my boyfriend @luveline

small hands, big heart @sexybabystevie

adventures in babysitting @worth-the-chaos — also still ongoing but you absolutely have to read it!! masterpiece

season two of „come home” @stevie-petey — i recommend season one last month and if u didn’t read it yet you should go and change that! i am living just so i can read new chapters

you and i (back at it again) @lighteyed

━━EDDIE MUNSON

candygram @hellfirenacht

ONE PIECE

━━ZORO

lips on every cross @revasserium

LOCKWOOD & CO

━━ANTHONY LOCKWOOD

buy me presents! @lewkwoodnco

i got options, babe @↑

unacceptable @atlabeth

far too young to die @↑

happiness @tangledinlove

OUTER BANKS

━━JJ MAYBANK

opposites attract @maybankswhore

━━RAFE CAMERON

be my once in a lifetime @erwinsvow

DIVERGENT

━━PETER HAYES

bad liars @heliads

THE BEAR

━━CARMY BERZATTO

february fluff @cloveroctobers

confectionary clash @newtkive

practice @↑

GRISHAVERSE

━━KAZ BREKKER

cause it’s you @bubbles-for-all-of-us

MARVEL

━━MIGUEL O’HARA

the grump & the drunk @t-lostinworlds

━━BUCKY BARNES

5 times there was only one bed (and the one time there were two beds) @mrs-illyrian-baby

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

━━EDMUND PEVENSIE

ye of little faith @pariahsparadise

PROM PACT

━━BEN PLUNKETT

third times a charm @manheimsmuse

[quecksilvereyes]

sometimes i think about narnia and i vibrate out of my skin like...

you walk into a world you cannot understand, frozen and dying, and it is you who thaws it. you who kills the witch, you who breaks the stone table, you who slays the wolf. it is you who is crowned and it is you who wails for two worlds when the wardrobe doors shut behind you.

your skin never sits quite right and your teeth are too dull. there are wars in your bones and decades in your eyes before you can reach the telephone on the wall.

you are king. you are queen. they won't let you read the newspapers at breakfast.

it calls you back from beyond a train and from within paint. begs with bloody palms and salt-crusted cheeks. takes from you all that you can give - and sends you back.

you watch your sister fade.

you are a child twice and an adult once. and when you stand in your home again, with crushed bones and the smell of coal still in your nose, you watch them sneer at your sister.

your sister is the sun above you. she is, beautiful and stone-cast, alive in a world you could never stomach. she smiles, still, and stretches her skin over human bones.

she is no longer a friend of narnia. do you tell them it is her who has to bury you all and the stars that are falling from the skies in shards?

[saltwaterburns]

giggling kicking my feet twirling my hair while being 3 hours into peter pevensie edits

[tending-the-hearth]

a version of chronicles of narnia where those closest to the kings and queens get put into a sleep when the pevensies are brought back to their world, from which they're awoken only when their beloved four rules return, something à la sleeping beauty.

so the pevensie siblings return to narnia, and logically, it's been thousands of years. their closest friends, those they viewed as family, are, to their knowledge, dead, and they are completely alone now.

until peter and caspian encounter each other in the woods, and are about to get into their fight. it's the moment where peter's back is turned, and caspian has his word raised. lucy is screaming, tears in her eyes, susan and edmund are too far away to do anything, and there's a moment of chaos before caspian's strike is blocked by a larger, longer sword.

oreius, completely disgruntled and still very out of the loop, but only focusing on the fact that his king, his friend, his son, is in danger, glares daggers at caspian, not looking away for a second, even as tumnus gathers a now-relieved, sobbing lucy up in a tight hug, and edmund and susan shriek with joy upon seeing the beavers and mr. fox.

and any feeling of tension or fear immediately seeps out of peter, who drops the rock he had picked up, and stumbles to his feet and to oreius' side, being able to lean on the centaur for the first time in a year, and not have to worry about his safety or his siblings' safety. and oreius, without taking his eyes off of caspian and his followers, just puts an arm around peter.

and caspian remembers. he remembers the stories of the high kings and queens of narnia, and their beloved inner circle, and the absolutely terrifying centaur who called them sons and daughters of his heart, and he can't quite help but think about how utterly fucked he is.

[pariahsparadise]

warm ii | e. p.

nav. | m.list

requested by @aphroditelxver : hey!! i just saw your edmund one shot "warm" and fell in love with the way you write!!<3 so may i request one were edmund is jealous of reader talking to some prince from other country and he confess his love for her? it could also be a part two from "warm"!

wc: 1.6k

pairings: edmund pevensie x gn!feminine!reader

warnings: unedited work, idk if i swear but i probably did, badly written writing as usual, alcohol

a/n: i am so sorry. it was only after i had finished writing this that i realised i was supposed to keep the reader gender neutral. i did give them a dress, so i'm genuinely sorry about that, but i've tried to avoid using pronouns/anything else that indicates gender. and now that it's written like this, i can't think of any other way for it to go. this story can be read as a part 2 to warm or a standalone.

read part 1 here

Edmund Pevensie was an idiot.

Anyone who glanced at the Just King was immediately taken aback by the vicious glare cemented across his face. It was starkly out of place, for Edmund was surrounded by the finest refinery and culture that Narnia’s neighbouring kingdoms had to offer. Trades and alliances had already been forged with an impressive total of three nations, and the ball wasn’t even in full swing yet. Not to mention, this gala had all been Edmund’s idea. And everything had been going exactly according to his plan.

Except for the part where you twirled around the dance floor, beaming at a tall blonde prince whose hand was placed dangerously low on your back.

Edmund really couldn’t blame him, he supposed. You were easily the most beautiful person in the hall. Your dress was well-fitting, the skirts various shades of blue that shimmered when you moved, akin to a sparkling waterfall. All words that he could ever have spoken wilted and died on his tongue the second he laid eyes on you, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth when he spotted the royal accompanying you. 

He decided he couldn’t watch any more when your dance partner twirled you away and quickly into his arms again, earning a delighted shriek from you. Turning around and walking away abruptly, Edmund headed towards his new best friend, the bartender. 

Not long after he had drained two glasses of glittery red wine, he felt a rough swat on his head.

“Ouch,” he said dryly, not deigning to acknowledge his little sister with a proper greeting.

“What’s wrong with you?” Lucy asked, scowling at him fiercely, “You’re scaring away every chance we have of forming a treaty with the Archenlanders. Can you stop glaring at their prince?”

“Who’s their prince?” Edmund said, his hand reaching to grab his third glass of wine, but Lucy swatted at it in a rather unqueenly manner until he pulled it back again.

“Prince Anthony, remember? The one Y/N’s entertaining.”

“Ah,” Edmund said, diving forward for the glass again at the reminder, too quick for Lucy to stop him, “The prick.” 

Lucy frowned disapprovingly at his words, “Maybe don’t call him that. A treaty with Archenland is invaluable, so keep your jealousy hidden, alright? And not,” she added, signalling to the bartender that she was cutting Edmund off, “In wine.”

Edmund didn’t bother denying what Lucy said. Being the Just King meant he had to be fair, even when confronting his own emotions, even when he’d rather stick forks in his eyes. Heaving a sigh, he stood up from the barstool he had previously sat on, his expression carefully neutralised as he walked up to Peter, joining him in offering greetings to new monarchs who had just arrived. 

You stumbled out behind the billowing curtains into the balcony, heaving a large sigh. It was exhausting having to accompany Prince Anthony around, considering that the man would not stop talking about himself. You really didn’t need to know all of his sword-fighting feats, and privately, you thought that a certain dark-haired individual could trump him in a matter of seconds. And although he kept commenting about how your blue dress matched the hue of his eyes, you couldn’t help but think that you’d compliment a brown-eyed King better. Having disguised your departure from Anthony’s side as a visit to the lavatory, you gripped the balcony railings and took a deep breath of fresh air, grateful for the break from the stuffiness.

“Wow. Is the ball I’m throwing that bad?”

You startled, head whipping around quick, only for your shoulders to slump in relief once you recognised Edmund. 

“It is,” you said, walking closer to the man, trying to keep your eyes fixed on his face so he couldn’t tell just how much you liked his suit, “The company makes it a little more bearable, though.”

Edmund shucked a laugh at the implicit compliment, leaning against the railing as you came to stand next to him, his body tilted to face you, “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”

“Who said I was talking about you?” you asked teasingly, your mouth quirking up to the side. Rather than responding to the playful banter, though, Edmund’s smile dropped, eyes leaving yours to stare out at the gates surrounding the castle instead. You frowned at the lack of reception your comment got, lapsing into the tense silence Pevensie was already partaking in. 

“How’s it going with Anthony?” Edmund eventually asked, breaching the stillness.

You groaned at the name, earning a half-hearted chuckle from Edmund as you tried to explain your exasperation, “It’s going well enough. He’s so airheaded, as long as I keep the flattery coming, I’m sure he’d sign anything I ask him to. Even the deed to his kingdom, if I wished so.”

“That’s no surprise,” Edmund said, “I’m sure I’d sign anything if someone like you asked me to.”

You stilled, unsure if he was flirting with you when he added, “That is, if it was possible for anyone to be as bossy as you.”

You punched his shoulder lightly as he grinned at you, his hand coming up to clasp your wrist. The sound of violins fluttered through the flowing curtains, and Edmund looked down at you, raising his eyebrow in a silent question. When you tipped your chin in a silent answer, his hand found your waist as your free hand lifted to rest on his shoulder. 

The two of you danced around the balcony floor, Edmund swaying you this way and that, knowing just when to pull his foot away from yours, out of danger in the nick of time. You sent him an apologetic smile each time, knowing the clumsy dancer you were. The only reason you hadn’t tripped over your own feet yet were the dance lessons Edmund had insisted on giving you earlier on, and, more honestly, the solid warmth of his arm, looped around your back, keeping you upright. It felt natural to you, unlike the way your body stiffened when it had been Prince Anthony in front of you, subliminally fighting alongside your instincts.

“You know,” Edmund said as he spun you around easily, “You were supposed to be my date to this dance.”

“Was I?” you asked, scrunching up your nose as you tried to remember.

“Yes,” Edmund assured you, “You promised me, in the library last winter.”

“I was half asleep, Ed,” you chuckled, “I didn’t even respond, forget promise. Besides, you didn’t actually ask me, you know. You assumed.”

“Was I wrong to?” Edmund demanded, “Was it so much of a stretch, considering how much time we spend together, how much we care about each other? Or rather, how much I care about you?”

“What are you trying to say?” you asked, your feet slowing until they eventually reached a stop.

Edmund’s arm pulled away from your waist to hold both of your hands in his, thumbs splaying across your palms.

“I’m saying I hated watching you dance with Anthony, the Prin- the Prick. And I think it should have been me with you instead.”

There. He had done it now. His confession was out in the open, a weight off his chest, and now the ball was in your park. Edmund’s eyes flew wildly over your face, scanning for your reaction, for any response, when your mouth broke into a beaming grin, dazzling with contagious happiness.

“Wow,” you said, smiling so wide the corners of Edmund’s lips upturned, too, an unconscious reaction from looking at you. “Wow,” you said again, hands abandoning Edmund’s to fist into his shirt, “It’s totally not like I’ve waited years to hear that.”

And before the flustered boy could even think about forming words to respond, you tugged him down, close, to meet your waiting lips.

“Pay up,” was the first thing Lucy said when you and Edmund announced your new relationship to his siblings.

You and Edmund exchanged wide-eyed looks as Peter and Susan grumbled, their hands fumbling for their wallets.

“Wait, you guys bet on us?” Edmund asked, astounded.

“Yes,” Susan said primly. Lucy explained it further, “These two didn’t have any faith in you. I was the only one who said you’d confess first.”

“Wow,” Edmund said sarcastically as you laughed, “Betrayed by my own family.”

“Sorry, Ed, but with all the blushing and stuttering, I thought it’d be a miracle if you’d even be able to get out a single word,” Peter explained, earning laughs from all the women in the room.

“Oh!” Susan spoke up suddenly, cutting off her own chuckle, “Wait! Who initiated the first kiss?”

“That would be me,” you said, raising your hand, and winking at Edmund. Lucy and Peter groaned in unison, Peter throwing his entire wallet at Susan in exasperation while Lucy forked over half her treasure. 

“You’re joking,” Edmund said, watching the interaction. “What else have you bet on?”

“Lots of things, little brother,” Peter said, leaning over to ruffle Ed’s dark hair. Lowering his voice so he was only audible to Edmund, he continued, “You better be the one to propose. I’ve got a lot of money riding on that one.”

“Don’t worry,” Ed said back in a low voice, watching as you spoke to Lucy and Susan animatedly, mentally capturing the small smile on your face, “I have every intention to.”

[promptthebear]

🐰 Edmund Pevensie #14 please

Edmund Pevensie x Reader- "Please, tell me this is not why you woke me up.”

Part 1/2 <- ***UP NOW!!!!***

Summary: Soulmate AU. Set during the "Golden Age", Edmund thinks he's doomed to be alone for the rest of his life. Until his fated match appears in the most unlikely of places. 2nd person, reader is written as "you"

A/N: Hey guys, sorry I've been go so long. Part two for this is literally being written right now and will hopefully be up very soon. I just thought I should give y'all SOMETHING to end the dry spell. Enjoy!

TW: None that I know of, but please message me if you need something tagged.

Rain was falling in sheets outside his study window, and the sound of the drops against the panes had soothed Edmund into a light doze. It was late, most likely past midnight, and his candles had burned down to almost stubs in their holders. He’d been reading for hours, lost in tomes of Narnian history and retrospects on ancient magic traditions. As fascinated as he’d been, he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes from growing heavy, and the blue velvet chair felt almost like a lover’s embrace.

Not that Edmund would have any idea what that actually felt like, though he could muster up a pretty good guess. Over the years, he’d watched his brothers and sisters find partners, wed, and have children of their own. Even little Lucy had been married last summer, leaving Edmund as the last bachelor among the family. That was one of the many reasons he’d been taking solace in his study over the last few weeks. He was plenty used to being alone, but there were only so many nights in a cold bed one could take before it started driving him a little mad.

Another man may have sought out comfort in the village pubs, but the idea of a hot, stuffy room and the press of drunken, sweaty bodies held about as much appeal to Edmund as driving straws under his fingernails. So, instead, he filled his waking hours in the company of books, often choosing to fall asleep among them than make the long, solitary walk back to his dark and empty chambers. This would be the third night in a row he’d spend here, and regardless of how Susan chided him that sleeping in his chair would ruin his back, Edmund also knew it wouldn’t be the last either.

A sudden, sharp rap at the door startled the young king from his near stupor. With a snort and a grumble, he rose from his chair, rubbing at his stiff muscles and silently cursing whoever chose to disturb him at this hour.

The hallway felt far too bright after the dim, golden light in the library, and for a moment after he opened the door, Edmund stood there, dazzled and blinking away stars from his eyes. When his vision cleared, he found himself staring into the face of one of the city guards. The young man seemed nervous, shifting from side to side and not quite able to meet Edmund’s gaze. Aside from the familiar uniform, the young man was little more than a stranger to him, and Edmund wondered why the captain would have sent someone so young to speak with one of the high kings.

“Your majesty. I beg forgiveness at the disturbance, would this matter have waited until morning I assure you I would not be here now.”

His voice betrayed his age, confirming Edmund’s suspicions that he was a new recruit, barely older than sixteen and almost twelve years his junior.

“Speak your piece and be on your way,” he replied, running a hand over his face to try and clear away any drowsiness that still clung on “It is far too late for either of us to be away from our beds”

The guard jumped at the sound of Edmund’s voice, and did some sort of half nod, half bow that made him look like a fish jerking around in a net.

“Again, my most sincere apologies your majesty. Once more, if it were not for the urgency of the situation I would not have caused you upset. My captain insisted that you be spoken with directly and that this message reach no ears but your own. I tried to tell him you’d be abed by now but-”

“Out with it, lad. The longer you speak, the longer the hour grows and the more weary I become.”

The edge to his words almost made Edmund wince. He hadn’t meant to be so sharp with the boy, but Susan had been right. Spending nights in his chair had made him incredibly sore, and had kept him from having a decent rest for far too long. The combination of both was not providing him with an overabundance of courtesy.

“We caught a pick pocket, your majesty. In the market, earlier this evening.”

Edmund reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying desperately to ease the throbbing that was starting to grow behind his eyes.

“Please, tell me this is not why you woke me up.”

Yes, Edmund acted as the King’s Justice and presided over all cases brought into court, even trifling ones like pick-pocketing. However, as far as he could tell, there was no reason something that simple would bring a guard to his door in the middle of the night.

“It is, your majesty”

“And? Have you all suddenly forgotten how to do your jobs? The thief can spend the night in lockup with your other petty criminals, and I’ll be there to preside over their trial in the morning. If that’s all you came to tell me, then I suggest you be on your way before I take it upon myself to serve you with a demerit and suspend you from service for the next week.”

The door was halfway closed when the young guard’s boot wedged itself between the door and the wall. Edmund stared down at it for a moment, trying to process the sheer gall of this otherwise seemingly placid young man. Nobody, in his recent memory, had ever kept him from closing a door when he wished. If he wasn’t contemplating sending this man to scrub out the barracks privvies for the rest of his natural life, he almost would’ve been impressed at his tenacity.

“Alright, that does it, I’m giving you until the count of three to get out of my sight and if you aren’t gone by two then so help me-”

“She has the mark, your Majesty”

It felt as though someone had just dumped a bucket of freezing water upon Edmund’s head. For a moment he stood, still as a statue while his mind raced at frantic speeds to try and make sense of what he was hearing. The lad had to be joking, there simply was no other explanation. This was all part of an elaborate prank someone was pulling on him, like Peter maybe, and Edmund would walk all the way down to the dungeons only to find a sow or donkey painted with a mark that matched his own rather than the girl he’d been promised.

He opened his mouth to tell the young guard he was a liar, along with a few other choice phrases, only to find his voice had left him. What was the worst that could happen, if he followed this boy? Experience told Edmund that he could end up being the kingdom laughingstock the next morning, but what of it? Most of his subjects, noble and common alike, either ridiculed him behind closed doors or pitied him to his face, which was somehow worse. The Lonely King, they called him. A solitary man in a world where everyone was fated to find their perfect match at some point or another. Would a lifetime of isolation be truly worth avoiding a few moments of ridicule?

The carved animals in the wooden door stared blankly back at Edmund, and though the flickering candlelight made their faces seem to dance and move among the shadows, they had no more answers for him than the young King had for himself. With a sigh, he clasped the edge of the door and pulled it open. It creaked loudly, a sound made louder still by the otherwise hushed air in the sleeping castle. The young guard waiting beyond started at the noise, and took a step back towards the far wall as though he expected Edmund to leap out and bite him.

Now standing in the full light of the hall, Edmund saw in earnest how young the guard really was. He may have been a youth of sixteen, but he had the face of a twelve or eleven year old, making him look like a squire rather than the soldier he was. A light dusting of fuzz across the boy’s cheeks, a hint of a beard, was the only thing to suggest he was near manhood and it made Edmund feel all the more guilty for being so hard on him.

“Come on,” he said, clapping a friendly hand down on the guard’s soldier as he moved past him “Let’s get this over with.”

[weepynymph]

I just spent my day doing research and mathematics to make sure the age gap between the characters in the fic I’m writing isn’t problematic.

how about y’all?

[birdiebortnik]

To my White Catchfly readers...

What do you all want to see for this story? I want to be able to incorporate the hopes and dreams of my readers if they do indeed fit within the narrative structure. I am also doing the math and planning as to when to move our kiddies out of Narnia and if there was something you would like to see in Narnia before they return to England, I would love to hear it. 

[aquaticrunner]

Silent Pain | Part 1

Edmund Pevensie x Fem!Reader | Request: Edmund x reader where the reader is bubbly and a bit of an airhead who is very feminine. She meets the Pevensie family as Lucy’s best friend. Edmund dislikes her because of how carefree she is and how negative things never seem to affect her. Overtime, he slowly starts to warm up to her and they start to become friends and maybe even more. | Word count: 2K

A/N: I worked on this for so long trying to get it just right. I really like the result and I hope you all do too! I had to make it a series because this part was 2,000 words and I just couldn’t fit everything I wanted without making it ridiculously long.

I bounced over to where Lucy was sitting at her desk and placed my hands on my best friend’s shoulders. “Take a deep breath,” I said. “You got this.” Lucy nodded and slowly opened the letter in her hands. I watched as she read, keeping my hands on her shoulders for moral support. After a couple minutes, Lucy jumped out of her seat in excitement. “I got it!” She yelled. “I got the internship!” I squealed in excitement and threw my arms around her. “I knew you would!” I shouted back. 

“What is all the shouting going on in here?” Lucy’s brother, Edmund poked his head into the room and asked. “I got my internship!” She said. Edmund raised his eyebrows and nodded in response. “Congratulations, Lu. I’m proud of you.” “We should go out tonight! To celebrate!” I suggested. Lucy’s smile somehow got even bigger. “Yes! Oh, can we Ed? Please? Please?” She grabbed onto his arm in anticipation of his answer. Edmund stared at her for a moment before sighing in defeat. “Alright, we’ll go out tonight.” “Yay!” Lucy jumped around the room celebrating. I laughed and Edmund just rolled his eyes. 

“I have to go tell everyone!” Lucy said and rushed out of the room, leaving me alone with Edmund. I smiled at Edmund. “So, do you have any big plans for the summer?” I asked him. Edmund shrugged. “Probably just work and hang out with some friends. You?” “I’ll probably be working on my portfolio! I’ve been getting into photography and fashion lately.” “Yeah, that sounds like something you would be into.” My smile faltered slightly but I brushed off his comment and responded happily. “I am! It’s been really fun.” Edmund rolled his eyes once more and followed Lucy out of the room. I walked out as well and ran into Lucy in the living room of the Pevensie home. “Y/N! Everyone has agreed to come out with us tonight. Even Peter!” I beamed at her. “That’s great! I should probably get home and get ready then.” “Alright!” She responded. “I’ll see you tonight!” I waved and turned to walk out the door.

-

I brushed my fingers over my dress, smoothing out the wrinkles. I picked up my makeup brush and dusted a light amount of blush over my nose and cheeks. I slipped my favorite shoes on and rushed out the door saying goodbye to my family on the way out. The headlights in the driveway indicated that the Pevensies were already here and I ran to the car, hopping into the back next to Edmund and Lucy. “Thanks for making us late,” Edmund grumbled under his breath. My eyes widened. “Oh no! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to!” I said. Peter turned to look at me and shook his head. “No worries! We should still be on time.” I nodded and breathed a small sigh in relief. 

Edmund looked me up and down. “I’d ask what took you so long but it’s pretty obvious.” I knitted my brows in confusion. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Your hair, your makeup, your dress. It’s a bit much don’t you think?” He said. “Well, I think she looks beautiful!” Lucy piped in. “I’d have to agree,” Peter said from the front of the car. I blushed while Edmund just turned away from me in annoyance. 

The ride to the restaurant was short but filled with fun conversation and quiet music. When Peter pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park, the four siblings and I quickly shuffled out. “I’ll go make sure our reservation is ready,” Peter said. We all nodded and I watched as Peter walked into the restaurant. Once he disappeared, I turned back to Lucy to make quiet conversation. “What are you two whispering about?” Susan asked, coming to stand next to us. Lucy smirked and glanced over at Edmund, making sure he was far away. “I think Edmund has a crush on Y/N.” I nearly laughed out loud. “No, he doesn’t,” I assured them. Susan looked at both girls in consideration. “I’d be inclined to agree with Y/N. Ed doesn’t seem like the romantic type honestly.” Lucy groaned in response. “But, it would be so cute!” I just shook my head. Before I had time to think up a response, Peter appeared once more. “The table is ready!”

All of us shuffled into the restaurant and followed our server to the table. I ended up sitting in a booth with Edmund on my left side and Lucy on my right. Our server asked for our drink orders and we all placed them. As we all talked and waited, Edmund’s shoulder bumped into mine. “Oh, I’m sorry!” I said. “It’s fine. Just watch out.” He said. I smiled at him in response. “Okay!” He narrowed his eyes at me and I stared back at him, still smiling. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked. “You’re just… annoyingly happy tonight,” He said. “I’m always annoyingly happy!” I said, giggling. “Yeah, no kidding.” He seemed done talking to me after that so I turned back to the rest of the group. The rest of the night was spent talking and laughing and celebrating Lucy’s accomplishment. 

After we all finished eating, we piled back into the car and headed home. Peter dropped me off and I waved goodbye to everyone before going back inside my house. I was pretty tired so I went up to my room and changed into my pajamas. Before climbing into my bed, I checked the notifications on my phone and saw a text from Lucy. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight! I had a blast.” I typed back, “Anytime! I’ll see you tomorrow!” I went to plug my phone in but it dinged with the notification sound once more. “Can’t wait! BTW Edmund is going to be joining us at the park.” I bit my lip as I read her message and typed back a thumbs up. I put my phone away and went to sleep. 

-

The next day, I woke up early to get ready for going to the park with Lucy. I threw on some shorts, a cute top, and styled my hair the way I liked it. About the time I was done getting ready, I had a text from Lucy telling me that she was here to pick me up. I grabbed my backpack and ran out of the house. I hesitated when I saw that Edmund was the one driving, but I opened the car door and climbed into the backseat. “Hey guys!” I said.

Lucy waved excitedly and Edmund nodded slightly. Lucy turned around to talk to me and we made quiet conversation as Edmund drove us to the park. When we arrived, both Lucy and I jumped out of the car excitedly. Lucy held a bag of seeds in her hands and we momentarily locked eyes. We both broke out smiling and began running towards the lake. I laughed as we raced and laughed even harder when Lucy stumbled over a tree branch. I slowed to a stop and turned around to make sure she was okay. “You alright?” I asked her. She nodded, laughing. “I’m okay.” Her cheeks were red and her hair was already a mess from the wind. I’m sure I looked about the same. 

We walked the rest of the way to the lake with our arms linked. When we reached the edge of the lake, there were already several ducks swimming in the water. “Do you want to feed them first?” She asked me. I nodded excitedly and grabbed a handful of seeds from the bag. I sat down and waited for the ducks to approach me. When they did, I held out my hand and they ate the seeds hungrily. I giggled the whole time and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face even when they were done eating. I stood back up and brushed the dirt off my pants. 

“Why do you find this so exciting?” Edmund asked me. “Because they’re so cute!” I responded. He looked at me as if he was trying to figure out if I was being serious or not. “They’re ducks.” He said, looking bored. I shrugged and grabbed another handful of seeds out of the bag. I walked back over to Edmund and opened up his hand, dropping the seeds into it. “Here. You try.” I said. He rolled his eyes and threw the seeds onto the ground. “No thanks.” I bit my lip and walked back to where Lucy was standing. “Edmund seems in a worse mood than usual today.” I said. She turned to look at him and sighed. “I’m not sure what his deal is today,” she responded. She handed me the bag of seeds. “I’m gonna run to the bathroom.” I nodded and watched as she walked away. Now, it was just me and Edmund.

I hovered next to him awkwardly, occasionally throwing seeds to the ducks. “So…” I started. “What have you been up to today?” He glanced at me before answering. “Mostly just working on homework stuff,” He said while kicking at the ground with his foot. I nodded my head. “That seems like fun. Well, maybe not fun exactly but it’s always good to be ahead with schoolwork instead of behind.” I realized I was rambling and trailed off, waiting to see if he would respond. “Right.” I sighed. He was just so hard to talk to. “Are you having a bad day?” I decided to ask him. He looked surprised that I asked him but quickly recovered his emotionless exterior. “No. Why would you think that?” He asked me.

“You just seem like you’re in a bad mood,” I said. “Well, coming to the park with two screaming girls isn’t exactly my idea of a fun time.” He responded. “Then why did you come?” I asked. I instantly felt bad and tried to save the conversation. “Not that I didn’t want you to come, it's just-” He cut me off before I could finish. “Lucy asked me to drive so I drove. I probably wouldn’t have if I’d known you would be here.” I took a small step back, my feelings slightly hurt. “What does that mean?” “I think it’s pretty obvious at this point.” “Do you not like me or something?” “That’s pretty much it.” “But…why? I’ve never done anything to you.” “You just try too hard. It’s annoying.” He said. 

At this point, I could feel the tears behind my eyes and it was a struggle to hold them back. I knew that we weren’t exactly friends but I thought it was just because he associated me with his little sister. I never realized he actively disliked me. Lucy came back before I had time to respond. “Hey guys!” She shouted. I plastered a smile onto my face and waved to her as she approached. 

“Hey Lu? Do you think we could head home?” I asked her. She frowned, and I continued talking, trying to come up with a good excuse to leave. “I just remembered I have a ton of homework to catch up on. The end of school is the busiest time.” She didn’t look totally convinced but she nodded and led us back to the car. Edmund drove us by my house and I hopped out of the car with a small goodbye. 

I threw my backpack on the floor, telling myself I would just unpack it later. I crawled into my bed and allowed myself some time to wallow in my self-pity. After a while of crying, my sadness began to turn to anger. Edmund doesn’t even know me! How dare he judge me? I wiped the tears off my face and sat up. If he didn’t like me, fine. I would show him that I don’t give a damn about his opinion. I texted Lucy and asked if she wanted to come over (after I finished my supposed homework). I got out of bed and looked at my splotchy but determined face in the mirror. We had some serious work to do.

A/N: I did change this request a little bit! I don’t love the whole femininity=stupidity idea so I didn’t really make her dumb but I did make her kind, carefree, and supportive as well as feminine. Also, I made this a modern AU just cause. Hope you enjoyed the read! :)