Finally! After so long, I have updated! I know you have all been just wishing and waiting to find out if our precious Edmund is O.K. That he will be. No flames or White Witch magic please.

Food.

That and roses was what I could smell when I woke next. Maybe that was the only reason I woke up. I turned towards the pleasant aromas and groaned as the pain in my chest made itself known. Even though this bed was comfortable, my body was still sore. Everything ached, especially my chest and head.

"Edmund?"

Susan.

I cracked my eyes open, blinking against the dim light. Susan sat on the bed next to me. So it was her who was giving off that pleasant flowerly scent. She bent over me and touched my face as if to make sure I was really there looking back at her.

"Oh, Edmund." She sat back and took my hand, clearly fighting tears.

"Hello, Susan."

She gave a wet laugh and ran a hand through my hair. "How do you feel? Any pain?"

I grimaced as I tried to stretch my sore muscles. Pain flared in my chest. "A bit. How long have I been in here?"

"Five days."

Five days? But Susan had already moved on to the term of business, as if she was determined to get me away from this sick bed.

"I've had lunch brought. Are you feeling up to eating something, Edmund? You should, it's been days since you've been this conscious."

I watched Susan patiently as she chatted, throwing the curtains back and opening the windows to let in some light and air.

"I don't think I have the strength, Su," I sighed and closed my eyes against the bright sunlight. It wasn't a lie to tell her that because every limb felt heavy and tied to the bed. Maybe my head hurt because I hadn't eaten anything for a while or days in Susan's case.

Susan made a tsk sound above me and I opened my eyes expecting to see her glare, but instead to the sight of her fighting tears. "Of course you don't have the strength. You haven't been able to eat a proper meal in days. Days, Edmund! Very well then, I will help you."

"You really don't need to do that, Su. I'm fine." I groaned as I tried to sit up. Every muscle screamed at me as I tried to move. Susan grabbed me before I fell over sideways and I allowed her to place me upright. Moving had brought on a new wave of dizziness and I leaned back into the pillows trying to fight it off.

"Hush, Ed. Let me look after you. You'll be alright. The fireflower kept you with us, but it couldn't completely heal these new wounds. The healers suspect poison was on that Telmarine's blades. Now lie still. I have to change your bandages…"

Susan kept talking, but there was only one word that kept repeating itself in my head

Poison.

That would explain the dizziness and the headache. Not to mention the pain in my muscles. I gasped as white hot pain took hold of me. Susan had already removed the bandages around my chest and was treating my wounds with some type of salve. But it hurt.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Eddy. It's alright. It's alright. Breathe. Easy now."

I focused on breathing and her soft words until she had wrapped my torso in fresh bandages. I stayed still until the pain had faded to a dull ache. Susan sat quietly next to me, stroking my hair and still talking gently. She was saying something about Peter, and Caspian and a council meeting.

"…promised he'd be here for tea later. He didn't want to leave, but Aslan said that it was one of Peter's duties as High King to help Caspian 'gain his feet,' as one might say. Caspian should consider himself very lucky to have the High King as one of his advisors in court…"

"Peter?"

I opened my eyes to her smile. "Yes, he hardly ever left your side, Edmund. We've all been so worried about you. Especially Peter." She kept stroking my hair and I felt myself starting to be pulled back towards sleep again. "You need to eat something, Edmund. It will help. Aren't you hungry?"

My stomach answered her question for me with a steady growl. She laughed and I couldn't help but smile at her. She was very pretty and her presence was comforting. I was glad she was here instead of some stuffy healer.

"C'mon. You need to get out of this bed," Susan said, as she slowly pulled me off the mattress and onto my feet. I swayed against her, but managed to make it over to the large armchair by the fire. Susan wrapped me in a blanket and set about making some herbal tea. "And maybe later, if you feel up to it, out of this room. It won't do your health any good to stay in here, Edmund. But you have to promise not to over-exert yourself. "

"I don't think Peter will even give me the chance, Susan."

She glared at me, but I could see laughter sparkling in her eyes. She pushed the cup of herbal tea into my hands. "Drink. It will help with the pain."

I downed it and was suddenly glad that I did. It tasted awful. Susan took the empty cup, smiling at the grimace on my face.

"It can't be that bad, Ed." She turned fully back around with a bowl of soup and a spoon in her hand. She stopped and seemed to be waiting expectantly for something.

Oh.

I raised an eyebrow at her. Did she really think I would even let her spoon-feed me?

"I'm sure I can manage that on my own, Dear Sister."

"Are you sure, Loyal Brother? Maybe all you really needed was to get out of that bed."

I smiled at her. "As sure as I am that the sun rises and sets every day, Su." Susan beamed at my newly found strength and it was then that the door opened.

"Edmund!"

I turned to see my little sister running towards me, a laugh escaping her. "Lucy!" She embraced me whole-heartedly and I hugged her back just as tightly, despite the pain it caused in my chest.

"Oh, Edmund! You're awake! How do you feel? Better? Have you had anything to eat yet? Maybe you can come to the gardens with me later. Do you think you can walk that far? Peter promised he'd meet me there for tea later only if you could come along…"

"Only after Edmund eats a proper meal first," Susan said, interrupting our little reunion. Lucy let go of me to turn and glare at her older sister for such an untimely interruption, but I couldn't find myself to care. I lacked the energy to tell them all to shove off and it just felt nice be cared about, even if that meant getting fussed over by two over-attentive sisters.

"Of course you know I will, Lu. Whatever you like," I smiled at her, turning her attention back to me. "Why don't you join us?"

Please don't forget to read and review! Next chapter will be more about Peter and Edmund (brotherly-fluff!) and the conversation I just WISHED they had had at the end of Prince Caspian (the movie, of course).