Had this one sitting on my computer for quite some time. Thought I'd share it with ya'll. Enjoy!

Disclamer: I don't own CoN.

Kopek

Lucy noticed her brother started acting weird about a week prior. Edmund began being very secretive around that time. Normally he was an open book with his family. But not lately. It was unnerving for the young girl. Peter and Susan didn't seem to notice. Not as though they had time to realize it, what with running a country and all. Peter especially. Being High King was not all parties and caviar. Not that he would eat that stuff anyway. Yuck. But the younger two had less expected of them. True, they tried to help where possible, but they could still only do so much.

But Lucy didn't think that was why Edmund was acting so secretive. He would sneak off for hours at a time, sometimes in the middle of the night, and was jumpy when others were around.

Honestly it was frightening her a bit. She'd never seen him act so strange. Maybe if she talked to someone, she'd feel better. Yeah, that's what she would do. She figured Edmund would probably lie about it as to not worry her, but that would only serve to worry her more. Susan was busy. Plus, Lucy had no idea where she was. So she hunted Peter down. She found him in the library, speaking with an Owl, Silverwing by name, Cair Paravel's chief librarian.

"...Should do nicely," Peter was saying. Lucy peeped through the crack in the door, seeing her oldest brother standing in the middle of the room, Silverwing on her perch near the couch. Lucy pushed the door open wider, catching her brother's attention. "Come on in, Lu," he invited when he spotted her, beckoning her to enter. She stepped forward timidly. She still was not quite sure of herself around the courtiers of Cair Paravel. "It's alright, Lu. Silverwing won't bite." Peter smiled gently.

"Well, not you, Your Majesty," the Owl said with a bow. Peter chuckled and Lucy smiled. "Lady Silverwing and I were just talking of the possibility of a desk or two in here and if it would take up too much space."

"Oh, a desk would be nice," Lucy said. "It would be nice not to have to sit on the floor or take them all up to our rooms."

"Exactly my point. And I know Ed likes to study in here from time to time. It would be nice to have something other than the floor to sit on, just like you said."

The mention of Edmund brought the whole reason of her seeking out her brother to the front again. "Peter, I need to talk to you," she stated.

Peter saw she was serious and gave her his full attention. "What is it, Lu?"

She took a deep breath and said, "I think something might be wrong with Edmund."

"What?" He knelt down to look her in the eye. "What do you mean 'something's wrong with Edmund?'"

"Well, he's acting funny. And secretive." She lowered her voice to where only she could hear it. "And it's scaring me a little bit."

Peter heard her though. He sat cross-legged on the plush carpet. Lucy took that as invitation and sat in his lap. "Why is it scaring you?" he asked, blue eyes full of concern.

"Well, he's never acted like this before. Not even after attending that school." She may be young, but she remembered full well what had caused Edmund to begin behaving the way he did in Spare Oom. That was the day the teasing had begun.

"Yes. But I'm sure it's nothing. He's just trying to adjust to palace life. We all are. You said yourself that it's hard to get any privacy around here. Mayhap he's just getting away for a while."

"In the middle of the night?" she demanded.

Peter gaped at her. "Middle of the night?" he repeated. He seemed to recover himself in the same instant, inquiring, "And how would you know that, little missy?"

She paused, then blushed, realizing what she had said. "Midnight snack?" she answered, as if that would get her out of trouble, shrugging her shoulders innocently. Peter eyed her warily.

"What am I to do with you?" he asked himself, shaking his head. Lucy smiled, knowing she was off the hook, at least for now. Peter heaved a sigh of exasperation, seeing he was beaten at his own game. "I'll talk to him when I see him next, okay?"

"Okay." Lucy nodded. He kissed her forehead before shooing her off of him and sending her on her way.

"And no more going to the kitchen or whatever you do in the middle of the night anymore, all right?" he called after her. She turned and smiled again. She had confidence that her oldest brother would make things better.

That is, until later that night.

After tossing and turning for an hour straight, she sneaked down to the kitchen, hoping that after a quick snack she would be able to sleep. She couldn't figure out what kept her awake. Maybe it was worry for Edmund. Maybe it was the fact that Peter didn't keep his promise. Granted, he did not actually promise anything, but he said he would talk to Edmund and he didn't. Maybe she was hoping to catch Edmund in the act tonight. Maybe...

By then she had reached the expansive kitchen. She picked out an apple and sat on one of the chairs used by the staff. She began humming to herself, trying in vain to ward off the quiet around her. Finally she gave up and sat in the silence, attempting not to think about what might be lurking in the shadows cast by her small candle. What if she heard something? That would mean there was something in the room with her. What if it wasn't friendly? She was too far away for Peter to hear her if anything happened. What if something did happen? What if…

What was that? She strained her ears. She had definitely heard something. She strained harder. Whatever it was, it was walking. And it was certainly bigger than her. She heard the unmistakable sound of someone or something breathing in the hall. Despite her racing heart, Lucy blew out her candle quickly, slid off her chair, and ducked into a strangely empty cabinet.

Oddly enough, it wasn't...whatever she expected, but Edmund who opened the door. Lucy sneaked a look out of her hiding place. By the light of his own candle, she could see her brother was dressed in dark clothes, his feet were bare, and he had a satchel with him. He began gathering food and placing it in the bag. All kinds of meats it seemed. After a moment he risked a glance at the bag. He looked satisfied with the contents. He closed the flap on the satchel, settled it on his shoulder, and took a quick survey of his surroundings. Doing the same at the door, he paused to listen, then left. Lucy waited, hidden, a few moments more in case he came back. When she was positive he wouldn't, she scurried out of her cabinet and scampered up the stairs to her room for her shoes.

If Peter wouldn't do anything about Edmund, little Lucy would just take matters into her own hands.

Now, I will do something I've never done on here. I will bribe you. I will post the next chapter if I get at least three reviews. Okay? Okay. And if the title seems strange, it will hopefully make since later in the story.