"I don't own Narnia*

a/n Well we made it, here's the epilogue as promised. I hope you all enjoyed reading and thank you too PadrePadro and Nanuka02 for reviewing!

The strange illness left Edmund much weaker than anyone thought and within a few days, he came down with a bad fever. It was every bit as painful as the first illness and the healers concluded that the strain the first put him caused the second. Peter didn't really care what the cause was only that Ed was miserable again. His consolation was that the fever never reached a potentially lethal point and Ed recovered from it quicker. The rest of the winter followed similarly though, Ed's health had never been good and this was obviously not helping.

Peter would be lying if he didn't admit that as much as he hated seeing his brother sick, he did like how much more tactile was when sick. His brother, as a rule, was not a touching person and even after coming to Narnia, that hadn't changed. He might allow Susan to fix his fair of return Lucy's hugs, but he wasn't exactly happy about it. Even during the pauses between the fevers and colds that winter, Ed dealt with his siblings need to touch gracefully but not always happily.

When he was sick though, he loved all of the hugging and petting and hand holding that all three of his siblings put him through. It became something of evening tradition, after dinner the three would join Ed in his room. Depending on the work they needed to do, they would spread out on his bed or occasionally at his desk and work or read or otherwise amuse themselves. During this time, Ed would soak up all the attention he could. Susan would brush his hair, Lucy would glue herself to his side, Peter read to all of them sometimes too.

It was hard but they made it through and by spring, Peter and Edmund were closer than they had ever been, they all were but it was most pronounced in the brothers. It hadn't been perfect, Peter spent as many nights with Ed as he did in his own room and some of the ones he did spend in his own bed, ended with Edmund curled up against him anyway. This secretly delighted him since it meant Ed felt comfortable enough, and trusted Peter enough, to seek him out.

These nights often lead to long conversations, many of which he should have had a long time ago. They taught him a lot about Ed's worries, misgivings, and insecurities and the more he learned the more he regretted his neglect of his brother. Spring may have brought an end to the otherwise endless bouts with illness, but it didn't bring an end to the nightmares and sadness.

It helped though, Peter was sure because Ed smiled much more and laughed and during the day he was happier than he had been for years. Lucy thrived on this and the two became the terrors of Cair Paravel. With Ed's wit and Lucy's charm the pair got into enough trouble for a lifetime. Peter never thought he would be delighted to find a frog in his boot but he was, of course he protested, loudly. Later he was forced to side with Susan, at least in front of her, who was firmly against these pranks. They never stopped but he was thankful for that.

The memory of Oreius coming into a meeting after falling asleep in the gardens with flowers braided into his hair and tail was a sight Peter would never forget. It was more impressive that everyone present managed to keep a straight face until the librarian of the Cair, an elder centaur mare, entered. After squinting at him over her glasses and then cleaning her lens, she critically informed the great general that, "red was a fine color but it clashed with his coloring and if that was how he intended to present himself the least he could do was find pink flowers since they would match better. Ed had been discreetly out the door long before she finished but Peter still heard his laughter and the General had given chase.

Of course despite the resurgence of his mischief and return of his cheer, a certain solemnity still pervaded him. He's still quiet too, not to the same extent but the change in him was obvious to most. It took Peter a while to accept but eventually he did and in the end he thought it for the best. Ed was happier and maybe even in Narnia, perfection was too much to expect. As long as Peter was there, Ed could feel safe that he wasn't alone.

They never receive a complete answer as to what the illness was however it happens again the following year and every one after it all coinciding with the first snow of the year. The healers decide that the wound he received at Beruna was the cause. When he broke the staff he destroyed its power but when she stabbed him, some of the magic found its way into him and the first snow gave it power to hurt Ed every year. Peter is angry but Ed seems to accept it, he tells Peter quietly one night before they fall asleep that it helps him remember his betrayal and the forgiveness that followed. Peter doesn't think he needs a reminder but Ed sleepily tells him having one isn't all bad.

Years later Peter reflects as he curls his adult brother into his side that the Witch may have intended to enact one final revenge when she stabbed Ed, but in the end, she caused them to be much closer. He isn't thankful for her. He still hates her for everything she did to Ed and Narnia, but it does give him some small, smug triumph that all of the evil she intended turned out for the best. He never asks Aslan if He knew all of this would happen but he suspects the Lion did and it's enough for him to trust Aslan would keep them as He promised.