A scream ripped through the King as he saw the girl go down. The name slipped through hysterically as he cut down the enemy immediately facing him and ran to you.

He seemed to be moving through quick sand, his feet being dragged at by the hard dirt everyone else had no problem moving across, enemies coming to face him every time he thought he'd finally gotten the right footing.

Just as he was about to really reach her, one of the soldiers from the other army approached her, an ax in its hand. It raised the weapon high, eyes on the still figure on the floor. The one person that held each and every part Edmund Pevensie had to offer to someone he loved. His mind, his heart- his every soul and the string to the stitches that held him together. He screamed, his arm stretched. But he couldn't move fast enough. He couldn't get there soon enough.

The soldier brought the ax down, the blade swinging down on-

Edmund gasped as he sat up in bed. He was drenched in cold sweats and gasping, his throat closed in panic. His throat felt raw and his chest was tight and his sheets were wrapped around him too tightly to allow for any kind of movement. He knew he must have been screaming but all he could hear now was his heart beat racing and roaring in his ears.

His door opened and he looked over with wide, wild eyes as light filtered into the darkness. Lucy stood there, her eyes soft with concern. She moved next to him as he tried to calm himself, pulling his blankets away so he could breathe properly.

She lay down, pulling him with her, and they cuddled. "Do you want to talk about this one?" Lucy asked her older brother, running her hands through his hair as Susan had taught her to.

Ed shook his head, his eyes tearing up. "She's gone, Lu. She's dead."

A small sigh sat on the edge of Lucy's tongue but she swallowed it, shaking her head. "She's not dead, Edmund. I know she's alive and waiting for you."

"If she is dead, it's my fault," he barked. "I left her in Narnia to fend for herself."

Lucy's face twisted in agony. "Oh, Ed, if it's anyone's fault it's mine. I lead us through the wardrobe to England again. Or have you forgotten?"

Shaking his head, Ed rejected the comfort. "No. It's all my fault. It's all my fault..."

A lump formed in the youngest Pevensie's throat as her eyes watered and she looked at the dark ceiling of her brother's room. The nightmares had been unrelenting since the siblings had returned to England and time had passed since being in Narnia. They'd gotten worse when they'd pieced together that time passed in Narnia significantly faster than in England. Which meant that while Edmund had aged here, she was in Narnia with time passing significantly faster.

If only they knew how much faster...

- Time Skip to when they get into Narnia again for 'Prince Caspian'-

The siblings were shaken upon seeing how much Narnia had changed. They knew more time must have passed but they didn't think THIS MUCH time had passed. There were ruins in place of Cair Paravel and the whole landscape had completely carved out, drastically different from when they had last been there.

Edmund had slowly come to the realization that if the very stone had fallen and the Earth had been carved anew, there was no way that she was alive anymore.

His joy of returning to the place he called Home and had missed more than he missed anything - expect maybe besides her - had vanished immediately when he'd realized this.

Especially when he had reunited with the Narnians at Aslan's Howe and she was nowhere to be seen. In fact, as he heard the stories of the Kings and Queens of old disappearing, he also heard how she had gone missing shortly after them, drifting into nowhere and being as lost as the ones she was closest to. The ones she considered family. Edmund didn't know what happened to her but it had all been such a long time ago. She was gone.

He fought the newest Narnian hardship with a heavy heart, knowing he wouldn't see you again until he had followed in your footsteps and continued to whatever awaited him after he ran out of life to live. He watched the victory come forth, but it felt empty and hollow. They had lost so many lives in the battling and in the end, Edmund still did not have to arms he wanted to feel around him and the lips he wanted to be on his. He was empty and alone and nothing felt good enough. He had lost her and, with her, he had lost everything else.

All this time, he'd been right. She'd gone and passed from within his reach while he was in England and she was here. None of his siblings knew how to even begin to comfort him. Susan only sort of understood as she realized she had to say goodbye to the one mad who she wanted most.

When Aslan found Edmund after talking to his brother and sister, Edmund greeted the Lion with a gentle smile. "How are you, Son of Adam?"

Edmund sighed. "I know she made it to Your Land," Edmund eased softly, emotion rising to choke him as his eyes grew teary. He smiled through it though. "And she will be awaiting me when I join her. I will do whatever it takes to get to her again."

A smile etched itself warmly onto the Lion's face. "Young King, I have someone I want you to meet." Edmund was confused, but he followed Aslan without question. They walked for a very long time. The sun fell and darkness grew. When Edmund stumbled, unable to see, Aslan purred, "Hold onto my mane. I will guide you and you will not fall. Follow me closely." Edmund followed the orders perfectly, not even hesitating to follow the Lion into even thicker darkness. He walked blindly, holding onto Aslan's mane and putting one foot in front of the other as if he was guiding himself.

Suddenly Aslan stopped and Edmund bumped into His side softly, coming to a stop as well. "Where have you brought me, Aslan?" Edmund asked quietly.

The boy's hand dropped and the second it did, Aslan was gone. Edmund felt his throat catch in his breath as he felt completely alone. The chill of the night seeped into his bones and he shivered. Fear crept into his mind for only a second before he took a deep breath.

Unnecessarily, Edmund closed his eyes and stilled his heart. Aslan would not have taken him anywhere he could be harmed, and if he had, it was for god reason. He let his faith return as he took a steady breath out. The very second his surety settled and the fear was swiped away, the world bloomed slowly with light. It came on gradually so that it did not hurt's Edmund's eyes. The cold disappeared and the world around the raven haired boy came into visibility. 

His eyes widened in wonder. The walls were covered in ice, seeming to be more made of it than actually just hidden underneath. The light was coming from a torch on the wall. Several, actually. Though, Edmund was unsure how and when they were light.

Aslan appeared next to him again, but Edmund did not jump. "Son of Adam. King of Narnia. This is the only corner is all of the land of this entire World where the White Witch's touch remains. This cavern is cursed, this ice deadly. To anyone who touches is, they become encased in ice and frozen for eternity." Edmund shivered, his eyes wandering to see that ice stretched as far as he could see, wondering why he was not affected. "This magic is dark, and the only way dark can be dispelled is with light." Edmund nodded slowly, not sure why Aslan was telling him this. And then he felt the warmth grow, just as it had what felt forever ago when the Eternal Winter of the White Witch's reign came to a slow but final conclusion.

Edmund looked down at his feet for the first noticing that the ice was melting. The starting point was most definitely where Aslan stood, the brown dirt rising to view as the ice fell away. Edmund was standing on the already thawed part and as he looked behind him, he saw that there was a pathway that had been carved through the ice where he and the Lion had walked.

Looking back Aslan, Edmund inquired, "May I ask why you've brought me here?"

A chuckle came from the Lion. "I said I had someone for you to meet, didn't I."

Nodding, Edmund added, "Yes, but I'm confused as to who?"

Without answering, Aslan turned away from the raven haired teenager and looked further into the cavern. He parted his maw and a shaking roar erupted from him. Edmund caught his breath and his ears popped. The whole cavern exploded with light, the ice melting so fast that Edmund was incased in steam. Now that the entire cavern was light, Edmund looked further in to see-

Aslan's Beard.

One a pire of ice stood the one person Edmund had wanted to see most but had finally accepted he wouldn't see again for a very long time. Her hair was stretched out, her hands out to either side as if she was floating through water. Her face was peaceful, eyes closed. The ice was still melting as Edmund stumbled towards her, his heart breaking. The love of his life, frozen for so long and before him. Gone. Aslan had given him her body.

Stopping the young boy, Aslan reminded, "Wait for the ice to melt. Before it is gone, its powers still stand." So Edmund did, bridling all of his self control as he followed the painfully slow melt as it crawled to her. All behind Aslan was melted and Edmund wished He would roar again, making this ice melt instantly too. But He didn't and Edmund simply followed, slow and steady.

Finally he reached the pire, his hands shaking and his heart aching. The ice finally fell away and he raced forward as the last of it disappeared and her body went limp as its encasing disappeared, leaving her to the will of gravity once again.

Edmund caught her as she fell, sinking to his knees, only able to slow her fall since he was too weak with pain to catch her properly. He buried his face in her neck, the emotion finally hitting him as he began to cry. He clutched her body, clinging to her.

When a sharp intake of breath sounded in his ear, the boy jumped. He leaned back as he looked down, eyes widening as she looked back at him. "Ed?" she asked, her voice cracking with disuse.

Too happy to properly think and too overwhelmed with shocked joy to be able to hear her voice and see her beautiful eyes once again, Edmund simply pulled her into him. He took in her scent and felt her warmth and held her, feeling her weight in his arms as he had yearned to.

"I thought I lost you," he sobbed.

She smiled, pulling him to her. She had been the maiden of another kingdom, several years younger than him and tied to him in an arranged marriage, born in this land but human as he was. They had learned to love despite the age difference but now she was a year older and they both laughed at the irony.

"You're so young," she giggled.

"You're older than me," he agreed, both highly humored. Edmund turned to Aslan to thank him but the Lion was gone. He wiped his tears, helping the love of his life to his feet. "Come," he beckoned her. 'It is time to go and find Aslan so we can thank him."

Her eyes widened. "It was Aslan that guided me here." Edmund looked at her, surprised. She nodded her head. "Honest. He told me that I had to come in here. Told me that I had a choice, though. I could come here and loose a lot of life or I could age and live my life, but not see you until after we were reunited in His Land."

Edmund's emotions grew again as they took hands, moving down the cavern and made their way to the mouth where they intended to somehow find their way back to the others. Edmund told her all about returning to England and explaining that's why he disappeared. He told her about returning some time later, seeing the world so drastically different. He told her of his nightmares and fears and acceptance once he returned to so much time having passed.

When they finally reached the mouth of the cave, Edmund finally snapped. He turned, pulling the girl to his chest. He pressed his lips to hers and they both sighed in complete joy at finally feeling the shared kiss between them after so long. "I love you," Edmund whispered.

Tears in her eyes, she whispered back, "I love you too."

"Come," Aslan greeted soothingly, catching the pair's attention. "I will take you back again."

The entire time, they followed Aslan in silence, holding hands as they moved the dark forrest until they were out of it, seeing the sun freshly risen. "I was gone all night," Edmund realized in shock. "They must be so worried..."

"They know you are with me," Aslan soothed. "I have sent a message for them."

Edmund nodded, at ease more than ever now. He had her back with him. She had returned. She was alive and safe and sound. He couldn't stop looking at her and he couldn't bring himself even close to regret worrying his siblings in any way, knowing that the 'message' Aslan would have given them would have been vague and simple, giving no details or real comfort and depending on their trust of Him to be calmed. That would not calm Susan, and Peter would wonder. Lucy would be fine but would be awaiting him excitedly. He did not know how Caspian would take it.

Nothing mattered though. He could not stop smiling or bring himself to worry or care of anything. She was back. She was back. She was back!

And he would never part with her again.