[eighteen: tell father I love him]

There was something about the way he smiled; the way butterflies seemed to escape from the pit of his stomach and the way the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there in his heart. He had the kind of smile that made you feel happy to be alive and just that little bit more human. 

That was how Ron felt the moment he saw Edmund.

Upon seeing the smile on his face, Ron quickly ran over and Edmund enveloped the young boy in a hug - chuckling as he did so as she squeezed the young boy a little tighter. Ron himself was an individual who was very wary of who he hugged or showed affection too, which is exactly why he was so surprised when he warmed up to the Pevensies so early on. It took him months to warm up to his own father, Marcus Lee, because he was so worried about whether or not he would treat him like his own biological father did - but after warming up to Genevieve and being told the stories of how he had changed since Ron arrived, he finally knew he had a family.

"Is she okay?" Ron asked as he pulled away from the hug, looking up at Edmund who was still smiling.

"A bit battered and bruised I'll admit but she's alive, that's what matters." Edmund whispered to the boy who let out a sigh of relief as a small smile tugged onto his lips.

"Thank Aslan." Ron muttered before looking at Edmund with a worried look. "Are you okay though?" 

"I will be when we can finally get her home." Edmund stated and Ron only nodded as he tugged on Edmund's hand - enlightening him on the plan before Edmund helped Ron prepare for his task that afternoon.

And all Edmund could think in that moment was how brave that boy really was.

+++

Inside Aslan's How later that day Susan, Ronald and Lucy all climbed up onto Caspian's horse Destier with determined looks on their faces as they hoped to find Aslan who Ron and Lucy had seen days ago. Alongside the horse stood Prince Caspian who was smiling fondly at the oldest Pevensie girl which made the two youngest chuckle - Susan was so oblivious.

"Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands." Caspian assured them, his eyes never leaving Susan.

"Or hooves." Lucy interjected making Ron laugh.

"Good one!" Ron said as he high-fived Lucy making Caspian smile before he turned to look at Susan with a fond look in his eyes.

"Good luck." Caspian whispered as he kept his eyes trained on the Pevensie girl who was smiling down at him.

"Thanks." Susan says before Caspian pulls out her horn and goes to hand it to her.

"Maybe it is time you had this back." He states before Susan just pulls the horn back towards him, their hands brushing for a moment.

"Why don't you hold onto it? You might need to call me again." Susan advises as they all ride off into the woods as Caspian watches with growing red cheeks.

The forest in that moment was the orchestra of the mind, playing one enchanting symphony after another. Her leaves dance to an unheard beat, whispering their songs to the wind. In here, sheltered by the mighty trees, is every kind of life, from the humble beetle to enchanting birds of every colour. Ron held his hands up to feel the cascading light, a brilliant white shaft illuminating the path that takes Destier onward and further into the woods. Ron and Lucy shared a look for a moment before turning to look at Susan with cheeky smiles on their faces.

"You might need to call me again?" Lucy teased, only for Susan to semi-glare at her with a laugh.

"Oh, shut up." She said and there was a small silence for a moment before Ron giggled.

"I think you're in love." Ron teased in a sing-song voice as Lucy laughed again, Susan only sighing before she began to laugh with them.

"Shut it Ron!" Susan laughed as they all journeyed greater into the woods, unaware of what was happening in Miraz' camp a little while away.

+++

The pain throbs in her guts, it's deep and warm, but not in a nice way. It felt like someone had their cold, icy hand in there and was harshly squeezing her organs as hard as they can. When it suddenly stops she can move, when it returns she can only hold still and breathe, breathe slow and deep until it has passed again. The Telmarines really knew how to fight. There was no blood anywhere, but her abdomen was purple and lumpy where it should be smooth and it was throbbing in the cold air. Every step she takes in the cage felt like a nail bomb exploding in her innards. If it wasn't for the fear of others getting hurt she would have used her rings and escaped back to the How - but she couldn't bring herself to do that.

Instead the girl only grabbed her rings and opened her bag, which had been searched by the Telmarine soldiers to ensure there was nothing harmful in there, and pulled out a small bag of soil and opened the bag before emerging her rings into it - trying to build a signal as her rings glowed a rare mixture of lilac and gold as she was suddenly emerged somewhere else.

"What are you plans for the girl Lord Protector?" somebody asked Miraz who was sat at a table looking over the battle plans for later in the day, a determined look on his face.

"She is valuable to the Just King, he wouldn't let her die and he would surely give anything to save her measly life. So we should use that to our advantage." Miraz stated as he looked towards his advisers.

"How would we do that?" Glozelle asked Miraz who only pointed at him with a smile.

"When King Peter is weak we offer her life up as a bribe to ensure they give us my throne back peacefully - they would do anything for that girl."

"But that does counter sir about whether King Peter will become weak." Someone else spoke up and Miraz' eyes glared into his as the man physically gulped.

"What are you insinuating?"

"King Peter has always been depicted as a strong warrior my lord, what if it comes too a point where he pulls a trick on you and you are the one in his place?" The man asked and Miraz thought for a second - though the possibility was low in his eyes he needed to be prepared.

"If it appears that I am losing, then Glozelle shoot the girl." He says and Genevieve gasped for a moment before she stumbled back and closing her eyes.

Then she opened them and blinked.

The glow from her rings stopped as she left herself breath heavily for a moment, their plans refreshed in her mind as she let a small tear fall from her eye. She knew this would happen. Genevieve placed the bag of soil into her bag before taking a letter from it and sighing as her hands trembled as she held it in her hand before she opened it, a tear already falling from her eyes at the first word.

January 10th 1055

Mother,

It's been twenty years since you left, and yet I still miss you everyday and wish you were here beside me and I've finally come to terms with the fact that I will never see you again - in this country at least but I think I'm okay with that now.

I want you to grow up and be a success at whatever you attempt to do whether you return to Narnia or not and whatever you do I will be so proud of you. The time that I did spend with you in the first twenty years of my life was a wonderful and enjoyable time in my life and you helped make it that way and you were the best mother a son could ever have.

This letter is very hard for me to write because I keep starting to cry, knowing that I will not be here when you are reading this and that hurts me mum. The sadness keeps overwhelming me and tears are already flowing down my face. I'm so very proud of you and you have shown me just how smart you are already and I know that when you meet father again, which I know you will, that you will only grow a lot stronger.

I finally married you know. Nearly ten years ago I met and fell in love with a young maiden called Natalie, I really think you would have liked her mum. She somehow got here from the world you came from, though she didn't come through a wardrobe like yourself and father, but when I found her we instantly clicked you know? Kinda like you and father.

We have two children now Elizabeth and Polly, as well as third on the way but Natalie's gotten so incredibly ill. I fear the little boy she's bearing will hurt her - maybe even kill her in the meantime and I don't think I can bring up three children on my own. 

Yet you managed to  do it.

You are the strongest person I know and ever will know and I will always be proud of you. My girls absolutely adore you mum, Elizabeth is a brilliant leader and I think she gets that from you - its in our blood as Pevensies because you are the strongest woman in the world. You protect us all. 

And if you ever meet father again, which I know you will, let him know that I'll always be proud of him too. He was always my hero and I always looked up to him despite what happened. You always told me he was honorable and a good man and you loved him dearly. Though I never really knew him, I hope that when you meet him again that you tell him how proud I am to be his son.

Please mother, tell father I love him.

Forever proud to be your son,

King Oliver I

P.S

Tumnus told me that you wanted to name me after my great grandfather but due to father leaving you wanted to name me as something to remember him. I guess its my turn to do that now so in your honor, as I've discussed with Natalie we have decided to use that name for our son. 

Our Little Caspian.

Genevieve didn't know she was crying until a tear had soaked into the corner of the parchment, which had been wrinkled and coloured by age, as she placed the letter down and let the tears fall from her cheeks. She muffled sobs for a moment as she pulled her knees to her chest, knowing that everything interlinked as she let a sigh escape her lips.

"Don't worry baby, I'll see you soon." She whispered as her rings glowed gold before she folded up the letter and placed it back in her bag.

She was ready to see Oliver again.