Ninth Prompt: Shadows

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Edmund quietly tapped around the corner.
On the third door left he knocked and his sister opened.

„Ed? What-“
„Shhhh!“, Edmund shushed her.
Lucy frowned.

But then realisation crept across her face and she said:„Oh! Now?“

Edmund nodded.
Lucy grinned and grabbed a lit candle.

„Let's go!“, she whispered and smiled excitedly.

Edmund led her through the castle.

The light of the candle danced in the castle walls and Edmund watched their shadows moving in it.
One time he was small, the other time he seemed to grow and was three times as big as he actually was.

Was it right what they were doing?

Susan and Peter would be pretty angry if they found out what the two siblings had done.

And they would do it anyway, then why did he convince Lucy to do it with him now if they could do it tomorrow with Peter and Susan?

Would they even be back until tomorrow?

What if something happened to them?

But on the other hand, Edmund knew that he wouldn't sleep tonight if he didn't do this.

He would pace back and forth, wishing he had done this.

„We should go quicker!“, Lucy whispered.

Edmund nodded and the light of the candle swayed at the castle walls and their shadows with them.

Edmund looked at the one with his shape and wondered what others saw in this shape.

What the people saw, to who he was going right now. Did they see hope or a traitor who should be killed?

The siblings reached the kitchen and Edmund walked straight to the bags that were prepared for tomorrow and gave Lucy two of them.
He took three.

„Quick!“, he whispered and wanted to get out of the kitchen again but behind him, a torch was lit.
Edmund spun around and saw that in the light of the torch stood a tall person.

She looked at Edmund in judgment. Her dark hair was messy but not as messy as Lucy's or Edmund's.
Edmund moved in front of his sister. This was his fault and he should be punished for it.

„What are you two doing here?“, Susan asked quietly. And a little bit disappointed.

Edmund wanted to say something. But his mouth was dry and not one sound was coming off his lips.

„We wanted to bring the people in the Western Woods these bags“, Lucy answered.

„And you couldn't have waited for tomorrow?“

Edmund shook his head.
„They need help“, he said.

It came out much weaker than he wanted to. It was almost just a whisper. But he meant it.

The people in the Western Woods were poor, much poorer than any of the people here.
Peter and Susan had planned to bring these bags with food there tomorrow but both Edmund and Lucy couldn't wait.

One of the carriers glided out of his hand and some of the food that was stored in the bags got out.

„I know Ed“, Susan said. „But we would have gone there tomorrow. All together.“

Edmund stared to the ground. He didn't care.
He wanted to help these people!

„How did you even know that we would try?“, Lucy said, dropping her bags on the floor as she gave up.

„I saw your shadows on the walls“, Susan said with a small smile. „You shouldn't play that much with the candle, Lu.“

Edmund sighed. That was it then.
No help tonight.

„You really wanted to sneak out?“, a voice behind Susan asked and Peter came in.

Edmund just stared at him.

„Why couldn't you have waited 'til tomorrow? That would have been so much safer!“, Peter said.

„I don't care about safe!“, Edmund suddenly yelled. „I don't care about going there together! I don't care about tomorrow! But I do care that these people need help and food and hope!
Damn, I wouldn't even care if you didn't understand! But I would go! No, wait, I will go! Right now!“

He started at his siblings in anger and sadness and confusion as he saw Peter and Susan smile at him.

„And how 'bout we all go together now?“, Peter asked.

Edmund stared at his older brother, unable to say a word.

„Really?“, Lucy asked excitedly.
Peter nodded.

„It will be ice cold, we all look like sleep-tired weirdos while wearing our nightgowns and having messy hair, but it will be worth it“, Susan said smiling.

Edmund laughed out loud.

Peter grabbed two of the bags.
„Come on“, he said, walking out of the kitchen.
Susan grabbed another one and walked behind him and Edmund and Lucy looked at each other, not believing how lucky they were.

And all because Susan and Peter had seen their shadows.

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Well, I know that Nina's oneshot is different, but when I wrote it, the prompt was still called Shadows, so, it's not my fault 😂