(R/1)! Peter! (R/1)! Peter!

"Peter," Edmund says again.

"(R/1)." Peter mumbles, his eyes still closed as he lays beside his brother in his bed.

Edmund was woken up to the sound of his brother's voice. He had originally thought that someone else was in the room, but when he sat up to look he found that his brother was talking in his sleep. And he was saying (R/1)'s name.

"Peter." Edmund hits his brother on the chest.

"What?" Peter suddenly gasps, his head rising as he begins to wake up. "What is it?"

Peter glares at his younger brother when he realizes that it was he who woke him up.

"You were dreaming. You said (R/1)." Edmund explains.

"What?" Peter asks.

"You said (R/1)."

"I said (R/1)?"

"Yes."

"No."

"I swear." Edmund presses, "What were you dreaming about?"

There's a moment of silence as Peter's eyebrows twitch very slightly. He stares at his brother who is watching him intently, and he runs his hand through his hair.

"Nothing." Peter lies, "Nothing. Go back to sleep."

Peter turns over to rest his head on the pillow once more.

"It's morning." Edmund says.

Peter's shoulders stiffen and then he sits up, looking behind his brother towards the window and notices the sunlight streaming in. Edmund pays no attention to his brother's confused expression, but more so to what he finds on Peter's pillow. Edmund picks up the wildflower and holds it so that the two of them can see it.

"What's that?" Peter asks after a moment.

"It's a flower." Edmund says.

Suddenly Peter is pushing the sheets off of his body and he runs over to Edmund's door, swinging it open and looking down at the ground. Nothing is sitting in front of him until he remembers that he had put the book back at (R/1)'s door-- which was still his-- and he looks down the hallway to see it there where he had left it.

xxx

A little later in the morning when Peter had gotten his barrings, he ran out into the courtyard when he heard (R/2)'s voice. His siblings watched as he raced outside, never having seen Peter be that excited to see (R/2) before.

"(R/2)!" Peter shouts, "Look at you; you look wonderful!"

She smiles slightly but holds the same confused expression as the Pevensie siblings had before.

"Gorgeous, give me a hug," Peter says, wrapping his arms around her.

Now she couldn't help but laugh. Nevertheless, she hugs him back. 

"Peter, are you alright?" (R/2) asks, pulling back to look at him.

"Am I alright?" Peter asks, "Of course."

He leans forward and kisses (R/2) on the lips, moving her around slightly so that he is facing the doorway. This was because his eyes were still open and he was looking to see if (R/1) was watching them. When he fails to find her, he pulls back and brings (R/2) inside the castle. There he finds (R/1) waiting awkwardly by the door. She must have seen us.

"(R/1), this is (R/2)." Peter smiles, "(R/2), this is (R/1)."

(R/1) smiles slowly and greets (R/2) with a friendly handshake. (R/2) begins to talk to her, but (R/1) isn't focusing on what she is saying. Her thoughts are too busy on seeing Peter kiss her so passionately just before.

xxx

They had all ridden horses down an abandoned path to reach the river stream. 'They' was the Pevensie's and (R/2), (R/1), and Caspian. It was the day that Peter had suggested for them to go for a picnic, which is why (R/2) had come to the castle so early in the morning. But as they rode their horses, Peter couldn't help but stare at (R/1) and picture the two of them riding up hills like in the story he had read last night.

When they found the perfect place for them all to set up the picnic, all got comfortable on the grass. But slowly conversation died down and when all the food was eaten, (R/1) had gotten up to admire the river. So now Caspian, Susan, Lucy, and (R/2) watch as both Peter and Edmund are staring in (R/1)'s direction.

After a moment of no one moving, Susan sighs.

"Why don't you go and talk to her, Edmund?" She says.

Her brother turns around to face her.

"What about?" He asks.

"Anything. It doesn't matter." (R/2) smiles.

Edmund looks over at her and finds himself smiling back. 

"Go on." Peter says, nudging his brother with his foot.

"Yes, Edmund." Lucy encourages.

Edmund looks down at the grass for a moment and then he stands up and wipes his trousers. He hesitates a second more before walking over to where (R/1) is standing.

"Let's pray for the lad." Caspian says, taking a bite out of an apple.

Susan gently hits him on the arm.

"I know she's probably fallen in love with you over the sketch, Peter." (R/2) says to the blonde Pevensie, but he doesn't seem to be listening. "Peter."

"Hmm?" He asks, turning to face her.

"Tell me you're not falling in love with her."

"That's ridiculous, (R/2). How can that be?"

Peter shakes his head and looks back over at (R/1) and Edmund standing by the river.

"I don't know, Peter. You tell me." (R/2) says, but again she gets no response.

(R/1) was looking at Edmund, but neither of them was talking. She tries to imagine Edmund standing beside her at the altar instead of Peter, but finds it hard to do so.

"It's beautiful." She finally says, looking back out at the river.

"Ah, yes. Yes." Edmund nods, waving his hands around to gesture how large the river is.

A bird flies past them and squawks loudly, making them both look up to watch it land on a tree branch.

"Yes..." Edmund says quietly.

(R/1) watches the bird a little longer than him and Edmund swallows thickly. He's never been very good at speaking to women, especially if it was implied that he was to lead the conversation. He's a fantastic public speaker, however. If ever the need to drive a speech to an army of knights or threaten a platoon of enemies, Edmund was more than fit for the job. But never speaking to women. The only women he's ever been comfortable speaking to are his sisters and (R/2). But he and (R/2) could always talk for hours.

"I've heard about squirrels." (R/1) speaks, looking over at Edmund, "Have you ever seen a squirrel?"

"Yes." Edmund nods, "We ran over one in England, once."

He slaps his hands together when he mentions what happened. 

"Many of them are small." Edmund explains, "Although there is a large black one. Largest squirrel in the world. I've heard that they can give you Lyme Disease. They can be highly dangerous to humans."

Crickets take their place as (R/1)'s reply.

"He's talking to her." (R/2) smiles, watching Edmund and (R/1).

"I wonder what he's saying," Peter says quietly.

(R/2) looks over at him, waiting for him to realize what he said and say something else. But he doesn't. He just continues to look at (R/1).

"There are red squirrels, black squirrels, brown squirrels." Edmund continues, counting each color of squirrel on his fingers, "Even ones that talk."

"Talk?" (R/1) asks.

"Yes, talking animals are native to Narnia. And a lot of them are trained in combat. Caspian was attacked by a mouse when he first came here."

"Attacked?"

"Oh yes."

Edmund continues to talk about animals that can sword fight to (R/1), not noticing how she is becoming more and more afraid. She doesn't have talking or fighting animals where she grew up.

"He's fighting with her," Peter says, noticing how Edmund is throwing fists at the air. "He needs rescuing."

"He's doing fine," Susan says.

But Peter is already standing up and walking over to the two at the river. Susan sighs and shakes her head.

"I wonder if there are any fish in the river!" Peter calls out, nearing Edmund and (R/1). "There must be. Where there's water, there's fish."

Peter throws his arm around Edmund's shoulder and pulls him to the side with their backs facing (R/1).

"What were you talking about?" Peter asks him quietly.

"Squirrels." Edmund says.

"Squirrels, good."

"I think she wants to see a squirrel."

"Good, just don't rush things."

"No, of course not." Edmund shakes his head, wondering why his brother thinks so.

"You know the old saying; he who goes slow goes far." Peter continues.

"Um, yes. Of course."

"What was this?" Peter asks, raising a low fist.

"Reepicheep." Edmund explains.

"Reepicheep?"

Peter smiles slightly and then hits his fist into Edmund's stomach playfully. Edmund nods and then hits Peter back. (R/1) notices the two of them beginning to fight and walks away from the river. The two brothers watch her leave, but Peter watches longer than Edmund. Edmund chuckles and hits the back of Peter's head.

"Peter, come on." He says.

"Hey!" Peter shouts.

Edmund laughs and then Peter runs for his brother, almost falling into the river as Edmund steps to the side. Susan and Lucy roll their eyes at watching their brothers trying to impress (R/1), which has failed as she is now sitting back down with them.

"I met them not long after they came to Narnia." (R/2) says to (R/1), "My father and Peter are friends. He helps them with battle strategies. Edmund and Peter always were there together. I can't imagine anything ever coming between them."

"You didn't know them before Narnia." Lucy sighs.

Susan and Caspian chuckle.

"I don't have a brother or a sister." (R/2) explains, "And being with them, with you all, always made me wish I did."

"I know how you feel." Caspian smiles.

(R/1) listened to everything that (R/2) had just said, but she is still looking over at Peter and Edmund as they playfully fight by the river. (R/2) notices and says her name to gain her attention.

"I can only imagine how difficult this is for you." She says, "But Peter and Edmund, they're alike in so many ways. In other ways, they're not. Sometimes I wish that Peter was more like Edmund; so sincere and caring. And Peter is... Peter. That's who he is."

Susan, Lucy, and Caspian nod in agreement.

"Peter says he loves me, but Edmund always comes first." (R/2) says, mostly to (R/1).

"Peter told me you two are engaged." (R/1) finally says.

(R/2) turns to look at her.

"He did, did he?" She asks.

"Yes. He said he loves you very much."

Peter and Edmund walk back over to everyone sitting in the grass, both looking a bit exhausted from their playful spar. 

"Let's go and find a squirrel." Edmund says.

"A squirrel?" Caspian asks.

"Where are you going to find a squirrel?" Peter asks, walking up from behind Edmund.

"(R/1) has never seen one." Edmund says again.

"That doesn't mean you'll find one."

"Honestly, Peter." Susan rolls her eyes.

"What?" He shrugs his shoulders.

"Edmund, you and (R/1) go." (R/2) says, "The rest of us will head back to Cair Paravel. Alright, Peter?"

Peter looks over at (R/2) and nods, tucking his tunic back into his trousers.

xxx

"The squirrels around here aren't that big," Edmund says, walking ahead of (R/1) up the slanted hill.

(R/1) would be tired if she was not already used to walking up hills, but Edmund was a much faster walker than her and she was struggling to keep up with him.

"It's the wolves you have to worry about." 

"Wolves?" (R/1) asks, looking up at the back of Edmund's head.

"The wolves in Narnia are deadly." He says, "I know from experience. There are black wolves, brown wolves, white wolves. There are lots and lots of wolves."

With his back facing her, Edmund cannot see how (R/1)'s face twists into a fearful expression. Are the wolves able to talk as well? Do they also fight? Will they try to fight me? (R/1)'s mind gets filled with troublesome thoughts. Whereas Edmund is delighted as can be, thinking that he might be impressing her with all his facts.

When they reach the top of the hill, they are standing in front of a large open field. The stalks of grass are very tall, with many of them reaching Edmund's chest. As they walk through the field, Edmund suddenly stops and points over to a tree where he can see a squirrel perched on a branch. (R/1) follows his finger and sees the squirrel, suddenly becoming less afraid.

The more that (R/1) looks at the squirrel, the more of the fear leave her. She smiles as she looks at the little woodland creature. If only her family could be here with her. She knows that her brothers and sisters would love to see a squirrel. Then, out of nowhere, a hand touches her shoulder and she jumps; shrieking at the contact.

Edmund jumps back just as she did with his hands raised in the air. (R/1) looks at him for a moment before turning and notices that the squirrel has run away from the noise. She looks back over at him and sees that he's fiddling with his hands.

"I'm sorry." He says, "I didn't mean to scare you."

He was just trying the technique Peter had told him about before (R/1) arrived here. How easy it is to place your hand on a woman's shoulder is all talk, Edmund realizes. You have to make sure that the woman is comfortable. You have to ask the woman if she is okay with you having your hand placed on her shoulder.

"Edmund." (R/1) says, stepping closer to him.

"Yes, (R/1)?" Edmund asks.

"I wish I could love you."

Those words tore through Edmund's heart, but surprisingly he didn't feel any pain. He didn't feel surprised.

"In the same way you love, Peter?" Edmund finds himself asking.

"I grew to know Peter and to love him." (R/1) explains. "But he loves (R/2) and she loves him. Maybe it wasn't meant to be."

Don't get sad, (R/1). Edmund hates it when (R/1) feels sad. He hates how he is always the reason behind her being sad. Why can't he ever make her happy for once? Maybe talking to women isn't as hard as he thinks it is. You just have to have the right partner and the right attitude. Right now, Edmund's attitude is to make (R/1) feel better. For her not to feel so alone.

"Love is a mystery to me." Edmund says, stepping forward also, "There is so little I know about it. So much more I don't understand. But the strangest thing happened, (R/1). When I woke up this morning there was a flower on the bed, a wildflower. And Peter was talking in his sleep."

(R/1) finds herself not being uncomfortable by how close she and Edmund are. Her heart beats faster at the words Edmund says, wondering if the flower he is referring to is the same one she had put in her book. The same one she saw Peter with last night as he read their story.

"He was saying your name." Edmund continues, "If he said it once, he said it three or four times. He was dreaming about you, (R/1). Which makes me wonder, if you dream about someone-- not all the time, but sometimes-- if you dream about them, does that mean you love them?"

Edmund has never seen his brother fall in love. He has never heard his brother speak of a woman's name in his sleep or talk about her as if he wasn't affected by any of the words she would say. He can tell that his brother is slowly falling in love with (R/1), and he doesn't mind. He wants his brother to be happy, just as much as he wants (R/2) to be happy.

And maybe when this is all sorted out, she will be. Because Edmund has dreamt of her more than once before.