Chapter Text
The snow in Narnia was nothing better than a discomfort at the best of times, and terrifying reminder at the worst. Though Edmund saw many winters as King, he’d been away for too long, and seeing the White Witch again in the way that he had just made the fresh snowfall on Cair Paravel a waking nightmare.
He could distract himself long enough to enjoy watching Lucy having fun, though. Edmund would smile as he watched Lucy play with people and animals that he could have sworn he’d never seen before, never mind known their names. He found himself thinking once, that Lucy could befriend anything, even a tree, before remembering that this was in fact something that she had been known to do.
It didn’t stop him flinching every time there was a snowfall, though. He knew that Lucy had noticed it, and he knew that she had known why. It was a surprise, however, when Caspian brought it up over supper one night.
Edmund appreciated that the King had waited until they were alone to ask. He could hear Peter in the back of his mind whilst Caspian listened to him, that Caspian was a good king and a better man. He was kind and understanding, and he ruled the same way.
Edmund was envious of it sometimes, but never really. Caspian was good, and just, and Aslan had selected him to lead the Narnians. For that, Edmund was eternally grateful.
“My advisors have afforded me a day off tomorrow,” Caspian began again after their conversation had dwindled and Edmund relaxed, having nothing else to say. He watched as the King’s fingers circled the ring of his empty mug, and followed that gaze up to where he saw Caspian looking absent-mindedly to the fire. “Perhaps a trip into the woods with me will be a welcome distraction.”
Caspian tilted his head lazily to look back at Edmund, offering him a smile. Edmund could only smile back, the weight of holding in his fear alleviated enough for him to relax. He knew a little about facing your fears to calm them, and Caspian made it sound so easy. So he bid the King goodnight, and found himself, for the first time since the snow began to fall in Narnia, looking forward to the day ahead.
It certainly was a distraction, and almost as easy as breathing to get caught up in trying to follow Caspian through the trees. Edmund didn’t care much for the hunt itself but the cool air was refreshing and he had been in dire need of the exercise. It was worth it to hear Caspian cursing as he lost the stags in the snow, or as he realised the tracks they were following were their own. Edmund would have material to tease him with for weeks. And the scowl Caspian would shoot back his way when he heard Edmund laughing was priceless.
By the time Caspian decided they were done Edmund could tell that they were both as exhausted as each other. Caspian set a steady pace to head back to the castle to find their way back through the trees before it started to get dark.
They trotted quietly. Edmund allowed himself to get used to the sound of the snow crunching under their horses hooves.
“Edmund, I have a favour to ask.”
His own nervousness at being out in the snow had offset his ability to pick up on Caspian’s. It wasn’t an odd request, but the tone in which it was uttered was unmistakably serious. Edmund didn’t think he reacted poorly, or suddenly, but felt himself fall out of rhythm with his horse, gripping tighter at the reigns to regain his balance.
If Caspian noticed, he didn’t mention it.
“Oh?” he replied dumbly. He had spent too long working himself into a stupor over the promise of a question.
Caspian unexpectedly responded with a laugh. “I can hear the little gears whirring in your mind from here, Edmund,” he smiled, “do not be so worried, this can be a fun thing, I promise.”
It should have calmed him down, but he could only feel the little gears, as Caspian had called them, whirring faster and louder.
Caspian slowed them down to a walk.
“You worry too much your majesty,” Caspian smiled and Edmund could imagine him slapping his hand on Edmund’s shoulder, a feeling he’d come to associate with Caspian’s joviality at his expense. “I may have to ask you to give up your Christmas for me, however,” Caspian trailed off.
It was probably a good use of phrase on Caspian’s part. Edmund’s confusion got the better of the worried thoughts clouding his head and he slowed them both down to a stop.
“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”
Caspian didn’t meet Edmund’s eye as they stopped, choosing to look off into the distance. ‘How valiant,’ Edmund caught himself thinking, and ‘bloody pretentious.’ But couldn’t help reminding himself how well kingship suited Caspian, the same way it did Peter.
“Unless it has somehow escaped your notice, Edmund, you will be aware that I remain unwed.”
Edmund raised his eyebrows at this, not that Caspian could see him. Could probably hear him though, Edmund was nothing if not a little predictable at the best of times, and Caspian knew him like the back of his own hand.
Of course it hadn’t escaped Edmund’s notice, if he were wed perhaps the ladies of the court would stop their fawning and giggling. Instead, he opted for teasing, “You aren’t? I would have thought that surely the looks that you and Ramandu’s daughter were giving each other in the months past would have constituted marriage in any civilised society.”
Caspian was still looking off into the mid-distance, in the direction of the setting sun, framing his hair to have a subtle glow at the edges. He and the star would probably make a good couple, Edmund thought. Though they’d have to sail back to Ramandu’s Island and with all the work that had to be completed in Narnia, it could be months before Caspian was permitted to leave.
Edmund was smiling when Caspian looked back at him with a scowl.
“You’re funny, but you well know that she and I are not married, and my court are increasingly aware of it also.”
“You can’t be proposing to sail back to the Island can you? As much as I would enjoy a Christmas round trip in the Dawn Treader, we can hardly leave anyone else in charge for such an extended period.”
“Actually,” Caspian said, slower and more deliberately this time, “My plan is a little more convoluted than that.”
“You mean to sneak away? To find some-“
“Edmund,” Caspian cut him off. His eyes seemed darker than usual, his smile softer. “Ramandu’s daughter is lovely but we had not even met for more than a week.” Caspian motioned for the pair of them to resume their trot as he spoke. “Although I know it is my duty to marry and provide both stability and an heir, I also wish to marry for love, and for that I need more time.”
Edmund let his confusion consume him wholly this time, leaning silently in to what else Caspian had to say.
“However, if my advisors see me alone again at all of the upcoming festive ceremonies, feasts, and dances, I doubt I will have such time on my hands.”
Caspian turned his head to see Edmund nodding slowly, and Edmund watched as Caspian turned back to face forwards and laugh under his breath. Edmund knew what Caspian was saying, the King’s advisors would start to bring suitors before him almost constantly. It would barely give him enough time to rule, never mind to actually find someone he should want to fall in love with. It had been the same with Peter. Except, Edmund thought that all four of them knew somewhere that it wasn’t their destiny to find love and produce heirs for Narnia. He could only imagine how difficult it would be for a King like Caspian.
“You understand what I’m saying, Edmund?”
Edmund hesitated slightly, before responding, “Yes, you cannot be publicly seen alone during the festivities, I understand.”
I was now Caspian’s turn to nod slowly, in almost understanding.
“So either, you need to run as far from your duties as you can,” Edmund offered, smiling. This time Caspian laughed fully, enchanted with the idea of running away.
“What a delight that should be! I suppose we let the beavers handle our finances,” he grinned back.
Edmund wound his hands tighter in his reins but loosened his grip, relaxing his shoulders as he caught up to the king, “of course not!” He exclaimed. “The centaurs should handle the finances, surely you need the beavers free to give your Christmas address!”
Caspian smiled back at him, widely and genuinely. It left Edmund warm.
As Caspian turned away from him to face back to their route home, he spoke again, “And what is your other solution, Edmund.”
Edmund took the time to slow his thoughts, “Or…” He trailed off.
Caspian turned and raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.
“Or you find a way to make them believe you are romantically predisposed. You make them believe that it isn’t an issue.”
Caspian turned away from Edmund, seemingly satisfied with his answer. “Your analytical and problem-solving skills never cease to amaze me your majesty.”
Edmund rolled his eyes, but smiled at the sarcasm. It seemed like a simple enough solution. “So how does this involve me, what’s the favour?”
He watched as Caspian appeared to move to stop, but picked up the pace ever so slightly, so that Edmund trailed behind him. “Is it not obvious?” Caspian asked.
Edmund nodded again, “You need my help convincing your advisors that Lucy is your bride?” He asked tentatively.
Bowing his head, Caspian had to bite back a laugh. He slowed and felt his horse fall back into step with Edmund’s.
“Lucy is…” Caspian started, tilting his head slightly to the side in search of the right words, “Lucy is young, and she has a tendency to giggle, and you know as well as I do that she doesn’t seem to be capable of keeping things that excite her to herself. The court would never believe it.”
Edmund had to smile to himself a little at that. He loved Lucy, but Caspian was right, she wouldn’t be believable for a second as in love with Caspian they way that they needed her to be. And he was right about her age too, she was barely two years young than him, but she had a joyous youth to her that seemed to have been lost on Edmund.
But then it dawned on him what Caspian was suggesting.
Edmund began to splutter out some kind of question but for once in his life words seemed to fail him.
“Figured it out have we?” Caspian laughed, enjoying the brief moment of Edmund being completely taken aback.
It didn’t take long for Edmund to regain composure, firing back, “And how would this be more believable that you being with Lucy?”
“Easily! You’re a king, we spent time out here hunting alone, not to mention the time we spent together on the Dawn Treader. We dance together once at a celebration and allow the court to draw their own conclusions.”
“What? And then they just leave you alone?”
“Well if your reaction is anything to go by, they might be too stunned to line up a suitor for me for at least a week, maybe it will give me more time to prepare myself for it.”
Caspian was still laughing, and Edmund was still struggling for words, or excuses. He had been so caught off guard that he hadn’t even considered the reality of what it meant.
“I did say it could be fun,” Caspian continued. “We-“ he cut himself off, looking back at Edmund, his eyes now wide, “Oh pull your mind out of the gutter Edmund,” Caspian laughed at him. He turned to face ahead of him again, slowing down with the knowledge that they would be nearing the castle soon. “All I’m saying is that we could have fun with it, our own inside joke, it might cheer you up something to know that we were making fools of the court.”
Edmund realised with a start that he was blushing furiously, his cheeks heating up the chill in the air around them a few degrees at the least.
They neared the castle slowly, and as they saw the guards come into view, Caspian turned to him and spoke finally in a hushed voice.
“Just think about it, okay? You’d be doing me a favour I could never repay enough, but I know that you understand that I need this.”
Edmund nodded silently, trying to shake off the intensity of Caspian’s gaze.
“The first winter feast is in a week, please just tell me that you’ll think about it.”
Biting his tongue, Edmund found himself attempting to return Caspian’s stare. The King’s eyes were pleading in a way that Edmund did not recognise, and he found himself noticing the pattern of his own breathing.
He nodded again, and watched as Caspian’s shoulders let out the tension that they had been holding slightly.
He attempted to return to the jovial tone that they’d had for much of the day, but found himself hearing a shaky voice returning, “No promises, though.” He thought that he’d tried to smile too, but Caspian’s face was emotional, and Edmund couldn’t help but think a silent prayer to ease the tension.
Caspian dismounted and turned to leave Edmund alone, leaving Edmund with the horses and ‘thank you’ from Caspian more sincere than he could believe.