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Prompt -Miss
Title: A Butterfly Without Her Wings\Her smile isn’t as bright as it once was.
She doesn’t laugh the way she used to.
Her eyes look darker, not as full of life.
She seems…sad.
She’s certainly not herself anymore.
At least not the person we once knew, the queen we once knew.
Sure, she’s still gentle, loving and caring. I can tell that she means it when she asks me how I am.
But it’s almost like something is missing.
A piece of her is lost, and I’m not sure if it will ever be found.
What’s scarier is that I’m not sure if she wants it to be.
Like a butterfly without her wings.
A head without a heart.
A bow without an arrow.
She’s a queen without a crown.
I’m not sure how to get her back.
I don’t know why she’s gone, or where she’s gone.
All I know is that I miss my sister and I want her back.
But she’s gone to a place I can’t reach.
She’s climbed a mountain I’ll never reach the top of.
I’m not sure she will either…
Lucy shut her diary and picked one of the sunflowers, running her fingers over the petals gently. She looked up at the sky, seeing the bright sun, Aslan’s words echoing in her mind.
To the radiant Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan The Gentle
“Please, Jesus, bring my sister back to me, to us.” She prayed. “Most importantly, bring her back to you.”
Prompt - Note
Title: Proud
“Well, did he leave a note?”
“I can’t find one!”
Peter threw everything on the table around, searching for anything that might give him a clue.
“There’s nothing in your room either!” Susan called, running down the stairs.
“So, what he just…just left?” Peter said.
“Mum’s gonna be so upset.”
“No, no she’s not.” Peter turned determinedly to his sister. “She’s not because we’re gonna find him.”
“Do you have any idea where he could be?”
Peter shook his head, trying to wrack his brain. That’s when he remembered something. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
Peter garbabed his jacket. “I might know where he is. Just watch Lucy.”
He slammed the door behind him, not awaiting a response. Peter sprinted down the road, trying to get to his destination as quickly as possible.
He arrived at a small river about four blocks from their house and almost started crying when he saw Edmund sitting on the bench there.
He ran over, sitting next to him, engulfing his brother in a hug.
“What are you doing?” Edmund questioned, pushing him off. “Why didn’t you tell us where you were going, Ed? We were so worried.”
Edmund looked at the ground. “Sorry. I just…” He sighed and looked out at the lake. “I was really missing dad.”
Peter sighed, sitting next to his brother. “I know. I noticed last night when you were reading that letter from him and sniffling. That’s how I knew where to find you.”
“He brought me here all the time. We’d talk and have picnics, swim in the summertime. It would always make me feel better after a long day.”
“I miss him too.” Peter sighed. “You know, he told me to look after you all.”
“Really?”
Peter nodded. “I’m afraid I’m not doing a good job every day.”
Edmund was silent for so long Peter thought he wouldn’t respond. “You are.”
Peter whipped his around, surprised. “You really think so?”
“Yeah. Dad would be proud.”
“Thanks, Ed.” He smiled. “He’d be proud of you too.”
Edmund smiled, wrapping his brother in a hug.
Peter was slightly surprised, but hugged his brother back. He hadn’t been the most affectionate lately.
They smiled at each other as they pulled apart.
“Now, what do you say we head home? Susan and Lucy are worried.”
Edmund nodded, standing and following Peter from the small river.
“How does some of Susan’s homemade hot chocolate sound?” Peter asked.
Edmund smiled, breath fogging up the air. “That sounds perfect.”
Prompt - Follow
Title: Lost, Lonely and Looking for Love
“Don’t do this, Susan.”
“Ed—”
“Please, please come with us.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. I don’t think this is right.”
“But we miss you! I miss you.”
She sighed, pausing from where she was packing her bag. “I miss you too, Eddie. But…this is a game. It’s not real life, why don’t you understand that? We’re too old for games. Even Lucy is. Now you’ve dragged Aunt Polly and Uncle Digory into it. Eustace and his friend Jill? I just don’t understand any of it.”
“That’s why you’re coming. So you can understand it. So you can come home again.”
Susan shook her head. “I don’t know what that even means. You’re only proving my point. This is why I can’t go.”
“Susan.” Edmund’s voice was high, desperate, Susan wasn’t sure she’d ever heard him use that tone before. “Please.”
She zipped up her suitcase, throwing it over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ed. I’m going to visit the beach with my friends. I left the phone number on the fridge. I’ll call Saturday night.” She pretended not to notice the tears in her little brother’s eyes. “I love you.” She kissed his cheek, before leaving the room.
Edmund watched her go, the tears falling from his eyes.
He saw himself when he looked at her, well his old self.
Lost, lonely, looking for love. Susan was so loved, she just wouldn’t accept any of it. Wouldn’t admit the truth.
It broke Edmund’s heart in a way he could hardly put into words. He looked at her and wondered what would have happened to him if Aslan never showed him the light all those years ago.
Would he show Susan the light? Would she accept it if he did?
Or would Susan spend forever in a place where the people who loved her most could not follow?
Prompt - Broken
Title: Not Worth it
“Why’d you follow me?”
“You’re upset.”
“Maybe I wanted to be alone.”
“I’ll be alone with you.”
“I don’t want you to be!” Edmund turned around abruptly, anger lacing his voice.
“Why? Ed, what’s wrong? You’ve been so quiet and closed off lately. I’m just worried about you.”
“You shouldn’t be.”
“What?”
“You shouldn’t be!” He yelled. “I’m not worth it.”
“Not worth it?” Peter questioned. “What do you mean, not worth it?”
Edmund let out a shaky breath. “All the things I’ve done, the mistakes I’ve made. I can’t understand why anyone would want to even know me, let alone care about me.”
“Oh, Ed. We’ve always loved you. None of those things matter to your family. We all forgave you.”
“Maybe I haven’t.” He whispered, sitting beneath a tree.
Peter joined him. “Well, that’s okay. It just might take some time. Forgiveness isn’t always easy.”
“I feel like—like I’m broken. I’m broken and I can’t ever be fixed.”
“Do you remember what grandad used to say about things that were broken?”
Edmund smiled fondly. “He said he could fix anything but the break of day and a broken heart.”
Peter nodded. “Nothing is too broken to be fixed. Not even you. I understand feeling like that, I have too before. When we first got to Narnia.”
“Really?”
“Well, I lost you within an hour. Lucy almost drowned, Susan and Lucy nearly got eaten by wolves. Then they all kept saying I was a king! I barely managed to keep you lot alive for a few days. I didn’t know how I could be in charge of a whole country.”
“What changed?”
“Aslan helped me a lot.”
“Me too. But, knowing what he did, and what he does. I mean, I know he’s always taking care of me. But it doesn’t always feel that way. Sometimes I just wonder where he is all in this…this pain and hardship.”
“I get that. I always wonder why he left so soon after making me king. Why couldn't he help me out? At least at first.”
“You have an answer now?”
“I think we’re both stronger than we know. And we have each other. I’m here for you, Ed. If you feel broken I’ll do whatever I can to help you not feel that way. I think talking about it helps too.”
“You’re right.” Edmund nodded. “I actually think talking about it helped, even if it’s not all magically gone, I feel lighter.”
“Good.” Peter smiled. “I’m always here. I’m sure Susan and Lucy are too. I really love you.”
Edmund smiled, looking up at the stars. “Thanks. I love you too, Pete.”
Prompt - Stone
Title: His Whole Heart
Peter always fit his namesake.
He was strong, in more ways than one.
He could wield a sword and shield, he was good in a fight.
He’d fought all sorts of monsters.
Dragons and giants and witches and werewolves, and more.
But the real battles he faced weren’t on a battlefield.
It was protecting his family. Making sure they were happy, healthy, safe, and loved. Fixing it whenever they weren’t.
As the eldest, he was always meant to take care of them. To protect them. He also promised his dad he would, and he’d die before breaking that promise.
When it came to the people he loved, he was unmovable, like a stone. He protected his family, and his country with his life. And that was never going to change.
He figured his father never thought he would be protecting his siblings from a witch who set off an eternal winter, but alas he would do his very best to protect them from anything and everything.
Strong. Solid. Protector. Unmovable. Shaped for a purpose.
Peter always knew he was here to protect his family.
He was a king, in charge of a country. That country held his heart, and he would rule with great strength and courage.
But Susan, Edmund, Lucy. That was his whole world, his whole heart. They had been since the day he became a big brother when Susan was born. And nothing in the world would ever change that.
Prompt - Gold
Title: Nothing Gold Can Stay
“Hurry up, we'll miss it!”
“We’re hurrying, Lu, slow down.” Peter called, trying to catch up with his sister.
She put the blanket on the sand, sitting down and looking back at her siblings. “Come on!”
Peter sat down next to her. “We have plenty of time, don’t worry.”
“It’s starting now, though. Sit down Edmund, Susan!”
Edmund yawned, lying on his stomach and looking up at the sky. “Why is the sunrise always so early?”
“Here, Edmund, eat an apple.”
He gratefully took the apple from Susan, wasting no time and digging in immediately. If he had to wake up this early then food was certainly well deserved.
Susan unpacked the picnic basket and Peter passed everything out. Edmund laid quietly and enjoyed his apple.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Lucy’s voice was quiet, all her siblings looked up at the sky.
The sky was a beautiful mixture of yellow and orange, silver, gold, and pink. It was truly a remarkable sight.
“Wow.” Edmund dropped his apple, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.”
“I really need to take the time to do this more.” Susan said, a smile gracing her lips as she laid on her side.
Peter put an arm around his sister, both of them looking up at the sky. “Shame it can’t stay like that forever.”
“Nothing gold can stay.”
“Huh?” Peter looked down at her.
“Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.”
“Did you write that?”
Lucy shook her head. “It’s a poem by Robert Frost. I read it in a poetry book. I always loved it.”
“It’s beautiful.” Peter said, smiling down at her.
“I thought so too. That’s how I always remembered it.”
Peter looked around at his siblings, thinking about the poem. Maybe nothing gold can stay, like the sunset or the sunrise, and this moment would end. This moment of their family laying and laughing together, just enjoying each other’s company. But not really, because Peter knew it was a moment he would never forget. Every part of this moment would live on forever.
Maybe some things could Stay Gold.
Prompt - Need
Title: Bleeding Out
“We need Lucy’s cordial.”
“I-I’m fine.” Edmund coughed, hissing as Peter applied pressure to the wound.
“Sorry. You’re bleeding out, Edmund.”
“Peter Pevensie the optimist.”
Peter rolled his eyes. “Can you make it back to Cair?”
“How far are we?”
“A couple miles.”
“I guess I gotta try.”
Peter was very worried, Edmund was already pale and losing blood quickly, but they didn’t really have much of a choice.
So they wrapped the leg wound as best they could and began walking.
By the time they were at the last half mile Edmund had to lean against Peter for support, his brother supporting most of his weight.
“I can see the flag, Ed. We’re so close. Just hang on a little longer.
It took all of Edmund’s strength to put one foot in front of the other. “I’m sleepy.”
“No, you can’t sleep. We’re almost there and you’re gonna be just fine.”
Edmund coughed, before he completely fell from Peter’s grip, landing on the ground. “Edmund!”
Peter knelt down next to him, noticing that his entire trouser leg was crimson instead of tan. He’d lost way too much blood.
“Edmund, Edmund wake up!” When his brother remained still, Peter’s heart dropped to his knees. They were here, it couldn’t be too late. He had to do something.
“Peter! Edmund!”
Peter whipped his head around, almost sobbing when he saw Lucy running towards them, worry lines prominent on her face.
“What happened?” She dropped to her knees beside Peter.
“Do you have your cordial? Hurry, he’s bleeding out!”
Lucy took the bottle out of her belt and poured a drop between her brother’s lips.
She grabbed Peter’s hand, and he squeezed it tight, both watching Edmund with bated breath.
It felt like forever, but was probably about twenty seconds later when Edmund opened his eyes.
Lucy gave Peter a hug, smiling brightly. Peter put an arm around her and squeezed her shoulder, feeling so grateful.
“Did we make it home?”
Peter snorted. “To the courtyard. You couldn’t make it a little further?” He raised an eyebrow.
Edmund smirked. “I walked two miles while bleeding, I think I deserve some credit.”
Peter squeezed his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
“Me too.” He smiled, turning to his sister. “Thanks, Lu.”
She leaned down and kissed his head. “You’re welcome.”