The Untold Chronicles Book 2: Edmund's Chance (chap 9)

Addy. Bess. One and the same? They technically shared a body, but they acted differently. Addy was the common servant girl - kind and humble. Bess was sure of herself and a little haughty - but that all seemed to be put on to protect a frightened girl. Or was that Addy, frightened to show her true self because she would be found out? Edmund groaned aloud and splashed cold river water on his face.

"Problem, my King?" a nymph said, sitting up out of the water. Why didn't he just become part of the trees or water? Then he wouldn't worry about anything except whether he was alive or not.

"A little - but please, leave me to myself," Edmund said - sounding a little broken.

"I can't Sir."

"Whyever not?"

"I can't. Care to talk? The sooner everything gets out the sooner i leave."

"Look, i've talked with people and they have all taken her side!" Edmund shouted, getting up and kicking a rock over the creek.

"Well maybe i'll end up being an uninvolved third part and stay out of it and offer advice to you and to her."

"Fine. The girl i was supposed to marry was actually pretending to be her dead sister so that her father wouldn't hurt her. I get that. But did she have to lie to me too? I mean, i love her - i mean i loved her - and she said she loved me, but you would have thought that she could have told me sooner!"

"I know you are going to hate me for this, but let's slide you into her shoes. Lie down and close your eyes. i'm going to put you inside her head," the nymph said. Water was placed over Edmund's eyes.

Suddenly he saw flowers. Beautiful ones. Every shade imaginable - pink, blue, black, white, purple, red, orange, green, yellow - everything. He looked around shifitly and felt scared. He picked quite a few before feeling a gaze on his back. He slowly turned around and saw a girl staring at him from the high window. She smiled at him. She was beautiful - one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. He tentitively smiled back before a shout was directed at him. His smile disappeared as he saw Andrew - the head man.

"What do you think you are doing? You were seen by the Queen! You will be put into the star tower after tonight's service!" A slap resounded through the halls. Edmund's face was stinging. He quickly ran toward the room he was to put the flowers in and ran into Matthew.

"I got this for you." Matthew handed him a crust of bread. The smell made Edmund's stomach growl and he ate it quickly.

"Thank you. I'll see you before they put me in the star tower."

"I hope Aslan will save you," Matthew said before allowing Edmund to go into the room. When he entered, he saw the Queen unpacking her suitcase.

"Miss, please, i'll call someone to help you unload your things," Edmund said while aranging the flowers.

"I'd rather you didn't. I like to know where things are and i don't like people waiting on me," she said, her voice as rich as chocolate. Edmund thought he had died and gone to heaven.

"Yes Miss."

"EDMUND!" Andrew roared. Edmund swerved towards the queen.

"Hide me!" he cried. She opened the wardrobe and allowed him in. She lied for him and then let him out. He smiled at her and soon walked down to the servants area to finish getting ready for the big hustle and bustle of a ball.

"So is she as kind as they say she is? Is she beautiful?" Matthew asked, bumping Edmund's shoulder.

"She seems so." After Edmund finished his work, he was taken out to the whipping pole. Lash after lash after lash was laid upon his back.

"Aslan save me!" he cried before melting into the numbing blackness. He barely felt himself being pulled over to a cell and locked in it - the star tower. He looked up and saw the stars.

"My friends, i have missed you," he said, before collapsing into unconsciousness again. He vaguely heard a voice say something. He was picked up and being carried. When his eyes opened, he saw the Queen.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Sh. Forget it all."

"Thank you."

Edmund woke from the reenactment of Addy's rescue.

"I don't want to see anymore," he said with a start. "I get it, her life was horrible. I don't need to know anymore."

"Do you?" the nymph asked. "Lie down once more." Edmund did as he was bade and water was once again placed over his eyes.

"So Edmund, you seem to be in love with the Queen."

"She saved my life. I can't think of anything better."

"Well, what if i told you that i found a way for you to see her again?"

"You would do that?"

"I already have my friend."

"Bring him in," Edmund heard a voice say. He was grabbed and taken in.

"My dear son," the govenor said. "You are being married to a Queen. Remember who you are, Peter."

"Yes sir," Edmund said, dying on the inside. How he missed his brother! That night he snuck away with Matthew.

"Edmund," she said.

"Thank you my lady!" he cried instantly.

"Sh. I know i won't see you soon, but remember this," she said, kissing his lips softly before running out. He felt a longing and emptiness in himself as she left.

"And to think that i am to be married."

"Congratulations!" Missy sang, twirling with him.

"What do you think you are doing?" the govenor asked.

"Congratulation him on his marriage," Matthew said, stepping in by his wife.

"Both of them - gone, dead - now." The govenor had his best friends killed. "Now, off you go to the Queen."

Days passed and he was taught his 'manners'. When he arrived, he was welcomed by a 'High Queen' and was introduced to the family. He recognized one of them before realizing that he was to be married to the Queen! He had to fake everything all the more, now. Over the coming weeks he had become more accustomed to his part and was occasionally letting himself out. Then she told him she loved Peter. It nearly killed him that he couldn't be himself around her so she could love him and not the one she thought he was. The King soon recognized that something was up and called him aside.

"So, Edmund, when are you going to tell my sister?"

"Sir? How did you know?"

"I just did. When are you going to tell her?"

"Soon." A few days went by before Edmund told her. When he did she was furious.

"you lied to me about the thing that is one of the most important in our relationship. Don't you know what this does to me?"

Edmund sat up. "No more."

"Are you sure? See her now," the nymph said, creating a mirror. Edmund looked into it and he saw Addy helping Elizabeth with her birth. Elizabeth looked in great pain. Peter was outside of the room, pacing the floor. He sat down and stood up again - trying to calm his nerves.

"Who are you?" Edmund asked, looking at the nymph.

"Everyone and no one. Someone you have met and someone you have never seen." The nymph looked into his eyes and smiled. Edmund swore when she laughed that he heard Aslan.

"Go help your love, Edmund. Let her know that she isn't alone in lying - and that all can be forgiven."