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Post by Edmund on Feb 23, 2009 19:46:14 GMT -4
It had been one of the longest years of his entire life. Being a prisoner to Lamont and Cotnar all of this time hadn't done wonders for the young King, and that much was obvious. But they had been careless. And because of that, Edmund had been able to plan and carry out his escape. It hadn't been wonderful or anything, but he had slipped away unnoticed because of his practiced silence. Edmund had seen better days, but what would one expect from being in a cell for an entire year? His wrist had been broken recently, and they had given him a make shift splint to keep it from really going out of place, but he needed a real healer, and a real treatment. His face held multiple bruises from being tortured for more information which would allow them to gain access to the Keep. But Edmund had refused. He wouldn't give up his family in that fashion. The young man was ready to leave this place now though, and that much was obvious as he used the last remaining strength he possessed.
Pushing himself to his feet, he used one of the small pieces of bone from a long since dead rat in the straw, and picked the locks of the shackles around his wrists and his ankles. They had rubbed his skin raw, but he didn't care. He was getting out of here in the dead of the night, especially since the assigned guard always fell into the deepest sleeps. And Edmund had tested that out multiple times by yelling and throwing things at him in the past. He knew he would go undetected. Once he had freed himself from his binds, he crouched forward and reached the distance between himself and the guard's belt. Working the keys off of his belt, he found the one to his cell and soon unlocked it easily. Once he had freed himself, and put the keys back on the other side of the sleeping guard's belt, which made it look like there was no possible way he could have reached them, and then hid the rat bone he used to unlock himself. Edmund didn't waste anytime then. He made his way down to where they had their horses tied, and stole a hardy chestnut mare who looked pleasant enough. Pulling himself onto her back took a lot of effort, but he had her galloping forward without a moment's hesitation. It took him a while, simply because he had to slow her down to give her a beak at times. But once he reached the Keep, he pulled her up at the gates. But the guards wouldn't open it. They simply didn't believe that King Edmund had returned after all of this time. They had believed him to be dead. "Open the gates or get Caspian! I am who I say I am!" He yelled out, but they didn't listen. One went to fetch Caspian, and relayed the message to the King.
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 23, 2009 20:00:11 GMT -4
Anna found the guard grumbling to himself about King Edmund at the gates as she saw him walking to the King's room. Her eyes went wide, and her heart jumped with joy. There was some hope for Narnia after all. She flew down to the locked gate and plucked the boy off his feet. "Your Majesty!" she yelled in happiness, placing him on her shoulders and flying him over the roof top to permit him entrance to the Castle. "You look aweful!" she said after another look at him. She felt terrible saying it, but it was true. The King was a mess.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 23, 2009 23:15:52 GMT -4
The chestnut mare beneath him was breathing heavily, but Edmund was giving her room to pace back and forth to calm herself down. She had done well for him, and he was thankful for her quick pace. She was lightfooted and easy to handle, and he knew that he wanted to keep her around, as well as have his stallion Alehan. He missed the horse dearly, but he knew he needed and wanted to see his family first and foremost. His good hand went down to stroke her sweat soaked neck, and he looked up at the guards for a moment. He was weakening by the moment, and hunched over her neck because of that. Sighing quietly, Edmund waited patiently for Caspian's arrival, or at least his brother or his sister. Maybe they had even found Lucy by now. Edmund had no idea because he was forced into the shadows of the prison for that entire time. He had no idea what was going on in the world around him. He had been detached from society, and it had been killing him slowly.
The young King was suddenly brought from his trance as he heard a great swoop of wings. His heart caught in his throat as he looked straight up and saw the large beast flying towards him. She had come from the depths of the castle, but that didn't make a difference. Edmund was still jumpy because of everything that he had went through, and as she grabbed onto his shoulders, he cried out in surprise and started struggling against her grip. But he was definitly not strong enough to fight against her though, and she was suddenly placing him down. He stumbled from the impact, but soon caught himself and turned to face her. He looked over to the gate for a moment, and saw that the chestnut mare was whinnying in his direction, but was soon granted entrace since Edmund had been taken in. The mare pranced his way, and soon stood by his side. Edmund looked to the griffin warily, stepping back and away from her. "Who are you? How do you know of me?" She didn't seem surprised at all at his arrival, and that worried him slightly. His broken wrist hung limply at his side, and he reached up to stroke his new horse's neck, keeping himself occupied. As the griffin said he looked horrible, he gave her a look. "I figured as much." He said with a shrug and then waited for her responses. Where was his family? What had happened during all of this time?
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 23, 2009 23:24:05 GMT -4
The griffin intoduced herself, "My name is Annabelle Moonhart, warrior to your great kingdom." she said, and bowed. Anna picked him up again and set him on her back. He was no where fit to walking the distance to the medical chambers. The horse followed. "Where have you been all this time?" she asked of him, yet with respect. "A year of war has passed, and you have been named missing and untrackable. Some have thought you dead." Anna looked down at the ground as she walked.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 24, 2009 4:00:52 GMT -4
The young King looked past the griffin for a moment and to the kingdom that he had been a part of for what seemed like forever. But that wasn't the case. He had another home, and another life, and a family that knew nothing about Narnia. Edmund was homesick for one of the first few moments in his life. He missed his mother, and missed his father. He had no hope of ever knowing if they were alive or not. The year he had spent as a prisoner was one that allowed him to think over many things. And the whereabouts of his parents and his sister Lucy were the two top things he had been wondering. But those answers wouldn't come right now. He needed to be strong for them, and he needed to focus on what was right in front of him rather than what was in the past. He would never quit looking for Lucy, until he was told the truth of the matter. But who would be the one to tell him that? Shaking his head slightly, he came about from his slight daze and looked to the magnificent griffin.
Furrowing his brow, he was sad to say he had never heard of her before. But of course, he had been missing in action for a year. What was he to expect? Nodding his head, he bowed slightly to her, and then spoke quietly, politely even. "It is an honor to meet you Warrior Moonhart. I thank you for your service to this kingdom, for they have been far greater than my own." He finished guiltily, and then looked to her once more. He rested against the chestnut mare until he felt himself being swept off of his feet once more. Why wouldn't she let him walk? He felt awkward and out of place on her back, like he wasn't supposed to be riding such a noble animal. As the mare trotted after them, he looked back to her, and then down to the feathers of the griffin. Annabelle. "Uh, Lady Moonhart? Is it really...appropriate for me to be upon your back like this?" He questioned good naturedly enough, and then heard her own question. He was glad for the darkness, for she wouldn't see the red creeping up his cheeks because of his embarrassment. "I was taken for the year. Not by choice, mind you. But I'm back, and hoping that Narnia can accept and forgive me for my absence." He hoped anyway. But, where was she taking him in the first place?
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 24, 2009 9:26:38 GMT -4
Anna didn't know how to respond to his first comment. "My King, you services to Narnia cannot be matched by a simple warrior such as myself." she told him. Then she couldn't help but chuckle. "Appropriate to be on my back?" she repeated in question, "Why, your highness, it surely isn't appropriate for you to walk!" he was weak. That much was clear to anyone. "And I let most people ride on my back, when they have to get somewhere. I am faster than your horse, whom doesn't seem to be in much better shape than you." She wondered why he thought that he shouldn't be upon her shoulders. He himself had sought the aid of one of her kind to climb over these very walls into the battle of Telmar and Narnia. "And your people will be more than happy to accept you back. They would be foolish not to. King Edmund, things have not been going well in this kingdom. There have been many blessings from Aslan, like the new heirs, and...." maybe she wasn't the right one to tell him about Lucy. And not now, of all times. "There have been some casualties as well..." she summed it up, not directly saying anything. It would be better if he heard it from one of higher rank than her.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 24, 2009 15:27:13 GMT -4
The young King knew that he had wronged his people and his kingdom, and there was no way he could ever make that up to them. He hadn't tried hard enough to escape, and he certainly hadn't been as strong as they would have needed him to be. There were nights that the only thing he wanted to do was curl up and cry himself to sleep because of the pain he had experienced that day, but he never did. It would be an embarrassment to himself, and he would never allow himself to sink that low. But he had been hopeless and thoughtless, and had believed he would never get out of there alive. If some other prisoner asked him if he thought he'd ever get out of here, he would have laughed and shook his head. There was no way that he'd ever get out of that place. But then the careless guard had been hired, and Edmund had been given his chance. He had been the only prisoner down there at the time, or else he would have freed the rest as well. He had taken the horse and gotten back here rather safely, if not exhausted when he arrived.
Edmund could barely sit up straight on Annabelle's back, and he felt himself slouching even as he thought about it. Pushing himself up into a straighter position, he finally had to rest his good hand at the base of her neck for some extra support. He felt badly for leaning on her so heavily, but he probably felt like nothing to her, since he was all skin and bones. The muscle mass he had worked so hard to build up was completely gone, and he was about as white as a sheet. He looked horrible to put it simply, but he wasn't worrying about that now. Sighing to himself, he listened to the creature's words, and then shook his head slightly. "I wish that I can agree with you Lady Moonhart, but that is not the case. I should have fought harder to escape. I should have done more." He said honestly, not really wanting to talk about his stay in Lamont's prisons. It had traumatized him in all honesty, but he would never admit it. "My apologies, I just feel like I'm leaning too heavily upon you. Your generosity is appreciated though, thank you." He finally relented, remembering when he had asked another griffin to carry him into the Keep. It had been different then. Shaking his head, he listened to her next words, and looked down to the ground. And then it hit him. Wait a minute..."Heirs? Casualties? What do you mean? Please...tell me what you know of my family." He was in the process of sliding off of her back once more, not knowing what to expect from her words now. Fear crept up inside of his heart, and he wondered what had happened.
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 24, 2009 20:44:23 GMT -4
Anna pulled him back, helping him balance on her back a little better. "Yes, heirs." she said, leaving the casualties unacknowledged. She really wasn't the one to be telling him. "Queen Susan's son. The young prince, Galen. She is also pregnant with another." Anna told him. "He is your nephew." She turned the corner and walked into the medical chambers. Immediately, flocks of nurses began to help Edmund off her shoulders and began tending to his wrist. Anna sat down by the side of his bed, unwilling to end their conversation. She knew that there were still many questions that he must still be having that she had to answer.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 24, 2009 22:56:02 GMT -4
Edmund's mind was now filled with unanswered questions, and he was doing his best to put them in order and figure out what was going on around him. Casualities? She had mentioned those, but the heirs too. He didn't understand. Edmund didn't think that his sister would have gotten pregnant, or married in the time that he was gone, but apparently he was wrong. None of this made sense to him. Furrowing his brow, he felt suddenly sick to his stomach, and his head was pounding powerfully. Shaking it a little, he tried to settle his system, but it wasn't working very well. All of this was almost too much for the young King to handle, and he was doing his absolute best to understand what Anna was telling him. Looking down at her for a moment, he sighed quietly and then saw the medical room up ahead. As they entered, Edmund didn't have time to answer or question her, for the nurses were already sweeping him off of his feet and placing him onto one of the beds. He tried stopping them so he could continue his conversation first, but they would have nothing of it.
Edmund struggled for only a moment before the last of his strength left him. Groaning quietly, he closed his eyes as the reset his wrist, even though he cried out and had to be held down for that to work well. He struggled a lot when that happened, but they soon had it splinted and bound correctly, which would help him more than the makeshift one he had before. The head nurse spoke to him softly. "A nasty break you have there Milord. Please refrain from using your wrist as much as possible, for that will only make it better." She commented, and Edmund just nodded his head. It was then that they cleaned him up and brought him fresh clothes to change into. He changed behind closed doors and came up refreshed, holding bandages around his arms and upon his face from where some of the deeper wounds had needed stitches. The bruises would fade with time, but there wasn't much else that they could do. Edmund lowered himself gently upon the bed, sitting so that he was facing Anna with his feet upon the ground. Hunching over, he rested his arms upon his legs, and stared at her for a moment. It all didn't make sense to him. "Anna...where is my family? Where is Susan, and Peter? And even Caspian. Did they find Lucy? Please, please be honest with me. I need to know." He finished, still trying to digest the idea of his sister being a mother. Caspian had better be the father, or there would be certain hell to pay for Edmund.
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 24, 2009 23:13:44 GMT -4
"Susan is resting." Anna answered. Most people were at this hour of the night. "I don't know where the others are right now..." half a truth. She knew plain well where Lucy was. With Aslan. But she hadn't seen the other Kings around lately. "But you can see Galen if you like. I don't think that she'd object to you. Lennia, the witch, often looks after him. The little prince is probably with her right now." Anna told him. She sniffed at his wrist, grimacing. She could smell all of his wounds. It smelled like death. In fact, the King himself smelled rotten. "If I may suggest, Sire, you best bathe before you sleep or hold the baby."
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Post by Edmund on Feb 24, 2009 23:24:51 GMT -4
He was growing frustrated. Why couldn't he knew the things he so desperately needed to know? She was keeping things from him, and it was only making him antsy and on edge. He felt sick and exhausted, and just wanted this day to be over with. He wanted a lot of things to be over with, but he knew that it seemed now more than ever, his help was needed. Anna had said that Narnia was not in a good way, and that bothered him to no end. What had happened during his disappearance? Shaking his head now, he pushed himself off of the bed and strode forward, carrying a slight limp to his step because of the torturings he had suffered through. Pacing for a moment, he kept going until Anna's words reached him. Susan was here, but she knew nothing about the other members of his family. The fear that had first burrowed into his heart was now coming forward, and his fiery eyes leapt to stare straight into Anna's. Edmund had a spirit that couldn't be diminished, no matter what people did to him. He always came back fighting, even if it took just a little encouragement. He steadied himself after a minute, and soon stood still, which was probably a relief to anyone gathered in the room with him.
"I remember Lennia...but I am not good enough to see that child right now. I am not worthy, or appropriate, as you have pointed out." He finished with a grin, showing her that he didn't mind she had pointed out that he was downright disgusting. Sure, he didn't smell so good. But who could blame him in all honesty? The treatment he had recieved wasn't any that would leave him smelling like flowers. Sighing quietly to himself, he looked to Anna with a bit of hopelessness. He didn't know what to do now. "What is happening to Narnia? Why does everything seem like it's falling apart?" He didn't know why he was speaking to his newly found companion like this, but he felt a connection with her for some reason. He felt like she was easy to talk to, and he could see himself befriending her over the time that passed between them. Furrowing his brow, he just shook his head and started walking once more. He needed to find his family. But first he needed to take care of the chestnut mare before doing anything himself. She was standing outside of the small room, and Edmund reached for her halter gently. "There is something you are not telling me Anna, that much I know. I am not offended, because it may be something that you don't want to tell me yourself. But if it concerns my family, I would really honestly prefer to know." He said to her quietly, and then turned to lead the chestnut mare away. "I'll be caring for her." He explained gently, and then helped his new horse to the comfortable stables.
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 24, 2009 23:32:39 GMT -4
Anna followed him. "That is because it is not my place to tell you." she said, walking close behind him so that she could grab him if he fell. She unlocked an empty stall for him, and the mare trotted in happily. Anna lifted the hay into the stall for Edmund, and then carried and tied a bucket to the wall of the enclosure. "Who is this?" she asked, nodding towards the horse who was savagely attacking the pile of hay as if she had never seen food before. Anna chuckled a little. She seemed like a nice animal.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 24, 2009 23:42:31 GMT -4
Edmund led the chestnut into the warm stable, and knew that she would like it here immediately. He knew that his stallion was also in here somewhere, and he would definitely seek him out as soon as he had her settled. He would need to think of a name for her, but he wasn't certain at the moment. Taking a deep breath of the scent that always comforted him, he relaxed almost instantly, and then brought her into the stall. As Anna gathered the hay and the water, Edmund worked on the mare's dirty coat, brushing it out until it looked healthier. It would be a while before it would shine as the rest of the horses' in this stable, but Edmund didn't care. He liked this mare, and he wasn't going to trade her for anything. Looking to Annabelle after a moment, he nodded quietly. "I wish it was your place to tell me. Because I'm afraid no one will tell me the truth because of my age. It has been how it always is with Peter and Susan, and even Caspian. They don't trust me." He said with an honest shrug, and then turned to the mare. As she ate hungrily, and he finished grooming her, he let her settle herself, and then limped from the stall. Closing the door, he looked to the griffin as the questioned him. He shook his head, not really knowing the answer to that question.
"I'm not really sure. I had been watching her tied in the line of horses for a while, and knew that there was something different about her. She wasn't happy serving those men, and it was easy to see. I knew I had to take her with me if and when I escaped. So here she is, and hopefully she'll like it here." He finished telling Anna, and then stepped to the side of the griffin. He was growing tired, but he still had other things to tend to before he even thought about resting. Turning from Anna for a moment, he let a low whistle sound from his lips, followed by a higher pitch. And that was all it took. A massive ebony head appeared over the stall door immediately, and a deep nicker followed that appearace. When the stallion caught sight of his owner and rider, he started tossing it up and down, and Edmund could only smile happily. Alehan still knew who he was after all of this time. "Alehan...you remember.." He said softly as he approached his horse, and was soon stroking his neck as if he was never going to leave his side again. Looking to the griffin who had helped him so selflessly, he spoke up once more, continuing to pat his horse. "What can you tell me then Anna?"
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Post by Annabelle Moonhart on Feb 24, 2009 23:58:08 GMT -4
Anna sighed, and looked down at her paws. She wished that it was her place, too. She thought for a long while, before she glanced up at him again. "I can't really tell you much," she began, "But once you are well again and have a good meal in you, I can show you something that may answer at least one of your questions." she promised. But only after he was well again. That didn't mean that his wrist had to be completely healed. All she wanted was for him to be able to walk properly without looking like something that had just crawled out from under a rock. "Maybe in two days or so." she added. Or sooner, depending on how he healed. She walked to stand beside him, and smiled at the stallion. "Who is this, then?" she asked him. He was a strong creature. One of excellent beauty. A proud steed.
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Post by Edmund on Feb 26, 2009 20:42:35 GMT -4
His eyes looked up to the stallion he was now standing beside, and he knew that he was extremely relieved the horse remembered him. Alehan had been his pride and joy, and the horse that he had trained by himself and for himself. He was just afraid that his bond with the stallion would have been ruined by his absence, because Alehan was a rather sensitive creature when it came to things like that. He was all bite and malice when it came to fighting and protecting his rider, but he hated being separated from him for long periods of time, and usually gave him the cold shoulder for quite a while, until Edmund made it up to him. But now he seemed perfectly happy and content to accept the young King back into his life. Edmund stroked the stallion's silky neck while he listened to Anna. At least someone had been brave enough to go near Alehan and keep him in good shape while Edmund was gone. He was even happier that they hadn't gotten rid of him. Edmund would have been heart broken.
He looked to Anna now as she spoke, and he looked to her for a moment. He was strong enough right now. He might not look it, but he knew what he was capable of. He wanted to see what she had to show him. "Please show me it now, Anna? I'm more than ready, and more than capable. I know my limits. Please Anna, I won't be able to rest until I know the answer to at least one of my questions." He finished honestly, and then felt the soft nudge from Alehan's slender muzzle. He grinned happily, and then nudge him in response, which had been their custom whenever Edmund had come to greet him. He was extremely glad to be back home, and with his horse. And even with his newfound friend. Now all he needed was his family. Furrowing his brow, he waited Anna's answer patiently, and then heard her question about the stallion. "This is Alehan. He's been with me since he was a colt. I wouldn't trade him for any well behaved horse in this barn, right boy?" Edmund joked easily, and watched as the stallion bared his teeth in response. Alehan snorted loudly, and then looked to Anna in interest. He wasn't afraid, but definitely curious. He had never seen anything like her before.
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