Edmund turns when he hears Caspian's voice, and after a terse moment, he shakes his head. He can tell that Caspian is worried - not panicked, not yet anyway, but it's a curious thing. In the time they were in Narnia, Caspian and Peter had managed something resembling an alliance, and at the end of their time, perhaps something like friendship. But they all share the bond of royalty, all share the bonds of Narnia, and anyway, they have been living together for over a year. Naturally the friendship would have deepened to the point where Caspian worries like the rest of the family.
Edmund rubs the back of his head with his hand. "He's not that bad with directions," he mutters. It's more of a joke, really, that Peter is bad with finding his way, because of how he led them back in Narnia, when they returned. "I can't believe he's still missing." He doesn't bother to ask if Caspian's had any news. He knows the Telmarine king would tell him, if that was the case.
Had Edmund been paying attention to more than just being older and not wanting to understand why his sister kissed him, he might have seen the look on Caspian's face when they walked through the door in the air. Maybe Edmund did see it but has chosen not to speak anything of it. Fair enough, because the Telmarine has difficulty speaking of that day in the Town Square on his own.
"He's missing because he was being a fool," Caspian snaps, far quicker than he means to, palm coming up to slap the surface of a counter. Immediately he averts his gaze from Edmund.
Edmund's eyebrows raise up. He knows that Caspian and Peter don't always see eye to eye, but he's never heard Caspian say something that directly insulted the High King. But there's more said in the action; Edmund can tell that Caspian is frustrated, and worried, and Ed has more than enough experience to not feed that frustration.
No matter how much he agrees with Caspian at the moment.
"What was he even doing?" Ed asks, genuinely curious. Why would Peter visit a graveyard anyway? It wasn't exactly a cheerful subject, and while his older brother is serious he's most certainly not morbid.
He keeps his gaze averted, his face turned just this way instead of that way so his expression is partial obscure. Of course hiding how he feels from the Just is a losing battle; Caspian X is a transparent person to those whoa re close to him, Edmund Pevensie is a tactical observer.
"I cannot say for sure, but I think..."
The Telmarine pauses. It's not his story to tell but he doesn't know the full extent of it anyway. Edmund, his friend's brother, deserves to know at least what Caspian thinks Peter was doing there. What he says perhaps absolves the blond from being a complete fool.
"I think he was visiting a friend," Caspian nods slightly. There's no need for words to imply said friend was not exactly present in person.
Edmund was not a patient boy, but he grew into a patient man, and now he exercises that by calmly waiting for Caspian to lose whatever feeling he has that is making him look away. But that doesn't stop him from continuing the conversation.
"I thought people here only died for a day." That was what the manual said, anyway, the guide that he had found after spending a day in the City, the one that explained matters such as curses. "Although that would raise the question of the need for a graveyard in the first place."
"That is what most people say but it isn't anything anyone has tried to prove or disprove," he shakes his head. And therein lies the problem; Peter has disappeared without a trace, leaving no indication if he is even dead. Caspian still keeps his gaze averted, raises this another level of distance when he turns his back to the apple eating Edmund. "It doesn't matter. We have to find him," utters the Telmarine.
The fact that Peter might be dead never crosses the Just's mind. It's just not something that can happen: Peter can't be dead if the rest of them are alive, which isn't logical but it's just how things are. He doesn't know why.
Edmund nods, however, at the suggestion. "Well," he says, pushing the apple away a little. "Could it be that he just...went home?" He doesn't know how going home works, but he does know it's not altogether voluntary. Peter would never leave his family. It's just not something the High King does. But the suggestion can't be overlooked.
That makes two of them for now. Caspian can't fathom Peter being dead or Peter allowing himself to be killed in some ridiculous fashion. He has seen this man fight, he has seen him talk of death only to fight harder and win. After 'encouraging' words from the Just, of course. Oh but what the Just says now, that is not encouraging at all. It actually gives Caspian cause to turn and glare at Edmund. The other man doesn't know about their friendship or about how he has had to see Peter depart before, all of them if one counts that day in the square. Edmund has departed the most so there's irony in what he says too, except Caspian is in no mood to recognize it.
"I checked the Hall, he is not there," Caspian says as steadily as possible.
Edmund raises his hands as if in supplication, to say, just covering my bases. The fact that Caspian is so displeased by the suggestion doesn't escape the Just's attentions, but he sets that fact away for now. He rolls the apple on the counter, thinking. If they cannot find him...
"Perhaps Lucy..." he tilts his head. It's always a last resort, what Edmund is about to suggest, at least in his opinion. "...perhaps she can ask Aslan." The lion always did like the youngest ruler of Narnia best, or at least it seemed that way. Aslan would certainly know, but if it was stupid, if Peter was simply...
There was no 'Peter was simply', except perhaps lost. Peter would not shirk his duties as a king lightly, or as a brother ever, even if it was to be bossy and irritating. "Or is that overreacting?"
He is far from supplicated but under a few slow deep breaths he's calmer. So it seems.
"If Aslan has an answer, if Aslan is able to tell us." The way Caspian speaks bears a trace of despair creeping into his tone. He tries not to let it get the best of him, tries so hard to remain faithful through everything they go through, through everything they have been through, will be through. He has no way of knowing this is another presentation of a theme set for the rest of his life. Caspian shakes his head again. "It isn't overreacting, it is the right thing to do," he says, knowing the great lion cares for Peter as much as they do. Right?
But back to overreacting. This is overreacting. Without warning the Telmarine lashes out at the nearest object. Objects really as he knocks over a stack of drying pots and pans, creating a shamelessly noisy clatter. It is the same a angrily asking: why is this happening.
Edmund is glad for the distance between the kitchen and his youngest sister's room right now. While Susan would look at this and see Caspian's temper as overreaction, and worry for Caspian's sake, Lucy would see this as pure concern on Caspian's part for Peter, and she would worry for the both of them. Edmund, on the other hand, recognizes an overreaction when he sees it.
Would Caspian act this way if the Just disappeared? Or Lucy? Or Susan? Edmund doesn't know.
"I'm sure you've taught those pots a lesson. They'll know better than to ever dare dry themselves there again," Ed says dryly, not a hint of sarcasm or humor in his voice. He knows that it's serious. He knows that Caspian is worried. "Perhaps you should tell Lucy to go see Aslan tomorrow."
Someone certainly has to, and while Ed would be happy to do it, he wonders if perhaps Caspian feels like if he has some measure of control, his temper will cool.
Once he went to visit a certain witch over the disappearances of the Just followed by the Magnificent. That overreaction turned out nearly fatal. He hasn't told Edmund about this incident, yet. Have the girls? He can only hope not lest the dark haired brother learn how irresponsible he was then. But every Son of Adam has made a mistake before. Is it forgivable? Perhaps all that matters for that past incident is that Susan and Lucy forgive him. Forgave him
"I can do that," he nods, not even bothering to address Edmund's dry remark because he knows it was never meant to be humorous or sarcastic. Caspian recognizes displeasure. He moves to pick up the fallen objects, just another small measure of control he can handle.
Edmund doesn't know, but he would certainly disapprove, and understand. There are temptations that Edmund knows better than anyone, temptations that he knows better than to scold people over.
He sighs and leans over, picking up strewn pots, helping. "We'll sort this out, Caspian," he says to the Telmarine, more reassuring than anything. "Peter wouldn't be so irresponsible. Whatever this is, it's something we can fix, I'm certain of it." That won't save Peter from getting a private scolding from his younger brother for worrying all of them, and it won't save Peter from dealing with his other sibling's tempers.
"I'm sure whatever is happening, Peter will be fine." He usually is.
He says nothing as they pick up the pots and pans together. It may be rude of him too to not respond to those words of reassurance, but Caspian believes Edmund truly understands. They don't have the same kind of friendship as the High King and Telmarine King do, however that doesn't exactly change how well one person can know the other, especially when they are family. He doesn't think Edmund will mind his silence. Then just like that, Caspian notes how Peter's disappearance had followed Edmund's timely arrival. Was it meant to be that way? Is it why the Just remains, calm and controlled, when he cannot be? It makes sense but at the same time makes the situation sound premeditate. He won't stoop to that level of skepticism.
"I hope so, Edmund," finally he speaks, "I really do."
Edmund does understand. His relationship with Peter had been difficult, once, but after fifteen years of ruling together, of being the High King's right hand, Edmund's relationship has long since been patched. He remains calm because the Just rarely panics, even when there's nothing to be done about a situation.
"Stay here tonight," he suggests, and it's very different from a command. "I'll take Destrier and go out, and keep searching for him." You need rest, are the words Edmund doesn't say. "The girls need one of us to be here." That's not precisely a lie, but it isn't the strict truth: Susan and Lucy are both more than capable of holding it together, but Peter would have liked one of them to stay with the girls; not because they're girls but because they're his little sisters.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:22 am (UTC)Edmund rubs the back of his head with his hand. "He's not that bad with directions," he mutters. It's more of a joke, really, that Peter is bad with finding his way, because of how he led them back in Narnia, when they returned. "I can't believe he's still missing." He doesn't bother to ask if Caspian's had any news. He knows the Telmarine king would tell him, if that was the case.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:35 am (UTC)"He's missing because he was being a fool," Caspian snaps, far quicker than he means to, palm coming up to slap the surface of a counter. Immediately he averts his gaze from Edmund.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:39 am (UTC)No matter how much he agrees with Caspian at the moment.
"What was he even doing?" Ed asks, genuinely curious. Why would Peter visit a graveyard anyway? It wasn't exactly a cheerful subject, and while his older brother is serious he's most certainly not morbid.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:46 am (UTC)"I cannot say for sure, but I think..."
The Telmarine pauses. It's not his story to tell but he doesn't know the full extent of it anyway. Edmund, his friend's brother, deserves to know at least what Caspian thinks Peter was doing there. What he says perhaps absolves the blond from being a complete fool.
"I think he was visiting a friend," Caspian nods slightly. There's no need for words to imply said friend was not exactly present in person.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:50 am (UTC)"I thought people here only died for a day." That was what the manual said, anyway, the guide that he had found after spending a day in the City, the one that explained matters such as curses. "Although that would raise the question of the need for a graveyard in the first place."
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:55 am (UTC)Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 06:59 am (UTC)Edmund nods, however, at the suggestion. "Well," he says, pushing the apple away a little. "Could it be that he just...went home?" He doesn't know how going home works, but he does know it's not altogether voluntary. Peter would never leave his family. It's just not something the High King does. But the suggestion can't be overlooked.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:11 am (UTC)"I checked the Hall, he is not there," Caspian says as steadily as possible.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:19 am (UTC)"Perhaps Lucy..." he tilts his head. It's always a last resort, what Edmund is about to suggest, at least in his opinion. "...perhaps she can ask Aslan." The lion always did like the youngest ruler of Narnia best, or at least it seemed that way. Aslan would certainly know, but if it was stupid, if Peter was simply...
There was no 'Peter was simply', except perhaps lost. Peter would not shirk his duties as a king lightly, or as a brother ever, even if it was to be bossy and irritating. "Or is that overreacting?"
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:34 am (UTC)"If Aslan has an answer, if Aslan is able to tell us." The way Caspian speaks bears a trace of despair creeping into his tone. He tries not to let it get the best of him, tries so hard to remain faithful through everything they go through, through everything they have been through, will be through. He has no way of knowing this is another presentation of a theme set for the rest of his life. Caspian shakes his head again. "It isn't overreacting, it is the right thing to do," he says, knowing the great lion cares for Peter as much as they do. Right?
But back to overreacting. This is overreacting. Without warning the Telmarine lashes out at the nearest object. Objects really as he knocks over a stack of drying pots and pans, creating a shamelessly noisy clatter. It is the same a angrily asking: why is this happening.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:40 am (UTC)Would Caspian act this way if the Just disappeared? Or Lucy? Or Susan? Edmund doesn't know.
"I'm sure you've taught those pots a lesson. They'll know better than to ever dare dry themselves there again," Ed says dryly, not a hint of sarcasm or humor in his voice. He knows that it's serious. He knows that Caspian is worried. "Perhaps you should tell Lucy to go see Aslan tomorrow."
Someone certainly has to, and while Ed would be happy to do it, he wonders if perhaps Caspian feels like if he has some measure of control, his temper will cool.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:48 am (UTC)"I can do that," he nods, not even bothering to address Edmund's dry remark because he knows it was never meant to be humorous or sarcastic. Caspian recognizes displeasure. He moves to pick up the fallen objects, just another small measure of control he can handle.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 07:53 am (UTC)He sighs and leans over, picking up strewn pots, helping. "We'll sort this out, Caspian," he says to the Telmarine, more reassuring than anything. "Peter wouldn't be so irresponsible. Whatever this is, it's something we can fix, I'm certain of it." That won't save Peter from getting a private scolding from his younger brother for worrying all of them, and it won't save Peter from dealing with his other sibling's tempers.
"I'm sure whatever is happening, Peter will be fine." He usually is.
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 08:00 am (UTC)"I hope so, Edmund," finally he speaks, "I really do."
Leave it all to me I will do the right thing;
Date: 2010-07-21 03:45 pm (UTC)"Stay here tonight," he suggests, and it's very different from a command. "I'll take Destrier and go out, and keep searching for him." You need rest, are the words Edmund doesn't say. "The girls need one of us to be here." That's not precisely a lie, but it isn't the strict truth: Susan and Lucy are both more than capable of holding it together, but Peter would have liked one of them to stay with the girls; not because they're girls but because they're his little sisters.