Chapter Text
Edmund walked with Aslan several yards away from the camp. He had been rescued from the Witch's power just the night before, and was in no mood to get any sleep.
Aslan paused in his steps, causing Edmund stumble a bit before coming to a stop. For a moment, his eyes filled with fear, as if scared he was going to be reprimanded for a small trip, but when nothing happened, he relaxed.
"Look." Aslan nodded towards the horizon, where the sun was rising. He watched it with a sort of pride, as if he was the very one who made the sunrise. Which, of course, he was.
Edmund, however, watched it with a sickening mixture of shame and dread. Mostly shame. He plopped down in the grass and hung his head, lost in thought.
"What is troubling you?"
Ed started and turned to find that Aslan was now laying beside him, looking at him awaiting an answer.
"I- Well, nothing, really."
"Surely it must be something if such a shadow crosses your face."
Ed pursed his lips and thought of how to respond to the lion. It took him several moments, but he finally answered softly, "What if I'm not good enough? What if they... what if they don't love me?"
Aslan hummed and looked over his shoulder and out over his camp. Despite the fact that it was early morning, the place was still aflame with activity - the good creatures of Narnia were training, yelling, eating, and generally doing their best to prepare for the war of their lives. He kept looking out as he responded.
"Who won't love you? Your family or your people?"
"My fa - well, both really. I betrayed them! And for what? A handful of candy? A month of imprisonment and enslavement? I failed them, Aslan, and I just don't..." He sighed. "I don't see how they could ever trust me again." Edmund lowered his head once more and whispered. "I know I wouldn't."
Aslan turned his head back around to look at the boy. "You mustn't doubt yourself so much, Edmund. You have learned a lot over the past couple weeks, not just about Narnia but about yourself as well. The treatment you received was incredibly harsh, and no one your age should have endured it. However, it is over now, and you have been made all the stronger because of it. You will be a great king and an even better brother, believe me."
"But-"
"Yes?"
"I'm scared, Aslan."
"Good. If you weren't, then you'd be overconfident. And putting too much confidence in the input will never create a good outcome." Edmund finally picked up his head and looked the lion in the eyes. "You know your weaknesses, Edmund, and with that information you can learn how to work around them. That already makes you far stronger than many of the creatures here."
"And what about my family?"
"Well, if you can't trust your family, who can you trust?"
"I already broke their trust, remember?"
"Do you feel sorry for what you did?"
"Yes! Of course! I... I love my siblings, all of them, I really do. I know I never really said it before, but - Oh gosh, I've never really said that before, have I? Well I'm saying it now, and that must count for something, right?"
Aslan chuckled and stood up, shaking his mane. Edmund quickly got up after him, wiping dew off of his pants. "If you love your siblings as much as you say, and if you are truly sorry for what you have done," said Aslan, "Then tell them. For they love you just as much, and nothing can change that. They will forgive you."
Together, the two started walking back to the camp. By the edge, standing with the Beavers, Ed could see his three siblings. They waved at him. He waved back, but stopped walking. Aslan took a couple more steps before looking back at the boy.
"Are you sure?" Ed turned his focus onto Aslan. His hand was still raised slightly, even though his siblings had stopped waving.
The lion smiled. "Of course. Now come on, they're anxious to see you again. They missed you."