Edmund curled his hand in Al's. "I've been reading," he said quietly. "Old texts were found, philosophies on the Were nature. That the structure was formed to protect the weaker and more vulnerable. Al - someone like that can't be King. I have to protect myself. Nobody thinks less of a King having bodyguards. This is much the same, just on a larger scale."

He didn't need anything he didn't want. But...he wanted Al. And that had been denied to him.

"I confess, I haven't spoken at length about this with many Old Narnians." Tentatively, he let his head turn towards Al's shoulder, gently draping there. "There's no one I can truly confide it, no one who knows the truth who can tell me about this. We are newcomers, as you told me. I've been learning to trust the wisdom of what I read and hear." Much of it from Kala, he realized now.

Ask Kala.

He pressed his forehead into Al's shoulder. "I'm glad you're back."