A few days later, pale afternoon light rests across the infirmary. Lewis remains in bed with his shoulder bound, stronger than before but still easily tired.
Parsley sits beside him, while Edwin reads quietly from his notebook. The visiting bell sounds, and Lewis’s mother appears at the open door carrying a sealed envelope.
Lewis's mother
My dear, I have brought your father’s answer. He has written plainly, as you asked, and I have not altered a word.
She approaches only after the doctor permits it. Her face is composed, though worry remains in her eyes, and the seal bears Lewis’s father’s familiar hand.
Lewis's mother
He will not come with me. He says you are to remain at Malvern, and that leaving now would reward what he calls your defiance.
Parsley’s expression tightens, but he says nothing. Edwin closes his notebook. Lewis’s mother places the unopened letter on the blanket within reach of his uninjured hand.
Lewis's mother
It is yours to open, or not open. I will stay, and so will your friends, if you want us here.
✓ Quest Accepted
Open his father’s letter
+ New Item Acquired
Father's letter
“Steeling himself, Lewis opens the letter.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +2)
Lewis steadies the envelope against the blanket and breaks his father’s seal. The paper opens with a dry crackle beneath the infirmary’s quiet.
The letter confirms that his father will not visit. He calls Lewis’s wish to remain at Malvern defiance, and says departure would reward the school’s enemies rather than correct Lewis’s conduct.
Lewis's mother
There is no hidden meaning in it, my dear. He has written what he believes, and I will not pretend it says anything kinder.
Parsley remains beside the bed, close enough to be present but not touching. Edwin sets the notebook aside, leaving the letter and its consequences wholly with Lewis.
Parsley
You need not answer him now. We can read it again later, or put it away, and neither choice will alter what we know.
Edwin
He has answered the question of whether he will come. He has not answered whether he understands you, and those are not the same thing.
The open letter rests across Lewis’s lap, its familiar handwriting exposed beneath the pale afternoon light. His mother waits quietly, while his friends remain where he asked them to be.
Quest Complete
Learn whether Lewis’s father will write or visit
Skill Upgrade: Oratory Fair→Good
Quest Complete
Open his father’s letter
“Lewis asks for the stationary so he may write a reply. He stays calm as he says it.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +3)
C. S. Lewis
Mum, may I have some stationery? I want to write Father a calm reply while his letter is still before me.
His voice remains level. His mother supplies paper, ink, and an envelope, while Parsley steadies the writing board and Edwin quietly moves the open letter aside.
Lewis's mother
Of course, my dear. Write what you believe, and I shall not read it unless you ask me.
Lewis writes slowly with his uninjured hand. He tells his father that remaining at Malvern is not defiance but a choice to help rebuild the school, and that he owes no apology for making it.
The reply states that his father failed him and is too weak to face that failure, not the other way round. Lewis has thrived despite the assault and helped change Malvern forever.
Parsley
That is honest, Lewis. You are not promising to return bent into someone else’s shape. You are promising to come home more fully yourself.
Lewis finishes by saying he will return at term’s end as more himself than when he left, then signs and seals the letter. The Housemaster witnesses it and promises direct delivery, while his mother adds that his father cannot mistake who now stands before him.
✓ Quest Accepted
Have Lewis's reply reach his father
“Lewis looks at them, his Mum, Parsley, and Edwin and says he has a focus for his frustration now, and a motivation to keep going. He asks his mother what he should do if his father bans him from returning home?”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +4)
C. S. Lewis
I have a focus for my frustration now, and a motivation to keep going. Mum, what should I do if Father bans me from returning home?
His mother looks at him, then at the sealed reply and the friends beside his bed. She answers without softening the seriousness of the question.
Lewis's mother
First, you do not panic or disobey secretly. I will ask him to state the ban plainly, and I will challenge it openly if he means to leave you without a proper home.
Lewis's mother
You are my son as well as his. If he refuses to receive you, you may come to me, and I will arrange a safe place for you while we settle the matter.
Parsley
Then the question is no longer whether you are wanted. It is which adults will take responsibility, and we can help you keep every answer in writing.
Edwin
And you would not face the waiting alone. We can write to you, visit when permitted, and make certain your choice to remain honest does not leave you isolated.
Lewis's mother
The Housemaster will also receive a copy of your father’s answer and mine. That gives us a formal record, and it means your father cannot quietly make you homeless.
“His relief is palpable, even if the fear didn't make him hesitate. He thanks them and settles back in to rest. He waits another week before his father's reply arrives.”
FAILURE (Terrible Health, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Mum. Thank you, Parsley, Edwin. I know what I must do now, even if I am frightened.
Lewis settles back beneath the infirmary blankets. Relief loosens his face, but sleep comes fitfully, interrupted by the ache in his shoulder and the unanswered shape of his father’s decision.
Parsley
You need not solve the week tonight. Rest is enough, and we shall still be here when the letter comes.
The week passes in small portions: short walks beside the bed, letters from the Phoenix Company, and lessons carried to him by Edwin. Lewis grows stronger, but waiting never becomes easy.
Lewis's mother
It has arrived, my dear. Your father has written again. I am here, and the Housemaster has kept the arrangements we discussed.
She places the sealed letter before him. The seal is unbroken, but the envelope is thinner than the first, as though its contents have been reduced to a decision rather than an explanation.
Edwin
Whatever it says, this is no longer the only door. Your mother has offered you a home, and the school has a record of what happens next.
+ New Item Acquired
Father's second letter
“Lewis looks disappointingly at the smaller envelope before he opens it and reads aloud.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
Lewis looks disappointed at the smaller envelope, then breaks the seal with his uninjured hand. The paper inside contains only a few closely written lines.
C. S. Lewis
“Lewis, I have considered your reply. You are to remain at Malvern until the end of term, as arranged.”
C. S. Lewis
“I will not discuss your accusations by letter. Your conduct and associations have become matters of concern, and I expect obedience rather than further argument.”
His mother’s mouth tightens, but she does not interrupt. Parsley remains beside the bed, while Edwin watches the letter rather than Lewis’s face.
C. S. Lewis
“You will return home at the appointed time. Whether you remain welcome here afterward will depend upon whether you have learned restraint.”
Lewis's mother
That is the whole of it, my dear. He has made his threat plain, but he has not made you homeless. I will answer him plainly in return.
Parsley
He has answered with authority because he cannot answer the truth. We should preserve this letter and decide together what must be placed on record.
Quest Complete
Have Lewis's reply reach his father
Skill Upgrade: Oratory Good→Great
“Lewis leans back into the pillow and nods. At least now he doesn't have to wonder anymore. He's angry, seething mad, but that can wait. He trusts his Mum to look out for him. The only question left is if he can force his own father to stand down, like so many have tried to make Lewis stand down.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled -3)
Lewis leans back into the pillow and nods. The anger remains hot beneath his ribs, but his mother’s presence gives it somewhere safer to wait.
Lewis's mother
You need not answer him while you are seething. We shall make him stand down by requiring plain answers, witnesses, and a written account of his responsibilities toward you.
She gathers the two letters together, placing them beside Lewis’s sealed reply. The Housemaster’s record and the doctor’s report will accompany her response, preserving every fact.
Parsley
He has ordered obedience, but he has not explained what restraint means. Ask him to name the conduct he condemns, and he will have to answer the truth rather than its shadow.
Edwin
And if he refuses, your mother and the Housemaster can record that refusal. He cannot make authority endless merely by declining to speak plainly.
Lewis reaches for the paper, but pain flashes through his shoulder and the doctor stops him. The cost is immediate: his hand cramps, and the reply must wait until tomorrow.
Lewis's mother
Rest tonight. Tomorrow we shall draft the questions together, and I will send them under my own name. You will not stand before him alone.
“Lewis looks up at her and relaxes. He thanks her, and says he is sorry that she is caught between them. But if the Bloods couldn't break Lewis, there is nothing his father could do that will.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled -3)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Mum. I am sorry you are caught between Father and me. But if the Bloods could not break me, there is nothing Father can do that will.
Lewis relaxes against the pillow, and his mother’s hand settles carefully over his hair. The effort of speaking draws a sharp ache through his shoulder, leaving his fingers cramped.
Lewis's mother
Then I shall remember that when I write to him. But being unbreakable does not mean you must endure everything without help, my dear.
Parsley
He has not broken you. He has only shown that he will use authority where honesty would require courage.
Edwin
And you have answered him without becoming cruel. That is restraint, even if he refuses to call it that.
The doctor loosens the sling and supports Lewis’s arm until the cramp passes. On the table, the two letters remain beside the Housemaster’s records, ready for tomorrow’s questions.
Lewis's mother
Rest tonight, and tomorrow we shall ask him precisely what he means by restraint, conduct, and welcome. If he will not answer, others will witness his silence.
“Lewis relaxes back and asks Parsley if the Housemaster has caught Lewis's attackers yet? He hasn't heard anything for awhile”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled -2)
C. S. Lewis
Parsley, has the Housemaster caught my attackers yet? I have not heard anything for a while.
Lewis relaxes back against the pillow, but the movement pulls sharply at his shoulder. His fingers cramp, and the doctor reaches to support his arm.
Parsley
No, not yet. The Housemaster has not announced an arrest. The evidence remains sealed, and the descriptions are recorded, but the two boys have not been named publicly.
Parsley
He is questioning the prefects and checking who had access to the cricket shed. He has also kept the Bloods from handling the inquiry themselves.
The Housemaster of School House
That is correct. We have identified no attacker conclusively. The prefect’s ring and the pale scar are useful details, but they are not yet proof against particular boys.
The Housemaster of School House
The cost of haste would be another false accusation. I will not trade justice for the comfort of announcing a culprit.
Parsley
You know what we know now, Lewis. Nobody has been allowed to bury it, and nobody is being permitted to turn your assault into a private settling of accounts.
“Lewis nods and says he was just checking. When the time comes he wants to face his attackers in front of the others. Show them that they couldn't break him. But Lewis can wait.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
I was just checking. When the time comes, I want to face them in front of the others and show them they could not break me. But I can wait.
Lewis nods, though the movement draws a brief ache through his shoulder. The doctor steadies the sling, and Parsley remains beside him without trying to hurry the matter.
The Housemaster of School House
When the inquiry permits such a meeting, it will be public, witnessed, and orderly. You will not be placed before them as a spectacle, nor will they control the terms.
Parsley
Waiting does not weaken what you want, Lewis. It means they will meet you with the truth recorded, and with all of us present if you ask.
Edwin
And you need not prove that you survived by standing before them before you are ready. We already know they failed to break you.
The Housemaster makes a note in the inquiry record, distinguishing Lewis’s request from any demand for vengeance. Outside, footsteps pass the infirmary door and continue.
The Housemaster of School House
For now, you will wait and recover. When names are established, I will return to you before arranging any confrontation, and the Company may witness it lawfully.
“Lewis thanks the Housemaster and turns to Edwin. "Is Francis doing any better? He doesn't still blame himself does he?"”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Housemaster. Edwin, is Francis doing any better? He does not still blame himself, does he?
Edwin closes the notebook and turns fully toward Lewis. The infirmary remains quiet, save for the faint movement of boys in the passage beyond the door.
Edwin
He is recovering, though he still wakes whenever footsteps stop outside. The Housemaster has let him help with the escort rota, which gives him useful work without making him responsible for what happened.
Edwin
He does blame himself sometimes. But he has begun saying the truth aloud: he found you, called for help, and preserved the scene. That was courage, not failure.
Parsley’s expression softens. The Housemaster adds a careful note to the inquiry record, preserving Francis’s recovery as part of the Company’s account rather than treating it as a private weakness.
Edwin
Francis asked whether he might visit when the doctor permits it. He wants to see you, but he said he will wait until you choose.
Parsley
He is learning that staying beside someone does not mean carrying blame for them. We can remind him of that together, when you are ready.
“Lewis thanks them and says he wants to see Francis when Francis is ready. Lewis hasn't had the chance yet to thank him. He saved Lewis, even if he hasn't realized it yet.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +4)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you. I want to see Francis when he is ready. I have not thanked him properly, and he saved me, even if he has not understood that yet.
Edwin opens the door and speaks softly into the passage. A moment later, Francis enters with the doctor’s permission, stopping beside the bed with his hands clasped.
Francis
I am ready now, if you are. I wanted to come sooner, but I thought seeing me might make you remember the shed.
Francis’s voice trembles, but he remains standing. Parsley shifts his chair aside, making room without directing either boy, while Edwin watches with quiet encouragement.
C. S. Lewis
You saved me, Francis. You found me, called for help, and preserved the evidence. I have wanted to thank you since I woke.
Francis
I did not think of it as saving you. I only knew I had to fetch someone. But I am glad you are here, and I believe you.
The doctor records Francis’s words as an additional witness statement, then permits him to remain. Francis sits beside Edwin, and the Housemaster’s sealed inquiry now includes his testimony in his own voice.
“Lewis tells Francis that he did well. And he certainly did right by Lewis. He doesn't need to doubt it. And Lewis is grateful that it was Francis who found him. Nobody could have run for the doctor faster or kept such a cool head in the crises and aftermath. Francis did really well.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled -1)
C. S. Lewis
You did well, Francis. You did right by me, and you need not doubt it. I am grateful that it was you who found me.
C. S. Lewis
Nobody could have run for the doctor faster, or kept a cooler head through the crisis and everything afterward. You saved me, and I want you to know that plainly.
Francis looks down at his clasped hands. The tension in his shoulders does not vanish, but Lewis’s words reach him without being softened or disputed.
Francis
I kept thinking there must have been something more I should have done. But I heard you, and I fetched help. I am glad that was enough.
Francis
I was frightened, Lewis. I still am. But I did not want them to make you disappear into what they had done, so I remembered what I was told and brought the doctor.
The doctor continues writing Francis’s statement, preserving the account in his own words. Parsley watches quietly, while Edwin shifts his chair nearer without interrupting.
Francis
I believe you. And I believe myself a little more now, because you have told me I did the right thing.
“Lewis smiles at him. He says that Francis has come a long way. When they first met, Francis was under orders from a Blood to bring Lewis into an ambush. Then Lewis helped save Francis from their wrath when the ambush fell apart. Now Francis has pulled Lewis from a different ambush.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
You have come a long way, Francis. When we first met, a Blood had ordered you to lead me into an ambush.
C. S. Lewis
When that ambush fell apart, I helped save you from their wrath. Now you have pulled me from a different ambush. You have rescued me twice.
Lewis smiles at him, keeping his voice gentle. Francis’s clasped hands loosen, and the infirmary’s pale quiet gives the comparison room to settle.
Francis
I remember. I thought obeying them was the only way to keep myself safe, and then you stood between me and what they meant to do.
Francis
This time I knew at once that their order was wrong. I did not bring anyone to you. I ran for help, and I would do it again.
The doctor pauses his writing, while Parsley and Edwin listen without interrupting. Francis looks toward the sealed inquiry papers, then back to Lewis, steadier than before.
Francis
I do not want to be the boy who obeys a Blood anymore. I want to be the boy who notices what is happening and brings his friends home.
“Lewis smiles and says that Francis already is that boy. That's why they are friends.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled -1)
C. S. Lewis
You already are that boy, Francis. That is why we are friends.
Francis stares at Lewis for a moment, then his guarded expression breaks. He sits straighter, as though the words have given him permission to believe his own courage.
Francis
I want to be. I do not want one good act to be an accident. I want to notice, and choose rightly, whenever I can.
Parsley
That is how it becomes character, Francis. Not by never being frightened, but by refusing to let fear make every decision.
Edwin
And friendship helps. You need not notice everything alone. We can remind one another when the school tries to make obedience seem like safety.
The doctor finishes Francis’s statement and places it with the sealed inquiry papers. He gives the boy a brief nod, treating his testimony as settled fact rather than consolation.
Francis
Then I will help with the rota, and I will speak if someone is being led into danger. Not because I am fearless, but because I am your friend.
“Lewis thanks him. And motions Francis over for a quick hug. He says he is counting on Francis helping to shape Phoenix Company and protecting the younger boys. And when Lewis is feeling better, they should go fishing again.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Francis. Come here. I am counting on you to help shape the Phoenix Company and protect the younger boys. When I am better, we should go fishing again.
Lewis motions Francis nearer with his uninjured hand. Francis crosses to the bed, and Lewis gives him a brief, careful hug without disturbing the bound shoulder.
Francis
I would like that. I will help shape the Company, and I will watch the younger boys properly. Fishing sounds better than another afternoon under the Bloods’ eyes.
Francis returns to his chair, visibly steadier. The doctor allows the embrace to pass without comment, while Parsley’s expression warms and Edwin reopens his notebook.
Parsley
Then the rota has another willing hand, and the stream has another promised expedition. We shall keep both plans public and nobody shall be ordered into either.
Edwin
I shall record that Francis has chosen the work, and that fishing is scheduled for when Lewis is medically fit. The Company may look forward to it.
Francis
He trusts me with something that matters. I can become the boy who notices, chooses, and brings his friends home.
“The next morning, Lewis and his mother write a response to his father together.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Reasoning, rolled +0)
The next morning, pale sunlight reaches the infirmary bed. Lewis’s mother brings fresh paper, while Parsley and Edwin remain nearby, giving them room without leaving.
Lewis's mother
We shall answer him together, my dear. You may choose every word, and I will help make certain he cannot mistake what you mean.
C. S. Lewis
I want him to understand that remaining at Malvern is my decision, not defiance. I will not apologise for the Company or for telling the truth.
Lewis dictates slowly while his mother writes, then reads each sentence back. The reply names his father’s silence, the assault, and the responsibility owed to him.
Lewis's mother
This says what happened without begging him to approve it. Shall we add that you will return home at term’s end, but not as someone chastened into silence?
C. S. Lewis
Yes. Tell him I will come home more fully myself, and that I expect to be received as his son, not examined as a failure.
His mother adds the sentence in her careful hand, then turns the sheet toward Lewis. Parsley quietly offers the blotting paper, and Edwin watches for his approval before the letter is folded.
“The next morning, Lewis and his mother write a response to his father together. Asking what he means by restraint, conduct, welcome, and defiance.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled -1)
C. S. Lewis
Please ask what he means by restraint, conduct, welcome, and defiance. I cannot answer accusations that he refuses to define.
His mother writes the four words in a neat column, leaving space beside each. Lewis dictates slowly, pausing whenever his shoulder begins to ache.
Lewis's mother
We shall ask him to name the conduct he condemns, the restraint he demands, and the defiance he believes you have shown.
C. S. Lewis
Add that I have obeyed the lawful rules of Malvern, while helping establish a company founded on consent, mutual protection, and honest correction.
Parsley places the blotting paper beneath the fresh lines. Edwin listens with his notebook closed, leaving the letter entirely in Lewis’s and his mother’s hands.
Lewis's mother
And welcome? Shall we ask whether he means that your home remains open to you only if you become silent about what happened here?
C. S. Lewis
Yes. Ask him to state plainly whether I remain welcome as his son, even when he disagrees with my choices and refuses to answer my accusations.
✓ Quest Accepted
Send the written questions to his father
“Lewis asks her to add that he doesn't understand why a father would abandon responsibility for his own son. But Lewis would rather know it is the case now, than waste his life trying to please a man who doesn't actually care about him. The real him. Not just the vision of him that others have.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Add that I do not understand why a father would abandon responsibility for his own son. I would rather know that is the case now than waste my life trying to please a man who does not care about the real me.
His mother pauses with the pen above the page. Parsley remains close beside the writing board, while Edwin listens without opening his notebook.
Lewis's mother
I will write it plainly. You are not asking him to admire a vision of you, but to acknowledge the son who is actually speaking to him.
She adds the words beneath the questions about welcome and defiance, preserving Lewis’s meaning without softening the charge or turning it into a plea.
Parsley
That is the truth you have been denied, Lewis. Wanting to know it is not the same as surrendering yourself to his answer.
Edwin
And if he cannot care for the real you, that failure will be his. You need not spend your life becoming a shape he might tolerate.
Lewis's mother
I have written it. Read it back when you are ready, my dear, and we shall send him a letter that leaves no room for him to mistake who you are.
“Lewis reads it back and approves. Asking her to send the letter, and asking how much longer she can stay at Malvern, she has been here a full week already.”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled +2)
Lewis reads the letter back slowly, pausing at each question. His mother corrects one comma at his request, then waits while he considers the whole page.
C. S. Lewis
It says what I mean. Please send it, Mum. How much longer can you stay at Malvern? You have already been here a full week.
Lewis's mother
I can stay through tomorrow, and longer if the doctor or Housemaster believes you need me. I have arranged rooms nearby, so I am not leaving you to manage this alone.
She folds the approved letter only after Lewis nods, placing it in the envelope with care. Parsley steadies the ink bottle while Edwin watches the address being written.
Lewis's mother
I shall post it today through the Housemaster, and keep a copy with your father’s letters. He will have to answer the questions as they stand.
Parsley
Then while your mother remains, we can make the practical arrangements clear: your recovery, your return home, and what happens if your father refuses a proper answer.
Edwin
And we can write to the Company that your mother is staying, if you want them to know. Nobody need turn her visit into a secret or a disturbance.
“Lewis thanks them. He says that he hopes he will be healed and back to regular classes before Christmas. He asks of the boys at Malvern usually go home for Christmas and return on New Years or if they have Chrstmas at Malvern?”
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Mum. I hope I shall be healed and back in regular classes before Christmas. Do boys usually go home for Christmas, or do they stay at Malvern and return on New Year’s Day?
His mother finishes addressing the envelope, then looks toward Parsley and Edwin. The question draws them naturally into the practical future beyond the infirmary.
Parsley
Most boys go home for the Christmas holiday, I think. The houses empty considerably, though some remain if home is too far away or arrangements fail.
Edwin
The school does not usually keep the ordinary term running through Christmas. Boys return when the holiday ends, close to New Year or just afterward, according to the calendar.
Lewis's mother
You will come home at the appointed time, my dear, unless the doctor says travel is unsafe. If you are still recovering, we shall arrange matters properly rather than hurry you.
Parsley shifts nearer the bedside, while Edwin opens his notebook and checks the term dates recorded there. The prospect of Christmas gives the waiting weeks a definite shape.
Parsley
And if you are back in classes before then, we shall still write to you during the holiday. You will not lose the Company simply because Malvern closes for Christmas.
“Lewis blushes and admits he was mostly asking to find out if Parsley and Edwin will go home for Christmas or not. He won't get in the way of their plans, but the idea of Christmas together was cute in his head.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +3)
C. S. Lewis
I was mostly asking whether Parsley and Edwin will go home for Christmas. I would not get in the way of their plans, but Christmas together seemed rather lovely in my head.
Lewis blushes as he says it. Parsley’s expression softens, while Edwin closes his notebook and looks toward him with startled, unmistakable pleasure.
Parsley
I had meant to go home, but I should like Christmas with you both if it can be arranged. You are not imposing by wishing for it.
Edwin
I want it too. My arrangements are not settled, and I would rather spend the holiday with you than pretend the choice does not matter.
Lewis's mother
Then let us ask properly. If your homes cannot receive you, both boys may come to me, provided their families and the school agree.
The offer changes the Christmas question from a private hope into a practical possibility. His mother writes the names in her notebook, beside the dates and travel arrangements.
Parsley
That is more than I expected. We can each speak to our families, and nobody need promise anything before knowing what is possible.
“Lewis grins and thanks his mother for offering to arrange it, and thanks Parsley and Edwin for agreeing to ask their parents for permission. He would love for Parsley, Edwin, and himself to be able to play into he snow together and cuddle by the fireplace with hot cocoa. He says he has a lot of free time up here in the infirmary and that is the kind of thing he has been thinking about.”
SUCCESS (Superb Etiquette, rolled -3)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you, Mum, for offering to arrange it, and thank you both for asking your parents. I should love Christmas together, if it can be managed.
C. S. Lewis
We could play in the snow, then cuddle by the fireplace with hot cocoa. I have so much free time here that I have been thinking about things like that.
Lewis grins, but the movement pulls at his healing shoulder. His smile falters as pain catches him, and the doctor steadies the sling before the ache can worsen.
Lewis's mother
Then we shall put that wish into practical letters. Snow cannot be ordered, but a warm fire, cocoa, and good company can certainly be arranged.
Parsley
I shall ask plainly, and tell them this is not a passing fancy. I want the snow, the fire, and the time with you both.
Edwin
So do I. I shall write tonight, though I may spend half the letter explaining why Christmas matters so much.
His mother records the plan beside the travel dates. The infirmary remains painfully bright and ordinary, yet the imagined holiday gives the three boys something concrete to discuss and prepare for.
“Quietly, Lewis says, "that reminds me, have either of you written home about me? Or our relationship? I'm not asking you too, I was just curious how much your folks already know."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
That reminds me, have either of you written home about me? Or about our relationship? I am not asking you to, I was just curious how much your folks already know.
Parsley glances toward Edwin, then back to Lewis. His expression is open, but he takes a moment to distinguish what he has shared from what still belongs to them.
Parsley
I have written about you often, and about the Phoenix Company. I said you are someone I love and trust, but I did not give my family every private detail.
Edwin
I have written that you and Parsley matter greatly to me. I have not called it a relationship in so many words. I wanted to ask you both first.
His mother continues sorting the Christmas papers, listening without intruding. The doctor remains by the bed, while the imagined letters make the distant families feel suddenly present.
Parsley
My parents know I have found people here who make me happy and safe. They know your name, Lewis, and that our friendship is deeper than ordinary school companionship.
Edwin
My family knows I am writing to someone I love at Malvern, and that he loves me too. I have not yet explained how our three lives fit together.
“Lewis nods softly. He says that he doesn't mind what they tell their parents and when they tell them. He was just curious now that at least Lewis's family knows, and is still planning to have them for Christmas. He wouldn't ask them to disclose anything to anybody until they wanted too.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
I do not mind what you tell your parents, or when you tell them. I was only curious, now that my family knows and still plans to have us for Christmas.
C. S. Lewis
I would never ask either of you to disclose anything to anyone until you wanted to. What you tell your families is yours to decide.
Lewis nods softly. Parsley’s shoulders ease, while Edwin’s fingers stop worrying at the edge of his notebook. Neither boy is being hurried toward a confession.
Parsley
Thank you. I was not afraid of your curiosity, but I was afraid that love might become another reason to surrender my own timing.
Edwin
Then I can write when I am ready, and explain only what belongs to me. I want my family to know the truth, but I want to speak it myself.
Parsley
We shall tell them in our own ways, and at our own pace. Christmas can be offered honestly without making disclosure the price of being welcomed.
Edwin
I think I shall begin with the ordinary things: the school, the Company, and the people who have made Malvern feel like somewhere I belong.
“Lewis blushes again but keeps his warm smile directed at Parsley and Edwin. He thanks then for sharing with him and says that he supports them whatever they want to say. He is just glad that they have places now where Lewis doesn't have to hide how he feels about them.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
Lewis blushes again, but keeps his warm smile directed toward Parsley and Edwin. The infirmary feels briefly less like a place of recovery than a room where truth is safe.
C. S. Lewis
Thank you both for sharing this with me. I support you in whatever you want to say, and whenever you want to say it.
C. S. Lewis
I am simply glad that you have places now where I do not have to hide how I feel about you.
Parsley
Then I shall remember that. Your love does not demand my disclosure, and my silence for a time does not make me less loved by you.
Edwin
Nor does my wanting to tell them make me obliged to do it before I am ready. It helps enormously to know you will stand beside me either way.
Their words settle warmly between the bedsheets and the afternoon light. Lewis’s mother folds the Christmas notes, listening with a small, approving smile.
Lewis's mother
Then we shall make room for truth without turning it into a test. Christmas will welcome you as you are, and your families may learn at their own pace.
“Lewis looks to his mother and asks her if she has any questions for him? About his relationships or life at Malvern? He wants to be able to help her understand his feelings.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Mum, do you have any questions for me? About my relationships, or my life at Malvern? I want to help you understand how I feel.
His mother sets the folded Christmas notes aside and turns fully toward him. Parsley and Edwin remain quiet, present but careful not to answer in his place.
Lewis's mother
I do, my dear. First, when you say you love Parsley and Edwin, what does that ask of you, and what does it ask of them?
Parsley
You may take your time, Lewis. I think that is the question she means, not whether you can provide a perfect definition.
Lewis's mother
And I want to understand Malvern too. What makes this Company a home for you, rather than another duty you must perform to deserve belonging?
Edwin
Those are fair questions. We can explain our part afterward, but Lewis should have the first answer, because he invited you to ask.
“Lewis closes his eyes and thinks. He says that his love for Parsley and Edwin has asked of him to learn restraint and to learn to be open about his own needs and to ask openly about theirs. There were times he really messed up and crossed Parsley's boundaries in the past without meaning too. And working through that was emotional and confusing. But he thinks maybe that is just a part of all relationships and this is just his first time being in one to notice?”
FAILURE (Legendary Willpower, rolled -4)
C. S. Lewis
Lewis says that loving Parsley and Edwin has required him to learn restraint, speak openly about his needs, and ask openly about theirs.
C. S. Lewis
He admits he crossed Parsley’s boundaries before without meaning to. Working through it was emotional and confusing, and perhaps this is his first relationship, so he is noticing what relationships require.
His mother listens without interrupting, but Parsley’s expression tightens at the final thought. The admission is honest, yet its generality leaves something important unspoken.
Parsley
Some of it may be ordinary learning, Lewis. But calling it part of all relationships can make the harm sound inevitable, and I need you to name what happened between us.
Lewis's mother
That is a difficult distinction, my dear. Love may teach restraint, but it does not make another person’s boundary a lesson you are entitled to repeat.
Parsley
I am not asking you to punish yourself or give me a perfect confession. I am asking whether you can hear that good intentions did not make those moments harmless.
The room grows still. Lewis’s explanation has not been rejected, but it has been narrowed into a harder question: whether he can acknowledge the particular hurt without hiding inside the uncertainty of first love.
“Lewis apologizes and says that he didn't mean the hurts were inevitable. He just meant that learning to be more activelt aware of your partner's needs is something they don't teach you about relationships, but it is something you need to do in every relationship. But he was not trying to sidestep his own mistakes. There were times he made decisions without Parsley or sometimes for Parsley, just because he wanted to protect him. And he sometimes spoke up when he should have ket Parsley speak for himself. Lewis knows he was wrong and takes full responsibility.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled -2)
“Lewis apologizes and says that he didn't mean the hurts were inevitable. He just meant that learning to be more activelt aware of your partner's needs is something they don't teach you about relationships, but it is something you need to do in every relationship. But he was not trying to sidestep his own mistakes. There were times he made decisions without Parsley or sometimes for Parsley, just because he wanted to protect him. And he sometimes spoke up when he should have ket Parsley speak for himself. Lewis knows he was wrong and takes full responsibility.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled -3)
C. S. Lewis
I am sorry. I did not mean that the hurts were inevitable. I meant that every relationship requires learning to notice a partner’s needs, and nobody teaches us how.
C. S. Lewis
I was not trying to evade my own mistakes. I made decisions without Parsley, sometimes for him, because I wanted to protect him. I spoke when I should have let him speak.
C. S. Lewis
I know I was wrong. Good intentions do not excuse it, and I take full responsibility for those choices and the hurt they caused.
The effort draws sharply through Lewis’s shoulder. His fingers cramp around the blanket, and the doctor steadies the sling before the pain can worsen.
Parsley
Thank you for naming it plainly. You did not merely make mistakes in the abstract. You decided over me, and I need you to remember that precisely.
Lewis's mother
That is an apology with responsibility in it, my dear. You are not claiming that love makes you harmless, only that you must choose differently.
Parsley
I accept that you are sorry. I will still tell you when you begin protecting me by taking my choices away, and you must let me speak for myself.
“Lewis asks if Parsley is still mad at him? He hasn't done either of those things in weeks and he still tries hard every day to not repeat those mistakes. He has been standing beside Parsley, not in front of or behind. And he isn't trying to escape responsibility for his past mistakes either. He isn't asking Parsley to not call him out, because he should. He just wants to know if it is something Parsley is actively carrying right now?”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
Are you still angry with me, Parsley? I have not done those things in weeks. I try every day not to repeat them, and I have stood beside you, not in front of you or behind you. I am not escaping responsibility, and I will listen when you call me out. I only want to know whether you are actively carrying the anger now.
Parsley studies Lewis for a long moment. His hand remains near Lewis’s, but he does not take it until the doctor’s watchful silence gives the room permission to remain still.
Parsley
I am not actively angry with you now. I remember what happened, and I remain alert to it, but I am not carrying anger through every hour or using it to measure you.
Parsley
When I call you out, it is because something is happening in the present, not because I have been waiting to punish you for the past. You have stood beside me, and I have noticed.
The distinction settles carefully between them. Lewis’s mother listens without interrupting, while Edwin lowers his gaze to give Parsley’s answer its proper space.
Parsley
I still need you to let me speak for myself, and I will tell you when you begin taking over. But I am not secretly keeping a grievance against you. I love you, and I trust the work you are doing.
Lewis's mother
That is an important answer, my dear. Responsibility need not become a permanent sentence, and forgiveness need not pretend that the history never occurred.
“Lewis relaxes and thanks Parsley for clarifying. And says that he wants Parsley to keep calling him out. Even when they are both old and senile. He doesn't want to do either if those things to Parsley again, but he also knows that in a lifetime he is probably going to mess up sometimes. So the fact Parsley can hold him accountable matter to Lewis.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
Thank you for clarifying. I want you to keep calling me out, Parsley, even when we are both old and senile.
C. S. Lewis
I do not want to hurt you that way again, but I know I shall sometimes get things wrong across a lifetime. Your accountability matters to me.
Lewis relaxes against the pillows. The confession costs him no argument now, only the quiet vulnerability of asking to remain answerable to someone he loves.
Parsley
Then I will. I shall call you out when the matter is real, and I shall listen when you tell me I have misunderstood.
Parsley
If we are old and senile, I may have to write it down. But I will not use your mistakes to diminish you, and I will not let you use love to escape them.
Lewis's mother
That is a promise worth keeping, my dear. A long life together will contain errors, but accountability can remain an act of care rather than a sentence.
Edwin
And if either of you forgets the agreement, I shall remind you both. Not to take sides, but to keep the truth from becoming something only one person carries.
“Lewis looks at over to Edwin and says, "Please hold me accountable in our relationship too, Edwin. I love you too and don't want to make those same mistakes. I should be accountable to more than just Parsley. Accountability matters."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
Please hold me accountable in our relationship too, Edwin. I love you too and do not want to make those same mistakes. I should be accountable to more than just Parsley. Accountability matters.
Edwin looks up from his notebook, visibly moved. He reaches for Lewis’s uninjured hand only after meeting his eyes, then holds it carefully beside Parsley’s.
Edwin
I will. I shall tell you when you speak over me, decide for me, or turn protecting me into taking charge of me. I will do it honestly, not cruelly.
Edwin
And you may call me out too. I sometimes become quiet instead of saying what I need, then hope someone will guess. That is not fair to you.
Parsley
That is the agreement, then. Neither of you is accountable only to me, and I am not the keeper of every truth between you.
Lewis's mother
You are building something demanding, my dears. Love may be shared, but responsibility cannot be assigned to one person and forgotten by the others.
Edwin opens the notebook and writes the new agreement while Lewis and Parsley watch. Beneath it, he leaves a blank line for anything either boy wishes to add.
“Lewis quietly asks Parsley and Edwin if he can kiss them.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
May I kiss you both? Only if you each want me to.
The question rests gently between them. Edwin’s hand remains around Lewis’s, while Parsley studies his face and leaves the answer free of haste or expectation.
Parsley
Yes, Lewis. I want you to kiss me. Thank you for asking.
Edwin
Yes. I want that too, and I am glad you asked us together.
Parsley leans in first, careful of Lewis’s injured shoulder. Their kiss is brief and tender, then Parsley returns his hand to Lewis’s without claiming more.
Edwin waits until Lewis turns toward him, then bends close. Their kiss is equally gentle, warmed by his shy smile when he settles back beside the bed.
Lewis's mother
That seemed very plainly asked and very plainly answered. I shall give you three a moment, while remembering that the doctor still outranks romance.
“Lewis laughs and mentions to Edwin that this was technically their first kiss together. So Lewis will remember it.”
Lewis laughs softly, careful not to jar his shoulder. The sound brightens the infirmary, and Edwin’s shy smile grows as he waits for Lewis to explain.
C. S. Lewis
That was technically our first kiss together, Edwin. I shall remember it.
Edwin
Then I shall remember it too. I was afraid of making the moment awkward, but asking made it feel honest.
Parsley
It was honest because you both chose it. And now Edwin has a first kiss worth writing about, if he wishes.
Edwin
I may write about the rain instead. But I shall know what the rain was falling on, and who was beside me.
Their mother smiles from her chair, while the doctor checks Lewis’s sling and permits the warmth to remain. Parsley keeps one hand in Lewis’s, and Edwin keeps the other.
Lewis's mother
Then remember it kindly, all three of you. A first kiss need not become a promise of perfection, only a moment honestly shared.
“Lewis says they need to finish answering his mother's questions. He asks Edwin and Parsley what their love with him demands of them?”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled -1)
C. S. Lewis
We need to finish answering Mum’s questions. Edwin, Parsley, what does your love for me demand of you?
The question quiets the room. Parsley keeps Lewis’s hand in his, while Edwin’s fingers rest lightly around the other, both boys considering the demand rather than reaching for a pretty answer.
Parsley
It demands that I tell you the truth, even when truth is inconvenient. It demands that I keep my own choices, ask before assuming, and refuse to let love become an excuse for either of us to rule the other.
Edwin
For me, it demands courage. I must say what I need instead of waiting for you to guess, and tell you when I feel overlooked. It does not demand that I become like Parsley, or that you love us identically.
Their mother listens closely, her expression softened but serious. The doctor remains by the bed, allowing the conversation to continue while Lewis’s breathing stays even.
Parsley
It also demands that I let you be responsible for yourself. I can support you, Lewis, but I cannot carry your conscience, speak for you, or make your choices safe by making them mine.
Edwin
And it demands patience. We are learning what this is without pretending we already know its final shape. I want honesty, room to change, and the freedom to remain because I choose to.
Lewis's mother
Those are serious answers, my dears. I hear that your love asks for truth, consent, patience, and responsibility, but not obedience or possession. That is a better foundation than many adults manage.
“Lewis agrees. He says that his answer to her second question is a bit more complicated. He admits that at first, the Company did feel like a duty. He brought them together and stood up to the bloods for them back at the time. He helped come up with the idea of naming them Pheonix Company, and he did the outreach to the older boys that brought in Edward. He was having to lead without it ever being said outright, and he was taking on the responsibility that came with that, until Paraley stopped him. And then he realized that Pheonix Company had grown into something that could survive and thrive on its own. That was a different kind of scary and he broke down a little after that. But eventually he accepted that Pheonix Company was a place he could feel safe and help others feel safe. And that he enjoyed watching the others grow. It's been a while since he really took any active role and he intends to keep it that way. He is a member now. Not a leader.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
I agree. But my answer to your second question is more complicated. At first, the Phoenix Company did feel like a duty.
C. S. Lewis
I brought them together, stood up to the Bloods, helped name the Company, and reached out to the older boys until Edward joined. I was leading without anyone saying so.
Lewis speaks carefully, his hands still held by Parsley and Edwin. His mother listens without interrupting, while the doctor watches the strain gather in his face.
C. S. Lewis
I took on the responsibility until Parsley stopped me. Then I realised the Company could survive and thrive without my directing it. That frightened me, and I broke down a little.
C. S. Lewis
Eventually I accepted that it was a place where I could feel safe and help others feel safe. I enjoy watching all of you grow. I have not taken an active role for some time, and I intend to keep it that way.
C. S. Lewis
I am a member now, Mum. Not the leader.
Parsley
That is what made it a Company rather than an extension of you, Lewis. You gave us room to become ourselves, and we chose to remain together.
“Lewis squeezes his hand and agrees. He mentions how proud he felt when they came up with and implemented the escorts rota after he got hurt. And it happened without him ever having to say anything or give any input. The company handled it. They handled it.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
I agree. And I felt proud when the Company created and carried out the escorts rota after I was hurt. It happened without my direction or even my advice.
C. S. Lewis
You handled it. All of you handled it. That was when I knew the Phoenix Company could protect its members without needing me to lead it.
Lewis squeezes Parsley’s hand and keeps hold of Edwin’s. His voice remains quiet, but the pride in it eases the last tension from his face.
Parsley
We did, Lewis. We listened to the rules we had made together, then applied them without waiting for your permission. That was the point of the Company.
Edwin
You had given us the principles, but we chose the action ourselves. Nobody became your substitute. We acted as members, each responsible for the others.
Lewis's mother
Then I understand what you meant. The Company is not a duty you perform for the boys, nor a monument to you. It is a community that can stand when you are resting.
Parsley
And you may be proud without taking the work back. You helped make room for us, Lewis. We filled it together.
“Lewis nods but says he disagrees about it not being a monument. She is right it isn't a monument to Lewis, but it is a monument to what cooperation and collective effort is capable of changing. And he has long been secretly pleased that none of the company's record has ever mentioned him as a leader or the responsibilities he took on to make it happen. Which means that after they graduate and leave the school, future generations of students will credit them equally for starting Phoenix Company. Everyone there that day gets an equal part of the legacy.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled +0)
C. S. Lewis
I disagree slightly, Mum. You are right that the Company is not a monument to me, but it is a monument to what cooperation and collective effort can change.
C. S. Lewis
I have been secretly pleased that the record never calls me its leader, or lists what I did to make it happen. Everyone who stood there that day has an equal part in beginning it.
His mother considers this, while Parsley and Edwin keep hold of his hands. The idea shifts the Company from a founder’s achievement into a shared inheritance.
Lewis's mother
Then the record has done something important. It has preserved not merely who acted first, but what each person contributed to making cooperation possible.
Parsley
Future boys may read those pages and find no throne waiting for them. They will see that the Company belonged to everyone who accepted responsibility.
Edwin
And when we leave Malvern, the next generations can credit us equally. They will inherit a method, not a hero worshipped above the rest.
His mother reaches for the Company notebook and opens it to the names and rules. No single name dominates the page; the legacy already stands in their collective record.
“Lewis nods. He admits that, since he stepped back, that has been his favorite part of what they created. That the legacy is shared.”
C. S. Lewis
I agree. Since I stepped back, that has been my favourite part of what we created: knowing the legacy is shared.
Lewis nods, still holding Parsley’s and Edwin’s hands. His mother turns another page, where the rules continue in several different hands.
Lewis's mother
Then perhaps the next question is how to keep that inheritance shared after you all leave Malvern. A principle must be carried deliberately, or it becomes only a memory.
Parsley
We could write a final section explaining how the Company may be renewed by later boys, without requiring them to copy our names or our particular arrangements.
Edwin
And every new Company should be free to amend the rules, provided it keeps consent, accountability, and protection from private authority.
His mother places the notebook between them on the blanket, leaving the next page empty. The blankness invites contribution rather than obedience, and Edwin reaches for a pencil.
Lewis's mother
Then let us give that page a heading, my dears. What shall future boys understand first about the legacy you are leaving them?
“Lewis says that it is his hope, that the company will never disband or need renewal. That each year they will bring in the next group of new students and teach them the company's values and the importance of passing them on. So once they graduate, the students remaining at Malvern will keep passing it to the next generation.”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled +1)
C. S. Lewis
I hope the Company never disbands or needs renewal. Each year, we can bring in new boys, teach them our values, and teach them to pass those values on.
C. S. Lewis
When we graduate, the boys remaining at Malvern will carry it forward to the next generation. It need not belong to our names. It can belong to the school’s future.
Lewis speaks eagerly, his hands still held by Parsley and Edwin. His mother lowers her pencil, while the blank page becomes less an ending than a doorway for boys not yet known.
Parsley
Then the Company would renew itself through teaching, not ceremony. Each generation would receive the principles, question them honestly, and pass them on in its own voice.
Edwin
We should write that no graduating boy takes the Company away with him. He leaves behind the rules, the records, and the responsibility to welcome those who come after.
Lewis's mother
That is a living inheritance, my dear. It can survive departures because its strength rests in practice, not in one founder’s presence.
Edwin writes the heading: “For Those Who Come After.” Beneath it, Parsley dictates the first sentence, and Lewis watches the shared future take shape in several hands.
“Lewis smiles and lets them fill out the page with minimal input. Glad the others see his vision for the company's future too.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +2)
Lewis smiles and lets his hands rest in Parsley’s and Edwin’s, offering no correction as they bend over the blank page together.
Parsley
For those who come after: the Company belongs to every member, and every member remains free to question, amend, or leave it.
Edwin
Add this: no boy inherits authority merely by joining early. Leadership must be shared, visible, and answerable to those it serves.
Edwin writes carefully while Parsley watches the wording. Lewis’s mother holds the notebook steady, and the page fills with several distinct hands.
Parsley
And protection must never become possession. A new member may accept help, refuse it, or ask for another arrangement without punishment.
Edwin
Then the final line can say that friendship is renewed by truthful work: listening, correcting, forgiving, and making room for the next boy.
The heading now carries a growing paragraph beneath it. Lewis watches the words take shape without his direction, and his mother smiles at the page’s shared authorship.
“Lewis asks that they only add three lines to the end. "For those who come after, we built this company to help break a system of abuse and servitude. Let these values remind you that you need not ever endure the whip, bend the knee, or face coercion when you and your fellows stand shoulder to shoulder. Please pass that lesson on."”
SUCCESS (Great Oratory, rolled -3)
C. S. Lewis
For those who come after, we built this Company to help break a system of abuse and servitude.
C. S. Lewis
Let these values remind you that you need not ever endure the whip, bend the knee, or face coercion when you and your fellows stand shoulder to shoulder.
C. S. Lewis
Please pass that lesson on.
Lewis dictates the three lines slowly. His shoulder begins to throb, and his cramped hand slips against the blanket, but the words reach the page intact.
Parsley
That belongs at the end. It names what we opposed without pretending that courage means standing alone.
Edwin
I have written every word. The next boys will know the Company was made to resist service and coercion, not to inherit authority.
His mother steadies the notebook while Edwin adds the final full stop. Lewis’s pain forces him to rest, but the legacy statement is complete in their shared record.