(Hello fellow Narnia lovers Here is the first chapter of The Keepers: A Narnia FanFiction.
I do not own any of Narnia's characters except for the young woman and some later characters.)
Chapter 1: An Ivory Skinned Maiden
The air was crisp and chilly as the Dawn Treader carefully sailed forward into the island. A sense of foreboding fell upon everyone on the ship, including King Caspian. He stood at the head of the ship, in front of all his crew like a noble king. His dark hair had grown longer, now falling closely to his shoulders, but still kept the rich color from his youth. It was disheveled now, mirroring his disarray of the past few weeks. He looked around with sharp brown eyes, the color of dark chocolate. The inevitable stress that tagged along with being king was beginning to show on the young Telmarine. He seemed distant and distracted. Edmund and Lucy Pevensie had noticed the change in their old friend, but they thought it best not to point the changes out.
The entire crew of the Dawn Treader was tense. Ever since the boat entered Dark Island, the waters had become rocky and rough. Darkness fell upon them, cold and clammy, like that of a corpse. Beside the ship, a great dragon, gold in color, flew. It was a magnificent beast with rich, yellow scales and dark brown eyes. It was Eustace Scrubb, the cousin of the Pevensies, who had fallen prey to a Narnian curse.
"Have you seen the sword yet?" Edmund called to his cousin.
They were on the voyage for the last sword that would force the dark magic back into Dark Island. They had six; the seventh lie somewhere inside Dark Island. The dragon shook its large head, grunting something unintelligible. Edmund sighed.
"Still no sign of it?" Lucy's normally enthusiastic voice sounded crestfallen.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," A small mouse by the name of Reepicheep tapped his blade against the ground.
Caspian was about to say something to his crew when a horrible wail split the air. It was pained and awful, the kind that made one shudder.
"Stay away!" the voice moaned desperately.
Startled, the crew searched their surroundings, trying to locate the speaker. In the dim light, it was difficult to see clearly. Caspian squinted his dark eyes in concentration, when Lucy cried out, "There! That man there!" She was pointing to a small island of rock that was set in the water. Perched on one of the stones was an old man. He was horribly thin and his clothes hung off him like rags. A layer of grime and filth caked his pale skin. He had ashen gray hair, grown out to his waist, and an extremely long, white beard.
"Go back!" he wailed again, his hauntingly dead eyes fixated on the Dawn Treader.
"How long has he been here?" Lucy gasped, taking in the pitiful sight.
"A mighty long time, if you ask me," a Minotaur, Tavros, grumbled from beside her.
When the ship failed to stop or slow, the man began to wave his arms. Something glinted off the minimal light, catching King Caspian's eye. Clutched in one grimy hand was a sword. It was long and silver, seemingly untouched by dirt. Caspian sucked in sharply, eyes never straying from the blade.
"It's one of the lords," He said in a daze.
"That old thing is?" The captain, Drinian, repeated in distaste.
"We must get him on board!" Caspian yelled, "He has the sword!"
At this, Eustace perked up. He paid attention to the kooky old man for the first time. Figuring it was the easiest way, he swooped down, prepared to grab the man. One look at the dragon and the man let out a guttural scream. He sliced the sword at him, scuttling backwards.
"No! He won't hurt you!" Lucy pleaded wildly from the ship.
"He won't listen to you," Edmund said harshly.
Eustace kept his distance from the sword, snorting and growling. *Stupid old bat!* he thought angrily.
"Away beast! The dark will not claim me!" the man screeched.
"Damn it," Caspian hissed under his breath.
With a bellowing screech, Eustace dived at the man. This sudden movement stunned the old man for a second, giving the dragon enough time to wrap his claws around the man's small frame. Since his arms were pinned to his side, as well as the sword, all the man could do was wail at his misfortune. He ceaselessly screamed curses, prayers and mindless babble. Eustace rolled his eyes and carelessly dropped the man onto the deck of the Dawn Treader. His sword was immediately stripped from him and put away safely in the King's cabin. The man huddled in a corner, drawing his knees to his chest. He watched the crew with mistrustful eyes, hissing at anyone near. The crew didn't bother trying to converse with him. Lucy was the only one who dared to go near.
"We aren't going to hurt you," She said softly.
The man suddenly grabbed her arm, watery eyes wide with fear.
"You should not be here!" He moaned, "It is dangerous! You need to leave!"
Caspian knocked him away from Lucy. He glared at the distressed ex-lord. Winds around the ship began to pick up. The water rippled dangerously.
"It is here!" the ex-lord cried, "Do not let it hear your thoughts! They will become real!"
"Oh damn it," Edmund said suddenly. Lucy and Caspian looked at him suspiciously.
"Oh Ed, you didn't!" Lucy's eyes widened.
Just then, the ship gave an awful lurch. Caspian caught Lucy before she lost her footing. Edmund groaned.
"Edmund, what did you think-,"
A terrible roar split the air as something exploded out of the water. It looked almost like a giant snake with glistening scales. A pair of yellow orbs peered out from its enormous head. The roar died down into a bone-chilling hiss. The creature swayed in the water, watching the Dawn Treader with unmoving intensity. The ex-lord wailed forlornly, clutching his head.
"A sea serpent? Really Ed?" Lucy glared at her brother.
Edmund shrugged weakly, utterly speechless at the sight of the monster. Caspian cursed under his breath.
"Prepare to fight!" he bellowed, whipping around to his crew.
The captain was the first to respond, yelling other, more precise, orders to the terrified crew. The sea serpent hissed, spraying misty water over the deck. It reared its head, sharp teeth glinting off the minimal sunlight.
"I have an idea!" Edmund shouted and darted off before anyone could stop him.
Lucy gripped onto the railing as the serpent struck. The ship rocked to one side, groaning. Eustace watched from above, horrorstruck. Caspian fought to keep standing and drew his sword. He would not let his boat got down, not with everything that was at stake. He watched as Eustace repeatedly dived at the serpent, his claws leaving jagged marks across the serpent's face. It screamed in pain, snagging the dragon's foot in its teeth. Eustace's eyes widened as he was jerked from side to side. The serpent threw him away and Eustace went flying. He couldn't get his wings to catch the air and went careening into a nearby rocky crevice.
"Eustace!" Lucy screamed as her younger cousin crashed into the rocks.
She ran to the railing and was prepared to jump, but Caspian caught her around the waist.
"No, Lucy, you stay here," He growled.
Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but the stony look in Caspian's dark eyes made her obey. She stepped back from the railing.
"I'll go check on him," His brown eyes flickered to the motionless dragons.
"What?" Lucy looked alarmed, "No, it's too dangerous Caspian!"
But the young king was already up on the railing. He sheathed his sword and looked down. The water was slapping against the ship, stirred up by the serpent's thrashing. Caspian took a deep breath and dove. The water was ice cold against his skin, like tiny needles. Caspian surfaced with a gasp, the waves slamming against him. The serpent was unaware of him so he turned towards the rocky crevice. He strained against the sheer strength of the waves. He was constantly pushed under the water, but death was not an option for him. He kicked his legs, propelling himself forward. His muscles screamed in protest and the sight of Eustace's fallen body was the only thing keeping him going. Eventually, Caspian reached the rocks. He had to haul himself out of the water, which took a tremendous amount of effort. He collapsed on the rocks, gasping. His lungs felt as though they were on fire. Caspian has been in many rigorous fights that required all of his strength, but he had never been in that much pain. In the background, he could hear the screams of his crew and the roar of the serpent. He rolled onto his stomach, resting his chin on the spiky gravel. Eustace was lying a few feet away, his massive body half curled up in a fetal position. Caspian pushed off the ground and stood up on wobbly legs. He shuffled over to the dragon, kicking pebbles across the ground.
"Eustace?" his voice was scratchy and raw, but he didn't care.
The dragon remained motionless. Caspian sucked in sharply and nudged Eustace with his boot. His scales were slippery and smooth. A noise rumbled from his body. It was deep and low. At first, Caspian thought Eustace was trying to tell him something. It took him a moment, but Caspian realized that Eustace was growling at him. He wanted to step back, a natural reflex, but he stood his ground.
"Eustace," Caspian frowned, "What's wrong?"
Eustace moved his head so that one brown colored eye was staring right at Caspian. He looked frightened and in pain, but a protective gleam sparked from his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he repeated firmly.
The dragon's tail twitched and he hesitated slightly. He slowly moved to the side to let Caspian see, but kept one paw cradled in place. Caspian assumed that Eustace was injured and was only acting on instinct. He was ready to see a broken foot, bloodied and mangled, but what he saw made him stare in shock. With the dragon's paw curled around like a shield, was a young woman. She was lying in her back, her hands folded peacefully on her stomach. It took Caspian a moment to realize that she was stark naked. Her pale ivory skin seemed to glow in the dim light. Dark hair, the color of coal, was splayed around her like some sort of under worldly halo. The woman appeared to be sleeping soundly despite the chaos ensuing around her. Keeping his eyes glued to her face only, Caspian moved closer.
"How did she get here?" He murmured.
The dragon rumbled in what Caspian could only guess was confusion. Eustace swung his head to look at Caspian. His brown eyes bore into the young king.
"What?"
The dragon poked his snout against Caspian's chest, nearly knocking him over. Realization dawned on him. He stripped his wet tunic off. Carefully, he covered the woman's body as best as he could, trying to keep his eyes only on her face. His cheeks burned in embarrassment as he straightened up.
"Eustace, you should stay here with her," He said, turning his gaze to the dragon.
Eustace didn't complain and merely curled his large body around the woman. He settled his head down beside her, looking at Caspian. Caspian turned around to face his ship once more. The serpent was dangerously close to the mast, apparently facing off with someone. He squinted his dark eyes to get a better look. Edmund was standing on the mast, one of the seven lords' swords clutched in his dominant arm. He looked positively terrified, but he didn't back away. The serpent lunged at Edmund, its jaws agape. Instead of dodging to the side, Edmund met the creature head on. When Caspian lost sight of him, he screamed aloud, but it was drowned out by the serpent's deafening roar. The serpent seemed to be in pain as its body shuddered. The streamline body swayed in place before falling backwards like a tree. It hit that water with a reverberating crash. Waves rocked the Dawn Treader. Edmund was left clutching the mast for dear life. Caspian was relieved to see that both Edmund and the sword were unharmed. The crew stood on the deck, stunned. Then, an uproar of cheers rose from them. Caspian, flooded with exhaustion and relief, sagged against a nearby rock. Eustace rumbled excitedly. Despite the happiness, Caspian knew they weren't safe yet. The Dawn Treader still needed to sail to Ramandu's Island and place all seven swords on Aslan's Table. As if Eustace was reading Caspian's mind, the dragon stood. He took flight, soaring to the ship. Before anyone could stop him, he snatched the sword from Edmund's hands and took off.
"Sir!" Frantic voices were calling to Caspian, "Sir, he took the sword!"
Caspian didn't bother responding. He knew what the dragon was up to and he couldn't have been prouder of him. Forgetting about the dragon, he thought about the task at hand. The ship needed to get out before the evil came back. And then there was the young woman. Caspian couldn't just leave her there, defenseless and alone. He walked toward her carefully. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to get her aboard the ship. He slid his arms underneath her back and legs, scooping her up bridal style. Her skin was surprisingly warm and dry. It was silky to the touch and all Caspian could imagine was running his hands all over her body. The young king shook away his ungentlemanly thoughts. He looked down at the water which had calmed since the serpent's death. He carefully plunged into its dark depths with the woman still in his arms. Caspian found it extremely difficult to swim while keeping both their heads above the water. She wasn't heavy for a woman, which was a plus, but she was dead weight in his arms. His already soaked tunic was threatening to slip off her thin body with every wave of water.
"Drinian," Caspian half yelled, half growled as he reached the ship.
Amazingly, the captain heard his king's cry and lowered a small wooden ladder. Caspian clambered onto it, gripping the ropes with shaky hands and keeping the woman caged in his arms. The ladder lurched as it was pulled up onto the deck.
"Give him some room," the captain barked as Caspian came sprawling onto the deck. The king lay on the hard wood, panting. His muscles ached unbearably. A hushed murmur worked its way through the crew as they noticed the barely clad woman that Caspian was cradling. The tunic stayed on her body, but it was practically transparent, leaving her body on full display. Caspian managed to shield her with his own bare chest.
"Get fresh clothes!" he ordered sharply.
Two scrawny sailors scuttled off quickly to fetch what their king ordered. Lucy and Edmund shouldered their way to Caspian and knelt beside their friend.
"Are you okay Caspian?" Lucy practically whispered.
The king nodded, but Lucy already had her cordial in hand.
"Open your mouth; you'll feel better."
He complied and the Valiant Queen poured a drop into his mouth. Warmth spread through his body, gradually releasing his coiled muscles and numbing any pain. He sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Lucy," He smiled.
Lucy blushed and smiled back, pleased, "Does…she need any?"
Caspian turned his dark eyes to the woman in his arms. Her body rose and fell with her deep breaths. Edmund was staring fixedly at a spot below her neck and Lucy elbowed him sharply.
"She doesn't look injured," Caspian stated.
The two sailors came galloping back and dropped a heap of clothing beside Caspian.
"I'll dress her," Lucy snapped before either of the boys could move. She sifted through the clothes and pulled out a billowy tunic and breeches. It was unusual attire for a Narnian woman, but there was not time to fit her in a dress. Lucy knelt down in front of her, stripping off Caspian's tunic and replacing it with a dry one before anyone could even see what happened. Caspian held the woman up in a sitting position, averting his eyes, while Lucy slipped the breeches over her legs. It was an increasingly awkward moment for everyone, so Drinian barked orders to his crew, to give them something to do.
"She needs somewhere to sleep," Lucy broke the silence, her voice calm and collected.
"We can put her in my cabin," Caspian responded immediately.
Edmund snickered quietly and Caspian shot a venomous glare at the younger king.
"It is the safest place, away from the crew," Caspian clarified, ears red in embarrassment.
"Good idea Caspian," Lucy nodded, "Your cabin in the most comfortable too."
Again, Caspian picked up the woman, who was now fully clothed. The barrier of fabric between them made him long for her smooth skin. He couldn't explain why, but he felt an unbearable pull towards the ivory skinned woman. Feelings stirred within him that had been buried after the departure of Queen Susan the Gentle. Susan Pevensie was beautiful, but her looks were a bit blasé compared to this woman. Not that Caspian would ever admit it.
Edmund watched his friend's face as he sank deeper and deeper into his thoughts. This new woman caused a great deal of suspicion in those aboard the Dawn Treader. She was un-doubt ably innocent, that much Edmund could tell. But he could sense that she was also powerful and there was a hidden darkness somewhere inside of her. Her aura was not maliciously evil, coated in sugary words and promises like that of Jadis, the White Witch. This woman's aura was warm and fluttery, but covered with a hard shell of seriousness and duty. Edmund made a mental note to share this information with Caspian as they reached his cabin. He went inside, followed closely by Lucy and Edmund waited outside.
(That's all for the first chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review~)