I gave a Lucy some clothes and changed mine as well before we joined the guys who had also changed. I skipped forward slightly, overly excited to have Edmund back by my side as we started into the state room.
"Aslan," Lucy smiled, looking at the golden seal over the fireplace as both of them milled around the room and scanned over everything including Susan's bow and arrows.
I moved over to the cabinet and pulled out the small box. "Lu," I called and opened it, revealing her possessions.
"My healing cordial and dagger," She smiled brightly coming over and taking them out of the box.
"Peter's sword," Edmund spoke excitedly.
"Yes," Caspian walked over and picked it up. "Looked after as promised, here you may hold it if you wish."
"Oh, no, no it's yours. Peter gave it to you." He answered and I saw the slight bit of jealousy on his face, causing my smile to drop slightly.
"I did save this for you though," Caspian turned and opened the cabinet. Realizing what he was getting, I giggled slightly as he took out the electric torch and tossed it to him, then I laughed a bit harder as Edmund gave halfhearted thanks before turning it on and flashing it in his face.
"You're not still scared of it are you?" He smirked over at me, flashing it in my face.
"I wasn't scared," I defended as we exited the room and moved up to the council rook where Drinian was already looking over the map. Circling around it, we all looked down to the map of Narnia and outlying seas as Caspian started filling them on the current state of the country.
"Now since you've left the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally, and we defeated the Calormene army of the Great Desert."
"There's peace across all of Narnia," I smiled up at them.
"Peace?" Edmund asked incredulously and I nodded.
"For the past three years," Caspian smile, straightening up.
"And, have you found yourself a queen in those three years?" Lucy asked and I raised an eyebrow as I watched her flirt slightly with him.
"No," Caspian replied honestly. "Not one to compare with your sister."
"Hang on, so if there are no wars to fight and no one's in trouble, then why are we here?" Edmund asked.
"That's a good question; I've been asking myself the same thing," I admitted, worriedly.
He frowned up at me, and for a moment I was afraid that he took it the wrong way, but didn't have time to really think about it as he looked back down to the map. "So where are we sailing to?"
"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters." Caspian explained then turned around to a board that was covered in sketches of the seven men. Following, Edmund moved around me to get a closer look and I couldn't help but smile at the feel of his hand on my lower back as he passed, but brushed it off with just a smile as I turned my attention to the sketches as well. "The seven lords of Telmar."
"They fled to the Lone Islands," I spoke, pointing to the grouping on the map. "No one's heard from them since."
"So you think something's happened to them?" Edmund asked looking at the sketches.
"Well if it has, it's our duty to find out." Caspian answered solemnly.
"Well what's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy asked.
"Uncharted waters," Drinian answered. "Things you can barely imagine; tales of sea serpents and worse." I rolled my eyes used to the stories and picked up an apple, tossing one to Caspian as Lucy's eyes grew and Edmund's stretched into an amused smile.
"Sea serpents?" He asked in a tone matching his expression.
"Alright Captain, enough of your tall tales." Caspian said taking a bite out of his apple.
oOo
"Are you sure you're up for this?" I dared, with a cheeky smirk. "I mean I've had practice."
"Oh, I'm ready," Edmund replied as we squared off in the deck of the ship. He lunged forward and I stepped back deflecting his blows as the crew members erupted into cheers.
Quickly, I gripped the hilt with two hands and swung at his head as he ducked down slicing for my feet which I jumped out of the way of and then pulled back with a wide, happy, smile. Sticking my tongue out at him, I prepared for the next hit and he swung over head as I moved my own up changed the direction of the blow. Taking advantage of the momentum I caused, he spun around and attacked as I brushed it off and spun the opposite direction slicing through the air as he ducked down. Letting out a small laugh our swords clashed again in precisely placed jabs and perfectly placed steps to fend off the attacks.
He swung for my head as I ducked both of us circling the other, then with a small shout I put my strength behind a couple well placed blows and flipped the sword around in my hand to more of a dagger hold. The simultaneously I pushed up his sword arm over his head, and brought my sword up horizontal to his neck, while stepping in so we were chest to chest.
"I've learned a few new things," I giggled as he smiled down at me while the crew clapped, glad to have a break for the bit of fun.
"Alright, back to work," Drinian commanded, ending the fun, as Caspian walked up clapping Edmund on the shoulder.
"She's become near unbeatable," He smiled down at me as he pulled me into a quick one armed hug.
"Near!" I protested as he walked away, laughing just as a crew member came up taking both Edmund and my swords.
"Near unbeatable, huh?" Edmund asked as we walked over accepting and thanking a crewmember that handed us glasses of water.
"Well, I don't have much to do in the castle, now that Caspian has it pretty much under control. I oversee the rebuilding of Cair Paravel and train the new knights sometimes and that's fun but otherwise I don't have much and get bored easily. I even tried to get better as chess."
"But you're still horrible?"
"Yeah," I giggled as we came up beside Lucy.
"Do you two think that if we just keep on sailing to the end of the world we'll just…tip off the edge?" She laughed slightly, though a bit worried.
"Don't worry Lu, we're a long way from there," Edmund comforted and I nodded in agreement.
"I see you two are still talking nonsense," the boy, whose name I learned was Eustace, their cousin walked up on deck scowling.
"Are you feeling any better?" I asked trying to seem nice with him.
"Yes, no thanks to you," He responded shooting a very unkind look back, and I pulled back slightly from the venom in his voice. "It's lucky that I have an iron constitution." Both Edmund and Lucy just went along like it was perfectly normal for a person, well this person to act like it and I raised an eyebrow to Ed as he just shook his head slightly in exhaustion.
"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reep climbed up the shrouds behind Lucy, having heard Eustace's complaints. "Find your sea legs?"
"Never lost them; merely dealing with the shock of things. Father says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."
"I'm not even going to touch that one," I whispered as Edmund choked on his water from the comment and Lucy tried to suppress a giggle.
Reep didn't seem to share my thoughts though as he leaned into the three of us that weren't crazy, "I don't think he has acute anything."
Instantly Eustace pushed off the railing to face Reep, "I'll have you know that as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul and have you all arrested for kidnapping." He started walking past us, looking back so he didn't see Caspian and ran directly into his chest.
"Kidnapping, is it?" He questioned with a joking edge. "Funny, I thought we saved your life."
"You held me against my will!" He protested and Reep let out a short laugh as I smiled amused as to where this was going.
"Did I?" Caspian questioned.
"And I must say those are the most unhygienic quarters. It's-It's like a zoo down there!"
"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reep asked.
"He's just warming up," Ed commented flatly.
"Fantastic," I murmured right as there was a shout from the main Top.
"LAND HO!"
Looking towards the horizon, I spotted that there was in fact a low, dark shape and immediately we steered over towards the island. Then once we got closer I moved up on the quarterdeck with Drinian, Edmund and Caspian.
"The lone islands, the port of Narrowhave," Drinian identified as Caspian looked through the telescope.
"Strange, not a Narnian flag insight," Caspian stated, lowering it and handing the scope back to Drinian.
"But the Lone Islands have always been Narnian," I frowned as Ed looked through the telescope.
"Seems suspicious," Drinian said solemnly.
"I say we prepare a landing party," Ed spoke as he lowered the telescope and I looked over at Caspian to see what he would say.
"Drinian?" Edmund asked when he didn't answer.
"Forgive me Your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship." Drinian spoke.
"Right," Edmund said looking away and I glanced over at him with a small smile, understanding how he was feeling. I had three years to get used to having to look to someone else for their decision after have made those decisions myself for so long.
"We'll use long boats." Caspian decided. "Drinian, pick some men to come on shore. Alright Tavros," Caspian said as we all started down onto the deck as Tavros started shouting out orders to the me who began rushing around to their posts.
Smiling, I dashed past them and into my, and now Lucy's, room picking up my sword and sword belt, securing it around my hips as Lucy came in strapping on her cordial and dagger. Both excited, we moved back out onto the deck then soon enough we were all situated in two long boats including Eustace, unfortunately.
