Hello, hello! Long time, no see people! I'm very sorry for that. The past, well, year and so-so months have been chaotic to say the least. I applied to colleges, got into some (Hallelujah!), graduated high school, got a job, started college and realized that High school was kiddie work in comparison (doesn't matter if I got straight A's in high school—I still don't know how to study), and struggled all throughout my first year, got a job again (for the summer), and have now just finished my first quarter of my sophomore year still not knowing how the Dickens you're supposed to study effectively (Oh how time flies!). But anyways…no excuses! I know I left you all hanging, and that was cruel. I'm not going to lie, my updating schedule is rocky at best, and down-right laughable otherwise. Bad news…As a full time student, I'm finding I don't have much time to sit down and write thousands of words without being sent into stressed-out-mode over all the work I know I have to do, especially since I'm quite a perfectionist, and agonize over grammar and spelling (at least you'll never get a half-assed chapter from me). Good news…I'm still here and I'm still writing! I will finish this, guys! Since its winter break, you will get another chapter (aside from this one) by New Years! Merry Christmas everyone, I pray you all spent it with family and friends, with laughter and happiness all day (and chocolate, lots of chocolate). A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT REVIEWED, FOLLOWED, AND OTHERWISE REMINDED ME THAT SOMEONE ACTUALLY LIKES MY PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR AN EXAMPLE OF THE WRITTEN WORD. I LOVE YOU ALL. MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Enjoy. 3
Chapter 2
Edmund POV
I coughed when heavy depth let up to fresh, cool air, and I blinked as much of the salty liquid out of my eyes as possible. My head whipped side to side. 'Where was Lucy and Eustace?!' my conscious was screaming. Adrenaline began pumping fast through my veins and heart, and I began to feel the all-too-familiar creep of battle shakes traveling to my now twitching hands, and an anxiety attack compress on my chest making breathing difficult. My breath grew harsher and I began to have trouble keeping afloat when I spotted a short copper haired head a few feet away. Lucy! I swam fast over to her and pushed her upper torso on top of the water until she was floating on her back and her head was well above the gentle ripple of waves. I checked her air-passages and found that she was miraculously still breathing, thank Aslan. Satisfied that she wasn't drowning, I felt some of my panic ebb and looked around for Eustace next. He was swimming, or at least trying to swim, less than five feet away and looking frantically around him like mad-splashing around with his arms like a newborn calf.
Eustace was panicking; it was easy to see in his face. "Eustace! I'm right here! Swim to me!"
'Well who wouldn't panic a bit? A magical painting suddenly started to pour water everywhere and pulled us into a land called Narnia!' a quiet, cynical voice whispered dryly in my mind. Eustace's eyes suddenly become wider than they already were in his crazed state, and he started waving his arm around, trying to draw my attention to something. A great shadow fell on Lucy and I, and I turned my head to see a ship with purple sails and a roaring dragon on the front gliding towards us. A certain expletive not fit for polite conversation drifted through my surprised mind before I snapped to action. "Swim, Eustace! Swim!" I pulled Lucy's torso onto my chest, with my arms under hers and started pulling her towards Eustace, who was slowly flailing ahead. I heard a few exclamations from above, and splashes behind me, but I didn't turn to look—too concentrated at the task at hand to pay the sound any mind.
We were too slow. We weren't going to be able to outswim the ship, and staying in the water was suicide. We would die quickly in the water, but where could we go? Was the ship even friendly? Narnia didn't have a fleet when we were here last, since the Telmarines feared the ocean—where the Great Lion Aslan hailed from. I stopped moving when a swimming body reached us. I was ready to give the twat a good solid sock to the nose if they so much as touched us, but before I could unleash any violence, I heard a voice I did not expect to hear for a long time.
"It's alright! I've got you, you're safe now!"
That voice…
"Caspian!"
Something lifted off my chest at the sight of him, my mind grew calmer than it had in months, and for the first time in a long while, I felt that just maybe, things were going to be ok. Thank you, Aslan. "Edmund!" Caspian smiled in happiness and even laughed at the sight of me. But when Caspian turned his attention to the body in my arms, his smile promptly fell. "Lucy?" his eyebrows dropped in a frown of worry, and his expression changed from elation to slight horror, and I couldn't reassure him in the water. "We need to get her out of the water, Caspian!" my anxiety was bleeding through my voice and he quickly picked up on it. His head snapped from her form to me, and he nodded. Together, we both pulled and supported Lucy to the lowered planks some of the crew had dropped for us on the side of the ship. I handed Lucy to him, and he gently cradled her in his arms as if she were made of glass, and stood fully on the planks. "You got her?" I asked. Caspian nodded silently still looking down in disbelief at the girl in his arms. I called up to the men on the ship, and the plank ropes gave a strong few tugs before Lucy and Caspian were both lifted free from the ocean's grasp and raised swiftly. The morning sun glistened on the streams of water falling from the rising plank, and I felt for a moment, slightly melancholic—like I was perhaps losing Lucy to Caspian. I shook my head clear of that thought and went to help the other sailor who had gone after Eustace. When the board was lowered again, I placed a shivering Eustace on top before climbing on myself and, with a quick 'Ho there!' to the crew on board, were immediately raised up the hull of the ship to the faces of the curious and shocked crewmembers on deck.
Caspian's POV
"Kill him!"
"Telmarine!"
"Liar!"
"Murderer!"
"All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!"
"I didn't steal anything!"
This meeting was not going as well as I had hoped. I looked around the assortment of Narnian refugees. I spun slowly around in order to meet as many of their untrusting and cold eyes as I could. I was sixteen again. Tall, tan, and young, I was naïve and inexperienced in leadership. I tried to exude confidence and strength, as my old teacher had taught me, but I knew my carriage was weak, my presence not as strong and kingly as the Kings and Queens of Old the Narnians loved so much. I was just a boy playing pretend king. My voice was wavering, and I was, at this point, afraid and almost desperate. I had just escaped an assassination attempt from my traitorous uncle Miraz, and been usurped. I had no allies in the Telmarine court, and I needed the hidden Narnians' help to regain my throne—if they didn't kill me first.
"Didn't steal anything? Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken?" Nikabrik, the traitorous Black Dwarf jumped down from a boulder in the bright darkness of the midnight moon, and moved towards me…his hand clasped tensely on his sword hilt. My heart was pounding in my ears. This meeting was definitely not going well. Another round of angry exclamations sounded in the small clearing, and several of the talking feline beasts began to growl loudly from the trees like they were about to pounce on a wounded deer.
"Our homes!"
"Our land!"
"Our freedom!"
"Our lives!"
"You stole Narnia!"
I tried to diffuse the situation while I was still breathing. "You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?" I was not surprised they felt that way. The Telmarines had massacred and hunted them down to the brink of extinction. I knew going into this meeting that any attempt to rally them behind me would be like climbing a mountain with no hands—impossible. Nikabrik once again began nailing the final nails into my coffin.
"Accountable...and punishable."
"That is rich coming from you, dwarf. Have you forgotten it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?" A mouse with a jaunty red feather on a gold ring drew his tiny sword, and approached Nikabrik. (My hero? What a strange fellow.) Waving the almost needle-like weapon at his face before Nikabrik took an insulting swat at the noble mouse's weapon.
"And I'd gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians."
"Then it's lucky that it is not in your power to bring her back. Or are you suggesting that we ask this boy to go against Aslan now?" The calm and soothing voice of Trufflehunter the badger quelled the crowd. Their silence reigning until the great name of Aslan produced a round of adamant refusals.
"Some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well, that Narnia was never right except when a Son of Adam was king." Trufflehunter spun as I had done and met their eyes. Once again, silence fell upon the once rowdy group. I felt gratitude for the small woodland creature, and envy at how he could calm and demand silence with his words alone—at least until Nikabrik opened his mouth again.
"He's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?" I jumped at the opportunity before me.
"Because I can help you. Beyond these woods, I'm a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine! Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us."
I did want peace. The stories of my Nurse and teacher about Old Narnia were milk and honey to my ears growing up. I loved Old Narnia—even if I only thought it was just a fairytale up until two days ago.
"It is true. The time is ripe…I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger… Tarva, the lord of victory and Alambil, the lady of peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now here a Son of Adam has come forth...to offer us back our freedom." Glenstorm, a tall and grand Centaur with dark skin and coat, dirty blond and brown curls, and a noble and dignified walk common among all centaurs strolled around the group, meeting each eye, and all fell silent at his words. Hope began to fill the air. Could it be true? I stood straighter at the centaur's words. I felt hope, and for the first time since the beginning of the meeting, I felt like I could really do it. I could be king—and a good one.
"Is this possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?" A jittery squirrel inquired from the low hanging branch. All occupants looked to me, wondering the same thing. I could see it in their eyes—feel it permeate the air with every thump of their oppressed hearts. They needed to know if I believed too. They needed to know if I would follow my words with actions.
I would.
With new found confidence, I addressed the Narnians—my people.
"Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals...or dwarves... or centaurs," my eyes glistened in true awe at their grace, their legend. "Yet here you are in strength and numbers that we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together," my voice was gaining strength and my grip was firm when I held the horn to my face for all to see. "And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours." Glenstorm looked down at me, and gazed into my eyes. His eyes, a dark brown depth, felt icy and warm at the same time. He was searching for something in my eyes, and I felt as though he were seeing everything about me: my past, my present, my soul-everything.
"If you will lead us, then my sons and I...offer you our swords." At his words, he and all other great centaurs drew their swords (many my own height or longer) and held them forward in a pledge of loyalty.
"And we offer you our lives, unreservedly." Reepicheep gave a grand bow and pledged his sword as well. One by one all creatures of Narnia raised their weapons, pledging their lives, their futures, their hopes to me. It was humbling. I was a Telmarine. My people had killed their families and destroyed their homes, and yet they had chosen to follow me, to not blame me for my family's past transgressions. I felt a great pressure on my shoulders. I suddenly felt the weight of the world, of a people's hope, and yet I did not crumble. I raised my head, and bowed to them all. They were giving me a far greater honor than any man had ever been given before. They were pledging everything to a man who hailed from a race of murderers. They were showing me forgiveness and nobility that I had never seen before in any man.
Glenstorm returned the bow and I raised the Queen Susan's horn I clutched in my hand towards everyone, as a symbol of our hopes. All eyes went to the ivory horn. Gazing at the horn myself, I murmured:
"I'm sure they will be here soon."
"Right you are."
My head whipped around at the words that had pierced the silent night, disturbing the stillness. Every creature turned in the voice's direction in surprise, and there, in subtle glory was—
I blinked my eyes open. The light tan wood of the cabin of the Dawn Treador was streaked with early sunlight, and I stared at the wooden planks above me for a few minutes listening to the short breaths I was taking. That was strange…I often dreamt of my times with the great Kings and Queens of Old, but I had never dreamt of that instance.
Caspian blinked rapidly at the bright sun in his eyes as he stepped from the cabin and up to the platform where his trusted Captain Drinian manned the helm. The sky was blue, the sun
was shining, and there was a light cool breeze from the ocean. The morning was, in a word, refreshing.
"Good morning Sire!" Reepicheep, the most loyal and courageous mouse with a red feather on a ring
poised dashingly upon its furry head called out cheerily to his king and tossed him a juicy red apple for
breakfast. With one hand Caspian caught the red projectile and pierced its skin, savoring the taste.
"'Morning Reep. 'Morning Drinian. 'Morning Everyone!" All the crew members turned to their young
King and gave their own greetings with smiles on their faces. It truly was a beautiful day. "Yer have a good dream sire?" Drinian gave a crooked smile at the king, and his various scars adorning his bald leathery head jumped into contrast and shined in the sun. "Were they about a beautiful fair lady perhaps?" Caspian took a seat on a barrel next to the chess board Reepicheep had set up the night before, and moved a pawn. Caspian rolled his eyes slightly. Ever since they had moored at Galma and the King of said land had thrusted his squinty eyed, giggling daughter at him, Drinian had found pleasure in teasing his king about the fairer sex and matrimony. Chuckling slightly, Caspian eyed Reepicheep's move. "It wasn't exactly a dream I suppose, but a memory; and not exactly a pleasant one at that." Drinian raised a long-haired eyebrow. "Is that reason to be happy sir? I know of no unpleasant memories that bring smiles to ones face." "Pray tell, what was the memory sire?" Reepicheep leaned casually against the board and looked up at the nineteen year old king. Chuckling nervously, Caspian rubbed the back of his head with one hand. The long fingers of his calloused hand caught a knot in his chocolate tresses that kissed the tops of his shoulders and he winced a bit at the sharp tug needed to undo it. "Well, it was when I was trying to convince the secret Narnians to fight with me." Reepicheep raised a furry eyebrow of his own. "If my memory is correct sire, we were rather unwelcoming to your presence at first—dare I say even hostile. I do not see why you would smile."
"I suppose, dear Reep, that the smile comes from what happens after that." A look of understanding crossed the noble knight's face, and a large smile and laugh rumbled from his tiny furry chest. "I'm 'fraid I don't understand highness. What happens after?" Drinian's eyes were furrowed in a very familiar 'v' between his eyes, and his sharp and serious features took a much more severe look. "The Kings and Queens of Old Drinian. That memory depicted the events of what happened just before I met the great monarchs." The furrow disappeared and the usual look of seriousness returned. "What were they like Sire? I never had the fortune to meet them." Caspian looked at the crimson and rich purple sail that carried the Dawn Treader across the waters and thought about what he should say. The Kings and Queens were everything he and the Narnians had ever imagined and more. They are beyond magnificent. He had the upmost respect for them—they were his friends and family. He could speak about them for hours and never tire. He loved them very much.
Still looking at the waving sails and kicking his leather clad feet onto a nearby barrel, he began his narrative, "Well let's see…King Peter the Magnificent. He's…stubborn in his ways, strong, passionate in everything, a superb fighter and rider, a leader, and the kind of man you would want on your side and not against you. He is also, I suppose in many ways, the father figure to the King and Queens. He is the rock they all lean on, and he takes great care in his siblings' wellbeing. Overall, Aslan named him well…He truly is Magnificent." Reepicheep nodded his head whole-heartedly in agreement, and Drinian gave a short nod in thought.
"Now Susan is, in a word, beautiful. All of the legends and old stories that revel over her beauty are every bit as true as the ocean is vast. She is kind, quiet, strong, intelligent, graceful, and the perfect lady. Though she is called Gentle, when it comes to her family and Narnia, she is every bit as fierce as Aslan's roar. She is a superb markswoman with the bow, and readily fights alongside her brothers in war. I suppose if Peter were the father, than Susan would be the mother figure of the family. She is extremely caring and motherly, but strict. She certainly has no problem chastising her siblings as if she bore them herself." Reep gave a little chuckle and Drinian sent a sly look from the corner of his eye at his King, perhaps entertaining himself with thoughts of a romance between the Lady and his King.
"Now, Edmund is a puzzle. He is witty, sarcastic, practical, extremely intelligent, shrewd, logical, collected at all times, strong, an accomplished strategist like his brother, and possesses a keen sense of justice. He is also very protective of his family, especially of his silver crowned sister. Though he may come off as cold occasionally, he is like all of the rulers: kind and caring. He is extremely reliable in any situation, and woe to those who face against him." Reepicheep and Drinian stayed quiet at this description of the Silver King, but they could easily tell that Caspian greatly admired the Just King and looked up to him.
"And what of the last Queen sire?"
"Yes sire, do tell us of the Lady Lucy."
Caspian looked away from the sails and out to the distant horizon of the ocean and the Captain and noble mouse were extremely surprised to see a very tender look appear on the young man's face, and noted that his dark eyes had taken a slightly watery appearance. Reepicheep and Drinian shared a small look from the corner of their eyes and wondered why the youngest Queen brought such a look upon Caspian's face.
Lucy…
Caspian looked down slightly at his outstretched legs and smiled softly. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He missed her dearly. Missed everything about her: her smile, her laugh, her stubbornness, her determination, her faith, her wisdom—everything.
"Lucy…" his smile grew a little more on his face. "Lucy is…haha…she is by far the most interesting young woman I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She is strong, brave, adventurous, kind, gentle, stubborn, witty, and wise, her very presence lights up a room instantly, and yet she can slip out of your grasp so quickly unnoticed-like waves against the sand or an enchanting vision. She has the greatest faith in Aslan, and follows Him and His Will whole-heartedly, and I believe he holds her dearest to His heart as well…She is the glue that keeps her family together. She reminds them to keep their faith and be true to themselves and to Aslan. Her innocent nature can't help but bring a smile to your face and as a result, her siblings all coddle her and try to shield her from the realities and cruelties of the world, (something she chafes at!) and yet somehow, she always manages to find her way onto the battlefield to fight by their side. She is an impressive fighter, and seeing her on the battlefield is a sight to behold. She is also far wilder than her elder sister. If Susan is all demure and civil politeness, Lucy is blunt and honest while still somehow being the kindest voice you will ever hear. She has no problems getting her costume dirty and mingling with everyone she meets, and if someone is hurt, she is the first there to help you. She is sunshine and fresh air, warmth and fire, spring and the wonder of new life. She is every bit as valiant as her name entails and infinitely as kind. She is…incredible."
Finally ending his narrative, Caspian blinks a few times and looks at his companions as if they had called for his attention several times and just noticed. Reepicheep was leaning forward on the chess board. With one arm on the wood supporting a furry face with a sly teasing grin bordered by whiskers that twitched, Reepicheep struggled to keep the smile small and not grand in triumph and pleasure. Drinian had also turned himself towards Caspian slightly, and had an odd sort of twinkle in his eye and small twitch of the lips in his version of a smile from his post at the helm.
Caspian looked from one to the other, and his face flushed at the looks directed at him. "Does our great king hold delicate feelings for our fair and valiant queen, sire?" Drinian's eyes twinkled even more with amusement at the mouse's words, and his chest rumbled a bit with the barest hint of a chuckle. Caspian's blush grew across both cheeks, and he got up to move around in order to avoid answering the question. Did he have feelings? Yes, he did. He knew he had intimate feelings for the queen since the war against his traitorous Uncle Miraz, but she and the rest of her family left before he could act on his feelings. Caspian looked over the vast sea to the distant horizon once more, and sighed. Of the four Kings and Queens of Old, he missed Lucy the most. He dreamt of their time together often, and clung to her spoken words and memory like one clings to hope. And he did hope for Lucy. He hoped that one day she would return to Narnia and be able to live out her days by his side. He would be able to see her once again, and hold her in his arms, and love her as he so desperately wanted. And more than anything, he hoped that the next time they saw each other, he could face her as a good and strong King, one she could be proud of and grant her love to. There was no telling when she would return though. He could be cold in his grave and nothing but a distant memory immortalized in cold marble when she returned. His heart clenched in his chest at the thought. His advisors and people were all hoping he would marry and provide an heir for the throne, had even been bringing up the subject frequently recently, but he always cringed at the thought. Even though there was a great chance that he would never see Lucy again, he still vainly hoped he could have her.
These thoughts were reiterated by Drinian. "You know sire…she may never return whilst you're alive. The last time she left, she did not return for over a thousand years. And perhaps she does return soon. There is no telling if Aslan would let her stay. You should find someone else to be with, if you'll pardon me sayin' so, someone from our time. That princess of Galma wasn't too bad to look at. A union with Galma would be beneficial to Narnia."
Caspian felt slight irritation at his Captain's words, even if they were honest, reasonable, and everything he had been trying to avoid thinking about. Never-the-less, he jumped at the chance to prove him wrong. "The princess of Galma is definitely not the right woman for me. She's never had an intelligent thought in her head. When I tried to have a conversation with her she only fluttered her eyelashes and giggled at me—terribly annoying. And besides…she squints."
"Squints, sire?" Reepicheep and Drinian were now openly chuckling at their King; his almost childish insistence that the princess of Galma was unsuitable because she squinted was just too funny in their books.
Caspian smiled in victory at his distraction. "Yes, squints. Terribly annoying action squinting is. Every time she squinted, her face transformed from whatever amount of loveliness her father liked to imagine, to that of a pig—and not a very attractive one at that." Now the two, both man and mouse, openly laughed. "So gentlemen, I do believe that the princess of Galma is definitely not going to be my wife, and if I ever consider it, know that I am under a spell and promptly put me out of my misery." At his conclusion, he reached over and moved another chess piece on the board, and the clack of metal meeting wood finalized the phrase as if to say 'and that is that'. The subject now closed, the King and mouse resumed their game, and all three persons conversed amicably about their journey.
At about midmorning however, the sailor in the lookout gave a great shout. "Man over board! Off the port bow!" Caspian, the crew, and Reepicheep all ran to the ship rail and looked to the water. Sure enough, they saw three floating figures bobbing among the vast blue. Caspian and two other men shed their boots and belts and dove into the ocean. Caspian swam to the closest two persons.
"It's alright! I've got you, you're safe now!"
"Caspian!"
Caspian smiled in joy, his family was back. "Edmund!…Lucy?" Like a light switch, Caspian's look of happiness turned to disbelief. The girl he loved and dreamed about was unconscious. She wasn't smiling at him, or even moving. Edmund had to hold her up so that she would not sink and drown. Caspian took her into his arms as he stood on the plank, not even really hearing Edmund ask him if he had her. Lucy…
Caspian didn't look up when the plank hit the deck with a thud; he hurriedly moved farther onto the deck, and placed her prone form gently onto the deck. "Lucy? Lucy can you hear me?...Lucy?!" He shook her shoulder gently, in case she was hurt.
Her head flopped like a rag dolls to the side. Caspian started to breathe harder, his blood started rushing in his ears, and he felt the beginning of tears and sobs mount in his chest and not release. Panic began to grow. He started checking her head for injuries, all the while calling her name, asking for her to open her eyes, to smile, to speak to him as she once had before. His fingers didn't find an injury on her skull so they began trailing down her arms and ribs, searching for a reason why she wasn't responding.
She was too thin. He felt her ribs clearly through her thick night dress. The wasting of her figure betrayed the healthy look of her skin and hair. Her hair. It was no longer the long, silky tresses that fell to her mid-back, but was now short and cut into a bob that was only slightly more feminine than a young page's, with loose barrel curls framing her resting face.
"Lucy? Lucy?!...Lucy...Lucy." His voice cracked at the end, his awareness disappeared until it was just him and her, and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop the grief from leaving his throat. By this point, his hand was on her shoulder, gently shaking her, his movements growing weaker as the realization dawned on him that she would not be woken, but still he continued to shake, even if just to feed the sliver of hope within him that thought he would see her blue eyes.
A hand clasped his shoulder and gripped firmly, and he faintly began to come back to himself. "Casp-…Caspian...Caspian! Listen to me!" 'Edmund?' Caspian blinked and felt his lungs burn from lack of oxygen. He took a breath, and with a pop of his inner ear, his senses suddenly began to work again. Edmund's face was right in front of his own. By Aslan, was that really Edmund? He looked so different, so haggard and frightening with that scar on his face! "Edmund, what happened? She won't wake!" Edmund's grey eyes were so dull, and a weary look crossed his face.
"No…she won't." Caspian made to speak again but Edmund's calloused hand pressed down harder on his shoulder in a silent order. "Caspian listen to me. We need to get her dry. We need to get her below." The words came out urgently, and Caspian seized the chance to take action.
"Of course, my friend. We'll take her to my cabin. It's warm and dry down there and we can care for her properly there." He picked Lucy up bridal style, and Edmund followed his movements, supporting her head, and cradling her face until Caspian was fully extended before gently placing her head to the young King's breast. Caspian moved towards the stairs, the bewildered and worried crew parting like the red sea and staring at the young woman their king was holding so tightly.
Edmund took one step to follow before remembering his silent companion, and turned to find him huddled by the side of the ship. One hand firmly grasping the edge, and the other held in front defensively and shaking. His eyes darting back and forth rapidly, and his chest moving just as fast. He was acting on pure adrenaline at the moment, and Edmund wouldn't be surprised if Eustace attacked the first person to touch him, he was so wired. Edmund moved slowly towards his cousin, as if he was a wounded animal, and held his hands out in front of himself in a placating manner to show he wasn't armed. Getting down on his knees so he was level with him, he softly spoke to his relative. "Eustace? Calm down Eustace. No one will hurt you, you're in Narnia now. Remember Narnia? We told you stories about it. Don't worry, everyone here is a friend." Eustace's pupils began to constrict, and focus on his elder cousin. Edmund held his cousin's face, and felt the shaking slowly stop. He smiled gently, and congratulated his cousin on taking control. "I need your help Eustace. Caspian is taking Lucy below deck, but I need your help taking care of her. I don't know if she swallowed any of the sea water or if the journey here hurt her at all. Eustace, I need you to help her, understand?" Eustace's face grew determined and he nodded his head resolutely. He would do anything for his family. Edmund smiled again and pulled Eustace and himself up.
"Good."
Both men rushed after Caspian, and the crew watched as the strangers disappeared below deck, and even after they were no longer in sight, the crew stood there aghast at the turn of events. After a moment or two, Reepicheep was the first to make a sound. "What in the name of the Lion just happened?" The only response the mouse received was a collective shoulder shrug and Drinian's startling bellow to get back to work. The crew scrambled back to their posts, but every eye and ear, including the stoic captain's, was poised on the stairs that led to the most mystifying group of people the Narnians had seen so far on their travels.
The three men entered Caspian's small but homey quarters, and Caspian gently deposited Lucy on his bed before going to one of the built-in cabinets and pulling out a few fluffy towels and blankets to dry the woman with. He tossed two to Edmund and his companion to begin drying their relative while Caspian went and grabbed extra clothes for everyone and the warmest shirt he had for Lucy. He handed the make-shift sleeping gown to Edmund, and together they got the material over her head and shoulders and removed the wet one without exposing her and violating her modesty.
Once they were satisfied she was comfortable, Caspian grabbed Edmund's upper arm and pulled him out of the room, only allowing him enough time to tell his one conscious companion to stay with Lucy before the door cut off all communication. Caspian stormed down the narrow hall and up the stairs until he came to the stern cabin, where a dark oak table covered in various parchments covered in drawings and maps dominated the floor space. Caspian closed the door behind them and promptly brought his brother in every way but blood into his arms and held him tight. Edmund held Caspian just as tightly, his face tucked into the other man's neck to help keep back tears, and distractedly noted that they were now the same height. Caspian gave a choked huff of a laugh, and with his eyes shining in unshed tears, pulled away, his hands on the Just King's shoulders. Caspian traced the scar marring his fellow King's face, noting the rough texture and how the dangerous look it lent his features did nothing to distract from the utter tortured and exhausted look on his friend's face. 'By Aslan, what happened to you Edmund?'
"Edmund, it is good to see you again brother. There is so much we must talk about, but what happened?!"
