Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing Narnia related (though I wish I did!). Only original characters are mine.

AN: Okay, so I figured that everyone was eager to see how Ali handles being around Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace, so I've decided to post this chapter extra-extra-early. Well, I'm also on a roll with writing the chapters, so why not post when I can? Please enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 4: (Somewhat) Unexpected Visitors:

I was beyond thrilled when we set out from Galma, though I did have an issue or two with seasickness. That was odd, since I hadn't had any trouble on the first leg of the journey, but I suppose now that we were headed into the wide, open sea, my nerves probably got to me. Thankfully, with a bit of advice from the sailors we had picked up from Galma, I was soon over it -when it came to words of wisdom about sailing, it's always good to listen to sailors from an island nation, because they always know what they're talking about!

After Galma, things were relatively uneventful, though there were a few incidents along the way.

First, we visited Terebinthia, where we wanted to make port for supplies, but were warned off by people along the shoreline. They cried that there was sickness on the island, and that if we wanted to save ourselves, we had to stay away. Drinian took their words to heart, and headed ashore only to refill the water casks from a stream that ran along an uninhabited part of the island. The men also hunted for food amongst the wild animals, while keeping a safe distance from the towns and people. We made sure to leave less than two days after arriving.

Three days after leaving Terebinthia, we encountered a real problem: pirates.

It was the first real action Caspian and I had seen since the war with the Calormen Empire, and Caspian was more than thrilled about it. I, however, advised that we not engage them, and merely keep them off with arrow volleys from the excellent archers we had onboard. I, in fact, joined them, using Queen Susan's bow whenever more shots were needed.

Not surprisingly, Reepicheep wanted to engage the pirates in battle and hang each one of them for their crimes, but I had to talk everyone out of it. We couldn't afford to lose a single man this early in the voyage, and eventually everyone saw my point. In the end, we were able to send the pirates fleeing, though Reep still wanted desperately to give chase after them.

Five days later, we passed the island of Muil, which was part of the Seven Isles. This was a cluster of islands to the east of Narnia, and as such, were subject to Narnian law. Rather than stop at Muil, however, we continued onto Brenn, where we rowed up the island's straits to Redhaven, its city and capitol. There, we were welcomed, and the locals eagerly swore their allegiances to Caspian, who graciously accepted them and listened to any disputes or complaints the locals had with one another.

Our stay in Redhaven was short –just enough to resupply to the fullest the hull could hold and not burst. Drinian also ordered that each member of the crew get their weapons sharpened, including myself, as I had brought my knives with me, as well as a fine bow given to me by Silvermane and a set of boot knives presented to me by Trumpkin.

The crewmen we'd brought with us from Galma were surprised to see me armed, but the Narnians were quick to explain to them my skills, as well as my actions during the Calormen war. This quickly earned me their respect, and I was not hesitant to show them what Caspian had taught me, as well as the few tricks Reepicheep and Trumpkin had drilled me on over the weeks before I sailed.

Before we left Redhaven, however, Caspian took me to his meeting chambers and presented me with a gift; a lovely filigree necklace of silver crafted in the shapes of twining vines, with little emerald leaves and sapphire flowers. I was speechless and confused as to why he would buy me something so lovely when he never had before.

"To thank you for your warning at Galma," he said with a smile. "I'm glad I had fair warning, or else the Duke would have caught me off-guard when he came to offer me his daughter as a bride. I explained to him my voyage, and the dangers I might seek, but he would not accept my words until I flatly refused to wed his daughter."

I winced in sympathy. "How did he take it?" I asked, gesturing for him to fasten the necklace around my neck. "Not well, I suppose?"

Chuckling, Caspian came up behind me and took the chain from my fingers, his hands moving carefully so that the necklace was set right on my throat and the clasps were secure. I felt my skin prickle as his warm fingers gently brushed against the nape of my neck. Damn it! I thought I had gotten rid of that stupid crush of mine!

"No, he didn't," Caspian replied, breaking into my thoughts. "But then, I am his King, and he knows that I likely want to choose my own bride, rather than have one forced upon me."

Deftly stepping away from his hands, I turned and crossed my arms over my chest. "Well, a marriage for the sake of a treaty or peace won't be necessary," I put in, "so you could easily marry for love, if you wanted to."

I raised a hand to my throat. "Does it look alright?"

He smiled and reached out to straighten it. "There, perfect. It suits you, Ali. I'm sorry I didn't thank you earlier, but I just couldn't find anything that seemed right." He looked at me in concern. "Do you like it?"

I had to laugh at that. "Yes, Caspian, I do," I said, still chuckling. "You have good taste."

Watching him preen, I had to reach out and poke him in the arm. "But remember, you should always take someone along when it comes to buying jewelry for a girl –preferably a friend that that girl, so that you know you are getting her the right thing."

Caspian reached up and rubbed his arm, pouting in mock pain. "I assure you, I will…if only to keep you from harming me with your lectures!"

Reaching out to deliver a playful smack to that same arm, I stuck my tongue out at him. He shook his head and sighed. "What a disgraceful way to treat your king! I should have you locked away for such acts."

"You wouldn't dare!" I replied in mock horror. "Where would you be without my delightful personality?"

We both then looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. When we finally managed to calm ourselves down, Caspian went up to consult Drinian about our course to the Lone Islands.

Meanwhile, I went back to my cabin, fully intent on destroying whatever tiny feelings I might have for the handsome King of Narnia.


The day of Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace's arrival was a surprise to everyone, including me. After watching the films and reading the books, I still had no idea how far into the voyage we would be before they showed up, so I was as unprepared as the next person. Honestly, I thought I'd have at least a bit of time to make things ready, but they literally popped into the ocean while I wasn't looking. In fact, I was organizing my quarters when the cry went up, and had only a second to process what was going on before a crewman raced down to tell me that there were three people in the sea!

Realizing just what was happening, I told the man to go to the galley and prepare something hot for our new guests to eat and drink. No doubt the men on deck were already gathering towels or blankets for them to dry themselves off with, but I had to make sure that I had something for Lucy to wear, even if I didn't know what size she was, or what she looked like. I had considered the idea of bringing things for her, but it would have raised some uncomfortable questions, so I'd decided against it. Now I seriously regretted it.

There was quite a bit of commotion on deck, and I could hear the sounds of laughter and conversation even from here. I quickly decided to just wait and see what Lucy looked like before choosing clothes for her, so I dropped what I was doing and headed for the top decks, where I found all of the men kneeling before King Edmund and Queen Lucy, both of whom looked absolutely thrilled at being back in Narnia. Meanwhile, Tavros, one of the Minotaur crewmembers, carried an unconscious Eustace in his arms.

"Apparently he's somehow connected to Their Majesties," he grumbled, looking at the burden in his arms with displeasure. "If he weren't, I'd suggest tossing him back."

I shook my head. "Now, Tavros, that isn't very kind," I gently chided him while patting him on one of his immense shoulders. "Go put him down below in a quiet corner of the crew's quarters. Make sure that he eats and drinks something warm when he wakes, and I'll come down to check on him once I get our other guests sorted out and comfortable."

"Aye, my lady," Tavros said with a polite nod before heading downstairs. Taking a deep breath, I reined in my excitement and went to go greet our esteemed visitors.

The two youngest Pevensie siblings were a pleasant surprise for me. Edmund looked a great deal like the actor in the film, with dark hair and light brown eyes, and appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, that awkward age between a child and adulthood. However, there was an aura around him, one that spoke of the hardships he'd had to endure in life, and yet he still seemed to have a good sense of humor.

Lucy was a bit younger, perhaps twelve or thirteen, and though she might not be what she considered "beautiful," she had a sweet, innocent beauty that was sure to linger far into life. Like her brother and cousin, she was dressed in circa 1940's garb, and looked rather like a soaked animal, though she seemed perfectly happy to be that way. I liked her at once, and the second she saw me, I saw surprise glint in her eyes.

"Ali, come meet King Edmund and Queen Lucy!" Caspian said, motioning me forward as the men returned to their work.

Smiling, I came forward and put a comforting arm around Lucy's shoulders. "Introductions later," I said firmly, giving Caspian a look over as well. "You're all soaked through, and if you aren't dried off and fed something hot soon, you'll get sick."

To Edmund and Caspian, I said, "You should be able to find something suitable in the King's wardrobe, or perhaps in the extra clothes both he and Lord Drinian managed to obtain on our travels. Come, Your Highness," I said to Lucy, "you can have some of my clothes, and if none fit, we can modify them to fit you."

I then proceeded to sweep her down to my cabin, and told her to dry off while I began ransacking my drawers to find her something to wear. With her reddish-brown hair and eyes, there was a lot that would look good on her, but I managed to find a crème shirt, a red-brown tunic with a bit of embroidery decoration, a pair of blue-black pants, and a pair of spare brown boots from the cargo hold. I was several inches taller than her, so everything was a bit big, but with a sash and a belt around her waist, it wasn't so bad. In a little while, she was changed and dried off, and looking quite well in her new outfit.

"Very nice," I said, smiling as she let me inspect her. "Now, someone will be bringing a hot meal for you shortly, so be sure to eat and rest a bit. I'm sure His Majesty will be sending for you as soon as he and King Edmund have done the same, so try not to rush your way through anything. I'll check on your cousin and let you know how he is. Alright?"

Lucy merely nodded, and since that was the moment one of the crewmen showed up with her meal tray, I made a hasty retreat to the quarters below decks. There, Nausus greeted me with an exasperated look on his face, which I took to mean that Eustace was making life difficult for him.

Sighing, I gave him a sympathetic glance and pat on the shoulder. "Have patience," I said with a smile. "Try and keep him from becoming ill. As soon as Their Majesties have settled in, I'll bring them here." I paused and looked over his shoulder at the boy who currently lay asleep in a hammock, a very unhappy look on his face. "And try not to kill him. He is related to King Edmund and Queen Lucy, after all."

Nausus grinned and winked at me before returning to his charge. I, meanwhile, made sure that the men weren't too upset by the new arrivals, and headed back to my cabin, where Lucy lay asleep on my bed, a contented smile on her face. With a shrug, I went to see if Reepicheep was open for a bit of mock sparing on deck.


After working up a brief sweat, I went down below to tidy up, and found that Lucy had gone, probably to meet with Caspian, Edmund, and probably Drinian. Since Caspian's meeting rooms were so close, I could hear them talking, and thought it best that I not interrupt.

I quickly washed up in an impromptu sponge bath, and dressed in a pale blue shirt with a dark grey tunic over it, both of them going well with the necklace Caspian had given me. I had just finished putting my hair into a tight braid when a knock came on my door.

"His Majesty requests your presence, Ali," Reep called through the thick wood. "Best hurry!"

Rushing out into the hall, I straightened up and walked towards the meeting chamber, pushing open the doors just as Lucy finished asking, "And have you found yourself a Queen in those three years?"

That was when Caspian looked up from his map table and saw me standing there. Smiling, he reached out with his left hand and motioned for me to join them. As I moved closer, Caspian returned his gaze to Lucy. "No, not yet," he replied, a tiny bit of red in his cheeks.

Taking a place at his left side, I grinned at my friend's embarrassment. It was a topic his councilors had been hounding him with for ages, and Caspian very much disliked it when I teased him about it. Looking over at Lucy, I smirked. "It's not for lack of trying, however," I commented, turning my eyes towards Caspian. "But you're young yet, and will no doubt find a fine woman to be Queen."

Caspian appeared to take heart in my words, for he reached and put his hand on my shoulder, a sign of his thanks. An instant later, he removed it, and introduced me to the others. "Edmund, Lucy, this is Alandra, whom we all call Ali for short. Ali, may I present King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy the Valiant? I'm afraid their cousin, Eustace, is unfit to join us."

When Lucy held her hand out, I automatically reached out to shake it, which surprised both her and Edmund. In fact, Lucy was so surprised, she exclaimed, "You shake hands!"

I gave her a puzzled look. "Yes, of course," I replied, wondering what this was all about. Then I remembered –in the films, she'd tried to shake hands with Mr. Tumnus the Faun, and he'd had no idea what it was all about. In all the time I had been in Narnia, everyone greeted each other with a nod, a bow, or a curtsey, and I myself had adopted the same customs. I hadn't shaken hands with a person in over three years, and to be honest, I really didn't miss it much.

As for Lucy and Edmund, they had probably acted out of habit, and expected me to give them a clueless look. Instead, I had acted accordingly, and they clearly didn't know what to make of it.

Lucy looked at me and asked hesitatingly, "Are you…not from Narnia, as well?"

Smiling, I shook her hand and reached for Edmund's, which hung in midair, waiting for me to shake. Taking it, I shook it firmly, but in a friendly manner. "I hope that answers your question," I joked, earning a grin from the younger King.

"Yes, it does," Edmund replied. "I suppose we can guess that you are here for a purpose, just like we are?" I nodded. "Well, now that we've answered that question, let us answer another." He looked over at the maps that lay on the table. "If there are no wars to fight, and no one is in trouble, then why are we here?" He threw a subtle look over at me.

Caspian sighed. "A good question. I've been asking myself the same thing."

"How long have you been at sea so far?" Lucy asked, looking at the map.

Drinian outlined our voyage so far, pausing only once to praise Caspian's fighting abilities at Galma, causing his monarch to blush slightly while I grinned teasingly at him. The tale wound up right at the point where we picked up the three castaways, and I found it rather charming to watch Lucy's eyes widen as she listened to our adventures.

"It sounds thrilling," she said with a slight tone of envy. "But where are you sailing to now?"

Caspian looked over his shoulder at the wall which held the portraits of the Seven Lords. "Long ago, before I took the throne from my uncle, he tried to murder the friends and supporters of my father, now known as the Seven Lords of Telmar. When they saw that their lives were in danger, they took ship and fled to the Lone Islands." He tapped the Islands' location on the map. "No one's heard from them since."

Edmund looked a little worried. "Do you think something's happened to them?"

Caspian frowned slightly. "If it has, it is my duty to find out, and if need be, avenge them." His frown melted as I reached out and patted him gently on the shoulder, a vain attempt on my part to comfort him.

"Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy asked, pointing at the empty space on the map. As she moved, I noticed the glinting red cap of her cordial bottle on her waist. Opposite it was her dagger, with its lion head shining gold in the sunlight coming through the windows.

Drinian shrugged. "Uncharted water, Majesty," he replied. "Things you can barely imagine. There are tales of sea serpents, and worse."

Lucy looked torn between fear and skepticism, as did her brother. "Sea serpents?" Edmund asked, uneasiness in his caramel-brown eyes.

I rolled my eyes. "Really, Captain," I chided him, "That's enough of your tall tales. We don't want to frighten Their Majesties on their first day back in Narnia."

Everyone chuckled at that, and in that moment, the meeting was officially over. Drinian went to the helm, which was his second home aboard the Dawn Treader. Edmund wanted to explore the ship and learn about everything he had missed in the last three years, which Caspian was more than happy to fill him in on. Lucy asked for a tour as well, so I sent her and the two kings off on their tour while I went to finish tidying up my cabin.


AN: Review?