LUCY'S POV

I headed up on deck as soon as Caspian excused himself and breathed in the salty air. I'd gone sailing a few times with Ed and Peter during our Golden Age, but it was five years before, and I missed it dearly. I loved the feel of the ship rocking on the waves under my feet, the smell of the brine and salt, the adventure that came with sailing. Narnia was perfect for me. I noticed Reepicheep standing on the dragon's head at the bow of the ship and began to make my way over there when I bumped into a crew member.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized reflexively, turning to see the familiar cerulean eyes and golden hair of Tristan. Though his staring at me was unnerving, I had to admit I found him quite handsome, and very charming from our brief encounter when I came onto the ship not so long ago.

"My apologies, Queen Lucy," he replied, not seeming to have heard my own apology before. "I was not watching where I was walking."

"Just Lucy," I corrected him. I wasn't fond of my formal title, unlike my sister, who always had people inferior to her refer to her as "Queen Susan," even suitors. And, while I adored the title Aslan had given me, I didn't want to be addressed as "Queen Lucy the Valiant" in casual conversation. The thought almost made me giggle.

"Very well…Lucy," Tristan mused, smiling somewhat awkwardly, as if he had never spoken to royalty informally. From what I'd seen between him and Caspian, he probably never had.

"Am I…keeping you from your work?" I asked, not wanting to get him in trouble.

"No, I finished my chores," he answered, shrugging. "Might I ask where you were headed before we bumped into each other?"

"Oh, I was just going to go talk to Reepicheep."

"The Mouse?" Tristan asked, grimacing. "Isn't he a friend of the King's?"

"Well, yes," I answered slowly, "but he's also one of my friends. Do you not like him?"

"He's all right, I suppose. For a talking Mouse, that is."

"What's wrong with talking Mice?" I demanded, putting my hands on my hips.

"Nothing, your Majesty," Tristan answered quickly, cerulean eyes wide at my sudden hostility. "I just…that is…I-I-I have nothing against talking Mice, or talking Animals at all, for that matter."

"So it's just Reepicheep?"

"No, it's not."

"It's Caspian, then." It wasn't a question. I knew very well he didn't like Caspian, and the King didn't like Tristan, either.

"W-well," Tristan stuttered, looking down. He didn't finish his sentence. I sighed.

"What's wrong with Caspian?" I asked. It wasn't a demand this time; just a simple inquiry.

"Nothing," he snapped, turning away from me.

"You needn't be so rude," my brother's voice addressed Tristan. I turned and caught my brother's eye. He smiled slightly and shook his head when Tristan ignored him and walked away. I grinned at Edmund and finally made my way over to where Reepicheep stood. I heard him humming a tune to himself.

"Where sky and water meet, where waves grow ever sweet. Doubt not, you Reepicheep. To find all that you seek, there is the utter East. Doubt not—"

"That's pretty," I called as I approached, startling him. He smiled and came nearer to me.

"A Dryad sung it to me when I was just a Mouseling. I can't define the meaning…but I've never forgotten the words." I grinned at him.

"What do you think is beyond the Lone Islands, Reep?"

"I've been told the furthest one can sail is to the end of the world…Aslan's Country."

"Do you really believe there's such a place?"

"We have nothing, if not belief." He gave me a parting smile and went back to his perch on the dragon's head. I sighed and leaned over the edge of the ship, staring into the ocean. "We have nothing, if not belief." It was true. I thought of my siblings the last time we were all here together, before we met Caspian and restored Narnia. I'd been the only one to see Aslan, and though I told the others, they didn't believe me. I'd wondered why I was the only one. When Peter talked to me about it later, I'd had a theory, but then my mind changed later on when we returned to England. "Maybe we need to prove ourselves to him," I'd told Peter. But when we went back to England and Susan started getting caught up in the things of that world and leaving Narnia behind, I thought of something else. "Maybe I believed the most out of all of us," I'd theorized. Even Edmund hadn't seen Aslan the first time. And while he had a thought that he should believe me, he convinced me to stay with the others as if he didn't trust me to follow Aslan by myself.

Through my musings, I noticed a girl pop her head out of the water. I smiled when I recognized her as a water Nymph, and waved at her. She grinned at me and waved back before diving underwater. I watched her until she was out of sight before heading back down on deck.

The chapters are short, I know. ((long sigh)) I wish they weren't. I promise I'll make the next one longer. Review, please!