Chapter Ten
After a review from the lovely Grace, I've been given a kick up the arse. I didn't realise it's been so long since I updated (ok, a week but still)! Sorry people, sorry! Although I'm not too sure you're going to like me at all after this one. Enjoy!
After an almost crazy incident with Edmund and the green mist, we heard a strange noise echoing towards the ship. Upon getting closer to it, we found that it was a male voice calling out to us.
"Keep away! Keep away!" he warned. We all squinted through the fog to see but it didn't work.
"Who's there?" Edmund asked loudly, putting a protective arm around my shoulders. I rolled my eyes but let it stay there.
"We do not fear you," Caspian called out.
"Nor I you!" the voice replied. Edmund turned on his torch to see through the fog better and we eventually located a heavily bearded man on a rock, gripping his sword tightly. He was hardly dressed, practically screaming malnourishment too. "Keep away!" he warned once again.
"We will not leave," Caspian said adamantly.
"You will not defeat me!" the man said. He was officially crazy.
"Caspian, Caspian, his sword!" Edmund exclaimed and I looked at the sword closer. It was the one we were searching for.
"Lord Rhoop!" Caspian said, coming down the stairs to get closer.
"You do not own me!" Lord Rhoop cried. Maybe he just had really large personal space problems, like Eustace.
"Stand down. Let's get him on board, quickly," Caspian ordered. The crew began swinging grappling hooks but Eustace swooped in and snatched the lord up like he'd snatched Edmund up and dropped him on deck. The lord wasn't pleased.
"Be calm my lord!" Caspian said, approaching the sword brandishing man carefully.
"Off me, demon!" the man yelled. His voice had a croaky quality that irritated me.
"No, my lord. We are not here to hurt you. I am your King, Caspian," Caspian informed him. The lord stiffened and turned towards Caspian shakily.
"My lord? You should not have come. There's no way out of here. Quickly, turn this ship about before it's too late!" the lord insisted. I looked at Edmund and raised my eyebrow, gesturing to the sword. He clicked immediately.
"We have the sword, let's go!" he said and Caspian nodded.
"Let's turn her about Drinian," Caspian ordered and turned to the helm. Drinian was already up there. Lord Rhoop followed after Caspian seeming panicked.
"Do not think! Do not let it know your fears or it will become them!" the lord warned. I immediately cleared my head, picturing an empty space out of sheer panic. Edmund didn't seem so lucky.
"Oh no," he muttered. I whirled out of his grip to face him.
"Edmund, what did you just think of?" Lucy asked in a panicked tone.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Edmund said as he approached the side of the ship. I was beginning to panic slightly. I swear I saw a rock move. Then the boat rocked violently and I just about stayed standing.
"Look, what is that?" Caspian said, pointing to something in the water. I shuddered as it moved.
"It's too late. It's too late!" Rhoop declared. I was going to have to agree with him there.
"It's gone under the boat," a crewman said.
"Gail!" Lucy shrieked just as a giant sea serpent burst out of the water. I was going to kill Edmund. It was absolutely massive. It skin was grimy and a vile green colour. Its teeth were huge and its mouth ten times bigger. It made a horrific screeching noise which sent shivers down my spine in the opposite way that Edmund did. Lucy ran forward to grab Gail and dragged her behind everyone else. I drew my sword at the exact moment that Edmund did and we held them tightly.
"If we get through this, you're in huge trouble," I said threateningly. Edmund let out a nervous laugh but we didn't say anything else. His left hand found my right wrist and he gave it one squeeze of reassurance. I smiled quickly then turned my attention to the huge snake in the water. Then Eustace came out of nowhere and breathed fire on the creature. I resisted cheering but stared in shock at it. Eustace was now attached to the serpents face and the serpent was doing everything it could to get Eustace off, including slamming him into the ship. Reepicheep flew into the rigging having lost his grip on either Eustace or the slimy beast but Eustace continued fighting. He went flying around in an arc but the serpent couldn't be fooled and snatched Eustace up in its jaws and went underwater. I whimpered but they were soon above the surface again, fighting tooth and nail (or claw as the case may be). The serpent slammed Eustace into a rock and he went slightly weak. I cried out for him but breathed in relief when he managed to breathe fire directly into the serpent's mouth before it could eat him. It screeched loudly, thrashing violently and then disappeared under the water. Eustace seemed to be struggling.
"Out, creature!" Rhoop yelled and hurled his sword at Eustace.
"No! The sword! The sword!" Caspian yelled. I glared at him.
"Oh sure, let's not worry about Eustace!" I yelled at him. The sword had pierced the boy dragon's shoulder and I called out for him as he flew away but it was no use. He was gone. Rhoop had to be knocked out because I think he'd lost his mind. Too much seclusion can go to one's head. Lucy looked as though she was praying and I didn't think it was a bad idea. Before I could try though, the serpent once again burst out of the water and began wrapping itself around the ship. Lucy ran off with Gail, I assume to take the younger girl to a safe place (although there wouldn't be many on a ship wrapped in sea serpent). It looked as though the creature was trying to break the ship in half. That was inventive.
"Ed! Ed. We ram the serpent, smash him on the rocks," Caspian said and Edmund nodded.
"Steer her to port. I'll keep it on the prow!" Edmund called back and began to run away.
"NO!" I cried. Edmund was risking his life on PURPOSE to orchestrate a plan that only had a small chance of working. Lucy ran past me but I was too busy watching Edmund to pay attention to anything that she was doing. From what I could see, Edmund nestled himself in the head of the figurehead and drew the attention of the sea beast to him using his torch. Then, the serpent lunged and the wood cracked loudly. I screamed shrilly.
"NO!" Lucy shrieked.
"Edmund!" Caspian yelled. Throwing caution to the wind, I sprinted across the ship, heading straight for Edmund. I noticed he was still alive but I would get him out of there. I reached his side just as an arrow with a red feather on it pierced the serpent's eye. I frowned as I saw Susan's arrow and turned to see Lucy holding the bow. I cheered for her and she beamed back. I gripped Edmund tightly as Caspian warned us to brace ourselves.
"You are such a prat!" I yelled at him.
"I'm still alive!" he retaliated. I just nodded, not wanting to fight. I was just so worried. The gut feeling hadn't gone away. I held his hand tightly and he gripped back, waiting for the right moment. A second before the serpent was rammed; we leapt of our ledge and out of range of the serpent's teeth. I screamed as we tumbled towards deck with me landing first and then rolled and flipped over it. My scream was abruptly cut off as a ripping pain appeared in my chest. I looked down and saw that a large part of wood, obviously broken off of the ship by the serpent, was protruding from my chest, having entered through my back. A strangled sound came out of my mouth and blistering agony tore through my entire body.
"Ciera, NO!" I heard Edmund yell and saw him skid to a halt next to me. He must have seen it happen as he kept rolling. His hand found mine as he frantically tried to search for a way to save me. But I knew it was too late, even Lucy's cordial couldn't have saved me. That would involve removing the wood which would have probably killed me instantly anyway. The horror of my untimely death made me want to cry but I attempted to hold back the tears as I gripped Edmund's hand. His face was close to mine and looked absolutely horrified at my state.
"You have to hold on. We can save you," he said desperately. I shook my head slowly, my eyes beginning to close.
"Edmund, no. It's too late. But I need you to do something for me," I said urgently. There was still a battle going on. He needed to do this. His eyes were watering and he didn't hold the tears back. They blended with the seawater running down his face.
"Anything, Ciera, anything," he whispered, stroking his free hand across my face. My breath was rapidly leaving me, I was gasping for air. I reached up to hold his hand to my face, looking deeply into the deep brown eyes I would miss so much.
"Don't let me hold you back. We both know that you're going to go home. I want you to go there and live. I'm not asking you to forget me, I'm asking you to let me go and live on. Promise me Edmund," I begged and his face twisted in agony. The tears were flowing down my face as he held me.
"I promise," he said in a strangled voice. I reached up to his face, wincing in pain. Deep clouds of darkness were pooling over my vision rapidly.
"I love you, my brave and just warrior," I whispered as my eyes closed slowly and he let out a pained sob.
"I love you, my sweet angel," he whispered back and I felt his lips brush mine. I tried to kiss back but I wasn't sure if it worked. I gave a last shuddering breath before resigning to the pain and blackness. The last thing I heard was Edmund sobbing and saying my name over and over again before I was completely overcome and walked into Death's waiting arms.
I think I'll make you wait for the next chapter . . . maybe longer than this time? Review to make it come faster. Love Bianca :) x