Chapter Ten;
The brief shrill of Rose's scream resonated in Edmund's head for a moment as he twisted under the water trying to catch a glimpse of Rose, Lucy…even Eustace amongst the obstacles that floated all around him; Lucy's writing desk, the bed, a chair.
The water was not as cold as Edmund somehow expected it to be. Strong arms beat against the swirling invisible currents as he fought his way to what he supposed to be the surface.
A moment later and Edmund broke through the turquoise waves, gasping for air, searching the rolling waves as far as the eye could see around him.
Squinting to try and shut out some of the bright sunlight deflected by the waters, relief immediately filled Edmund as he caught the sight of Lucy a few feet away and he saw the splashing and gurgled shouts that were Eustace.
However the relief was short lived as Edmund quickly realised that he couldn't see Rose anywhere. He whipped his head around, looking frantically across the endless blue.
"ROSE!" Edmund called, his voice coloured with concern.
A split second later and Edmund felt the crushing grip of panic release his heart as a familiar ebony head of hair broke the surface of the waves, less than a metre away from him - only for seconds later to once more disappear below them in an impressive display of splashing and flailing limbs.
Cursing under his breath Edmund sucked in a lungful of air before he lunged forward.
Blood pounded in his ears as Edmund swiftly sliced through the water, burning adrenaline coursing through his limbs.
He reached her within a few moments and ducking below the surface he caught Rose around the waist and dragged her upwards.
However Edmund had barely drawn breath before Rose immediately pushed him down again. Edmund instinctively released her and managed just in time to hold his breath before he found himself completely underwater.
Rose - without Edmund supporting her, plunged once more, her legs kicking out furiously.
Edmund's lungs cried out at the lack of oxygen as he pushed towards her in an attempt to help her however she knocked the air out of him with a swift boot to the abdomen.
Air burst forth from his lungs in a surprised cry that was silenced by salt water, a thousand miniscule bubbles appearing in rapid succession across his field of vision.
Innate instinct kicked in swiftly as Edmund surged upwards and coughing and spluttering he reached the surface.
"ROSE!" Edmund called his throat hoarse, every muscle in his body burning as blood pounded in his ears, his heart thumping furiously against his ribcage.
Preparing himself Edmund once more caught Rose by the waist and felt her immediately latch onto him.
Edmund tried to catch her flailing arms that clutched at him desperately.
"Rose you're going to drag us both down!" Edmund tried to reach her, as her legs tangled with his below the water.
"ROSE!" Edmund tried again and this time something seemed to filter through to her.
Rose was coughing and spluttering even worse than he was, struggling to heave in enough air to alleviate her burning lungs.
She clung to him as though for dear life, her arms wrapped around his torso so tightly she was almost crushing him and Edmund was struggling to keep afloat with the use of his legs alone. However at least she wasn't mindlessly writhing in every direction and potentially injuring them both anymore, Edmund thanked fleetingly.
"Rose," Edmund tried to lessen her death grip which resulted in a panicked, ragged scream from her.
Edmund almost fell to another coughing fit that nearly had them both sinking below the waters again. "Rose – you're holding too tightly," Edmund managed to rasp out, his throat like sandpaper.
Rose lessened her grip by a fraction, as Edmund treaded water furiously to keep them both afloat, holding onto Rose as best he could.
"SWIM!" Lucy's shout cut through the beating of his heart in his ears just as the shadow fell across them.
Both Edmund and Rose snapped their heads around and saw it approaching.
The huge hull of the ship loomed above them, blocking out the sunlight as it drew closer. It moved through the waters with deadly proficiency, the glistening emerald head of the dragon poised ready above them, with a huge purple sail trimmed in gold like a blot against the cloudless blue sky behind it.
Edmund gritted his teeth. "Rose – you're going to have to trust me."
For the first time Edmund noticed that Rose had lessened her grip and when he glanced back he met her green gaze, locks of her ebony hair clinging to the curve of her cheek freed from the clasp at the nape of her neck.
She was terrified, he could see that plainly, and though her hold on him was no longer crushing it was still considerably tight. He could feel her nails digging into his back, could feel the barely perceptible shiver running the length of her body – of fear or cold, he wasn't sure.
"I trust you," Rose said, her voice sounding as rough as his.
The brief exchange lasted a few mere seconds, before looping an arm about her Edmund began to swim in the opposite direction as fast as possible, ignoring the ache beginning in his muscles.
"Edmund! Edmund! – It's Caspian!" Lucy's gleeful shouts managed to filter through and Edmund immediately stopped, turning as welcome relief crashed over him. He even managed a breathless laugh.
Lucy was a few metres behind Edmund and beside her there was the familiar face of Caspian throwing him a beaming grin.
Sailors from the ship were swimming towards them with measured strokes.
Distantly Edmund heard Eustace crying loudly and making whoever's unfortunate job it was to assist him even more difficult.
With aid from the sailors they were able to make it over to the pulley with Caspian and Lucy going first. Eustace was still straggling behind in his attempts to swim back to England.
Able to catch his breath while waiting for the pulley Edmund tugged Rose's hands away, her green eyes widening in alarm.
"Stand up," he told her with a small smile playing at his lips.
She looked at him deadpan, managing to still scowl at him but look terrified at the same time.
Edmund rolled his eyes slightly as he demonstrated, finding solid wood as he stood and grasping one of the ropes for support.
Rose's cheeks took on a slightly pink tinge as she frowned at him. Before following his example, she stood up, clutching for the rope beside her with both hands, casting a particularly hateful glare towards the gently undulating waves.
"You can't swim," Edmund stated obviously as there were shouts above them as sailors prepared to pull them up. He hoped that was the answer, otherwise she had done a spectacular job at trying to drown him.
Rose directed a particularly withering glare at him as she was bent over slightly panting heavily, her green eyes narrowing, not deeming him with an answer.
Suddenly the pulley lurched up and Rose staggered and nearly threw herself back into the water only Edmund caught her in time.
"Hold on," Edmund said breathlessly, as Rose once more found herself clutching to Edmund as the pulley edged upwards.
Rose looked up at him embarrassedly. Droplets of water sparkling like gems caught in the sunlight, ran down the curve of her cheeks that were burnished red, her eyes bright – and annoyed, he realised.
"What did you do?" Rose suddenly accused.
Edmund looked to her perplexed, "Me?"
"I am in the middle of the bloody ocean!" Rose's voice heightened in volume, tinged with almost hysteria, and that same nervousness that Edmund could recognise now. "I know I stole your aunt's ration book but…" her voice trailed off, rasping as she looked to him expectantly, and with a desperate hope that she wasn't losing her mind.
Edmund couldn't help it – he looked down in attempt to hide the small laugh. But all the same Rose saw it, and with an indignant huff she shoved his shoulder, seemingly forgetting that it was him supporting her.
Edmund staggered back on unsure footing, Rose yelped in sudden fright and seconds later as they both lost their balance a huge splash could be heard.
The feeling of weightlessness, the sobering slap of the water and the confused shouts from above was all belied by one thing…Edmund simply couldn't believe that Rose had pushed them both back into the water. He almost felt like laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.
The only thing stopping him was as he once again surfaced; Rose was predictably scrambling and splashing a few feet away.
"ED!" Edmund glanced up for a split second to see Lucy hanging over the edge far above them with Caspian, her expression caught unsure between laughter and concern.
When he looked back a burly sailor was holding Rose up with ease, and by her expression Rose was unamused to say the least by her impromptu return to the water.
The second time they made it up; Rose glaring silently at him all the way, as though it were his fault they had fallen back in!
As sailors pulled them in using long poles Caspian was there to greet them with Lucy, both grinning.
"It seems you have been too long away from Narnia's seas Ed," Caspian teased.
Edmund smiled, shaking his head fondly before Caspian reached out and gave him a brotherly clap on the back as he wrapped a dry blanket around his shoulders.
Edmund returned the gesture, unable to help the grin that spread across his face even as locks of dripping hair fell across his eyes.
Finally! – They were here; back in Narnia, their home where they belonged. Indescribable warmth was building in his chest, and only one word could describe it – happiness.
The war and the feelings of uselessness and frustration that it inspired were left behind in England. He had left behind Cambridge's paved streets for Narnia's clear skies and endless waters.
A brisk breeze blew carrying the spray of the sea, and Edmund could taste the salt on his lips even as the sun warmed his face. He was in the place he loved most once more; Narnia.
However Edmund's musings were interrupted as Caspian pointedly cleared his throat, sending an expectant and curious glance back towards the dripping girl.
Rose stood unsure, her cheeks predictably flushed red as her emerald gaze flitted uncertainly from the deck of the ship to the sailors closest to her. Despite how small and vulnerable she appeared clutching her arms to herself, Edmund could clearly see that the sea waters had done nothing to dampen the fierce fire in her, clearly evident in the scathing burning glare she was directing pointedly towards him.
Edmund arched a brow. Despite her obvious hatred of the sea, Rose was exactly alike in temperament to it, Edmund considered.
Her moods were completely unpredictable; from withering glares to fleeting smiles, Edmund never really knew what to expect from the green-eyed nurse.
However, berating himself silently for being remiss in essentially forgetting Rose in his new-found joy at being in Narnia once more, Edmund approached her, Caspian following.
Meanwhile Lucy was hanging once more over the ship's side frowning slightly; though in exasperation or concern it wasn't clear. Eustace was being particularly difficult about getting on the pulley as he spouted off various things involving "British Consul" and "kidnapping".
Caspian motioned to one of the sailors nearby, who in response pressed another blanket into Caspian's outstretched hand.
When they reached Rose, Caspian offered her the blanket with a kind smile that barely coaxed a quirk of her lips in return.
"Thanks," she muttered under her breath, as Rose wrapped the blanket tightly about herself.
"Caspian, this is Rose Edwards," Edmund introduced, after Caspian prompted him with an expectant glance.
Rose's verdant gaze snapped to Caspian, her blush deepening and Edmund frowned.
"You are blood-related?" Caspian inquired, looking between Edmund and Rose.
"No!" Rose cut in immediately with her vehement denial, shaking her head resolutely.
Caspian smirked slightly, clearly amused while Edmund looked on a little miffed. He didn't want to be related to Rose either, but she didn't have to seem so completely appalled.
"This is unusual?" Caspian turned to Edmund meaningfully, also directing his glance over Edmund's shoulder to Lucy who was approaching, after having ascertained that Eustace had finally been convinced to get on the pulley.
Edmund knew what Caspian meant. Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter were all Pevensies – all siblings who had been brought to Narnia. Caspian had already assured Lucy that he had not called for them again, and yet here they were, and with a non-related girl. Edmund was also curious about it as well to say the least – why had Aslan brought Rose to Narnia?
However at that moment Edmund had another problem. While he understood Caspian's meaning and Lucy did also, there was one person who undoubtedly did not – Rose.
Edmund caught the flash of anger in Rose's eyes, the indignant purse of her lips. "I didn't exactly plan…!" Rose's voice rose as she pinned Caspian down with a scalding glare, only to be interrupted as Eustace quite literally spilled onto the deck in a heap of limbs.
It wasn't so much Eustace's appearance that interrupted the green-eyed girl's words, for given Rose's previous encounter with Eustace, Edmund suspected she would have carried on giving Caspian a piece of her mind while Eustace spluttered at her feet.
No…what undoubtedly gave Rose pause, and made her green eyes grow impossibly large, the colour for once since Edmund had met her draining from her face – was the two foot mouse with a dignified red feather on a gold band around one ear, and a tapered rapier at its side, that nimbly leapt across to Eustace.
Apologies for long delay – spring exams, writer's block – blah, blah, blah; most important thing though – story is back on track!
And also especially thanks to those who encouraged me to continue with their reviews; SweetSunnyRose, Amandapanda7, sadiekane, guest (x2), S10Luxoka and EmmyElizabeth403. They were all very much appreciated; thanks to new followers / & / favourites also; me-you-food-fun, green book worm, dream lighting, alex-PevensieWeasley, Bubble-Gum1lol, lilycullen1997, .kawaii, RayneAllNight, Miss Mon & EmmyElizabeth403.
ALSO! – Should Rose be involved in a 'love triangle' – just an idea that I'm throwing out, as there have been a few mentions. Your thoughts?