WE WERE IN complete silence as we sailed to Dark Island. The only thing that could be heard was the occasional groaning of the ship or the lap of the waves against the wood.

"So, what do you think is in there?" Tavros asked which it was odd to see a minotaur so on edge.

"Our worst nightmares," Edmund said, squeezing my hand in our old and current sneaky way of affection.

"Our darkest wishes," Caspian added. "Pure evil," Drinian added from the helm.

I didn't suppose he was too far off from that statement. He moved from the wheel and ordered, "Tavros, unlock the armoury." The minotaur nodded and obeyed with, "My lord."

Drinian shouted to the crew, "Archers, prepare yourselves."

Tavros shouted, "Light the lanterns." As the light began to fade and give way to a terrifying darkness.

"Let's get ready," Caspian said to Edmund, Lucy, and me.

Lucy and I took to our cabin and suited up. Lucy pulled tightly on my hair to braid it back as Gael watched us from the bed. I winced every so often as I was not used to my hair being pulled back so tight. It had been a while since my last real battle. "When I grow up, I want to be just like you two," she said making Lucy stopped her rough treatment of my scalp and tied it off quickly.

She walked over to the little girl while I massaged my sore head. "When you grow up," she said, sitting down next to her on the bed, "you should be just like you." Lucy gave Gael a small hug and I smiled.

Then I remembered something. I turned quickly and searched about in the drawer. "But you're so brave. And I... I'm scared," she whispered.

"Gael," I said softly making her turned her head to me.

I produced a shiny silver knife. "Come here a moment." She obeyed and walked over to me as I sat in front of the mirror.

I handed her the knife. "Can you read?" I asked her which she shook her head.

Quietly, I read the inscription on the blade, "Aslan gives us only what we can bare." I looked at her; "Aslan must think you're very brave to be here for this." I handed her the knife.

"When I was your age I was most definitely not brave enough for this," I informed her, gasping her hands tightly in mine.

"I don't feel very brave," she whispered looking at the knife in her hands with a frown.

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality," Lucy said, joining us at the mirror.

"Who said that?" Gael asked.

Lucy shrugged, "Will did, at the battle of Blunder Valley."

Giving a small shake of my head, I said, "Someone back home said it first. I just remembered it for the speech you made me give."

I remembered Lucy shoving me in front of the army, telling me to say something inspiring. All I could remember was that.

"Who was it then?" Gael asked making me shrug.

"Someone back home. Whoever he was, he was very wise," I informed her before we were soon told to join Caspian on the deck.

Quickly, before we left her bellow deck, I instructed Gael not to leave the cabin. And if worse came to worse, be ready to fight. Lucy and I then left her there with my knife and words of comfort.

I managed to find Edmund and stood next to him. "No matter what happens here," Caspian told us from the helm, "every soul before me has earned their place on the crew of the Dawn Treader. Together we have travelled far. Together we have faced adversity. Together we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall to fear's temptations. Be strong. Never give in."

Edmund turned his head and gave me a small kiss on the temple. "Our world...our Narnian lives, depend on it. Think of the lost souls we're here to save. Think of Aslan."

That did it. My whole body filled with warmth and joy like it did the first time I heard that name. So many years ago in the dam of the beavers. The name filled me with hope and warmth and light. And today it did the same. Today I felt strong enough to face whatever it was the personification of evil threw at us.

"Think of Narnia," Caspian finished and walked down the stairs to join us.

"For Narnia!" Drinian shouted.

"For Narnia!" we bellowed.

Edmund gave Caspian a smile. Pride shone in his eyes. I looked to Edmund and watched him smile. It took a moment before he noticed I was looking at him. "What?" he asked.

Taking a shallow breath, I stood on my tip toes and gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, "I love you, Edmund Pevensie," I said to him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

His cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink at my sudden display of affection.

"I love you, Kahlan Young," with that he leaned down and kissed me full on the mouth.

Around us I could hear whistles and cheers from the men. But I didn't care. We were going into battle once more, there was no way I was going into it without telling him how I felt. How I always feel...about him.