Chapter 10

Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and Jamie returned to the beach where the men were loading the boats. 'What food did you find?' Caspian asked.
Rhince came forward and crouched next to one of the baskets. 'It's volcanic your majesties. Not much grows.'
Caspian sighed and looked at Jamie. 'What have we gotten ourselves into?' Jamie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
'Where's Eustace?' Lucy asked suddenly.
Reepicheep answered her. 'I believe he's out, not helping us load the boats.'
'Eustace!' Lucy called. 'Eustace!' There was no reply. Lucy turned to her brother. 'Edmund I've got a bad feeling.'
'I'll go find him.' Edmund decided.
'I'll come with you.' Caspian's offer made Edmund stop, but he nodded. Caspian handed the sword to Jamie. 'Head back to the ship, we'll be along shortly.' With that he and Edmund left the beach.
Jamie and Lucy shared a glance, before Jamie turned to the men. 'You heard him, let's get this stuff to the ship.'

The men finished loading the boats, and began to row back to the ship, leaving one boat on the shore for the boys. Once back aboard the ship, the men began to unload the boats and store all they had collected in the hold. Jamie and Lucy went to join Gael at the helm to wait for the boys.
Drinian ordered the men to clean the deck while they waited, while some mopped, others set about mending rips in the sail.
Suddenly a load roar echoed over the water from the island. Everyone froze and turned to look. 'What was that?' Lucy asked.
Flames erupted from behind the cliffs. 'Is it the volcano?' Gael asked fearfully.
'Oh no, that's no volcano.' Drinian replied.
Jamie agreed with him, she had a good guess at what it might be. 'Try a dragon.' She said. 'All hands on deck there!' She yelled to get their attention.
'Archers, arm yourselves!' Drinian ordered.
The archers raced into the armoury. Someone passed a crossbow up to Jamie, who quickly loaded it, just as the dragon came flying towards the ship.

The dragon swooped around the ship. Lucy held Gael securely in her arms. 'Take your positions, and wait for my command.' Drinian ordered. One of the fauns, Nausus, jumped from the helm and rolled across the ship, to avoid being struck by the dragon.
The dragon landed on the mast, which swayed. 'What's it doing?' Lucy screamed, clinging onto Gael.
'Fire!' Drinian ordered a command which was echoed by several men as they all released their arrows towards the dragon. 'He'll break the mast.' Drinian stated. The dragon released it's grip on the mast momentarily, causing the ship to sway.
Reepicheep scampered up the mast towards the dragon. 'Hold you positions!' Drinian ordered. The dragon landed back on the mast, there was an ominous creaking. 'Fire!' Drinian ordered again. The dragon was now clinging onto the mast with only it's two front feet. Reepicheep swung around and stabbed it in the foot. This caused the dragon to release it's hold, and fly away back to the island.

But it wasn't gone for good. A few minutes later the dragon was back, and it wasn't alone. In it's claws it clutched Edmund. 'Edmund!' Lucy screamed.
'Lucy! Lucy!' Edmund called back, as the dragon carried him away to the other side of the island.
'Lower the boats!' Jamie ordered.
'But, your majesty.' Drinian began.
'Just do it.' Jamie demanded. Drinian nodded and quickly passed on the order. It was decided that Jamie, Lucy, Drinian, Gael, Rhince, Reepicheep and Tavros would go ashore.

'That's Eustace?' Jamie asked in amazement. The group stood with the dragon on the beach, who Edmund had just told them was Eustace.
'Yeah.' Edmund replied, as Eustace dragged his front foot along the ground. On it was a gold bracelet that was digging into his leg. 'He must have been tempted by the treasure.' Edmund suggested.
'Well anyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted.' Eustace growled at Caspian for that statement. 'Well anyone from here.'
Lucy walked forward and pulled the bracelet from Eustace's leg, causing him to roar in pain. 'Is there anyway to change him back?' Edmund asked.
'Not that I know of.' Caspian replied. 'Jamie?'
'I've never heard of something like this before.' She replied.
'Aunt Alberta will not be pleased.' If Edmund was trying to make the situation humorous, he failed miserably.
'Sorry about the hand, old boy. I can be a little overzealous at times.' Reepicheep apologised.

'The boats are ready sire!' Tavros called.
Lucy was the one to speak up. 'We can't leave him alone.'
'Well, we can't bring him aboard your majesty.' Drinian put in.
Caspian was the one to make the decision. 'Drinian, you and the others take one boat back. The rest of us will stay here till morning, and work out what to do.'
Concerned for their welfare Rhince spoke up. 'But you've no provisions, and no means of staying warm your majesty.'
Eustace was the one to solve the warmth problem. There was a lone log lying on the beach and he set it on fire. 'You were saying?' Reepicheep hinted. Everyone present gave a chuckle.

As Jamie lay, trying to get to sleep that night, she heard Caspian and Edmund talking. 'I've never seen the constellations before.' Edmund was saying.
'Me neither.' Caspian replied. 'We're a long way from home. When I was a boy I used to imagine sailing to the end of the world, finding my father there.'
'Maybe you will.' Edmund suggested.
The next voices that Jamie heard were those of Lucy and Gael. 'I miss my mummy.' Gael said.
'I miss mine too, as do the others.' Lucy replied. 'don't worry you'll see her again.'
'How do you know?' Gael asked.
'You just have to have faith about these things.' Lucy responded. 'Aslan will help us.'
'But Aslan couldn't stop her from being taken.' Gael told Lucy.
'We'll find her, I promise.' Lucy promised.
A tear slid down Jamie's cheek as she drifted off to sleep.

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