Now of course apologies for the delay…again, now I could bombard you with excuses but I shan't; other than Rose is damn well uncooperative :P and I will try to update asap!
Chapter Eleven;
Eustace spluttered, coughing up mouthfuls of sea water with his eyes squeezed shut, swatting at the weight above him that was in fact Reepicheep.
Struggling to blink open his eyes against the salt water that ran in rivulets from his sodden hair, Eustace gave a shriek of surprise. "Get off me!" and Reepicheep was flung suddenly across the deck, though the dignified mouse managed to scramble across the wooden boards and regain his composure, as he skidded to a halt before Edmund, Lucy, Caspian and Rose.
"Reepicheep!" Lucy exclaimed brightly, with a huge grin on her face at the welcome sight of an old friend.
"Your Majesties," Reepicheep swept into a deep courtesy.
"Reep what a pleasure," Edmund began…
"You know it!" Rose's incredulous voice broke through and Edmund grimaced slightly.
"My lady, I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Reepicheep addressed a wide-eyed Rose chivalrously.
Rose blinked, frowned and then, "You're a mouse…" she mumbled numbly.
Reepicheep gave a long-suffering sigh, and Caspian smirked slightly.
"That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!" Eustace scrabbled to his feet, jabbing an accusatory finger at Reepicheep.
"I was merely trying…"
However the rest of Reepicheep's words were lost to Edmund as Rose tugged fiercely on his collar.
Rose it seemed on the appearance of Reepicheep, had looked around the surrounding crew members in the hope of finding a face that would share a mutual look of disbelief with her.
What she had found instead only disconcerted her more to say the least.
Edmund followed her widened worried gaze first to the Fauns, then the Satyrs, then the Dwarves and finally to the Minotaurs.
She had that expression on her face; the one that begged for someone to tell her that she wasn't losing her mind.
Presently Edmund heard Eustace's voice suddenly rise to an impetuously whining volume as his cousin stomped across the deck furiously. Edmund gritted his teeth as he considered that was hardly helping things.
"Rose, I know this may seem strange..." Edmund began gently, thoughts whirring through his mind as to the best way to approach the subject of...well, broadly speaking - Narnia.
And suddenly as quick as thought, the vulnerable and fearful expression on Rose's face vanished as her eyes narrowed to murderous slits.
"Strange?" she repeated, her voice ringing with incredulity. "Strange doesn't begin to cover...this! Finding myself suddenly in the middle of the sea when moments before I was on solid ground in the middle of Cambridge!"
"That is what I'm trying to explain to you," Edmund just managed through gritted teeth, his patience sorely stretched.
However Rose would not be placated as her voice only rose in volume, "Explanation?! - What possible explanation could there be for this?"
"Well maybe if you let me, I could give you one!" Edmund almost shouted back. He knew it was childish to try and do something like outshout another person one was having an argument with.
In truth, he could understand Rose's fear - an emotion, despite their short acquaintance, he imagined she didn't exactly deal well with.
And for someone - especially one particularly fearful for some unknown reason of water - to be dumped in the middle of the ocean without warning, in a way that completely defied the logical reality of the world Rose was accustomed to...well, he could imagine it would be precisely terrifying.
But...with her eyes flashing green fire and hands curled into white fists at her side, her cheeks burning a scarlet red as water dripped from her, and she spat out every word at him as though they were darts she were throwing...well, Edmund found himself very hard-pressed to be sympathetic towards her situation in those moments.
"I am on a boat in the middle of the ocean!" Rose announced loudly, throwing her hands up in the air, the blanket falling forgotten from her shoulders.
"Repeating it won't change the fact!" Edmund replied equally as loudly; neither of them aware of the hushed shocked silence that had fallen across those gathered on the deck.
But it didn't matter - they could have been in the middle of Cambridge or the middle of the Narnian seas for all it mattered - for the situation devolved into one main issue. Whatever had happened to find her in this almost unbelievable scenario, Rose was set to blame Edmund for it.
Rose suddenly folded her arms defensively as she arched an ebony brow imperiously. "What did you do?!" Rose demanded.
"I didn't...!" Edmund began to defend himself, when Rose cut across him with an angry scoff, as she dropped her arms to instead point a fierce finger at him.
"You...you..." Rose pursed her lips together as she searched for an insult.
Edmund crossed his arms, mirroring her arched brow as he waited and Rose's blush deepened.
"Edmund...!" Lucy hissed, nudging him forcefully.
"You're some kind of..." Rose pressed her lips into a thin white line, and suddenly Edmund knew what Rose was trying to say, only she desperately didn't want to say it because in her mind such things were only fantasy.
"What's that?" Edmund asked in a completely unfazed manner, to which Rose's blush spread to the very tips of her ears as her eyes narrowed to smouldering emerald slits.
"Edmund?!" Lucy's voice sounded in his ear, her voice painfully controlled, though underlying it was a severe reprimand.
"No Lucy, if Rose wants to say something she can say it," Edmund explained, in a far too forced genial tone.
Rose uttered a noise somewhere between a shriek of frustration and a growl of anger - several nearby sailors couldn't be blamed for taking a step back.
"You're a wizard!" Rose suddenly accused, poking Edmund forcibly in the sternum. Her cheeks were practically glowing, flamed with the embarrassment of what she had just said.
"Ed you never mentioned you were a wizard," Caspian called, his face a picture of curious innocence.
Lucy sent him a withering glare, as Caspian desperately tried to smother his smirk, "That is hardly helping," she said sternly.
However it didn't seem to either add or detract the fuel from the fire of the argument only building between Rose and Edmund; that was only set to get worse…
"Wizard?!" Edmund exclaimed with a grin. Rose's knuckles were stretched white as she clenched her hands tightly into fists.
"Caspian!" Lucy exclaimed, gesturing a little frantically, as Edmund seemed in danger of receiving more than just Rose's harsh words.
Caspian cleared his throat, as he pushed himself from his previous casual stance of leaning against the ship's side.
"Drinian move the men along," Caspian commanded authoritatively, as he eyed Rose and Edmund still fiercely arguing less than a foot away with a slight frown.
"I wouldn't try to interrupt that situation my King - an argument between a man and his wife is something best left alone," Drinian advised, as Rose's voice rose high.
"There is a talking mouse and you want me to believe everything is fine!"
"Well I'll...! You try to be polite," Reepicheep piped up offended, though he went unnoticed by both Edmund and Rose, and most else, as Lucy turned to Caspian and Drinian with wide eyes - "Man and wife! They barely know one another!"
Drinian and Caspian exchanged a glance that spoke volumes, before with a nod Drinian began to usher the men away to attend other duties with a few gruff orders. They moved reluctantly though, having been rather enjoying the show, and craning in looks as they went.
"I am inclined to agree with your cousin!" Rose cut across sharply.
"Eustace?!" Edmund exclaimed appalled.
"Eustace fainted over ten minutes ago," Caspian called over, as Lucy essentially shook her head in despair.
Rose and Edmund simultaneously called back similar comments that captured perfectly, that as far as they were concerned they could throw Eustace back in the seas again.
"That's my cousin!" Edmund suddenly defended, and Lucy rolled her eyes. "When my brother comes to his senses, throw him overboard," she said, as Caspian chuckled before with one last despairing look Lucy made resolutely for the cabin doors and disappeared below deck.
"You didn't like him so well ten minutes ago!" Rose shouted.
"Yes - but he's my cousin!" Edmund stressed.
Their argument had long since strayed from the realms of sensibility, if it ever existed in the beginning – to simply arguing for the sake of arguing against the other.
"I'm beginning to think that it's you who is the more insufferable one and not your cousin!"
"Me?! - That's ridiculous!"
Caspian and Reepicheep exchanged meaningful glances, "My my, it is strange companions that their Majesties have brought with them this time," Reepicheep remarked.
Caspian eyed Rose and Edmund still arguing, who seemed oblivious to the fact that the deck had essentially cleared now.
"Very strange indeed," Caspian agreed, before Reepicheep leapt nimbly to the deck and followed the way Lucy had gone moments before.
"Your cousin has the right idea about kidnapping!" Rose accused fiercely.
"Well seeing as you seem to agree with Eustace so much, maybe you can swim back to England with him!" Edmund answered.
Drawing in a rallying breath, Caspian approached them.
"Ed...Ed! EDMUND!" Caspian cleared his throat as Edmund finally deemed to look at him, Edmund's eyes still smouldering darkly.
"Eustace fainted ten minutes ago," Caspian repeated in a normal tone.
Edmund seemed set to continue the argument regardless when something seemed to click. "Oh," Edmund remarked quietly as the news finally sunk in, and with it the realities of their situation and the now empty deck.
Likewise Rose as she finally took in her surroundings, her fierce dark scowl smoothed away as her green eyes widened slightly and her lips formed a small silent 'o' of unpleasant surprise. Her expression one of mute dread as she realised the extent of what had just occurred.
She looked in short, essentially horrified, though at what Caspian couldn't say, as she half-raised a barely perceptibly trembling hand to her mouth.
Caspian almost imagined he caught a whispered "oh no" under her breath.
Edmund closed his eyes for a brief moment as he inhaled deeply, and Caspian cast him – cast them both, a small sympathetic smile.
"Perhaps more private quarters would have been more suited for such a conversation?" Caspian said quietly, and Edmund heaved a weighted sigh before he turned to Rose.
She stood now clutching her arms to herself resignedly, water still dripping of tangled locks of ebony hair, and Edmund found himself feeling strangely guilty at her suddenly pale face and slumped defeated shoulders, her verdant gaze drawn resolutely to the stretch of deck between them.
Edmund opened his mouth to speak, when Caspian placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a subtle shake of his head.
"Drinian," Caspian called and the Captain was at his side almost instantly. "Show Rose to one of the main cabins that she may use at her comfort."
Rose's head snapped up, eyes predictably narrowed, lips turned down, a sharp retort resting on her tongue as a sudden flare of warmth entered her cheeks.
However her expression melted to one of begrudging acceptance, as she eyed Caspian's face that was devoid of any hints of pity or amusement that had caused her initial distrust.
"This way," Drinian gestured for Rose to follow him, and after a moment of clear hesitation she muttered a "thank-you" under her breath directed in Caspian's direction. Then forcing herself, she turned sharply on her heel to disappear with Drinian through the cabin doors that led below deck.
She studiously avoided Edmund's gaze.
As soon as she was gone from sight Edmund groaned aloud, running a hand through his own tangled dripping hair.
"That got out of hand quickly," he muttered dryly, as he walked aimlessly towards the side, Caspian following.
Caspian chuckled quietly as he once more propped himself against the ship's side. Edmund leaned over it, frowning slightly as he watched the silver-blue waters part in sprays of frothy white surf, as the ship glided through the waves.
Edmund sighed again. He had understood Rose's situation – he did understand her situation – well, as far as to know that her fear would more than justify a less than reasonable response from her.
If only she had of listened…?! She was just too stubborn for her own good sometimes. But still Edmund felt an uncomfortable feeling settle in his gut. Undoubtedly Rose shared in the guilt he was feeling, especially if her studious avoiding of his gaze was anything to go by. But Edmund also felt he should partake in any blame that was to be dished out for the circumstances that had ensued.
It was Rose who had been thrust into the unfamiliar circumstance; it was he who should have refrained from devolving into a full-blown argument with her, no matter how much she provoked him.
"Lucy mentioned you have just met?" Caspian queried curiously.
Edmund snorted in wry amusement, "It's been an…eventful acquaintance since the beginning."
"Your Majesty," Caspian turned expectantly towards Drinian who had appeared at his side, "I left the lady in the fourth cabin…"
"How did she seem?" Edmund interrupted suddenly.
Drinian looked to Caspian for a moment before answering, "Vexed Sir."
"Drinian – I had been hoping to make this as an announcement to all aboard but…circumstance prevented," Caspian cast a fleeting glance towards Edmund. "However as Captain you should know," Caspian paused for a moment before subtly his posture straightened to a more formal one and he continued, "This is Edmund the Just – High King of Narnia," Caspian gestured grandly towards Edmund as a new-found awe and respect entered the weathered Captain's eyes, "His sister is Lucy the Valiant, High Queen of Narnia whom I brought aboard first."
Even despite what had just occurred Edmund couldn't help the deep sense of pride that filled him as he was named his earned title. Something in him seemed to be awoken as a new strength entered his stance, and he straightened his spine and stood tall with set shoulders, rather than slouching morosely over the side railing of the ship.
"Forgive me Your Majesty. I did not know, though I should have realised by Reepicheep's acknowledgement to you both," Drinian said gravely, making to sweep into a deep bow only Edmund prevented him.
"It's alright, we weren't expecting to drop in on you like this," Edmund said with a brief quirk of his lips.
"Captain!" a voice suddenly called and all three heads snapped round.
A Faun with a velvety blue waistcoat, and a mop of curly tawny hair that fell over his equally blue eyes was paused at the threshold of the cabin doors that led below deck.
"What is it?"
"What dry clothes are there to bring that girl in the fourth cabin?"
"Have more respect!" Drinian commanded suddenly. "That is Edmund the Just – High King of Narnia's wife!" Drinian snapped. The Faun's eyes grew impossibly large for a few seconds as he eyed Edmund. Then with a quick courtesy and a murmured awed "Your Majesty" the Faun ducked below deck once more, with assurances he would deal with the "Just King's Queen" appropriately – and all before Edmund could so much as blink from shock.
"Rose is not my wife!" Edmund declared vehemently, a fiery blush that almost rivalled Rose's blooming suddenly in his cheeks. "Why would you think that?" Edmund added hurriedly, as Caspian quirked a curious brow at his severe reaction.
Drinian remained looking unconvinced as he answered. "Because only a wife argues that fiercely with her husband," Drinian said knowingly, and then with a brief courtesy Drinian excused himself to attend to some other business about the ship.
Edmund remained looking in mute shock for a moment before he snapped to his senses. "I better go and stop that Faun before any chance at patching things up with Rose is completely lost," Edmund said, already moving hurriedly towards the cabin doors.
"And Ed!" Caspian called and Edmund paused casting a distracted impatient glance over his shoulder. "Get some dry clothes," Caspian instructed with a smile. Edmund nodded once with a grateful smile, before he disappeared below deck and Reepicheep emerged barely a moment after him.
"Well their Majesties cousin seems to be fine – her Majesty is attending him now," Reepicheep remarked as he approached Caspian, leaping nimbly to perch on the railing.
However the mouse's keen gaze was drawn back to the cabin doors, as he glanced questioning towards where Edmund had disappeared down a few moments ago.
"And our other guest…?" Reepicheep left the question hanging in the air, as Caspian's thoughtful gaze drifted likewise towards the cabin doors briefly.
Then Caspian returned his attention to Reepicheep once more and with an evident smile in his voice said;
"He will have a harder time trying to convince the men that this Rose Edwards is a perfect stranger to him, than he will asserting his royalty, even after that very un-royal-like display."
I would like to thank those who reviewed; 'Guest', Wisegirl113, MusicIsMyLife1214000, SweetSunnyRose, SecretlyGreatly, Bubble-Gum1lol, 'Goalie', Evengelinelocke, 'sadiekane', 'Guest', HollowBerry103, 'Guest', ManonVarendaz & Amber and Ruby – especially for the feedback in response to the 'love-triangle' suggestion.
My original plan never included a 'love-triangle' and I'm happy to say that I'll be sticking with the original plan for a good many reasons that you all mentioned; over-cliché, over-complicates plot and especially the following two points really swayed me: Rose's character just isn't exactly conducive to inspiring romance. Caspian – falling in love with her? It'll be a miracle if he resists throwing Rose off the boat. :P And as regards Rose fancying Caspian also; same deal – Rose is extremely guarded and it will be difficult for her to admit her feelings even for Edmund. Also I believe with the whole 'chain of command' thing there will be enough strain on Edmund and Caspian's friendship without adding Rose into the mix. So all in all: NO LOVE TRIANGLE.
Also thanks to all new favourites / & / follows; all much appreciated, and to all who read.