Disclaimer: I own only the character Raxie and the plotline that proceeds after Ramandu's island.
The next morning Caspian and Edmund came to see if Lord Roop was well enough to sit up on the deck, believing the salt air would help rejuvenate the broken man. Roop ventured to the prow deck assisted by Caspian and Edmund only to have Caspian return moments later.
"Did you sleep well?" Were the first words out of his mouth the moment he fully stepped into the cabin as Lucy was changing the sheets of the bed, preparing to sleep herself. Caspian moved to help her strip the coverlet and sheet before laying down a clean sheet and coverlet.
"Somewhat." Lucy shrugged. "But I'll lie down and try to get a few more hours of sleep before coming up on deck."
"Very well." Caspian nodded before moving to the door and in a soft, warm voice added, "Sweet dreams."
Smiling Lucy quickly stripped down to her shirt before crawling between the cool an crisp sheets, falling into dreamland. Large, warm hands cradled her against an equally warm and solid chest, making Lucy feel safe and loved. Soft lips brushed against hers, kissing gently. Heat filled her as she looked up into Caspian's bright face, eyes burning with molten iron passion and desire. Then her world plunged into heat and brightness, power and desire, pleasure and pain, love and joy.
Gasping Lucy sat up in bed, heart pounding. She was amazed by the fact that she had the most graphic dream of the goings on between a man and a woman and that the two star roles were her and Caspian. Body and mind confused an groggy Lucy went about washing up and dressing, using the time to get her thoughts and emotions in check before heading topside and getting something to eat.
"Lucy, so you are alive." Edmund joked as she stepped into the bright sunlight before handing her a cloth wrapped bundle that contained bread and cheese. He also handed her a small skein that contained water.
"What time is it?"
"Mid afternoon, mam." Drinian spoke up, smiling at her in the way a father would smile indulgently at a child.
"Sleep well?" Caspian asked, voice pitched low and intimate.
"Yes, thank you." No, not without you beside me. The thought popped unbidden into Lucy's mind and immediately she pushed it way, not wanting her feelings to be read in her eyes or on her face.
"Land ho!"
Before them was an island so lush and green it seemed to be unreal and hurt ones eyes with its intensity. Gentle hills welcomed while tall sea cliffs deterred. Entranced by the sight of the island Lucy failed to realize that they were preparing to row to shore, so she quickly joined the others who were about to depart. One ashore Caspian led the way along a small trail that wound its way through the island, cutting between two large cliff like boulders into a large lush alcove that felt like a roofless cave to Lucy. Situated in the middle of the area stood a long stone table overflowing with food of all different kinds. At the far end of the table lay three lumpy objects, looking as if to be hairy looking beasts that were sleeping on the table.
"Beavers sitting on a table?" Lucy mused to herself as she followed Caspian and the others as they approached the table. She vaguely heard the others voicing their opinions on the matter, but her attention was preoccupied. Fresh food, no flies, and three piles of hair belonging to the last three of the seven missing lords, but there was something wrong. There was too much magic in the air, it was nearly suffocating her, reminding her of the night when she and Susan witnessed Aslans sacrifice.
In the end, due to Reep's overwhelming curiosity, Reep, Caspian, Edmund, Eustace, Rynalf and Lucy decided to sit at the table all night, Reep eager to discover an answer to the mystery. Caspian cautioned them to not fall asleep, looking directly at Lucy. But in the end Lucy surrendered to oblivion, not having slept much in the last few days, knowing that her time in Narnia was slowly coming to an end. Sometime in the early morning hours Lucy awoke, seeing Caspian stir as well from his seat opposite of her. He quirked an eyebrow at her and glanced at the others as if to say 'We couldn't help it'. Lucy smiled in reply as a wall that Lucy thought was solid stone began to move, rock rubbing against rock, the sound waking the others.
As the rock opened as if it were a set of double doors, fog rolled out to coat the ground around them, laying down another layer of sickeningly sweet magic. Slowly a figure appeared in the fog, revealing itself to be a hauntingly slim and beautiful young woman. Tall and slim with long blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes to woman was everything that Lucy could never dream to be. Clothed in a gown of shimmering blue silk the stranger presented a composed and regal package. Lucy glanced at Caspian, apprehension in her chest, to see the current king of Narnia entranced by the vision before him. All of Lucy's secret dreams fractured, on the edge of completely shattering.In a fog Lucy heard the others speaking, no longer certain she would like to stay in Narnia, watching the man she loved love another woman. Then Lucy remembered her vow to stay, whether or not she was with Caspian in her life.
She came to herself at the sound of stone on stone filling the air again, a tall aged man stepping through the stone portal the woman had come from. In his wake came the sunrise, and from the sunrise came a flock of sunbirds from the valleys in the sun. The birds replenished the food while one bird fluttered before the old man, placing fireberry in the mans mouth. Once that was done the birds flew away, retuning to their home in the sun.
"Welcome travelers." The man greeted them once the fire birds had disappeared. "I am Ramandu."
The name sounded somewhat familiar to Lucy, a name from long ago, a year ago. She couldn't place her finger on it.
"I see the name means nothing to you, and no wonder. My days as a star ended long before any of you were ever born." Ramandu smiled.
Ramandu, the sky star. Lucy remembered. In the last days of their reign one of the court centaurs told the two kings and the two queens that Ramandu, the blue sky star had set for the last time in their lifetime. In Narnian time that was almost a thousand years ago. Was this another omen that she was meant to stay in Narnia?
"Sir, can you tell us how to break the enchantment that holds these Narnina lords in its grasp?" Caspian asked the retired star.
"You must sail to the eastern end of the world, or as near as you can come, leaving at least one member of your crew behind." Ramandu replied. Immediately Reep insisted that he was the one that was to be left behind, but Lucy feared she would be left behind as well.
"You Majesty." Drinian called. "What of the men?They signed on to seek the seven missing lords, not reach the end of the world."
"Whatever we decide there is Lord Roop." Edmund reminded as the two crewmen helped Lord Roop down into the cove.
"He is a broken man." Caspian commented.
"He needs rest. On this island there is sleep, sleep without dreams." Ramandu and Rynalf helped Roop to sit at the table beside one of his fellow companions. "Let him sit with the others and drink oblivion until you return." Roop instantly fell asleep.The crew was assembled behind Ritz, muttering about wanting to stay on the island. There was mutiny in the air and Lucy would have none of it. Raising her voice she called,
"Listen all, there is one among us known for his bravery. Have you nothing to say Reepicheep?"
"Aye milady. My plans are made. While she can I shall sail east on the Dawn Treader, when she fails me I shall paddle east in my corricile, when that fails I shall swim east with my our paws, when I can swim no longer and I have not yet reached Aslan's country, I shall sink with my nose pointed to the east." The proud little mouse spoke plainly yet eloquently.
Reep's speech changed the tide, no one wanting to be outdone by a mouse. Reep winked at Lucy and she smiled at him, knowing how the mouse loved to challenged those who were larger than him. Then again, nearly every other creature and human being was taller than him, so he challenged just about every person and creature he came across. Within an hour the Dawn Treader was once again sailing eastward, ready to face whatever they happened to chance upon.