Of course, sincerest apologies for the delay.
Chapter Fourteen;
Lucy exited her personally appointed cabin, just as she heard a door close further on down the passageway.
Looking down she recognised the figure emerging from the cabin.
"Ed?"
Her elder brother snapped his head around at the call of his name expectantly, and Lucy made her way down the passageway to him.
"Why on earth are you still in those wet clothes?" Lucy exclaimed with a slight chuckle as she reached him, on beholding her brother's still very wet appearance.
Edmund gave her a brief grin before he answered his voice lowered. "I was talking to Rose," and then Edmund sent a pointed look over his shoulder towards the cabin he had just exited.
"Oh," Lucy remarked in comprehension, and she gestured for them to make their way further down the passageway.
"How was she?" Lucy inquired, "Calmer?" she added hopefully.
"Much," Edmund answered with immense relief.
Lucy gave him a wry smile before her expression sobered once more, "And how is she…taking things?"
"I'm not sure," Edmund answered and Lucy frowned seeing the troubled expression on her brother's face.
"I'm sure she'll come around Ed, it's probably just the shock," Lucy said comfortingly.
Edmund smiled gratefully at her, his posture relaxing slightly under Lucy's curious gaze.
Lucy considered for a brief moment she could almost understand Drinian's assumption that the relationship between her brother and the green-eyed nurse was more than their short acquaintance would suggest. Edmund seemed to express a substantial amount of concern over Rose, who was essentially still a stranger to them.
"And you're alright?" Edmund inquired suddenly, disturbing her musings.
Lucy looked to him with a bright smile. "We're in Narnia Edmund, I'm more than alright," Lucy answered, and they shared a small understanding chuckle.
"I was on my way to see Eustace," Lucy said, "Reepicheep said that Daran – one of the Minotaurs aboard that is, brought him to the more general quarters," Lucy explained.
They paused simultaneously as they reached the hatch at the far end of the passageway and Edmund sighed deeply, his expression once more brooding.
"What is it Edmund?" Lucy said.
"Why do you think Aslan brought Eustace and Rose to Narnia?" Edmund asked perplexed.
Lucy considered the question for a moment or two before she resolved that there was only one possible answer.
"I don't know. However if Aslan has brought Eustace and Rose to Narnia, then He clearly has some purpose for them," Lucy finished.
The only thing they could do was to trust in Aslan.
Edmund nodded in agreement, his expression lightening. "I'm going to get changed now," Edmund said, as he glanced down at his wet clothing with a grimace, "My cabin is next to Caspian's."
Lucy nodded as she made to move in the opposite direction, "I'm going to find Eustace – " Lucy began, shaking her head at her brother's exaggerated eye roll.
"I think it should be suggested that we throw him back in," Edmund muttered.
"Ha!" Lucy exclaimed loudly, before a sly grin spread across her lips, a twinkle entering her eyes that immediately unsettled Edmund. "And what about Rose? – Should we toss her back in as well?" Lucy inquired far too innocently.
Edmund narrowed his eyes for a brief moment as Lucy laughed brightly, knowing she had caught her brother out.
"She can't swim," Edmund finally muttered.
Lucy shook her head, a victorious grin still playing about her lips for a moment that Edmund was pointedly ignoring.
"I really do need to get out of these," Edmund reminded his younger sister, tugging at the collar of his still wet shirt that was becoming more than uncomfortable and chilling, and to get away from the seemingly knowing grin his sister was wearing.
"Be quick though - Caspian mentioned he wanted to speak to us after," Lucy informed him, "Most likely concerning our current voyage," Lucy added with a grin, as her eyes twinkled almost, envisioning the many adventures that awaited them here in Narnia.
Edmund shared a knowing look with her before Lucy turned, making to follow Reepicheep's directions to get to the more general quarters where Eustace would be.
"Lucy..." Edmund began hesitantly, and Lucy turned, looking to Edmund curiously as a pink blush stole into her elder brother's face, "You may hear some of the crew – talking, about this ridiculous rumour going about, concerning…me – and Rose."
Edmund chanced a glance up at his sister, and Lucy fought to keep the smile from bubbling to the surface.
"Oh you mean that you are Rose are married?" Lucy inquired casually, with far too much innocence.
Edmund just barely stopped himself from gawping. He closed his eyes for a brief moment instead, shaking his head as a smile slowly curved his lips. "This is ridiculous," he stated, opening his eyes to fix Lucy with a frank gaze.
"No Ed, this is a boat – news travels fast," Lucy countered with a smirk.
"Besides, don't worry Ed; I know you wouldn't dream of getting married without telling me first," Lucy added with a grin.
Edmund chuckled under his breath. "Precisely," he agreed.
…
Lucy found the general quarters easily enough, and it seemed that she really hadn't been exaggerating when she had told Edmund news travelled fast on a boat.
Every crew member she happened across bowed most courteously, addressing her in most gracious and flattering terms as "Your Valiant Majesty." Lucy of course, insisted to each one to call her "Lucy."
It seemed that the regal identities of the Dawn Treader's latest additions had spread like wildfire.
Lucy tried to smother a grin as she wondered if the other rumour had spread just as quickly.
She entered the general quarters that were about amidships on the Dawn Treader and had hammocks swinging like great flapping wings from their fastenings.
And when Lucy reached Eustace he was already awake – green, swaying…and complaining.
"I will have you know I am British subject and…!"
"A British what then?" a young sailor with a heavy accent and a curious yet earnest expression, was perched on a barrel in front of Eustace, frowning thoughtfully as Eustace launched into tirade after tirade.
"I am a British civilian – of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and I will not be...!"
"United Kingdom of Great Britain?" the sailor drawled contemplatively, chewing at the nail of his thumb as he seemed to be concentrating. "Ne'er heard of it," he finally remarked, looking to Eustace for further clarification.
"Eustace!" Lucy thought it best she stepped in before Eustace fainted again.
Her cousin's face was going through interesting shades of greens to reds like an overripe apple.
"Hhmph – so you finally show up is that it? Well you've had your fun, now take me back," Eustace folded his arms, fully expecting for Lucy to suddenly whisk him back to England.
Lucy furrowed her brow; wishing she had of asked Edmund how he had managed to convince Rose she was in Narnia.
"Your Majesty, Kan at your service," the young sailor hopped off the barrel, bowing low to Lucy.
"Oh there's no need for all the formalities Kan – call me Lucy," she answered with a bright smile, before she added meaningfully, "And thank-you for helping my cousin. He's a litt…"
"Helping me?! This fool has done nothing but repeat what I said like a parrot," Eustace exclaimed looking to the man in question indignantly, "Dressing like a pirate – no respectable sailor on British seas…"
"You are no longer on British seas – you are on Narnian seas," came a weary exclamation from somewhere above them.
Lucy and the young sailor Kan grinned, as Eustace whipped around fearfully, eyes wide, "I demand to know who said that!"
"Me," came the sardonic reply as Reepicheep brandished his rapier and tapped Eustace lightly on the shoulder with it.
Eustace leaped back with a startled yelp, whirling so fast he almost fell only for Lucy steadying him.
Eustace raised his wide eyes to the hammock swinging from the top to see Reepicheep, balanced expertly despite the rocking of the ship, looking down at him.
Eustace glared at the mouse. "Haven't you got somewhere else to be," Eustace snapped.
"Eustace!" Lucy exclaimed. "Reepicheep is a most courageous knight of Narnia, and as such deserves respect when spoken to," Lucy admonished, while Reepicheep could almost be said to be blushing under the praise.
"Well if you must know, I am here because this is my bunk," Reepicheep then addressed Eustace.
"And that's yours," Kan pointed helpfully at the bottom bunk in relation to Eustace.
Eustace went an interesting shade of red at that, as he spluttered dumbly for a moment. "I will not be sharing sleeping quarters with that rat thing!" he finally managed to exclaim.
"Ha! And you think I want to share with you – you ingrate skeletal interlope!" Reepicheep shot back, seemingly forgetting whose company he was in for a moment. Reepicheep was known for having quite the fiery temper when provoked, and he didn't particularly take well to being insulted.
Lucy rolled her eyes skyward for a moment; almost wishing Edmund and she could have swapped.
Surely Rose hadn't been this unreasonable, Lucy thought inwardly…well, second time around anyway.
…
Eustace grumbled complaints under his breath as he rubbed his elbow miserably, having being tossed for what seemed like the hundredth time into a wall as he made his way along the passageway.
The most disastrous had been climbing the ladder up the hatch to get to the passageway.
It hadn't helped that each time he painfully landed on his rear that mouse thing, lounging languidly as it was in its hammock – that provided a perfect view of the hatch – would make some comment about working with the rocking of the boat.
His cousin had spent the better part of fifteen minutes trying to convince him he was in some fanciful, imaginative place called Narnia, with the help of her clearly also stark raving mad, pirate conspirator Kan, who interrupted every few seconds with another inane question. However it seemed after a while, that even his more patient cousin Lucy had her limits.
Lucy had given him directions to her own personal cabin where he could rest alone, though Eustace had an inkling suspicion, that it had more to do with the fact that he would be away from others, rather than the other way around.
He didn't mind much, as long as he didn't have to be near that rat thing!
…
The door to Edmund's cabin was already opened when Lucy ascended through the hatch and walked along the passageway.
Peeking in Lucy saw Edmund was just tugging on his boots and she rapped lightly on the door.
Looking up Edmund grinned in greeting, clearly glad to be in dry clothing again.
"How on earth did you manage to talk Rose around?" Lucy immediately asked, leaning heavily against the door frame.
Edmund chuckled, "Talk her around?! – you were there on the deck, weren't you?"
"But she believes you now?" Lucy pressed.
"As far as I know and hope," Edmund answered. "I take it your talk with Eustace didn't go well," Edmund said with a smirk that was far too smug.
"He is adamant that we've kidnapped him and we are now adrift on a pirate craft on foreign seas," Lucy relayed.
"Why on earth would we want to kidnap him?!" Edmund remarked, getting to his feet.
"I sent him to my cabin – I was sure Reep was going to challenge him to a duel at any moment. I wasn't sure how we would explain to Aunt Alberta that Eustace had been run through by a mouse."
Lucy and Edmund shared a small chuckle before there was another rap on the slightly ajar door.
"Ed – you ready?" the familiar voice of Caspian sounded from the other side.
Lucy went to the door, opening it with a welcoming smile.
"Good you're both here," Caspian remarked, "And our other guests are settled?" he prompted questioningly.
"More or less," Edmund answered.
"I sent Daran to check on them," Lucy added and Caspian nodded in agreement, right before Edmund interrupted.
"You sent a Minotaur to check on Rose?" Edmund asked, with a mildly alarmed expression.
Lucy winced slightly, "In hindsight, I didn't think that through," Lucy apologised.
"Daran is a gentle giant," Caspian reassured, "Your Rose will be fine," he added with a grin.
Edmund frowned as he followed Lucy and Caspian down the passageway to the adjacent cabin.
"She is not my Rose," Edmund corrected firmly.
"Oh, Caspian, did you hear the news?" Lucy asked conversationally, and Caspian looked to her expectantly.
Edmund already had an inkling suspicion, and he groaned as Lucy confirmed it and answered in a casual tone, "Yes – Ed is married."
"Really?" Caspian began with faux cheerfulness as Lucy laughed brightly, "Congratulations Edmund, here on your honeymoon are we?"
Edmund scowled, "You know I told Rose that as a responsible King you would be doing all in your power to put a stop to that completely inaccurate rumour."
Caspian and Lucy smothered their sniggers as best they could. "Put a stop to it?" Caspian echoed, "I'll be doing all in my power to encourage it."
"Wh – Caspian!" Edmund spluttered indignantly.
"We're on a ship Ed. We need some new entertainment every once in a while," Caspian teased, while Lucy gave up trying to hide her laughter and they reached Caspian's cabin.
"Yes, but it's me Rose will throw overboard," Edmund muttered as he passed a still smirking Caspian, following Lucy into the cabin.
Again, apologies for the awful delay!
Thanks to all new followers / & / favourites!
Thanks to all those who reviewed; Imane, AlanaFaith2 (no poison nope! :P), SweetSunnyRose, Guest, Amber and Ruby, AshLove05, My Name is Alice, Guest, StarFleet01 (loved your suggestion!) & GothicGirl1996. And especial thanks to those who gave feedback on the whole canon-alteration thing; very much appreciated.
Yes Rose's one liner at the end of the previous chapter caused quite a stir – I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Was it an accident? On purpose? Spur of the moment thing? I quite like SweetSunnyRose's synopsis.
Also as StarFleet01 mentioned – book or movie? I was planning on following the movie primarily, just because I like slotting things in that are visually more recognisable, but I will be incorporating elements and scenes from the book as well.
Furthermore – in case anyone may have noticed, I am completely ignorant when it comes to boats, so apologies if I have been using any boat terminology incorrectly.