Chapter 21
"The Darkness"
Over a week had passed and still, no land was found. And Caspian didn't mention anything about marriage, not once. Marina thought of this as a good thing, but she couldn't help but feel worried.
"Has he changed his mind?" Marina asked herself. She did not see any sign of an answer.
"Checkmate" Edmund said, moving his queen forward.
"You win again!" cried Annie.
They've been passing their time playing chess.
"Well played, Annie."
"Thanks."
"Annie, you seem different, ever since we got back from the island of the magician. Is there something wrong?" said Edmund.
Annie knew that honestly was important in any relationship. To make the person feel as if you trust them, and all that.
"Well, the night we set out from the island,"
Edmund nodded, encouraging Annie to go on.
"I saw Aslan."
"Where?" he asked a bit confused.
"Here."
"In the Dawn Treader?" Edmund asked.
"Yes. He was here. I was all alone, then he was there, then he was gone after he spoke to me."
"What did he tell you?"
"I'd rather not" Annie said apologetically.
"It's fine." Edmund looked over behind Annie. He ran up to the higher deck, and Annie followed behind.
"Caspian, I think you should come take a look at this" Edmund yelled.
Caspian ran up to the higher deck, followed by Marina, Lucy and Drinian.
"What is that?" Caspian asked.
"Not an island" said Drinian.
"It's darkness" Lucy murmured.
Lucy was right. It was darkness. Darkness was right in front of them. you couldn't see anything heading forward.
It was already night twilight, and it was almost dark, but what they were heading at was so much darker.
"Do you think we should go in?" Edmund asked.
"Quite dangerous, I reckon" said Annie.
"Indeed it is" Caspian said.
"So, a decision?" Drinian asked.
"Wait! So, we travel for god knows how long, and we back off just when we get to what seems like 'the end'?" Marina asked.
"What do you want to do, Marina? And it better be rational" said Annie.
"I think we should go in, and face whatever's there. Probably not as dangerous as the past ones, so we can definitely take it."
"Marina- have sense! There could be something dangerous in there!" Annie cried.
"Annie's right, Marina" Caspian injected.
"I'm game" Lucy said simply.
"Your reason?" Edmund asked.
"It's a waste, as Marina pointed out. We went through so much, and why shouldn't we enter? What are we going to do if we don't enter? Turn back?"
"Point!" Marina injected.
"True, but I still think it's too dangerous. It's too much of a risk, and I don't think we should take it" Annie said.
"It may be dangerous, but we have gone too far to go back" said Caspian calmly.
"A decision, your majesty?" Drinian asked Caspian.
"We'll make our way by oars. Order some light to be put out. Everyone, grab an armor!"
Drinian announced to the men what they are to do.
All of them men sounded afraid and intimidated by merely the thought. It was a very intimidating looking kind of darkness. One wherein you may find your nightmares to be in.
"Don't think I'm not afraid. Believe me, I 'am Nini, but I'm here with you and everyone else. I trust you all, and I'll fight with you all if ever it's needed. We're in this together, till the end" Marina said.
"Not very comforting, but, yeah, I'm with you all too" Annie replied.
"Fare warning on what's there?" Marian asked Edmund.
"None" he replied sounding afraid.
It was only them three on the higher deck. Caspian and Drinian were in the lower deck, and Lucy went inside her room.
"I'll go get the guns. There's still a fair amount of bullets left, you know. And if we ever run out, which I'm pretty sure we will, since I'll be surely shooting nonstop, we always have swords" Marina said.
"Sure."
Marian left Annie and Edmund alone on the higher deck.
They spoke to each other, and that moment was a big move for both.
Before the men went below to row, all were on the deck, with Caspian and Drinian on the higher deck.
"All of you have been extremely courageous throughout this voyage. All of you were ready to sacrifice your own lives for the sake of Narnia. With that, I must thank you all for doing so. You honor Narnia and Aslan with your deeds" Caspian was announcing from the higher deck.
"What we're about to enter is something unknown. We don't know what's in there, or how dangerous it is, but whatever it is, we will fight it together, with unity and courage. We will do this for Narnia, and for Aslan!" he continued.
"To King Caspian!" a voice yelled.
"To King Caspian!" everyone else did so.
"To Aslan!"
"To Narnia!"
The ship was overflowing with cheers.
Caspian went down the stairs to the lower deck. He passed Marina, and when he did, placed his arm around her waist.
"To my Queen" he whispered, and kissed her right there.
He pulled back a moment after, and went along with the others in position in case something would attack.
Marina went along, with a gun strapped across her body, and a sword on her belt. "To Caspian" she whispered.
Annie came beside her, with a bow and arrow. She was getting quite good at it.
The others went down to row the boat forward, while others stayed on deck.
They went into the darkness, with complete silence from everyone. The only sounds were from the oars splashing into the water.
"Who's there?" screamed a voice from what seemed to be nowhere.
"Ummm…Marina's here. And so is-"
"Stop, Marina" Annie said sharply.
"Please, have mercy! Take me on board! Please, have mercy!" exclaimed the voice.
"Take him on board!" Caspian ordered.
Some men immediately took the man on board.
They took in an old man with long gray hair.
The man was still anxious and was acting as if he were suffering agony and insanity.
"I think he's high" Marina said.
"Shut up" said Annie.
"Turn back! Turn the ship round Captain!" the man screamed at Drinian who was steering the wheel.
"Sir, calm down please. Calm down" Caspian said, putting his hands on the man's shoulders.
The man calmed down and sat on the wooden floor of the deck.
"What is this place?" Annie asked him.
"This is the island where dreams come true!" exclaimed the man.
"So, you're telling me that in this island, I'll find my Birkins and jewelry?" Marina asked.
"Marina!" Annie exclaimed.
"NO! NO, no, none of that! That's the type of talk that lead me to this place, and it had cursed me! "
"Explain please, sir. We need you to" asked Caspian.
"This island" he said sounding nostalgic. "This island is where your dreams come true. your dreams, not day dreams."
Everyone was quiet for that moment. Probably because they were recalling their worst nightmares, and were fearing it.
"Row back! Row back!" yelled Drinian, not bothering to ask Caspian's orders.
Everyone was fretting, and the men were rowing the boat. Most were in the higher deck, finding it safer.
"Drinian, how long did we take to get here?" Caspian asked.
"Less than five minutes, sire" he replied.
"We're not going to make it" whispered Edmund.
Though it was dark, they could still see each other clearly. Only the surroundings were dark.
Annie punched Edmunds arm as hard as she could.
"Oi! What was that for, you lunatic?" Edmund cried, not knowing who punched him.
"That was for being so negative! Your pessimism is bringing us all down!" Annie yelled.
"Nini, this is no time for that!" Marina exclaimed.
"If Edmund would just shut up, it would be fine" Annie replied.
"Then Ed, shut the hell up because you're pissing Annie off!" Marina exclaimed.
Everyone was silent of any of those matters. All were simply afraid.
"Aslan, please help us" Annie whispered.
Everyone spoke to Aslan in their minds, asking him for help.
"Light!" Marina screamed, pointing in front of them.
There was a light in the end, a light that would get them out of the darkness.
"Row!" Drinian yelled.
They were surrounded by what seems to be a gray mist, then in no time, they were out on the ocean, with the blue sky above them, and the sun shining brightly on them.
"Thank you Aslan" Annie whispered, feeling relieved.
"We're out! We've made it out of the hell-hole! Huh!" Marina sat down, as relieved as everyone.
"Thank you for saving me" said the man. "I 'am a Telmarine of Narnia. I' am Lord Rhoop. "
"I 'am Caspian the tenth" replied Caspian.
"Sire" the man said, kneeling down in front of him.
"Rise" Caspian said. Lord Rhoop rose.
"Where is it?" Marina asked.
"Where's what?" said Annie.
"The Dark Island, the one we were just in."
"I think you destroyed it" suggested Rhoop.
"I don't think it was us" injected Lucy.
"I don't think either" Annie said.
All were grateful that they survived. All seemed to appreciate one another much more. All seemed changed once they stepped out of the darkness. All were different when they came out of what was thought to be the end.
I apologize if the machine guns thing is a bit out of place:D Couldn't help it, you see.
It was originally like that, in a dream of mine, and I wanted to keep it that way:D
And aren't machine guns just awesome? :D