Disclaimer: I do not own The Chronicles of Narnia.
**Trigger Warning: There will be a brief, non-explicit mention of sexual assault.
Chapter Two
"Ready!"
I only faintly heard Caspian's voice from the water below as he gave the rope I was holding two sharp tugs. The first mate and two other sailors stood behind me as we all hauled the ropes back up, raising Caspian and whoever else he had tied to the other end. Caspian appeared over the railing first, grasping at the side to steady the ascent. Then a girl appeared beside him. I was grateful for the other men behind me as I dropped the ropes in shock. I stood, frozen, as she and Caspian climbed onto the deck.
"Well, look who I found floating about down there!" Caspian laughed.
His voice shook me out of my stupor.
"Lucy!" I said, a laugh bubbling right behind her name.
She looked up at me and let out a shout as she ran across the deck. My chest felt as though it might burst as we met in a crushing hug. I noticed that that she was taller now. Her head barely fit under my chin anymore.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her, almost lightheaded with happiness.
I pushed her wet hair out of her face.
"Oh, I don't care!" I said, hugging her again. "You're here!"
"We came through a painting!" she said.
"We?" I asked.
I looked up to see Edmund climbing onto the deck, dripping wet and grinning. I let out an inhuman squeal and hugged him until I was just as wet as he was. He was now taller than I, his chest broader and his voicer deeper than before. I was laughing and smiling so hugely that my face tingled when our reunion was interrupted by a harsh, unpleasant voice crying out.
"Let me go!" a boy shouted.
Both Edmund and Lucy sighed. The voice triggered an old memory and one look around the Pevensies to see the speaker confirmed my fear.
"You brought Eustace?" I groaned.
"We could just throw him back in…" Edmund muttered.
Lucy elbowed him in the ribs, but I thought it might be a good idea. I took a towel from the stack the first mate, Rhince, had brought up and walked over to Eustace who was not letting anyone near him.
"Eustace," I said as gently as I could. "No one is trying to hurt you."
I held out the towel. He eyed me up and down.
"And who are you?" he demanded, not recognizing me. "I suppose you're in on this joke as well!"
"Joke?" Caspian asked.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Eustace shouted. "I don't like it!"
"Let you go?" Caspian asked. "But where?"
Eustace did not answer but looked back over the rail into the water as though there would be an escape waiting for him, then threw up over the side. I held the towel out again, and he took it, looking irritated.
"Rynelf!" Caspian called to a sailor. "Bring spiced wine to my cabin, if you please."
He grinned at the Pevensies.
"I think we need something to warm up after that dip," he said. "But dry clothes would be a better start."
"I think I have something that would fit your majesty," Rhea said, nodding her head to Lucy.
I took Lucy's hand.
"Come on," I said. "Let's get you into Narnian clothes again."
"This ship is bigger than I thought," Lucy mused as I led her down to mine and Rhea's cabin.
"Normally you just have the captain's quarters and the main sleeping quarters, but this ship was designed specifically to hold more people," I explained. "Or give them more privacy, at least."
It was mostly true. The ship had been built to house Eshwen on board separately from the crew. I dried the clothes I was wearing once we were out of sight of the crew. Lucy changed into a set of Rhea's clothes. Luckily, their feet were the same size, and we were able to cuff Rhea's pants enough that the fit was not terrible. The last time Lucy and Rhea had shared clothes, they had been the same height.
Once we were dry again, we all met in Caspian and Drinian's cabin. Lucy and I reached the door just as Eustace and Captain Drinian walked out. Eustace was horribly green and retching into a chamber pot.
"I thought I would take him to lie down in the galley," Drinian said.
"Then maybe I can wake up from this nightm—" Eustace retched again before he could finish.
"This is a merry shipmate you have brought with you, brother," Caspian was saying as we walked in.
"Not for the last time do I apologize," Edmund mumbled.
Caspian smiled when he saw us come in.
"Now, I believe we have some catching up to do," he said.
"I'll say!" Edmund said. "It's been a year by our time."
"Only a year?" I asked. "And you two looking so old and grown."
"How long has it been in Narnia?" Lucy asked, looking at me as though trying to guess by my appearance.
"Over three years," Caspian said.
"I think you're the one who's old and grown, now, Em," Edmund said with a grin.
I was doing the math in my head. I realized with a start that I was older than Peter now. He would be nineteen, a year older than before. I had turned twenty the day after we set sail.
"Is everything going well in Narnia?" Edmund asked.
Caspian walked over to the table where the maps of Narnia and the Lone Islands were laid out.
"We had some trouble with the giants to the North," Caspian said, waving his hand over the region on the map. "And, of course, the Calormenes had to try to fight their way in."
"Of course," Edmund said, shaking his head.
"We beat them back in the Great Desert," Caspian said. "We are at peace, a hard-fought peace at that."
"Peace in as little as three years?" Edmund asked. "Even between Narnians and Telmarines?"
"Yes," Caspian said. "And the Eshwen, too. Though you have Emma to thank for that."
"And have you managed to find yourself a queen in those three years?" Lucy asked with a playful smile.
A snort of laughter escaped before I could stop it.
"Tell them about the Lord of Galma's daughter," I said.
"Emma, I really don't think—" Caspian began.
"She dropped her handkerchief for him to pick up, and he stepped on it," I said, almost breathless from laughing.
"I didn't see it in time!" Caspian protested.
"Then he slipped in the mud trying to get it," I laughed.
Edmund and Lucy were snickering with me. Caspian rolled his eyes and looked at Lucy again, ignoring the last of my laughter.
"No, I have not," he said. "I haven't found anyone who compares to your sister, anyway."
"So, the Calormenes, Telmarines, and Giants are all at peace," Edmund said. "What about…"
He raised his eyes to me.
"Well, the trouble at home has settled," I said. "So now we are chasing after some more."
"Leandra?" Lucy asked.
I nodded.
"She and the others fled to the islands just after you left," I said. "I suspect she's been training them as I've training the others back in Narnia."
"So, we're sailing into battle?" Edmund asked.
"Honestly, I have no idea what we're heading into," I admitted. "And it's not the only reason we're here."
"Seven lords were sent off to the islands by my uncle before he killed my father," Caspian said. "Men he knew would not support his claim to the crown. None ever came back."
Lucy was nodding along with us.
"So, we're sailing into battle and on a search and rescue mission," she said.
Edmund was looking down at the map.
"We still don't know what's after the Lone Islands?" he asked.
"Uncharted waters, just like in our day," I said.
"We should be reaching Felimath and Doorn in the next day or so if the wind stays with us," Caspian said.
Edmund smiled.
"Sounds like we showed up at the right time, then," he said.
Lucy saw Susan's bow sitting on the shelf and ran her fingers over it.
"Ah, yes," Caspian said, opening the locked cabinet and bringing out Lucy's cordial. "Here you go."
"Oh, right," I said.
I took off my belt and held it out to Lucy. Hanging from it was her dagger safely nestled in its sheath.
"No, I gave it to you," Lucy protested.
"And now you're back," I said, pressing it into her hand.
Caspian and Edmund were talking, Peter's sword between them.
"Your Majesty," Rhince poked his head in and addressed Caspian. "The Captain is asking for you."
"Yes," Caspian said. "Shall we move to the top deck?"
"I should go check on Eustace," Lucy said. "Will you show me to the galley?" she asked Rhince.
"Wait, Ed," I said as Caspian and Lucy walked out. "I have something of yours."
I pulled his electric torch out of the cabinet.
"I found this in the castle a week after you left," I said. "Not sure if it still works."
Edmund took the torch with a confused look.
"Then why did you bring it?" he asked.
I shrugged. I did not really know the answer. He sighed and looked up at me.
"It's been a long time," Edmund said. "Though not as long as it's been for you, I suppose."
He laughed lightly and shook his head.
"I've just really missed you," he said.
He hugged me, and I blinked back the tears that stung my eyes.
"Oh, it's good to see you, brother," I said.
He broke away from the hug and cleared his throat.
"You'll have to tell me all about what you've been up to," Edmund said. "I'm sure you've kept things interesting."
"You know I have," I laughed.
We walked out and started up the stairs to the deck.
"How's Susan?" I asked as we emerged into the fresh air. "And my parents?"
"They're doing well," Edmund said. "Susan is in America with our parents. Dad got an assignment there."
"Ah," I said. "So, you've been staying with your aunt and uncle. Thus, Eustace."
"Yeah," he sighed.
"Your dad came home last month," Edmund said. "He'll be leaving again, soon. I don't see your parents much, but Susan does."
"Good," I said. "That's good."
"Peter is—"
"Edmund!" Caspian called from the helm, waving.
"Go ahead," I said. "We'll have plenty of time to talk."
I was relieved to put off that part of the conversation.
I slept better that night than I had in a long time, even though I was swinging in a hammock between the rafters of our quarters having given up the beds to Rhea and Lucy.
"How does the shirt fit, Queen Lucy?" Rhea asked as we got dressed the next morning.
"It's perfect," Lucy said. "You really must call me Lucy. Don't you just call her Emma?"
She waved her hand at where I stood tightening my belt.
"She does," I said. "I've been meaning to talk to you about how disrespectful that is, actually."
Rhea rolled her eyes and snickered at me.
"I'll see you two up top, then," I said as I walked out.
I heard them laugh about something as I walked up the stairs. Having Lucy and Edmund on board gave the whole ship a renewed energy, and the promise of land made my heart beat a little faster.
Someone slammed into me the moment I reached the deck. I steadied myself in time to see Reepicheep running toward me, sword drawn.
"Draw your sword!" Reepicheep shouted.
"What on—" I started, then felt someone grabbing at me.
I realized Reepicheep was talking to Eustace, who was using me as a human shield.
"Come out and fight me!" Reepicheep demanded.
We were beginning to draw a crowd.
"He's trying to kill me!" Eustace cried. "He's gone mad!"
"Eustace, what did you do?" Edmund said as he ran up to us.
"I merely gave his tail a playful tug!" Eustace said. "And he nearly ran me through with his toy sword!"
Everyone gasped and began muttering to each other. I grabbed Eustace by the collar and moved him out from behind me.
"I am not the person to shield you from this," I said.
Eustace looked around in a panic.
"Why do you not draw your sword?" Reepicheep said. "Did you not intend to fight me?"
"I haven't got one!" said Eustace. "I'm a pacifist. I don't believe in fighting."
"I could lend you one," Caspian called.
"What?" Eustace screeched, looking paler than before.
"You started a fight, Eustace," Edmund said, his voice stern. "The only way out of it is to apologize."
"Apologize?!" Eustace whined. "To it?"
I could almost feel the wave of anger that rippled over the crew.
"Well, then it will be a duel at high noon," Caspian said.
"We will have to handicap Reepicheep somehow, being the much better swordsman," Drinian mused.
"Handic—" Eustace seemed to realize how serious everyone was being. "Wait!"
He fixed his eyes on the ground.
"I'm…I'm sorry," he spat.
"Will that suffice?" Caspian asked.
Reepicheep nodded.
"Then, back to work, everyone!" Drinian called.
"Stupid, mangy—" Eustace muttered as he passed me.
Reepicheep definitely heard him but did not pursue it.
"I'm sorry, Reepicheep," Edmund said. "He's…he's an idiot."
"He is settling into this new world," Reepicheep said. "So I will forgive him this."
To move on from the unpleasant morning, Caspian and Edmund began to spar on the deck. Lucy, Rhea, and I sat to the side while Eustace was still below deck nursing his wounded pride.
"King Edmund is a very good swordsman," Rhea noted.
I raised my eyebrows a bit, wondering if I was imagining the lilt in her voice.
"Uh, yes, he is," I said.
They fought to a draw, and we all clapped for them.
"Good to see your time away has not rusted your skill," Caspian said.
"Emma, you should go next," Rhea said.
"Keep the men humble as it were," Lucy said.
"As though she needs a sword to do that," Caspian laughed.
"Well, the last time I fought Edmund, he ran me through," I said. "So, perhaps not."
Edmund pointed his sword at me.
"Scared I'll do it again?" he asked.
"Oh, terrified," I laughed.
He turned the hilt of his sword to me.
"Take Caspian on," Edmund said. "I already tired him out for you."
I hesitated for a moment, then took the sword as the crew roared with approval.
"Let me know if you need me to ease up," I said.
"You're so kind, Grandmere," Caspian said. "I hope I'm as good of a sport in my old age."
I raised my sword to attack but stopped when I heard loud complaining off to my left. Eustace had finally emerged from below and was grousing to the others.
"I'll have you know that as soon as we reach civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul!" Eustace declared, walking away from Edmund and Lucy with his back to us. "I'll have you all arrested for kidnapping!"
He turned just in time to smack into Caspian.
"Kidnapping?" Caspian asked, amused. "Funny, I thought we saved your life."
Eustace cowered back, clearly intimidated by the much bigger man.
"You held me against my will!" Eustace claimed.
He was backing away from Caspian and ran into me.
"Did we?" I asked.
"Who are you?" Eustace asked. "You look a bit familiar. I'm sure I've seen your face before. What are you, some kind of wanted criminal?"
"She is a Queen and Knight of Narnia!" Reepicheep said.
"And also, a criminal," Edmund added with a grin.
"She's been pardoned by the king, so not a criminal, anymore, technically," Caspian said.
Eustace was looking around to each person who spoke, looking more indignant and confused by the minute.
"Do you really not recognize me?" I asked. "I had to deal with you for an entire Christmas holiday a few years ago."
He looked at me for a long moment before his eyes widened.
"You're that girl!" he shouted. "You're the neighbor who kept poking around! What's this about a knight? A girl can't be knighted. I should know. I've read books about—"
"Careful, Eustace," Lucy said. "I think you've insulted enough people for the day."
"I just meant that a woman could not possibly hold that type of military rank in any civilized country!" Eustace insisted. "They aren't built for combat."
"And you are?" I asked.
The crew laughed, further confusing poor Eustace.
"Land in sight!" The lookout shouted, sending everyone to the rail.
I tossed Edmund's sword back to him and shook my head. There was no use in trying to prove Eustace wrong, now. He would see soon enough. Ahead, I could see two islands rising from the sea.
"Felimath and Doorn," Lucy said.
We had arrived in the Lone Islands. Caspian looked at me intently, a question on his face. I shook my head.
"She's not here," I said so that only he could hear. "I would feel her."
He nodded. I did not know what else may lay on the islands, but there were no Eshwen. We talked to Drinian about the best way to approach the islands. Edmund pointed out that Doorn was the inhabited island while Felimath, the first one we could see, was mostly used to keep livestock.
"At least, that's what it was back in our day," he said. "Looks much the same, now."
"Still," Caspian said. "I would not mind exploring it, myself. Worth stretching the legs and seeing if the others came through before us."
I nodded. Leandra may have left something behind.
"Why don't your majesties walk across Felimath, and we will await you on the other side?" Drinian asked. "Then we can put in at Narrowhaven on Doorn together?"
We all agreed that this was a splendid idea. The Pevensies, Caspian, Rhea, Reepicheep, and I all prepared to go ashore. Eustace elected to go with us, much to my surprise and irritation. Quicker than I had anticipated, we were standing on the beach and watching the Dawn Treader sail around the point of the island.
"The ground feels like it's moving up and down," Eustace complained.
His voice grated as I tried to take in the wild beauty of the grassy island.
"It's because you've been at sea," Reepicheep said patiently. "You'll get your land legs in a moment."
"I knew that," Eustace said, blushing.
"Now, should we meet any islanders, we are not to tell them who we are," Caspian said.
"Why not?" Reepicheep asked, looking surprised at the idea.
"They have not heard from Narnia in a long time," Caspian said. "It just may not be safe to be known as the king."
"Not to mention word going ahead of us to any enemies," I said.
"Right, so you two try to keep the fireworks to a minimum," Caspian said to me and Rhea.
"Fireworks?" Eustace said. "Ugh, what are you on about now?"
Even with the early words of warning, it was impossible not to relax as we walked across the beautiful, grassy island. Most of the island was open, but eventually we walked through a thickly wooded area, though we followed the clear path ahead.
Then Edmund, who was in the front, came to a dead stop. Just as he did, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I felt eyes on us. Before anyone could say anything, a dozen rough-looking men jumped down from the trees above and came out from the bushes. We each drew our weapons.
"Behind me, Eustace!" Lucy shouted.
My ax was already glowing when I met the first assailant's sword. I shoved him back and was about to drive the spike into his undefended stomach when a piercing scream came from behind me.
"Stop!" someone shouted. "Drop your weapons, or I'll kill him!"
Behind me, a large, bearded man stood with a knife to Eustace's throat. No one moved.
"Weapons down," Caspian said through gritted teeth.
There was a clatter as our weapons hit the ground.
"Now, doesn't that make all this so much easier?" the man said.
Caspian glanced at me, and I cut my eyes to Eustace before looking back and nodding. I could see that Caspian understood. I could take the man holding Eustace out, but Caspian and Edmund were both in the way. In a flash, Caspian flung himself to the ground, dragging Edmund down with him. Flames shot out of my hand, ripping through the air toward a screaming Eustace. The man let him go as he caught on fire and fell back, leaving Eustace standing and unharmed.
I turned my fire onto the rest of the men, Rhea's hands already in flames, too. But then came a cold pinch in my neck. The trees turned sideways. There was shouting. I did not even feel myself hit the ground before darkness enveloped me.
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the painful thudding in my head. Next, I felt cold seeping into me like water soaking cloth. For a moment after I opened my eyes, I still could not see anything. Slowly, they adjusted until I could see the faint outline of a wooden ceiling above me. I tried to sit up, then my stomach lurched, and I rolled to the side and retched onto the floor. I felt someone holding my hair back from my face. I heaved a few more times before I collapsed onto my back again.
"Feel better?" Lucy asked, her face appearing to my right.
"No," I groaned.
Chills ran over me even as I could feel sweat beading on my forehead. I took two slow, deep breaths, then sat up with Lucy's help.
"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my forehead.
"A poisoned dart, I think," Lucy said. "You and Rhea both collapsed."
Even in the darkness, I could see Rhea sitting against the wall behind Lucy. She looked as pale and weak as I felt. I pressed my hand into my neck where I had felt the prick. There was no dart, but it had left behind some kind of sticky liquid. I recognized the scent.
"It's same stuff they used on Maris in Calormen," I said. "I had no idea it was so strong."
I took another deep breath.
"Are you all right?" I asked Lucy.
She forced a small smile.
"I think I feel better than you two," she said.
The room was small, crowded even with just the three of us in it. The only light came from the cracks around the bolted door. I could hear voices far away. I decided we must be on board a ship. The rocking up and down was not just an effect from the poison.
"It's the cargo hold," Lucy said.
A slave ship. Another wave of sickness hit me at the realization. Somehow, slavers were operating under a Narnian flag.
"Where are the others?" I asked.
"They took Edmund, Eustace, and Reepicheep to another part of the ship," Lucy said. "With the men, I guess. They sold Caspian before we even made it here."
"They sold Caspian?" I echoed. "Who bought him?"
Lucy shook her head.
"A lord we came upon," she said.
"Just one man?" I asked.
She nodded. I let out a breath.
"Okay," I said. "He'll get back to the Dawn Treader. They're coming for us."
"I heard them say tomorrow is market day," Lucy said.
"We'll be out of here long before that," I said.
"My magic is gone," Rhea said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't do anything."
I called flames to my hand. Nothing. Panic closed around my throat.
"It's just the drugs, Rhea," I said, trying to sound calm. "They'll take a while to wear off. I've seen it before."
"It's going to be fine," Lucy said, touching Rhea's shoulder. "The Dawn Treader is still out there. They must have realized something is wrong by now. It's just a matter of time."
"We have to look on the bright side you know," I said. "At least we aren't locked up with Eustace."
Lucy managed to chuckle, but Rhea kept staring at her hand. We all looked at the door as footsteps sounded nearby, coming toward us. Rhea drew nearer to us.
"Is it time for the market?" Rhea asked, her face white.
Lucy shook her head.
"It can't be morning yet," Lucy said.
But the footsteps came closer. We had no weapons, no magic, and no way of getting off this ship. I grabbed at the wall and carefully pulled myself to my feet, dizziness nearly sending me back down.
"Get behind me," I said.
But Lucy stood and moved in front of me and Rhea, her arm out between Rhea and the door.
Keys jangled in the lock, then the door opened. There, loomed the shape of a man much taller than any of us. I could not clearly see his face as the light was behind him. For a cruel moment, my fear and blind hope let me think it might be Caspian.
Then he laughed. It was the kind of boisterous, careless laughter that only came from too much to drink. He took a step in, and another man came in behind him. The first grabbed Lucy's arm, and she wrenched it away.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
He grabbed her wrist, tighter this time, and pulled her closer.
"Whatever I want," he said, his voice deep and dangerous.
The light shined on his face enough for me to see it clearly for the first time. He had a thick, dark beard and the weathered face of a sailor, but it was his eyes that drew my attention. They looked over Lucy in a way that made me feel even colder than before. My fogged brain finally understood what was happening as he started to drag her out of the room.
"Let go of me!" Lucy screamed.
"Lucy!" I yelled.
I tried to grab her outstretched hand, but the other man easily caught me even as I threw all my weight at him.
"Stop!" I screamed, my tone bordering on hysterical. "Don't take her! Please!"
"Don't make a fuss like this," said the man I was fighting. "Pug only takes one."
"Can't spoil them all before we sell them!" the man who had Lucy, the one I assumed was called Pug, said.
They both laughed even as Lucy fought as hard as she could against the grown man three times her size. I looked between her and Rhea's pale, terrified faces. God, they looked young.
"Then take me instead!" I cried.
Both men looked at me, surprised, then started laughing again, but I held Pug's gaze.
"Take me," I said again.
I set my jaw and prayed he could not tell my legs were shaking.
"Do you want a girl?" I asked. "Or do you want a woman?"
He dragged his eyes over me. He then threw Lucy down beside Rhea so forcefully that she cried out in pain. I reached for her, but Pug grabbed my arm and jerked me through the door.
"Emma, no!" Lucy shouted as the door closed behind me.
I could hear Lucy and Rhea screaming my name until we went up onto a higher deck. We passed dozens of men milling about, most laughing or cheering when they saw us. We went through an open door, Pug closing it behind us. The lamp in the corner illuminated the small sleeping quarters.
Pug shoved me onto the bed that was so hard, it barely felt any different from the floor. I swallowed down every instinct that screamed at me to run, to fight like hell to get out of this room and off this ship. No weapons. No magic. No way off the ship. It repeated in my mind like a chant. I shut my eyes to block out the sight of Pug leaning over me.
The waves against the windows behind me almost sounded like someone tapping against them. I imagined that Peter was on the other side of the glass, rapping his knuckles against it to get my attention the way he used to when he climbed the tree outside my room at school.
"How could you be sleeping on such a beautiful night?" he would ask.
I imagined my hand in his as he helped me out of my window.
But a rough, foreign hand grabbing at my throat shattered the illusion. My eyes flew open.
"That's better," Pug said. "I like to see how scared you are."
I clenched my fist around the blanket underneath me. He leaned down and pressed his mouth against my ear, the sour smell of spirits filling my nose.
"You can scream if you like," he whispered.
I felt his other hand fumbling with the drawstring of my breeches, and the moment they came undone, panic took control of my body.
"Get off me!" I screamed, fighting against him for the first time.
Even in my weakened state, my sudden movement caught him off guard, and I managed to throw him off balance. But he held onto my shirt as he flipped off the bed and dragged me with him, roaring with laughter the whole time. He had me pinned to the floor in seconds, his grip on my wrists like iron. I thrashed about fruitlessly which only seemed to make him laugh harder.
"Aslan," I whispered. "Help me."
I turned my head and something under the bed caught my eye. There was a mess of things—boots, clothing, scraps of leather, but in the far-right corner was something that glinted in the candlelight. It was the silver tip of a dart. I stopped struggling. As soon as he moved his hands down from my wrists, I slowly started moving my right hand under the bed, focusing completely on reaching the dart and ignoring anything Pug was doing. Just as I could feel the dart on the very tips of my fingers, it rolled away as the ship pitched.
Finally, my hand closed around it. I waited for him to lower his head toward mine again, then plunged the dart into his neck. He grunted in surprise and jerked the dart back out. For a horrifying second, nothing happened.
Then his eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed on top of me. I shoved him off and rolled out from underneath him. My pants lay on the floor where he had thrown them, my boots beside them. I laid there only in my torn shirt and tried to slow my rapid breathing. A sudden burst of drunken laughter from somewhere on the other side of the door sent me to my feet. This was a new problem. I had no idea how long the drugs would last or what the other slavers would do if they realized what had happened. I saw a half-empty cup of wine on the table. That gave me an idea.
It took a while, but I managed to heave Pug onto the bed. His belt was already unbuckled, so I left it that way and poured the wine on his shirt, then wiped away any trace of poison the dart had left behind. If anyone walked in, it would look like he had done what he set out to do—then passed out drunk on the bed. I hoped he'd had enough to drink that he would believe it himself.
I backed away from him slowly and pulled my pants back on. I tied them tighter than I needed to. Then I sat down on the floor with my back against the wall, my knees pulled to my chest, and my eyes trained on Pug and the door.
Eventually, the sun rose and found me unmoved, eyes still wide-open. I was not as weak as I had been, but still no heat rushed to my fingertips.
Just after dawn, Pug began to stir. Moments later, three men came into the room, talking and laughing with each other.
"Looks like he had too good of a time last night!" said one.
"Pug! Get up, you lazy sack! Time to go ashore!" another shouted.
Pug sat up and rubbed his head. The third man noticed me for the first time.
"You kept her in here all night?" he asked.
"She must be fantastic!" roared the second man.
The other two men laughed and clapped on Pug on the back, who still looked confused but chuckled with them and shook his head.
"Get her to the boats, then, Lander" Pug said, standing.
The third man who must be Lander yanked me to my feet. When we passed the bed, Pug grabbed my hips and pulled me into him. Lander pulled me away, but Pug slapped me on the rear before we left the room. I looked at him as we made our way through the crowded ship. He was younger than most of the others, probably only a few years older than I. He had no beard but looked like a Telmarine with dark hair and eyes and a scar across his neck. We made it to the top deck, which bustled with activity as slavers chained up prisoners and moved them to landing boats. Lander shackled my wrists and loaded me onto a boat before climbing in himself.
"—could tip over at any moment! If you think I'm getting in there—"
I heard a familiar voice over the waves and saw Eustace just as a slaver tossed him into a boat. Edmund followed after him. I stared back at him, willing him to look up. Finally he did. He perked up when he saw me, then his brow furrowed as he looked around me.
"Lucy?" he mouthed.
I shook my head. I had not seen her. Edmund's face clouded, then he nodded. We made it to shore before Edmund's boat. That was when I saw Lucy being hauled out of a boat just as I was.
"Lu," I hissed when she was close enough.
She saw me but did not say anything. Her eyes were full of questions.
"Idiot passed out drunk," I whispered, giving the simplest answer I could. "I'm fine."
Her shoulders visibly relaxed, but we had no more time to speak as Lander grabbed my arm and scoffed loudly.
"She looks a mess," he said to the other man. "Go on ahead. I'll bring her behind the others."
His comrade nodded without looking up. Lander took me down a different street than the rest, griping about my unkempt appearance the whole way. When we were out of sight of the others, he stopped. He started smoothing my hair down and adjusting my clothes, glancing around from the corner of his eyes.
Then he met my eyes for the first time.
"What's your name?" he asked.
I set my mouth into a line.
"Fine," he said. "But you need to listen to me. I can get you out of here."
He pulled a key out of his pocket and started unlocking my restraints, then his head shot up at the sound of voices coming from around the corner.
"Trust me," he whispered before shoving me against the wall and kissing me forcefully.
"Woah, Lander!" a man shouted.
He pulled away and looked at the group of slave traders walking by, grinning and keeping a hand on my face.
"Pug spoke so highly, I thought I would see for myself!" Lander called with a laugh.
The group laughed and jeered as they passed us.
"Just get her to the market in time!" one man yelled before they disappeared around the corner.
The second they were out of sight, Lander finished unlocking my chains.
"There's a woman at the south docks named Denee. Tell her I sent you. She can get you out of here and to people who can help," he said, speaking quietly and quickly.
He pulled off his cloak and put it around my shoulders.
"Keep the hood up and walk quickly that way," he said, pointing down a side street. "Don't run. Don't speak to anyone, just go."
"My friends, I—"
"I saw the girls who came in with you. I'm sorry, I can't save them all," he said. "You have to go. Now."
I hesitated for only a second, then pulled up the hood of the cloak.
"Keep everyone in the marketplace," I said. "Don't let any of the prisoners leave. I'm coming back for them."
"You can't—"
"When the king arrives, come find me," I said. "Tell them you know me."
I started to walk away, then looked back at Lander, confusion written all over his face.
"I'm Emma, by the way," I said.
Then I took off. At first, I did not know where I was going. I just needed some distance from the market. Then I ducked down a back alley and stopped. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I could feel Rhea easily, but then I focused on the weaker presence I could sense. Now that I was away from the crowds, I could run. I ran toward the northern part of the island as hard as I could.
Once I got out of the town, I could see a palace up ahead. The doors were open, but I did not make it to them. Caspian, Drinian, and another man I did not know walked out as I made it up the hill.
"Caspian!" I shouted.
It had been less than a full day since I had seen him, but it suddenly felt much longer than that as I ran toward him.
"You're safe!" Caspian said as he hugged me. "How did you get away?"
"I had help," I said. "I'll explain later. We have to get the others."
"Drinian, get the horses," Caspian said.
Drinian ran off as Caspian waved his hand to the man I did not know.
"Emma, this is Lord Bern," he said.
"Pleasure to meet you," Lord Bern said.
"Lord Ber—oh!" The name clicked into place for me. "We've been looking for you."
He chuckled.
"So I hear," he said.
Drinian came back with horses, and we all mounted quickly.
"The market is this way," said Lord Bern.
He and Caspian led the way, Drinian and I behind them with more sailors from the Dawn Treader, now in full armor, falling in behind us. When we came into town, Drinian rode in front.
"Make way for the king!" he called out.
People parted before us, making a straight path ahead of us. Finally, we came into a large market with a wooden platform, a Narnian flag flying above it. Beside the platform was a wall where a line of people sat against the stone in chains.
Up on the platform, stood Pug running the auction.
"On your knees, all of you!" Drinian cried. "Kneel before the King of Narnia!"
People looked around in confusion, then slowly knelt to the ground. I stopped my horse when Caspian did and watched him dismount and stride forward to the platform. Caspian glared at Pug until Pug lowered his eyes and finally got down on his knee. I scanned over the crowd until I located Edmund, Lucy, Rhea, and Reepicheep all in different places, having already been sold. I winked at Lucy when she looked at me.
"I am Caspian the Tenth, King of Narnia and Emperor of the Lone Islands," Caspian declared. "I will not stand for the traffic of humans, not in Narnia, and not in my name. I hereby abolish the slave trade and hold any found profiting from it guilty of treason from this day forward. I declare every slave in this market and on this island free."
Drinian took a ring of keys from a guard and started releasing the prisoners one by one. A cheer went up, covering what Pug was frantically saying to Caspian.
"Your life is forfeit for laying hands on the king yesterday!" Caspian shouted back. "Be glad I am only taking your living from you."
I dismounted and met Edmund at the front.
"Eustace?" I asked.
He rolled his eyes.
"He's fine," he said. "Just back with the other things they couldn't sell."
Lucy, Rhea, and Reepicheep all ran forward together, but I did not say anything to them. Instead, I climbed the steps onto the platform and walked to Caspian, though my eyes were on Pug. He paled when he saw me coming.
"Please accept my humble—" he began.
Without a word, I drew Caspian's sword. In one fluid motion, I grabbed Pug's shoulder with my left hand and ran the sword through his stomach with my right. I buried the blade up to the hilt, looking him in the eyes the whole time.
"You can scream if you like," I said.
I twisted the sword then jerked it back out. He was dead before he hit the ground with an echoing thud. I handed the sword back to Caspian and walked off the platform.