The Narnian army was imprisoned in front of the walls of the largest city of Galma. Galma was occupied by pirates two months now. The Narnian soldiers were desperate, running out of supplies — food, water, power.
" No, we can't go directly against the gate!" Edmund called at the battle meeting.
"The archers will cover your back," Susan countered.
" Archers aren't strong enough," Peter added. The three siblings were arguing over the table, trying to come up with a strategy. Lucy was sitting next to them, and no one wanted her to say anything.
The intensity of their quarrel escalated with each sentence.
" I know of a way," Lucy said aloud, but coyly. She cringed even more in her chair when Peter glared at her.
" Lucy, you hasn't been here in a long time. The walls have definitely changed, "he said firmly.
" At least try it! You know where it is! Send explorers, two, to see if the tunnel is safe, and then transfer a third of the army there. Surprise them from the inside. Let the rest of the army retreat a little, the pirates will feel like we are giving up. Deceive them, play the theater! "She exclaimed desperately.
There was a moment of silence.
" That's absurd, Lu. You're on the battlefield, not in the theater, "Susan snorted.
" But ..."
" Enough, Lucy!" Edmund exclaimed. "Who do we send in for reconnaissance? We can't sacrifice our lives for nothing!"
" So what's your better plan?"
" That's it, we have no idea."
" Then get some advice!"
" You are too little too young to come up with combat strategies here!" Susan called.
" Little too young? So why am I sitting here? "She became angry and stood up.
" Then go away," Edmund said dryly. He didn't even look at her.
" You're not serious!"
" Edmund is right. Go away, Lucy. You have nothing to do here, "Peter added.
" You don't believe me at all!" Lucy could no longer look strong, tears streaming down her cheeks.
" Don't make a drama, Go to the back lines, you'll be safe there. And you won't move from behind during the fight, only in an emergency, "Susan concluded. All her siblings turned to the table again and continued their quarrel.
Lucy stared at them blankly for a moment, then turned away. She took her sword, bow, and arrows and left the tent.
She sat on the shore for a long time, staring into the unknown waters.
" Your Majesty," a voice said behind her. As she turned, she noticed an older man approaching her. His face was known to Lucy, she knew he was fighting with archers in the back, but also with swordsmen. But he didn't know his name.
" Good evening," she greeted him, looking away again.
" Why are you here, in the back and especially alone?" He asked.
" I don't want to talk about it."
As angry as she was with her siblings, she did not move to admit that there were strife among them. It could lead to disaster.
" You cannot be here alone. It's dangerous now. Pirates can attack us from any side. Come on, I'll take you to the army. You will be safe among men. "
At first, everything was fine. The men treated her respectfully, giving her food and water from her ration. Between words, she learned that the man who found her was called Lax.
But later, when the men started drinking rum, the mood changed. Some of them began to have obscene allusions to Lucy. About her age, her figure and fighting skills. Only Lax defended her.
" Come on, Your Majesty. I'll take you away from these bastards, "he told her, helping her to stand up.
" Thank you, Lax."
They didn't go far. Lucy even seemed to lead her in a different direction - from the army.
" Lax, where are we going?"
" Relax a little, Your Highness."
She heard a smirk in his voice. A chill ran down her body.
" Lax, take me to my siblings, please," she tried to say firmly, but her voice shook.
" Come on, Your Highness, you will miss the fun," he laughed. Lucy shuddered when she felt him grab her hand tightly and pull her by the nearest bushes.
" Let me go!" She exclaimed. Lax tripped her legs and threw her to the ground.
" Do you think I'll miss the opportunity to enjoy such young meat?"
He no longer sounded like her friend and protector. She was afraid of him, wondering what he wanted to do with her.
" Please," she cried.
" Come on, Your Majesty," he laughed at her. "Don't fight back, you'll like it."
" No! " She cried as he forcibly rolled up her skirt.
Although she really wanted to defend herself, she couldn't do it. She silently endured what he was doing to her and cried.
" Remember forever that I was the one who was the winner. I was the first, "he whispered in her ear when it was all over.
"Well, I swear to you, dear queen, that if you say anything, let Aslan protect you, I will kill you. But don't forget what people would say if they found out that the queen, their beloved queen, is having fun with the soldiers, abusing them. That would be a disaster, wouldn't it? "
He left her lying there. Alone, crying. She cursed that night that a pirate hadn't found her and hadn't killed her.
The next day, the Narnian army finally defeated the pirates and liberated Galma. Her siblings eventually chose the way she devised.
" Well, every time I had to be in the back, it happened again. To the extent that on a quiet night when the men were too drunk or too tired, at least three took turns on me. Other times ... it lasted until morning. "
Lucy's throat was dry. She cleared her throat.
" It was only before his death that I resisted. Remember when soldiers went to war and wounded but not from the fronts? You thought they fighting between each other. I hurt them because I was defending myself. It wasn't until almost fifteen that no one dare to touch me. "
Edmund sat next to her, didn't dare look at her, and cried. He cried because he, too, had credit for how much she suffered.
" It was very nice of Susan to reassign Ramon to my bodyguard, but it was too late. In the meantime, I've learned to defend myself. "
Every single word she uttered from her mouth hurt him more than the edge of a sword.
It's my fault , he cried.
Ramon stood with his shoulder on the tree and was still silent. Although he already knew about it, he did not know that Lax, his faithful companion in battle, was so cruel.
" Why didn't I ever notice?" Ramon asked quietly. He was an archer, he'd seen Lucy there before, but he'd never seen anything wrong.
Lucy looked at him regretfully. His face was also deeply etched in her memory. Well, he didn't remember. The elders drunk him on the pier and then forced him to do the things with her. It wasn't his fault. He also resisted even in drunkenness, he didn't want to. Ever since such atrocities took place, Ramona had been kept as far away from Lucy as possible. But her conscience didn't let her tell him.
" They've always found their way," she said, shrugging.
" How can you be so calm?" Edmund asked in a shaky voice.
" It simply hurt me so much, so that I forbid myself to feel anything but anger and peace. I don't feel sad, I don't feel fear, and I don't feel happiness at all. But somewhere deep down, I have some kind of hope. I think. "
" Can you ever forgive me?" He looked at her.
" I forgave you a long time ago. You're not to blame. "
" And who?" He exclaimed. "That's when I suggested you leave!"
" That's true, but none of us knew how it would turn out."
" Why didn't you come to tell us?"
" I was scared."
He paused for a moment.
" How old were you then?"
" Just before thirteen."
" Please forgive me," he cried again, dipping his hands in his hands.
" Edmund," she addressed him. When he looked at her, she spread her arms and called him into a hug. He didn't hesitate. He moved to her and let her hug her. She hugged him tightly, so that he felt as if everything in him it had broken in the last few hours, reconnecting.
She should be the one who needed a hug, he thought a moment before she let him go.
" Ramon," she said, walking over to him. He rise his head and watched her come too close to him.
" I should explain something to you, too."
She bowed her head, looking for the right words.
" When the White Witch threatened me, she said she knew everything about me and knew everything about you."
Ramon nodded. Lucy sighed. After a long time, she felt a tremor in her stomach.
" She knew something more than anyone. She knew you meant a lot to me. I know I told you on the ship, but now I'm serious. "
Lucy finally looked him in the face. She examined his face for a moment, as if searching for something in it, and then she stared into his eyes.
" You are much more to me than just an archer, more than a warrior, more than a protector, more than a servant."
Ramon smiled and looked behind her.
" Look, you don't have to deal with this, I just feel like now is the right time to tell all my secrets," she shrugged.
Ramon was silent, wondering what he could tell her. The longer the silence, the more it made Lucy nervous. Let him shout at her, make fun of her, but for the living Aslan, don't keep silent.
" But one thing, please react at least," she frowned.
" Oh, Lucy," he sighed, pulling her into his arms. She stood in shock for a moment, but then she relaxed and let herself be hugged.