Chapter 3: The Calm after the Storm
The calm after the storm was more than they anticipated. After days of being tossed about, the sea was as flat and calm as a lake. The Dawn Treader was at an impasse: they had water for twelve days. The return to the Lone Islands would take eighteen at least, but to go forward was to go into the unknown. Caspian took council with Drinian and Rhince in the stern cabin; Reepicheep, Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace joined them.
"If we do go back," Caspian said, "The men will have to row. They can't do that on only half a pint a day."
"If you knew anything about biology, you'd know that perspiration cools people down," Eustace put in. "They'd be fine, and it would be better than going on into God-knows-what anyhow."
Edmund was very red in the face, and Caspian felt he would have liked to say something to Eustace himself, but he put his hand on Edmund's arm to council silence.
"Before we decide what we want," Reepicheep said, "We must ask the lady on board. We cannot take her forward against her will."
"And what about my will?" Eustace demanded. "I'm hijacked on this boat. Nobody ever listens to me—I'm practically a prisoner."
"Peace, Eustace," Caspian said. "It's only right to ask a lady." Here he turned to Lucy.
Lucy looked round at everyone and said at once, "It's obvious—we must go on. We can't turn back and expect to get there in time. We must go forward instead, and seek what lands are in front of us. Besides, I couldn't bear the thought of abandoning a quest."
Caspian wanted to clap when he heard this, but he restrained himself. Reepicheep did let out a merry "Hear hear!" but Caspian contented himself with saying "We've heard what Lucy has to say. Now all the rest. All in favor of going on, say 'aye'."
There was a chorus of "ayes" around him, from Drinian's booming voice to Reepicheep's piping one.
"On it is, to see what land lies ahead," Caspian declared. He was ready to get up when Eustace spoke again.
"Perhaps nothing lies ahead," he said nastily. "Don't you see the dangers of wishful thinking? We could be sailing to our deaths."
"Yes, yes, 'Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink' and all that rot," Edmund said. "Fine. You know we can't row back. What's your brilliant idea, then?"
Eustace stuck his nose in the air. "It's not my job to get you out of these scrapes when you get yourself into them. I say again I'm practically a prisoner on this voyage."
Lucy got up and left without a word. Caspian let this end the meeting. He went up on deck and found her at the stern, staring at the setting sun. The sky was beautiful, all pinks and dusky purples, with a couple of low, orange tinged clouds glowing on the horizon. Caspian leaned on the railing beside her.
"I feel bad for Eustace," she said. "I know it's hard on him. But he's such a coward sometimes! He's afraid to try anything. And I just don't understand how anyone could be in Narnia and not love it. Why, the first two times I was here I was caught up in wars! It seems to me he really has very little to complain about."
He gave her a wry smile. "I am going to borrow some courtesy from Reepicheep and say that it would not become me to speak ill of your kinsmen. Otherwise I might agree heartily."
Lucy's glance was one of suppressed mirth.
If Caspian was impressed with Lucy's steely resolve the worst night of the storm, he was even more impressed during this time when they sat on the becalmed sea. Indeed, Drinian and the whole crew were impressive, lashing a new mast with the bowsprit and rigging part of the sail to catch any breeze that might blow.
Still, Lucy did all she could to help. She never complained, though perspiration ran down everyone's faces and necks and the heat nearly drove them mad with thirst. Moreover, she did what no other soul on the Dawn Treader could do; she put up with Eustace.
Caspian's courtesy towards her cousin was wearing thin; Edmund's had long since been used up. At dinner Caspian served as equally as he could without measuring mathematically, and still Eustace whined—there was no other word for it—that he did not get as much as everyone else.
Immediately, Lucy took some of her food and stretched her arms towards Eustace's plate. "Here. Take some of mine. I'm not very hungry."
"Yes, you are. You're not looking well, Lucy, and I don't want you to give him your food. You need it, and he's got enough," Edmund said.
Eustace glared at him but said no more, and Lucy kept the food on her plate. Caspian noticed, though, that from the way Lucy ate she must have been very hungry indeed. He didn't know if he could have offered someone his food so willingly, especially if it was someone he wasn't overly fond of.
There were no stories now; everyone was far too hot, too feverish, too thirsty. There came a point where Caspian was on deck looking at his bedraggled men and wondering if he had not led them on a fool's chase. A sick fancy of dying at sea in this calm started to take hold at the corners of his mind. He knew he better get below to rest before he started to go mad, even if it did mean abiding Eustace for awhile.
He was about to turn the handle on the cabin door when he heard Lucy's voice inside. "Here, Eustace. Take some water. You're ill, and girls don't get as thirsty as boys."
Even Eustace muttered a word of thanks.
Caspian pushed the door open gently. Lucy was kneeling next to the bunk where Eustace was sprawled out and covered in perspiration. She turned to him quickly.
"Is it Edmund?" Eustace demanded.
"Hush! No, it's Caspian."
Eustace raised his head from the pillow and looked at Caspian. "You can't make her keep the water, I already drank it!"
"Eustace, calm down. You should rest if you're feeling feverish," Lucy said. Her voice was deliciously cool and soft. She looked up at Caspian. "Please don't tell Edmund. He'd be furious with me, but I couldn't let Eustace suffer."
"I won't," he promised with a small smile. "But you should rest yourself." He went over to her and raised her up. "Don't worry about Eustace. I was just going to rest myself, so I'll be here with him. Come, Lucy. Let me take you above."
She looked at him with grateful eyes and made no protest as he walked her to her cabin. He made sure her windows were open and peeled back the bedclothes for her. "Try to get some rest," he said. "We all need it, especially you."
"Thank you, Caspian," she said.
"Of course," he answered softly. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes for a moment. The blue of them was cool like water, and his fevered visions slipped away. He turned and went to his hammock below.
By remembering Lucy he was able to be a little kinder to Eustace. A few minutes later Edmund came in with a groan.
"So bloody hot," he sighed. "Where's Lucy?"
"I sent her to her cabin to rest," Caspian answered wearily, one arn flung over his eyes.
"Good. I tried to send me upstairs, but she wouldn't let me. How's he doing?"
"Asleep, finally."
"Well you are the bearer of good news," he said. "That's the best situation one could ask for short of land in sight."
Caspian managed a short chuckle. Edmund clambered past him into the other hammock and they both fell asleep.
To be sure it was a troubled sleep, and Caspian tossed often in his hammock, but he was still irritated to be woken in the middle of the night. He made his way with Edmund into the main hold of the ship and found the entire crew assembled around the water cistern, staring at Reepicheep and Eustace.
There was a good deal of noise and grumbling, but as soon as Reepicheep saw the Caspian he said shrilly "Thievery, your Highness! This knave has been stealing water!" he pointed at Eustace with his rapier.
"What d'you mean, I'm stealing? What are you doing sneaking around the water cask in the middle of the night?" Eustace demanded.
"I cannot be of aid above deck so I offered to watch the water here below so that one more man may get some sleep. I have my sword. You are the one who has a cup."
"I never knew anyone to use a sword for drinking," Drinian commented.
"To insinuate that I would in any way deprive this ship, or my king, or a lady of what they need is nothing short of insulting. Apologize, or duel. I cannot allow such slander to continue even if you are of royal blood," Reepicheep said fiercely, waving the tip of his sword less than an inch before Eustace's nose.
Eustace did apologize, but he started spluttering about feeling ill right afterwards. Caspian cut him off. "Anyone who is caught stealing water in the future," he declared with weary authority, "will get two dozen."
The sailors all nodded. No one wanted to be cheated out of water. Of course, this had no effect on Eustace until Edmund whispered to him what Caspian meant. Then Eustace's face turned quite green. Caspian sighed and walked heavily back to his hammock. Here's Lucy giving her water away when she's just as thirsty as the rest of us, and Eustace can only think of getting more.
There was a breath of wind the next day, and Caspian almost cried with relief. He stood on the deck with Lucy and Edmund and let the breeze cool his cheeks and play in his hair.
"What I would love most right now is a good strong gale, one that blows your hair in your face and flaps through your clothes," Lucy declared.
"Or a cold, clear lake I could drink from until I thought my stomach would burst," Edmund added.
"This is almost enough," Caspian said. "It's almost a gale after all those horribly still days."
They were interrupted from their daydreams but the glorious call from the fighting-top "Land, ho!"
All three of them rushed forward and peered over the side of the ship. There, on the southeast horizon, was a grey shape of mountainous land sitting above the sea. Edmund gave a hoarse cheer which several of the sailors echoed.
Caspian looked at Lucy, whose eyes were shining. "Water," he said. "Your brother may get his lake after all."
"And we shall all get an adventure," she whispered.
