As soon as Edmund poked his head out of the hatch, the sharp sea breeze ruffled his hair. He grinned to himself and scrambled the rest of the way up the ladder. The Splendour Hyaline was almost glowing in the morning sun, and all about him the sailors whistled brightly as they went about their work on deck. Edmund heard a flapping noise and saw the main sail full with wind, the gold lion rampant shining and moving. The hour was quite early, but Lucy had still risen before him. He saw her in the bows of the ship, leaning over the railing the same way she would urge a horse onward. He laughed and went over to her.
"You know that doesn't make the ship move any faster," he said.
Lucy started and turned to him with a blush. "I know. I just can't wait to get there. This is so exciting, being on the water. I never knew I would like it so much."
Edmund leaned on the railing and watched the whitecapped water. "Nor I. I love the speed of it, the danger…"
"Going someplace you haven't been before. I wonder what it will be like in the Lone Islands. Do you think that Peter will have to lead another battle?"
He thought about this for a moment. "Probably not. We'll just have to make a show of it, set up Peter as High King and Emperor and march him down the streets and what have you."
She giggled. "You make it sound like we're entering him in a horse show."
"Well, that is a little what it's like," Edmund said with a grin. "Though probably more of a donkey show, because we all know how Peter can be a bit of an ass." He laughed at his own joke, but Lucy hit him on the arm.
"I thought things were better between you two," she admonished.
"They are," he reassured her. "I couldn't tease him so freely otherwise. It's a sign of brotherly love." When Lucy looked at him askance, he added "What do you want, Lu? Should I cuddle up to him at night when I have a bad dream?"
"Well maybe you should! He's very comforting, you know," Lucy declared, getting a little red in the face.
"Keep your hair on. I wasn't casting aspersions on you or Peter. That's just not my style. He's lucky I even let him hug me after Beruna. My incapacitation prevented me from protesting."
"Goodness, Edmund, you sound like a dictionary," Lucy commented with a smile which showed she admired her brother's intelligence. He shrugged and grinned, pleased by her compliment, and he leaned on the railing next to her. They both stared over the water.
"Do you know, there are days when I feel like we could actually reach the horizon?" Lucy resumed presently. "That one day, if we sailed far enough, we might hit a wall of sky as it reached the ocean." She glanced at Edmund with another blush. "I know it's silly, but sometimes I can't help feeling that way. The sky seems so close."
"No," Edmund said thoughtfully, "I understand. And besides, no one knows what's after the Lone Islands, unless they can tell us there. It could be anything."
"Can you imagine? I wonder what it must be like to live on the edge of the world, where all that lies beyond your beach are uncharted waters. Better still, I wonder what it would be like to sail and sail to find out."
He smiled at her. "We could, you know. We're a king and queen, free to do as we please. We could pack up the Splendour Hyaline and say farewell to everyone and find out for ourselves."
Lucy took his hands and turned to him with a look of sheer delight. "Could we? It would be such a wrench to say goodbye to everyone, but how I should like to go! Let us, Edmund!"
"I should think not," a voice said behind them, and they both turned to see Peter standing tall, his sea cloak highlighting the breadth of his shoulders and his golden hair and crown shining in the sun.
"And why not?" Edmund challenged with a scowl.
"First off, I'd be mad to give up my best ship on a fool's chase," Peter began, but Lucy interrupted him right away.
"But it wouldn't be a fool's chase. It would be an adventure. Isn't that what knights and kings and queens do? Don't they chase after the unknown?"
Peter shook his head. "No, Lu. Not us. We can't just go sailing off. We've got Narnia to think of. Yes, the Witch is gone and we think we've gotten all of her followers, but can we be sure? This country has waited for us for so long, we can't just turn our backs on them for our own pleasure. There's far too much to do at home."
Lucy hung her head and looked at her feet, ashamed, but Edmund bristled at the lecture. "I know what we've got to do," he said. "I wouldn't ever abandon Narnia. But I wouldn't turn away from an adventure, either, as if I was scared."
Peter's eyes flashed and his jaw tightened, but he didn't move. "Sometimes we have to turn away from adventure to do our duty," he said in a voice that was too measured. "Anyway, I came to tell you that Sallowpad has flown ahead of the ship this morning and he says the Lone Islands are close, we just can't see them through the haze. When it clears we'll see them, and he estimates we'll be there before sunset."
Sallowpad was right on all counts. The haze cleared and the golden glow that was covering everything dissipated, but they could see the three little islands low and green on the blue horizon. All four kings and queens stood in the bows to watch as they approached.
"Avra is the closest, then there's Felimath, and Doorn is the farthest, off to the left," Edmund said, pointing. When he saw his siblings' surprise he said "What? You three don't know how to read maps?"
"I think they're lovely," Susan sighed. "So lush and green. It would be nice to take a stroll on one of them."
"Then perhaps we shall," Peter said with a smile for her, "After we have established our presence."
"Yes," Susan agreed, adjusting Lucy's crown absently. "There will be time enough for maying after we finish our work."
Edmund pulled a face so the others couldn't see. He didn't understand why they couldn't land in the boat and cross Avra or Felimath while the ship rounded the cape, nor why Susan was being such a wet blanket when she herself obviously wanted to have a little fun. Part of the fun of being a king is that you're free to make all your own decisions, he thought to himself. Peter and Susan still act like someone is trying to tell them what to do, as if they don't trust themselves.
"Come on," Peter said, touching Edmund's shoulder. "We're near enough now that we should get ready." Lucy looked up at Peter and nodded. They had all decided that since this was their first visit to the Lone Islands, they would all don their state and festival clothes when they arrived and display their gifts. Peter would, of course, be carrying his burnished shield and his sword, Rhindon.
Edmund went down with him to change, and even though his fancy clothes were very comfortable, the fine velvet and silk seemed a little fussy to him after all the light cotton and linen he had been wearing on ship. Likewise, his crown felt rather heavy on his head. If Peter felt the change, he didn't show it. Rather, Edmund noticed as his brother buttoned his blue cape around his shoulders, Peter looked every inch the king. Their old life was slipping away fast, but Edmund remembered that before they came to Narnia neither Peter nor any of the rest of them had worn such royal clothes, and yet somehow, Peter seemed born to it. It was beyond all logic and sense.
Susan and Lucy came in to see if they were dressed, and when she saw Peter, Susan smiled with satisfaction. "You look so handsome, Peter," she said, "Just like a king." He blushed a little and mumbled his thanks as Susan turned to Edmund. "This gray looks well on you," she said, and her fingers made deft adjustments everywhere. He noticed that Lucy was standing very still, as if not to disrupt Susan's handiwork.
Peter now buckled his sword belt round his waist and looked around at everyone. "Come on, then. Let's give the Islanders a show." Edmund noticed there was a very tiny tremble to his lip, but he still walked straight and proud.
The ship was moored to the dock, and a crowd had already gathered when the four monarchs appeared on deck. The shields were out, and all the royal flags were flapping brightly in the breeze. Peter gave a nod, and the trumpeters began to play as the gangplank was lowered.
Two leopards began the short procession, bearing the royal scepter between them, then a Fox with a very loud voice which cried "Hail, Islanders! The prophecy is fulfilled; the Kings and Queens have left their seats at Cair Paravel and come to you! All bow before Peter, High King of Narnia and Emperor of the Lone Islands and his mighty consorts, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy!"
The Fox repeated this, and Peter inhaled deeply and squared his shoulders. He drew his sword with a ringing sound and held it high so that it glinted in the sun. He led the way, and as he stepped down the crowd gave a resounding cheer.
Edmund looked over his shoulder at Lucy. "You see? I told you. Just give them a show. They already think of him as their Emperor."
Lucy's eyes were trained on Peter. "Well, he does look it, doesn't he?"
And Edmund was forced to admit that he did.
