"You do understand that your continued staring at me will not turn me into a donkey?" Arrosh kept his eyes ahead and on the horizon as the boat pitched testily in the water. A small squall was about to come through, the sailors had claimed, and he was going to take advantage of as much time above deck as he could. This voyage would be far different from his journey here. This time, he was a passenger and not a cabin boy. Though, he would almost prefer the later. He would have more to do than stand about waiting for a storm to come. No one would let him touch much of anything that was work related. Mayhaps they could tell he had little in the way of experience. He barely knew the names of the various parts and places on the vessel.

"I stand by what I said," Orran's voice rumbled behind him, being the source of the piercing stare, "All else may be hoodwinked by your trickery but I see you for who you are."

Arrosh took advantage of the fact his back was to the mountain of a man and indulged in an eye roll. "Think what you like of me, sir." He turned towards the man, giving a shrug, "But I will stand by what I have said as well." The man might never believe him, so what was the point in trying to convince him? He was tired and no longer cared who believed him or not.

They had all said their goodbyes, kissed their loved ones, and waved goodbye on the deck. Or rather, Arrosh watched and besides the surprise hug from Ram and the nod of good luck from the king, waited for them to be finished so they could be off. The sooner they got there the better. It had already taken them all day to get to the seaside. Thank Tash the tide had been right and they were able to leave.

"Oy, I thought we were all supposed to be below deck." The young voice of the second guard chosen to come came along with the clumping of boots against wood. He was a short lad, recently been knighted, and far too eager to prove his loyalty to the crown. With a good word from Corin, the king must have decided that this mellow journey might be good enough for the young knight. Arrosh couldn't even remember his name.

"Aye, lads, it be time to get below deck, I fear." A gruff crew member with frazzled white hair who had been about deck with a handful of other sailors said, he cast a suspicious gaze to the sky, "She's moody today." Then he hurried on his way to go about tying things down and whatever else his duties may be.

All nodded, though the man was no longer there, and went below deck, Orran bringing up the rear. The ship was far from a large or luxurious vessel but it would be serviceable to get them there and back with an extra person. The sleeping quarters, chow room, and the deck was the only place Arrosh had been. They had already been at sea for 2 days.

He was itching to explore, yet unable to under the watchful gaze of Orran. He had not even been able to go see Aravis in her separate quarters. A large man with the hunger for a reason to harm him was enough to hold him back. When they landed, it would be in his land. Things would be better then. If he wasn't recognized.

It wasn't near any time for a meal and with no jobs to be done Arrosh went to his hammock and laid back to stare at the ceiling above. A good stare into nothingness and an immersion to the depths of his own thoughts was just what was needed at the moment. Who knew when he would have a chance to again? Once they landed, hopefully, things would fall quickly into place. He chose a spot and began to let his thoughts slide.

"What's Calormen like?" The nasally voice of the young man pierced his consciousness as a spike to a decapitated head would. "I've never been there before. Heard it was dreadfully hot, though."

Arrosh thought of ignoring him, the man was in the hammock below and wouldn't know whether he was asleep or awake. But the stupidity of the last statement was enough to nudge him into speaking, "I fear you have been told wrong, sir. Calormen is quite cold. Our winters are the worst and summers are short."

"Truly?" The man's raised an octave, "I heard it from a crew member aboard this ship."

Arrosh smiled some, "He was correct, sir." He watched as a small rat clambered across a beam and shuddered, "I was merely joking."

"Lying is more like it, boy." Orran piped up, his deep voice in synchrony with the thunder outside. "Like all your other tales."

Arrosh said nothing to that and by the shifting below, the young knight was not comfortable confronting his superior. That, or he agreed and had not the guts to say so.

"Oh, leave the boy alone, Sir Orran. You are the only one on this ship that doesn't believe him and I would suggest you let Queen Aravis hear you speak as such." Corin piped up from the doorway, his voice seemed off handed enough but there was a hard edge laced into the words. His point was clear.

Sir Orran and the young knight shot out of their hammocks with a speed that did them credit. Arrosh had only just sat up when Corin had already nodded for them to stand down.

"Yes, Prince Cor!"

Corin nodded, "Good." He walked down the lane to his own bunk, patting Arrosh's good leg on the way by. "Don't worry, chap, we'll get your sister in no time." He stretched himself out on the hammock and soon began to sleep.

"What sort of animals are in Calormen, sir?"

Arrosh held back a sigh and laid back down. This was going to be a long journey.

xxx

Aravis perched on her bed, hand to her stomach and attempted to quell the urge to vomit into the bucket before her. She had never liked going to sea and would have almost preferred traveling across the desert once again. Two days at sea with two more to go. How ever was she to survive this with her stomach intact?

The room tilted and turned, her stomach heaved in protest. Aravis gave in, closing her eyes and curling in a ball on her bed. It was not a weakness to succumb to sea sickness she knew. But it still felt like it at times. Weakness, a dreadful thing to be and even worse to show.

"Shall you be alright, your highness?" The small, squeaky voice of the mouse named Zeepijeet came from the doorway. She was small for a Narnian mouse with smooth, nut-brown fur and bright grey eyes. Aravis remembered when her family had come to immigrate to Archenland, the mouse had been but a toddler, before King Loon had died. Now here she was, nigh in her 20s, prepared to be a messenger to the king if things went wrong.

Her heart twinged at the thought. If Arrosh was not true and all of this was a trap. The many possibilities drawn out to her by Cor, who still did not fully trust the situation. While she disagreed with him, his doubt was infectious and she could not bring herself to shake the feeling that had begun to nibble at the corner of her heart. Thus, Arrosh did not know of Zeep.

"Yes, I will be quite alright." Aravis replied finally, she had been thinking for too long. "I just need rest."

"As you wish, your highness." Zeep bowed, "I am at your command whenever you desire." She walked to a corner in the room that held a bed her size and a basket with several of her things. From it, she plucked up a crochet hook and yarn, continuing a hat she had been making.

"Thank you, Zeep." Aravis muttered before curling in on herself and tried to distract herself from thoughts of being ill.

Narnia in the fight of their lives without so much as a single regent to head their decisions. The only reason they knew was because Bree's oldest foal had made the journey to them. How could Narnia fight when they were divided and defenseless? Would Archenland stand against the looming army of Telmar if it came down to it? When she returned, would there already be a war on?

Aravis curled in more and decided that simply focusing on not being sick might be the better course of action.

xxx

The storm came upon them and day morphed into night. The ship rolled and tilted as the heavens rained their wrath from above. Prayers slipped from the mouths of the men both above and below deck. This had turned out to be far worse than expected.

There was nothing to do but wait. Attempts to sleep were lost for Arrosh, his thoughts felt as though he had shaken them up in a jar and was unable to think properly. The young knight had become ill once the storm hit and the quarters stank of his sick.

Unable to stand it any longer, Arrosh kicked his feet out of the hammock and dropped to the floor, wincing as his injured leg gave a throb in protest. It had healed mostly, but was prone to giving mild complaints when in use.

This was the worst time to explore and possibly the best. He hadn't heard much from Orran in some time. Mayhaps he was ill as well. With a cast of his gaze around, he saw that Prince Corin had left the quarters. That may be a good excuse.

"Where are you going, boy?" He was within two steps of the door when the rumble came from directly behind him.

"I am going to explore the ship, sir." Arrosh did not turn around. The ship jolted and he stumbled a few paces to the side, holding himself against the frame. He may have had his sea legs but he sure didn't have storm legs. He gave a grin to the man, beginning to be fed up with being trapped in a floating box, "Figured it seemed to be the perfect time."

"So you can poison our provisions?" Orran laughed, "I think not." The ship shuddered again and both steadied themselves.

Arrosh turned finally, bracing himself against the door frame, "Sir, I do not care what you think of me or who you think I am or not." He glared with all the contempt in his being, "But your accusations are unfounded and unnecessary. I have shown no signs of malice towards any of you. I just want my sister back." He looked away, taking his weight off of the door frame, "I -" The ship tumbled once again and Arrosh found himself falling towards a tidy pile of spare hammocks and ropes that had inhabited a corner of the room. Landing on top of them with a hard thud, a cry came from beneath.

"What was that?" Orran asked, his suspicions of Arrosh momentarily forgotten. He took a step forward, pushing Arrosh aside and lifted the hammocks away from the floor. Beneath them, curled in a tight ball, was a girl.

"By Tash." Arrosh cursed, "Why is she here?"

The girl, pale and thin, sat up slowly, keeping her hands up, her features mostly hidden in the swinging lamp light of the ship, "Please, I, I don't mean any harm."

"What are you doing here, girl?" Orran asked, his arms folded and stance wide against the throws of the ship.

"My, my brother, he," The girl cupped a hand over her mouth and gave a single sob, before composing herself, "My brother came on this mission with you. Without him, I have no one in this world."

"Who is your brother?"

"His name is Nol, sir." Her voice was barely above a whisper, "He should be here. He told me naught but a day before you took leave."

Orran sighed, "There is no Nol here. He fell ill an hour before we left." He gestured to her, "Come away from there now."

xxx

"Your majesty! Your majesty!" The high, urgent cries from Zeep came from above as Aravis willed her eyes to open. So much for sleep.

"Yes, Zeepijeet?" She answered, careful to keep the agitation from her voice. It wouldn't do any good to let the mouse know she wasn't pleased with the situation. What was done was done. She sat up and looked for the mouse.

Zeep was perched upon one of the beams above, "I was patrolling the ship whilst you slept, your highness, and on my way back to check on you I made an alarming discovery."

Though there was nothing left for it to give, her stomach still clenched and roiled within her. "Just tell me, please." She sighed, if it was alarming then it would be best for her to go out there and deal with it. Standing, she looked for her mirror to make sure she did not seem too rumpled before her subjects.

"Your brother Arrosh and Sir Orran have discovered a young lady as a stowaway on the ship!" Zeep bounced some, "With the Captain dealing with the storm they are trying to decide what to do with her."

Aravis looked up from where she had found the mirror, "Truly?" She did one last fix of her hair, "Who in their right minds would want to stow away to Calormen?"

"I know not, your highness." The young mouse conceded, "I did not stop for long to listen. I was more concerned with alerting you." She bowed her head, "I apologize, your majesty."

"Quite alright, Zeepijeet." Aravis smiled up at her, "Please, show me to her and then continue to stay out of sight for now." She would brave the outside of her room and overcome this illness. Who knew what Sir Orran would think to do with the girl? Probably lock her up until the captain could deal with her.

xxx

The girl did not move, hidden in shadows as she was, they could not read her face either. Orran allowed the girl a moment to take in the information before taking a step towards her, "You should be applauded for your loyalty and courage for your brother." He took another step and extended his hand, "Please, come with me. We shall see what we can do." The girl scurried back from the massive hand but did not say anything.

Arrosh ventured to pull Orran lightly back, whispering, "Look, you're a giant compared to the girl and probably scaring her." Maybe the man would put their differences aside for a moment in a collective mission, "Let me try and then I'll give the girl over to you. Alright?" Orran glared at him but said nothing. Arrosh took it as a sign to go ahead.

Arrosh took a tentative step forward, "What's your name?"

The girl had sat on the pile she had been removed from, "It can't be. He told me and I left for the ship so I would be there ahead of time. He's supposed to be here."

"There's no need to -"

"So, pray tell, what's this I hear about a stowaway?" The firm voice of Queen Aravis came from behind them. Both turned immediately and went on one knee. Arrosh quietly pleased at his swift transition.

"Yes, your majesty." Orran kept his head bowed until she motioned for them to rise. "She has claimed to be stowing away due to loyalty to her brother - the one who fell ill not long before we set off."

She nodded, looking perfect among the chaos of the in use sleeping quarters, "Thank you, Orran." Aravis looked to the girl in the corner, "Please, come forward and tell me your name, child."

The young lady stood slowly and came forward, her head low in a deep curtsy, "Your majesty," The dim lamp light lit up her curly blonde hair and as she looked up, Arrosh found himself stifling a gasp, "My name is Fesh."

A/N ~ Hello, fanhumans! Behold, I have actually got an update out on time! I will be trying to make this a habit. *giant corpse pile of good habits meant to be loom in the background* : )Thank you all so much for your amazing reviews. When I come around to that self loathing stage of my writing process I will look at these to remind myself not everyone hates my work. :3