"Elizabeth!" Lucy called down to the lower quarters. "You're going to want to see this!"
Curious as to what the cause of Lucy's excitement was, Elizabeth checked over Eustace once more to ensure he was still sleeping, then got up from her chair by his hammock and went back up onto the main deck.
Caspian and Edmund stood near the mast with eager grins, both holding a sword. They circled around each other for a moment before Edmund made the first move and started their duel.
Caspian swung his sword towards Edmund's head, but Edmund ducked just in time and went for a low attack. Caspian moved out of the way and smiled. Then Edmund swung his own sword at Caspian's head, but the young man ducked and maneuvered out of the way without a second to spare.
Metal clashed against metal and both sets of feet moved around to defend and attack. After a few more minutes, the spar ended with each sword pressed to the other's neck in a draw. Everyone, including Elizabeth, cheered and applauded the kings.
"You've grown stronger, my friend," Caspian said to Edmund as he clapped a hand onto his shoulder.
"Seems I have," Edmund smiled.
"All right!" Eva called as she stepped towards them and smiled at Edmund. "My turn."
Edmund smirked. "Just give me a moment to catch my breath."
Caspian handed Eva his sword. "It seems just yesterday, you were picking up a sword for the very first time."
Eva laughed. "It's a lot closer to that yesterday for me than it is for you."
Caspian moved to the side of the deck with the rest of his crew members while Eva and Edmund stood a few feet apart and looked at one another intensely.
Eva had begun learning swordfighting on her last trip from one of the Narnian soldiers, Talus. Desiring to continue sharpening her skills so she was more prepared once she returned, Eva had asked Edmund to keep teaching her after they'd gone back to England. And so nearly every spare moment they'd had in the last two years was spent learning how to swordfight. Eva knew that their training sessions were as beneficial for Edmund as they were for her because it gave him the opportunity to remember his life as a king of Narnia.
It had only ever been just the two of them and she hoped that she would still fare well with an audience.
Eva made the first move, and their duel began. Once more, metal clashed against metal, and their boots sounded out on the wood as they maneuvered all around the ship. The fight went up the stairs to the steering wheel and the helmsman had to duck twice to avoid being hit by one of their swords. Eva slid down the railing along the steps while Edmund bounded after her and hopped over the railing four stairs from the bottom.
With one final move, Edmund knocked the sword out of Eva's hand and kicked her foot out from under her. She fell to the deck, and he held both swords to her neck.
"I concede," she panted as she rolled her eyes.
Edmund laughed and held out his hand to help her up while the crew members cheered for both of them.
"All right!" Drinian ordered. "Back to work!"
Edmund and Eva walked over to the starboard side to join Lucy who was sitting on some crates against the railing. Elizabeth handed both of them a cup of water.
"Oh, thank you!" Edmund said.
Elizabeth looked at Eva. "Since when do you know how to swordfight?"
"I learned a little bit my last time here," Eva answered. "And I wanted to keep learning so I had Edmund teach me. Normal couples go out to get dinner together, we went out to train in combat."
"That was very impressive."
"You could learn too if you wanted."
"Oh, no, I think my skills are of better use elsewhere."
"Suit yourself."
"Edmund," Lucy started, "do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just…tip off the edge?"
"If Reepicheep is right, we might just discover Aslan's Country," Eva told her.
"Either way, we're a long way from there," Edmund said.
The grate protecting the steps to the lower quarters lifted up and Eustace came up onto the deck, looking much better than he had when he'd first come onboard. "I see you're still talking nonsense, the three of you."
"And a good afternoon to you too," Eva said.
Eustace crossed his arms and leaned against the railing.
"Are you feeling better?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, no thanks to you. It's lucky I have an iron constitution."
Eva scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reepicheep remarked as he scampered over the ropes that led to the crow's nest. "Find your sea legs?"
"Never lost them," Eustace answered a little too quickly. "Simply dealing with the shock of things. Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."
Edmund coughed in the middle of taking a sip of water which made Eva and Lucy laugh.
"I don't think he has a cute anything," Reepicheep said.
"I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul! Have you all arrested for kidnapping!" He began stomping towards the back of the ship and bumped right into Caspian.
"Kidnapping, is it?" the king asked with a smile. "That's funny. I thought we saved your life."
"You held me against my will!"
"Ha!" Reepicheep exclaimed.
"Did I?" Caspian said, still smiling.
"In what, I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters. It's like…it's like a zoo down there!"
"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reepicheep asked the others.
"He's just warming up," Edmund answered.
Elizabeth put her hand to her mouth as she let out a small laugh.
Eustace glared at her. "And what are you laughing at? Find something funny, do you?"
"She was the one who stayed by your side nearly the entire time while you were fighting off the 'shock'," Caspian told the boy. "I'd be a little more grateful to her if I were you."
"Grateful?! For someone as useless as her?!"
Caspian looked like he was going to say more, but before he could, the lookout in the crow's nest yelled, "Land ho!"
Beyond relieved that the conversation had come to an immediate halt, Elizabeth looked out across the ocean and spotted a tiny land mass far in the distance. She hoped they went ashore because even though she had long since gotten used to being on the ship, walking about on land would still be very welcome.
The ship sailed towards the island and dropped anchor early in the evening.
Caspian opened a spyglass and looked at the island from the helm to try to figure out what exactly he was dealing with.
"The Lone Islands," Drinian confirmed. "The port of Narrowhaven."
"Strange," Caspian remarked as he handed the spyglass to Edmund. "Not a Narnian flag in sight."
"But the Lone Islands have always been Narnia's," Edmund said. He looked at the island through the spyglass and found it to be unusually devoid of life. Granted, it had been over 1,300 years since he'd visited the Islands, but as far as he knew, it still shouldn't look so abandoned.
"Seems suspicious," Drinian muttered.
Edmund handed the spyglass to Eva. "I say we prepare a landing party. Drinian?"
"…Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship."
"…Right."
Eva closed the spyglass and gently put her hand on Edmund's arm. He had always been second-in-command next to his brother and even if he hadn't really minded it, she was sure that it stung to realize he still wasn't in charge even when Peter wasn't in Narnia.
"We'll use longboats," Caspian ordered, going along with Edmund's idea. "Drinian, pick some men and come ashore."
"Aye."
"Tavros."
Tavros, another minotaur, turned to the other crew members and barked, "Man the longboats! Furl the sail and prepare to drop anchor!"
The sailors scurried around the deck to prepare for their king to go ashore while Drinian picked out which of the men were to join them.
"Elizabeth," Drinian called. "King Caspian mentioned that you have basic medical knowledge."
"That's correct."
"Come ashore then. There may be some people who will need your help."
"Yes, sir."
Edmund, Eva, Lucy, Elizabeth, and Eustace sailed to the island in one of the longboats with Caspian and four other men while Drinian and Tavros sailed behind them with five additional crew members.
"Onward!" Reepicheep said excitedly as they pulled into the port. "The thrill of the unknown lies ahead!"
One of the crew members assisted Eva, Lucy, and Elizabeth out of the longboat.
"Couldn't this have waited till the morning?" Eustace grumbled.
"There is no honor in turning away from adventure, lad."
"Listen," Lucy said.
There was only the slight rustle of a few trees and a bird taking flight.
"Where is everyone?"
Eustace started to flop his way out of the longboat.
"Come on, jelly legs," Reepicheep muttered to Eustace.
"I'm capable of doing it myself!" Eustace answered only to slip and hit his knee on the bottom step.
Reepicheep sighed in annoyance.
Caspian stared at the boy. "And you're certain he's related by blood?"
Eva smiled at Edmund who couldn't help but smirk. Maybe it was a little callous of them to think, but after nearly a year of being the odd ones out in Eustace's home, it was a bit refreshing for things to be the other way around.
Elizabeth held her hand out. "Here, let me help you."
Eustace swatted her hand away and stood up on his own. "I don't need any help, and definitely not from you."
Everyone slowly made their way onto the island and listened for any sign of life. It was as silent as death.
A huge bell pierced the quiet evening air and made everyone jump in surprise. Lucy quickly pulled out her dagger while Caspian held up his crossbow. No movement occurred in the entire city save for a few birds flying away from the center of the town.
When it appeared that no one was going to immediately attack, Caspian headed towards the stone ramp that led to the city. "Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place," he ordered. "We'll head on. If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Reepicheep acknowledged.
Caspian, Edmund, Eva, Lucy, Elizabeth, and Eustace made their way into the city to figure out why the place seemed abandoned.
As they walked through the main square, Elizabeth had an eerie feeling that they were being watched.
Eustace peeked through a decrepit, shuttered window, and then frantically ran back towards the others. "Yeah, it looks like nobody is in, so do you think we should head back?"
Everyone else turned to look at him from in front of a large entrance to the main building in the square.
"Do you want to come here and guard…something?" Edmund asked.
"Ah, yes." Eustace skittishly ran up to them. "Good idea, cousin. Very…uh, you know, logical."
Caspian walked up to him and held out a dagger.
Eustace hesitantly took it from him. "I've got it, I've got it. Don't worry."
Eva looked at Edmund and said quietly, "I don't know about you, but when he tells me not to worry, I start worrying."
Edmund smirked again and looked back at his tiny cousin who limply held the dagger out in front of him as if he could actually use it to defend himself. He looked sorely out of place in his London clothing holding the weapon in the middle of a worn-down city. But at least it would keep him occupied for a while.
The rest of them walked through the double doors and found themselves inside a building resembling a cathedral. Edmund shined his torch around the room to reveal huge bells hanging from the high ceiling at varying lengths. Large statues of men holding their decapitated heads in their hands formed two lines across the room.
"Uh, I'm ready to go when you are!" Eustace called.
Elizabeth couldn't fault the boy for feeling afraid even if he would deny it if asked. She had felt uneasy since the moment they'd set foot on the island, and this dark and dusty room with the creepy statues certainly didn't help.
They all slowly approached a small table piled with books in the center of the room. Edmund shined the torch on the open book that had a long list of names with lines through them.
"Who are all these people?" Lucy asked.
"Why have they been crossed out?" Edmund added.
Lucy looked at the numbers next to the crossed-out names. "It looks like some kind of…fee."
"Slave traders," Caspian told them.
The bells above them suddenly started ringing loudly, and several men slid down from the bells' ropes to surround the group.
"Look out!" Caspian yelled.
He pushed Elizabeth behind him so she was pressed against the table and out of harm's way before firing his crossbow at several of the men. When he was out of arrows, he pulled out his sword and quickly joined the brawl with Lucy, Edmund, and Eva.
A loud shrill scream forced them all to cease fighting. Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror when she looked towards the entrance of the building and saw a man with a dagger to Eustace's throat.
"Unless you want to hear this one squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons," the man drawled.
"Like a girl?" Eustace asked in disbelief.
"Now!"
Lucy angrily dropped her sword while almost everyone else somewhat reluctantly followed suit.
Eva's hand trembled from anger as she kept the sword in her hand and glared at the man. As annoying as Eustace may be, she didn't want to let his throat get slit. But if she relinquished her weapon, all of them would be completely defenseless.
"Eva," Caspian said quietly. "Put it down."
Trying to keep in mind that they had reinforcements on the outside, Eva angrily released the sword.
"Eustace…" Edmund started.
"Put 'em in irons!" the man ordered.
The other men who were uninjured quickly snapped iron manacles on everyone's wrists.
The first man firmly held Eustace's ear between his fingers.
"Get your hands off me!" Lucy yelled.
When one man came up to Eva to put the shackles on her, she stomped on his foot as hard as she could. Two others held both of her arms to restrain her movement and allow for the one she'd injured to snap on the shackles.
"Let's take these three to market," the man with the dagger said as he pointed to Eustace, Lucy, and Elizabeth.
"Let go!" Lucy cried.
"Send those three to the dungeons," he added as he pointed to Edmund, Eva, and Caspian.
"Listen to me, you insolent fool!" Caspian yelled. "I am your king!"
When Edmund fought against the man handcuffing him, the man struck him across the face.
"Edmund!" Eva exclaimed as she lunged for him.
"You're gonna pay for that!" Edmund growled.
"Actually…someone else is going to pay," another man said smoothly as he stepped out of the shadows. He walked up to Elizabeth and gently caressed her cheek which made her softly whimper. "For all of you."
Some of the men dragged Caspian, Edmund, and Eva to the dungeons while others dragged Lucy, Eustace, and Elizabeth in the opposite direction.
"No! Edmund!" Lucy screamed.
"Lucy!" Edmund and Eva screamed back.
"Elizabeth!" Caspian yelled.
On the way to the dungeons, Edmund continued to fight back as hard as he could so he could go save his sister until one of the men decided to fix the problem by knocking him unconscious.
Then all of them removed the manacles and threw Caspian, Edmund, and Eva into a small and dark cell.
Eva immediately ran over to Edmund's limp form and checked his head for any signs of injury. Aside from a tiny bump, she figured the worst thing would be the headache he would most likely have upon awakening.
Eva set his head in her lap and gently stroked his black hair. "Well, this didn't exactly go as planned."
Caspian kicked at the door, trying to make it open. "We hardly even had a plan, and that is still an understatement."
"I don't know if I should be offended or relieved that I wasn't taken to the market with the others. What does Eustace have that I don't?"
"You were more keen to fight back."
"Well, on the bright side, you told Reepicheep and Drinian that if we didn't return by morning to send a party. So at least we know that we have backup coming."
"They might not be able to get to us or the others in time."
"Do you really have so little faith in your men?"
Caspian stilled as her words hit him right between the eyes. He sighed heavily and took a few steps towards her. "Being king…means always taking the lead. It means you're the one people come to in order to fix everything, and you're always the one who has to come up with a solution. In the last five years, it's been a little easier to do all that when I've had Cassia with me to guide me, but now, without her…it's difficult to rely on my men and trust that they know what they're doing when I usually have to make every effort to not find myself in this position in the first place." He sat down on the stone next to her. "Sometimes, I wonder if I'm even fit to be king when Cassia is so much better at ruling the kingdom."
"Cassia was also led astray for over fifteen years and nearly led the Narnians to extinction. As much as you may look up to her, she's not perfect. She is only good at ruling the kingdom because years of watching and trusting her uncle showed her what not to do. I'm sure that she's learned as much from you as you have from her. Trust your men to help you, Caspian, but also trust yourself. You are wiser than you know."
Meanwhile, Lucy, Elizabeth, and Eustace were thrown into a large, poorly lit room where several groups consisting of humans, fauns, and dwarves sat tightly huddled together. Some children clung onto their mothers while some of the men sat against the wall with defeated stares.
"It's going to be okay," Lucy said softly, sounding like she was trying to convince herself of that more than the others. "Reepicheep and the others will come."
"We should've gone back when I said so," Eustace grumbled. "If we had waited until morning like I said we should, or better yet, if we just hadn't come at all, none of this would've happened."
Elizabeth had only a faint idea of what tomorrow would bring if all of these other people were going to be part of the 'market' that the man from before had mentioned, and they weren't capable of escaping since she had no idea how many other men were waiting to snatch them up again if any of them tried.
As she looked around the room, she decided that she couldn't just sit around and wait for help to come. She would do what she could here and now and then deal with tomorrow when it came.
She approached one of the men who was holding his arm and trying to mask how much pain he was in. "Is something wrong with your shoulder?" she asked.
A woman sitting next to him looked at the man with tears in her eyes. "They were too rough with him when they brought him in and he dislocated it. I told you not to fight them."
"I can't just sit back and do nothing, Arielle."
"But look what it's gotten you!"
"I can help you," Elizabeth told him. "May I?" When the man nodded, she stood behind him. "What's your name, sir?"
"Titus," the man said. "And yours?"
"Elizabeth. I should warn you, this is really going to hurt."
With no other warning in the hopes that the surprise would lessen the pain, she popped Titus's shoulder back into place. He groaned in pain and bent forward.
Arielle put her hands on his arm.
Titus looked up and smiled at her. "It aches a bit, but it's much better." He turned to Elizabeth. "Thank you, miss."
A little girl quickly bounded up to Elizabeth. "Can you help my mother too?"
"What's wrong with her?"
"She's sick."
"Show me."
The girl led her to a woman sleeping restlessly in the corner. Sweat fell from her face and she groaned in her sleep.
Elizabeth knelt down next to her and felt her forehead. She looked over at Lucy. "Lucy, do you have your cordial?"
Lucy touched her belt and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes."
She walked over to the woman and knelt down next to Elizabeth. Then she uncapped her cordial and let one drop fall into the woman's mouth.
Almost instantly, color returned to her pale face and she awoke.
"Mummy!" the girl exclaimed, throwing herself on top of her.
The woman tightly hugged her daughter. Then she looked at the two young women next to her. "I don't understand. I thought for sure that I was near death, but I feel better and stronger than ever."
"I used a healing cordial," Lucy smiled. "You're going to be okay."
The woman looked at the bottle in Lucy's hand. "The only one who was ever known to use a cordial like that was the Queen Lucy of Narnia's Golden Age. Are you…?"
Lucy smiled again.
The woman quickly tilted her head. "Your Majesty!"
Lucy gently put her hands on the woman's shoulders. "I prefer Lucy."
"Did you hear what was happening in our city and come to our aid?"
"We've come because we were looking for someone, but seeing what's happening, we will do everything we can to help."
"You can forget that," a male voice said from the other side of the room. A faun stood up and crossed his arms. "Things have been this way for years, and it's not going to change now just because a queen from thousands of years ago finally decided to show up. Do you really think you're helping these people by fixing their injuries and ailments? All you've done is exchange one pain for another. You see, now that you're here, one of two things will happen to you tomorrow. Either someone is going to pay for you to be their slave, or you're going to be fed to the mist."
"What's the mist?" Lucy asked.
"No one knows. All we know is that it takes you where you'll never be found."
Elizabeth and Lucy shared a nervous glance. If they got offered to the mist tomorrow before Reepicheep and the others came to their rescue, how would Caspian, Edmund, or any of Caspian's men ever find them again?