This chapter is short. However, it is the gateway for the meat of the story.

Part 3

At Coriakin's island, the Dufflepuds were as both amusing and annoying as ever, and Coriakin unchanged from his previous encounter with the travelers. He asked them to stay the night, and after a short discussion, it was agreed.

Lucy and Caspian were quieter than normal, and Eustace and Edmund were unsure of how to handle the almost seen fragility of the bond between them. They weren't fighting. It was just that they were more careful with the other than usual.

Lucy was hiding that there was something going on better than the young king did. Her gaiety and delight in Aslan's world had been written of, and it was obvious she was thriving at the chance to stay longer.

But to Edmund, he who had known his sister since her birth, there was a reserve about her. He

remembered that caution from an incident in their English youths; a mutual friend had confided in her,

and asked her secrecy. Edmund could tell by the way she was acting that it was the same sort of situation; only good and joy was meant with this secret, so he had almost no problem letting her have it.

Besides, going against ASLAN'S decree was just asking for problems to be had.

Didn't mean he wasn't beyond curious.

Eustace, not knowing his cousin Lucy as well as Edmund, and plagued with both curiosity and lack of

knowledge as to Aslan's intents, was pestering Lucy every other day or so. Or had, until she had gently

but firmly asked him to stop, he was not the one who needed the answer. THAT response stopped

Eustace cold, for he had seen tears in her eyes, one of the few times he had EVER seen her ready to cry.

And Caspian? Well, Caspian had taken to spending his time alternately seeking Lucy out and almost

trying to AVOID her. It was plain to see that he was confused about something and didn't know how to

handle it, and so was, for lack of a better term, taking it out on his good friend. Oh, he was still

protective of her. He still watched over and out for her, but the talks they used to share had either

dwindled or stopped entirely.

It was a push-and-pull the forthright girl normally would have put a stop to—and had in the Golden Age,

when a suitor couldn't decide between her and Susan. But Lucy seemed to take in stride. She

was obviously working through some task Aslan had given her, and though she was attentive to the

others when they were around, she did not seem to seek their company as before.

It was enough to drive a brother to drink.

Edmund looked at the sitting room. He saw his sister teasing Eustace and his friend watching her, an

indulgent smile upon his lips. Edmund stopped cold. He knew THAT look. He had seen THAT look before.

Blast it, not love! Anything but love! They never stayed, it would just complicate matters intensely when

they DID go home!

He must have made a sound, because Coriakin looked up at him. The other man's gaze fell where

Edmund's was, and must have seen what EDMUND saw, because he, too, smiled indulgently, only HIS

smile was that of a father watching a beloved child.

Luckily neither of the two would be lovebirds had heard him, otherwise his too-perceptive-for-HIS-own good sister or his older friend might have said something he would have had to respond to.

And Edmund wasn't sure what he would have said. Not sure at all.

CoN CL CoN LC

By the time they reached the Lone Islands a week later and dropped off the former sacrifices, there had

been a lot of watching going on.

Lucy watched Caspian, frustrated by the aforementioned push and pull, but unwilling to speak of it yet,

for she didn't quite know what to make of her OWN feelings, let alone articulating them for anyone else. Luckily she had a ready-made excuse; missing little Gail. The heartbreaking good bye between queen and 'sidekick", as she had been called, had brought tears to several sets of eyes.

Caspian watched Lucy, unsure of HIS feelings and also unwilling to speak, but being drawn to the source

of his ambivalence.

Edmund watched them both, relief that the words had obviously not been spoken, but also saddened

for the troubled miens of two of the people in the worlds he was closest to.

Eustace watched them all…and like Edmund, wanted a drink.

Then came Cair Paravel… and the start of a whole NEW drama.

End Part 3