While the longboats were lowered into the water, you sought out Caspian. Guilt was heavy in your posture, in your eyes, as you reached out to grab his sleeve. He turned.

The moment he registered you standing there, the same guilt you had transferred onto his face. He pulled you against him, pressing his mouth against your hair.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N."

You shook your head against his chest. "No, don't. I shouldn't have been so upset. I acted like a fool. I'm sorry."

"Know that I will happily wait as long as I must for your hand."

"I don't deserve you, Caspian… in any way."

Caspian pulled back to look at you, lifting your chin up to meet your eyes. "You deserve the world."

"You're disgusting," Eustace muttered as he walked by shaking his head.

Caspian chuckled and let you go. "Are you coming with us?"

"Of course."

The closer the two longboats got to the shore, the more disappointing the island looked. There were no trees nearby, sand and rock from end to end. Finding a source of food and freshwater was slim.

"I doubt the lords stopped here, my liege. There's no sign of anything living," Reepicheep said from the front of the other longboat.

You sat beside Lucy facing Caspian, Edmund, Eustace, and two other crew. Sometimes Caspian's eyes would linger on you as he helped row, making your cheeks warm.

"Once we get ashore, take your men and search for food and water," Caspian said. "The four of us will look for clues."

"Hang on." All eyes went to Eustace at the opposite end of the boat. "You mean the five of us." Caspian glanced across the water to Reepicheep. "Come on. Please don't send me back to the rat."

"I heard that!"

"Big ears…"

"I heard that, too."

Chuckles filled your boat, lightening the mood.

The boats finally touched land and as soon as they were high enough on the shore, you, Caspian, Lucy, and Edmund began your search for any sign of the lords.

The four of you hiked a good distance up a hill where odd sandstone formations rose high above you. Some looked as if they would topple over from the slightest breeze.

"Look!" Caspian said, picking up his speed. He ran toward a boulder with a rope tied around it that dangled into a hole beside it. "We're not the first ones on this island."

"The lords?" Lucy asked.

"Could be." Caspian dropped a rock down the hole. The sound of it bouncing off the rocky walls echoed for a few seconds.

You carefully looked down into the blackness. "What do you suppose is down there?"

Edmund grabbed the rope with a grin. "Let's find out."

He climbed down first, shouting back up what he could see and how far down you'd have to go. Lucy went next, followed by you. Caspian was the last down, smoothly climbing off the rope once he was low enough.

You stared in awe of the cavern the hole led into. Sunlight poured in through various breaks in the rocks, highlighting arches and towers of stone within the cave. And right in the center of it all was a clear pool of water that reflected everything in sight, making it appear deeper than it was.

Edmund stood at the edge of the pool staring down at something under the surface.

"What's that?" Caspian asked as he came up beside Edmund.

You came near enough to observe. Lucy stood beside the two men.

"I don't know. Looks like some sort of golden statue." Edmund stared a few seconds more before he turned and ripped a dried root from the wall where it grew into the cave.

He stuck the end into the water to touch the statue, but in front of your eyes, the branch turned to gold. Edmund held onto it until neared his hand and was too heavy to hold. It fell into the water and sank.

Caspian looked at the water in awe. Lucy looked at her brother.

"He must have fallen in," you said, studying how the hand was outstretched.

"Poor man," Lucy added.

Edmund nodded toward a shield also in the water. "You mean, 'Poor lord.'"

"The crest of Lord Restimar." Caspian took a step closer. "And his sword. We need it."

Edmund dipped his sword into the water and hooked his blade under the hilt to lift it from the water.

"Your sword hasn't turned to gold."

Caspian's eyes followed the sword as water dripped off the end of the blade. "Both swords are magical." He took the sword as Edmund offered it to him, testing the weight of it.

Lucy frowned. "He mustn't have known what hit him."

That's when you felt it. The eerie shiver and flop of your insides that came around when the mist did. You sought out any sign of the green cloud of evil but found nothing.

"Maybe," Edmund started, picking up a shell. "Or maybe he was onto something."

Carefully, he dipped the shell into the water and set it on the ground, taking his hand away. The shell turned into solid gold. When his hands touched it again, he didn't turn to gold. A strange look came over his face, making you and Lucy nervous. "Whoever has access to this pool… could be the most powerful person in the world."

Caspian stared at the pool in surprise. You felt sicker, needing to lean against the wall. Your king didn't notice.

"Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do… or who to live with."

Lucy's lips parted to speak, but Caspian's head whipped toward Edmund. "You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund."

"Says who?"

"I do."

"I'm not your subject."

You took a step toward Caspian to calm him, reaching for his arm, but he moved swiftly out of your reach.

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you? To challenge me?" Caspian was too close to Edmund. "You doubt my leadership."

"You doubt yourself."

"You're a child."

"And you're a spineless sap!"

Lucy tried to stop her brother, but he pushed her back. You were going to have to step in if you could only get your stomach to settle long enough to do so.

Edmund continued, nearly nose to nose with Caspian. "I'm tired of playing second fiddle. First, it was Peter and now it's you! You know I'm braver than both of you. Why do you get Peter's sword? I deserve a kingdom of my own. I deserve to rule… I deserve her more than you ever have."

Your eyes fell on Edmund's finger pointing toward you while he stared down Caspian. You froze. Those suspicions you had about Edmund's interest in you were right? Why had he helped you and Caspian so much? Why were you even brought into their fight?"

"If you think you're so brave and deserve Y/N, prove it!"

Edmund lifted his sword as Caspian raised the lord's sword. At the same moment, you pushed yourself off the wall and used your body to shove Caspian away from Edmund. Lucy used her words to stop her brother.

You leaned against Caspian despite the sick feeling disappearing. It took almost all your strength away. "Caspian, please don't do this. It's the mist."

The king's left arm went around your torso to keep you on your feet. Whatever fell over him was gone, leaving him with a clear head again. His eyes filled with worry when he felt you lean heavily into him.

"Look at yourselves," Lucy said with a sharp glare toward both men. "Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you."

"It's what… Coriakin was talking about," you muttered, glancing at a sheepish Edmund. He avoided looking at you.

Lucy nodded. "Let's just get out of here." And she marched past you and Caspian, silently offering to help you if you needed it. You declined with a shake of your head.

Caspian and Edmund stared at each other for a few seconds before Caspian turned and helped you walk away from the pool. Neither of you spoke until the sun beat down on your shoulders again and he gently placed you on a boulder.

"Are you all right, Y/N?" His fingers brushed across your head and shoulders.

"I'll be fine. The mist was in that cave with us. I felt the same way I have every other time I've sensed it. We're getting closer or it's just getting stronger."

"I'm sorry. What happened in there… it wasn't me."

Sadness filled your heart and you could feel it in your reassuring smile. "No, Caspian… It was you in there. Your fears took control. It wasn't the mist speaking for you… it was you speaking through the fear it revealed."

He looked down at the ground ashamed.

"It's okay. You and Edmund were most vulnerable at that moment. You two are brothers in here." You pointed at Caspian's chest and smiled. "You'll get over it and be friends again. Whatever happened in there won't matter."

Edmund finally met up with his sister in the distance, signaling for you and Caspian to join them. He didn't even look your way.

"Can you stand and walk?"

You met Caspian's gaze and nodded. "I have enough strength to stand. I'll still need your help keeping me on my feet."

"Always."

You blushed and let your king help you to your feet. His arm went around you again, letting you feel the warmth of his care as he helped you back to the beach.

The longboats came into view eventually with the crew gathering up a small collection of resources. That familiar feeling of worry crossed your mind.

Caspian carefully helped you into a boat to let you rest. He kissed your lips followed by your forehead before going to Rhince for an update on supplies.

You caught various conversations among everyone, never quite hearing any whole part. The sun was relentless on the top of your head, so you untied the wrap around your waist– more for the style than usefulness– and draped it over your head. It instantly felt better.

"Eustace! Eustace!"

You lifted your gaze to find Lucy calling out for her cousin. It was odd that he wasn't around; strangely quiet. You had a bad feeling about it.

Edmund started forward, Caspian calling out that he'd come along. You didn't miss the long wary gaze between kings.

Caspian looked at you. "I'll be back soon."

You nodded. "Don't worry about me. Make sure Eustace is safe."

It killed you that you couldn't help load the boats or help look for food. There was no helping on your end when that sick feeling gurgled in your stomach as a warning.

With both boats loaded up, you, Lucy, and the rest of the crew rowed back to the Dawn Treader where Lucy promptly sent you to bed after you almost fell off the ladder onto the ship. She even brought you some water and a little bread to help settle your stomach. It helped, keeping the turmoil of your belly at bay long enough to you to get a short nap in until you were rudely awakened by a violent rocking of the ship.

Steadier on your feet, you rushed on deck to a sight you'd only imagined. A golden dragon was trying to perch on the mast, tilting the ship to one side. Reepicheep was at the top, swinging toward the dragon as it slipped from the mast. His sword nicked the dragon's claws and it flew back toward the island. It stayed in your sight, nearing the ground to pick up something. I came straight back to the ship again.

You heard Lucy called out to her brother before you saw him. You cried out, too, but the dragon swooped over once, heading to a different part of the island.

As soon as Drinian ordered the longboats back to the island, you leaped aboard, not willing to see your friend die by the hands of a dragon.

Lucy and Gael sat beside you while Rhince, Tavros, a man called Niltus, and Drinian rowed. Reepicheep stood at the front end of the boat as a guide to the land.

"Are you going to be all right?" Lucy asked you.

"I'm fine. The bread and water helped enough, and I was able to get a short bout of sleep before the dragon attacked."

Just as you mentioned the beast, it appeared over the volcano and landed on the beach where it let Edmund go. That's when it clicked.

"Oh, dear… Eustace… I think he's the dragon."

"What?"

Gael's eyes brightened. "He can turn into a dragon?"

"I believe there's something far more magical in play, Gael," you said with a soft smile. You looked at Lucy. "My guess is he found cursed treasure."

"Oh, Eustace…"

Everyone stood before the dragon as Edmund explained that Eustace was, in fact, the giant reptile before you. It was easier to tell up close since his eyes were far too human for a normal dragon.

"He must have been tempted by the treasure," Edmund said, watching Eustace try to get a hold on the cuff around his scaled arm. It wasn't coming off.

"Everyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted." The three from another world looked at Caspian like he grew another head, making the king clear his throat awkwardly. "Well, everyone from here."

Lucy went over to her cousin and successfully removed the golden cuff, causing Eustace to grunt and shake his arm.

Edmund looked at the king. "Is there any way to change him back?"

"Not that I know of," Caspian answered, glancing at you before settling on Drinian. The captain shook his head.

"Aunt Alberta will not be please," Edmund said to Eustace.

The dragon scowled at the mention of his mother.

You reached out to touch the side of Eustace's scaled face with a gentle smile. "We'll turn you back into a boy as soon as we can, Eustace. But don't be disappointed if this is something only Aslan can fix."

Eustace blinked, snorted, and shifted his head away from your hand. He reminded you of a dog trying to hide away when they did something bad or got caught. You couldn't tell if he felt defeated or was embarrassed by your words.

You frowned and stepped back, brushing shoulders with Caspian.

Reepicheep stepped up to Eustace. "Sorry about the hand, old boy. I can be a little overzealous at times."

Tavros's gravelly voice called out that the boats were ready to return to the ship.

"We can't leave him alone," Lucy said while Caspian took a second sword off his shoulders and handed it to Drinian. He must have found another lord.

Drinian shook his head. "We can't bring him on board, your Majesty."

"You and the others take one boat back. The rest of us will stay here until morning and work out what to do," the king commanded.

"But you have no provisions and no means of staying warm, your Majesty," Rhince said.

Before Caspian could come up with a plan, Eustace shot fire from his mouth to light up a piece of driftwood on the beach.

"You were saying?" Reepicheep said, raising a few chuckles out of everyone.

Gael begged her father to let her stay with Lucy, which he finally relented after several minutes. Caspian and Drinian discussed a general plan for the morning. Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep stayed close to Eustace while speaking to each other.

It was the perfect opportunity to speak with Edmund.

You gently touched his arm to gain his attention. You saw his dread and embarrassment the moment he saw you. "I think we need to chat."

"Uh, yeah. Probably."

Lucy sighed. "Ed, go on!"

"We'll be down the coast a little way if Caspian asks," you told her before strolling away with a very uncomfortable Edmund.

As soon as you were far enough away from eavesdroppers, Edmund spoke. "What happened between me and Caspian was stupid and I'm sorry for anything we said."

"Edmund, relax. I'm not upset about any of that. I think we need to talk about what you said about me because I'm a little confused. I also don't want our friendship to be strange."

"Oh… okay."

"Do you really think Caspian doesn't deserve me?"

He shook his head. "No! Of course not! I wanted… I wanted to make him mad, I guess."

"You succeeded if memory serves me correctly…" You took a deep breath. "Do you, or did you, have feelings for me?"

Edmund groaned and rubbed his face. "Could this get any more embarrassing?"

You chuckled. "Probably."

"It's complicated, Y/N."

"You can tell me anything. I'd like to understand why I came into your fight."

"I don't… It's not the same as…" Edmund kicked a pebble. "I don't know where to start."

"Take your time."

"Uh… let me first say that I don't want to come between you and Caspian. I've always wanted it to work out between you both." You nodded, so he continued. "I had a small crush when we met during the war against Miraz… minuscule. Then I saw what you and Caspian had, and I knew that… that no other man could ever be what Caspian is to you, so I decided to help you out.

"What I said in that cave was something that must have lingered. The mist knew how to pit us against each other by using you.

"No man in Narnia or in my world loves you like your king does. No one." Edmund met your gaze. "The two of you are meant to be together like princes and princesses are in fairytales. I never wanted to destroy that and still don't want to. You're my friend and I… I'm happy with that because that's how it should be."

"Thank you for telling me, Edmund. And… thank you for being, ah, being so supportive of me and Caspian. I don't know if we would be where we are without you."

He chuckled. "You would have fallen for him all the same."

"I haven't-"

"You have. It's not as obvious on your end, but you have." Edmund patted your shoulder. "I never stood a chance against Caspian and I'm not at all upset about it. You two have the closest thing to true love that isn't in a story."

"Love?"

"Stop looking so surprised!"

"I am surprised!"

"You loved him before dating, right? Sure, it wasn't romantic, but it is now. It's easy to change."

"Wait a minute. How did this conversation about you turn into one about me and Caspian?"

He slung his arm over your shoulders and began leading you back to the others. "Because you and Caspian are inevitable."