Chapter 24
Over the next week a flurry of changes took place in Cair Paravel. Georgie moved from her room into Edmund's spare room, which was cleaned of all the items Edmund had stored in there over the years. Her belongings was moved in there, Lucy overseeing the placement of her furniture and the new decor she had ordered for the new room. Peter and Edmund had the adjoining door in Lucy and Georgie's room boarded up so that it could not open from either side, a precaution for their sister. Under Peter's orders, Cair Paravel remained in lock-down and the entrances to the castle heavily guarded. The guests who had come to visit for Georgie's birthday and the tournament were allowed to leave, with the exception of the Calormenes, who were invited to stay longer, a ruse thought up by Caspian so that they might be questioned. The attempted kidnapping of Georgie was kept quiet so that information could be discovered about the whereabouts of Lord Brin. Caspian and Peter had met with Prince Rishdamar privately in order to gain his support of their entrance into Calormen to locate Lord Brin. Edmund, under Peter's orders, was not allowed in the meeting for fear his temper would hinder their attempts.
Georgie found Edmund in the library, seated in a chair facing out one of the large windows. His right leg was crossed over his opposite knee, his elbow propped on the arm of the chair and his cheek resting on his fist. Georgie walked up behind him and placed her hands on the back of the high-backed chair. In the window she saw his faint reflection, his face hard and scowling as he stared out the window. She leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of his head, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. Edmund reached up and unwound her arms from him, pulling her around the chair into his lap.
When she had sat down, she asked, "What is it?"
Edmund sighed and replied, "Peter and Caspian are meeting with Rishdamar right now."
"And?" Georgie prompted.
"And Peter refused to allow me to meet with them. He said I was a liability to the meeting," Edmund said, his voice hard in anger.
"So you came in here to sulk? It's very unbecoming of a king to pout when he doesn't get his way," Georgie said lightly, hoping to lighten Edmund's sour mood.
"It's very unbecoming of a king to have his older brother handle his problems for him!" Edmund growled, gripping Georgie's waist tightly and lifting her off him as he stood. He turned away from her and walked towards the window, leaning his head against it. Georgie came behind him and pulled on his arm until he turned to look at her.
"You can't think that way, Edmund," she said firmly. "Peter isn't handling your problems for you. In fact, this isn't just your problem. It involves all of us. You'll have your moment for revenge, if that's what you're wanting. But for now, let Peter and Caspian handle negotiations."
Edmund sighed and shook his head slightly, a small smile appearing on his face. "You're right," he conceded.
"Of course I am," Georgie smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. He dropped a small kiss on her head and turned to look out the window again. 'You'll have your moment for revenge,' her words echoed in his head. I'm counting on it, he thought, his eyes narrowing.
Later that evening the kings, queens and Georgie sat in the dining room for dinner, discussing Caspian and Peter's meeting with Prince Rishdamar. He had given the Narnians permission to search Calormen for Lord Brin, offering whatever help they may need during their visit.
"I find it distasteful, O Kings, that this Lord Brin conducts his dirty deeds from my great country," the prince had told Caspian and Peter.
Caspian had suggested they sail at the end of the week, in three days, for Calormen to begin their search for Lord Brin. The others nodded their heads in agreement, but Edmund spoke up, causing them to stop abruptly.
"We can leave then, that is fine. But I want G to stay here," he said firmly. Georgie gasped, causing him to turn towards her. He was met with an enraged stare, her eyes flashing in anger. "You aren't going into Calormen. That's final," he said, his voice raising, daring her to argue with him.
"I'm going," she said through her teeth.
"You're staying!" Edmund shouted in frustration.
Georgie jumped up and cried, "You can't leave me here! I refuse to stay here while you go off! I'm not some docile woman who is content to stay at home and wait for you to come back to me!" Realizing what she blurted out, she quickly turned to Caspian's wife, who was staring at her, a meek smile on her face. "I'm sorry, I meant no offense," Georgie began, apologizing. Caspian's wife was not to travel with them and Georgie felt her words might have insulted her.
She laughed and held up her hands, saying, "No offense taken. While I don't like when Caspian leaves, I understand that my place is here and not with traveling with him being underfoot, as I tend to be on voyages. Sailing makes me extremely nervous, so I end up following everyone around like a puppy!" The two women shared a brief smile before Georgie turned back to Edmund, her smile fading and a pleading look replacing it on her face.
"Please don't leave me," she whispered.
Edmund closed his eyes and sighed before nodding. "Okay," he said quietly.
"Well, now that's settled," Susan began, slowly standing. The others turned to her as she continued, "I won't be going with you to Calormen. I haven't had the best luck visiting there and don't want a repeat of last time when I was nearly forced to marry there. I don't want to let you settle this alone, but I can't bring myself to visit that awful country again."
"But Susan-" Peter began, before being cut off by Susan's upheld hand.
"No, Peter. You weren't there last time we went. I can't go back there. There are too many awful memories from that place," she said firmly.
Peter stared hard at his sister for several moments before shaking his head and saying, "Fine. You'll stay here."
"Well I'm going!" Lucy stated loudly. "Calormen has caused enough trouble for our family for several lifetimes."
"Lu, we're not fighting with Calormen. We're going to look for Lord Brin," Edmund said, shaking his head in frustration.
"Maybe you should stay here with Susan," Peter suggested jokingly. Lucy's look of indignation caused the others to laugh, helping to lighten their somber moods.
The next three days were spent in preparations for the trip to Calormen. Since the best way to get there was by sea, the crew of the Dawn Treader prepared the ship, loading supplies and making small repairs. Susan helped Lucy and Georgie pack clothing and other necessary items they might need while visiting Calormen while Edmund, Peter and Caspian planned out where to search for Lord Brin. Prince Rishdamar had agreed to travel ahead of them so that he might begin the search before the Narnians' arrival. Rishdamar was going to send several of his troops to search throughout Tashbaan and the outlying cities for Lord Brin, hoping to capture him and bring him to the Narnians'.
When the day came for Caspian, Peter, Lucy, Edmund and Georgie to leave for Calormen, Georgie woke before dawn, several hours before they were set to sail. She had slept terribly, not being able to fall asleep at first and waking every few hours. Knowing that she was fully awake and there would be no falling back asleep, she sighed and climbed out of her bed. Pulling on her wrapper she walked quietly into the sitting room. To her surprise, Susan was awake and sitting in the room as well. In the pale light of the room, Georgie could see worry etched around the beautiful queen's eyes.
"Georgiana," she said softly. "What are you doing up? You should still be asleep!"
"I could say the same for you," Georgie replied, going to sit in the chair next to Susan.
Susan sighed and said, "I couldn't sleep. I was too worried about this trip. Everyone seems to forget what happened last time we went there, how sneaky and crafty the Calormenes are." Georgie stared at Susan sympathetically. Edmund had once told her of how Susan had been treated when they visited Calormen the last time they were in Narnia and of her relationship with Prince Rabadash.
I don't blame her for being worried about us, she thought. Georgie reached over and grasped Susan's hand and squeezed it slightly, a gesture she had witnessed dozens of times from Susan, saying, "Please don't worry so much. Caspian says Calormen is so much different than when you were there last. Our ties with it are better now than they've ever been. We'll be fine, I promise."
Susan smiled and said, "I hope so. I hate to stay behind, but I just can't bring myself to go."
"I know," Georgie said comfortingly.
The Dawn Treader had set sail several hours later, the fair wind that was blowing giving them a good start. Georgie stood on the port bow, leaning against the rail. The salty sea air blew, whipping loose pieces of her hair across her face. She lost track of how long she stood there, staring at the sea, its blue-green color stretching on for miles. Georgie was hypnotized by its beauty, so much so that she didn't notice Edmund walk up and lean on the rail beside her.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked softly, gazing at the ocean.
Georgie nodded slowly and answered, "I never understood why you loved to travel so much. I see now." He turned and looked down at her, smiling at the wonder he saw in her face.
"When we get home, I'll have a ship commissioned, just for you. We can travel all you want," he said, pushing a loose piece of Georgie's hair behind her ear.
She turned to look at him, smiling, and asked, "A little extravagant, don't you think?"
"Never," he smiled and leaned down to kiss her. Georgie wound her arms around Edmund's neck, pulling him closer to her as she deepened the kiss.
"Hey you two! Cut that out!" came a cry from behind them. Edmund broke their kiss and sighed as he pressed his forehead against Georgie's.
"Lucy," he growled low in frustration.
"Maybe if we ignore her, she'll go away," Georgie whispered, equally as frustrated. Edmund chuckled and placed a small kiss on Georgie's forehead before turning towards his sister. She was hurrying across the deck towards them, her long hair flapping in the wind behind her from the sea breeze that had picked up.
"What is it Lucy?" Edmund asked.
"Peter wants to talk to you," Lucy said, a sly grin forming on her face. "Unless you'd rather I tell him you were otherwise occupied?"
Edmund sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes. "Cut it out, Lu. I hope you meet someone one day so you'll stop being so interested in our love lives," he said, only half jokingly. Lucy's face turned bright pink, her smile fading.
Georgie noticed this and asked, "Perhaps you have met someone, Lucy?"
Lucy's face felt as though it could burst into flames any moment before she stuttered, "Well, I-"
"You have!" Georgie cried.
"What?" Edmund yelled, startling both women.
"Oh dear," Georgie giggled. She pushed Edmund towards the ship's cabins, where Peter and Caspian had holed themselves during the trip, discussing search tactics for once they reached Calormen. "You go ahead and see what Peter wants. Lucy and I will stay here and talk," she said.
"But," Edmund began, turning to glance at his sister.
"Go!" Georgie laughed, giving him a final shove.
Edmund stared at his sister and turned briefly to Georgie to place a kiss on her forehead before warning both women, "You two had better not get into trouble while I'm gone. Or plan any matchmaking arrangements for Lucy."
Lucy rolled her eyes at her brother and said, "I don't need your permission for any of this."
"True," Edmund began shooting a warning look at Lucy. "But you do from Peter. One word from me and we'll both lock you in a tower until you're thirty."
Lucy let out a loud screech at her brother as he turned to leave.
Edmund walked down the wooden stairs below deck to where the cabin he shared with his brother and Caspian was. During the voyage he had taken with Caspian and Lucy years ago, the cabin had housed a small room with a table and benches with an adjoining bedroom, but had since been remodeled. The table and benches had been removed and replaced with two bunks. Edmund had offered to sleep in a hammock, which he had strung up in the room, having enjoyed it during his voyage before. Georgie and Lucy shared the already existing bedroom, which was connected to the front room by a door.
When Edmund entered the small room, he saw Peter and Caspian sitting in wooden chairs in the center of the room, hunched over a stack of parchment, quietly discussing its contents. The both looked up when they heard Edmund enter the room.
"You wanted to see me?" Edmund asked.
"Yes," Peter began, standing and pulling a third chair next to him. "Come sit."
Edmund walked to the chair next to his brother and sat hesitantly. Caspian and Peter exchanged worried glances before Caspian turned to Edmund and said, "We were wondering how you wanted to proceed once we find Lord Brin."
Peter scowled at Caspian and said low, "I thought we were going to ease into this." Edmund snorted, the other kings turning to look at him.
"Since when have either of you 'eased into' things?" he asked sarcastically, causing both Peter and Caspian to chuckle loudly.
When their laughter died down, Peter asked, "Have you thought about it then?"
Edmund sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair. "Of course I have. Whenever I think of what that bastard did to you, to Susan, to G... I see red. I can't think of anything but destroying him as he nearly destroyed all of us. But then I think that whatever happens to him shouldn't be my decision alone. It wasn't my life Brin was out to end. I can't justify killing a man who didn't try to kill me, even if taking away the most important people in my life would have been as good as killing me. Whatever sentence we give him, I can't be the one to give it," Edmund explained. Peter and Caspian sat quietly for several long moments, digesting what Edmund had said.
"Well," Peter said, chuckling softly. "I guess you weren't named 'Edmund the Just' for nothing." The two brothers laughed, remembering when Aslan had crowned them kings of Narnia, giving them their respective titles.
"I wonder why I never got a title like yours," Caspian pondered, ending the brothers' laughter.
"Well everyone already knew you by Caspian the tenth," Edmund pointed out.
"Well, yes. I suppose so," Caspian agreed, slightly disappointed.
"How about 'Caspian the Whiner'?" Peter asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the ridiculousness of Caspian's question.
"Hey!" Caspian yelled, standing up, his chair falling backwards from his sudden movement. Edmund burst out laughing as Caspian scowled at Peter, punching him in the shoulder before storming out of the cabin, laughter echoing after him.
"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Lucy asked Georgie. The two women were leaning against the railing and had been standing silently for some time, watching the sea.
"Edmund asked me the same thing earlier. I told him I never understood why he loved traveling so much until now," Georgie smiled.
"We all do. Well, except Susan. She always preferred traveling on land to sea I think. Edmund loved it most of all when we were here before. He would always find some excuse to tag along with the ships traveling, until finally he and Peter commissioned a ship just for the four of us to use. With a crew, of course," Lucy said, smiling as she remembered long ago days of sailing on their beautiful ship, the Splendor Hyaline, to the various far off places they traveled to.
"Edmund said he would commission a new ship when we returned so that he could take me on trips," Georgie said.
"Really?" Lucy asked skeptically, turning her head to peer at Georgie.
"Really. I thought it was a little over the top, but the more I've thought about it, the more wonderful it sounds," she said, sighing happily.
"I wonder if he means it to be-" Lucy began, but quickly stopped when she realized the mistake she would make if she finished her sentence.
"To be a what?" Georgie asked curiously.
"A-um- a large ship," Lucy stammered, searching for a believable ending to her sentence. Georgie raised an eyebrow disbelievingly at Lucy, before shaking her head and turning back to stare at the sea.
"So tell me about this young man you've found," Georgie said teasingly.
Lucy blushed slightly before asking, "Do you remember the Prince of Terebinthia? He came to your crowning ceremony and your birthday party."
"I think so. I believe I danced with him once before," Georgie nodded.
"Well, we danced together at your crowning ceremony, which was when I first met him, and he asked if he could write to me. I told him he may and we've been writing to each other since. When we saw each other again at your birthday party, I began thinking of him as more than just a friend, even if he did not feel the same way," Lucy explained, her cheeks turning slightly pinker.
"Well, maybe he does feel the same way, but isn't sure how you feel about him. Maybe you should tell him," Georgie suggested, nudging Lucy with her shoulder.
"Maybe," Lucy said softly. The two women suddenly heard the sound of a footsteps behind them and turned at the noise. Caspian was striding towards them, a slight scowl on his face. "Looks like things are back to normal around here," Lucy whispered to Georgie. "Peter and you must have argued," she said louder, her voice laughing.
"Excuse me, but your brother is an insufferable lout," Caspian said, frustrated. Georgie and Lucy laughed loudly, the sounds of their laughter lightening Caspian's mood. He soon joined in with the two women, their voices carrying along the ship.
Peter and Edmund walked onto the deck, hearing Caspian, Lucy and Georgie's laughter, both smiling at the sound of it. "I'm glad they're able to keep their spirits up, even on this rather discouraging trip," Peter said.
Edmund nodded, looking towards where the three stood. He smiled at them, noticing how beautiful Georgie looked, her hair loose in the wind and a wide smile on her face. The sea seems to suit her. I'm definitely having that ship built, he thought.
"Ed, snap out of it!" Peter called, waving his hand in front of Edmund's face.
"What?" Edmund asked, annoyed that his brother interrupted his thoughts. Peter chuckled at his love-sick puppy of a brother, but his laughter was cut off quickly as he heard a loud voice call, "Land ho!" Both brothers turned to look at the horizon and saw the distinct outline of land.
"Calormen," Edmund said, his steady voice low.
AN: So... I might have lied about this almost being finished... It is, but it may take a little longer than I thought to wrap up. There may be a couple more chapters than I had originally planned... I'm sure you won't mind! :-)