The call of "MAN OVERBOARD" Echoed through the men's cabin of the Dawn Treader. It had been three years since Ashlana had last seen the Pevensies. She didn't bother hoping it was them and simply wondered whou could have been stupid enough to fall into the ocean like an idiot. Probably Tarvos. She decided to head above deck and help the poor fool.
She got the shock of her life when she saw not Tarvos, but-
"Lucy?" She froze, staring at the now beautiful young Lucy Pevensie standing shaking in front of her. She literally pushed Caspian away from her and gathered the sopping wet girl in her arms in a tight hug.
"Caspian! Ash!" She heard that voice. His voice. Edmund. She turned to him and grinned. He hadn't changed too much, but boy did he look good!
"Oh, Ed!" She hugged him too and he spun her around happily. Her joy caused her to morph, and Edmund laughed as she put her giant paws on her broad shoulders and pressed her moist nose to his even moister forehead.
A squeal alearted her to a newcomer. Reepicheep was tossed away from a violently flailing, slightly pudgy thing she believed to be a boy.
"That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!" He shouted.
"I was merely trying to dispell the water from your lungs, sir!" Reepicheep tried to reason. The boy simply shreiked again as he caught sight of the giant lioness ready to eat his cousins face off. Not that he cared, but still, Giant lioness, HELLO!
"Someone get that lion off my cousin! Edmund watch out,"
Edmund rolled his eyes.
"Change back, Ash." The Lioness instantly turned into a girl.
"I must be delusinal!" The boy shouted.
"Eustace," Edmund whispered to her. His voice was deeper then it was three years ago. It sent shivers down her spine just thinking about what that voice could say to her during- 'Stop it, Ashlana. You're his protector, not his lover. You will never be his lover!' She scolded herself.
"Where am I. I demand to know."
"You're on the Dawn Treader. Finest ship in The Narnia Navy!" Tarvos announced proudly. Eustace's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fainted.
"That was...um...brave?" Ashlana looked at Caspian for help.
"Was it somethin' I said?" Tarvos asked.
"Tend to him, Tar, will you?" Ashlana asked, finally seperating herself from Edmunds arms. Both inwardly groaned at the loss of contact.
"You Majesty," Tarvos nodded at her, then grunted in annoyance at the unconcious boy.
"Let's get you into something dry then, eh, Lu? Sorry all we have is for salilors." Ashlana smiled at Lucy, Who looked almost Fifteen by now.
"It's aright."
Lucy and Ashlana talked about the crew and Narnia's growth over the three years they'd been gone. Lucy went pale when Ashlana mentioned that she slept in the boys cabin.
"Don't worry Lucy," Ashlana laughed. "I like it better down here. Though I'm pretty sure Edmund or Caspian may have to share with me. You'll be getting Caspian's stateroom, being Queen and all."
"Oh." Lucy got a look in her eye. "It will probably be Edmund."
"What's that look for?" Ashlana grew suspicious.
"You two didn't let go of each other for a long time, Ash. I am seeing a new sister in my future," Lucy laughed at the blush on her cheeks. She didn't know Ashlana could blush. She never saw it happen before.
"Shush Lu." Ashlana handed over the sailors close in Lu's size, and changed as well, seeing as the hugging got her all wet too.
"Come on, Lu, Caspian's probably waiting on us."
"Caspian and EDMUND!" Lucy laughed. And was shoved gently out of the cabin.
"Funny," She announced sarcatically. She led Lucy to Caspians door, and knocked. Drinan opened and bowed to the two girls. Caspian gave Lucy back her dagger and Cordial, and Then went on to explain how they had achieved peace across all of Narnia.
"So," Edmund stated, looking from Ashlana to Caspian and back again. "If there aren't any wars, and you didn't call us, why are we here?"
"We work in mysterious ways, I suppose. The seven Lords, I suppose."
"Right. My uncle, after he killed my father, he went after seven of my father's closest and most loyal lords. They fled to the Lone Islands."
Lucy ran her fingers over the map. "What's east of the Lone Islands, then?"
"Uncharted waters," Drinian replied. "No ones sailed far enough East. Tales of Sea Serpants have been heard."
"Sea Serpants?" Edmund tried not to laugh.
"And worse. So Ed...spar with me?"Ashlana looked up at him hopefully. She'd beaten everyone aboard the Dawn Treader so far. She'd even exauhsted Reepichhep by now, she knew.
Edmund agreed, and the party moved above deck.
"Prepare to loose, Your Majesty," Edmund mocked.
"You first!" And with her sword, attacked Edmund playfully. The two noble people fought with such wonderful swordsmanship, that it came to a draw, and they bowed to each other, before shaking hands. Then, Caspian challanged Ashlana. Fool King. He lost, taking his spiteful words back as well as a painful blow to his Royal Ego.
To redeem himself, however, he drew with Edmund when the younger king challenged him.
"You've gotten better my friend," Caspian praised.
"Seems I have," Edmund laughed. He went to stand with Lucy and Ashlana. Ashlana handed him some water, and moved off of a barrel onto the deck so he could sit.
"Oh, thank you, Ash," He said, taking the water and sitting.
"Edmund, do you think, if we do sail to the end of the world, we'll just tip off the edge?" Lucy'd been talking to Reepicheep. She was worried.
"Don't worry Lu, We're a long way from that," Edmund soothed her.
"Our worlds are Parallel, Lucy, Narnia's world is as round as yours, but the sailors haven't discovered that yet," Ashlana explained. This comforted Lucy, and she relaxed. The calmness didn't last long, though, because Eustace came up from below deck, in the men's cabin, where he'd been unconcious.
"I see you're still talking nonsense, the two of you. And this strange mutant girl is still here, is she?"
"Eustace-" Edmund began, he stopped himself when Ashlana leaned against his leg.
"Are you alright?" Lucy acked, also aiding in stoping a row.
"Fine, no thanks to you. Lucky I have an iron constitution!" " He snapped.
'Snooty,' Ashlana thought. She thought of letting Edmund throw him overboard, but tossed the thought away.
"Ah! Found your sea legs have you?" Reepicheep came out of nowhere, seating himself on Ashlana's shoulder. She grinned at him, and stood so the mouse could have a more eye-to-eye perspective.
"Never lost them! It's just the shock of things. Father says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence" He retorted. Edmund chocked on the sip of water he just took, and Ashlana giggled at him.
"I don't think he has a cute anything," Reepicheep muttered quietly, turning that giggle into a full out laugh.
"I'll have you know, I'm turning you all into the British Consul as soon as we hit land. I'm going to have you arrested for kidnapping!" Eustace had turned to face them as he walked awa, bumping into a wall. A wall named Caspian X.
"Kidnapping is it, now? I thought we saved your life!" He chuckled.
"You lot held me against my will!" Eustace shouted, Ashlana winced and massaged her sensitive ears.
"Did we?" She asked, lowering her hands, once the ringing stopped.
"And in the most unhygenic quarters too! It-it's like a zoo down there!"
"OY! I resent that! I'm an animal you know!" Ashlana growled.
"He's quite a complainer isn't he?" Reepicheep asked, patting the side of Ashlana's face with a tiny paw. She smiled despite herself.
"He's just getting started," Edmund deadpanned.
"LAND HO!" The shout was yelled clear, and Ashlana snapped her head up towards the direction she knew the lone islands to be in.
"No Narnian flags." She stated, a confused, dissapointed look on her face.
"Weird." Edmund said. "The Lone Islands have always been Narnia's
"Suspicious," Drinian added.
"I say we get a landing party. Drinian?" Ashlana smiled when Edmund slipped into king mode, then frowned when she remembered Chain of Command.
"Forgive me your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian, then Lady Ashlana, on the Dawn Treader." Drinian wasn't comfortable saying this.
Edmund was put out. "Right"
"Hmmmm," Ashlana glared at the ocean ahead of her, then nudged Caspian in the side roughly with her elbow.
"Long boats," He sighed. "Pick some men and we'll go ashore, Drinian."
Edmund pulled Ashlana onto the shore, once the boat was docked. In turn, she smiled at him as she pulled Lucy out. Eustace refused help of any kind. He fell painfully hard against the stone steps.
"Are you sure he's related to them by blood?" Caspian whispered to the Lion-girl.
"No. I'm sure it was a mixup in documentation in their land." She grinned up at the King. Then she jumped and drew her sword as the clock tower gave a loud chime. She took a deep breath, smelling nothing in the air, and began to slowly walk into the city.
"Reepicheep," Capian turned to the mouse as he followed. "If we're not back by dawn, send a party."
"Right, your Majesty," He jumped back into the long boat.
"Think there's anything here?" Lucy asked Ashlana.
"There's something not good," She replied back, Keeping her position protective in front of the siblings. Edmund ignored the fact he wanted it to be the other way around. "I suppose we're going to find out."
The rest silently agreed.