Chapter Seven
"Your majesty," Henry said "where do you suggest we look first?"
"Archenland, the Lone Islands, Galma and Terebinthia."
"We?" Victoria cut in "you are coming with us?"
"Of course," Rillian smiled "you cannot find me a wife without me there. My reign is established and stable, it would do me good to see places outside my realm, to renew friendships."
"That makes sense," Henry nodded.
"No it doesn't," Victoria said incredulous "what if you die on this trip Rillian? What will Narnia do then?"
"So I am to remain closeted behind my castle door?" he asked his brow furrowed.
"No." Victoria breathed out.
"So I'm coming?" He asked smiling expectantly.
"You're a king," Victoria smiled "I don't think I can stop you."
"No but I like your opinion."
"Vic these are really good," Henry turned around to the pair with a bowl of small cakes, at least two were stuffed in his mouth.
She laughed at her brother taking one of the cakes in his hand.
Victoria awoke the next morning more refreshed than she had felt in months. She saw at the end of her bed a blue dress, it was beautiful with a panel of silver thread woven into the front creating patterns of leaves down the body. Beside it sat a matching cloak with a hood lined with white fur. There was also a little hunting knife, a blue jewel sat in the hilt glinting as Victoria admired it. She dressed quickly packing a blanket into a leather bag left at the foot of her bed. She placed the dagger back in its scabbard and wrapped the belt around her waist.
"Morning Vic," Henry waved as she she sat beside him. He passed another bowl of the little cakes he had admired last night to her. She took five and wrapped them in a napkin and tucked them in her bag.
"You know Victoria we have enough food that you don't need to smuggle any." King Rillian said as he sat beside her.
"It's for our journey, Henry seems to like them."
"Well you ought to know I am partial to the apple crumble." Victoria laughed.
"I don't think that will travel as well." She grabbed a handful of raisins as Rillian unfurled a map on the table. The three of them pushed bowls of food aside to get a better look.
"We are here," he pointed to a tiny dot. "Cair Paravel by the sea. We will take a boat to Galma, Terebintha and the Lone Islands from there, if we have no success, we will continue to Archenland. I have a ship ready not a large one, not even as large as the Dawn Treader but it will take us safely to the Lone Islands."
"This is beautiful." Victoria said as she ran her hand over the new ship.
"Your coming seems to have been foretold the ship was only finished two weeks ago." Victoria went to walk up the gangplank. The Narnian sailors stood at the quayside gasped.
"No," Rillian shouted.
"What's up?" She asked.
"The ship hasn't been named you cannot enter an unnamed ship."
"Oh," she said feeling once again out of depth in Narnia. "What are you going to call it?"
"Why don't you name it?"
"Ships in our world are always a her. What was your mother called Rillian?"
"Elspeth."
"The Queen Elspeth." Henry smiled at his sister, this was the Victoria he knew confident and adventurous. She had hidden herself in books for longer than Henry could remember. He ran up the gangplank after her.
"Having an adventure yet?" He said.
"Yes." She smiled. Victoria walked onto the poop deck. There was a string of hammocks hung between the beams. At the end of the floor was two small cabins one read 'Captain' and the other 'King'.
"It's yours," Rillian said from behind Victoria.
"No," she replied "I couldn't."
"Yes you can. I don't think you want to sleep out here."
"Thank you." The tour continued up onto the main deck. Victoria felt the wind grab her hair as it streamed behind her like a banner.
"Do you like it?" Henry asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"I have a feeling we are embarking on an adventure."
"Haven't we already had one?" She asked.
"Not big enough." He said running the length of the deck.
"Are you ready my lady?" Pervis asked "we are putting out to sea."
"Isn't that the King's decision?"
"Yes but he asked me to ask you. If he is busy you are in charge." Victoria looked around to the ship with its six or so crew members as well as Pervis, Henry and the Captain. She felt a certain amount of responsibility.
"We are ready." She said walking to the very front of the ship to watch the ship head out to sea. Despite Victoria and Rillian's insistence Henry stayed on the deck all day barely moving from just behind the masthead watching the horizon ahead. Firstly azure blue then flecks of red and gold crept in as the sun began to set before the blackness of a new moon hit the crew with only the stars to guide them.
"Here," Victoria handed Henry some of the cakes she had kept in her bag all day.
"Thank you." He replied his mood more sombre than Victoria had seen it since they entered Narnia.
"Do you think you are on your great adventure?" She said.
"Yes the boys at school are never going to believe me."
"No they're probably not."
"Try one of the cakes Vic seriously even after being in your bag all day they are so good."
"Right," she smiled grabbing one he had in his hand.
"Hey not fair," Henry moaned laughing as he tried to grab the cake back as Victoria held it just out of reach.
Rillian stood beside Jepson, the Queen Elspeth's Captain.
"Everything on course Captain?"
"Of course sire no problems she is a fantastic ship."
"Yes she is." Rillian said turning away from watching the siblings play to stare out to the sea. The sky had turned black which in turn had made the ocean black the only light apart from those on the ship were the lights from the stars above.