Bound by Duty

Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belong to the estate of C.S. Lewis. I own nothing but the plot and the original characters in this story.

Author's Notes: Thank you Metonomia and E (I would reply to your review if I could) for your kind words, and to those of you that have added this story to your alerts; I'm surprised anyone would do so based on reading just the prologue alone!

Chapter 1 – A Change in Course

"The sum is, we are now nearly thirty days at sea and have sailed more than four hundred leagues from Narnia."

"And after the Lone Islands?" said Lucy.

"No one knows, your Majesty," answered Drinian. "Unless the Lone Islanders themselves can tell us."

— "On Board the Dawn Treader," The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

oOo

"After thirteen hundred years, one would think some sailor or adventurer would have gone exploring east of the Lone Islands by now."

"So there were no tales about what lies beyond them during your reign?" The King of Narnia glanced at the boy that sat opposite him in the cabin. Though one hour had scarcely passed since the arrival of three additional passengers aboard his ship, the shock and amazement of what transpired continued to linger amongst the King and crew.

It had started out as a perfectly normal day during this long sea voyage and no one—from the King down to the cabin boy—could have foreseen the events that would occur by the time the midday meal was over.

The morning began as it had ever since the ship departed from Redhaven almost a week ago, tranquil in both sky and sea as the crew awoke to find they had Eastern Seas to themselves once more. From the time the last of the Seven Isles had disappeared behind them, they had seen neither pirates nor other seafaring vessels along their route. The ship continued onward without any sort of disturbance, facing naught but the gentle waves that carried them east toward the Lone Islands.

It was thanks to Rhince, the first mate of the Dawn Treader, that they were spotted so quickly. He had just ascended to the deck to resume his shift when he heard the distinct sounds of objects hitting the water. He thought perhaps a few of the water casks had rolled overboard and looked out in the direction where he had heard the noise.

He was taken aback by what he saw. There were neither barrels nor crates bobbing in the water. Instead, he found himself staring at three children thrashing against the waves as they tried to stay afloat. The first mate was so surprised by their sudden appearance that he had frozen on the spot. It was only when one of the children began to cry for help that he finally found his voice and alerted the rest of the ship's company to the scene just off the port bow.

The rescue itself had been fairly quick. Before the Captain could formulate a safe rescue plan, the King himself had jumped into the water to aid the children. Several sailors including Rhince anchored themselves on the deck and were able to carefully hoist the ropes up as each person was lifted out of the sea. A young girl was brought up first, followed by two boys of similar age and lastly, the King.

That was the first surprise that greeted the King and crew that afternoon. It was followed immediately by the single word the girl uttered as she stood barefoot on the deck, shivering in her strange wet clothing.

"Ca–Ca–Caspian!"

The King looked up immediately and a smile lit his face as he recognized the girl and one of the boys. The three of them would have continued their reunion where they stood had the girl not sneezed and a visible shudder rippled across her body. It was then that King Caspian ushered his guests to the cabins to change before they were to speak again.

A quarter of an hour had passed by the time they reconvened in the Captain's cabin. The small group was seated around a table with a large map spread out before them. Along one side of the table, the King sat at the center with a tall, dark-haired man to his right. On his other side, a large Mouse stood atop the seat of a chair so its head could be clearly seen above the table. Its stature was made greater by the scarlet feather that protruded from a thin circlet on its brow. Sitting across from the King were two of the children, including the boy who had just spoken a few seconds earlier.

The boy shook his head in reply to King's question. As he did so, droplets of water splattered upon the edge of the map that was in front of him. In his haste and excitement to meet with the King, he had changed his clothes quickly but neglected to dry his head off before venturing to the Captain's cabin. He was younger than the King by a few years, but carried the mannerisms of one much older. The same could also be said of the girl who sat beside him, though she was younger than the boy and bore a resemblance to him.

"I do not recall hearing any tales of lands beyond the Islands," the girl said, drawing the King's attention away from his thoughts and back to their current discussion. "What about you, Ed? You talked to the sailors in the harbor more often than I did during our visits there."

Edmund did not respond right away. He traced one finger around the perimeter of Avra before drawing an invisible line east of the island and off the edge of the map. "From what I was told, the Lone Islanders did not travel east except to fish in the deeper waters just outside their borders. They had no need to search for new trading partners when many countries in the west relied heavily on the exports of their exotic goods. And in addition to Narnia, the Islands had formed lucrative trading deals with both Calormen and Terebinthia."

His eyes drifted toward the other end of the map, focusing on a small island just east of Narnia. "It was better to ask the Galmians for their theories. They had been a great maritime folk long before our arrival and were more inclined to seek out new routes and lands. But even Galma's sailors only ventured past the Islands for no more than a few days or a week at the most before turning back. And they saw nothing before them except the sun, the sky and open waters."

The Mouse, who had listened with rapt attention to every word the boy said, climbed up from his seat and onto the table. He bent his head down toward the map for a better look at the different countries before looking back up at his King. "So the real adventures shall begin after that, Sire!" he exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement at the prospect of exploring lands that were unfamiliar even to the seafaring peoples they knew of in this world.

"Indeed, Reepicheep," laughed King Caspian, "but first we must see how our subjects in the Lone Islands have fared all these years. I do not think they even know that the kingship of Narnia has changed hands three summers past."

"Has no one from the Lone Islands come to Narnia in such a long time, Caspian?"

"Nay, Queen Lucy," it was the ship's Captain, the Lord Drinian, that answered. "At least not anyone in an official capacity. The records we have show that the territories stopped paying tribute to Narnia almost two hundred years ago, and the Telmarine court had not received an ambassador from there since before that time.

"Also, they would not have come from the east. Since the usurper Miraz and the King's forefathers had forsaken the Eastern shores, most visitors to Narnia would have made the journey from the South, via the mountain pass that crossed over from Archenland."

He brought their attention back to the map, pointing at the three shapes that represented their next destination. "I was thinking of putting in at Felimath when we reach the Islands. It is the westernmost of the three and we shall see it well before Doorn and Avra appear on the horizon. However," here he looked up at Edmund and Lucy, "if your Majesties can offer better advice on where we should land, I would be glad to hear of it. For most of the ship's company including myself, this will be the first time we have ever journeyed to the Lone Islands."

Before either of the children could reply, there was a knock on the cabin door.

"Enter," Drinian called out. A man with short, dark hair poked his head through the doorway. "Ah, Rynelf!"

The sailor nodded briefly to the Captain before turning his attention to the king. "Your pardon, Majesty, but a Bird has arrived with a message for you. He is waiting on the poop. Shall I send him down?"

"A message from Narnia?" Caspian stood up. "I shall come up at once." He stepped out of the cabin, the others following close behind him as they filed out in a single line.

When it was Lucy's turn, she stepped out of the corridor and onto the deck. The shade from the narrow hallway gave way to bright sunlight and she blinked a few times before raising a hand to shield her eyes as the glare hit her face. She paused for a brief second and breathed deeply, inhaling the cool, salty air that surrounded them; it was a welcome change from the musty air inside the close quarters of the cabin. As she followed Caspian up the short flight of steps to the poop, a wondrous sight greeted her eyes.

Atop the stairs, a large Falcon was perched on the wooden railing overlooking the deck. Lucy knew at a glance that it was not a normal bird as could be found in England; just as Reepicheep was bigger than the average mouse, so it was with the Falcon as well. She could see the intelligence in the eyes of one of the great Talking Beasts of Narnia.

"Greetings, Sire." The Falcon bowed his head towards the king.

"Hail, Aelis!" Caspian welcomed the Falcon, fastest amongst his messengers. "What news do you bring?"

"I bear a message for you from the Lord Regent." The great Bird held out his left leg where a scroll of parchment was fastened, his wings flapping as he steadied himself on the rail as the ship rocked slightly against the currents.

Caspian retrieved the scroll and stepped away to read the message privately. Aelis remained where he was, noticing for the first time the group that had also assembled on the poop. His eyes traveled over the four, recognizing the tallest and shortest amongst them. As his gaze landed on the two children, the Falcon let out a small screech of surprise.

"Your Majesties!" He hastily lowered his head towards them.

"Well met, cousin." Lucy smiled at him, responding with the familiar Narnian greeting she had often used in the past.

"I was unaware you had come back to Narnia, Queen Lucy, King Edmund." Aelis paused briefly before continuing, his head cocked to the side as his dark eyes gazed at them with a peculiar expression on his face. "Did your Majesties not return to your other world?" Though several years had passed since he last saw them, the Falcon clearly remembered the day the Kings and Queens of Old had left. His perch amongst the trees had left him with an unobstructed view of the Door that Aslan set up for the Telmarines' departure. He had seen the Kings and Queens disappear from Narnia as they walked through the Door and back to the world where they originally came from.

"We did indeed," said Edmund. "And it is by Aslan's grace that we have been brought back to Narnia once more. Well, the Eastern Seas anyway," he amended. He looked curiously at the Falcon. "You flew all the way here from Narnia? How did you know where Caspian would be to deliver your message?"

Aelis shifted his wings slightly, adjusting his position before settling comfortably on the railing once more. "The King and his advisors had roughly mapped out the first part of the journey before setting out for Galma," said the Falcon as he chose to answer the latter question first. "With that plan as a guide, the Council assumed that his Majesty would have reached the Lone Islands by now, so it was there I was ordered to fly towards.

"And when my wings tired from the long distances I covered, I found rest on some Galmian and Archenlandish ships that were at sea. The crews were quite courteous when I told them I was bearing an important message for the King of Narnia. And messengers were sent to the other island countries as well in case the King had not reached the Lone Islands yet."

"Then it is good that we are still many days out from arriving at the Islands." Caspian returned to them, a frown marring his face. He still held the scroll in his hand, but it was gripped tightly in his fingers and his knuckles paled. The King turned to address the Falcon. "You have done well, friend, for you have traveled far to reach us. What service may I offer you? There is refreshment in the galley should you seek food and drink."

"For now, I only seek a place to rest my wings, my King."

"Drinian, if you could find a place for our Friend to recover from his journey..."

"Of course, Sire." The Captain motioned for Aelis to follow him but paused when the King spoke up again.

"When you return, we shall wait for you in your cabin. We have much to discuss." Drinian nodded in response as he heard the serious tone in his King's voice. He set off at once with the Falcon in tow.

Caspian then turned to his remaining audience, a troubled look in his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he gestured for them to return to the cabin. Reepicheep led the way down and after sharing a look of concern with each other, Edmund and Lucy followed right behind him. The King brought up the rear, his steps slow and uncertain as if deep in thought. It was a matter of minutes before they were all crammed inside Drinian's cabin once again.

An uneasy silence descended on the room for a few moments until the Captain arrived. Caspian waited until the other man was seated before revealing the troubling thoughts in his mind.

"I've received some news from Trumpkin and it puts me ill at ease."

"An invasion, Sire?" Reepicheep asked as he watched the King unfurl the scroll in his hands and scanning the message once more.

"I'm not sure yet, Reep. Apparently, there is some trouble coming from the north."

"Giants, perhaps?" Edmund asked as a wistful look crossed his face. "They certainly gave us a lot of trouble back then." For a brief moment, some of the campaigns he and Peter led during the Golden Age flitted through his mind. They had fought many wars against their northern neighbors through the course of their reign and were fortunate to have won more than they had lost.

Drinian shook his head. "Not after the battle fought last summer. We decimated their army to the point where their King came out personally to surrender and asked us to treat with them."

The King smiled grimly as he remembered. "And they are paying tribute to Narnia now. But I do agree with Drinian; the Giants currently do not have strength in numbers to wage another war so soon." Caspian then passed the scroll to Edmund so he could the contents of Trumpkin's letter.

Edmund read the message twice before he handed it over to Lucy for her perusal. Though it took her a little longer to finish reading than her brother, she was the first to speak up. "But Trumpkin has Susan's Horn, doesn't he? If there is truly a terrible danger facing Narnia, he could use it to summon help."

Caspian nodded. "I left it for him should a great emergency arise in my absence but for now, I believe things are still somewhat manageable. Trumpkin has orders to use the Horn if the rest of Council approves and deems it necessary."

Edmund lifted his gaze to meet Caspian; the younger boy had remained silent ever since he finished reading the letter. He said nothing at first, using the time instead to study his friend's face. The Telmarine king shifted in his seat, slightly uncomfortable by those eyes that looked back at him; it seemed to Caspian that the other king was not looking at him but through him, beyond what was physically there.

And finally, he spoke. "You mean to return. To go back to Narnia." It wasn't a question; Edmund could see it written plainly on the King's face.

Drinian started. He hadn't expected such a response, as he looked first at Edmund and then to Caspian. "Sire?"

The King sighed, his heart heavy with the decision he was close to making. "I can't help but feel that something is wrong."

"Sire, you appointed Trumpkin and the Council to rule and guard Narnia in your absence," Reepicheep piped up from his place beside his king. "You placed your trust in them. Allow them to show you that your faith in them is not misplaced."

Caspian allowed the tiniest of smiles to form on his lips. "I do trust them, Reep. Otherwise, I would not have left them to run the country while I was away campaigning in the North last year." He sighed again. "However, something about this leaves me with a terrible feeling."

The Mouse was not swayed by his words so easily. "My liege, you swore an oath to Narnia and to Aslan to search for the seven missing Lords."

"I remember that, Sir Mouse," there was a small note of irritation in Caspian's voice, "and I will see that through. However, my duty to Narnia and her people comes first." With his eyes focused on Reepicheep, he didn't see the small hand that reached for his arm.

"Caspian." The King turned his head to find Lucy looking at him. There was a glimmer of concern in her eyes. He stiffened slightly, assuming she too was of the same mind as Reepicheep. What she said instead caught him completely by surprise.

"I think you should return to Narnia." They all looked at her, three of them clearly startled by her words. Only Edmund remained unfazed, accustomed to his sister's simple but strong declarations when she made decisions she felt were right.

"If you feel that Narnia is in trouble, then you should go. I'm sure Aslan would not want you to seek the missing Lords when the country may be facing some great danger. You'll just be postponing this quest for a little while, not abandoning it. If He felt that you were making the wrong choice, He would let you know soon enough."

It was as if someone had a lit a fire in his veins. Caspian felt a renewed strength surging through him, as if it came from Lucy herself. Looking at the little Queen, he saw the concern in her eyes had been replaced by something harder, stronger. A short list of words sprung to mind as he tried to define what it was he saw. He quickly discarded each word and settled on the last one that came to him, which was fitting for who she was. Valiance.

With two of them having given him their thoughts, the King turned to the remaining members of this impromptu council. Drinian gave him a small nod. "I am at your command, my Lord." They had been friends for many years but Caspian was King first and foremost and Drinian would follow his orders, whatever they may be.

So two were with him, and one against his decision. That left Edmund, whom Caspian found was a harder person to read. The expression on the boy's face was neutral, and the King was unable to discern what his friend was thinking.

"What are your thoughts, Edmund? Do you think I am wrong to turn back?"

The boy that sat facing him left the question unanswered for a few more minutes. Caspian felt sure that Edmund would back him up, but as he waited he felt a small sense of doubt rising within him. What if Edmund disagreed with him as well? Though he himself was the King of Narnia and had final say over this decision, he valued the advice of both Lucy and Edmund. It had not occurred to him what he should do next if the other King opposed his decision.

"Edmund?" The voice that spoke up was Lucy's, the only one amongst them who could press her brother without feeling disrespectful toward the young King.

The answer came slowly, as if each word was carefully weighed and chosen. "Caspian, you are King of Narnia," he began. His dark eyes locked onto Caspian's face. "You are Lord of the Telmarines and the Talking Beasts. You also serve Aslan, who made you King of the country He created at the dawn of time. It is your responsibility to ensure the safety of His country and subjects. If you feel some harm may befall them, then it is your duty to do whatever you must to protect them. But if your instinct tells you otherwise, then you should continue this journey and fulfill your oath."

It neither supported nor opposed his decision. Edmund simply stated the responsibilities of the office Caspian accepted when he was crowned. And as a servant of Aslan, he should keep the promises he made to Him. He had duties to both Narnia and the Lion, but which was the higher priority? Edmund was pointing out that whatever happened next, it was solely Caspian's choice to make.

Caspian looked at Edmund with a deeper sense of respect. In their previous meeting, the King of Old spared only a few minutes of conversation with the Prince, having set off to deliver the High King's challenge to Miraz and then preparing their army for battle against the Telmarines. For the first time, Caspian understood why Edmund was known amongst the legends as the Just King.

His decision made, he addressed the ship's Captain. "Drinian, prepare to turn the ship around. We sail for Narnia."

"Aye, Sire." Drinian stood up. He bowed to each of the monarchs before leaving to carry out his King's command.

Next: Thirty Days — In which we learn of the situation in Narnia and how a Dwarf resolves a dispute among his peers.