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.
Chapter 3 – Instruction at Sea
"Same old Felimath! Same old Doorn," said Lucy, clapping her hands. "Oh—Edmund, how long it is since you and I saw them last!"
"I've never understood why they belong to Narnia," said Caspian. "Did Peter the High King conquer them?"
"Oh no," said Edmund. "They were Narnian before our time—in the days of the White Witch."
— "The Lone Islands", The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
oOo
To and fro, to and fro... Stomp, stomp, stomp.
It was with a concerned look that one young man watched as another continued to tread the deck heavily in his boots between the poop and forecastle.
Edmund sighed.
It had been a little more than a week since he, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace were rescued by the Dawn Treader from the seas. They had been sailing westward ever since Aelis brought his message to his king and Caspian ordered the ship to turn around.
With each new day that greeted them, the ship drew ever closer to Narnia. The sailors that were on duty during the overnight watch had told both Captain and King that the winds had been blowing in their favor every evening since they altered course. Though the Captain did not doubt the words of his crew, he still made note of their current position each morning on his charts and maps. After checking his calculations, Drinian was pleased to assure his King that his men were correct; the Dawn Treader had indeed covered a larger distance during the early hours than he had expected. Not doubting for an instant that a greater force was at work here, the King sent a prayer of thanks to Aslan for bringing them closer to home.
Even with the Lion's favor upon them, it did not stop Caspian from thinking of the situation in Narnia; he had sent Aelis back with a reply to Trumpkin the same day the messenger arrived aboard the ship. In the days after the Falcon's departure, the King began to habitually look westward at the sky for a sign that word from his Regent would arrive soon. Both Lucy and Edmund had grown accustomed to finding their friend on the deck and staring across the seas during intervals of boredom and inactivity.
Today began no differently. As he had been making his way toward the dining cabin for breakfast, Edmund had spotted Caspian standing at the highest point on the poop deck looking up at the sky. The younger boy knew it was the first of many instances of watching and waiting for the King on this day. He had observed his friend for another minute before resuming his walk; he had no intention of interrupting Caspian during such rare moments of peace and privacy aboard the ship.
At a suggestion from Lucy after the morning meal was finished, the three monarchs and Reepicheep had retreated to their favorite spot on the deck. The weather was good and it was far more pleasant to spend time outside than staying indoors or below; the skies were clear, the sun shone brightly and a cool breeze tickled their skin. It was there that they now sat, atop the supply crates that were clustered in a corner near the Queen's cabin.
Or rather, one king and queen had sat down and the third was slowly wearing away the boards of the deck as he walked back and forth along the length of the ship.
Edmund sighed again as he noted how his friend had grown more troubled and silent lately. He knew that thoughts about the mysterious events in Narnia would continue to plague the king until more news arrived. If Caspian were to continue on as he was, he would most likely exhaust himself before they reached their destination.
It was certainly time for a distraction. Edmund had already been thinking of ways to pass the time and decided that one of those ideas would be a useful diversion for Caspian.
On the Pevensies' last visit to Narnia, Trumpkin had mentioned how the king was fond of the Old stories told by his Nurse and Doctor Cornelius. The statement made by the Dwarf was reinforced by Edmund's own observations upon meeting the young Prince for the first time at Aslan's How. As Trumpkin made the introductions, Caspian had stood there with his mouth open, stunned into silence by the presence of Narnia's old Kings before him.
It wasn't until Trufflehunter had given the Prince a slight nudge with his snout that Caspian could acknowledge the two boys that stood in front of him. "Your Majesty is very welcome," he had stammered out, flustered and embarrassed by what he considered his first proper greeting to the High King of Narnia. Though he had initially questioned their identities after the scuffle in the How was over, he did not think his earlier words were befitting a welcome to either Peter or Edmund.
At the time, Edmund had exchanged a small grin with his brother; even in the dim light of the cavern they had seen that Caspian was quite in awe of them. Once the two kings were briefed of the situation and had planned their next course of action, there was a short respite before Edmund went to deliver the challenge to Miraz. During that time, he and Peter had walked amongst the Narnians to provide support in whatever ways they could. They also spent a little time with the Prince, discussing less serious matters and trying to put him at ease. Edmund himself had time only to ask a few polite questions before he set out for the Telmarine camp, but he knew Peter would have spoken more to Caspian in his absence. Even with their efforts, it had taken the other boy several more hours before he felt comfortable with dispensing some of the formalities.
With all that past evidence spread out before him, Edmund was quite confident he could catch the King's attention with any number of stories from the time of his family's own reign. He was about to suggest this idea to Lucy when he caught her staring out over the edge of the boat.
"A Crescent for your thoughts, Lu?"
The fair-haired girl turned around and with a small smile, shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about how lovely it would have been to see the Lone Islands again. Do you remember how we used to stop off at Felimath first and just walk around barefoot in the grass?"
"And how Susan had to remind us we had come to the Islands with a purpose and that we couldn't spend all day there? Of course," came his response as he returned her smile with a grin of his own. "Perhaps one day, Sister, you shall find yourself back again on the lands you were once Empress of."
The king had already circled the deck about a dozen times when he suddenly paused mid-step at Edmund's words. "That reminds me," he began as he approached the sitting children, "ever since my coronation, I've been wondering how it was that the King of Narnia is Emperor of the Lone Islands as well? I remember the High King had listed it as one of his titles in the challenge he wrote to Miraz. Were the Islands conquered by King Peter during the Golden Age?"
Edmund shook his head. "No, they were already attached to the Crown when we arrived in this world." He looked up at Caspian. "Have you not heard of how they became a Narnian protectorate?"
The King shook his head ruefully. "Doctor Cornelius and my Nurse only knew of the Old stories from the time the Great Winter ended; we have no knowledge of events before then." Upon further reflection, he realized that it was just an assumption on his part. Just before he embarked on this quest, Cornelius had mentioned coming across some books in the royal library that may contain references to points in time from before the Golden Age. Perhaps he should take a look at them upon his return; it would be very helpful to learn more about the true history of the country he had recently begun to rule.
"Well, if you'd like to hear the tale, we'd be honored to pass down a bit of Narnia's history to you." As soon as the words left Edmund's mouth, the Telmarine king moved to action. Caspian looked around for a minute and to the younger King's amusement, began to hastily push a heavy crate towards them. Soon, it was moved to a spot just in front of Lucy and they watched as the King proceeded to sit on top of it.
"Nay, the honor is mine, King Edmund," Caspian replied, eager and prepared to hear the story. "I would love to learn more about Narnia's past." Though he always treasured those times during his childhood when his tutor and Nurse shared stories about Old Narnia in secret, he didn't think they could possibly compare with this—an even older story told to him by the ancient sovereigns he revered as a child.
This had worked out better than Edmund planned; Caspian unwittingly led himself to the type of distraction that the young King was about to propose to Lucy. "Would you like to tell the story of the King and the Dragon, Lu?" he asked in a casual voice as he looked to his sister, "Or shall I?"
"A Dragon, Majesties?" a shrill voice piped up near Lucy. The three monarchs turned to find Reepicheep looking up at them; the Mouse had been so quiet that they had forgotten he was there. A chessboard sat between him and Lucy and he had been so focused on the positions of the chess pieces that he had not made a sound. Only at the mention of the Dragon did he turn his attention to the Kings and Queen. "Were there knights and damsels to be rescued too?"
"Well, there were knights and I'm pretty certain quite a number of ladies in distress," Edmund answered as he watched Reepicheep perk up in interest; the Mouse's ears twitched forward in anticipation and his tail flicked impatiently behind him. "Lucy?" The King shifted his gaze back to sister, waiting for her response to his earlier question.
The Queen nodded her consent to recount the story to their friends. "Very well." During their reign, Lucy had been well known for her storytelling; hardly a feast went by without the youngest Queen relating one tale or another to dear friends and guests at the court of the High King.
"Madam, will you now share with us this wondrous story about kings and knights, dragons and damsels?" With each word spoken, Reepicheep's voice grew more excited as thoughts of battles, honor and glory filled his head.
"I will, good Knight," Lucy said as she inclined her head toward the Mouse, a solemn expression on her face before it disappeared into a smile. She closed her eyes for a minute as she gathered her thoughts; much time had passed since she had taken on the role of a storyteller and she felt very out of practice.
When she finally looked at them, Caspian noticed a subtle change in her demeanor. He was suddenly reminded of the many entertainers that performed in the great hall during feasts at the castle. The Queen had the same look about her as the poets and minstrels did when they waited for the hall to grow silent before they began.
As he prepared to give his undivided attention to Lucy, Caspian felt sure that they were in for a memorable time.
In keeping with the old minstrel customs from her reign, Lucy bowed her head to each of them. It was to Edmund first that she bowed, as befit his rank of being the eldest sovereign amongst them. She then turned to Caspian and dipped her head respectfully to him before concluding with Reepicheep.
"My Kings, Good Knight, I pray you hear now this tale of how brave Gale slew the mighty Dragon," she began with a traditional opening, adjusting the words to fit her smaller audience.
"Three hundred years had come and gone,
Since Frank and Helen reigned.
The Apple Tree yet flourished on,
And Narnia's blessed Shield remained."
"What is this Apple Tree?" Caspian asked, a puzzled expression on his face as he interrupted Lucy's narrative. He searched through his memories of the Old stories and was unable to recall any mention of such a thing. "I have not heard of this before. And how was it a shield?"
"It was known as the Tree of Protection and was planted in the Lantern Waste at the start of this world, the day after Aslan sung the Trees to life and the Animals learned to talk," Edmund said. "It guarded Narnia from a great evil for almost a thousand years."
Caspian eagerly digested this new piece of information about Narnia's past. There was a look of excitement on his face and he immediately began to form a list of questions in his head to ask about this part of Narnian history.
"However," Edmund's voice broke through his thoughts, "that is a story for another time." The younger King had been observing his friend and anticipated what Caspian was about to do. He decided to speak up quickly, hoping to forestall any questions that he knew would come their way.
"Oh yes," Lucy agreed as she cast a knowing look at her brother, "another time to be sure."
The story of the Tree of Protection as the Pevensies had heard it from their court historians wasn't very long; the Narnians only ever knew one side of it. It was only after the Kings and Queens had gone back through the Wardrobe that they heard the tale in its entirety. After learning of their adventures, the Professor had told them of his journey with Fledge and the Lady Polly across the Western Wild; not only did he describe what happened in the Garden but also what became of the Apple that was brought to England from Narnia.
Edmund caught his sister's eye and gave a little nod; both King and Queen knew they would have to relate the full story of the Beginning at some point to Caspian. With the loss of much history in this age, it was their duty to help the Narnians remember what occurred in the past and ensure they learned from it and not make the same mistakes as their ancestors.
Caspian let out a little sigh of disappointment; he wanted to hear this story just as much as he did about the one with King Gale and the Dragon.
The Queen saw the expression on his face and laughed. "Fear not, good King," she assured him, "for you shall hear the Tale of the Winged Horse, the Garden, and the Apple in due course."
Edmund hid a smile as Lucy attempted to lessen their friend's dismay with this promise to him. Even as she tried to turn Caspian away from the tale for now, she couldn't help but continue to spark his interest with such intriguing titles that would invite further questions.
Sure enough, the older boy brightened up at her response. "A Winged Horse?" he breathed in sheer wonder of it, for he had never seen such a Creature anywhere in Narnia. "I shall hold you to your promise then, Queen Lucy. But for now," and here he gave her a slight bow, "I beg my Lady's pardon for my earlier interruption and pray that you continue with your tale."
Lucy waived his apology with a smile and picked up where she left off, continuing forth with the next verse of the ballad.
"One summer day there came a ship,
With sailors pale and grey.
Sorrow ruled the news they brought
So King Gale set off that day..."
For the next half hour, the young Queen recounted the tale of King Gale to her friends. She told how a fleet of merchant ships had arrived at Felimath and learned that two great Dragons had suddenly appeared on the isle of Avra. The Beasts had set fire to many of the villages and forests and trampled anything that stood in their paths. As everything burned around them, the Emperor had ordered his people to evacuate to the other two islands while he and his guards remained behind to fight the monsters.
As Lucy spoke, Edmund watched his sister with a fond expression on his face; he had not seen her so happy and lively in such a long time. He could almost picture them sitting together at a feast in the great hall of Cair Paravel, all eyes on the golden-haired Queen as she struck up a story to entertain their guests. In the short time that they had been back in this world, both he and Lucy already felt refreshed and restored from the months they've spent in Cambridge. Staying at their aunt's house this summer had been dreadful; it felt very much like a prison with the rules they had to abide by and having their cousin follow them wherever they went. They barely had any privacy and could not discuss their personal matters with him hanging about; thus far, it had made for a very depressing summer holiday.
Lucy did not see her brother's stare; as in times past, she became absorbed in her tale and was oblivious to her surroundings. During her account of the Islanders' battle against the Dragons, she gestured animatedly with her arms as she pretended to swing a sword with one hand and holding a shield before her with the other. She then described how the Emperor slew one of the great Beasts before her voice dropped several notes as she told in a sorrowful voice how he himself was mortally wounded in the battle as well.
With the loss of their ruler, the people of the Lone Islands sent word across the seas. They sought brave knights and champions to come and rescue them from their plight. Lucy told how Gale had received a vision the day the ship arrived in Narnia; the great Lion appeared in a dream and told the King to set forth and deliver a people in need. And so it was that he immediately set off for the Lone Islands when the news was brought to him. Upon hearing of the situation, the Narnian king knew it fell to him to defeat the remaining Dragon. She told how he set out for Avra and faced the Dragon in the town of Narrowhaven where he eventually fell the Beast near the shores of the island.
"...Once the King had slain the beast,
A hush fell on the land,
But when the people knew who won,
Cheers rang from trees to sand.
"Brave Gale had saved the Islands now,
Its people once more free.
These Islands they now gave to him,
For all eternity.
"Avra, Doorn and Felimath,
Now part of Narnia's crown.
And with that we are come to an end
This tale of most renown."
A moment of silence descended as Lucy reached the end of the ballad. It then gave way to applause from her brother, Caspian and Reepicheep. She smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed from the praise and with a little flourish, she bowed her head to them.
"A most marvelous story, your Majesty!" cried the Mouse. "So that is how the Lone Islands became a part of Narnia."
"Yes," said Lucy, "and ever since then, the rulers of Narnia inherited the title of Emperor or Empress of the Lone Islands as well."
"So that's the story behind it, then," Caspian said, looking rather thoughtful at the revelation. "I don't think any of my ancestors ever knew. Neither my father nor my uncle ever used the title at court or in their letters, and I think it was long forgotten by then. I had not known of it until King Peter first mentioned it, and then when Aslan said I was to be King of Narnia and Emperor of the Lone Islands." He sighed wistfully. "It must have been both exciting and terrifying to have faced a Dragon. A part of me wishes that we may be able to see one had we continued eastward for there are none to be found in Narnia or the other known lands."
He turned his attention back to the Queen. "Thank you, Lucy, for sharing that story. It is wonderful to learn more about some of the other rulers of our country."
Lucy smiled at him. "It was my pleasure, Caspian. I hope that wasn't too bad; I'm sure the poets and minstrels could tell the story much better than I ever could."
"My Lady, I must disagree with you," said the King, "for I think you have the blood of the poets running in your veins."
Reepicheep concurred with his King. "The Badgers that tell stories at our feasts on the Dancing Lawn could not have done a better job than that." There was a pause, and then he addressed Lucy directly, "Madam, if it pleases you, will you perhaps grace us with another tale?"
Edmund looked to his sister and after a quick assessment, shook his head. "I think Lu could use a break. And perhaps a drink as well." The ballad of King Gale was rather lengthy and she had finished the tale without stopping. In the Old times, he remembered that she had paused regularly during her storytelling to take a sip from her goblet at the High Table.
Caspian signaled to one of the mates that stood nearby. "Friend, if you could spare a moment from your duties, please fetch some wine for Queen Lucy." The man bowed to the king and before Lucy could protest, had taken off towards the galley. He returned a few minutes later with a goblet full of a deep, red wine.
"Thank you," Lucy smiled at the sailor as she took the cup from his calloused hand. She took a long sip and savored the taste of the refreshing liquid. As she lowered the cup, she peered over the rim and looked at her friends, studying them for a few seconds. "So, another story then?"
"Only if you want to, Lucy," said the King. He very much wanted to hear another story but did not wish to pressure her to do so. Despite his words, Lucy could see the hopeful expression on his face.
She laughed, unwilling to disappoint them. "All right then. What would you like to hear? I will tell you any story except the tale of the Apple Tree," she held up a hand before Caspian could protest her decision, "That is one story I would like to wait until your court historian is with us; I want to make sure it will be written down correctly, Caspian."
"How about a story of an event from your time?" Caspian suggested instead.
"Let's see…" She let her mind wander through the many years of her reign, trying to come up with something she thought suitable.
"I know just the story." They turned to look at Edmund, who grinned mischievously at his sister. "The tale of the Southern Prince and the runaways."
Lucy groaned as she realized which series of events her brother referred to. "Surely not, Edmund."
"It's perfect," he countered. "It has everything one could want in a story: foreign locales, prophecies, action and mystery..."
"And battles?" asked the Mouse that sat beside him.
Edmund nodded. "Oh yes, Reepicheep, there were battles indeed." He cast a quick glance at the other king before addressing his sister once more. "Besides, Lu, I think Caspian will benefit from the lessons learned in this story. He can learn how not to be a Rabadash, or what to do when one like him comes to court. After all, have not the poets said, 'It is better to be a fool for a few minutes than to remain an Ass forever?'"
As Lucy laughingly threw a chess piece at her brother, Caspian was lost in thought. "Rabadash," the King murmured. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but not from any of the Old stories. He had heard it amongst the children playing in the streets of Tashbaan many years ago. The name and its accompanying title were peculiar enough that he never forgot it. "Rabadash the Ridiculous?"
Edmund laughed. "Even after all these years, I'm surprised Rabadash hasn't been forgotten. So you already know the story then, Caspian?"
The Telmarine shook his head. "I have never understood who or what it meant. When my Father took me with him to visit the court of the Tisroc many years ago, I heard the name spoken of but no one ever explained who he was and why he was known as 'Ridiculous'. The Calormenes I had asked could only tell me that it was a saying that had been passed down for many generations."
"For a people that love stories and poetry such as the Calormenes do, it's a shame that they too have forgotten the history of where their own tales and legends came from. But I'm sure the library at Anvard would still have a record of the incident. After all, the outcome affected our neighbors in Archenland more than it did us." Edmund paused as he turned to Lucy with a solemn expression. "We must tell the King our story, Sister. Do you not agree that the tale of Rabadash is a lesson in diplomacy that should be taught to all who rule these lands?"
"Well, if you insist on putting it that way," the Queen sighed, "then I suppose we must. However," her face brightened as an idea came to her and there was a twinkle in her eyes, "you will have to start the tale, Ed. After all, Peter and I weren't there at the time. I did not become involved until the day Chervy the Stag arrived at the Cair."
"To hear is to obey," Edmund intoned, using one of the Calormenes' favorite sayings. With his hands behind his head, he leaned back until he felt the railing behind him. He closed his eyes for a few moments and thought back to the distant past; even though the events took place only four years ago for him, it was from another time, another life.
He briefly wondered if the story was ever turned into a ballad like that of King Gale. His family stumbled out of Narnia about a year after the events in Tashbaan and Anvard took place, and they never learned what became of the records that were kept in the royal library. But it wouldn't matter in this case; he knew all the details of the story, having witnessed and played a role in the extraordinary adventure himself.
As he brought the memories of those days to the present, he opened his eyes again and looked at each of them. He took a deep breath and then launched into his tale.
"In the fourteenth year of our reign, an embassy from Calormen came to Narnia. It was led by the Tisroc's eldest son and crown prince, Rabadash..."
Lacking his sister's gift of imitating the poets, Edmund told the story in a plainer fashion. He described the appearance of the Calormene delegation at Cair Paravel, the return visit made by himself and Susan, and what happened during the course of their stay in Tashbaan.
Both Caspian and Reepicheep listened intently as the other king described in great detail of the Narnians' secret escape from the city. "And no sooner had our ship docked than we saw Lucy running down to the harbor with a Stag by her side..."
"Poor Chervy, he ran all the way to the Cair from the Southern mountains to warn us." Lucy shook her head as she remembered that very morning. She took over the story from Edmund and told of her involvement in their plans to stop the Calormenes. When she reached the point in the tale where the Narnians had found Rabadash's army in front of the castle at Anvard, she and Edmund alternated as they described what they saw during the battle and the aftermath from their different points of view. Caspian and Reepicheep were delighted by their friends' descriptions; it helped them to picture the scene outside Anvard much more clearly in their heads.
"It was several days later when King Lune sent for Rabadash. The Prince had been shut up in a nice room in the castle while the King decided what to do with him. When Lune was ready to pass judgment, Rabadash refused to listen and insulted everyone in attendance, including Aslan, who came to us in the midst of this." At this, there were looks of indignation from Caspian and Reepicheep. "Despite repeated warnings from Aslan about the danger he was in, the Prince took no heed of the advice. So it was then that before our very eyes, Rabadash was suddenly turned into an ass. It was a very fitting punishment for his behavior."
Caspian burst out laughing as he tried to picture the scene in his head. "Did the Prince remain that way for the rest of his life?"
Lucy shook her head and sighed. "Poor, foolish Rabadash," she said, echoing the words she had uttered that very day in Anvard. "But no, he didn't stay that way; Aslan gave him one more chance at redemption. When the Prince was set before Tash's altar during their Autumn Feast, he became human once more in front of all his people. But he was warned that if he ever strayed more than ten miles from there, he would revert back to his animal form and the change would be permanent."
Edmund grinned as he concluded the tale. "So when Rabadash became Tisroc less than a year later, he avoided conflict as much as possible since he himself couldn't travel very far. To his face, people called him Rabadash the Peacemaker for it seemed to be the start of a peaceful reign for Calormen and its neighboring countries. But behind his back and outside of Calormen, the people referred to him as..."
"Rabadash the Ridiculous," Caspian said, finishing both the sentence and the tale. He clapped his hands and smiled at his friends. "I must thank both of you for the wonderful stories. When we return, I will have them recorded and stored in the royal archives so future generations of Narnians will never forget." He turned to Lucy. "I am thinking of asking the minstrels to set the tale of Rabadash to music, similar to the story of King Gale. It would be marvelous to hear it again during feasts in the great hall."
"And now you have the answers to both of your questions, Caspian."
"Indeed, I do. I now know why the Lone Islands are part of our dominion, and why Rabadash was Ridiculous. And I must agree that Aslan's punishment for him was most fitting."
"Act like an ass and you turn into one." Rhince's comment caused the three monarchs and the Mouse to look up. The first mate was manning the tiller a few feet away and had heard the entire story. Caspian heard several murmurs of agreement to the sailor's words and looked around. Many of the crew that were working on deck had gathered close by, including the tall dark-haired man who stood next to Rhince.
"Aye, Master Rhince, that sounds like the moral to this tale." The Captain turned his attention to the rest of crew. "And with the lesson learned, perhaps we should get back to our tasks before Aslan decides to turn us into sloths for neglecting the ship's duties." He said it not unkindly, but there was a slight sternness in his voice.
As the sailors returned to their posts, Edmund looked to Drinian. "My apologies, Captain. It seems we ended up distracting half your crew with our storytelling."
"Think nothing of it, King Edmund. On the contrary, they should not have been listening in on your Majesties' conversations. Though on a ship this small, I suppose it would be hard not to overhear a few words." Drinian smiled and bowed. "On behalf of the crew and myself, I must thank you and Queen Lucy for the most entertaining tales. It was a delightful distraction for all of us during this long journey and we learned a little more about our country's history."
"It was our pleasure then, Captain." Edmund inclined his head at Drinian and watched as the older man marched off towards the forecastle. From the corner of his eye, he spied another figure standing near the mast observing them. It was a boy some years younger than himself and Lucy. His skin was very pale and he had short brown hair that brushed his forehead. He was wearing the clothes he had originally arrived in when they suddenly found themselves in this world: a white, short-sleeved shirt that buttoned down the front and a pair of short gray trousers. Despite the warm weather, the boy also wore long socks that came up to his knees. The shoes he wore weren't appropriate for moving around on a boat, but they were the ones he had been wearing when the three children were swallowed up by the painting in the back room of his house.
Lucy followed her brother's gaze. "Eustace!" she waved her cousin forward, gesturing for him to approach. "Come sit with us. Were you listening to the stories?"
Eustace pulled his hands from his trouser pockets and walked over, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "A man simply cannot turn into an ass like that," he said, not answering Lucy's question directly. "For a human to grow hooves and a tail and having his face and neck elongated to mimic that of an animal is scientifically impossible. That was a load of rubbish, Edmund."
Reepicheep jumped up from his seat, incensed at the boy's words. "You dare to call King Edmund a liar?" His paw flew to the hilt of his rapier, intent on challenging Eustace. "Kinsman or not, you would do well to show respect to those of royal blood."
"Reep..." The Mouse paused as he heard the warning in his king's voice. He turned to see Caspian give a small shake of his head; it was not their place to reprimand as Eustace was not the king's subject and the Pevensies did not seem offended in the least. Caspian suspected that Edmund and Lucy were quite accustomed to such behavior exhibited by their kinsman.
"You must forgive Reepicheep, Eustace, for he is one with a high sense of honor and will not abide by any manner of misconduct." The king stood up and stretched his limbs. "Come along my good Mouse, and let us speak to Drinian. I am very interested to know how much closer we are to Narnia." It was clear to all that it wasn't just a suggestion.
The Mouse reluctantly released his hold on the hilt of his sword and nodded to Lucy and Edmund. "Your Majesties, I must crave your pardon for my outburst and behavior," he said most politely in his shrill voice, though his whiskers still bristled in silent displeasure. He cast one last glare at Eustace before he set off to follow Caspian.
When the three children were finally left to themselves, Eustace turned to his cousins. "I see you clearly haven't inquired about the nearest British Consul, have you? No, of course not."
Edmund sighed. They had already held this conversation almost a dozen times and yet nothing he or Lucy had said or done would convince Eustace otherwise. "We've already told you Eustace, this is a completely different world. There is no England or Europe or any of those countries you're familiar with here. The British Consul does not exist and we have no way of sending you back to Cambridge then we would to the Moon."
The other boy pushed his mousy brown hair away from his forehead, scowling at the older of his two cousins. "Then let me off this blasted boat."
"Certainly, cousin," Edmund replied, his voice still light and mild. "As soon we reach Narnia, we'll let you off." Eustace opened his mouth, prepared to retort but was immediately cut off. "Look around. We are surrounded by nothing but water. Unless you've suddenly grown fins and flippers, you can't possibly swim to shore. We are still many days out from land."
Lucy looked from her cousin to her brother. Eustace had tried everyone's patience on the ship, most especially with the two kings who were forced to share a cabin with him. Despite the calm expression on Edmund's face, she knew her brother was already aggravated with the younger boy. Though he displayed a neutral facade thanks to years of practice at court, there was no hiding his true feelings from Lucy or their older siblings.
Perhaps it was time to turn onto more pleasant topics, not only to divert her cousin's attention but to save her brother from responding to Eustace's unhelpful comments as well. But before she could intervene, Eustace chose to act first. He turned away from them and mumbling under his breath, headed for the stairs back to his cabin.
"It's a shame you had to cure his seasickness, Lu. A drop from your cordial would be better used on those who truly need it." She turned to face her brother, the irritation with their cousin now clearly visible on his face. "At least he would have stayed down there without bothering the rest of us."
"Edmund!" She swatted him lightly on the arm; it was a mild reproach since she understood how her brother felt. "It's never fun to be sick at sea. Do you remember your first time on a boat? And like it or not, he is still our cousin." She stood up. "Let me try to talk to him. Maybe I can get him to relax for a bit. Do you suppose he'd like to learn to play chess with us?"
The young King watched as the younger Queen made her way below deck. As her golden head disappeared from sight, he wondered if their people were right in their judgment after all. Lucy was just as compassionate and kind as their older sister. Perhaps the Narnians should have given Queen Susan's title of Gentle to the Valiant one instead.
Next: The Persistence of Memory — A conversation between siblings as they reflect on the past and how their appearance causes a shift in fortunes.