A Tale of a Voyage

Disclaimer: I only own the cousins.

Chapter 4: Islands and Slavers

By the next day, we had come within sight of the Lone Islands. Lucy said, "Same old Felimath! Same old Doorn! Oh, Edmund, Hannah, Faith, Rose, how long it is since we saw them last!"

"I've never understood why they belonged to Narnia," said Caspian musingly. "Did Peter the High King conquer them?"

"Oh, no," said Edmund. "They were Narnian before our time—in the days of the White Witch."

"Are we to put in here, Sire?" Drinian asked.

"I shouldn't think it would be much good landing on Felimath. It was almost uninhabited in our days and it looks as if it was the same still. The people lived mainly on Doorn and a little on Avra- that's the third one; you can't see it yet. They only kept sheep on Felimath."

"Then we'll have to double that cape, I suppose, and land on Doorn. That'll mean rowing."

"I'm sorry we're not landing on Felimath. I'd like to walk there again. It was so lonely—a nice kind of loneliness, and all grass and clover and soft sea air."

I felt a deep foreboding in my spirit at Lucy's words, because, despite the fact that it had been 27 years since I had read VDT, I remembered well just who would be waiting on Felimath.

However, Caspian responded, "I'd love to stretch my legs too. I tell you what. Why shouldn't we go ashore in the boat and send it back, and then we could walk across Felimath, and let the Dawn Treader pick us up on the other side?"

"Oh, do let's!" Lucy exclaimed.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Faith exclaimed. Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, Reepicheep, Faith, Art, Rose, James, Will, Jade, and I were soon strolling across the picturesque island when we saw six or seven rough looking men. I closed my eyes, remembering, before a smile slowly spread across my face. Would canon be ruined too horribly if I wasn't captured?

"A good morning to you!" shouted a big black-haired fellow, the apparent leader of the men.

"And a good morning to you," said Caspian. "Is there still a Governor of the Lone Islands?"

"To be sure there is," said the man, "Governor Gumpas. His Sufficiency is at Narrowhaven. But you'll stay and drink with us."

So we sat down. I was on pins and needles, more crouching so I could take off than sitting. But we had barely held our cups to our lips before the men attacked us. I was up and running the moment they did. I knew that I could outrun them, simply because I was younger and smaller, not to mention a knight. I soon lost the one chasing me and decided to try to find the village. I mentally constructed a map of Felimath and located the town and where I was. I smiled and began to run. I hoped to beat the slavers there.

When I got to the settlement, I was pleased to note that a bedraggled ship that couldn't belong to anyone but Pug still sat in the harbor. I ducked into the shadows beside the entrance to the village. I didn't want the slavers seeing me the moment they entered! Soon, I knew they were approaching, for Eustace could be heard at a greater distance than he could be seen. After a little while, they rounded the corner. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven! I breathed a quiet sigh of relief when I saw all of my companions together. I followed them until I saw Caspian be sold, and I prayed that it was to Lord Bern, like it was supposed to be. Pug hauled the rest of my friends off to his ship, and I carefully approached Caspian and his new master. I sighed in relief as I watched the man bow to Caspian and kiss his hand. One worry taken care of. I drew nearer and Lord Bern saw me as he rose. Pug and the others were quite far ahead now. "Caspian!" I called urgently.

He whirled around to face me, gasping in what seemed like relief and fear. "Hannah! Thank Aslan you're all right!"

I cleared my throat. "Yes, well, as I'm not exactly fond of the idea of being captured by slave traders, I decided to get out of there while I could."

He chuckled. "We weren't very fond of the idea either, you know."

I smiled. "But this is not the time, nor the place, to bicker."

He smiled thinly. "No. It isn't." He turned back to Lord Bern. "Lord Bern, may I introduce you to Hannah, High Queen of Narnia from her Golden Age?"

"I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance, my lady." He bowed to me.

"And I yours." I smiled.

Caspian then said, "My Lord Bern, we must talk of the state of these islands. But first, what is your Lordship's own story?"

"Short enough, Sire. I came thus far with my six fellows, loved a girl of the islands, and felt I had had enough of the sea. And there was no purpose in returning to Narnia while your Majesty's uncle held the reins. So I married and have lived here ever since."

"And what is this governor, this Gumpas, like? Does he still acknowledge the King of Narnia for his lord?"

"In words, yes. All is done in the King's name. But he would not be pleased to find a real, live King of Narnia coming in upon him. And if your Majesties came before him alone and unarmed- well, he would not deny his allegiance, but he would pretend to disbelieve you. Your Grace's lives would be in danger. What following have your Majesties in these waters?"

"There is my ship just rounding the point. We are about thirty swords if it came to fighting. Shall we not have my ship in and fall upon Pug and free my friends whom he holds captive?"

That was what I wanted to do, but I knew that Bern was right when he said, "Not by my counsel. As soon as there was a fight two or three ships would put out from Narrowhaven to rescue Pug. Your Majesties must work by a show of more power than you really have and by the terror of the King's name. It must not come to plain battle. Gumpas is a chicken-hearted man and can be over-awed."

I giggled a bit at that statement, and Caspian fixed a glare on me. "Hannah-"

"I know!" I interrupted. "That's just a bit funny, is all."

After a little more conversation, Caspian signaled Drinian and the ship, and the three of us boarded. Drinian, as soon as he had been apprised of the situation, wanted to do just what Caspian had suggested. But Bern gave the same objection. So, we instead sent up signals to non-existent ships, and went to Lord Bern's home, feasted, and stayed the night. But I couldn't get my worry for the others out of my mind. I hoped they were all right.