"Where sky and water meet, where the waves grow ever sweet. Doubt not, you Reepicheep. To find all that you seek, there is the Utter East. Doubt not—"
"That's pretty!"
Reepicheep abruptly stopped singing and turned around to find Lucy and Eva at the bow. "Oh! Thank you. A dryad sung it to me when I was just a mouseling. I can't divine the meaning, but I've never forgotten the words."
"What do you think is past the Lone Islands, Reep?
"Well, I've been told the furthest east one can sail is to the end of the world. Aslan's Country."
"Do you really believe there's such a place?"
"Well, we have nothing, if not belief."
Lucy paused. "Do you think you could actually sail there?"
"Well, there is only one way of finding that out. I can only hope I will one day earn the right to see it."
"I can't imagine anyone more deserving to see Aslan's Country than you, Reep," Eva smiled.
"I hope Aslan thinks so too, my Lady!"
"Elizabeth!" Lucy called down. "Come up! You're going to want to see this!"
Elizabeth left Eustace's side and went back up onto the main deck. Caspian and Edmund were dueling while Lucy, Eva, and the rest of the crew all watched in delight.
Both of them did quite impressive footwork as metal clashed against metal. The spar went on for a while before it ended with each sword pressed to the other's neck in a draw. Everyone applauded the Kings.
"You've grown stronger, my friend," Caspian said to Edmund.
"Seems I have."
"Alright!" Eva said as she stepped towards them. She smiled at Edmund. "My turn."
Edmund smirked as Caspian handed her his sword. The two of them stood a few feet apart and looked at one another as another spar prepared to begin.
Edmund had been teaching Eva combat skills over the past couple of years at home, knowing she would need them once they returned. She had gotten really good at it as time went on, and he was curious as to how she would fare with an audience.
Edmund made the first move, and their duel began. Once more, metal clashed against metal as Edmund and Eva fought with their swords. The fight went up the stairs to the steering wheel as everyone watched with amusement. Eva slid down the railing on the stairs while Edmund bounded after her, hopping over the railing a few stairs from the bottom.
With one final move, Edmund managed to knock the sword out of Eva's hand before she fell to the ground. Edmund aimed his sword at her in victory. Then he smiled and helped her up.
Caspian came over to Eva. "You've certainly improved since the last time I saw you," Caspian commented.
"I had a good teacher," Eva smiled.
Edmund smiled back at her as he put his arm around her.
"Alright! Back to work!" Drinian ordered.
Edmund and Eva got some water and went next to Lucy.
Elizabeth joined them. "That was impressive," she said to Eva. "I didn't know you could do that."
"That's what we've been doing when Edmund and I left the house for a while," Eva told her. "Normal couples go out to eat and talk. We went out to train in combat."
"Edmund," Lucy said. "Do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just…tip off the edge?"
"Don't worry, Lu. We're a long way from there."
Eustace came up from below the ship. "I see you're still talking nonsense, the three of you."
"Are you feeling better?" Lucy asked as he leaned against the railing of the ship.
"Yes, no thanks to you. It's lucky I have an iron constitution."
Eva scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reepicheep remarked as he climbed over the ropes that led to the crow's nest. "Find your sea legs?"
"Never lost them. Simply dealing with the shock of things. Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."
Edmund spit out the water he had been drinking as he laughed. Eva and Lucy began laughing at his reaction.
"I don't think he has a cute anything," Reepicheep said.
"I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul! Have you all arrested for kidnapping."
He turned and bumped right into Caspian. "Kidnapping, is it?" he asked with a smile. "That's funny. I thought we saved your life."
"You held me against my will!"
"Ha!" Reepicheep exclaimed.
"Did I?" Caspian said, still smiling.
"In what, I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters. It's like…it's like a zoo down there!"
"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reepicheep asked the others.
"He's just warming up," Edmund answered.
Eva smiled at her boyfriend, and Elizabeth smiled as well.
"What are you smiling at?" Eustace demanded of Elizabeth. "Find something funny?"
"Land ho!" the lookout in the crow's nest yelled.
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, thankful she was spared from another one of Eustace's tantrums.
They had arrived at the first island.
"The Lone Islands," Drinian confirmed as Caspian looked through his spyglass. "The port of Narrowhaven."
"Strange," Caspian remarked as he handed the spyglass to Edmund. "Not a Narnian flag in sight."
"But The Lone Islands have always been Narnia's," Edmund said, looking at the island. He then handed the spyglass to Eva.
"Seems suspicious," Drinian muttered.
"I say we prepare a landing party. Drinian?"
Drinian looked at Edmund. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship."
"…Right."
Eva looked at Edmund awkwardly. She knew very well that he had always been second-in-command next to Peter, and it had to have stung a little to see that the ranks hadn't changed even when Peter wasn't in Narnia.
"We'll use longboats," Caspian ordered, going along with Edmund's idea. "Drinian, pick some men and come ashore."
"Aye."
"Tavros."
The minotaur turned to the other crew members. "Man the longboats, furl the sail and prepare to drop anchor!"
Edmund and Eva hopped into one of the boats with Caspian and were joined by Lucy, Eustace, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth assumed they brought her along just because they wanted her to help take care of anyone who may be injured. After all, what else was she really good for?
"Onward!" Reepicheep said excitedly as they pulled up onto land. "The thrill of the unknown lies ahead!"
"Couldn't this have waited till the morning?" Eustace grumbled.
"There is no honor in turning away from adventure, lad."
"Listen," Lucy said. "Where is everyone?"
They all listened for a second, realizing that Lucy was right. It was as silent as death.
"Come on, jelly legs," Reepicheep said to Eustace who was taking forever to get out of the boat.
"I'm capable of doing it myself!" Eustace answered only to flop on the ground as he tried to get from the boat to the ground and hit his knee. Reepicheep sighed in annoyance.
Caspian stared at the boy. "And you're certain he's related by blood?"
Eva smiled at Edmund who couldn't help but smirk. They all slowly walked up towards the city. Suddenly, a huge bell rang out that made everyone jump in surprise. Lucy grabbed her dagger while Caspian prepared his crossbow, but no movement occurred save for a few birds flying above them.
"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place," Caspian ordered. "We'll head on. If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Eva, Elizabeth, and Eustace began to trek forward further into the city to see why not a soul could be found.
Eustace peeked through a window and then frantically ran back to the others. "Yeah, looks like nobody is in, so do you think we should head back?"
"Do you want to come here and guard…something?" Edmund asked.
"Ah, yes." Eustace started running up to them. "Good idea, cousin. Very…uh, you know, logical." Caspian walked up to him and handed him a dagger. Eustace hesitantly took it from him. "I've got it, I've got it. Don't worry."
Eva looked at Edmund. "I don't know about you, but when he tells me not to worry, I start worrying."
Edmund smirked again, and they all went into the large building that resembled a cathedral. Huge bells hung from the ceiling and large statues rested against the walls and stain-glassed windows.
"Uh, I'm ready to go when you are!" Eustace called.
They slowly approached a pile of books in the center of the room. One of the books was open with pages that were filled with names that all had a line through them.
"Who are all these people?" Lucy asked.
"Why have they been crossed out?" Edmund added.
"It looks like some kind of…fee."
"Slave traders," Caspian told them.
The bells above them started ringing loudly, and several men slid down from the ropes, surrounding the group. Caspian hit several of them with the arrows from his crossbow while Lucy, Edmund, and Eva all brandished their swords and began to fight with all of the strange men. Elizabeth stood by the pile of books out of the way of everyone, not knowing how to fight like her friends did.
A loud shrill scream forced them all to cease fighting. They turned to find a man with a dagger to Eustace's throat.
"Unless you want to hear this one squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons," the man drawled.
"Like a girl?" Eustace asked in disbelief. He was silenced when the dagger was pressed to his throat even more.
"Now!"
Lucy angrily dropped her sword while everyone else followed suit. As annoying as Eustace may be, they didn't want to see his life ended.
"Eustace…" Edmund started.
"Put them in irons!" the man ordered.
The other men began putting handcuffs on everyone.
"Take these four to market," the man said as he pointed to Eustace, Lucy, Eva, and Elizabeth. He firmly held Eustace's ear in his hand. "Send those two to the dungeons," he added as he pointed to Edmund and Caspian.
"Listen to me, you insolent fool!" Caspian yelled. "I am your king!"
Edmund fought against the man handcuffing him, but the man punched him in the face.
"Edmund!" Eva cried.
"You're gonna pay for that!" Edmund growled.
"Actually…someone else is going to pay," another man said smoothly as he stepped out of the shadows. "For all of you."
The men started to drag Caspian and Edmund to the dungeons while others dragged Lucy, Eva, Eustace, and Elizabeth away from them.
"No! Edmund!" Lucy screamed.
"Edmund, please!" Eva cried.
"Eva, we will save you!" Edmund called after her. "I promise."
"Elizabeth!" Caspian yelled.