Voyage of the Dawn Treader 6/?
Title: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Summary: Lucy and Edmund are not the only Pevensie children to return to Narnia after all.
Characters/Pairings: Caspian/Susan; Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, etc.
Rating: K+ // PG-13
Author's Note: The reason why there's so much time in between chapters is that I hand write this and then type it up. Because seriously, have you tried trying to wrangle a tiny paperback into a flat enough position where you can use both hands to type and still read the text? Doesn't work.
Warning: Spoilers for The Horse and His Boy if you haven't read that. And if you haven't read it and are confused, leave me a comment and I'll explain.
Chapter Six:
It was a day later when the Dawn Treader came in sight of the Lone Islands. The Pevensies, Caspian, and Drinian were gathered on the forecastle next to Reepicheep’s favored perch.
“Same old Felimath. Same old Doorn,” Lucy sighed happily. “Oh, it’s been so long since we saw them last.”
“I’ve never understood why they belong to Narnia. Did you conquer them?” Caspian asked the four Kings and Queens.
“They were Narnian long before we arrived,” Peter said.
“I don’t rightly know how they became part of Narnia,” Susan said as she gazed at the two islands that she hadn’t seen in both four and hundreds of years.
“Are we to put in here, Sire?” Drinian asked.
“I shouldn’t think it would be much good landing on Felimath,” Edmund told him. “It was nearly uninhabited in our days and it looks the same now. Most of the people lived on Doorn, though a few lived on the third island, Avra.”
“It’s only goats and sheep on Felimath,” Peter said with a fond smile as he leaned on the railing.
“Then we’ll have to double that cape to land on Doorn. That’ll mean rowing,” Drinian mused.
“I’m sorry we’re not landing on Felimath,” Lucy said wistfully. “I’d like to walk there again. It was so lonely - a nice kind of lonliness though, all grass and clover and soft sea air.”
“It was lovely,” Susan said, a little wistful herself. “Do you remember the last time the four of us were here?” She sighed and leant against the railing next to Peter. She missed the look Caspian gave her - one full of love and a desire for her to be happy.
Peter did not.
“I’d love to stretch my legs, too,” Caspian suggested, seemingly forgetting that one could walk on a ship well enough. “I tell you what! Why don’t we go ashore in a boat so that we can walk across the island to where The Dawn Treader will be?”
“Oh yes, let’s!” Lucy said happily.
Peter looked a little wary of the idea and Eustace just looked like he wanted to get off of the boat. But when Susan turned to beam at Caspian he knew he made the right choice.
“Will you tell them to lower the boat, Drinian?” he asked.
It took a bit of maneuvering to cram all five Royals, Eustace, Reepicheep, and the man who would row the small boat back to the ship.
Once they were on land, Susan dug her bare toes into the sand. She and Lucy were both still shoeless due to having kicked them off in the water upon their arrival. Caspian had mentioned in passing that he would have shoes and new clothes for them all when they reached the Governor’s castle.
Eustace was mumbling under his breath about the annoyance that was sand. Peter had a hand shading his eyes and was surveying the coast. Caspian was watching the boat to make sure it got back to the ship. Edmund was staring inland while Lucy had her eyes closed and was simply breathing.
Susan was staring at the water longingly. And so an idea came to mind. She stepped forward so that the water rose to her calves and stood there for a few seconds. Then she promptly dropped down and scooped water at Lucy.
Lucy shrieked at the surprise even as Peter and Edmund laughed. Caspian, Eustace, and Reepicheep had no idea what was going on.
Lucy retaliated by scooping water into her hands and flinging it on Susan. Soon the two girls were in an all out battle. Peter was laughing until he got seawater splashed in his face.
He then, of course, had to join in. Edmund too joined in and soon the four siblings were drenched.
Caspian found the spectacle amusing until Lucy managed to splash him. Then it was a royal battle.
Eustace though the whole thing was stupid and childish and did not refrain from commenting so. Reepicheep though that it was very unbecoming for the Kings and Queens and was grateful that no one was around to witness their disgrace. It continued on far longer than he thought it should and he felt he had to say something.
“Your Majesties! The ship will be waiting for us!”
“Ah, of course,” Caspian said even as Edmund got the back of his head.
The five royals got out of the surf, looking somewhat ashamed at their behavior. They headed inland, finding that the wind did a wonderful job of drying them off even if it was a bit cool.
They walked down a hill and lost sight of the ship, but all of the island now lay spread out before them.
“Hullo! What’s this?” Edmund asked suddenly. He pointed to seven armed men sitting around a tree. They did not look like friendly men.
“Oh dear,” Susan said.
“Don’t tell them who we are,” Caspian said suddenly.
“And pray, your Majesty, why not?” Reepicheep asked from his perch on Lucy’s slightly damp shoulder.
“It just occurred to me that nobody here can have heard from Narnia in a long time,” Caspian said. “It’s possible that they may not recognize our over-lordship. It might be safer to not be known as Kings and Queens.”
“And if they have heard of Narnia, they’ve probably only heard of the Telmarines, not you,” Peter added.
“We have our swords, Sire,” Reepicheep said fervently, his hand grasping the hilt of his own.
“Yes, Reep, I know,” Caspian said. “But if we are to conquer the three islands, I’d rather have a large army at my disposal.”
“A good morning to you!” one of the men called to them as they were quite close.
“And a good morning to you,” Caspian said in return. “Is there still a Governor of these Lone Islands?”
“To be sure there is,” the man said. “His Sufficiency Governor Gumpas is at Narrowhaven. But you’ll stay and share a drink with us.”
Caspian thanked him, but none of them liked the look of these men, or the appraising way they were looking at Susan.
They had barely taken a seat before the man nodded to his companions. Before they could do anything, the men had wrapped them up in their arms, one securely over their throats.
Susan froze, very unpleasant memories of Calormen unwillingly rushing to the forefront of her mind. There were very few times when thoughts of Rabadash were enough to freeze her, but this was most assuredly a case where they were powerful enough to do so. Caspian was the only one to see the absolute terror on her face as she began to struggle, trying in vain to free herself.
“Let her go!” Caspian yelled. Peter and Edmund both looked over at Susan and quickly realized what could frighten their sister so.
“Let her go!” Peter said, his voice a mix of Royal command and older brother fear.
“Forget her! Make them let me go!” Eustace wailed.
Susan managed to sink her teeth into her captor’s arm despite its very unclean state. He yelped and cuffed her on the back of his other hand, hard, somewhat stunning her.
Her siblings and Caspian cried out, but Susan was a bit preoccupied seeing stars.
Reepicheep, however, was still fighting.
“Careful with that beast, Tacks,” the men’s leader said. “Don’t damage him. He’ll fetch the best price of the lot, I shouldn’t wonder.”
The stunning had broken the panic that being captured brought upon Susan and in a flash it came to Susan. They were used to their captives fighting them. After all, who wanted to be a slave? All they had to do was bide their time and wait.
Reepicheep clearly didn’t understand this concept.
“Coward! Poltroon! Give me my sword and free my paws if you dare!”
“Whew! It can talk! Well, I never did. Blowed if I take less than 200 crescents for him,” the leader said, gazing at the Mouse in wonder.
“So that’s what you are,” Caspian said angrily.
“Now, now, now, now. Don’t you start any jaw,” the leader said. “The easier you take it, the pleasanter all around, see. I don’t do this for fun I’ve got my living to make same as anyone. And I don’t want him to have to hit the pretty lass again.”
Susan was startled to find that Caspian growled at that remark. She put that thought to the side to think about at a later time.
“Where will you take us?” Lucy asked, clearly trying to diffuse Caspian’s clearly escalating anger.
“Over to Narrowhaven for market day tomorrow,” the leader said.
“Is there a British Consul there?” Eustace asked.
“No,” Edmund said before the leader could answer.
“Well, let’s go mates,” he ended up saying after peering at Eustace in confusion for a few seconds.
The humans were tied together, hands in front of them. Peter was at the front of the line, followed by Susan, then Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace. Reepicheep was being carried by one of the men, informed that if he tried to bite then his mouth would be tied. The Mouse was insulting the slavers at a mile a minute after having informed them that biting was below the King of the Mice. The man holding him didn’t seem to mind, apparently amazed at his “training.”
As soon as they were walking, Peter asked quietly, “You all right, Su?”
“I’m fine,” she answered as quietly. She felt Caspian’s hands against her back despite the fact that there was a good foot of slack rope between each person.
“We’ll get out of this,” Caspian said, his breath warming the side of her neck.
“No you won’t,” the leader said. He glanced back at them, nothing the close proximity between Caspian and Susan. “Well, look at this lads! Looks like we’ve a couple of lovebirds!”
Susan glared at him but was startled by the rasping growl in Caspian’s throat. This…situation was giving her a lot of things to think about in terms of Caspian.
The man just laughed though and continued to lead them to the coast.
<
Next>>
Summary: Lucy and Edmund are not the only Pevensie children to return to Narnia after all.
Characters/Pairings: Caspian/Susan; Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, etc.
Rating: K+ // PG-13
Author's Note: The reason why there's so much time in between chapters is that I hand write this and then type it up. Because seriously, have you tried trying to wrangle a tiny paperback into a flat enough position where you can use both hands to type and still read the text? Doesn't work.
Warning: Spoilers for The Horse and His Boy if you haven't read that. And if you haven't read it and are confused, leave me a comment and I'll explain.
Chapter Six:
It was a day later when the Dawn Treader came in sight of the Lone Islands. The Pevensies, Caspian, and Drinian were gathered on the forecastle next to Reepicheep’s favored perch.
“Same old Felimath. Same old Doorn,” Lucy sighed happily. “Oh, it’s been so long since we saw them last.”
“I’ve never understood why they belong to Narnia. Did you conquer them?” Caspian asked the four Kings and Queens.
“They were Narnian long before we arrived,” Peter said.
“I don’t rightly know how they became part of Narnia,” Susan said as she gazed at the two islands that she hadn’t seen in both four and hundreds of years.
“Are we to put in here, Sire?” Drinian asked.
“I shouldn’t think it would be much good landing on Felimath,” Edmund told him. “It was nearly uninhabited in our days and it looks the same now. Most of the people lived on Doorn, though a few lived on the third island, Avra.”
“It’s only goats and sheep on Felimath,” Peter said with a fond smile as he leaned on the railing.
“Then we’ll have to double that cape to land on Doorn. That’ll mean rowing,” Drinian mused.
“I’m sorry we’re not landing on Felimath,” Lucy said wistfully. “I’d like to walk there again. It was so lonely - a nice kind of lonliness though, all grass and clover and soft sea air.”
“It was lovely,” Susan said, a little wistful herself. “Do you remember the last time the four of us were here?” She sighed and leant against the railing next to Peter. She missed the look Caspian gave her - one full of love and a desire for her to be happy.
Peter did not.
“I’d love to stretch my legs, too,” Caspian suggested, seemingly forgetting that one could walk on a ship well enough. “I tell you what! Why don’t we go ashore in a boat so that we can walk across the island to where The Dawn Treader will be?”
“Oh yes, let’s!” Lucy said happily.
Peter looked a little wary of the idea and Eustace just looked like he wanted to get off of the boat. But when Susan turned to beam at Caspian he knew he made the right choice.
“Will you tell them to lower the boat, Drinian?” he asked.
It took a bit of maneuvering to cram all five Royals, Eustace, Reepicheep, and the man who would row the small boat back to the ship.
Once they were on land, Susan dug her bare toes into the sand. She and Lucy were both still shoeless due to having kicked them off in the water upon their arrival. Caspian had mentioned in passing that he would have shoes and new clothes for them all when they reached the Governor’s castle.
Eustace was mumbling under his breath about the annoyance that was sand. Peter had a hand shading his eyes and was surveying the coast. Caspian was watching the boat to make sure it got back to the ship. Edmund was staring inland while Lucy had her eyes closed and was simply breathing.
Susan was staring at the water longingly. And so an idea came to mind. She stepped forward so that the water rose to her calves and stood there for a few seconds. Then she promptly dropped down and scooped water at Lucy.
Lucy shrieked at the surprise even as Peter and Edmund laughed. Caspian, Eustace, and Reepicheep had no idea what was going on.
Lucy retaliated by scooping water into her hands and flinging it on Susan. Soon the two girls were in an all out battle. Peter was laughing until he got seawater splashed in his face.
He then, of course, had to join in. Edmund too joined in and soon the four siblings were drenched.
Caspian found the spectacle amusing until Lucy managed to splash him. Then it was a royal battle.
Eustace though the whole thing was stupid and childish and did not refrain from commenting so. Reepicheep though that it was very unbecoming for the Kings and Queens and was grateful that no one was around to witness their disgrace. It continued on far longer than he thought it should and he felt he had to say something.
“Your Majesties! The ship will be waiting for us!”
“Ah, of course,” Caspian said even as Edmund got the back of his head.
The five royals got out of the surf, looking somewhat ashamed at their behavior. They headed inland, finding that the wind did a wonderful job of drying them off even if it was a bit cool.
They walked down a hill and lost sight of the ship, but all of the island now lay spread out before them.
“Hullo! What’s this?” Edmund asked suddenly. He pointed to seven armed men sitting around a tree. They did not look like friendly men.
“Oh dear,” Susan said.
“Don’t tell them who we are,” Caspian said suddenly.
“And pray, your Majesty, why not?” Reepicheep asked from his perch on Lucy’s slightly damp shoulder.
“It just occurred to me that nobody here can have heard from Narnia in a long time,” Caspian said. “It’s possible that they may not recognize our over-lordship. It might be safer to not be known as Kings and Queens.”
“And if they have heard of Narnia, they’ve probably only heard of the Telmarines, not you,” Peter added.
“We have our swords, Sire,” Reepicheep said fervently, his hand grasping the hilt of his own.
“Yes, Reep, I know,” Caspian said. “But if we are to conquer the three islands, I’d rather have a large army at my disposal.”
“A good morning to you!” one of the men called to them as they were quite close.
“And a good morning to you,” Caspian said in return. “Is there still a Governor of these Lone Islands?”
“To be sure there is,” the man said. “His Sufficiency Governor Gumpas is at Narrowhaven. But you’ll stay and share a drink with us.”
Caspian thanked him, but none of them liked the look of these men, or the appraising way they were looking at Susan.
They had barely taken a seat before the man nodded to his companions. Before they could do anything, the men had wrapped them up in their arms, one securely over their throats.
Susan froze, very unpleasant memories of Calormen unwillingly rushing to the forefront of her mind. There were very few times when thoughts of Rabadash were enough to freeze her, but this was most assuredly a case where they were powerful enough to do so. Caspian was the only one to see the absolute terror on her face as she began to struggle, trying in vain to free herself.
“Let her go!” Caspian yelled. Peter and Edmund both looked over at Susan and quickly realized what could frighten their sister so.
“Let her go!” Peter said, his voice a mix of Royal command and older brother fear.
“Forget her! Make them let me go!” Eustace wailed.
Susan managed to sink her teeth into her captor’s arm despite its very unclean state. He yelped and cuffed her on the back of his other hand, hard, somewhat stunning her.
Her siblings and Caspian cried out, but Susan was a bit preoccupied seeing stars.
Reepicheep, however, was still fighting.
“Careful with that beast, Tacks,” the men’s leader said. “Don’t damage him. He’ll fetch the best price of the lot, I shouldn’t wonder.”
The stunning had broken the panic that being captured brought upon Susan and in a flash it came to Susan. They were used to their captives fighting them. After all, who wanted to be a slave? All they had to do was bide their time and wait.
Reepicheep clearly didn’t understand this concept.
“Coward! Poltroon! Give me my sword and free my paws if you dare!”
“Whew! It can talk! Well, I never did. Blowed if I take less than 200 crescents for him,” the leader said, gazing at the Mouse in wonder.
“So that’s what you are,” Caspian said angrily.
“Now, now, now, now. Don’t you start any jaw,” the leader said. “The easier you take it, the pleasanter all around, see. I don’t do this for fun I’ve got my living to make same as anyone. And I don’t want him to have to hit the pretty lass again.”
Susan was startled to find that Caspian growled at that remark. She put that thought to the side to think about at a later time.
“Where will you take us?” Lucy asked, clearly trying to diffuse Caspian’s clearly escalating anger.
“Over to Narrowhaven for market day tomorrow,” the leader said.
“Is there a British Consul there?” Eustace asked.
“No,” Edmund said before the leader could answer.
“Well, let’s go mates,” he ended up saying after peering at Eustace in confusion for a few seconds.
The humans were tied together, hands in front of them. Peter was at the front of the line, followed by Susan, then Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace. Reepicheep was being carried by one of the men, informed that if he tried to bite then his mouth would be tied. The Mouse was insulting the slavers at a mile a minute after having informed them that biting was below the King of the Mice. The man holding him didn’t seem to mind, apparently amazed at his “training.”
As soon as they were walking, Peter asked quietly, “You all right, Su?”
“I’m fine,” she answered as quietly. She felt Caspian’s hands against her back despite the fact that there was a good foot of slack rope between each person.
“We’ll get out of this,” Caspian said, his breath warming the side of her neck.
“No you won’t,” the leader said. He glanced back at them, nothing the close proximity between Caspian and Susan. “Well, look at this lads! Looks like we’ve a couple of lovebirds!”
Susan glared at him but was startled by the rasping growl in Caspian’s throat. This…situation was giving her a lot of things to think about in terms of Caspian.
The man just laughed though and continued to lead them to the coast.
<
Next>>