On the next day, around midday, the crew of the Dawn Treader make their way through the streets of Narrowhaven down to the harbour. The people of the Lone Islands gathered to cheer on their king and the new governor, thankful for being freed of the slavers' yoke. Pug didn't reappear, and the soldiers on patrol couldn't spot him anywhere. Luna's ominous feeling about this remains, but Lord Bern promised to do everything in his power to find the slave traders' chief and bring him to justice.

On their way, they avoid the main square, taking a detour. Caspian walks at the front with the King and Queen of Old, Drinian and Luna a few steps behind. Eustace is somewhere in the back of the party with Reepicheep. Shortly before they reach the docks, a commotion draws the warrior's attention. A man makes his way through the crowd, seemingly in a hurry.

» My king! « He calls out as he reaches the front. Tavros and Rynelf step forward to block his path. Drinian and Luna have their hands on their swords, the blades already half drawn as they turn. Maybe they are a littleoverreacting, but Luna prefers to be overprotective over regretting the carelessness later

» My king! « The man calls again and tries to push past the two ship's mates,

» Please take me with you. «

Caspian turned at the first call, keeping himself from drawing his sword. As king he cannot appear as easily afraid, especially not now after claiming the Lone Islands as part of the Narnian Empire again. As he spots the man in the middle of the commotion, he steps past his trusted friends. Drinian and Luna both protest but the king only raises his hand. So, they follow him like a second shadow. As the man notices the king approaching him, he shrugs off Tavros' and Rynelf's hands to bow.

» My wife was in the sacrificial boat, I want to find her, « he explains,

» I'm a good sailor. « This is when Luna recognizes him. He and a little girl ran after the carriage with the prisoners who were sent out into the green mist. She even remembers his wife's name being Helaine. While Caspian exchanges a look with the captain, Luna leans towards him.

» It's true, « she whispers,

» We saw him yesterday before the market. « Caspian gives her a curt nod before he addresses the man,

» What is your name? «

» Rhince, sire, « he is quick to respond.

» Alright, Rhince, come aboard, « at this, the new member of our crew breathes a sigh of relief. Then, said little girl squeezes to the front of the crowd, running towards her father. A woman follows her, calling her by her name a few times. Rhince whirls around at the cry of his daughter, a sad smile on his face as he kneels to embrace her.

» Stay with your aunt, Gael, « he tells her. They say their final goodbyes. As he gets up to join Drinian and the rest of the crew, her teary eyes follow him. Luna can't linger as Caspian continues the walk to the ship. However, someone plucks at her sleeve. She finds the girl, timidly looking up at the warrior. So, the Crown Shield crouches down to her level.

» Keep my daddy safe, yes? « The child asks, voice unsteady and husky from crying.

» He'll be in good hands, « Luna assures her with a warm smile,

» And we'll bring him back to you as soon as possible. «

She rejoins the others at the docks where Lord Bern presents Caspian with a sword. It must be quite old as it is overgrown with barnacles and algae. However, the metal must have been crafted by very capable hands, no Telmarine blacksmith.

» It's a Narnian sword, « Lord Bern explains,

» they're said to have been gifts of Aslan to the old Narnians as the Great Lion anointed seven guardians for his land. «

» Oh yes, I remember that! « Lucy exclaims and claps her hands, joyful at the memory. Edmund smiles at his sister. Those guardian swords are a legend, Luna remembers her foster father telling stories about them. They were given to seven knights of Narnia, the – in those days – newly founded Order of the Lion by Peter the High King.

» I suppose, the Telmarines claimed them after the war, « Lord Bern continues,

» However, your father gave them to seven of his closest friends to protect the borders of our country. Now it shall be yours, my king, to return with you to Narnia. « Caspian stares at the sword for a moment before taking it as the lord offers it to him. His father, Caspian IX., is a sensitive topic for him.

» Well, whether it possesses magic or not, and the legends are true, « Lord Bern concludes as he watches the king turning the sword in his hands,

» With this symbol, I vow that the people of the Lone Islands will come to Narnia's aid whenever needed. « Then, they say their farewell and board the ship. It is stocked with fresh water and provisions and ready to leave the port. So, the Dawn Treader sets sail again.

~

The next days are quite uneventful. The Dawn Treader glides smoothly through the waters, wind and waves moving in her favour. No ominous clouds cover the sky, so the sun shines causing everyone to feel happy and content about the journey. The crew doesn't require much help, so the six friends spend their days talking, reading, playing the one or other game and duelling, of course. This, mostly Caspian and Edmund do while Reepicheep and Luna rather pursue exercises to keep in shape. Lucy sticks to sewing and helping in the galley from time to time. Luna got her to do some archery with her the other day and the queen seemed to enjoy it, especially as she can use her older sister's bow. Reep keeps suggesting Eustace should learn to defend himself. It's the next step to start training now that he possesses a dagger. However, the boy refuses this every time, escaping to the cabin he shares with the two kings and the mouse or hiding out between stored barrels on and below deck. The Crown Shield never sees him with his newly acquired blade, he probably hid it away somewhere under his bunk.

Today is no different than those last few days, it's just a little warmer than usual. They had lunch together and ventured over to Caspian's study. Edmund and he are studying the map. The Lone Islands are the last know land in the east, afterwards the map is blank – apart from drawings of waves, exemplary ships, a sea serpent, and a wind-blowing cloud. However, they went from speculating about the next land to talking about Narnia again.

» So Archenland's still honouring the old alliance with Narnia? « Edmund asks, pointing at the mountainous country between Narnia and Calormen.

» They are, « Caspian nods,

» However, I'm not sure how loyal King Cornan really is. « Indeed, that is a topic that needs to be approached with utmost care. The dynasty of Archenland is allied with Narnia since the days of High King Peter and his siblings, but as the Telmarines conquered Narnia, they isolated themselves. After Caspian was crowned king, he re-established the alliance. Not by marriage, though, how it is tradition, but solely by handshake and signature. Luna suspects Caspian is not sure about Archenland's loyalty as King Cornan has a daughter... Edmund and Lucy seem to catch up on that as well.

» And what about Narnia? « Lucy asks, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear,

» Did you find a queen in those three years? Or someone you are courting? « She smiles slightly as Caspian looks at her, hesitating for a moment. Obviously, he didn't expect such a question. Edmund seems a little embarrassed by his sister's question and turns his head to glance out the window. The Crown Shield sits on the padded windowsill, listening to the conversation with half an ear. At this, she involuntarily looks up to find Caspian's gaze settling on her. She feels the heat rising to her face, but she can't tear her gaze away. This just lasts for a brief moment, though. Then, the king lowers his eyes and mirrors Lucy's smile to hide his slightly flushed cheeks.

» No, « he answers finally,

» I... didn't get to it yet. « Lucy seems to have the next question ready as a panting Eustace bursts into the room, runs around the desk and ducks behind Lucy. Strangely, he holds an orange in one hand and a long kitchen knife in the other. Just as they all want to inquire what is going on, Reep jumps through the now open door. His gaze sweeps across the room, a wildness burning in his eyes. He has his rapier drawn and looks – all in all – dishevelled.

» By the Lion! What is going on? « Edmund calls out and steps closer to his cousin who cowers behind Lucy. The queen turned around to look at the boy, puzzled about his behaviour.

» He- He wants to kill me! « Eustace tries to whisper but his voice catches in the high notes. Everyone turns to Reepicheep who tip-toed further into the room. He spotted Eustace by now, of course.

» No one, « the mouse exclaims,

» Repeat; no one touches the tail! The great Aslan Himself gave it to me. « He is referring to the Second Battle at Beruna. In its course, he lost most of his tail and was heavily injured. His companions brought him before Aslan where Lucy healed him with a drop of her healing cordial. The tail, however, didn't grow back. Just as his friends were ready to chop off their tails as well, already drawing their rapiers, Aslan granted Reepicheep the wish. The mouse's long tail grew back, surprising everyone with this miracle. Since then, Reep is rather protective of it. Somehow, Luna doesn't want to even know what Eustace did to get at the receiving end of Reep's wrath.

» 'twas just a little prank, « the blond defends himself, straightening but staying behind Lucy, just in case. She hides her smile behind her hand. Caspian smirks and Edmund seems conflicted if he should lecture his cousin or just laugh. Luna remains where she is, watching the scene unfold.

» Prank? « Reep replies dangerously calm as he stalks towards the desk,

» Stealing food and- «

» Is making jokes not allowed? « Eustace pipes up, cutting the mouse off. That's a bit impudent, isn't it? To top it off, he puts his hands on his hips, glaring at his pursuer. The friends can see as something in Reep snaps, driving him to jump onto the desk. His rapier points downward, though, as it is protocol to lower weapons in presence of royalty. Instead, he raises a paw to point at the hiding boy accusingly.

» I demand satisfaction, « Reepicheep exclaims,

» Take up your sword. « Eustace stares at him. Luna can see his thoughts reflected on his face crystal-clear. He is confused and has no clue what to do. So, he chooses to be angry about something he brought upon himself. Somehow, he has her sympathy. Facing Reep in a duel is not for everyone as the mouse is one of the best fighters she has ever seen. However, the boy cooked up all this by himself, so he has to face the consequences too. The warrior is certainly not going to interfere, and she doubts Caspian or Edmund will, even Lucy won't come in between Reep and his satisfaction.

Turns out Luna was right. Eustace has to face Reepicheep in a duel on deck. The boy refuses to take up a real sword, though. Besides, he cannot even hold it properly. He never learned it – not yet at least – and he doesn't possess enough strength. Those weapons are heavy, otherwise they wouldn't do any real damage to an opponent. He uses the kitchen knife from before instead... which is no real match for Reep's flexible rapier. Nevertheless, they stand opposite each other as Caspian declares the duel to begin. Eustace just stands there for a moment, staring at the mouse as if he doesn't really believe they will fight. Reep gives the boy a minute to adjust, stepping from one foot to the other in excited anticipation. Luna notices his ears twitching from time to time, a sign for his impatience. He wants this fight to start. So, he charges. Eustace whelps in surprise, stepping back as the mouse leaps forward. Then, he turns around and runs, bumping right into Tavros.

» Watch where ya go, « the minotaur grumbles good-naturedly. The blonde's eyes are wide as he stutters an apology and pushes past him, Reep hot on his heels.

» Where are you going? « The mouse calls out, stifling a laugh as he avoids the onlookers, ropes, and barrels on deck with ease, whereas Eustace stumbles more than he runs,

» This is a ship; you won't get away. « The Crown Shield watches the two, smiling amusedly.

» I'm really sorry for his behaviour, « Lucy says quietly. She sits on the railing a little behind Luna. Her brother and Caspian flank her.

» It's no trouble, « Caspian sends her an encouraging smile. But his protector can see he is just being polite – everyone who knows him would see that. The queen's and king's young cousin is trouble. Not so bad as the slave traders, of course, but he has a certain attitude that doesn't serve him well. Lucy returns the smile half-heartedly, sighing deeply as she turns back to the duel.

Eustace is backed up against the railing, trying to deflect Reep's blows on his legs. Somehow, this is a game for Reepicheep. Luna can her the amusement in his voice as he tells his "opponent" how to hold his weapon, where to put his feet et cetera.

» Don't flutter around like a drunken pelican, « he advises,

» Poise! « He lifts his paws and straightens to show Eustace how to do it. Surprisingly, the boy tries to mirror it – after glaring at the sailors for laughing at Reep's remark. But the mouse doesn't give him much time to adjust his posture before attacking again.

» No, he's not just trouble, he's embarrassing, « Edmund mumbles, earning a pointed look from his sister. He just shrugs and rolls his eyes,

» We shouldn't blandish it. He can't go on insulting everyone, not like back in Cambridge. « There they have it again, a word not from this other world. Luna turns around, somehow intrigued by the thought of other worlds existing parallel to this one. Narnia and its surrounding countries are the only world she knows. The kings and queens did tell stories about their home, this mysterious England, but just a few.

» A cam-bridge? « She tries to pronounce it like Edmund did,

» What exactly is that? « Their attention turns to her. Edmund grins at that.

» It's an awful place, really, « he answers. Lucy smacks his arm, telling him to not say such things. Then, she turns to the other female with a kind smile.

» Cambridge is a town in England, the country that we are from, « she explains,

» Ed and I live there with our aunt Alberta and uncle Harold, Eustace's parents. «

» Yeah, all the while Susan gets to be in America and Peter stays with the professor, « her brother adds. He sounds bitter but Luna's interest is aimed for the second new word today.

» America? « Caspian beats her to asking about it.

» Oh yes, « Lucy laughs,

» I always forget you aren't familiar with those names. «

» You didn't miss out on anything, « Edmund throws in, crossing his arms,

» Narnia's much more interesting. There's no magic where we are from, no creatures like centaurs, satyrs, and the like. Just boring humans. «

» I bet your world has its very own magic too, « Luna says,

» Everything has, even if we don't always see it. « Her eyes are caught in Caspian's gaze. He looks at her without saying anything. The dark brown of his eyes is captivating – she doesn't realize this for the first time but it's interesting how something can claim her attention over and over again. On the other side, she always pays attention to details.

» Augh! « The cry gets her to rip her gaze away from the king's. Eustace lands between a few barrels on deck, his knife clattering to the planks out of his reach. The boy picks himself up on all fours. As he gets to his feet, he rubs his side with a sour expression. Reep stands behind him, trying to hide his grin. Of course, he won. Luna is sure no one imagined another outcome of this encounter. The sailors cheer as Reep and Eustace shake hands – or better; hand and paw – before walking over to the friends. Caspian clasps the blond on the back.

» You handled yourself well, « he says. A small smile sneaks on Eustace's face and he looks down to Reepicheep.

» Indeed, « the mouse confirms,

» We're going to make a proper warrior of you yet. « Then, Lucy hurries everyone below deck to have some tea and rest.

» Enough excitement for one day, « she says, one arm around her cousin's smaller frame.

Luna lets them go ahead, not planning to join them for tea and pastries. Caspian moves to follow the others but stops as she doesn't move with him.

» You coming? « He asks, tilting his head to the side slightly. She cannot help but smile, shaking her head.

» What, the Crown Shield will not follow the king like a second shadow? « He teases.

» Well, this shadow needs to stay in shape, « she puts her hands on her hips. It's hard to keep in the laugh. By now, Caspian doesn't hide his broad smile anymore. Their teasing mostly ends similarly, both of them laughing and earning strange looks from other people. And mostly, they don't care, not in those moments.

» Alright, I won't keep you, « the king says and takes a step towards his Crown Shield,

» But would you mind some company? «

Of course, she does not. So, they make their way up to the front deck where they usually train. There even is a target for archery. Given the wind is calm enough, they still have to be careful. No one wishes to accidentally shoot someone. Wind can do unpleasant things with a not precisely aimed arrow. As the breeze gains strength, Luna sets aside the bow. She doesn't really want to spar with swords at the moment. After the whole dilemma with the slave traders, she needs to keep on top of fighting hand to hand. Caspian agrees and they settle opposite each other to spar with no weapons. They are going easy on each other at first, circle around each other like a tiger its prey. This is not something they usually do. Sure, they tend to, but as everyone needs to stay in shape, senses sharp and reflexes fast, there is little place for anything but the full potential. However, today seems to be an exception. Caspian fools a left blow, and Luna barely dodges his attempt to strike straight. She drops to her knees, exchanging a quick glance with Caspian.

» We need to toughen up, « she mumbles, trying to shift her focus. Usually, she is completely concentrated on the fight, her opponent, and her surroundings, in a sense that knows nothing but kill or be killed. Today, however, is strange. Her thoughts are here, but her head seems to strive somewhere else. Or is it the urge to force herself to do even better? She wasn't able to protect Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and Reep from being captured and sold by slave traders, after all. She couldn't even protect herself properly. And then she failed to catch Pug, the slavers' chief, the root of that entire evil. Luna shakes her head slightly. That's in the past; she must focus now. As her gaze meets Caspian's, she hesitates. He is smirking down at his Crown Shield.

» Do we now? « His words drip with irony,

» You seem distracted. « She feels the heat creeping up her throat until reaching her cheeks, the second time this day.

» Oh, I'll be better, Your Majesty, « she adopts a teasing tone and moves swiftly to swipe his legs. As he loses balance, she leaps up, securing her stand before charging again. Meanwhile, Caspian regains his balance and dodges her blow aimed for the throat. Not for real, mind you, she would have stopped before hitting him – or before hitting him too hard. Some blows might be lethal in the end. He catches her arm before she can pull it back towards her body and yanks her towards him. The warrior tries to resist but the strength of his pull causes her to stumble forward. Instead of letting go to attack from behind, Caspian stays where he is. As she cannot find her balance within those few steps, she crashes right into him. He slings one arm around her to steady her. Those fights don't always end with a winner, there are draws as well. The tendency is for Caspian to win hand to hand combat when they manoeuvre in situations where strength is the final judge. When Luna is able to use his own strength and weight as leverage, she triumphs. Sword fights are not entirely different. Now, it seems the king has won. Not that it would really matter. The training is important, so they can succeed in real fights.

» Enough for today? « It's more a question than a statement. Caspian looks at his friend questioningly as a strong gust of wind hits them. Simultaneously, they lift their heads. The sky over the ship is blue but the air changed. It still feels warm but very humid and heavy.

» Dark clouds larboard! « A call sounds down from the crow's nest. The report lets everyone on deck stop to check for themselves. There are dark clouds coming, piling up above the sea.; ominous messengers of the sudden change of weather. Caspian's arm is still around Luna. He only tightens his grip as her hands cling to his shoulders. They got into storms before but not without known land somewhere around – and not with such thick clouds looming over the water, waiting to swallow the Dawn Treader, burying her under huge waves. The Crown Shield doesn't like this at all, and it seems Caspian doesn't either. A storm is brewing, and it is coming towards us.

Hey everyone,

so, here's the next chapter after a long wait, I know... However, the Character overview got updated too!

The old chapter 12 was included here - but I kept the old version in my drafts because of your lovely comments.

~ Lola