♘

         "SINCE YOU LEFT, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally," Caspian explained as they were in the captain's headquarters, his fingers running against a map that laid across the table. "And we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert. There is peace across all of Narnia."

"Peace?" Dorothy questioned with a smile. She was so glad to hear that Narnia was at peace again, even after what had happened with the White Witch and Telmarines.

"In just three years."

"And," Lucy had spoken up, placing a strand of her hair behind her ear, "have you found yourself a queen in those three years?" she asked the man, smiling at him.

"No," Caspian replies with a gentle tone, though Dorothy could tell that Lucy had made him uncomfortable by the question. "Not one to compare with your sister."

"Hang on, so if there are no wars to fight and no one is in trouble, then why are we here?" Edmund asked, looking over the map before looking back at Caspian.

"That's a good question," Caspian mumbles. "I've been asking myself the same thing."

Ignoring his statement, Dorothy bent down to lean against the table and looked at the map. "So, where are we sailing to?" she asked.

"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters," Caspian explained, turning towards a wall that had sketches of seven men. "The seven lords of Telmar. They fled to the Lone Islands. No one's heard from them since."

Edmund, who had stood next to Caspian, studied the sketches carefully. "So you think something's happened to them?" he inquired, looking back at the older king.

"Well, if it has, it's my duty to find out."

"Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy inquired, running her fingers across the map.

"Uncharted waters," Captain Drinian replied. "Things you could barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse."

Dorothy's eyes widened as she shared a nervous look with Lucy before they both looked over to Edmund, who looked like he wasn't believing Drinian's stories.

"Sea serpents?" he wondered with an amused smile.

"All right, Captain," Caspian interrupted, grabbing two apples. "That's enough of your tall tales."

He bit into one of the apples and threw another one towards Dorothy, who caught it with a surprised look but smiled at Caspian when he passed by her and ruffled her hair before they all walked out.

♘

"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. . ."

While exploring around the ship, Dorothy came across Reepicheep singing softly as he stood on top of the dragon's nose towards the front of the ship. She leaned against the railing as she listened to the mouse sing before announcing her presence.

"That's pretty," she smiled, causing the noble mouse to jump in surprise and turn to see the younger queen. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, that's quite all right, Your Majesty," Reepicheep reassured her with a smile of his own and scurried towards her. "A dryad sang it to me when I was just a mouseling. I can't divine the meaning, but, uh, I've never forgotten the words."

Dorothy continued to smile at her friend as she tilted her head. "What do you think is past the Lone Islands, Reep?" she inquired.

"Well, I've been told the furthest east one can sail is to the end of the world – Aslan's country," Reepicheep replies, a dreamy look on his face.

"Aslan's country?" Dorothy repeated with a questionable look. "What's that?"

"It's the home of Aslan, young one," Reepicheep smiled. "A place where I dreamed to go since I've heard of it."

"So you think you could 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," Reepicheep chuckled, bowing his head slightly. "Your Majesty."

Reepicheep then left Dorothy by herself, leaving her in her thoughts as she leaned against her arms and looked out into the sea. When she heard giggling, the young girl looked down into the water and saw mermaids swimming near the ship and waving up at her. Dorothy waved back to the mermaids before they disappeared back underwater.

♘

Back on the deck, Dorothy and Lucy sat next to each other on some barrels as they watched Caspian and Edmund duel each other. Their swords clashed against each other and Edmund quickly ducked when Caspian swung his sword at him. The men were cheering on the two Kings until they finished, resulting in a tie between the two.

"All right!" Captain Drinian yelled from the top. "Back to work!"

The men followed the captain's orders as Edmund went to join his younger sisters, thanking one of the crew members for handing him a cup of water. He smiled at his sisters as he sat down next to them.

"Edmund, Lucy," Dorothy spoke up, catching her siblings' attention, "do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just. . . tip of the edge?" she wondered as she laughed quietly at her question while Lucy and Edmund chuckled.

"Don't worry, Dora," Edmund reassured her with a smile, "we're a long way from there."

"I see you're still talking nonsense, the three of you," Eustace's voice came as he approached his cousins.

"Are you feeling better?" Lucy questioned softly.

"Yes, no thanks to you," Eustace replied in a snippy voice. Dorothy and Edmund shared eye rolls as he continued. "It's lucky I have an iron constitution."

"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reepicheep joined them and scurried onto Dorothy's shoulder, freaking Eustace out. "Find your sea legs?"

The boy scoffed and shook his head. "Never lost them. Simply dealing with the shock of things. Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."

Edmund choked on his water when Eustace said this while Dorothy and Lucy stifled their laughs.

"I don't think he has "a cute" anything," Reepicheep muttered to the girls. They both giggled quietly, not even bothering to hold their laughs any longer.

"I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul," Eustace complained as he stood up, walking away, though faced towards his cousins and Reepicheep. "Have you all been arrested for kidnapping?"

As he walked away, he bumped into Caspian, who wore a smirk on his face. "Kidnapping, is it?" the older king questioned with an amused smile. "That's funny. I thought we saved your life."

"You held me against my will!" Eustace argued, looking around the men.

"Ha!" Reepicheep laughed.

"Did I?"

"In, what I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters," Eustace continued, ignoring Caspian. "It's like a – it's like a zoo down there!"

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reepicheep questioned the siblings.

"He's just warming up," Edmund replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Land ho!"

The men all looked out towards the horizon as Caspian quickly joined Drinian on the steps, looking out towards the horizon as well. Dorothy looked out and saw the island from afar. She shared a look with Lucy as Edmund joined Drinian and Caspian.

♘

On a longboat, Dorothy managed to sit between Lucy and Dorothy while Edmund and Caspian sat in the front. In the middle, four men were rowing the boat together towards The Lone Islands. In another boat behind them were Drinian and other men.

"Onward!" Reepicheep exclaimed with a happy smile from the very front of the boat. "The thrill of the unknown lies ahead."

Dorothy smiled at the noble mouse, being just as excited as him for another adventure. She thanked Edmund as he helped her out of the longboat, followed by Lucy, and walked towards the shore.

"Couldn't this have waited till morning?" Eustace wondered.

"There is no honor in turning away from adventure, lad," Reepicheep replied wisely.

"Listen," Lucy says suddenly, realizing how quiet it was. "Where is everyone?"

"Come on, jelly legs," Dorothy heard Reepicheep and turned to see that he was trying to help Eustace.

Eustace pushed his paw away as he tried to climb out of the boat. "I'm capable of doing it myself," he retorted. However, as he got out, he managed to somehow trip, causing Reepicheep to sigh in annoyance.

"And you're certain he's related by blood?" Caspian asked Lucy, Dorothy, and Edmund.

The siblings sighed in frustration as they followed Caspian. He lifted his crossbow as everyone looked around. Suddenly, bells began to ring, causing Ginny to jump and grab her dagger as her sister did the same while Edmund unsheathed his sword.

"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place," Caspian ordered the mouse as he and the Pevensie siblings walked toward Narrowhaven. "We'll head on. If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

♘

hey, all! it's been a while but I'm back! I am so sorry for not updating... I've had extreme writer's block and haven't had the motivation to write and not only that, but I also recently started a job that long ago. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys too much and I'm sure I lost a lot of readers from this book but for those who have stuck with me, thank you for your patience and support! t i will try to update more often but idk yet. let's see what happens! anywho, hope you all enjoyed this chapter!