NARNIA: Last Voyage

The Market

Eustace woke up with a startled gasp and found himself chained to a wall by the neck and arms. His cousin Lucy looked at him with worry "Are you alright?" Eustace didn't say anything but he nodded. Lucy looked around, they were in a dire sitaution, they were chained up with no escape and she can't see Leandre anywhere.

Leandre was down in a small cellar with barely enough room for her form to move. She growled from her muzzle once there would be slave trader passerby coming and going. They would look at her with greed and interest. It disgusted Leandre to the core.

"Your majesty...your eminence..." Leandre opened her eyes to see Reepicheep, his gaze filled with anger at the sight of her chained up. "Don't worry your highness, I'll get you out" From her muzzle, Leandre quickly spoke up.

"No, leave it. People would grow suspicious. I know Eustace and Lucy are in the market wherever that is but I have no known exact location on Edmund and Caspian in the Dungeons. One wrong move and someone coild grt hurt" Reepicheep wanted to argue but he couldn't disobey direct orders and common sense.

"What do you suggest I do your majesty?" Reepicheep asked "Slave traders would sell their slaves come morning. There, everyone would gather around. Spring a trap on them when it starts. Then we can go find Edmund and Caspian unless they made it out themselves from the commotion. Send the word to Drinian and the party"

Reepicheep bowed before he scurried off. Leandre sighed as she relaxed for a bit, closing her eyes to take a brief rest after all the struggling she did.

"Mummy!"

"Helaine!"

There were shouts outside that made Leandre open her eyes. She struggled slightly against the chains to no avail. Great, she can't even see what was going on. Pinning her ears back, she tried to block of the sounds of the child screaming for her parent.

It reminded her of the times when they were the ones that called for their parents that may or never will come back. Back then, there was no Narnia for them to learn, grow and just enjoy just the never ending war with the hope it will end.

Suddenly, a shadow casted over the little cage she is in. Coldness seeped inside as she suddenly struggled madly like a wild beast. Whispers attacked her on all sides as Leandre desperately tried to block it off.

Screams of Narnians echoed in her ears before it receeded back. To the people it was just a few minutes but for Leandre, it felt like hours as she weakly huffed and tried to make sense of what just happened.

Just then, there was a squawking sound of a seagull thay prompted Leandre to open her eyes to see on staring at her. She was ready to scare it away when she caught its scent and a bewildered look entered her face.

She knew Aslan had many forms, many of which are unclear to her but this...

"Aslan...?"

***

Lucy and Eustace were in great disbelief over what they had just witnessed. Granted, they never saw the whole thing but the darkening sky and the whispers, the whispers echoed in their ears like an irritating buzz.

The screams of the Narnians imprinted in their minds as the sky gradually turned brighter again. Eustace looked at Lucy for an explanation on what exactly just happened but even Lucy had no idea what exactly did happen.

What she did know is that there is a little girl crying out for her mummy the same way she did back when she was just a child.

She closed her eyes, hoping to shut off the images when she was suddenly yanked up. She gasped "Get your hands off me, let go!" Lucy thrashed as the men brought her up the stage.

"Good morning lads! To start today's bidding, let's start with something fresher Ey? Who'll start the bidding?"

Lucy felt fear when she realize she was being sold off. She only heard it in words back from the world she was in, she had not imagined this would've happened to her.

She could only hope that Drinian's party would arrive her sooner before she and Eustace are sold off.

***

Leandre opened her eyes when she felt her cage move. She tried to look around her surroundings but found them to be covered in a black cloth.

They covered the cage.

"And now, we will present to you the finest prize we have for this day"

The black cloth was suddenly pulled awya and the harsh sunlight made Leandre wince and growl loudly. People gasp and stare at Leandre in awe of the sight. Lions are scarce here in Narnia and are rarely seen.

For one to be caged here is a miracle itself.

"I bid 500"

"550!"

"700!"

The black cloth quickly covered the cage. "Now, now. There's no need to rush. We still got a lot of fine specimens here"

Lucy clenched her hands in anger and even Eustace wanted to open his mouth in protest but was suddenly brought up stage "And now, for this fine specimen. Who'll kick off the bidding?" There was silence all around and if there were any more noises it would be negative views on Eustace.

"Come on now, he may not look like much but uh...he's strong"

"Yeah, he's strong alright" Someone mocked "Smells like the rear end of a Minotaur" Everyone laughed at the jab. Eustace couldn't keep his mouth shut feeling as if he had just been insulted left and right starting from the day he arrived here with his cousins.

"That is an outrageous lie!" Eustace shouted "I won the school hygene award, two years running!" Leandre, hearing Eustace's word, and Lucy couldn't help but wonder how that would even help with current situation Eustace was in, was he actually trying to get himself sold?

"Come on now someone make a bid" Lucy had a sneaking suspicion on the people that were just sent off. Were they Narnians that weren't sold?

Oh god, Eustace is in trouble!

"I'll take them off your hands" Reepicheep's familiar voice made Leandre perk up from behind the cloth and Lucy's gaze brightened and zoomed in on the figure covered in a blue cloak.

"I'll take them all of your hands!" The figure pulled back to reveal Drinian and Reepicheep who unsheathed his sword while shouting "For Narnia!"

Hearing the battlecry, the figures  weaing cloaks revealed themselves to be the crewmembers of the Dawn Treader as they all shouted and u sheathed their weapons.

"FOR NARNIA!"