The Heir I Need

Part III: Chapter 5

Percy

I woke up to a loud clanging noise. My head hurt a bit and it took me a moment to orient myself in the dark.

"You okay?" a voice called out.

It took me a minute to realize that it was Uncle Edmund. He was sitting across from me, looking as if he'd just woken up too. By the door, Uncle Caspian stood glaring into the dark.

"Wh-what happened?" I asked sitting up.

It was then that I realized it was just the three of us. My eyes widened in horror.

"Where's Mother? And Aunt Lucy?"

"They took them," Uncle Caspian stated rather bluntly.

He then returned to kicking the metal door.

"But- but are they going to be okay? Where are they? Mother was hurt," I stammered, panic beginning to rise in me immediately.

It suddenly grew difficult to breathe.

"Hey, hey now," Uncle Caspian immediately turned away from the gate and rushed over, "Breathe, Percy, breathe. Look at me."

He mimed taking a deep breath. I tried to do the same, but my mind was swirling, a hundred and one scenarios each one more horrid than the last appearing. My chest felt incredibly tight as I struggled. He didn't stop though, his eyes filled with concern as he continued to exaggerate his breathing. Eventually I felt my chest relax enough for me to take a full breath. I sucked in a deep breath and forced it back out slowly. He nodded encouragingly. I continued to do so until the tightness went away and my mind settled down.

"Better?" he asked.

"Y-yeah," I nodded shakily.

"We'll find them. Don't worry. Your mother and Lucy are strong young women. They will be okay," he said gently and I nodded.

"It's no use."

We both turned to Uncle Edmund but he was also looking confused.

"You're never getting out," the voice said again.

We all turned to the more shadowy area of the cell.

"Who's there?" Caspian called out.

"Nobody."

We all stood and moved closer.

"Just a voice in my head," the voice said simply.

An elderly man stepped forward a bit into the light. He had long silvery white hair that flowed directly into his massive beard.

"Lord Bern..." Uncle Caspian breathed.

The man's face switched to one of confusion. He then looked down sadly.

"Perhaps once," he responded, "But I'm no longer deserving of that title."

Uncle Caspian looked back to Uncle Edmund and I with an excited look on his face. I had a pretty good guess that this was one of the lords we'd been searching for.

"Is he one of the seven?" Uncle Edmund asked looking equally excited.

Uncle Caspian nodded. He then moved closer to the man who scooted away a little. He squatted down beside the man with a calm expression. Lord Bern's eyes widened slightly as he looked at him. His brow then furrowed.

"Your face..." the elderly man breathed, "You remind me of a king I once loved well."

"He should," I remarked with a slight smile making the man look my way, "That was his father."