Inheritance: Shade Of Hope

Chapter Twenty Two - Desperate

The whole ship seemed to hold their breath together as their King was sick in bed. His fever had broken, thank Aslan, but his cough only seemed to get worse by the day. He could barely get a few words out without falling into a fit. The cold air made it worse, so he would only venture out of the cabin while the sun was up. Though he had a quarter of his usual strength and energy, he never failed to fight you on everything. You had to all but force him to take the bed, while you slept on the settee in the study. He had all but lost his voice, but you had to admire his skill of arguing with just his eyes.
You finally had a moment to write to Sisni. You felt horrible that it took so long to send out the first letter but, between training the doves and your sword lessons, time got away from you. You told her about almost every little detail of the trip so far, excluding the bits about you and Caspian that were more intimate. You did however, want Tavros to know about his current condition so you spared no detail of the storm.
"Alright, who wants to go on a trip?" You asked your doves. They both stared at you, as if hoping you would change your mind.
You reached into the cage and Firetalon came to you. "That's my girl." You smiled at her. Tied her harness on, and put the note inside the pouch. "Take this to Sisni." You ordered her, and released her out the back window.
You heard footsteps approach the cabin doors, and knock. Drinian opened the doors. "Go on." He demanded to Caspain who glared at him from behind, and walked into the room. You looked between them questioningly.
"Yer King decided he was gonna try teh climb up ter the crows nest..." Drinian said disapprovingly.
"Caspian!" You scolded.
Caspian crossed his arms on his chest and looked incredibly irritated at being treated like a child.
"I trust ye'll handle him?" Drinian asked you.
"Oh I definitely will." You replied.
Caspian rolled his eyes as Drinian closed the door.
"How are you going to recover if you keep doing things like that?"
He pursed his lips and tilted his head.
"Don't give me that look. You can barely breathe as it is. What if you had a coughing fit while you were up on the ladder?"
He shrugged nonchalantly.
"I swear I'm going to have to tie you up..." You murmured to yourself.
He raised his eyebrows and smirked suggestively.
"Don't even." You glared at him but couldn't help a smile. "Come on, it's time for your tea anyway."
He walked towards the table, and passed the cage, looked inside and motioned.
"Oh yea, I just sent Firetalon out to Sis, we'll see how long it takes for a reply."
He nodded approvingly and sat down, but began coughing uncontrollably.
You rubbed his back empathetically, and waited for him to catch his breath. "You ok?"
He nodded and took a sip of tea and sighed.
"Do you think you're getting worse?"
He shook his head "no" and furrowed his eyebrows. Motioned to the tea, and the few herbs you had left hanging on the wall, and smiled.
"I'm glad they're helping, but... we don't have much left. I worry about your condition once we run out."
He looked down at the table in thought. Then stood up, and walked to the study area, picked a figurine of a ship off his desk and motioned to it. You watched him intently. He brought the figurine over to the back doors, and held it up so it was against the water in the background. He stood back and waved at it.
You stared stupidly at him. "Sorry..."
"Passing ship.." he wheezed. "Supplies." He coughed again.
"oh. Oh!" you finally understood. "Ok ok, let me ask Drinian to keep an eye out."
He tilted his head and smiled at you, placed his hand on your cheek and rubbed his thumb against your face. You couldn't help but to lean into it. You put your hand on his, "I'll be right back." you smiled and went out.

"Well tha's a good idea lass bu' we havn' seen 'nother ship fer days." Drinian responded after you explained Caspian's idea.
"We'll just have to keep an eye out for someone, anyone." You insisted. "I don't think he can get through a day without them..."
" 'Nderstood."

You went back inside to find Caspian holding the necklace that fell out of your mother's journal. After that day you had put it away in a drawer, not wanting to lose it. He looked at you and held it up with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh...that." You answered knowingly. "I'm not sure where it came from, it fell out of the journal."
He smiled at it admiringly.
"Yea it is pretty isn't it. It must have been my mothers, but I have no idea why it wouldn't have been in her jewelry box. It's not like she had a lot to begin with."
He held it up towards you and motioned.
"Oh... uhm... what?"
He rolled his eyes and walked towards you with it. He moved behind you, brushed your hair out of the way, and placed it around your neck. Then he turned you to face him. He looked down at you, moving his hand to the pendant which lay between your breasts, and picked it up gently, and smiled at you. You felt your heat beat through your chest as he looked you in the eyes.
"I...I'm not sure this suits me..it's too nice..." You stammered.
He glared at you, spun you, and moved you forcefully towards a standing mirror. You saw yourself in the reflection, with him standing behind you, his arm wrapped around you, playing with the necklace, while he looked at you through the mirror. You looked back at him and he smiled softly.
"Alright fine I'll wear it..." You conceded shyly.

The rest of the herbs lasted for a couple more days, but were at the point where you had to ration them with him, and it was causing his recovery to slow. Some days he couldn't get out of bed for lack of breath, other days he would be coughing so much his lips would begin to turn blue. You were desperate. Then as if Aslan himself commanded it, you heard the crows nest call out that there was a ship in the distance.
You left Caspian in bed to join Drinian at the helm.
"Can you make out who it is?" You asked.
"Na from here..." He looked through the spy glass. "We'll ha' to divert course to get to 'em. 'Bout a days travel there n' back."
"Whatever we have to do." You insisted.
He nodded and called the command to change course towards the strange ship. "Le's hope they're friendly."

By the end of the day the ship's colors were in sight, and it wasn't good news.
"Pirates." Drinian scoffed.
"We don't have a choice." You shook your head. "We have to take our chances, for the King's sake."
"He's 'na gonna like this..."
"He's not going to like lying in bed, coughing his lungs out for the rest of his life either."
"Alrigh' lass.... le's go tellim..."

Caspian slammed his fist down on the table, glaring at you.
"Caspian we don't have a choice... you need your medicine."
He coughed violently, and sat down to catch his breath.
"You see? You're only getting worse. We're all really worried about you."
Caspian looked to Drininan pleadingly.
" 'S no good lookin' at me Sire, I agree wi' her."
Caspain shook his head angrily and looked down at the table, wheezing.
You sat next to him, and placed your hand on his. "Look at me."
He didn't move.
"Caspian. Look at me." You demanded more firmly.
He barely turned his head towards you.
"If we don't get more of these herbs, you could die."
He looked into your eyes, and you noted fear behind the anger.
"Pirates only want one thing right? Treasure. We have so much we can offer them in trade for medicine and safe passage past, there's no reason to worry." You tried to sound convincing.
He motioned below him, and shook his head.
"They'll be fine. We will have all the Calormene and non essential crew stay below deck, out of sight."
His shoulders slumped in defeat. The looked up at Drinian and pointed to him, then pointed to the pirate's ship out the window.
Drinian looked at you.
"No." You answered his question knowingly. "I'll be the one to go aboard. I'm your liaison remember?"
You swear you saw fire burn in his eyes, and he stood up in absolute defiance, then immediately doubled over in a fit.
"You're in no condition to argue." You insisted.
"We'll wait 'till firs' light. Th'n strike the colors..." Drinian explained.
In a rage Caspian slapped a chalice off the table that startled you.
"I'll leave yeh now, Sire. Miss." Drinian excused himself.
As soon as the doors closed Caspian spun around and grabbed you by the arms and squeezed tightly. Pleading into you eyes.
"Please..." He rasped. "Don't..."
He turned away and coughed.
You brushed a stray hair away from his face softly. "I have to. You need me to."
"I'm...not....worth it..." He struggled with every word. "If you.... hurt... I can't..."
"And I can't keep watching you suffer."
He grabbed your face in his hands, and placed his warm forehead on yours and closed his eyes. You could feel his body straining with each inhale.
"I'll be careful." You promised.

The next morning, the crew lowered the Narnian flag as you approached the pirate's ship. Caspian almost didn't let you out of the study, but ultimately, which much effort, let go of your arm. So far so good, as no indication of hostility came from their end, but as Drinian constantly reminded you, pirates were not to be trusted. He coached you as you neared on what to expect.
"Don' let 'em intimidate yeh." He warned. "Tha's the firs' thing they'll try. As' teh speak d'rectly teh the Cap'n. R'member pirates 're thieves. S' how they make eh' livin'. They'll try teh get the most from yeh while givin' the least."
You nodded nervously.
"We'll be righ' here." He placed his hand on your shoulder from behind as you were now within an arrows distance from them.

The two ships stopped parallel to each other, facing in opposite directions. The planks were lowered from both ends. You looked across to see an intimidating bunch of burly men surrounding both sides of the plank, and you had to walk through them. Drinian and the rest of the crew stood behind you. "Don't let them see your nerves." You told yourself. Deep breath. You walked across to the other side.