I'll Stand By You

Chapter 12: The Dragon

Once we left the cave, Caspian spoke to his men about what they had found and it was then when I realised that Eustace was missing.

"Where's Eustace?" I asked.

"Not helping us load the boats I'll tell you that." Reepicheep huffed.

"Eustace!" Lucy called out. "Eustace! Edmund, I have a bad feeling..."

"I'll go search for him." Edmund suggested.

"I'll come with you." Caspian chimed in.

Just as I was about to speak, Caspian turned towards me. "You'll stay here with Xavier and Gemma, besides we'll be back soon."

With that Caspian and Edmund left in search of Eustace and so we went back to the Dawn Treader, helping with the supplies and waiting for them to return. It wasn't long until we heard a roar.

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"Is there a monster nearby?" Gemma asked, frightened.

"I hope not." I replied, holding Gemma closer towards me.

Then we saw flames near the ship, making me grow worrisome. Where are Edmund, Caspian, and Eustace?!

"It is a volcano?" Gael inquired.

Out of nowhere a dragon appeared and it headed straight towards us. Drinian ordered his men and Narnians to aim their arrows at the dragon.

"Fire!" Drinian ordered.

They continued to fire arrows at the dragon, however in response he landed on the mast. Whoa! He's going to break the ship!

"He's going to break the ship." I advised them.

"Right, I'll stop this." Reepicheep said before heading towards the dragon. He raised his sword and stabbed him on the foot.

The dragon yelped, letting out a ball of fire. However he let go off the mast and returned to the island. It wasn't long until he returned though, this time we returned onto shore where Edmund approached us. "Don't shoot! Don't hurt him."

"And why not?" I asked.

"The dragon is Eustace." Edmund replied.

"What?" I laughed. "You want me to believe Eustace is a dragon."

Edmund nodded vigorously. "He was tempted by the treasure, look at the golden bracelet on his arm."

Eustace landed just a few feet away from us and sure enough he had a golden bracelet on his arm like Edmund mentioned.

"Everyone knows that the treasure of a dragon is enchanted." Caspian commented. He earned a glare from Eustace, to which Caspian added. "At least those from here."

Lucy tried to pry the bracelet off of him, however it was no use. Eustace cried out in pain, and eventually Lucy gave up.

"Is there any way to change him back?" Edmund asked.

"Not that I know of." Caspian said before looking at Drinian and then at me.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to as well." I apologised.

"Aunt Alberta will not be pleased." Edmund muttered.

Reepicheep then walked towards Eustace. "Sorry about the hand, old boy. I tend to get a little overzealous at times."

Eustace said nothing, but instead glared at him. At that moment, Tavros approached us. "The boats are ready, sire."

"We can't leave him though." Lucy argued.

"But we can't bring him aboard, your majesty." Tavros replied.

"Drinian, you and the others take a boat back. The rest of us will stay here until dawn and see what we can do." Caspian ordered, handing him another sword.

"But you have no provisions." Rhince said to Caspian. "And no means of staying warm, your majesty."

At his words, Eustace opened his mouth and created a fire with a couple of wooden sticks that lied near us. I cracked a smile as Reepicheep spoke. "You were saying?"

Rhince and the rest of us let out laughs. Eustace you've outdone yourself this time, brilliant, great work! So Reepicheep, Rhince, Gael, Edmund, Lucy, Caspian, Xavier, Gemma, and I stay with Eustace by the shore. That night we brought more wood to the campfire before laying down. Reepicheep slept next to Eustace, while I slept next to the girls, and Caspian laid down next to Edmund. It wasn't long until I feel asleep with the warmth of the fire.