As they passed onto the deck to get to the Captain's Quarters, Caspian called out, "Drinian!" The captain looked up and instantly followed behind. Letting go of Helena, Caspian went to a drawer and drew out a beautiful map. Helena smiled as she saw that it was a map of Narnia.
Trailing her fingers over the inked in detailing, Lena smiled as she said, "So this is your country."
"Yes," Caspian replied. Glancing up, she saw the glow of pride in his face and affection in his eyes. Glancing at Edmund and Lucy, he explained, "Since you left us, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally. And then we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert. There's peace across all of Narnia."
"Peace?" Edmund repeated.
"In just three years," Caspian affirmed.
"And have you found yourself a queen in those three years?" Lucy asked, sending a quick glance over at Helena who was obliviously studying the map.
"No," he admitted with a slight smile. Lucy sent a pleased look towards Helena. "Not one to compare with your sister, Susan." Lucy's smile became fixed. She loved Susan, very dearly, but it always seemed everyone was in love with her. Helena had never had time for men as she was nearly always at rehearsals or practising. "But who knows what the tide may wash in," Caspian added, causing Lucy to let out a laugh. She quickly covered it with a cough, although her smile remained.
"Hang on, so if there are no wars to fight and no one's in trouble, then why are we here?" Edmund asked, tired of the romance talk.
"That's a good question," Caspian said. "I've been asking myself the same thing."
"Well," Helena said meekly, cutting into their thoughts. "I hope I'm not overstepping, but perhaps it is because there is something to come, not that it is already here."
"Best not think about that, Lena," Edmund said.
Frowning, she asked, "Why not? Sure it's a bit more of a glass-half-empty look, but it's better to expect the worse and hope for the best than to just naively expect everything to go well."
"So, where are we sailing to?" Edmund asked, ignoring his sister. Helena rolled her eyes.
"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters, the seven lords of Telmar. They fled to the Lone Islands," he explained, pointing out the small cluster on the map as he spoke. "No one's heard from them since."
"So you think something's happened to them?" Edmund asked.
"Well, if there has, it's my duty to find out," Caspian said.
Running her hand over the map, Lucy asked, "Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?"
"Uncharted waters," Drinian explained. "Things you could barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse."
"There are sea serpents?" Helena said in surprise, looking between them all with wide eyes.
Throwing the captain a slightly amused glare, Caspian chided, "All right, Captain, that's enough of your tall tales."
"But are there sea serpents?" Helena asked.
"It is just a legend," Caspian assured.
"Let's hope so," Helena replied with a good-natured laugh. Caspian smiled. "So are the swords just for show or can you actually use one?"
"Of course he can, Lena," Edmund said irritably.
Raising an eyebrow challengingly, she suggested, "Fancy a spar then?"
"Can you use a sword?" Caspian countered. She shrugged, but none of them missed the wicked glint in her eye. After acquiring two swords, Caspian and Helena faced one another.
As they began moving in a circle, Edmund muttered to Lucy, "I know she thinks she can learn anything on the fly, but I don't think this will go well."
"Oh, have some faith," Lucy countered. "She may just surprise you." Edmund grunted in response.
Before he could properly respond, there was a terrible clash of metal. Edmund looked up in surprise to see that Helena was still radiating confidence, her smile pristine and wide. She had pulled her long hair into a bun at the crown of her head but a few strands still fell, framing her face. Lena had struck first, aiming for his shoulder. Caspian had easily blocked it and they had returned to circling one another. She gave a few more testing strikes. Edmund was surprised to see that she wasn't simply flinging around the sword as an inexperienced swordman would.
Instead, she maintained perfect control. "She's done this before," Edmund said, grinning. Lucy gave him a quick look, rolling her eyes. Had he bothered to remember, he would have known that. Lena had written them all several times that she was taking fencing lessons at school. Her scarlet lips were still pulled into an enchanting smile as she effortlessly blocked each and every attempt of his to land a hit.
"I do wish they'd get on with it," Lucy muttered irritably.
"Shh," Edmund chided. Caspian and Helena had finally moved past the foreplay and the clashing of swords reached their ears. Caspian aimed for her head and she ducked, aiming for his feet. Jumping, he caught her sword with his own and raised it high in the air. Shoving his sword from her own, Helena got it to the other side, twirled her sword around in a three-sixty-five arch, only just managing to disarm him and press her sword to his throat.
Caspian let out a surprised laugh as she lowered her sword. "Who knew you'd be so accomplished with a sword," he remarked. She shrugged, an easy smile on her lips. "I suppose the royal blood is blooming talent."
Instantly, that smile was gone. "What?" she said, frowning. "Royalty?" Caspian furrowed his brows, glancing at Edmund and Lucy who merely glanced at one another. "What are you talking about?" When no one answered her, she turned from him, handing back the sword and approaching her siblings. Raising an eyebrow, she repeated, "Royalty?"
"We might have failed to mention," Edmund said awkwardly.
"Peter was High King," Lucy explained. "We ruled alongside him and Susan as king and queen." Helena, not knowing how to respond, nodded and moved to sit on a barrel by the side of the ship. Edmund took Lena's former sword and began to spar with Caspian as Lucy joined her.
Helena was frowning slightly. Noticing this, Lucy asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just...this is all insane," Helena said. "I can't believe you are all royalty here."
"Well so are you," Lucy said with a laugh. "Being the sister of kings and queens does make you a-"
"Stop, stop, I don't want to think about that," Helena interrupted. If anyone uttered the word 'princess' or worse, since they were multiple kings and queens, 'queen' she felt she may simply jump off the boat there and then.
Edmund joined them with a glass of water after the fight ended as Lucy asked, "Edmund, do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just...tip off the edge?"
"Don't worry, Lu, we're a long way from there," Edmund replied. The hatch in front of them was pushed open and out of it emerged Eustace. Helena started, having forgotten he was even there.
"I see you're still talking nonsense, the two of you," he said irritably.
"Are you feeling better?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, no thanks to you," he snapped. "It's lucky I have an iron constitution."
"As effervescent as ever, I see," Reepicheep said from behind them. Helena cried out in surprise, covering his mouth with her hands.
"Sorry," she said meekly. "You just- I forgot animals can talk here."
"It's quite all right, your majesty," he assured. Turning to Eustace, he asked, "Find your sea legs?"
"Never lost them," he snapped back. "Simply dealing with the shock of things. Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence." Edmund, who had just taken in a sip of water, choked on it as he began to laugh.
"I don't think he has 'a cute' anything," Reep muttered, causing Helena to smile.
Getting angry, Eustace warned, "I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British Consul. Have you all arrested for kidnapping." He stormed away as Helena smiled, spotting exactly where he was headed.
"Kidnapping, is it?" Caspian asked, completely unaffected by the young boy barreling into him. "That's funny. I thought we saved your life."
"You held me against my will!" Eustace cried.
"Did I?" Caspian replied in amusement, leaning back against the railing.
"In, what I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters. It's like a zoo down there!" Eustace shouted.
"Eustace!" Helena scolded, sending an apologetic look towards Caspian.
"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reep said.
"He's only warming up," Edmund replied.
"Land ho!" a voice called. Everyone looked up and sure enough along the horizon was a small stretch of land.