Edmund's POV
Eustace hovers over the Dawn Treader as it draws closer and closer to the island. He had tried to fly away, but Reepicheep had somehow convinced him to come back. Maybe it's the fact that Eustace is a dragon and can't speak, or maybe Reepicheep is rubbing off on him, but Eustace has been...almost enjoyable to have around as a dragon.
We've gathered on deck with the crew, and Caspian stands before us on the stairs to the quarterdeck.
"No matter what happens here," Caspian speaks over us in a kingly manner, "every soul who stands before me has earned their place on the crew of the Dawn Treader."
The green mist billows throughout the black clouds that are beginning to surround the ship as we sail into the Isle.
"Together we have travelled far," he continues, "together we have faced adversity, and together we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall to fear's temptations. Be strong. Never give in."
Caspian makes eye contact with me and nods, and his eyes move across the crew sternly, charging them to hang on to his every word.
"Our world-our Narnian lives depend on it. Think of the souls we're here to save," Caspian looks above the crew to the sky, "Think of Aslan. Think of Narnia."
He nods firmly, affirming his words to both the crew and himself. Lucy holds Gael tightly against her side in a hug, and Y/n's brow is set in determination as she watches Caspian descend the stairs.
"For Narnia!" One of the crewman shouts.
"For Narnia! For Narnia!"
Everyone raises their hands, weapons, and voices together, showing each other that we're in this together. Lucy shouts spiritedly, and even Eustace roars from above in harmony with the hearty cries of the crew. Y/n joins in, and Caspian and I exchange a look of sad bravery, knowing this will likely be the most difficult thing we ever have to face.
The Dawn Treader glides the darkness, surrounded by a thick fog. The sinister whispers of the green mist travel through the air around us. The mist itself slithers over the deck and around the crew, putting us all in a state of eery discomfort. Some men appear to be seeing loved ones or images of nightmares. Gael's father whispers his wife's name and smiles as mist envelops him briefly and then floats away. His smile falls quickly.
I feel a cold pit form in my stomach. Lucy and Gael are below deck, but Y/n, Caspian, and I have remained on deck. I look up at Caspian on the quarterdeck and see him turning and looking over his shoulders panicked. He calms down after a moment, but his face shows guilt and remorse.
"Edmund," one of the whispers morphs into her voice as it speaks to me, "Edmund, come with me."
I slowly turn my head to the mist approaching me, afraid to make eye contact with whom I know will shortly be before me. The White Witch's face floats toward me, a sickening smile pulled across her face
"Be my king," she coos, "I'll let you rule."
"Go away," I tell her firmly, "you're dead."
She moves closer to my face so that I am almost breathing in the mist.
"You can never kill me," she moves around me and I turn with her, careful to not let her from my sight, "I'll always be alive...in your mind, silly boy."
"No!" I shout as the ghost of Jadis darts away.
"Edmund?"
Y/n's voice pulls me away from the mist, and I turn to see her concerned face looking at me. I notice a few crew members are looking at me.
"Are you alright?" Y/n asks, her eyes darting all over my face.
"Yeah," I glance away from her momentarily and catch my breath, swallowing the hatred and guilt I'm feeling.
Y/n's eyebrows twitch in question for a moment before her face relaxes into an understanding expression. She knows. I know she knows. She always does. I purse my lips together lightly as her expression turns to subtle sympathy. The moment is interrupted by a distant wail coming from ahead of us. We move to the edge of the ship to get a better look, and I shine my torch into the fog, though it doesn't help much.
"Keep away!" The wailing turns to distinct words as we move closer, "Keep away!"
"Who's there?" I shout in the general direction of the voice.
"We do not fear you!" Caspian exclaims.
"Nor I you!" The voice returns closer, and I shine my light towards it.
A ragged, skinny, bedraggled old man emerges from the concavity of a sharp rock. He continues to shout at us as he moves to the edge of the rock.
"We will not leave," Caspian tells him stubbornly.
I eye the man carefully, sensing he's of some importance if he's here, of all places. His hair is long and tangled, and the remainder of what he's wearing appears to be Narnian armor.
"You will not defeat me!" The man shrieks chaotically, wielding a shiny sword over his head.
Y/n notices it the same time as I and presses the back of her hand against my arm as she sees the sword.
"Edmund, is that..."
"Caspian," I say, my voice getting louder, "Caspian, his sword!"
At the mention of Caspian's name the man stops.
"Lord Rhoop!" Caspian flies down the stairs from the quarterdeck, "stand down! Let's get him on board quickly."
Eustace flies out of nowhere and grabs Lord Rhoop and drops him on the deck from above, kicking and screaming.
"He's got to stop doing that," I say under my breath with a chuckle, looking at my girlfriend.
She scrunches her nose at me in amusement.
"Be calm, my lord," Caspian urges the lord, who is still swinging the sword about wildly while shouting obscenities at us all.
"No, my lord," Caspian puts his hands up, "we are not here to hurt you. I am your king, Caspian."
The lord's eyes widen as the move from Edmund, to me, and across the crew to King Caspian. He kneels before him and touches his face.
"You should not have come!" The lord cries painfully, "there's no way out of here! Quickly! Turn this ship about before it's too late!"
Rhoop waves his hands violently at Drinian, who looks to Caspian for instructions.
"We have the sword, let's go!" Y/n says with urgency.
"She's right, there's no reason to stay," I add, looking at Caspian.
"Turn her around, Drinian," Caspian commands, "quickly!"
The crew moves swiftly into action. I feel Y/n's eyes on me and turn to face her.
"There's no way that's all there is to it," she whispers, "nothing worth doing for Aslan has ever been easy."
Her words grip my heart like an strong fist. She's right. This was easy. Perhaps the journey was long. Perhaps the test of patience was the turmoil we were meant to endure. Perhaps-
"Don't think!" The lord warns Caspian, who turns and looks at him startled, "do not let it know your fears, or it will become them!"
They say the brain cannot comprehend the negative, meaning if you're told not to think of something, you immediately think of that very thing. I never knew if I believed that until now, for as soon as the lord said those words, Drinian's words from the beginning of our trek entered my mind.
"Oh no," I squeeze my eyes shut and swallow tightly, grimacing at the horridness of my own thought.
"Edmund," Y/n says with caution in her voice, "what did you just think of?"
I open my eyes and am met directly with hers.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I grab her shoulders lightly before running to the edge of the ship, searching the waters.
"Edmund?" Caspian's voice calls after me laced with fear.
I see movement in the water and turn to face the crew.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."