His Majesty, Her Grace - Sequel to A Prince Caspian Love Story

Chapter 24 - Victory

Important author's note at the end of this chapter :)
Enjoy!

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Caspian's POV

Rays of sunlight begin to peak through the darkness, lighting up our surroundings.

"Caspian?" Althea calls out from somewhere I can't see. The deck is a mess and people are crowded around in groups, shouting and celebrating our victory over the sea monster.

Her small face peeks out from a group of crew members. She runs to my side and helps me sit up, all with worry plastered on her face alongside salty water that's soaked through her hair.

"Are you alright?" She asks.

I smile at her. There was a long portion of the battle where she was not out of my sight, but I couldn't do anything to help her. I was terrified of something happening, especially since we were so close to the end.

"Yes, are you?" I ask her and she nods.

"Edmund! Caspian! Look!" Lucy shouts.

The Dark Island is no more. All the darkness that was clouded here is disappearing, leaving a light and natural fog. It lays over the waves like a protective blanket. Something materializes in the distance, boats of people that have to be the Narnians that we have been searching for.

"Narnians! Narnians!" The crew shouts, claps, and cheers happily.

Althea runs to the side and it's a miracle she didn't trip over anything. I follow her, praying that her aunt is one of the souls that we've rescued.

"Mummy!" Gael shouts, spotting her mother.

"Helene!" Rhinse shouts to his wife.

Neither of them hesitates before jumping into the water. They swim to her in no time. Althea searches desperately through the faces of approaching boats but doesn't seem to recognize anyone.

"Where could she be?" She asks.

"Let's help them on board! Clear the deck!" I shout, hoping that after the rescued people are closer, that we'll be able to search for Althea's aunt more thoroughly.

"We did it." Lucy beams happily. "I knew we would."

"It wasn't just us though," Ed says.

"You mean-"

"Hey! Hey, I'm down here, Lucy!" Eustace's unmistakable voice comes from the other side of the ship. "Over here! Lucy! I'm in the water!"

Althea smiles and follows us but her happiness doesn't quite reach her eyes. Eustace is a boy again and is treading water a few yards away from the ship.

"Eustace!" Lucy grins down at the cousin she used to be annoyed by.

"I'm a boy again! I'm a boy!"

Reep scurries over too. In the confusion of the battle, I forgot to make sure he hadn't been carried away by Eustace during the fight. The little mouse seems unharmed though. "Eustace! I see your wings have been clipped!" He leaps into the ocean, splashing the poor boy in the face.

Lucy laughs as Reep begins to sing. "Where sky and water meet! Where the waves grow ever sweet!" They both lift handfuls of seawater into their mouths. "It is sweet. It's sweet!"

The four of us laugh but Althea's is significantly shorter and quieter than the rest of ours.

"Look! Look!" Reep climbs onto Eustace's shoulder.

There's land just barely visible in the distance. I can't make out any details, but I can take a guess as to what it is.

"Aslan's country, we must be close," I say while simultaneously wrapping my arm around Althea's shoulders. I wanted to comfort her somehow but I don't think she noticed.