Lost boy || Prince Caspian

7

"Onward!" Reepicheep sung excitedly as the lone boat bumped into the stone steps of shore. "The thrill of the unknown lies ahead". He hopped off and scampered up the steps. Otto turned and held out a hand to help Lucy out of the boat. She smiled at him and used him to steady herself as she climbed the slippery steps.

"Couldn't this have waited until the morning?" Eustace whined as Otto climbed out. He turned and grinned as he held out a hand for Caspian. His lover chuckling as he took it and Otto hauled him up onto dry land. Around them the second boat had docked and the crew were up and tying both boats to the mooring rings set into the stone.

"There is no honour of turning away from adventure lad", Reepicheep huffed. Eustace scowled at him. The boy scowled at everyone. Otto shook his head and stepped close to Caspian.

"This silence is creepy", he muttered.

"It's definitely unusual", Caspian breathed in reply. "Keep sword ready. I don't like this". Otto turned back to the boat and pulled out his spear from where he had lodge it under the seats. He kept it close to his side as the group began walking slowly up onto the streets.

"Come on jelly legs", he heard Reepicheep call behind him.

"I'm capable of doing it myself", Eustace snapped. A thud and a groan of pain sounded. Next to Caspian, Edmund smirked as Lucy rolled her eyes. Caspian turned at the noise and sighed.

"And you're certain he's related by blood", he remarked. Lucy shrugged.

"Where is everyone?" She asked as they followed Caspian up from the steps and towards the city gates. Caspian had a crossbow ready in his hands, Edmund holding the hilt of his sword as they glanced round the harbour. Suddenly the deep gong of a bell rung out. Lucy gasped and Otto felt himself jolt in surprise. The noise hung heavy with vibration in the air, startling a flock of birds into taking off. But no more noises followed it.

"Reepicheep", Caspian called as he glared up towards the shape of a bell tower.  "Stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place. We'll head on". He lowered the crossbow and crossed the cobbles to the empty city gates. Otto and Lucy following behind him. "If we don't come back by dawn, send a party".

"Yes your majesty", Reepicheep bowed before scampering back to the boats.

"This is eerie", Otto muttered as he followed Caspian and Edmund into the city.

"Tell me about it", Lucy mumbled back, one hand on her dagger hilt. As they entered the city the golden light of sunset became blocked. Only grey shadows remained. Their shapes growing steadily larger as the sun lowered. The buildings were blocky, square like, and only grew more dense as they continued. The bell tower was in what Otto guessed the centre of the city. The doors to the church sat opposite a large square which was similar to the city of Caspian's rule back in narnia. (Back home. Otto almost called it back home. It was more home than England anyway).

They spread out round the square. All of them looking around uneasily. Caspian had replaced his crossbow with his sword. The blade unsheathed and pointed cautiously towards the church doors. Eustace was peering through a gap in a shuttered window. "Yeah", he announced, turning and hurrying towards Edmund. "Looks like no one's in, shall we head back?" Otto spun his spear over one arm and gripped it in his hands, the teardrop end pointed out as his bad feeling worsened.

"Look", Edmund huffed. "Do you want to come here and guard... something?"

"Ah yes", Eustace hurried closer. "Good idea cousin. Very um, logical". Edmund huffed and turned to the church doors. The five of them stepping closer as Caspian prepared to open them. Otto glanced back at Eustace and sighed. He crossed over and pulled a knife from his belt, offering the hilt to the boy.

"Just in case you need it", he offered. Eustace took it shakily.

"I've got it, I've got it. Don't worry", he nodded. Otto turned back and grabbed his spear in two hands as Caspian pushed open the doors. The wood creaked loudly in the silence of the square and the man glanced back at them to make sure before stepping inside.

Inside was cold and dark. The only light came through the small windows and it was dim. Otto could make out the shapes of chains hanging down from the high ceiling and the distorted shadows of statues. It smelt of dust and empty air. "I'm ready to go when you are!" Eustace called from outside. The stone bounced his voice round them.

Before them was a stone alter. Edmund pulled the flash light, the very same flashlight Otto had brought to narnia years before, and switched it on. On the alter was a book with a quill and a ink pot. It lay open, words covering the page with scrawl. "Who are all these people?" Lucy asked. Otto glanced at it. The words were names. Dozens of names in long neat rows. "And why have they been crossed out?" Beside them words were numbers. "Is this some kind of fee?"

"Slave traders", Caspian announced. No sooner than he had spoken the words then the bells began ringing above them in great booming gongs. Voices yelled as men dropped from the ceiling. Otto whirled as the numerous men encircled them. All clothed in ragged material and faces grimy, cutlasses and swords in their hands. The sharp tips gleaming in the dim light. Otto heard one scream as Caspian shot him with his cross bow. There was a thud as the body fell from its rope. The sound seemed to start it all as the men charged. Otto spun his spear and swept it out in a arc in front of him. His attacked being forced to jump back to a voice their guts being sliced open.

Somewhere to his right he was aware of Edmund meeting steel with steel as he forced off two fully grown men with a angry ferociousness. On his left, Caspian was silent. Only his sword clanging as he flicked it expertly round to block two curved cutlasses as they fell towards his neck. "Look out!" Edmund called as a man charged at Lucy. But despite her small stature, she didn't back down. She swiped up a sword from one of the fallen men and lunged into the fray with a yell. Otto couldn't help but grin at the sound as he slammed the hilt of his spear into a man's head, the attacker crumpling to the floor.

Then a scream rang out and they stopped. Otto turned to see a man in wealthy clothes in the open doorway. Eustace was held in front of him, the small boy pale and wide eyed. There was a long dagger held to his throat. "Unless you want to hear this one squeal like a girl again", the man remarked as he walked Eustace towards them. "I'd say you should drop you weapons".

"Like a girl?" Eustace exclaimed in offence. The tightening of the blade round his neck swiftly made him shut his mouth.

"Now!"

Lucy dropped here's first. The sword falling and clattering loudly as she huffed in frustration. Caspian followed, gently bending down and slowly lowering it so that it didn't make a sound. Otto was next. He sighed at his beautifully spear but reluctantly lowered it to the floor. (He hoped he could get it back later). "Eustace", Edmund sighed in disappointment before dropping his sword. (Otto didn't understand why Edmund was so disappointed. It was silly to let the kind guard the door. The boy was twelve and had never held a blade in his life! Honestly, what were they thinking?"

The man holding Eustace captive, obviously the leader, smiled. "Put them in irons!"

Unedited