The Just and the Wise

Chapter 5

Your POV

I lean on the rail of the Dawn Treader as Edmund grabs a sword from a crewman. Caspian is standing by the stairs waiting for Edmund.

"Ready to see your man win?" Edmund asks me with a smirk.

"Always," I say as I take a sip of my drink.

Lucy comes and stands by me, and I nudge her with my elbow.

"Who've you got, Ed or Caspian?" I ask her.

"Hmm..." she pretends to think it over. "I think Caspian might have one over on you this time, Edmund."

I raise my eyebrows and smile at her as she giggles up at her older brother. Edmund takes false offense to her statement and dramatically brings his hand to his chest.

"Wow, my own sister doesn't believe in me," he says with a huff of air.

"Guess you better prove her wrong then, love," I snicker at his dramatics.

"Guess so," he kisses my cheek and gives Lucy a playful glare before approaching Caspian.

The two begin their match, moving up and down the deck quickly and laughing at each other's movements and quips. The crew cheers and claps at each one's clever moves, and Lucy and I laugh at the boys' competitiveness. Caspian swings at Ed's face, but Edmund ducks quickly, rising with a determined smirk on his face. Caspian gives him a look.

"Come on then," he beckons Edmund forward, "don't be scared, High King."

"Scared?" Edmund laughs.

They go back and forth again, ducking, swinging, and spinning out of each other's way.

"Stop prancing about like ballerinas and jab something!" I call out to the boys, making Lucy and a few crew members laugh.

Caspian shoots me a shut-up grin, and he lunges at Edmund.

Ed deflects his blade and swings, their swords clashing in the air. Caspian spins under the blades, the two bringing their swords across each other's chests, meeting in the middle in a draw. We all clap.

Edmund laughs and catches his breath, and Caspian admits,

"You've gotten stronger, my friend."

"Seems I have," he smiles at Caspian and walks over towards me, handing me his sword, "as has my Queen."

"Ed, what are you doing?" I say in an amused tone, taking the sword from his hands and looking up at him from under raised eyebrows.

"He's challenging you to a duel, your majesty," Caspian announces as Edmund takes his sword.

"Oh, I see," I say, turning the sword over in my hand, giving Edmund a bold look, "you want a sparring partner you might lose to."

The crew ooh's at my sarcasm.

"Oh, Y/n," Edmund says with false modesty as he holds up his sword, "I've taught you everything you know, but not everything I know."

"Who says you're my only teacher, my King?" I smirk, raise my eyebrows, and swing my sword.

Edmund jumps back and smiles at me before diagonally hitting his sword against mine. We go back and forth, neither one of us taking or losing the upper hand. I spin around behind him and lightly kick him with my boot forward into the railing of the ship. Ed braces himself against the smooth wooden rail, and he turns around and looks at me surprised but impressed.

"Look, I'll even the playing field," I tease, and show him that I'm putting my left hand behind my back.

"Hmph," Edmund laughs at me, "I've been going easy on you."