The Just and the Wise

Chapter 21

We make our way back to shore, where we gather around Eustace the Dragon. Edmund is sitting on a rock in front of me, and I had relocated the shoulder that he dislocated when he was abruptly hurled onto the deck of the ship by his cousin. I keep my hands on his shoulders lightly. I'm still mad at him, but I don't want to let go of him-just in case.

"He must've been tempted by the treasure," Edmund says, gesturing to a golden bracelet on the dragon's arm.

"Well, anyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted," Caspian raises his eyebrows at Eustace, who properly glares at him, "well, anyone from here."

Lucy suppresses a smirk at Caspian, while a couple of the crew members snicker. Lucy approaches her reptilian cousin, and she wraps her hands around his wrist, which is about as big as she is all together.

She pulls the taught golden bracelet off his wrist, and he growls in pain for a moment. Eustace looks at his cousin sheepishly but appreciatively - I think - I don't quite understand dragon body language.

"Is there any way to change him back?" Edmund asks, standing up.

"Not that I know of..." Caspian glances around at his crew, but they all just shrug or shake their heads.

"Aunt Alberta will not be pleased," Edmund looks at Eustace in disdain, and I look the boy, well, dragon up and down with sympathy.

Eustace huffs at Edmund's comment, bits of smoke coming from his flared nostrils.

"Sorry about the hand, old boy," Reep crawls towards him, apologizing for a stab he had taken at Eustace when he sat on the ship's mast, "I can be a bit overzealous at times."

Eustace growls at Reepicheep, but it's a soft growl-almost forgiving.

"The boats are ready, Sire!" The bull calls back towards us.

"We can't leave Eustace alone," Lucy says to Caspian.

"We can't bring him on board, your majesty," Drinian says with a glare at the dragon.

"Drinian, Lucy, and I will stay here," Caspian says, "Edmund, you should sleep on a real mattress given your shoulder."

Edmund nods and looks at me, a mix of nervousness and hopefulness in his gaze. I nod at him and take his hand.

"I'll go with him then," I say, and Caspian nods at me.

"The rest of us will stay here till morning and work out what to do," Caspian looks around exasperatedly.

"But you've no provisions," Gael's father says, "and no means of staying warm, your majesty."

Eustace shoots fire from his mouth, lighting small sticks on the ground in front of him on fire. Lucy jumps back but smiles at her cousin.

"You were saying?" Reepicheep crosses his arms with a grin.

Eustace looks about proudly, finally content with his ability to help out. Edmund and I take one of the rowboats back to the ship with Drinian and the crew. I help Edmund onto the deck, and we walk arm and arm back into our cabin. I close the door to our cabin, and I immediately begin helping Edmund remove his armor.

"Ah-" Edmund winces as I pull his armored vest off his shoulder.

"Sorry," I say in a hushed voice.

I finish with his armor in silence, and I dress myself in one of Edmund's shirts to sleep in. Edmund also gets dressed in his night clothes, and I turn around to see him standing directly behind me.

"Ed!" I gasp at his closeness. "Don't just sneak up on me like that."

"Will you talk to me, please?" Edmund asks, looking into my eyes.