The Light of Narnia - Book 3 (Narnia X OCish Reader)

Chapter 3 - Bells Don't Ring Themselves

"Land ho!" you all heard a shout and quickly made your way up the stairs to where the captain was.

-~:~-

As you looked at the island in the distance, Caspian spoke, gesturing to you. "Y/n, this is the captain of this ship, Drinian. Drinian, this is High Queen Y/n, the Lightful."

You and the captain nodded to each other before you spoke. "What island is that?"

"The Lone Islands," Caspian said. You nodded, now having somewhat knowledge of where you were.

-<>-

"The port of Narrowhaven," Drinian said. You, Edmund, Caspian and him were standing and looking at the island. You had your own spyglass, which right now didn't show anything in particular, working like a regular one while Caspian had his.

"Strange, not a Narnian flag in sight," Caspian spoke, voicing the thoughts of both you and him while handing his spyglass to Edmund.

"But the Lone Islands have always been Narnia's," Edmund noted.

"We know. That's why it's strange," you grimaced. Something here wasn't sitting right with you. Edmund looked at the lifeless city through the spyglass, ignoring your remark.

"Seems suspicious," Drinian stated the obvious.

"I say we prepare a landing party," Edmund said firmly. "Drinian?"

You gave your friend a sympathetic glance, knowing what was about to happen. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," Drinian told Edmund. "But the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship."

"Right," Edmund nodded.

"We'll use longboats," Caspian backed Edmund's idea up. "Drinian, pick some men and come ashore."

"Aye. Tavros?"

At the captain's words, the minotaur took over leading the preparations. You put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Y- Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he asked, trying to put on a smile. You raised a brow at him, showing that you didn't believe it, but left the matter alone to go and prepare for going on land. You weren't going to go without any weapons, afterall.

-<>-

You hopped onto the shore elegantly, looking around. The silence wasn't peaceful or cozy as you would expect from a sleeping town. Besides, it was a bit early for everyone to be sleeping already. There should've been guards and such going around and making sure no one could come in the night without being noticed and stuff like that but there was no one. It was eerie.

You creeped along, Caspian on your right taking his crossbow from his back and holding it ready. You, along with many others, flinched back when you heard bells be rung. So there is someone, you wondered, bells don't ring themselves.

Caspian raised his crossbow but still, no soul could be seen. You sighed, taking your spyglass from your belt. "Rundown on the humans here," you muttered and raised it to your eye. The view moved quickly showing you what seemed to be families huddled in corners, and a bunch of people chained to walls or sitting in what seemed to be cells. And you also saw a flicker of what seemed to be some wealthy but still filthy people.

Lucy looked at you questioningly when you put the spyglass away. "There are people," you informed. "They seem to be afraid, though."

"Of what?" Eustace asked. You hadn't spoken to him, much, honestly. Every time he saw you he looked like he'd seen a ghost and turned to go the other way.

"I don't know," you admitted. "I can only give the spyglass certain commands, I can't tell it to just show me the cause of the fear."

"Reepicheep," Caspian spoke after letting you finish. "Stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place. We will head on. If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the mouse answered swiftly before sheathing his sword and going to the said men, passing you, Lucy and Eustace who were following Caspian and Edmund up a road now.

The streets you arrived at were just as empty as you had expected. And even more quiet since seagulls couldn't be heard anymore, either. Eustace made the offer to go back almost immediately.

Edmund looked at him from in front of big doors where you all were. "Do you want to come here and... guard something?" he asked awkwardly.

"Ah, yes!" he exclaimed. "Good idea, cousin. Very, uh... logical."

You quickly conjured the boy a dagger and handed it to him. "I've got it, I've got it, don't worry," he assured, more himself than anyone else, apparently.

"You've never held a dagger before, have you?" you asked with a smile, finding it slightly funny, before turning around and following the others in. "Careful with the blade, Eustace."

"How can you be so... nice... to him?" Lucy asked when you arrived to them.

"He hasn't given me an exact reason not to be," you shrugged before looking around. The place was full of bells. And statues.

"I'm ready to go when you are," Eustace's voice echoed in the almost empty room.

Edmund's torch gave light to what seemed to be a book, filled with names and numbers. "Who are all these people?" Lucy asked.

"Why have they been crossed out?" Edmund added.

"It looks like some kind of... fee," Lucy noted. Dread swelled in your chest and you felt your hands glow out of instinct.

"Slave traders," Caspian said. It wasn't a question.

Bells rang and men came down from the ropes as if they had been waiting for that exact revelation. Instinct took over and you conjured whips, throwing men around with them the best you could to protect your friends and yourself.

A scream rang through the building. Everyone stopped. You turned. A man was holding the dagger you conjured to Eustace's throat. "Unless you want to hear this one squeal like a girl again," he spoke threateningly. "I'd say you should drop your weapons."

"Like a girl?" Eustace asked offendedly.

"Now," the man instructed.

You heard something clatter to the ground. Now! you thought, the dagger on Eustace's throat dispersing and forming itself into a whip.

"Get her hands!" someone yelled, clicking the pieces together rather fast. A second later, someone took your wrists and you felt something stabbed into both of your palms, making you lose control. The man holding Eustace pulled out another dagger of his own and the situation returned to what it was.

"Put them in irons," the man commanded.

"Hey," you exclaimed, someone coming to do so. "Get off," you growled, headbutting him in the chin. Something liquid and warm seeped through your fingers. You paused momentarily, registering that you were bleeding. The man took the moment to put on hard iron shackles which immediately dug deep into your flesh. You yelped in pain.

Fear and anger took over you again and you squatted down, swinging your legs under the man behind you. He fell and you rolled away from under him and stood up, ready to fight on. Someone hit you over the head. Hard. You felt yourself slam into a pillar.

"Y/n!" you heard voices cry out. How many? You didn't know. Who? You didn't know that either. All you knew was darkness.