Resilient - Caspian X

Slave Traders Make A Dumbass Mistake

Caspian and Tyler joined the others on the deck after talking and reconnecting for a short amount of time. They were brought out of their thoughts when Drinian and Reepicheep both shouted "Land ho!" 

Caspian and Tyler headed up to the wheel of the ship and looked out at the land that they were seeing. Drinian spoke to Caspian "The Lone Islands. Port of Narrowhaven."

"Strange," Caspian said as he handed the spyglass back to Drinian. "There's not a Narnian flag in sight." 

Tyler moved to the other side of Caspian so he was standing at Caspian's left. "We should send a small group ashore to see what is going on?" 

"You may be a king but on this ship, Caspian is in command," Drinian spoke looking at Tyler who stared him down. 

Caspian looked at Drinian and stepped in front of Tyler a little "Tyler is my partner in everything and when we're done with this voyage I intend to crown him again should he stay." Tyler gasped from behind the Telmarine King not aware of any of this yet. Caspian ignored him and continued on "therefore on this ship, he has equal command as me. In other words, you listen to him as well." 

Tyler smiled as Drinian nodded. Edmund and Lucy who were in earshot smiled as well glad that Caspian intended for their brother to be his equal. The only thing they were unsure about was whether their brother was going to decide to stay in Narnia permanently considering the fact that most of his life was spent protecting his siblings. 

So it was decided that some people would leave the ship and go look around on land. The two boats included Caspian, Tyler, Edmund, Lucy, and to the former's annoyance Eustace as well. As they all rowed to shore everyone took notice of the eeriness of the land. It was dead silent. 

Caspian grabbed a crossbow as he left his sword hanging at his side. Tyler joined him with a hand on Epilogue which was hanging where it usually does on his left hip. They slowly walked to the city and were startled when they heard the ringing from the bell tower. "Reepicheep," Caspian looked at the mouse. "We're going on ahead. Stay here and secure the place. If we don't come back by dawn, send the party." 

Reepicheep looked at Caspian "yes, your majesty." As Caspian jumped over the concrete wall and began the walk with the three Pevensies and Eustace to the bell tower. Eustace stayed outside as the four royals walked into the bell tower.

Tyler couldn't help but compare the darkness of the bell tower with the years that the White Witch had controlled Narnia. Both were cold and dark. Caspian held his crossbow up as Tyler and Edmund both tightened their grip on their swords. 

The four royals found a book on the stand and walked over to it. Lucy spoke out loud "who are all of these people? Why have they been crossed out? It looks like some kind of fee." 

Caspian and Tyler looked at each other, each with eyes wide as they had an idea of what was going on. Caspian looked at the other three "slave traders." 

Suddenly, the bells rang and all four turned to see sliding down the ropes were people. All three males in the room drew their swords but it was too late. Tyler's sword was knocked out of his hand as a man grabbed both Lucy and Tyler. 

Then, the door to the bell tower opened and Eustace was there with a knife at his throat. A man with long hair looked at his men "take these three to market." 

Caspian frantically looked at Tyler and Lucy before glaring at all of their captors "I am your king. You will pay for this." 

"Someone will pay," the man spoke. "For all of you." 

With that, Lucy and Tyler were both dragged away screaming "Caspian! Edmund!" Caspian and Edmund looked back at them and screamed for them as well but it was too late. 

**********

Caspian and Edmund were thrown into a cell with their swords still on them. They also had managed to grab Tyler's sword although it did nothing to comfort either king. Edmund looked at Caspian as they sat down "on a scale of 1 to 10 how much are they going to regret taking my brother?"

Caspian chuckled mirthlessly "there isn't a large enough scale for that. We just have to figure out a way out of here." 

"It's hopeless," Caspian and Edmund looked at each other before turning towards a dark corner in the cell. "You'll never get out." 

Edmund looked in the corner "who's there?" 

"Nobody." Caspian walked over to the corner. "Just a voice... in my head." 

A man came out of the dark with a long beard and white hair. He and Caspian stared at each other for a second just sizing each other up. Caspian recovered quicker "Lord Bern." 

"Perhaps once, but I'm no longer deserving of that title." 

Caspian and Edmund looked at each other as Edmund asked "is he one of the seven?" 

Caspian nodded and kneeled beside the newly recovered Lord Bern. Lord Bern looked at Caspian and studied his face "your face, it reminds me of a king I once loved." 

"That man was my father," Caspian spoke softly. Lord Bern and Caspian both stood up as Edmund looked out of the bars. Caspian joined Edmund and watched as slaves were taken to a boat and sailed out to the sea where the clouds turned black as night and a shadow appeared with a cloud of green smoke.

The two male royals stared on in disbelief and horror as the boat met the mist and completely disappeared. Caspian turned back to Lord Bern "where did they go?" 

"No one knows," Bern spoke as Caspian and Edmund jumped down from the window. "The mist was first seen in the east. Reports of fishermen and sailors disappearing out at sea. We Lords made a pact... to find the source of the mist and destroy it. They each set sail but none came back. You see if they don't sell you to the slave traders... you're likely to be fed to the mist." 

Caspian and Edmund looked at each other as Edmund spoke worriedly "we have to find Lucy and Tyler before it's too late."