𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄, caspian x ✓

fifteen.

15

IS THAT A...?

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The group of four had walked to the beach, only they had walked in silence and away from each other. As soon as they crested the hill and could see the rest of the crew loading up the rowing boats with the little amount of food they found. 

Kathryn could already make out the disappointed face of Carver. She made her way over to him, meeting him half way.

"What happened?" he asked, motioning to Caspian, Lucy and Edmund who had been ignoring each other.

She watched as the three of them stood away from each other. "Can you remember what Coriakin was talking about in the observatory? The evil that we'll encounter? I think that we just did.  Edmund and Caspian had a moment and I had to step in."

Carver looked at his feet. 

"What?" she asked him, her hand going to his elbow in a motherly way.

"I think the evil has been with us for a while," he sat on the rock behind them and Kathryn followed. "I sleep below deck with the rest of the crew, I hear their nightmares and terrors. I have them too. Ever since Narrowhaven, there has been this presence among us."

He went quiet again, chewing on his bottom lip.

"What else?" 

He looked up at her with his big brown eyes. "I- I had a nightmare the other day. About the day I got taken.  I've had many nightmares; countless. But never about that day. I woke up with one foot on the deck railing and one hanging over the ocean."

Kathryn bit down on her lip. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, I could tell that something had happened with you, too. You and Caspian were becoming friends and then suddenly you start ignoring each other? What happened there?"

"You're deflecting."

"And you aren't?"

"I also had a nightmare. About Rubeus. About my cell. Caspian was there and he comforted me. He comforted me in a way that no one else ever has before. And..." she sighed, "And I felt vulnerable. I don't like the idea of someone seeing me like that. So, I'm not letting to happen again."

"Kathryn! Carver!" Lucy came running over, worried. "Have you seen Eustace? He isn't here."

Carver shook his head, "We all thought he was with you."

"I'll go and find him." Edmund set off back where they had just come from.

"I'll come with you," Caspian joined him.

Lucy looked to Kathryn, silently pleading with her eyes. She didn't trust them to be alone together. And neither did Kathryn.

"Lead the way," she said to Edmund, following closely behind as they retraced their steps back to the hole.

⋆

The three of them came up to a small valley in the dried earth. Edmund's eyes widened in delight. "Treasure," he muttered. There, in the valley, was treasure as far as their eyes could see. Golden goblets, golden armour, golden weapons, golden jewellery and gold. 

"Trouble," Caspian corrected, his eyes meeting Kathryn's as he spoke. 

"If Eustace had walked past this and saw all that gold?" Kathryn asked Edmund. His face confirmed it. "Help me down?"