The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 5

The Naiad Trilogy

Part 2: The Naiad and Her King

Chapter 5

Ava was livid!

Caspian did it! He actually did it! He locked her in the cabin, just as he told Dr. Cornelius he would.

Ava was furious! She could not believe he actually went through with it. She yelled out his name a few more times and tried to turn the handles. She even beat her palm against the door jam, but it was no use. No one came to let her out.

As she calmed down, she could hear Caspian and Drinian shouting orders. The siege had begun. Ava decided to tap into her Naiad powers and sense the Narnians on board so that she might better determine what was happening. As the Naiad Princess, Ava could tune into the Narnian's thoughts; it was how she knew if they were in danger or great distress. It worked best when their emotions were strong, such as in a battle, but it took a great deal of magic and she could only do it for a brief period of time.

Ava chose to focus her mind on the two Fauns, Voltinus and Mentius, because she knew Reepicheep's thoughts would overwhelm her and Tavros would be busy commanding. Ava felt free and light for half a second before being bombarded with emotions that weren't her own. The ship was indeed a Terebinthian pirate ship and it had already drawn up beside the Dawn Treader. Ava felt the Faun's concern as they unleashed another arrow; the pirate vessel was preparing to board. The Narnians were in danger!

Ava came back to herself angrier than ever. Her people needed her and Caspian had locked her in a cabin! She spun around with a grunt as she leaned her back against the doors. She stared out the glass doors to the balcony in front of her.

The balcony!

Caspian could not have locked those doors. Ava sprinted across the cabin to the balcony doors. She pulled the doors open and stepped out into the sunlight; as she did, she could hear the volley of arrows and commands more clearly. Ava knew she had to help out, but from the balcony there was only one way out and that was down.

Ava hurried back inside and removed her sword; it appeared she would not be using it after all. Next she quickly kicked off her shoes and set them by the bed. She stepped back onto the balcony, and with a deep breath she hoisted herself up on the ledge and jumped into the water below. It felt cool at first as it rushed over her body. Her clothes quickly became heavy and water logged and began to weigh her down, pulling her to the ocean floor, but once she let her magic take over she became weightless. She was no longer sinking in the water. She was the water.

XOXOX

Caspian stood amidst the crew on the main deck firing arrows at the Terebinthian vessel. The pirate ship had quickly caught up with the Dawn Treader and came along her starboard side. The Narnians had not ceased their arrow attacks, and yet the enemy was not retreating. Caspian thought briefly of Ava as he reloaded his crossbow, and was thankful that she, at least, was safe.

Caspian looked back up in time to see the Terebinthian vessel drop wooden planks onto the side of the Dawn Treader.

"Do not let them board!" Caspian shouted as he rushed forth and tried to push one of the planks off. Caspian felt he put his whole strength into pushing but the plank would not budge. When Tavros lent his strength though, they managed to throw the plank over board together. Caspian knew there would be no way they would be able to push every plank off before they were boarded, but that did not keep him from trying.

Suddenly a wall of water rose up between the two ships and washed the planks, and any Terebinthian pirate on them, away. Just as that wall faded away, another wall arose and crashed down on the Terebinthian ship breaking one of its smaller masts and tearing the sail of the main mast. As that wall faded a great wave rose up between the ships and pushed them apart.