Beyond My Control Book #5

Chapter 7 Castaway

A few days later, we were sailing again. Peter called the rest of us five into his office.

"Another storm is brewing,' He told us, as I sat down on the table.

"Great that will slow us down," I muttered miserably.

"I hate these storms," Ruth sighed.

"You'd better make sure Cliff is safe," Edmund said to me.

"Tumnus has put him under his wing, but I'll check," I answered, getting up.

"No, don't go out!" Susan pulled me back.

"But the storm hasn't started yet," Lucy protested.

"But it will soon enough," Susan retorted.

I sighed, I would be careful and Lu was right.

"I'm tired of you two trying to control my life," I couldn't hold my tongue any longer.

"Sorry?" Peter asked confused.

I turned around, "You don't know, do you? You and Susan, ever since I have returned home you two have been arguing about what I want to do with my life. Susan expects me to fall in love with a prince that I just met and you, Peter, you want to send me back to Tashbaan. To do work which you can perfectly well do on your own!"

"Verity," Ruth placed a hand on my shoulder, "Don't do...."

"How am I supposed to choose between you two? How can I choose between the woman who helped me become the woman I am today and the man who's always protected us and been like a father to me? I can't!" I explained, "And I have other plans." I revealed my book, "I'm a writer."

Peter looked angry at me, "Verity, how dare you disobey me, I'm your older brother. You know there's spies everywhere; a book like this will give them more information than they need to do."

"So going straight into Tashbaan, a place lurking full of spies, isn't worse," Edmund snapped back.

"At least it's away from those two young men," Peter glared back at him.

"Verity, you had school to do!" Exclaimed a shocked Susan, "What will your headmistress think? Queens aren't writers."

"Queens can choose any profession they want and Aslan gave the job of recording Narnia's history to me!" I yelled back, "I'm tired of you always telling me what to do. And since when, Peter Pevensie, was I forbidden from writing a book." I grabbed my cloak and left.

I was angry at them both; this was my life, not theirs. Or maybe it wasn't my life when I had become a Christian at 11. I had surrendered all my fleshly desires and focused on serving Jesus. In this world Aslan.

"Verity," I turned around to find Edmund, "I'm sorry.'

I ran into his arms, crying, "I just wish they'd understand. I don't want to go...I was so glad to come home and now they both want to send me away. I'm a queen and I don't want to leave you all again. You're my siblings."

"It's fine," he held me tightly.

At that moment, it began to rain, and I let loose of our embrace."Cliff, what if he's still out there."

I swung open the door and stepped out of the deck. It was already windy.

"Cliff!" I yelled, Edmund joined me."I'll find him, you go back in."

"No," I protested.

"Pull on the sails!" I heard Irvin order, "Armand, take the wheel!"

We looked up to see Armand trading places with Irvin.

"Queen Verity, you should be inside!" He yelled down to me.

"Where's Cliff?" I called up to him.

"inside where you should be!" Armand said.

Edmund grabbed my arm, and at that moment, the boat tilted. I tried to grab for the railing, but I was holding onto the air and then the cold waters of the ocean.

"Edmund!" I cried for help but realized he was in the water beside me.

"It's alright!" He called, "Just keep moving!"

A huge wave washed over me, and my hair came undone, tumbling to my shoulders. It wasn't long as I had cut it two years ago, but still, it was in my face. I wiped it away.

"Ed!" I shouted."Help!"

My brother swam over to me, "It's too late now!" He nodded his head to our ship. It was already almost a speck of sand on the sea.

"Come on! Before the storm began we spotted an island. It should be over there," he pointed to the east, "Not far."

I held on to him, but he freed himself from my grip, only taking my hand.

"Swim!" he told me, "And don't stop moving."

I swam as hard as I could my limbs grew cold. When I could move no longer. Edmund shouted, "A piece of driftwood," he grabbed it with his arm. I swam beside him and held onto it, resting my head on its rough surface.

"Kick your legs, Verity!" Edmund told me.

"I'm too cold," I shivered.

"This isn't the same sister I know," Edmund said, "You can."

I did as he told me until it started getting shallower. We both grinned at each other; We finally reached the shore. I collapsed on the sand, digging my fingers into the sand.

"We made it," Edmund said, wrapping his arms around me. I hugged him back, listening to his heartbeat. Oh, how I wished we were all together. The others would think we drowned, which we almost did.