Beyond My Control Book #5

Chapter 9 I Can't

 The next morning, Peter ordered Irvin to sail back. He couldn't sail any further until he knew his siblings were alive.

 He and his men were sailing in the longboats when they saw a large piece of driftwood. Of course, they thought nothing of it until he caught sight of something shining stuck on it.

 "Stop!" He ordered, "What's that?"

 Tumnus, the closest to it, grabbed it."Your majesty, it's Queen Verity's necklace."

 He handed it to Peter. Who gripped it tightly. No! It couldn't be true! They weren't dead! They had to be alive.

 "Your majesty, what shall we do?" Armand asked.

 "Turn this boat about," He replied, "I need to inform my sister."

 Irvin and Armand obeyed, and they rowed back to the ship. As he stepped on the ship, Lucy came up to him, "What happened?

 He showed her Verity's necklace. She gasped, taking it in her hands.

 Susan and Ruth came up from the lower deck, "What's wrong?"

 "Verity and Edmund," Armand said mournfully.

 Susan choked on a sob and Ruth's eyes filled with tears. Peter gathered his three sisters in his arms holding them close. He never wanted to let go of them and lose them like Edmund and Verity.

 Verity's pov

 "What did you find?" Edmund asked when I returned.

 "Mangoes," I grinned, "Pomegranates." I threw a mango at him, "I saw some palm trees, and you know what they had?"

 "What?" He asked.

 "Coconuts."

 Edmund stared over at the palm trees, "You're not climbing those trees!"

 I ignored him and ran over to one, wrapping my arms around it and pushing myself up until I reached the crown. I held on tightly while grabbing two coconuts and dropping them on the ground before climbing down.

 I walked back the coconuts in my arms, "Now we have milk to drink," I said.

 Edmund made a choking sound, but I gave him one of my looks."If we're to stay here long term, Ed, we will have to eat what's set before us."

 "Sure, sure," he replied annoyed. We both sat down to eat, I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but we hadn't eaten in a while.

 3rd person Lucy

 "We should head back," Peter said, "Home."

 "But we can't go back!" Lucy protested, "Edmund and Verity are alive I know it."

 "Lu," sighed Susan, placing a hand on her shoulder.

 "Oh, don't remind me," cried Ruth.

 "We could spend the night on shore. It will be easier on your mind. There's an island not far from here. It's uninhabited as far as I know," Irvin suggested.

 "Not another night outside, Irvin, you know how I hate it," groaned Armand.

 "Well, you can sleep on this ship," returned Irvin coldly, "While the rest of us will sleep on real ground."

 "We can do that," Peter sighed in agreement.

 A few hours later, when they rowed out to the island, Lucy noticed something strange. A column of smoke was billowing at the other side of the island.

 "I thought you said this place was uninhabited?" Ruth asked, Lucy could tell she was uneasy.

 "Well, that's from what I saw; I couldn't be sure," Irvin answered.

 "We'll find out tomorrow," Peter said soberly.

 They got out of the boat, while the crew pulled it ashore.

 "I'm sure those savages won't attack us if we're only here for one night," Armand replied casually.

 "Savages," Ruth shivered.

 Peter glared at Armand, wrapping a comforting arm around Ruth, "Of course, there are no savages out here."

 "Well, first things first," Tumnus said, "We should build a fire."

 "Oh, please don't!" protested Ruth, she clung to Peter's arm."They'll see we're here."

 "Ruth, it gets really cold during the night," Susan replied.

 "I know, but we can survive," Ruth told her.

 "I'm going back to the ship," Armand began."If I have to sleep in the cold."

 "Ruth, we're making a fire whether you like it or not," Peter said firmly.

 Lucy could sense her brother was anxious. That night she woke up to hear him, stirring the fire.

 'You know, Peter, you don't have to watch the fire," she told him, sitting down beside him and taking his hand.

 "I can't sleep," he sighed, throwing the stick into the fire,' It's my fault, they're gone."

 Lucy squeezed his hand, "It wasn't, Peter, stop blaming yourself. It just happened that Edmund and Verity would want us to move on. I don't understand either, but Aslan knows what's best."

 "I know it's just so hard to believe," Peter said, "I wish I could just have another chance."

 "Maybe you will," Lucy laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him wrap his arms around her."Edmund would be asleep by now, you know how much he loved his sleep."

 She could almost hear Peter smile, "And Verity I can almost hear her writing. She always whispered what she wrote, and if she didn't, you could hear the scribble of her pen.

 Lucy smiled, "I miss them."

 "So do I, Lu," Peter answered, placing a kiss on her cheek.

 Verity's pov

 "Ed!" I whispered that night.

 "Yes," I heard him mumble.

 I sat up, "There's smoke coming from the other side of the island, what if..."

"No, it'll be alright," he answered half asleep, "Go to sleep."

 I rolled my eyes," Edmund Pevensie! I wish you wouldn't be so charismatic!"

 "I wish you wouldn't worry so much," he replied annoyed, "This isn't the real Verity. What did they do to you at that school?"

 I lay back down, "Nothing."

 "I've sensed a change in you, Verity, ever since you came back," he told me, "Please, just tell me."

 I turned to look away from him, "I can't." I forced the tears away. Where was Aslan? Why wasn't he here yet?

 Edmund squeezed my hand, "Just tell me."

"I told you, I can't!" I snapped back, "Just leave me alone."