Beyond My Control Book #6

Chapter 11 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, his brother, 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!" Andrew ordered, "What's that?"
Tumnus, the closest to it, grabbed it."Your majesty, it's Queen Verity's necklace."
"Which one, she wears two?" asked Peter curiously.
Andrew held it in his hands, "It's the cross one, Pete."
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 majesties, what shall we do?" Armand asked.
"Turn this boat about," Peter replied, "We need to inform our sisters."
Irvin and Armand obeyed, and they rowed back to the ship. As the boys stepped on the ship, Lucy came up to them, "What happened?
Peter showed her Verity's necklace. She gasped, taking it in her hands.
"It's Verity's!" she exclaimed, "Where did you find it?"
"It was stuck to a piece of wood," Andrew replied soberly.
Susan and Ruth came up from the lower deck, "What's wrong?"
"Verity and Edmund," Andrew 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. With Andrew wrapping his arms around them too. 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.
"Well, I almost got a monkey, but my knife wasn't fast enough. We'll go hunting together tomorrow. But I found fruit. Mangoes," I grinned, "And 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, Key!"
"It'sthat why I'm called Key, it is short for monkey remember," I called to 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.
"I think Lu is right, we can't give up hope," Andrew insisted. Lucy smiled up at her brother, at least someone else agreed with her. He put an arm around her shoulders.
"What is there to hope about?" Ruth asked, "They drowned."
"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. "And if it is its either Narnians or natives."
"Not another night outside, Irvin, you know how I hate it," groaned Armand. "And it could be those native savages Ahuba warned about who kill."
"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, Rue," Andrew said.
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. "You mean those Ahuna talked about."
"There are no savages, Rue, they are people like us," Andrew responded, "Or Narnians."
Peter glared at Armand, as Andrew wrapped 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 Andrew'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.
"If you say so, Rue," sighed Andrew.
"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 and 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, Key," 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, "Key, just tell me."
"I told you, I can't!" I snapped back, "Just leave me alone."