Chapter Two: The Dawn Treader

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Marina felt sudden force being pushed into her. The force made her start coughing and spit out the sea water, she opened her eyes and she winced when the sun touched her eyes. She blinked a few times and took in her surroundings.
She was on a ship's first deck. Marina saw people that she wasn't expecting: there was sailor men, two minotaurs, a Faun, a few Talking Beasts; like Mice, Rats, and Birds. They were all looking at her strangely, she shivered as they watched her.
"Whose this?" asked a handsome young man with wavy, shoulder-length dark brown hair, soft brown eyes, and a stubble beard.
"This is my younger cousin, Marina," Nora replied warmly. She lowered herself closer to her younger cousin. "Marina. This is King Caspian."
"My King," said Marina with a smile and she bowed her head.
"Don't move too quickly," said a golden-brown Mouse with kind eyes, a rapier, and a belt.
She let out a sigh and blinked a surprise when a sailor had put a blanket over her back. "A-Are we in Narnia?"
"That's right, but we're mostly on the Great Eastern Sea," said Caspian.
Marina saw that the boy has the authority and elegance of a good King.
"Wait a moment, what's your name?" asked a two foot and golden-brown Mouse with a rapier and a thin band of gold around one of his ear with a long crimson feather sticking of it.
"Can you tell me your name first, please?" asked Marina, wary.
"Oh, right how rude of me," said the Mouse, embarrassed. "I'm Reepicheep the Chief Mouse."
"Greetings, I'm Marina," said Marina, she bowed her head in a greeting.
"Like from my lullaby and the legend. Where the sky and water meet. Where the waves grow sweet. Doubt not, Reepicheep. To find all you seek. There is the utter East. With the Marina of the Sea with the Spirit of the Sea to seek the Utter East," said Reepicheep with wide eyes.
"You think that's me?" asked Marina, confused and startled.
The Mice smiled and nodded with bright eyes. Feeling a little self-conscious about the attention, she let Nora help get her up to her feet. Edmund and Lucy exchanged worried and secretive looks.
"Not to mention there's blue stripes in your hair," said Lucy.
Lucy was right. There were six shimmering sea-colored stripes in her light golden caramel hair that seemed to gleam in the fading sunlight. "I wonder how that happened." Marina started checking her hair.
"I can share a room with you, Edmund," Caspian said to him.
"We can give two rooms to Nora, Marina, and Lucy," said Melanie with by her side Peepicreek.
"Okay, and thank you," said Marina with a smile, then she turned to Reepicheep. "Can you please tell me about this legend after me and Lucy are done?"
"Of course milady," said Reepicheep with a regal bow.
Marina nodded her thanks and followed the three girls, Nora gave a knowing look to Edmund and Caspian.
They went inside the two boys' next door cabins. Marina eagerly opened the door and she became in awe of the spare cabin. It had three windows made of diamonds and that looks out to the sea, swirling water astern, low cushioned benches around three sides of the table, a swinging fire-candled lamp overhead, a big enough bed for her with a white blanket along with a white pillow on the head, a desk with Narnian books, a beautifully bond book with a fine, engraved gold-blue cover with a gold dragon and a closet filled with a girl's clothes and weapons.
"Wow, it's perfect." Marina checked out the clothes.
She picked a tunic that's in the colors of golden-yellow and white, a pair dark brown pants, a bow and a quiver of arrows, a sword and tied it to a sword belt and into a sword carrier (she knows how to do archery when she went to summer camp), and she brushed her hair with a brush that made her hair smell like the ocean breeze.
She went above desks, Marina went towards the railing to see the dusky sky and to feel the fresh ocean air. Marina breathed in the air, she closed her eyes, and smiled to herself. She felt her hair waved gently in the wind.
She remembered her first trip to Narnia, and boy was she ever excited to be on her first Narnian adventure.
This sea adventure is definitely what I have asked for, thought Marina warmly as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the golden-amber sky.
              🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺
Nora shivered as she felt the touch of the chilly wind as she leaned against the ship mast and watched the amber-colored sky with a peaceful smile. She started wearing Narnian clothes that consisted of a beige tunic with a leather brown vest, that has long sleeves and a pair of dark brown pants that's completed with her brown combat boots.
"Nora." Before she could even blink, Nora was suddenly pulled into a warm, comforting embrace by a familiar person.
As she slightly pulled back from the hug, she was overjoyed to see Edmund again. "Ed!" The two of them both started hugging each other before they broke their embrace yet again. "Wanna tell me who that extra boy is? Because, I don't remember ever seeing him before."
Edmund let out an annoyed groan. "That's Eustace Scrubb. Our younger cousin."
"Well, he sounds friendly." Nora crossed her arms over her chest and smirked with a mix of sarcasm and amusement.
"Oh yeah." Edmund rolled his eyes, picking up on her playful sarcasm. "Sure he is."
"From what I understand, you were staying at your cousin's place when Peter is at Professor Kirke's place and Susan is checking out America with your father?" Nora asked him, curious about his situation.
"That sounds about right," replied Edmund, a slight trace of annoyance filled his voice.
"Welp, I'm just glad to see you and our family again." Nora rested her head against the Just King's chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeats.
Nora gave Edmund an endearing smile as she looked at the boy she cared for so much, his presence giving her an instant sense of happiness. Lloyd couldn't help, but feel himself melt a bit under such a loving expression from his crush, and not just that, his cheeks began to heat up again as well.
"Hey, uh." Edmund struggled to string his words together. It felt like his heart was pounding against his chest, and his thoughts were racing at a million miles an hour. "I actually had something I wanted to talk to you about. It's why I asked you out here today."
Nora's smile had faded a bit, and she started looking up at the Just King with a confused and concerned expression, unsure what had him so nervous. "Sure Edmund. What's up?"
"It's something I've been hiding since we met." Edmund walked towards the railings with her while looking down at the smooth waters of the creek, as if he was gathering his inner strength. "Something to do with you."
Nora blinked in surprise. "With me?" She mentally cringed at the sound of it. "Not sure if I like how that sounded."
"Don't worry," Edmund assured her gently. "It's nothing bad."
Nora titled her head curiously. "Then, what is it?"
"I've been hiding that well that I like you." He ducked his head, his black hair falling around him to shield his face, his cheeks heating up.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Nora asked, both curious and confused.
"Because of how things ended with another." He hung his head with shame. "I got my heart broken by her." His brown eyes bearing a saddened gaze many could associate with a broken heart. "I trusted her, I cared for her and it ended up cheated. I just..." He ducked his head, his light blonde hair falling around him to shield his face, clearly sad and confused over her.
"You were afraid I would break your trust and hurt you like she did?" Nora asked him curiously.
Edmund fiddled with his hands nervously. "Well... umm..." He glanced downwards ashamed and regretful, making Nora frowned in concern of her companion. "Yes."
"Edmund, I promise not to do what she done." Her eyes softened as she gazed at him. "I'd never purposely hurt you." Then, she did suddenly something that surprised even herself. Before she knew what was happening, her lips met his left cheek. Edmund's eyes widened, but didn't move due to his amazed shock.
Nora realized what she had done and her eyes too widened. "I-I'm... I'm sorry." She placed a hand over heart and felt it hammering within her chest. She could barely understand her actions. She did care about Lloyd; that was no lie. He was so kind to her and helped her through so much... But what in the name of Narnia caused her to kiss him?
What was this feeling? 
Meanwhile, Edmund sat there on the ground, shocked. A hand was placed over the spot where Nora kissed him as his mind raced to explain what had happened. Edmund was stunned and could feel his heart going into an excited frenzy in his chest.
"Well, if it's okay with you... maybe we could try, being together?" Edmund suggested, but then became flustered when he remembered they were on a date right now. "I'm mean— I know we're having an outing right now! I just, I meant, you know—" Edmund stopped his ramblings when he heard Nora laughed again.
"I would love to call you my boyfriend Edmund Pevensie," said Nora happily as she gently took his left hand with her right hand, while smiling up at a flustered Edmund.  
"And I would love to call you my girlfriend Nora Archer," Edmund added, gently squeezing Nora's hand that he was holding onto.
The setting sunlight shone down on them, as if it was shining down the promise of them being together. Edmund's hair lightened almost to silver by the sun, while Nora's still shone bright golden. Their eyes reflected the bond between them as well as their past childhood.

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