~By the Lion's Mane: The Call~

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

After the dismissal of Gumpas, we went to the stables and found a few horses, though they were poorly cared for. I saddled and mounted a leggy chestnut mare, whose tail was full of snarls and burrs and who had dried sweat still caked around her girth area from the last time she was ridden. I patted her neck, promising I would tidy her up when we got back.

We clattered down the cobblestone streets to the slave market to oversee the freedom of the captives there. Caspian issued an official decree illegalizing the sale of human beings and all creatures of equal intelligence as slaves. Pug was arrested, as were the other slave merchants, and we made sure that the slaves were put on ships back to Galma and Terebinthia and wherever else they came from. It was chaotic, and I was very glad to be done with it and get back to the mansion.

But before I could go to bed, I reminded myself that I had to make good on my promise to the horses, and I mucked all eight stalls, filling them with fresh straw. I scrubbed out their grimy buckets and fed them all extra grain. I gave the horses a light grooming, just making sure that they were comfortable and somewhat presentable. By the time I was done, it was well after dark, and I collapsed into the bath tub, nearly falling asleep in the warm water.

We had to stay at Narrowhaven for three weeks after that to make preparations for setting out into unknown waters. The next day, the Dawn Treader was pulled ashore by huge draft horses, and expert shipwrights went over every board and nail in her to make sure she was ready for the journey.

Edmund and I enjoyed being able to be alone, and we went riding out in the country of Doorn, just like we used to back home in Narnia. I listened to everything that had been happening back in our world, and he in turn listened to my stories. After the conversation lulled, we would just lie on our backs in the grass, watching the clouds roll lazily across the cerulean sky. I loved him more with every day that passed.

Edmund told me about how the war on the Continent was nearly over, and his father had been able to come home. That was how he and Mrs. Pevensie and Susan had gotten to go to America.

The Dawn Treader was stocked with as much food and water and ale as she could hold, which wasn't much, unfortunately. Our supplies would probably only last for about thirty days, if we stretched them. But we would sail until then.

When we departed, a great crowd gathered at the docks to see us off. The townsfolk dressed in their best clothes, waving handkerchiefs and ringing the bells. We stood on the deck of the ship, waving goodbye. Then we sailed around the western tip of Doorn, and they disappeared from sight. We spent the rest of the day sailing around the southern edges of Doorn and Avra before finally heading out into the open seas once more.

Eustace was just as unbearable as he had been before. He still believed that there was some way he could get home, and that we were all plotting against him and keeping him from it.

"Caspian didn't even try to find me a train station, and now I'm stuck on this blasted little boat again, heading out to who-knows-where, where we'll probably all die!"

We all did our best to ignore him, but the little beast was hard to disregard.

"Only fools would go sailing off into the sea without a map or a radio system!" he exclaimed.

Other than him, it was delightful. Every morning, I woke to see the golden halos of light from the water dancing on my ceiling. I would rise out of my little bed, dress in a loose cotton shirt and roll my breeches up to the knees. It was cooler that way, and the men quite enjoyed seeing a little bit of skin. I went barefoot, because it was easier to climb up through the rigging.

After dressing, I would braid my hair to keep the wind from tangling it, and then go to breakfast. Edmund and I would sit and eat at the stern, just talking quietly and enjoying each other's company. Then I played chess with Lucy and Reepicheep, or just climbed up into the rigging with a spyglass to watch for whales or land or anything else of interest in the endless stretch of navy blue water.

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One day about a week after leaving Narrowhaven, I looked around behind us to see a dark mass of thunderheads piling up in the west. Over the next hour, they grew closer, and the water took on a steely gray color. The wind came in bursts, the air still one moment and then cold and gusty the next. I climbed back down the swaying ropes to the deck just as Drinian cried, "All hands on deck!"

We quickly set about closing the hatches, putting out the cooking fire in the galley, and adjusting the sail.

Edmund called to me, "Rose, go down to your cabin!"

I shook my head, but his brown eyes pleaded with me, and I softened, though I didn't like the idea of being stuck in the stuffy little room. But before I could go down, the bottom dropped out of the sky. I was soaked to the skin almost immediately.

The ship suddenly seemed to drop out from under my feet as she dove down into the valley between the waves. She then climbed back up to the crest of the next one before plummeting again. The wind was howling and the sky was so black, it seemed like we were caught in twilight, though it was only about half past two.

The Dawn Treader spun around, causing me to stumble, even though I was used to a ship's pitching. A wall of water crashed over the rail and swept across the deck. I gave a short cry of fear as it knocked me off my feet, washing me to the other rail. I quickly staggered to my feet and searched for a rope. There was a coil of line nearby, and I quickly wrapped a length of it around my waist, tying it securely as I struggled to keep my footing against the waves crashing on both sides of the little ship. I lashed the other end around the mast, hoping this would keep me secured.

I heard Drinian bellow to Lucy, who somehow was still on deck, "Get below, Ma'am!"

Thank Aslan she obeyed. I made sure she was through the door to her cabin before turning to look for Edmund and the others. Wave after wave crashed over the deck, knocking me down each time. The rain was pelting me so hard it felt like I was being stabbed repeatedly with pins, and it drove into my eyes and ran down my face so that I was as good as blind. I squinted out through the sheets of water, spotting Drinian at the wheel, the muscles of his arms bulging with the effort of keeping the Dawn Treader on course and as straight as possible.

I turned the other way to see Caspian and Edmund holding on to one of the lines, struggling to help the sailors gain control of the sail. Their hair was plastered to their foreheads, muscles taut.

Edmund saw me clinging to the mast and screamed at me, "Rose! Get off the bloody deck! Go down with Lucy and Eustace!"

I shook my head through the rain. "I'm not leaving you! Let me help!"

His eyes pleaded with me again. "Rose, please go down below! You can help at the pump!"

I stood, well, tried to stand, torn between Edmund and going to safety.

"Rose!" he cried again, as he and Caspian strained. I nodded and turned to go, untying my safety line. With it and another in hand, I stumbled over to Edmund and Caspian, and looped them around their waists.

I kissed Edmund quickly on the cheek and called over the storm, "Be careful!" Then I turned and staggered back through the ankle-deep seawater on deck to the door down to the cabins.

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A/N: Don't forget to comment, vote, fan, and like!

School's finally over, but I have work so I'm still pretty busy, but I've got a little more time to write. More chapters coming soon!