The Trials We Face | E. Pevensie

Chap. 7

Edmund and I returned to the upper decks, an apple in my hand, a peach in Edmund's. As we got off the staircase, Caspian and Lucy greeted us.

"Hello!" Caspian said, his voice chipper. He was looking between Edmund and I, smiling smugly. We could do this thing; know what each other was thinking just by the looks on our faces.

C: Everything worked out, huh?

Y/N: Yes, everything's fine, Caspian.

C: I knew it!

Y/N: Shut up.

"Morning, Caspian, Lucy," Edmund replied. Lucy's usually large smile was missing, replaced with a surprisingly dark expression.

"Where have you two been? I saw you go down to the bunks. That was almost an hour ago!" She seemed like a mother scolding her children.

Edmund scoffed. "Relax, Lucy. We were down in the kitchen, enjoying coffee and breakfast. Time must have slipped by us."

Lucy huffed. "Sure. Breakfast."

Caspian and I shared another silent conversation.

Y/N: What's wrong with Lucy?

C: Uhhhhh....I don't know.

Y/N: Oh please, I know you do.

C: I'll tell you later.

...

C: We're you two actually in the kitchen or-

Y/N: Don't even go there!

"Lucy, are you feeling alright?" Edmund was saying, Lucy's ridged look still present. She sighed and crossed her arms, moving away from us. As she did, I noticed slight movement in pile of sacks - potato sacks, I think. Curious, I trodded over, careful to avoid Lucy. I didn't want to make her more upset.

I could feel my hand cooling down, preparing myself to catch whatever rat or vermin was under the food sacks. With the other hand, I pulled over the top sack and found...

A girl? Small and brunette, with wide eyes and pale cheeks.

She was tiny, and looked terrified.
"Don't hurt me, Miss Ice Lady! Please! I'm sorry!"

I almost laughed at the name she had called me, "miss ice lady". That's new.

"Hey, hey! I'm not going to hurt you!" The crew had taken notice of this stowaway, and everyone fell silent and watched as we interacted. I reached forward to grab her hand, when the girl swung at me. I jumped back, but her innocent look made me slow to defend myself. In her hand she had a small, crude knife, which sliced into my palm.

I yelped and skidded back, holding the cut hand. Edmund stepped forward quickly and pushed me back. Two other crewmen helped Edmund, standing around the girl. She look terrified, and tried to slice at them too, but one crewman caught her wrist and she dropped the weapon.

"Who are you?" I asked her, pushing the men out of the way. Scaring the girl more wouldn't help. I bent down on her level. "You've cut me, quite deep. It's not a problem, but if you hurt me again, the crew wont be so nice." I spoke soothingly, trying to tell her that she had to stop fighting.