I Fell in Love with a King of Narnia (book 3)

chapter 14. Ramandu's Island

♟Charlotte

Ramandu's Island, is more beautiful than I could have imagined. The island is large and filled with nothing but life. The sun is setting once we get close enough to the island to drop anchor and load the rowboats. I get into the same boat as Caspian meanwhile Edmund and Lucy ride in another. Edmund was speechless by the news I revealed to him and when he didn't say anything for what seemed like forever I had to leave.

It's just as weird to me as it is to Edmund. I mean, I was engaged to my brother. Well half-brother but still! I can tell it bothers Caspian too. Neither of us know what to do now but it seems if we don't talk about our problems then they don't exist.

Of course Caspian is probably still adjusting to the fact that his father was with another woman while he was with Caspian's mother and had a bastard born child. Unfortunately for me this means I'm actually royalty of sorts, which I have no desire of acknowledging.

By the time we reach the island it's grown dark and the stars are our only source of light. The night does not make whatever creatures on this island grow quiet though. The night air is humid and filled with the sounds of several chirping and squawking animals.

Our group that came to the land stick together and explore the mysterious island. It isn't long within our descent into the vast forest of trees and vines that we find a long bridge leading to an ominous tree archway.

The heavy air in the night and various sounds of the animals makes our walk across this bridge all a bit unsettling for me. Edmund walks at the head of the group with his torch in hand to help us see better for whatever lies ahead of us. Along the sides of the bridge on the railings are large birdlike statues hunched over with sharply pointed beaks and finely detailed wings.

"No one else is creeped out by this?" I ask no one in particular as I eye one of the statues as we walk past it.

No one responds, shockingly.

The tree archway ahead of us is the largest of the trees here and has several vines twisted and wrapped around it. It looks to be hundreds of years old. The stories this tree could tell is probably astounding. It doesn't make it any less creepy though. Creepy old tree and creepy bird statutes, great. What could be wrong with this place?

As we pass under the tree arch a long table stands before us with unlit candles and food that seems to be fresh like someone had just put it out just for us.

Not suspicious at all of course.

Not to Tavros at least.

"Mmm. Food," I hear Tavros say in his deep hungry voice as he reaches for the food on the table.

"Wait," Drinian stops him.

"Huh?" Tavros asks sounding rather upset that he can't devour the food in front of him that could or could not have something wrong with it.

I follow Edmund down one side of the table with Lucy and Caspian on the other. I'm curious as to why one part of the table looks fresh while the other is more old and covered with more branches and vines from the several trees that surround us. I move ahead of Edmund and I observe all the contents of the table. I have to keep my face close to the table because it is so hard to see without Edmund's torch. I see a plate, a fork, knife, cup, and...wait, is that a hand?