Romeo ➳ E.P

XVII: now i'm here

"but you won't see me."

Lucy and Juliet were standing on top deck when Lucy suddenly grasped her arm. "What?" Juliet laughed as she saw the young girls shocked and scared face.

"Reepicheep, he's up there." Lucy pointed to the dragon face at the front of the ship, sure enough the small mouse was stood holding onto the wood and leaning out into the breeze. "Is he safe?"

"Perfectly. He goes up there to sing and smell the sea air, everyday at fourteen past one." Juliet smiled as the two girls looked up at him, carefree. "Why don't you go speak to him about it, he'll gladly explain I'm sure."

Lucy nodded and ran off to see Reepicheep as Juliet was left on her own. She turned to rest her elbow on the side on the side of the ship, how great it was to have the two youngest Pevensie siblings back, especially Edmund, she thought. But she knew that they had to leave as they always had to, and this time it could be for a very, very long time.

"Are you still as good with a sword as I remember you were?" Edmund appeared behind her.

Juliet laughed. "Try me."

He flipped up his sword to point at her but she flicked it away with hers just as fast. "Looks like we have a duel men." Caspian shouted. "Everybody move back!" He laughed as Edmund and Juliet started clashing their swords together to and fro. They moved to the other side of the ship and Edmund swung his sword round Juliet's head as she ducked away from it before exchanging the favour for him.

Edmund didn't think he could beat her of course, she was too good.

He got his sword tangled with her's so she cocked her head and smiled before twisting her whole body round, making them end with their swords against each other's chests. Edmund laughed as she leant up towards him and kissed his cheek. "Better luck next time." She whispered.

"Alright, back to work!" Drinian shouted as Juliet stuck her tongue out at him.

"I don't like him." Juliet told Edmund as she grabbed his hand.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Edmund laughed. The two reached where Lucy was standing and she instantly started firing questions at her brother.

"Edmund? Do you think if we keep sailing towards the end of the world we'll just tip off the edge?" Lucy asked him as he almost choked on the water he'd been drinking.

"I wouldn't worry Lu." Juliet laughed as she kept slapping Ed's back to help him stop the cough. "We're far from there."

"Oh, I see you're still talking nonsense."

Juliet turned her head to see that Eustace had finally made his way out of the cellar, Juliet tunes to look up to Caspian who just smirked and started to walk down to them.

"Are you feeling better?" Lucy craned her head round to see him, being the kind person she was.

"Well yes, thanks to you." Eustace just shot back at her.

"As effervescent as ever I see." Reepicheep joined in from above their heads, making Juliet jump. "Find your sea legs-?"

"Never lost them." Eustace spat.

"Never had them, more like." Juliet whispered to Edmund who smiled, holding back a laugh.

"Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence." Eustace carried on mumbling to himself, causing Edmund to almost choke on his water.

"I don't think he has a cute anything." Reepicheep said to Juliet and she laughed quietly.

"I'll have you know as soon as we reach civilisation I'm contacting the British Consort and having you all arrested for kidnapping." Eustace, clearly over hearing the mouse, started to ramble again. Walking straight into Caspian.

Caspian pushes his shoulder. "Kidnapping is it?" He narrowed his eyes at the small boy. "That's funny, I thought we saved your life."

"You held me against my will." Eustace's head darted between Caspian and the others. "I stayed in those unhygienic quarters, it's like a zoo down there."

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Juliet said, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed.

"He's just warming up." Edmund sighed.

"LAND HO!"

XXX

There was indeed land. Juliet day in a boat with her brother, Lucy and Edmund, when reaching the harbour they left the long boats and Juliet clutched onto her marbled sword tightly.

"Onward! The thrill of adventure lies ahead!" Reepicheep raced past the others and up the steps.

"Can't we wait until morning?" Eustace complained.

Juliet nudged her brother. "Why did we bring him again?"

Caspian chuckled. "With any luck, he's get scared out of his wits and pass out soon." He explained to his sister who just breathed a quick sigh of relief knowing they weren't giving him a weapon of any kind.

"Listen." Lucy broke the argument. "Where is everyone?" Caspian and Juliet ventured a bit ahead. Suddenly, a bell rang, birds flew and Juliet knew then there had to be people around. No people, no food, no food, no birds.

"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place." Caspian ordered. "We'll head on, if we don't come back by dawn, send a party."

They walked into the centre still with Eustace trailing behind them. "Yeah, looks like nobody's in so shall we head back?" He shouted from the back of the line, just as Juliet was tracing her fingers over a large metal door.

Edmund turned and sighed. "Do you wanna come here and guard, something?" He turned and shrugged at Juliet who smiled brightly at him, his cheeks turning a certain shade of pink.

"Ah yes, good idea cousin. Very, uhm, logical." Eustace ran over, out of breath by the time he reached the others who turned round and then looked at each other.

"Ugh, fine!" Juliet snapped at her brother. She walked forward and handed him a dagger. "Always carry a spare anyway."

"I've got it - I've got it. Don't worry." Eustace muttered as Juliet pushed open the doors. Inside the building were many bells hanging from the ceiling, it was dark and hardly any light shone through. In the middle of the room was a big pile of books, the biggest ones that sat on the top, with a pen.

"Looks like they're crossing names off." Juliet murmured under her breath.

"But why? Who are they?" Lucy leant in closer.

"Hang on, Cas. Looks like a fee." Juliet snapped her head up.

"Slave-traders."

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