The Queen of Narnia

Chapter Fourteen

  As we walked back to the port, the people of the island kept cheering. Caspian and I led our group, walking hand in hand, with my siblings and Drinian right behinds. I'd retrieved my bow and sword from the traders' stash, along with the rest of our group's weapons and more. With everything back in place, it was time for us to continue on, but now our mission was much more complicated.

  Still, the smile on Caspian's face made me forget about those troubles. He looked proud of his crew, of our ability to liberate these people from their oppressors, and I shared his feelings. I also knew a lot of his relief came from the fact that we all ended up not gravely harmed, especially judging by the way he kept squeezing my hand as though to make sure I was still there. We'd almost made it out of the town when a voice caught our attention.

  "Your majesty! Your majesty!" A figure came running up, and Lord Drinian, the ever stoic protector, immediately stepped forward to block the man from reaching us. "Wait! My wife was taken just this morning!"

  That's when I recognized him. "You're Helaine's husband."

  Caspian saw this recognition and held a hand out at the lord. "It's all right, Drinian."

  Helaine's husband darted past the lord, keeping up stride for stride with me and Caspian. "I beg you, take me with you." A little girl cut off his plea, and I saw the child from this morning.

  "I want to come!" The girl exclaimed.

  "No, Gael," Her father said firmly but gently. "Stay with your aunt." He turned to us once more, full attention on us. "I'm a fine sailor, been on the seas my whole life."

  Caspian gave me a sideways glance, and I nodded, peering around him to Helaine's husband. "Of course, you must."

  "Thank you," He gushed, relieved, and Caspian and I kept walking as he joined the rest of the crew. As we made it to the port, the town folk followed, their cheers still echoing. It made me smile, reliving the guilt I'd felt when I could do nothing to help these people. Now they were free from those slave traders, free to live without fear as they should. Caspian looked down at me, and a small smile crossed his face once he saw mine, squeezing my hand slightly. Just like that, I knew his thoughts mirrored my own.

  "My king!" A voice rang out when we reached the port, and I saw an old man carrying a sword in both his hands. Caspian had told me that he and Edmund found Lord Bern, one of the seven lords of Telmar, in their prison cell and had freed him as well. Now the lord was rushing up to us, while Drinian's men prepared our boats.

  "This was given to me by your father," the lord said when we stopped in front of him, my siblings flanking us. "I hid it safely in a cave all these years."

  I recognized the style of sword, but Edmund beat me to it as he said, "That's an old Narnian sword."

  Lord Bern nodded. "It's from your Golden Age. There are seven such swords, gifts from Aslan to protect Narnia." His gaze went back to my husband. "Your father entrusted them to us. Here, take it. And may it protect you."

  Caspian hesitated, and I saw the doubt and weariness on his face, so I squeezed his hand once more before letting it go. Only then did he move to take the sword out of the lord's outstretched hands, his eyes fixed on it. The sword was covered in a solid layer of grime, but a little cleaning up would reveal its true glory. Lucy shifted beside me, and I caught her eye, silently telling her to let Caspian find his own way out. Just like that, the town folk began clapping and cheering again, snapping my husband out of his daze.

  "Thank you, my lord," He said, and reached out to clap the old man on the shoulder. "And we shall find your lost citizens."

  That was my cue. I stepped forward, giving the lord a slight curtsey. "We will be in touch."

  The old man smiled fully then. "A radiant queen, truly fit for the throne. You do live up to your title, Queen Susan the Gentle."

  His words brought a bright smile to my face, and I nodded a thanks before following after Caspian, Lucy and Edmund, who'd already headed towards the boats. Caspian stopped suddenly though.

  "Edmund," He said, and my brother frowned but paused as well. Caspian held out the sword's hilt, offering it to my brother, and my smile grew again. While he'd been uneasy about not giving Edmund command on the ship, Caspian was trying his best to mend things on his own. Judging by the surprise and then pride on my brother's face as he took the sword meant that his efforts were paying off.

  With that, as the people of Narrowhavencalled their farewells, we climbed into the boats, and began rowing back to the Dawn Treader.