Camille's Adventure

Chapter 26: Stars

It was nightfall and the remaining crew lay near the fire: Rhince and daughter Gael, Lucy and Reep, Edmund, Caspian, Camille, and dragonized Eustace. Edmund and Caspian stared up at the stars and all their beauty.

"I've never seen these constellations before," remarked Edmund.

"Me neither," Caspian replied.

Camille lay next to Caspian with her head on her brother's chest. She smiled as she listened to the boy's conversation. She was glad they were getting along now.

"When I was a boy," reminisced Caspian, "I used to imagine sailing to the end of the world and finding our father there." He looked down at Camille and saw that she had already fallen asleep snuggled in his grip. Caspian smiled softly at his sister.

"Maybe you will," replied Edmund.

Over where Gael and Lucy shared a blanket, Gael studied her necklace intently as she traced her fingers along the gorgeously designed carving of her mother. "I miss Mummy," Gael whimpered quietly.

Lucy rolled over to look at the little girl. "I miss mine too. Don't worry, we'll see her again," Lucy assured Gael.

"How do you know?" Gael asked Lucy.

"You just have to have faith about these things. Aslan will help us."

"But Aslan couldn't stop her from being taken," Gael spoke doubtfully.

"We'll find her, I promise. Somehow," Lucy smiled and rolled over to try sleeping.

Reepicheep awoke to the sound of heavy sighs. Looking over at Eustace, Reep saw a big fat tear stroll down the dragon's face and splashed on the ground. Reep got up and went over the boy in dragon form.

"Trouble sleeping?" Reep asked.

Eustace just moved his head away.

"Now, now," Reep comforted as he took a step closer "All's not lost as it seems. I'll stay up with you, if you wish. Keep you company."

Eustace didn't make a sound so Reep took it that he didn't mind. "I'll wager you didn't even believe in dragons this morning." Reep gave a little laugh and looked away for a moment.

"Yes..." Reep contemplated thinking about their earlier experiences together.

"You know," Reep looked back at Eustace, "extraordinary things only happen to extraordinary people. Maybe it's a sign that you have an extraordinary destiny." Eustace turned his head to look at the mouse and Reep took an involuntary step back.

"Something...something greater than you could have imagined. Now, I can tell you one of two stories of my adventures if you like, just to pass the time."

"Believe it or not, you're not the first dragon I've encountered," Reep began his story. "Many years ago, too many than I care to mention, I was with a band of pirates-"

Curled up with his sister, Caspian moved restlessly in his sleep.

"Caspian, my dear," a hunched-over old lady was saying to a sturdy young youth who walked beside her. "Remember the old tales I've told you about?"

"Barely, ma'am," young Caspian addressed the lady.

She smiled slightly, "Well, my dear lad, let me refresh your memory."

The boy and the old woman walked slowly down a long, dimly lit hallway with a few scented candles along the walls. A few paintings hung on the walls on each side and the air was dusty and smelled like old furniture. The old lady used a sturdy cane to help her walk and she shuffled along. Her hair was grey, but still shone with the vibrancy of youth. Young Caspian occasionally looked down at the weary, wiry figure.

"It starts with a vague but strange tale of a lost family whose disappearance left a mysterious mark in the ancient books of our ancestors," the old lady began. She thumped her cane underneath a painting they had stopped in front of.

"The Morels," the lady studied the painting of the family which looked faded to young Caspian. "Sad tale it is. A tale of the death of Queen Victoria and King Miguel, brother of Prince Caspian VI."

Young Caspian looked at the old lady who just smiled and continued. "No trace of family were found but that of the queen's footsteps."

The lady tapped her cane on another portrait. "People believe that she fled into the woods with her two year old son but they both vanished. For a year, the guards searched but came back with nothing. The townsfolk say it was because of a giant green snake but the rumor was soon forgotten as was the family. Only I remain to tell you of them," the woman turned and continued down the long hallway.

Young Caspian hesitated for a moment. "Wait, so you mean to say," Caspian ran after the woman to catch up with her, "that this is all true?"

The woman stopped and looked up at the young prince. "Ah, my dear prince, I dare say that I am but a witness of such things," she patted young Caspian's arm. "Remember, not all tales and dreams that you hear are fake. They may just lead you to something unfathomable."

Caspian jolted awake. What was that about? The dream seemed so real and he even remembered most of it. 'They may just lead you to something unfathomable'?

Caspian looked down at his snoozing sister. She had rolled her head off his chest and onto the ground, taking his arm with her in the process. Caspian smiled lovingly at her and wrapped the blanket they shared closer around her. At least she wasn't having a nightmare tonight. Her nightmares frightened not only Camille herself but Caspian too. It worried him a great deal whenever she had them. "Don't fear them, they hold answers." Coriakin's words echoed in the back of Caspian's mind. They hold answers? "They might just be trying to tell me something." Was Camille right?

Camille rolled over alerting Caspian that she was awake. "Why are you up at this time in the morning?" Camille yawned.

Caspian smiled softly at her then looked up at the twinkling stars above. "Do think Coriakin was right? About.....dreams?"

Camille propped herself up on an elbow and looked at Caspian. "You're not starting to think dreams are true, are you?"

Caspian looked at her then at the stars again. Camille plopped herself back on the ground and looked at the stars as well.

"Maybe you're right about Marcus, maybe there is something about him we haven't found out yet. Camille, do you think he's part of the legend?"

Camille looked at him, "I did sense that there was something special about him," she smiled. "We won't know till that sword glows. I believe the legend and I have a hunch it'll come true very soon."

Caspian smiled at Camille again then rolled over and tried to fall asleep again. They had just succeeded when they were all awakened by Lucy crying; "Everybody! Everybody, wake up! It's the blue star!"

The remaining crew all scrambled up and hurriedly gathered their things. They had a star to follow.