The Faded Portrait of a Bygone Era

A Discovery at Narrowhaven

A/N: Loooooooong chapter. Lots of self-indulgent fluff ;) Also, I'm changing some of the canon dialogue, because as much as I enjoy VotD, it really doesn't stick to canon very well sometimes lol

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Caspian brought Captain Drinian to the chart room to help explain their journey to Edmund and Lucy. He couldn't be certain why they had been brought here, but if it meant he had the chance to see Margaret again, he certainly didn't intend to question it too thoroughly.

"Since you left us, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally... Then we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert." He looked up from the map with a smile. "There is peace across all of Narnia."

He couldn't wait to tell Margaret. Some small part of him wanted her to know, so very badly, for her to be pleased with his progress, impressed with his efforts.

"Peace?" Edmund asked. At least he was impressed.

"In just three years," Caspian confirmed.

He wondered how much time had passed for her...

Quickly, he shook his head, trying to chase those thoughts away, at least for the moment. His excitement was in danger of becoming a distraction.

"And have you found yourself a Queen in those three years?" Lucy asked teasingly. "The answer had better be no..."

Caspian laughed.

"Fear not, Lucy," he said. "I've not met that mystery woman of my supposed destiny." Then, he sobered slightly, sighing. "None presented to me have compared in the slightest to your sister. They pale at the very thought of her."

"Hang on," Edmund said, a thought occurring to him, "So if there are no wars to fight, and no one is in trouble, then why are we here?"

"It's a good question," replied Caspian. "I've been asking myself the same thing."

"So where are we sailing to?"

"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters."

Caspian turned to the wall behind him, where sketched portraits of the lords as they had last appeared hung upon the wall. Edmund and Lucy came around the table to stand beside him, looking at the drawings.

"The Seven Lords of Telmar. They fled to the Lone Islands... No one has heard from them since."

"So you think something's happened to them?" Edmund asked.

Caspian looked thoughtful. "Well if it has, it's my duty to find out."

"Perhaps we might find Margaret on the Lone Islands," Lucy suggested. "But if not... What's East of the Lone Islands?"

"Uncharted waters," Drinian answered. "I pity the Resilient Queen, should she find herself that far East. Things you can barely imagine await there... Tales of sea serpents, and worse."

"Sea serpents?" Edmund repeated incredulously.

"Alright, Captain," Caspian said with a chuckle. "That's enough of your tall tales."

They sailed for another full day, and a half day. The Lone Islands came into sight close to sundown.

Caspian prayed with all his might that Margaret would be there. He didn't think he could stand having to scour the sea for months on end to see her again.