Lost boy || Prince Caspian

1

The London streets were busy that warm summer morning. Otto was forced to weaved his way between people and duck round bicycles as the shot past. Cars honked and paper boys yelled, the newspapers in their hands being waved around like trophies. Otto sped up his pace. He pushed past a group of men who yelled at him to mind where he was going. Otto flipped him two fingers in the air as he ducked round a corner.

English spring was finally warming into summer. The temperature was a warm twenty degrees which explained why the streets were so busy. Everybody out to enjoy the Saturday sunshine now that the war was over. Otto shrugged off his jacket while he walked, hanging it on one arm. Underneath he wore cream shirt. His brown trousers were slightly too big for him and had to be held up with braces. The leather straps resting on his shoulders, matching his trousers and shoes. Otto ran a hand through his brown hair. The air on the back of his neck was still a sensation he had to get used to. Until last week, he hadn't cut his hair since he had left narnia accidentally six months ago. The fact that half a year had passed since he had seen Caspian made him ache with a sense of longing. No matter how familiar England was, he somehow felt lost within the bustling city. Unused to being a nobody in the crowd again. Just another boy underfoot. Now Otto finally felt like he understood how his old friend Peter had felt when they were back at Hendon house, before his life changed. 

Otto tightened his grip on the book bag and sped up as a familiar house came into view. It was a lovely Victorian house on the edge of the street. He raised the iron knocker and let it thud pointedly against the wood before standing back and waiting. A flurry of motion inside then the door was flying open and Lucy appeared. She and Otto grinned at each other as she let him in. "Uncle, Otto is here for Edmund's tutoring", she stated. There was a halfhearted grunt from the living room.

Lucy silently rolled her eyes and led Otto upstairs. The two of them made their way through the building to the small bedroom at the back where Lucy was staying. Her and Edmund's parents were working in America. Peter and Susan having joined them. Much to their displeasure, Lucy and Edmund were forced to stay with their aunt and uncle until they could come back. Otto missed Pete and Susan and hope that they were happy there.

"People who read fairytales are a hideous sort who become burdens to people like me, who read books with real information", a snotty voice sounded as Lucy pushed open the door. The person who spoke was a little blond boy about thirteen or fourteen years old. He was Lucy and Edmund's cousin, Eustace Scrubb, and the current evil of their life.

"Hideous burden", Edmund repeated. "I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here". He made to step forwards but Otto placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Edmund", Otto grinned, ignoring the tension in the room. "Hello to you too". Edmund's anger faded and he grinned at Otto. He was seventeen now, mere months younger than Otto himself. It was weird seeing him and Lucy grown. Both siblings rapidly approaching their late teens. When they had been in narnia, Edmund was fourteen and Lucy was thirteen. Otto himself having been sixteen. Now the age gap between them was smaller, time between narnia and England being so different.

"Great. Now your vagrant friend is here as well", Eustace snorted, crossing his arms. "Why my parents let him in just to dirty up the place, I don't know. We all know that his tutoring excuse is nothing but lies".

"What did you say?" Edmund growled. Otto sighed and dropped his book bag onto Lucy's bed as the two younger boys started arguing.

"Are we actually going to have to deal with this all day?" He groaned to Lucy. She sighed heavily.

"Tell me about it. They've been going all morning".

There was a bang as Edmund slammed the door, blocking Eustace from leaving. Otto stepped over and pushed the two apart before they could actually start exchanging blows. It didn't work though as the two of them continued to shout at each other. Behind them, Lucy was staring at the painting hanging over the fireplace. It was a image of the sea, a ship just on the horizon.

"Liar!"

"Oh really. Dare me".

"Both of you shut up", Otto grumbled as he pushed the two struggling boys back. They surged forwards again, intent on getting in each other's faces.

"Tell your street rat to get back", Eustace commanded.

"Edmund, Otto the painting".  Otto turned at the sound of Lucy's voice. She was staring at the image. He stepped back and let the two boys go, wondering what had gotten Lucy's attention. Was it him or were those waves moving? Water was starting to trickle out of the corners of the frame. Otto stepped forwards in confusion.

"What's going"- he was interrupted by a sudden spray of water. He licked his lips and tasted salt. Sea water. He and Lucy exchanged looks, both of their eyes wide. On the painting the ship was getting closer, the sea rolling and churning like it was real. There was another burst of spray and water started pouring out of the frame.

"Urgh", Eustace grimaced as some water hit him. "What's going on here?"

"Lucy, Otto", Edmund edged close to them, excitement in his eyes. "Do you think?"

"Yes!" Otto lifted his arms into the air with a cheer. "I knew that sticking with you would lead me back". Lucy laughed wildly and threw her arms around him. The two of them hugging and twirling excitedly. Edmund let out a whoop as more water cascaded through the frame.

"Mother!" Eustace was calling. Nothing happened. Water continued to flood the room. It was ankle deep now, all of their shoes soaked. "Fine I'll just smash the damn thing!" Eustace ran forwards and pulled the picture off the wall. The two Pevensie children and Otto stopped hugging and reached out to stop him.

"Eustace what are you doing?" Edmund spat as the water drenched them. Otto wrenched the frame out of the smaller boy's grip but the water had made it slippery. He tripped and fell, the painting disappearing into the now knee deep water covering the floor.

"Otto", Lucy held out a hand as Otto wiped the water from his eyes. The water was cold and bitterly salty. He coughed and spat it out as the water rapidly rose. Soon they were all  trying to float as the water went past chest level.

Lucy and Edmund were paddling desperately as they were all swept off their feet. Even Otto, who was the tallest, couldn't touch the floor anymore. A mad joy and relief filled him, outweighing the nagging worry of drowning. He kicked his legs out in the water, relishing in the coolness and the dreamlike weirdness of the situation. A coughing interrupted him and he swam over to pull a struggling Eustace up. The London boy obviously not a strong swimmer.

"Hold your breath!" Edmund shouted. All four of them took a deep breath as the water finally went over their heads. Otto peered up. The room was no more. They were in the deep blue sea. He could see the sun shining through the waves above him, sparkling and wonderful. Around him, he could see Lucy and Edmund kicking towards the surface. Wrapping his arm around Eustace to stop the boy from drowning, Otto kicked after them.

They all surfaced with loud gasps. "Edmund! Otto!" Lucy called. Otto waved at her as Eustace wailed next to him. Now that they were on the surface the small boy was floating so Otto let him go.

"Ship!" Edmund shouted as a shadow passed over them. Above them looked a great hulking gold dragon's head. The teeth beaded menacingly as it descended upon them.

Unedited