The High Seas [ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴀsᴘɪᴀɴ]

XIV.

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          THEY STOOD ON THE SHIP IN SILENCE AS THEY APPROACHED THE PULSING EVIL BEFORE THEM. The clouds had rolled over and they had been plunged into a grey darkness. An involuntary shiver ran down Rani's spine. She'd already encountered her fair share of the mist, she wasn't sure if she was quite ready to plunge back into it again.

Jacob stood beside Rhian, her brother stoically planted to her right. Lucy and Gael stood off to the side, eyes wide as they stared up at Caspian who was steeling himself as the crew turned to look at him. A swell of love bubbled up inside her as she took in everyone around her, Edmund with his hand upon his sword, even Eustace high above them, braver than most even if he didn't know it yet. Reepicheep and his stories, Drinian and his frown, even Tavros and his terrible sense of humour. 

"No matter what happens here, every soul who stands before me has earned their place on the crew of the Dawn Treader." Caspian's voice carried over them. "Together we have traveled far. Together we have faced adversity. Together we can do it again."

He paused, looking at each and every one of them. "So now is not the time to fall to fear's temptations. Be strong. Never give in. Our world... our Narnian lives, depend on it. Think of the lost souls we're here to save."

Rani couldn't help but look to Gael as Caspian uttered those words. She couldn't comprehend how painful it must be for the girl to loose her mother to something as evil as the mist. Heart heavy, she turned her eyes back to Caspian with renewed determination.

"Think of Aslan." He swallowed slightly, voice thick with emotion and promise. "Think of Narnia."

A silence ensued and Caspian bowed his head, moving to the steps before stopping as a cry rose up around him.

"For Narnia!" A chorus of voices became louder and louder, an epiphany of hope seemed to catch the crew and for a moment Rani truly felt the pure power that Caspian's words had had on the crew.

Rhian wrapped two strong arms round both Rani and Jacob, his voice reverberating through their bodies. Rani felt a joyful laugh slip from her lips and Jacob joined in the cry for Narnia.

It seemed as though whatever Caspian was expecting to come from his speech, it was not that. But Rani was far from surprised. He was a good King, a great one even and she knew each and every one of the crew would lay down their life for him. She knew, in time, that he would come to see how powerful he truly was.

He looked up in surprise, eyes wide and disbelieving and Rani could only broaden her smile. She beamed at him and, when his eyes reached her own, she hoped he could see the pride that shone in them.

She only hoped she survived long enough to tell him just how wonderful a King he was.

***

     The fog, thick and looming, seemed to cocoon them as they entered the Island. The waters below were noiseless as they sailed silently through, an eery quiet had descended upon the crew.