Helena Pevensie (Caspian Love Story)

20. Gold Water Island

The first thing Helena noticed in the cavern was the large amount of sunlight streaming in through the ceiling. After passing through a first cavern, they went into another to find Edmund staring at a pool of water. "What's that?" Caspian asked, looking into the pool. Helena crouched down, looking inside. In the pool of water, she saw a figure of a man. 

"I don't know," Edmund said. 

"It looks like a gold statue," Helena said. "But how-" Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a loud snapping behind her. Rising back to full height, she saw Edmund had snapped off a root. He attempted to touch the statue, but before the root had reached it, he began to struggle until finally, it splashed down into the water. Helena's eyes were drawn by a single droplet of water that glittered in the sunlight. It landed on a small rock near the edge of the pool. 

"He must have fallen in," Caspian said, crouching down to look at him as Helena picked up the former rock. 

"Look," she said quietly. Edmund moved forward, taking from her hand the solid gold rock. "The water turns things to gold." 

"Poor man," Lucy said. 

"Poor lord," Edmund corrected. 

Spotting the man's shield, Caspian explained, "The crest of the Lord Restimar." 

"And his sword," Edmund added. 

"But his hasn't turned to gold," Helena remarked. Drawing his own sword, Edmund leaned forward, touching the blade to the water. It remained unchanged. "Both swords must be magical," Helena concluded as Edmund drew the other sword out and handed it to Caspian. 

"Yes," Cas said, taking the sword from Edmund. 

"He had no idea what was coming," Lucy said, her voice melancholy. 

"Maybe," Edmund said doubtfully, still staring at the rock Helena had handed him. "Or maybe he was onto something." 

"What are you talking about?" Caspian asked as Edmund took a shell in his other hand, quickly dipped it in the water, and set it on the edge until it had completely changed forms. Picking it up, he began staring at it intensely. Helena's brows furrowed as her chest clenched. She knew that whatever was about to happen was nothing she wanted to witness. 

"What are you staring at?" Lucy asked with a frown. 

His gaze didn't shift as he said, "Whoever has access to this pool...could be the most powerful person in the world." There was a hunger in his gaze that Helena had never seen before and it scared her. Subconsciously, she took a step back as Caspian and Lucy shared concerned looks. Finally, he looked away, but in his gaze, the same feverish intensity burned only growing stronger and stronger with every word he spoke. He fixed his gaze intently on Lucy. "Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or who to live with," he said hungrily. 

Gently, Caspian said, "You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund." 

"Says who," Edmund scoffed, turning his attention back to the gold. 

Lowering his voice dangerously, Caspian replied, "I do." Helena's heart sped up as Edmund slowly rose to his feet, taking up his sword. 

"I'm not your subject," he spat. 

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you? To challenge me. You doubt my leadership," Caspian accused. 

"You doubt yourself!" Edmund retorted. 

"You're a child," Caspian said as Edmund came closer to him and Helena moved quickly to Lucy, grasping her hand. 

"And you're a spineless sap!" Edmund shouted back. 

"Edmund," Lucy warned, trying to reach for him. 

Slapping her arm away, he resumed, "I'm tired of playing second fiddle. First it was to Peter and now it's to you. You know I'm braver than both of you. Why do you get Peter's sword? I deserve a kingdom of my own. I deserve to rule!" 

"Edmund!" Helena cried, trying again to get him to see sense. He shoved her back. 

"If you think you're so brave, prove it!" Caspian challenged, shoving him slightly. The moment swords began slashing through the air, Helena drew her own and caught both their swords before shoving them both to the ground. Edmund dove for his sword, but Helena was too quick for him. 

Stepping on the handle, she threatened, "Being my brother will not stop me from beating your arse, Edmund." 

"Why would it?" Edmund spat. "You've only ever cared about Peter anyway." 

"Stop it!" Lucy cried. "Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you. This is exactly what Coriakin was talking about. Let's just get out of here." As she headed for the hole, Helena picked up Edmund and Caspian's swords. 

As Edmund went for his, Helena ordered calmly, "Throw the gold into the pool first." Once he had, she handed him his sword before handing over Caspian's as well. They were a rather quiet company as they passed through the cavern and finally began to climb out of the hole. Caspian offered to help Helena out, but instead of accepting his help, she instead climbed out on her own. 

As they began walking along, Helena remarked bitterly to Lucy, "If that wasn't this biggest display of testosterone I've ever seen, I don't know what is." However, the farther they got from the pool, the less and less any of them could really remember what on earth had happened there. So much so that by the time they had gone a dozen paces, none could remember a single word that had been spoken.