Our Last (book 3)// Edmund Pevensie✔

XIII

Avelyn had never felt more useless or irresponsible in her life. She had already promised herself and Aslan she'd do her best after Ed and Caspian had been taken away. But now with Eustace gone she was ashamed and afraid.

What would she tell everyone back on board? That she was too wrapped up in herself and her goal to find the lost kings and get to the Aslan's table that she forgot to keep an eye on the youngest member on board who was now, probably, dead.

Whoosh

Avelyn turned around and saw smoke rise up in a puff from a distance. She assumed it was just another volcano and kept walking.

The afternoon sun was beating down on her as her boots stomped against the rubble beneath them. She felt a swift wind blow against her followed by the sound of wings flapping. Like perhaps the wings of a Griffin.

Avelyn didn't have time to turn around and check to see if it was indeed a Griffin before she was swept off her feet and carried off into the air.

The girl looked up and if the monstrous screeching and huge talons hadn't already convinced her, the head and wings of the creature certainly confirmed that it was a dragon.

Avelyn tried to wiggle her way out of the dragon's grasp but it was no use. She was debating if it was any good dropping down from this height anyway; she'd just break her neck.

The dragon flew past few hills and hovered over a clearing. Avelyn was sure this was the end. This was probably the dragon's nest where he'd drop her down and enjoy his feast for the evening.

The girl closed her eyes and awaited for the creature to descend but it didn't.

"Oh just get it over with" she snapped, still keeping her eyes shut "haven't you had your fun?"

Suddenly she felt the dragon's talons loosen themselves around her waist before the beast let go completely. The girl flailed her arms and screamed loudly as she fell down.

She halted mid air several minutes later. She realised the dragon had once again wrapped his strong talons around her waist. Avelyn rolled her eyes before she looked down for a split second and widened her eyes in shock.

She looked up at the dragon again and then back down at the engravings on the surface of the clearing.

What was sprawled below her was a huge engraving, filled with lava or well, fire which read:

I AM EUSTACE

"Bloody hell kid" Avelyn mumbled before Eustace flew off toward the beach.

________

"Do you think it was because of the gold?" Benjamin asked.

Lucy, along with Drinian, Reepicheep and few other crewmen had come back to the beach after Avelyn's dragon encounter.

"If the gold bracelet doesn't give it away," Avelyn pointed to the ornament around Eustace's arm "I don't know what will Benji"

"Right" the boy cleared his throat, slightly flustered "of course, silly me"

Lucy meekly walked up to Eustace, who had his arm outstretched. She placed both hands on the bracelet and pried it off.

"So, your majesties" Drinian walked up to the queens "shall we set sail?"

"We can't leaving him here" Lucy looked at Eustace who made a face

"Well we can't bring him on board either" the captain added before looking toward Avelyn.

"Right so" the older girl clapped her hands, trying to take charge "we're going to spend the night here"

"Here? It'll be freezing by night" Benjamin spoke "and we've got no provisions of staying warm-"

Eustace huffed a sigh before breathing fire onto a small wooden stick lying in the sand.

"You were saying?" Reep smirked to which Benji chuckled before smiling at the dragon.

The crew had to go back and forth from the ship to bring a bit of food, wood and blankets for the night.

Lucy was the first to fall asleep. Drinian, who had decided to keep watch also drifted off to sleep. Reep was usually the one who'd stay up late but he too was a bit tired and dozed off on Avelyn's shoulder while telling her stories.

Avelyn had too much on her mind. Too many thoughts that just wouldn't let her sleep peacefully so she just stayed up. A few hours had passed and the girl was almost drifting off when the sound of someone sniffling rang in her ears.

She turned ever so slightly to her left, to find Eustace crying by the other side of the fire. She gently lifted Reep's head, not wanting to wake him up before walking up to the dragon.

As soon as Eustace saw her coming he turned away, probably too embarrassed to cry in front of her.

"Hey" Avelyn sat down next to him "I know your feeling miserable. You hated this place since you got here and now you probably hate it more"

Eustace gave her a look as if to say 'is that supposed to make me feel better?'

"The point is, maybe this means something. Maybe you got turned into a dragon because something wanted to tell you that you're so much bigger and stronger than you think you are" Avelyn looked over at him "you could've gotten turned into anything. A bunny, a beaver or maybe even a mouse like Reep"

Eustace stuck out his tongue and made a gagging sort of noise which made Avelyn chuckle.

"But you're a dragon. Don't look at it negatively" the girl shrugged "look at it this way: at least now Reep won't annoy you as much, for fear of being eaten by you. And who knows? Maybe this is just temporary"

That last bit seemed to make the dragon grin.

"Say, what's this talk about eating me up eh?" Reepicheep mumbled as he walked over to them, rubbing his eyes.

Eustace just huffed at the mouse.

"If your bored, Avelyn could tell you a story" the mouse smiled as he leaned against the girl's right side.

"Since when did I become the story teller?" Avelyn chuckled at the sleepy mouse. Eustace gently nudged Avelyn's left arm as if asking her to tell him a story after all.

"Okay um do you want me to tell you how I became friends with your brother?"

Eustace huffed in disapproval. He just got turned into a dragon. He did not need to know how Edmund and his sweetheart, Avelyn, got together. He'd already got his fair share of misery for the day.

"Oh, tell him about that time you snuck into Miraz's castle" Reep looked up at the girl eagerly "I was there too!"

"Alright" Avelyn smiled.

She patted her thigh for Eustace to lay his head while he listened to her. After about 2 minutes of a mental debate he placed his head in her lap while Avelyn gently and cautiously traced her fingers along his golden scales.

"So," the girl looked the Reep and Eustace "shall I begin?"