The High Seas [ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴀsᴘɪᴀɴ]

VII.

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          RANI SEEMED LOCKED IN A HAZE OF DISBELIEF. She'd stood, unmoving, for the last few moments, her mind replaying all of what had just occurred. It seemed unreal to her, too good to be true. But it had happened and she could scarcely believe it.

  A light laugh bubbled up from within her and she ghosted her fingertips across her tingling lips. Cupping her mouth she let out a little scream of delight, sincerely hoping no one heard her.

  A loud cheer startled her from her thoughts. Good natured laughs seemed to reach her ears, causing confusion to overtake Rani. What was going on? Edmund and Caspian weren't sparring again were they?

  Turning to investigate the strange commotion, it's was Reepicheep's distinct voice that she first heard as she made it up to the deck.

  "Poise!" He seemed to shout, though Rani could not, for the life of her, spot him. He was quite small after all.

  A crowd had gathered and she pushed her way past many a man until she saw the most surprising sight. Eustace, armed with an overly large knife, was swinging blindly at Reepicheep.

  "What–" Rani felt at loss for words.

  "So, is this the screaming boy I've heard so much about?" Said Rhian. He'd appeared beside her suddenly, arms crossed.

  "Eustace," Jacob supplied from behind. "He stole an orange."

  "Oh, Eustace." Said Rani as she shook her head. That boy really was asking for it.

  "Not very successfully it seems," Rhian said, a smirk etching his face. Rani whacked his arm.

  Though Rhian wasn't wrong. Poor Eustace seemed completely lost as to what to do with his weapon. In fact, many crew members stepped back if he got within two feet of them, they certainly weren't going to risk their lives.

  "Now, lunge with your foot." Reepicheep darted around Eustace with effortless grace. "Not your left, your right. Got it? Come on."

  "Be nimble! Be nimble! It's a dance, boy, a dance!"

  Eustace thrust his arm forward, again and again, each time he did so it actually looked like he was using his weapon properly.

  "Dear Aslan, he's actually teaching the boy." Jacob laughed as he watched on.

  "That sly Mouse." Was all Rani could say as she found herself smiling at the exchange. Reepicheep really was something else.

  And suddenly, Reepicheep fell from the ship with a cry. Eustace raced to the edge, visibly worried. Only, he couldn't see Reepicheep, in perfect condition, only an arms length above him. The mouses tail tapped Eustace on the shoulder ever so lightly and Eustace whipped around.
  Eustace's face, once a mask of confusion, quickly transformed into horror as Reepicheep swung behind him and sent the poor boy plummeting into a wicker basket and onto the deck.