Whispers In The Dawn

" Land Ho ! "

We heard a distant cry from the ship which was quickly nearing the Island we were on. We all were standing by the shore, awaiting the ship and staring agape at the giant water vehicle. Peter's mood was suddenly very cheery and he whispered something about a Glenstorm to Edmund who agreed with him gladly.

" Its our ship. Glenstorm, the second in command after Peter and Edmund, must've went out looking for us because I recognize this ship, we've sailed in it various times to make trade with other nations. " Susan told me.

" Wait, does this mean we're actually in Narnia?" I asked.

" YES ! We're back. We're back, we're back, we're back. By Aslan's mane, we're back. " Lucy screamed loud enough to startle the birds from nearby trees. I chuckled openly with Edmund at her ridiculousness. She was so should never grow older. I'm sure she'd be an amazing mother someday but I can't imagine her ever growing old or being an adult. Her childish ways convey her personality. I'd love to meet the 8 year old Lucy that discovered Narnia back in England. The one child that no body believed in.I can relate to her.

" Look, they're almost here." Edmund told me. " Can I have my shirt back? " he said again and gave me a cheesy grin.

" No playing around with the sleeves. " I warned him before I took it off and handed it to him. He quickly slipped it on and rolled the sleeves all the way up to his elbows. I sighed.

" Why do you need my shirt anyway? You can get one on your stupid ship. " I said to him, clearly annoyed.

" Maybe I just like seeing you in your under garments. " He said huskily and blew hot air on my neck.

Something melted inside of me.

" It- It's an undershirt. " I stuttered back at him, not meeting his eye.

" Either ways, " he said while he leaned in more, " I like it. " His voice dripping with an accent.

I shook my head.

" Stop it." I said to him lightly. He just rolled his eyes and looked ahead at the ship. Why was he being such a flirt lately? Maybe he's just being playful. But he's a different flirt than Peter. Peter's all ' You know you want me ' ( insert eye-roll ) and Edmund's kinda confusing. No. He's just a very playful friend. Besides, I'm not one to lead either of them on.

The ship was finally close enough to observe properly. Many men in dirty white shirts and tattered brown pants were rushing about pulling at ropes and setting floorboards. There were also some fawns gazing at us from the dock. There were about 5 of them and they were wonderful to look at. Half man , half goat. A beautiful creation of God. There was also a great big centuar that seemed to be the commanding general because he was barking out orders to the men.

" Glenstorm ! My faithful sir ! " Peter shouted to the Centuar as he descended down the quickly constructed steps. He thudded up the wet sand to Peter and Edmund who had stepped forward. Glenstorm bowed to both the Kings first and then turned a bit to bow to the Queens. He sent me a curt nod and I awkwardly smiled at him.

" Your Majeties. I've come to rescue you by Aslan's orders. " Glenstorm addressed all of us.

Lucy's eyes widened.

" Do you mean He's back at Cair Paraval, waiting for us? " she asked, a little excited.

" I'm afraid not , my Queen. I saw him in my dream where he told me to find you and a girl. " He said and then looked at me.

Everybody looked at me.

" What? " I asked them all. Glenstorm shook his head as if to clear it and then continued.

" Aslan asked me to sail the seas for you. And here you are, stranded on an Island. I ask you, Your Majesties, how can you go looking for a pond and end up on an Island on the the other side of the Narnian hills? " Glenstorm asked us.

" Its a very long story, sir. We'll have to discuss later. " Peter told him and he nodded in understanding.

" How long has it been since we've been gone? " Edmund asked Glenstorm.

" A little over a month, my King." He answered.

" Why didn't you send out search parties when we did not return from the West Woods? " Susan asked. Her questions are always thoughtful.

" My Queen. Because I saw Aslan in my dream on the same day when you left for the Pond. You were supposed to stay the night at the village. " Glenstorm replied.

" Yes, that makes sene. I remember now." Susan mumbled.

Peter introduced me to Glenstorm as ' Lady Riva ' . He acknowledged me and then asked all of us to board the ship. Me and Lucy boarded first and then followed Susan, Edmund and Peter. The ship was vast and well organized. The men oogled us withoit shame. Peter cleared his throat and addressed them , also introducing me. I did an awkward wave while the men smirked and whispered among themselves. Me, Lucy and Susan were quickly ushered to our chambers. On our way, we passed some fawns who bowed to the Queens and also greeted me with kind words. I smiled at them and was in the process of thanking them when Lucy yanked me inside the room to change.

Our room was big and spacious. There were three seperate bed bunks and a couple of sheets folded on top of each one. The bed looked so inviting, I just wanted to curl into a ball and snuggle in it but Susan sent me into the wash room first. Grumpily I stripped off of my dirty clothes and sunk into the bath. The cold water doinf wonders to my skin. I washed myself with some grainy soap-like bar and when it came to washing my hair, Lucy threw in a vial of fragnant liquid.

" What's this? " I shouted from the wash room after I'd successfully caught the vial without dropping it.

" A solution of rose water and honey. It'll nourish your hair, just try it. Plus, it smells fab. " Lucy said. Some of my slang was rubbing off on her.

I washed my hair with the sticky liquid in the vial and later agreed with Lucy on how 'fab' it smelled. The smell ocupied the whole room ! After I was done, I dried myself off on a fluffy towel which was softer than any I've used back home. I grabbed another one and wrapped it on my hair. I felt so complete. Susan was right on sending me first, or I'd have slept dirty and uncomfortable on the bed before any of Queens had even stripped off of their clothes.

I walked back into the room from the wash room only to shriek and run back inside. Peter and Edmund were sitting in the room discussing something with Susan while Lucy was waiting imaptiently with a towel outside the wash room. I pulled her inside with me. I heard a fit of giggles erupt from Susan and shuffling of feet combined with forced coughs before I was called back into the room by Susan. I glared at Lucy who was already stripping off , she was holding in a laugh. I grabbed my pile of dirty clothes and threw them at her. She was howling with laughter and I joined in while walking out of the wash room. With a floppy grin Susan handed me a night gown. I rolled my eyes and took it from her. It was almost sunset so it was best to sleep now anyways. So I slipped on the night gown and cool and content, sunk into my bed with the sheets rolled around me. Susan bid me a good sleep and I mumbled something back before drifting into deep sleep. Although I did vaguely wake up once when Susan was barking at Lucy to get out of the wash room already. But other than that, it felt like I was finally have a good sleep after weeks of insecurity. Not anymore.

When I woke up, it was still dark. Lucy and Susan were still asleep. I decided I needed to pee. After taking a round of the wash room I slipped outside our chambers. The dock was almost empty. There were two fawns yawning near the big wheel thingy that steers the ship. It was maybe half an hour before dawn because tiny specks of yellow could be seen on the horizon. I moved towards the edge of the ship and gazed down at the quiet, swishing water. The sounds of the sea were so much more audible in the lonliness of the dawn. I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Startled, I looked back to find Edmund in a plain white , night shirt and comfortable trousers. He leaned on the wood railing next to me. For a few minutes, we quietly stared at the water and watched dawn creep up the horizon.

" Did you sleep alright? " Edmund asked, breaking the silence.

" Like a baby. " I replied. " You?"

" Yeah, great." He said. " Tell me, why are you awake right now? "

" I needed to pee."

" Oh. Well, that's convenient because I needed to ask you something."

I snorted at his choice of words before looking at him to go on.

" Do you want to live with us? " he asked.

" What do you mean? " I asked another question instead of answering one.

" When we go back to the Palace, " he said, swishing his messy hair out of his face, " do you want to stay with us? "

" Where else would I go? I've never been here before. " I replied carefully. Does he want me to part ways? Live away from them? Like a common narnian? The thought alone made me shiver because -

I can't be alone.

" No, I just thought you'd want a small place by yourself. But I'm glad you want to stay with us." Edmund said. I sighed in relief.

" But , " I said, catching his attention, " do you want me to stay away from the palace? Because I totally understand. The questions that'll be raised, suspicions and then you and Peter might have difficuti- "

" No! No. I mean, its fine. You should stay with us. For safety.. reasons. " edmund quickly cut me off and ended his sentence awkwardly. I nodded in response.

" But I'm going to need your last name for security and refrence reasons. " Edmund told me.

" Odele. Riva Gabriel Odele. " I told him for the first time.

He just gaped at me with eyes wide. I scrunched up my eyes, confused.

" What? " I asked.

" Odele." he said.

" Yes... " I began.

" That's the name of this ship. Odele." He told me as the first rays of dawn lighted up the ship and I could see and count every eye lash on Edmund's eye. His eyes gleamed with excitment and curosity. He grabbed my hand and led me to a different chamber than mine.

" Oh shit. " I muttered under my breath as I realised that this probably means something important.

Oh Shit. Not again. I just want things to cool down. Peace , I just want peace. No excitment please.

" You smell nice. " Edmund said while we crossed the dock to the other side of the ship.

" Yeah, its rose water and honey.. " I said vaguely, lost in thought. I didn't notice how Edmund squeezed my hand and took a deep breath in my hair. I was lost in thought. But I remember it felt nice to have someone so close to me and whisper inaudible things in my ear.

Lets just say I ignored that part, though the cork in my throat and the color on my cheeks would've been an obvious give away.

What does he want with me? Edmund. I won't give in to him. Not now. Not ever.