Leaving for the islands

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan changed her grip on her arrows as she boarded the boat. She had traveled a few times as queen, but had never truly gotten used to it. For the first few days she would be sick and after that she would still have trouble keeping her balance. Then there was the trouble of making sure there was enough food, water, and other suplies to last them the trip that had an end she could not know.

It was hard for her to put together even the smallest of crews. Too many people were afraid to travel to someplace they didn't know when they didn't know how long they would be away from their families. She knew most of the small crew would propably not last until the trip home. Even fewer would see their families again. Even she would probably not come back, but she didn't care. If what she thought was right then she would be a step closer to finding Lucy.

She was ready to go, but the others were still loading as much suplies they could fit in the small ship and still keep it floating. Now she would only wait.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian got into the boat after Susan, holding his shield so that it wouldn't bang against the side of the small ship. It felt strange to be going to the islands, but The King would go where Susan went. He walked across the deck and stood next to her, looking out at the shallow sea water at the dock. Caspian spotted a few fish swimming beneath the surface, and a frog rested on a lilypad. He had a foreboding feeling in his stomach, like the feeling he had before his first battle. "Ready, Darling?" he asked Susan.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"You don't need to worry about me being ready," Susan said looking to where her hands rested on the boat's edge. The cold tone in her voice could not be matched to how she truly felt. She was more than overjoyed that Caspian had joined her, yet she felt horrible for bringing him on a suisidial misssion. "I've been ready since we got here. It's only been until just now that I found where I needed to go. Or, at least, Where I think I should go. Who else do you think will come."

[King Caspian X]

"I don't know." said the King, thinking. "Perhaps Reepicheep shall join us? He never misses out on an adventure." Caspian said. A frog looked up at them from where he sat in the water, before diving down into the tangle of weeds. The man rested his head on Susan's. "Why are you so upset all the time?" he asked her, concern in his words. She was never happy anymore, and rarely did Caspian see her smile. It hurt him to see her so blue.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"I don't ask you to understand." She told him not lifting her gaze. "You don't have siblings that you spent so much of your life caring for. Now Lucy's gone, and It's my fault. If the only one in your family, Lamont, were to go missing you would be happy about it. You'd never understand. How long untill we leave."

[King Caspian X]

"Maybe twenty minutes or so." answered Caspian. Then he said, "But I do understand. My father was taken from me at a young age. And it was my fault because I was born. My uncle would have been second in line to get the throne, and all he would have to do was wait for his older brother to die or step down. But once I was born, my uncle would never get that chance to be King. So he killed my father." The King looked her in the eyes. "Why is it that you all believe it's your own fault? Peter believes it is his, and Edmund believes the fault belongs to him. It is nobody's fault but Lamont's. Not yours." Caspian said. "And Lucy is alive. If she were not then my cousin would have not offered to make that bargin in the forest. The rest of us all fear for Lucy, as you do. But you musn't be so hard on yourself. It worries me." he told her.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"You don't need to worry about me." She sighed. She was afraid, there was no doubt to that, but there would be no telling of it. Only those who knew her very well would know that. The way Lamont spoke about her, the way he had touched her, made her uncomfortable and sick. She hated him for all he had done, and wanted him dead. "I just want her found."

[King Caspian X]

"Yes I do." Caspian said. "I care about you." The man looked her in the eyes lovingly. He knew she was frightend, and placed his hand over hers on the ships railing. The important thing to him was that she was safe now. "What's wrong with you, Susan?" The question wasn't rude or accusing, but Caspian asked it with concern in his voice. "The rest of us are sorrowful too, but you are the most. You act as if you haven't an ounce of happiness left in you, and I don't know when the last time was that I seen you smile." The King said. He looked down from her eyes and into the water again. One fish swallowed another, and Caspian grimaced. Why did there have to be so much darkness looming in everything these days?

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Nothing is wrong with me," Susan said defencively. She knew that lately she had been pushing the others away, but knew no other way to keep them safe from the lion that hated her for what she did. Even so she could not see herself willingly parting with them. She could feel a wave of calm pass over her when their hands touched. She could find herself at peace simply by hearing his voice. How could she ever think to leave him? She leaned against his side as the thoughts of them being seperated forever forced her to the verge of tears.

"I am sorry," She said at last, "The last thing I want is to hurt you, even if it is through me just being sad. I will try not to think of myself as the cause of Lucy's kidnapping anymore."

[King Caspian X]

The King smiled and wrapped his arms around her, then kissed the top of her head. "Good." he said. "Thank you." Caspian was quiet for a while. These were the moments that he treasured most with Susan, when he could let his hatred for his cousin be pushed aside along with his worries. There was no way that his cousin could ever take her from him. Caspian would rather die first.

The salt from the sea filled the air, and the King could smell it. They would be leaving soon in search for Lucy, and the crew was beginning to gather. Their footsteps could be heard as they walked along the wooden deck of the ship, hauling in the last of the equipment and supplies. Caspian just stood there, with Susan in his arms and his head resting gently against hers. "We'll be sailing soon." he said. "And it looks like nice weather ahead." His gaze was looking out over the water once again, and the sun that shimmered on the surface. "Are you excited?" Caspian asked.

[High King Peter]

Peter was furious as he made his way to the boat. His blue eyes were cloudy as he gently held his right arm, which was somehow broken by Lamont last week. It wasn't his fault that he had a temper and didn't know how to control it. Well...partly it was his fault. He blinked as he looked at his sister and Caspian. So they think they could leave without me? he asked himself. I highly doubt that. He climbed the rope(with some diffculty) and managed to jump onto the boat. Men bowed as he made his way through. "Su!" he yelled, finally seeing her. "Caspian!"

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Peter!" She cried seeing her brother, "I didn't think you'd be comming." Their little argument in the castle had lead her to think so. But at least she was happy to be proven wrong. She fought through the crowed of bowing sailors to hug her brother before returning to Caspian's side entangling her fingers in his. Many of the men looked up at her with eyes of uncertainty. They were not pleased woth having a woman on their ship for reasons she still did not truly understand. "are you sure you even want to come? We realy don't entire know where we're going." She lowered her voice for the last sentance in hopes that most of the crew did not hear her.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian smiled happily. Already Susan was in a better mood than she had been since Lucy's disappearance. The King kissed her fingers. "Hey Pete." he said when he saw him get on board. "How's the arm?" asked Caspian. He was pleased that Peter was coming too. It would be good to have as many friends on the ship as possible. "Is anyone else coming?"

[High King Peter]

Peter smiled as he hugged her tightly. He felt tears that threaten to spill. "I'm sorry," he muttered to her. "I know I have been a bit...diffcult lately. There's an explanation for that," he looked up and grinned at Caspian. "Hey Caspian. Its doing better. I almost hacked your cousin before he could get away," he made a face. He looked down at Susan. "Yes I want to get away from the castle for a while," he said and hugged her again.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"getting away is not all we'll do." She told him as the crew slowly returned to their dutys. "We'll probably find the edge of the world before we find Lucy." She stopped to think only for a moment about Aslan's country. If what Caspain said was true then Aslan was not truly the one who stole Lucy. Maybe by going to Aslan's country they can find him and comvince him to help them.