As the mermen guided the Dawn Treader through the last few miles of shallower water, the sea began to teem with other Merfolk, Naiads, and Sea Beasts coming to the surface to see the new King and ancient tetrarchs.
“Tell me,” Edmund leaned over the railing to talk with a young merboy, “Are my cannonballs still famous?”
“Oh, yes, sire!” the youngster’s face lit up, “All the young merfolk practice it in school. I-I’m afraid I’m, uh, not very good. We’re all anxious to see you do it though!”
“I’m looking forward to it too!” the younger King grinned with a wave before turning to help a sailor with the rigging.
“I know I’m their king and all,” Caspain murmured, coming up alongside Susan and Lucy as the anchor was finally lowered just outside the cove, “But I’m a little nervous about swimming with them…I mean, I’ve never even swam in the ocean!”
The queens turned away from waving at the crowds and put their hands on their hips.
“Whatever is your problem?” Susan’s eyes narrowed, “They’re all quite lovely. You’ll see soon enough.”
“Well, um, ah,” Caspian blushed, “I didn’t mean—I, uh—”
“I suppose it’s understandable,” Lucy played diplomat, “given your upbringing. But you’ll just have to get over it and plunge right in with us. Susan’s right. Everyone in the sea is quite lovely.”
“The most I’m ever swam in is a swimming pool.” Caspian hung his head, “but I guess the sea isn’t much different, huh?”
“Well, it is easier to float in saltwater.” Susan’s tone softened, “Salt makes you more buoyant.”
“So, who’s jumping in first?” Peter interrupted, coming up behind them to clasp his sisters on the back, “Didn’t you guys hear or were you too busy exercising your jaws? The captain says the anchor is down so it’s time to get wet!”
The golden-haired Queen let out a squeal and plunged into the water without further encouragement, taking long strokes to hug, kiss, and chat with her beloved Narnians. Susan wasn’t long in following her younger sister; she shook her hair free from its updo, letting the tiny pins shower across the deck, and hit the water without so much as a ripple.
“Susan has won a lot of swimming and diving competitions in our world.” Peter said, as he and Caspian watched her surface in fit of gleeful giggles, “Archery too.” A smile tugged his mouth upward, “Thank the Lion she is well with all this…last time thing.”
“I can believe it.” Caspian nodded emphatically, “I always thought I was pretty good, but man–”
“She does have a way of doing that.” the High King smirked, “Are you ready to go over the side?”
“Cannonball!” The younger King’s shout spun them around; Edmund wrapped his arms around his knees and hit the water with a gigantic explosion, coming up to tremendous applause and shaking water droplets all over his sisters.
“I guess we’d better join them.” Peter laughed, “I’m beginning to feel a little awkward still standing up here. Are you ready?”
“Just some first time jitters,” Caspian shrugged, trying to sound brave, “I’ve never swam in the ocean before—but yeah.” Suddenly, he ripped off his tunic and kicked his sandals across the deck. Then taking a flying leap, he hit the water with a belly flop.
“Hey!” Peter protested, laughing in surprise as Caspian surfaced with groans, “No fair! I used to be able to beat all of you into the water!”
“Last one in has to kiss a Calormene princess!” Edmund called, “Hurry up, Pete!”
“Cannonball!” The High King needed no more encouragement; he hit the water to deafening applause from the Narnians, trying to replicate his brother’s performance.
“That was more of a belly flop.” His siblings were in stitches when he surfaced with a groan.
“Har, har,” Peter responded, good-naturally spitting crystal clear water into his brother’s face then turned to Caspian, “So, how is it?”
“Ooo, I’m a little sore after that one.” the new King muttered with a beaming face, “but I plan to practice.” He nodded at the girls, “You’re right. Everyone is wonderful!”
“If your majesties will wait a minute.” Reepicheep called from the ship’s railing, whipping the five royal heads upward in surprise, “I will join you in my coracle.”
“No, no, my friend,” Peter hastily found his tongue, “I need you to stay onboard to relay messages between us and Dr. Cornelius.”
“As you wish, my King.” the Mouse bowed stiffly, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice, “Anything I can do to help. Who will be the messenger from your side?”
“Oh, I have the perfect one in mind.” Edmund waved at the young merboy he’d spoken with earlier, “What is your name?”
“Oh, um, Twinklefinn, sire.” he gulped nervously.
“That is a great name!” the younger King pointed, “That’s Reepicheep, Leader of the Talking Mice of Narnia and our most valiant knight. How would you like to run messages between us and him, Twinklefinn?”
“I’d like it very much!”
“Excellent!” Peter grinned, as King Silverfish came forward to begin the formal welcoming ceremony. The High King greeted him with a kiss to the forehead, “We are pleased to be among the water-folk again.”
The merking bowed low and extended his trident in a sign of eternal fidelity. “It’s an honor to serve you as my great, great, great, great, great-grandfather once did. His stories of your renown have been past down to me and I’m awed that the Lion has brought you back to us in my lifetime.”
“We’re grateful that He allowed us to come and help Narnia again.” Susan found her voice, holding her hand out to the merking, “And also that He is allowing us to set right the awful tragedy that happened here on our sacred grounds. Will you lead us to the place?”
“I will, my Queen.” He kissed her extended hand then touched her lips and eyes with his fingers before repeating the gesture with Peter, Edmund, Lucy and, finally, Caspian.
“Now, you’ll be able to see and breathe underwater.” Lucy gleefully whispered in the new King’s ear, “Oh, and talk too! This is what we were telling you about last night.”
“Wow!” Caspian’s eyes lit up, “I can’t wait to try it!”
“It’s amazing!” Lucy assured him before diving with her sister to meet a pod of Talking Dolphins who were just arriving.
The two queens immediately joined the playful group in a wild aquatic dance and it wasn’t long before their brothers, the Naiads, and finally, Caspian joined them for the customary ritual dance.
Diving deep, the kings and queens took hold of the Dolphins dorsal fins and were pulled out to sea. There they spun and twirled with their playmates in deep eddies and whirlpools as the merfolk and other creatures watched solemnly on the outskirts.
“This is amazing!” Caspian gasped, almost losing himself as he swirled like a ragdoll in the current made by the big animals. Half blinded and dizzy by the bubbles, he groped around until he caught hold of Susan and then Lucy’s hands. Then they spun like tops together before the Dolphins caught them all up and leapt into the air for the grand finale.
“Ahh, that was wonderful!” Susan sighed, feeling dizzy with happiness as they surfaced to catch their breath, “I shall treasure all this for the rest of my life.”
“As will I…” her older brother wrapped his arms around her shoulders, “But the best medicine I could ask for is knowing that you are happy right now, little sister.”
“Peter…” she murmured, her eyes misting over as they finally turned to enter the darker colder waters of the cove.
A thousand memories assailed Lucy and soaked into her nerves as she stroked through the silent water. This place had always been so full of light and joy and warmth that she almost didn’t recognize it.
“Are you alright, your majesty?” Caspian swam up beside her.
“I will be.” she answered determinedly, “once things have been put right.” She gave him a small apologetic smile, “It’s just like this because there’s no life here now. Naiads are water spirits. Where they are, the water is literally alive. But since the Merfolk have kept everyone out all these years the water…well, I guess you can say that Cathedral Cove suffocated and died.”
“But once we’ve taken proper care of things,” a faint light of hope shown in her eyes, “the Naiads will be allowed to come back and the water will be warm and joyful again and, oh, it will be glorious!” She grasped his hand tightly, “You must promise me, Caspian. Promise me that you will come here to celebrate. Come celebrate every occasion with the Talking Beasts and the Dryads and Naiads and everyone. They are yours to look after now and you must always keep them close.”
“I will.” he squeezed her hand in a solemn oath.
“Dr. Cornelius warned us about it this morning.” Susan glided up beside them, her wide dark eyes full of sorrow as they pushed forward to join their brothers in the lead, “but I didn’t even come close to imagining it like this…”
“Silverfish told us the ship rests in that deep trench near the shore.” Peter was anxious to change the subject.
“There it is ahead.” Edmund pointed, “Are you guys ready for this?”
“Yes and no.”