He smiles back at her and leans against the railing, at ease even as the ship rolls gently beneath them.
"The first thing to understand," he tells her, "is that the Lone Islands – that is, Doorn, Felimath, and Avra – have been attached to the crown of Narnia for hundreds of years, since before the High King and his consorts. But in the Age of Conquest, when the His Majesty's forebears ruled and the sea was forbidden, no one from the court came to collect tribute and no communication with the Islands were made. So it was His Majesty's wish, when we set sail, to visit the Islands and make them aware of the happy news that the rightful king had ascended and Old Narnia thriving once more."
Drinian pauses, peering out to sea as if he could see the very islands themselves. "When we came upon them, Queen Lucy wished to walk upon Felimath – an unoccupied island, mostly used for grazing sheep. His Majesty at once had the boat row him, the King and Queen, their kinsman, and Sir Reepicheep ashore, and the Treader set sail, meaning to pick them up on the other side of the island. But hardly were they there before they were set upon by a group of cowardly slavers, who chained them all and marched them off to be sold at market."
no subject
"The first thing to understand," he tells her, "is that the Lone Islands – that is, Doorn, Felimath, and Avra – have been attached to the crown of Narnia for hundreds of years, since before the High King and his consorts. But in the Age of Conquest, when the His Majesty's forebears ruled and the sea was forbidden, no one from the court came to collect tribute and no communication with the Islands were made. So it was His Majesty's wish, when we set sail, to visit the Islands and make them aware of the happy news that the rightful king had ascended and Old Narnia thriving once more."
Drinian pauses, peering out to sea as if he could see the very islands themselves. "When we came upon them, Queen Lucy wished to walk upon Felimath – an unoccupied island, mostly used for grazing sheep. His Majesty at once had the boat row him, the King and Queen, their kinsman, and Sir Reepicheep ashore, and the Treader set sail, meaning to pick them up on the other side of the island. But hardly were they there before they were set upon by a group of cowardly slavers, who chained them all and marched them off to be sold at market."