The island of black smoke and ominous green light did not look any less frightening up close. Grey fog swarmed round the ship as they continued to sail closer towards the evil place. The black smoke rising high above them and the sea dark underneath. Otto felt a chilling breeze tug on his shirt and shivered under his leather armour. His hand gripping the hilt of his spear so hard that his knuckles turned white. Caspian was stood at his side and addressing the crew standing on deck below. Edmund and Lucy were visible amidst them. The two pevensie children having stepped down to look up with the other narnians to watch their king. Otto had wanted to join them but Caspian's hand on his wrist had stopped him. So there he stood, beside the other as he dressed the crowd.

"No matter what happens here, every should who stands before me had earned their place on the crew of The Dawn Treader", Caspian's voice rung out with the courage and understanding of the king he was. Otto couldn't help but feel pride at how Caspian had changed from that scared prince in the temple. Another dangerous situation where they could potentially die but there was no fear in the other man's dark eyes. "Together we have travelled far. Together we have faced adversity. Together we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall to fierce temptations. Be strong. Never give in. Our world, our narnian lives depend on it". 

Caspian's voice drifted off and Otto reached out to link their hands together. He spoke loud, taking his turn to address the crowd, though his voice came out softer than Caspian's. "Think of the lost souls we are here to save. Think of Aslan". He turned and gave his lover a wide grin through the nerves making his hands shake. "Think of Narnia". 

Caspian nodded. "For Narnia". 

"For Narnia!" A crewman shouted as the two of them descended the stairs. "For Narnia!" the echoes sounded and Otto jerked to a surprised stop on the stairs as the whole ship erupted in roars. He spotted Edmund's face in the crowd and the boy nodded at him as Lucy let out a war cry at his side. When he turned to Caspian, the dark haired man squeezed his hand. 

"I told you", he muttered with a smile. "You are a king to them". Otto leaned forwards to lightly bump their noses together before pulling away and continuing down the steps. 

They didn't get much time after their speech had ended before the island was swallowing them up. The shouts faded into silence as everyone grabbed for a weapon. Caspian let go of Otto's hand and the two of the broke apart to look around, Caspian climbing the steps up to the prow as Otto peered over the rails. The fog was too thick to see through and the sea was nothing but darkness underneath. Green smoke swirled around the ship and if he listened closely then eerie whispering seemed to tug at him. The voices trying to worm into his brain and pry out his deepest fears. Otto gripped his spear tighter as the smoke curled around the crew. For a second he thought he saw his mother walking through the fog towards him but then she was gone. Another trick. 

"What do you think you're doing boy?" the malicious whisper in his ear made him jump and Otto turned around. The voice made fear crawl up his throat and a shudder of memories of canes and hard wood floors made him flinch. Another voice, right behind him and spitting foulness on the back of his neck. "You should have died like your mother". Otto closed his eyes and gripped his spear to ground himself as he took a deep breath and counted to eight as he exhaled. When he opened his eyes again, the voice of his father was gone. The green smoke having vanished. 

A difference voice was echoing through the fog. It sounded like a man, horse and echoing. "Keep away! Keep away!" The crew all rushed to the starboard side to peer at the sharp pointed rocks that loomed out of the water through the fog. 

"Who's there?" Edmund called. 

"We do not fear you!" Caspian shouted, accent thicker on his words. Otto could hear the slight nervousness in them, masked and pushed down. The others might not have picked up on it, but he knew when Caspian was hiding something and for a second he wondered what the smoke had shown him to make him so unsettled. 

"Nor I you", the echoing voice boomed back. Edmund pulled his torch from his belt and clicked it on. The strong beam of white light illuminated the rocks before hitting a figure. There was an old man standing on the rock nearest them. He shied away under the light and they cause flashes of long unkempt beard and hair, clothes little more than rags and filthy skin. "Keep away", he called again. 

"We will not leave", Caspian responded, less nervous now. 

"You will not defeat me!" The man cried as he pulled a silver sword from behind him and held it aloft. Otto was surprised that the wizened old man could still hold the sword over his head in such a manner. 

"Caspian, his sword", Edmund pointed. The man heard and lowered the sword before trying to scurry away from the illuminating light. 

"Lord Rhoop!" Caspian exclaimed in recognition as he came hurrying down the stairs. 

"You do not own me!" The mad lord Rhoop screamed. 

Caspian raised a hand as he came closer to the railing. "Stand down", the crew lowered their weapons. "Let's get him on board, quickly". The men grabbed gripping hooks and began to swing them but they shouldn't have bothered. Eustace swept out of the dark and caught Lord Rhoop in his claws before flapping over to the ship and dropping the deranged man on the deck. 

"Be calm my lord", Caspian called as Rhoop rolled to his feet and brought up his sword. 

"Off me demon!"

"No my lord. We are not here to hurt you", Caspian stood tall and put a tone of command into his voice. "I am your king. Caspian". 

Otto paused from where he was pointing his spear at the man, as Lord Rhoop mouthed the name. Finally, recognition dawned in the man's eyes and he turned. One hand patting Caspian's shoulder as if he could not believe the young man was real. "Your majesty, you should not have come. There is no way out of here". He rose to his feet and Otto was surprised at how tall themas way. "Quickly! Turn the ship around before it's too late". 

"We have the sword", Otto stated. "Lets go". 

"Turn her around Drinian!" Caspian ordered. 

"Aye aye your majesty". Drinian ran for the stairs. Caspian and Otto made to go after him but Rhoop reached out and grabbed Otto's arm. He jumped as a vice like grip caught his forearm and Lord Rhoop's face was uncomfortably close to his. Otto froze with wide eyes. 

"Do not think! Do not let it know your fears or it will become them!" Horrible breath rasped in a warning scream as the old man held Otto tighter. The brunette jerking back in the hold.

Caspian caught Lord Rhoop by the wrist and pulled them apart. Otto stumbled away into his side and the other man instinctively wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. There was a second of silence before as small voice muttered. "Oh no". All eyes turned to Edmund. 

"Edmund", Lucy's voice was filling with dread. "What did you just think of?" 

"Oh I'm sorry!" Edmund ran to the rails and peered out into the water below. The pale skin of his face made a light spark in Otto's brain and horrible bottomless dread filled him. He swallowed then the ship shuddered as something hit it from below. Otto and Caspian staggered into the railings, Caspian gripping the other by the shoulders as he kept his grip on his spear. 

"Sea serpents", Otto whispered. He remembered Edmund mentioning it weeks ago. Caspian glanced over his shoulder to the water. 

"What is that?" 

Otto turned to see something moving in the waters and disappearing in the depths. "It's gone under the boat!" A crewman shouted. They all turned to the other side as something erupted from the water. 

unedited