By the Light of the Bonfire
...My Sweetheart Will Long For Me
A/N Casmund taking place at the end of Prince Caspian somewhere after the fighting and with possible spoilers for The Last Battle. Hope you like!
It was the celebration after a hard won battle, the Telmarine army had been defeated, Caspian was to become King and Old Narnians were once again able to live out in the open without fear. Even after a long day of fighting with most of the Narnians exhausted and relying purely on adrenaline to keep them awake they were still making a good show of celebrating.
With the moon and stars lighting up the night sky those who hadn't already found somewhere to sleep had managed to pull together two lines of tables and benches, one either side of a bonfire.
Around the bonfire various Narnians were dancing and singing along to the musical instruments of a couple of Fawns and a Dwarf. Laid out on the tables were the remains of the meagre feast, all that could be acquired on such short notice that had still been met with loud noises of appreciation and devoured heartily by all.
Along one of the tables Caspian was trying to play footsie under the table but he obviously had the wrong foot and Edmund was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. On Edmund's left sat Susan, the obvious target of Caspian's advances. She, however, was chatting happily with the DLF and a few other Narnians who had been in her archer squad, oblivious to Edmund's current predicament.
Across from him Caspian appeared to be having a lively conversation with Lucy about their experiences of Narnia during the Golden Age and no one would have guessed that his foot was casually creeping forward chasing Edmund's retreating feet.
At the first nudge Edmund had thought nothing more of the contact then feet bumping in close quarters and had merely pulled his feet back slightly to make more room, which was his same response to the second and third nudge. At the forth and unable to comfortably move his feet back any further he gently kicked the other person's foot thinking they would get the picture and stop nudging him further.
When the foot in retaliation stroked against his ankle Edmund was startled from his own group's conversation and tried to discretely look under the table to find out who it was so he could tell them to knock it off. But realising that the boot belonged to Caspian and with Susan sitting next to him Edmund became suddenly aware of the agenda of Caspian's wandering foot.
Obviously Caspian had misjudged where Susan was sitting and thought she was just playing hard to get. Not wanting to embarrass anyone or create a scene Edmund tried to get Caspian's attention by coughing and staring hard at the other boy across the table.
However Caspian only looked to him for a moment distracted before resuming his talk. Edmund coughed again this time nudging Caspian's foot and throwing what he hoped was a meaningful look in Susan's direction when Caspian spared him another glance.
But once again this seemed to have no affect and Caspian appeared to have taken Edmund's nudge as a sign of encouragement and was lazily rubbing his foot against Edmund's ankle. Taking a more direct approach Edmund started dragging Caspian's foot along the ground towards Susan, but a second later Caspian was throwing him a sharp look and refusing to move his foot any further.
"Edmund? Is something wrong? Only you look as though you're about to fall off the bench." In spite of his best intentions Edmund had neither rectified the problem nor avoided the attention of his sisters. Both Susan, who had spoken to him, and now Lucy were both looking at him with concern.
Oddly enough Caspian's foot had started nudging him softly, although by now Edmund thought it was probably pretty obvious Caspian was nudging at the wrong Penvensie.
"Oh, I'm fine." Edmund reassured his sisters and confused by Caspian's intention made his excuses to leave the table. "I think I'll go for a walk though, it's rather warm near the fire."
"Don't wander too far." Susan easily accepted his excuse and nodded understandingly, happily resuming her prior conversation. Opposite him Lucy was having a little more trouble picking up the conversation with Caspian who seemed to be deep in thought.
Scrambling up for his seat Edmund thought that a walk would be quite welcome, busy with battle and then revelry he'd not had a moment to breath on his own.
Edmund walked away from the fire till the sounds of celebration were a distant noise, though still close enough that the creature dancing around the bonfire could be clearly seen.
Falling to the ground he sprawled out on the grass and closed his eyes. They would spend the night here and in the morning travel to the Telmarine castle which would mean another long day of dealing with disgruntled Telmarines and negotiating preliminary rules to put Narnians at ease and begin the process of rebuilding a fairer Narnia. Activities that Edmund would definitely be called on to lend his skills and expertise, and he would have it no other way.
A few moments later and Edmund heard boots walking up to him and stop near one of his outspread arms. He refused to open his eyes instead waiting for the other to speak; after all they had been the one to come after him.
"King Edmund?" Caspian asked uncertainty in his voice.
"Caspian." Edmund still kept his eyes shut waiting, enjoying the breeze cooling his skin and blowing through his hair. If he was Lucy he would believe it was the wind affectionately ruffling his hair and he smiled at the thought.
Expecting Caspian to speak Edmund was a little surprised to feel a body settle down beside him and he finally opened his eyes, drawing his arms to his body.
"Caspian?" This time it was Edmund who spoke uncertainly at the other boy's behaviour, thinking again of Caspian's earlier actions and his wandering feet. But the young man was giving nothing away staring up at the night sky.
"King Edmund"
"You know you can call me Edmund." Edmund said before his thoughts could catch up with his mouth.
"I would never presume to take such liberties with your name."
"Then don't, I'm telling you to call me Edmund."
"Then I thank you for the privilege." Looking at Caspian, Edmund could see the corner of his lips turned upwards in content rather then mirth and Edmund closed his eyes as they fell back into a comfortable silence.
"Will you stay?" Caspian asked softly.
"That's not how it works; we don't really get a choice."
"And if you did?" Edmund looked up at the stars and thought about his life back in England which at that moment felt like a distant dream. Of the boy he was with no real responsibilities, undermined by adults, the tedious squabbles of his peers at school and the expectations for boys his age.
"I would believe in Aslan to lead me along the right path even if that meant leaving Narnia behind." Turning back to Caspian it was obviously not the answer he had been expecting or hoping for and he looked disheartened by Edmund's words but Edmund only hoped to prepare Caspian for any possible outcome.
"You are incredibly strong King Edmund to be able to put another's wishes before your own so easily." Caspian finally spoke, the unhappy tone of his voice belying the compliment of his words.
"I once learned that your own wishes can very quickly lead you down a dangerous path and even then Aslan still believed in me, put all his faith in me to do what was right and prove my worth and for that I will always have faith in Aslan. I don't doubt you will be a great king and as such there will be no reason for us to stay if Aslan does decide to send us back. Narnia will be safe in your hands."
"Your trust in me makes me humble but for all your compliments I would still be a selfish king. I would have you stay." Caspian turned his head looking directly into Edmund's eyes.
"You do not need our guidance, and you will have Trumpkin and your Doctor Cornelius to knock you on the head if you need reassurance." Edmund laughed to himself at the image and thought it would also amuse Caspian except his face remained anguished. Unable to turn away from the young man Edmund held his breath as Caspian reached out to gently cup Edmund's face in his hand.
"No, I think you misunderstand me King Edmund, I would keep you for myself, to stand beside me, to rule Narnia with me, not just to knock me on the head when in need of good council." This time Caspian managed a small bittersweet smile, fingers moving up his face to brush Edmund's fringe to the side.
"But Susan—"
"Susan is not the one I desire." Caspian spoke quickly cutting off Edmund's words and Edmund lay there silently not knowing how to reply yet unable to move away.
The thought of Caspian being anything more then a friend had never crossed his mind but lying here now caught in Caspian's fervent gaze and the warmth of his body seeping into his, he could hear the thundering sound of his heart beating wildly. A moment later and Edmund was able to regain his composure.
"I think it's time for us to head back to the fire, everyone will be settling down for the night and Peter will be coming after us if we don't return soon."
"If that is what you wish." Sighing Caspian pulled his hand away and looked back to the sky.
"I, yes, we shall go back." Edmund said trying to convey some confidence in his words that he himself did not feel.
"Of course" Caspian replied pushing himself up and then offering a hand to pull Edmund up as well. But instead of letting go of his hand as soon as Edmund was up Caspian used the momentum to pull him forward into his arms, holding him in a tight embrace.
"I made no mistake at the table; it was your foot I hoped to trap with my attentions." Caspian whispered into the younger boy's ear and then pulled his head back to stare deeply into Edmund's eyes. Frozen Edmund held his breath as Caspian leaned back in, placing a kiss on his brow before abruptly letting go and striding back towards the rest of their group.
Thankful that Caspian had allowed him the short walk back to camp to himself he tried to sort through his own feelings but still came back to the same conclusion. Narnia would need a Queen and Edmund would always have the fear of being sent back to England hanging over his head, his feelings were ultimately inconsequential. He would simply have to put all ideas of Caspian out of his head and concentrate on helping the Narnians.
For the next three days Edmund had not spent any time alone with the newly crowned king, busy as they all were, but that hadn't stopped the meaningful glances when no one was looking, nor the subtle brushing of hands and lingering touches. Yet now they stood in front of the doorway back to their own world and Edmund stepped forward to say his goodbyes with a heavy heart.
"I said this once and I still believe it, you will be a great king. You don't need us here." Edmund smiled reassuringly. Drawing Edmund into an embrace Caspian whispered to him before stepping back and letting him go.
"Just because there is no need, doesn't mean I shall not want."
Hand in hand with his siblings Edmund walked forward unable to look back.
"Edmund?" The chest his head was resting on shifted slightly and Edmund nuzzled closer. He was comfortable in his bed back in the Cair Paravel, somewhere he thought he'd never be again and of course he had Caspian. Caspian who was even now a young man yet had lived a full life ruling Narnia and at the end of it had still looked at Edmund with hungry eyes.
"Hmm?"
"What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking you have a very understanding wife."
"I do." Caspian replied without a second thought. Rolling them over Caspian pinned Edmund to the bed, covering him and stared deeply into his eyes his expression full of sincerity.
"She understands. I have loved you for such a long time; have in many ways been waiting for you to come back to me. We have her blessings and she is happy. And I would not be happy without you. You're mine."
"You know, I think I am." Grinning up at the older man Edmund tilted his head up for a kiss and with a soft smile Caspian happily obliged.