Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belong to C.S. Lewis, not me.

Twisted

Caspian stormed into the how, his eyes full of fury. However honorable and magnificent he had thought Peter Pevensie before, he thought very little of him now. Peter had some explaining to do.

He found the High King sitting on a rock, lost in thought.

"Peter!" he yelled.

Peter turned around, still half-absorbed in his own thoughts. "Yes?"

Caspian pointed a shaking finger in the direction of the little mob they could hear chanting outside. He could hardly think straight. Why wouldn't they leave him alone? Caspian had known, of course, that there were those among the Telmarines who practiced great evil, but perhaps he had not realized its extent. He had certainly never imagined that Telmarine wickedness had spilled over to the Narnians. He could not bring himself to tell Peter what some of his subjects had been saying to him, but what if what they had declared was true?

"They say, they say-"

Peter was sorry his friend was upset, but he didn't have time for this. He needed to work on battle plans. "They say what, Caspian? Who are 'they?'?"

"Some of the Narnians who defected to hide in the woods! They-" Caspian felt ridiculous. "They say that you dream of me."

Peter tried in vain to remember what he had dreamed about recently, but he couldn't remember. "What?"

Caspian shifted his feet. "They say you dream of you and I being… together. They say you wish it to be so."

Peter was alarmed but he could not be wholly shocked. First Edmund, then Susan; he had even heard his name linked romantically with Beasts among the faithless. And there were those in his world who embraced such unnatural practices. No, he was not shocked. But his eyes filled with righteous anger so that Caspian was afraid.

The Prince stepped back. "I meant, I only meant- I do not believe them, your Majesty," he faltered. "I only thought it right to bring it to your attention…" He looked away, pained by the perversion that had overtaken his land. Why were the people doing this to him? They had been trying all week to convince him that he was in love with the High King. He put his head in his hands. "I do not know what to do. They say you look upon me as a lover."

"That is perhaps what some wish," said Peter, feeling a bit disturbed though he tried not to show it for Caspian's sake, "but I do not."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. I look upon you as a brother, Caspian. As a dear friend. But you are mistaken if you think I care for you in the way a man does a woman."

The hope and relief showed on Caspian's face, but he was unconvinced. "They say that you feel things for me you are afraid to say."

"I feel many things I do not say, but that does not mean I fear to say them." Peter smiled. "You have spent much time among the maidens of late."

Caspian turned very red.

"They say that you look up to me," said Peter. "Do you?"

"Yes," said Caspian. He looked up to all the Pevensies.

"Does that mean that you have fallen in love with me?"

Caspian wrinkled his nose. "No."

"But they say it does!"

"They are only twisting things to mean what they want them to mean," laughed Caspian, and then he understood. "But they say…"

He could not go on, so Peter did, since it did not seem he would be able to plan until Caspian was done tormenting himself. "I won't think ill of you. I know you were not the one who thought these things. Tell me, friend, what else did they say?"

Caspian looked very sick.

"What else did they say, Caspian?"

"They said we both have feelings for each other; that they can see it in our eyes when we think no one is looking."

Peter raised his eyebrows, but Caspian wasn't looking at him. His hands were balled into fists he looked so angry and confused.

"I told them I did not, and they told me I was keeping everything inside, and that that is what has made me angry. I told them we were fighting those who had overtaken Narnia, and that is what has made me angry. They refused to believe me; they said I wished to- to- to be with you." He looked at Peter, mortified. He sincerely hoped the High King had not come to that conclusion.

Peter's eyes were guarded. "Do you wish it?"

Caspian stepped back. There was fury in his eyes, and when Peter met them he knew he had his answer. Caspian stood to his full height and stood before Peter as before a judge. "You are my High King," he said, voice full of righteous anger. "You are my friend. But I would never touch you. I could not dishonor Aslan so." He looked at Peter with dismay. "Nor would I have expected you to wish it of me, Peter."

Peter stood up to face him, a smile on his face. He laid a hand on Caspian's shoulder. "Peace, brother. No more do I."

Caspian stared at him in open-mouthed confusion until he realized Peter had only been testing him. Then he gave a short laugh and flopped back against the wall of the cave, relieved. "Thank the Lion."

Peter nodded in agreement, but Caspian still looked worried. "What is it?"

Caspian looked away. "Those in the woods say they can capture us; force us to be together."

Peter remained unfazed. "And if they did capture us?" Caspian stared at him. "What would you do, Caspian?"

"We would not allow them to force us together."

"No."

Caspian fancied himself brave on occasion, but he had felt less brave in the dark of night, weaponless and surrounded by angry, desire-filled, spear-flinging citizens as he fled for the how. "But suppose they threatened to kill us?"

"We would sooner die."

"Die?"Caspian felt that enough people had died and he was looking forward to becoming the rightful King. Perhaps death wasn't really necessary…

"Caspian," asked Peter, "would you dishonor your body, your people, the very land Aslan gave you?"

Caspian was taken aback. "Forgive me, your Majesty. I would not. I would indeed sooner die."

Peter smiled at his sincerity. "They will not capture us, Caspian. You nor I nor any of my siblings would allow it. Nor would the true Narnians. And if anyone does try he shall be put in prison," Peter declared, "and await trial before Aslan."

Caspian agreed, but he was looking sick again. Peter looked at him carefully. "This has troubled you long, brother. Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

Caspian looked embarrassed. "Would you have wanted to tell me, if they'd been telling you to marry me?"

Peter gave him a sympathetic look. Poor Caspian had no idea what he was in for; ruling a kingdom was likely to bring many challenges he was unprepared for. He and his siblings would have to have a talk with him to encourage him later. "No," he agreed. "But I'm sorry those who have left us have brought this trouble on you." He stood tall. "Don't be afraid of them."

Caspian nodded, but Peter saw that more was bothering him. "Don't be afraid of me either."

Caspian looked away.

"They've said the same about me," said Peter dryly. "It is unfortunate that so many are willing to twist what the Lion intended for good and pleasure."

"I thought he intended it for procreation," said Caspian, confused again.

"That as well," agreed Peter. "Which is perhaps the most obvious reason we can conclude that men were not made to lie with men. No. There is no pleasure in that for those who do Aslan's will, because it is displeasing to Aslan."

"Pleasure is displeasing to Aslan?" said Caspian sorrowfully.

Peter smiled. "No. Pleasure was made by Aslan. It wouldn't be wrong for you to find pleasure in the woman you marry, Caspian."

Caspian went slightly red, but he smiled too. Then he thought of the crazed mob in the woods and frowned. "Does Aslan love those who do not follow his will?"

Peter considered this. "Aslan loves everyone, even those who disobey him, but he doesn't love or accept the wicked acts they commit."

Caspian nodded. "I understand. But why did you say they have spoken such evil against you before?" This was the first he had heard of it.

"Because this has happened before."

"It has?" Caspian felt slightly less disgusting for having brought it up.

"I suppose you think you are the only one they have tried to convince of this?" Caspian nodded uncertainly. "That's one of the ways they operate; they confuse you, isolate you, to make you believe you're alone and the only way to be happy is to do what they think you should… When we were Kings and Queens long ago there were those who brought such ideas to us. We were alarmed as well at first. But we lived as righteously before Aslan as we could, Caspian. We denounced such evil and took those who insisted on distorting what Aslan had created for good to the Lion himself. He dealt with them, and if they turned to him they usually renounced this madness. That is what I suggest we do now."

Caspian thought of telling the great Lion about this. "I'd rather not."

Peter smiled sympathetically again. They had felt as strange, but Aslan had already known what they were thinking. "Aslan knows their hearts, Caspian, as he knows yours and mine. He knows what others have said to you, and perhaps he wanted you to tell me so that you could be released from this burden. In my world too, there are many who distort truth for their own pleasure, only to find their lives destroyed."

Caspian was dismayed. Could it be that the world he had ever longed to see- the world of his beloved Kings and Queens- was one so filled with perversion?

"Not all," the High King assured him. "Not even so very many." His eyes darkened. "Though many would have us believe that men should lie with men." His eyes darkened. "Some would have the rest of us approve of it." He looked at Caspian. "But we do not."

"We do not," agreed Caspian.

"But you! You stand for truth and righteousness and goodness. You cannot allow such evil to reign in Narnia, Caspian. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Caspian thought of those who had pushed him into this madness. They had been taken in. They were a formidable group; strong, if few, and their arguments, though flawed, had been convincing to those who did not take the time to consider them or had little regard for Aslan's will.

"But how can I stop it? They are so truly convinced, and they are trying to pull everyone else down with them. They are trying to convince others besides me, and there are some true Narnians who are thinking of agreeing to allowing this wickedness into Narnia." He frowned. "It was Narnians who convinced me that this is what you wanted. How can I stand against evil like that?"

Peter recalled the times evil had come against him and looked hard at Caspian. "Do not allow yourself to believe their lies, Caspian, no matter how honeyed their tongues or sharp their swords." He smiled. "Remember that you have friends who agree with you. Remember to whom you belong, and who is putting you on the throne," said Peter. "Put your trust in Aslan. "Ask him to turn their hearts to him. He can do what we cannot, and there is no other way."

And that is exactly what they did.

AN: Thankfully I have never had the displeasure of walking blindly into a Peter/Caspian fic, and I sincerely desire that such misfortune never befalls me. Sadly it appears that others have, and as such this fic came by special request. I hope it has afforded its petitioner some relief.