A/n: Hey all! I thought of this story after watching Prince Caspian. My siblings and I were messing around and we had been having a "sword fight", and I fell over the back of a couch and I was struck by a brilliant idea, this! Then today in drama we were sword fighting and I remembered it. Also I need at least six reviews before I continue.
Disclaimer: I never will own the chronicles of Narnia and can only dream about that. Only the unfamiliar characters are mine.
Chapter 1
The sparkling afternoon sunlight left intricate patterns on the stone wall of a private library. A dark haired young man sat in a wooden chair; feet placed carefully on a desk to avoid the stacks of books perched haphazardly across its surface, his head leaned on a hand supported by the simple timber arm of the chair, he carefully turned the pages of an aged book slowly reading each page and studying the complex illustrations. The door creaked and the seventeen year old king shifted in his seat, so absorbed in his book that he didn't recognize that someone had entered the room.
"The people will wonder where their new king has disappeared to if you keep hiding in here." The old man said stroking his long gray beard. The only response he got was a "uh-huh" from his former pupil. "Caspian, you must attend to your duties as king." This time absolutely no reaction was elicited the story having captured the readers full attention. After a moment of studying the boy the older man picked a hefty book and slammed it down on the desk causing the young man to jump.
"Oh, Professor Cornelius, I didn't realize you had come in." The Telmarine said slipping his feet off the desk, knowing it irked the Professor every time he had placed his feet on the table in the past. He glanced down at the page he had been studying. "Did you know that the white witch had the power to turn living beings into stone and made a perpetual winter until Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy came?"
"Yes as a matter of fact I did, Sir."
Caspian made a face at hearing the formal title, "Please don't call me that, I haven't changed any I'm still just Caspian."
"It is expected that you be called that now, just as it is expected that you attend to your duties instead of leaving them to someone else to perform for you." The olive skinned man groaned and sank down in the chair. "I recommend that you go down there do what you are anticipated to."
"Do you know how much is expected of me? I'm supposed to host banquets in honor of my coronation, lead the council of elders, get to know all of my lords and their families, help with the army, find a suitable queen, direct the castle, search for any rouge soldiers that might have a death wish for me, explore the land, listen to the people and help them, make sure the Telmarines and the Narnians are not trying to kill each other, continue my studies, carry on with sword play, send embassies to neighboring countries, and that's just the afternoon. And I have to do all that with different etiquette depending on who I am with, and it's not as simple as it seems at first. I could be at dinner with one person and sneeze into my left sleeve and it is all right. Then the next night I could have dinner with someone else and sneeze into my left sleeve, and the next morning wake up to an entire army right outside because I offended their dead mother's memory."
"You are young and will learn all of this in time."
"I know I am young. I'm not ready to lead a country; I haven't even finished lessons with you! There is still so much I have to learn. Sometimes I think it was easier leading a revolution than being the king."
The elderly man chuckled at this, "I'm sure it was. Yes, you are young for this position, but do you remember that High King Peter was younger than you are now when he became high king?"
Caspian considered this for a moment and then looked down at the book he held. "He had his siblings to help him."
"That is true. But no matter how much you protest you are a king and must act as one."
With a defeated sigh Caspian stood up gently placing the book on the table. An amused tone filled the older man's voice as he looked at the younger, "You are going down like that?"
"What's the matter with how I am going down to my throne?" Came the slightly miffed reply.
"You do not look very kingly at the moment."
With a baffled expression on his face the youth turned and walked over to the full length mirror on the wall. When he saw himself he couldn't help but collapse in a fit of very undignified giggles. The right sleeve of his cream colored shirt was stained obsidian from brushing over the wet ink as he took notes on his book, a long smear of dirt spread across his face from reaching to grab a book from a dusty shelf, his pants were mud stained from riding his horse through a marsh that morning, his hair was tousled and streaked with grime from running his dirty hand through it, and his bare feet were nicked and bleeding from wading in a forest stream he had found when out.
"You're right. I look more like I'm ready to go work in the stables than to rule a country. I might as well wash up before someone gets the idea that their king is completely mad." Caspian then nodded to his professor and hurriedly departed from the room. In his haste he bumped into a maid who then dropped one of the wicker baskets full of laundry she was carrying. A faint blush rose to his cheeks and he immediately kneeled down and started to scoop the clothes of the ground.
"Watch where you are going next time!" The maid said sharply, but as soon as see saw the face of the man she dropped into a deep curtsy spilling the cloths she had gathered. "Your highness, forgive me I didn't recognize you. I am sorry for getting in your way." She said this trying to take the basket that he had retrieved from the ground from him.
"No, it I who should be sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and ran into you." He said continuing to pick up the laundry and put in the basket.
"Please, Sir, let me take that. You should not be helping a mere servant with your work."
"Another stupid rule! I'm the king I should be able to help you if I feel so inclined." He said, "Where are you taking this?"
"They will have to be cleaned once more and refolded, so if you would just give them to me I can do that, Sir."
"Let me help. But first I have to get something from my room." The maid was aghast at the thought of the monarch helping some one like her in the slightest way.
"I…you can't, it wouldn't be right. Your highness, it would seem wrong if you did something like that."
"Please, just call me Caspian." He said flashing a charismatic grin at her, "I don't care if it's not right, besides as king I order you to let me help. Now come on." He stood up and walked along the corridor, drawing curious looks from anyone who passed. All that saw the pair was amused if not slightly baffled to see the filthy young king holding the implement of a servant and being trailed by a sheepish looking girl dressed in the garb of a maid.
"Wait here for just a minute." He said upon reaching the doors to his own chamber, he had kept the same room as he had used before he fled, preferring them over the room his aunt and uncle had occupied. He pushed the door open, placed the basket of laundry on a chair, and dropped to the floor looking under his bed for something. After a moment of squinting into the darkness he crawled as far under as he could and then emerged holding on to a pair of old, faded, leather boots. He slipped his bare feet into them and turned towards the door. Pausing he walked over to a small cabinet and splashed the water from a small bowl onto his face, thus rinsing of the grime.
"All right then." The voice made the maid startle and then she curtsied before her king. "Don't!"
"Don't what, si-" She stopped upon seeing the stern expression on the other's face. "Don't what, Caspian?"
"Don't always be curtsying. Now let's go." They walked along in silence for a time before he turned to her. "You know my name, but I don't remember catching yours."
"Ella."
"Ella, that's a pretty name. So, Ella, how old are you?"
"I'll be eighteen tomorrow."
"Really? Congratulations! Do you have any family to go home to?"
"Uggh, I have too much of a family to go home to."
"Tell me about them." They stopped for a moment as Ella opened the door to a small courtyard where are large stone fountain presided in one corner and several buckets in another. A large room with an open door stood directly across from them. Ella placed her basket of laundry in the room and took the other from Caspian.
"Thank you for bringing this down." She said expecting him to leave, but he shook his head and grinned.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily. You haven't told me about your family yet, besides I want to learn."
"You want to learn about what?"
"About doing laundry of course!"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because it's something I've never done, my uncle would have never allowed it. And I personally enjoy learning new things." He thought for a moment tilting his head to the side making the girl laugh. "It could be practical. What if I ever had to go some where alone, I wouldn't have anyone to do my laundry so I'd have to take care of it myself."
"Fine, I'll show you how to do laundry." She picked up a bucket in both hands and proceeded over to the fountain to fill them up. Placing one on the side of the fountain she grab the other with both hands and slowly carried it to the room and poured it into the a vast basin, when she turned to retrieve the other one she found it next to her elbow and the young man on his way to fill up two more buckets. Taking turns carrying the buckets the basin was soon full of water. Ella grabbed a lump of lye soap and a shirt. "Now watch." She quickly cleaned the shirt and hung it up on a thin rope that was stretched across the courtyard.
"That doesn't look too hard. Even I can do it." Said the king picking up a shirt and copying the movements of the maid.
"It's not hard until you have to do all of those by your self."
"So what is your family like?" Asked the boy starting to clean another shirt.
"Well, I'm the third of seven children so there is never a moment of peace at home. My older sister is married though, so everything is a little quieter…" She told all about her family and the pair laughed often as she told numerous stories of her younger siblings' antics.
"What are your parents like?" She was questioned as soon as finished along story about her twin brothers. Her visage became somber after this question and she took a deep breath continuing on.
"My mother is a seamstress and was always joyful until recently, now she's so unresponsive and cold. She won't eat and rarely sleeps; she won't even take care of the little ones so the oldest couple of us have our hands full."
"Why is she like that? Did something happen to her? Is your father the same way?" Caspian said ignoring the article of clothing he was washing and studying the girl.
"My father was a soldier, but he was killed during the revolution. My Mother and Father were one of those couples that fell deeper in love every year. It tore my mother's heart when she died and I think if she wasn't burdened by us she would easily take a walk and walk straight out into the ocean and never come back."
"I am sorry." Caspian whispered, knowing that it was very plausible that he had killed his new friend's father and that if he had not fled the night his uncle had tried to murder him the girl's father would probably still live. She nodded and an oppressive silence filled the air for several minutes. The girl turned for a moment and then yelped when she was splashed with a large quantity of water.
"Did you just splash me?" She said spinning around and glaring at the teen who looked up from the laundry with an expression that would have been serious if it weren't for the twinkling eyes. "Why you…" She started and watched a mischievous grin spread over the others face. She smacked the water making spray go flying. Soon the laundry was forgotten along with any barriers the difference of status had left between them as the two made it their current goal in life to drench the other.
After almost fifteen minutes of this the two collapsed laughing on the side of the fountain. "That's something my little brother would have done to cheer me up." Ella stated wringing out her long, dark hair. "I'm sure if I had a brother your age he would be lot like you. Sweet, but infernally annoying."
"Is that supposed to be an insult, because I think I'll take it as compliment." He glanced up at a window that looked out on the courtyard and waved.
"Who's that?" Asked the girl watching the old man gesture for the king to come inside.
Caspian stood, "That is my professor. Excuse me for a moment while I go see what he wants." He opened the door and hurried through the halls until he met his tutor.
"What are you doing?"
"Laundry."
"And how is doing laundry part of your responsibilities? The people won't approve and frankly I don't approve of you abandoning all responsibility." Professor Cornelius rebuked the king.
Caspian had the grace to blush and lower his head in shame, a moment later though he brought his head up and smiled, "I'm meeting my subjects and learning about their lives and problems."
The man laughed at this. "Very well, that is something you must do. It's good to see you able to act your age sometimes. Just don't forget to attend to your other duties."
"Of course not. I won't forget." He replied a little too quickly, causing the gray haired man to look doubtful, he started to respond but the youth had already vanished down the hall. Professor Cornelius shook his head at the uncontained energy of the king.
The sound of voices drifted down the hall to the monarch who came to an abrupt halt and silently listened. "Do you know that was the king?" A shrill voice questioned.
"Yes, but-" The second voice was cut of by the sound of a sharp slap.
"Don't show any of that impertinence of yours to me little missy! What we you trying to do? Drowned him? Rub some of your filth of on him? Were you hoping he would fall in love with you like in one of those fairy tales you love so much? Let me tell those fairy tales don't happen!"
A quiet voice stopped the woman's lecture, "Yes they do. The kings and queens of old were supposed to be fairy tales and those fairy tales turned out to be true." She spun around and upon seeing the king sunk into a curtsy.
"Your highness, forgive me for letting this wretch bother you. I assure you it won't happen again." The sharp voiced woman said gesturing at the quietly sobbing girl.
"She was not bothering me and it was out of place for you to assume so. Why do you command her as if she was no more than the dirt beneath your feet?"
"She is in my charge while serving here. She is lazy and insolent and has to learn to conduct herself. She is young, almost as young as you in fact, and young people need to learn that the heavens do not revolve around them, your majesty." She said the last part in a venomous voice that could have easily been taken as mocking the youthfulness of the king.
An angry light blazed in Caspian's eyes and he lowered his hand to where the pommel of his sword would have been if he had not taken to the armory to be sharpened several hours before. "I assure you if you touch this girl or make another treasonous statement like that again you will wish you had never come to work in this palace. You will spend the rest of your miserable days scrounging for a morsel to eat and would be turned away by all you asked for help because you would be forever branded as a traitor. Do I make myself clear?"
"Extremely clear, your highness, no offense was intended." She curtsied again to hide the malicious look on her face.
"Now get out of my sight before I do anything rash." Caspian spat out looking with contempt at the women.
"Yes, my king. Come along, Ella." She started to walk away her hand cruelly grasping the girls wrist causing her to stumble along behind.
Caspian glared at the retreating back, "No! She stays." The women let go of the wrist she clutched and continued to walk down the hall silently cursing whatever fate it was that had brought the Telmarines a boy king. "Ella, are you all right?" He asked worriedly, eyeing the cheek that was inflamed from the blow. She nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Forgive me, you highness, I don't know what came over me acting as I did. Letting you do the laundry like you were a servant and telling you about my life as if you actually cared." She curtsied and turned to flee down the hall, but was stropped when a strong hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.
"I do care, and I thought we had gotten past all this stupid 'your highness' and curtsying stuff. I am just a person like you; the only difference is I was born to man who was king, and you were born to a soldier. Now if you would be so kind, would you care to accompany me on a picnic?"
"I couldn't."
"Of course you can, think of it as a birthday present. We'll just need to change into something dry." He said looking at the puddles they had created from the dripping of their clothes. Before she could protest anymore he had grabbed her hand and started down the hall.
Upon arriving at the bed chamber he flung open the doors to his wardrobe and searched it for something plain. He stood back and frowned at it running his hand through his hair, "Is there something in here that isn't quite so extravagant." He eventually pulled out a light blue tunic with a sapphire collar. He glanced at the girl who was standing by the door and reached out pulling a golden chord that hung from the ceiling. "I think you're about the same size as my aunt was, I'll see if we still have anything of hers." A moment latter there was a sharp rap on the door. Caspian strode over and pulled it open, "Aelfrida, how are you?" He pulled the short woman into a tight hug and then stepped back. "Sorry if I got you wet. Aelfrida meet Ella. Ella this is Aelfrida, she was my nanny until my uncle sent her a way for telling me stories about the kings and queens of old. As soon as I got my throne I found her and convinced her to come and work here."
"It's always a pleasure to meet a friend of Caspian."
"I was wondering if you had kept any of my aunt's dresses. If you did could you take Ella to change into one?" He then leaned down and whispered in the lady's ear. "Make her look like a princess." The old woman nodded and grinned at the young man and led the girl out of the room.
Once the two women had left Caspian changed into the dry tunic and glancing at the mirror he grabbed a comb that had been his mothers and ran it through his hair untangling it. He turned to where his sword was normally kept, and upon remembering it was not currently in his possession he grabbed a small dagger in a jeweled sheath and hung it from his belt. He reached under his pillow and grasped a hard object. He pulled out his hand and in it laid the horn of Queen Susan the gentle he started to place it in his belt then he sighed and returned it to its former spot. He then grabbed a small leather bag placed a diamond necklace in it. Several minutes later a knock on the door broke the silence and he pulled it open, there stood a beautiful young woman.
Aelfrida had listened to Caspian and transformed the maid into a lady of the court. Her long, coal colored hair was encased in a silver hair net and her rough shoes had been traded for a fine pair of silver slippers. The emerald dress was highlighted by a silver silk its full skirt brushing against the ground as she moved. Caspian stared for a moment never expecting the change to be so complete, the old woman made a chiding noise and he regained his manners.
"Milady, shall we go raid the kitchens?" He bowed and put out his arm. She giggled and placed her arm lightly on top of his. The elderly lady laughed upon seeing this. "What?"
"You two. Caspian, I never knew you to act this way with a lady." Both teenagers blushed furiously upon hearing this statement. "Now be off with you, go enjoy yourselves, Aslan knows you need it."
As the twosome walked along several people looked at them and a fine court lady left to start the newest rumor; about the king and his new lady friend. A noble boldly walked over to them and swept a low bow. "My liege, may I ask who this?" He asked looking inquisitively at the young lady.
Caspian glanced at his friend, "This is Lady Ella."
"Oh, it is a pleasure to meet you. Sire, I was wondering if you had some time to discuss the matters of taxation in the lower regions."
"Forgive me Lord Asanti, but Lady Ella and I are on our way to Cair Paravel to see how the reconstruction is progressing." The lord turned away a disappointed look on his face. "But I assure that I will discuss this matter with you upon my return, and it is of utmost concern to me." The lord seemed to be pleased by this response and returned to an animated discussion with another lord.
The duo soon arrived at a large door and Caspian looked at his friend eyes twinkling impishly, "Will anyone notice if you go in there?"
"Normally no. But in this outfit, I'd stick out like a sore thumb."
"All right go in there and cause a ruckus, act like who you are dressed as, a lady who is used to getting what she wants when she wants." She looked inquisitively at the boy but he just grinned and gestured at the entrance into the kitchen.
She opened the door taking a deep breath and loudly clapped her hands together. "What does it take to get what I need?" Her voice came out in the perfect annoyance.
A man of about average build approached her, "Yes? May I assist you in some way?"
She looked at him condescendingly "I requested some servant to come down and get me something to quell my hunger, and he never returned."
"I am profusely sorry, but I don't remember anyone coming down to get anything. I will be more than willing to have something sent up to you."
"No, I will wait and make sure it gets properly prepared." A chuckle cam from a young woman in the corner stirring a large pot of soup, as soon as the chef turned to look at her she ducked her face to hide the large grin. The chef turned back to the lady who was standing her hands on her hips in impatience. When a small bowl behind his back rattled he quickly spun bringing a ladle that he been holding down sharply.
"Ow." The king stood up rubbing his head were he had been hit. "You didn't have to hit so hard." His voice sounded slightly hurt.
"Well that ought to teach you to stay out of my kitchen."
"Yes, sir." Caspian mumbled. Ella smothered a laugh at the thought of someone being able to reprimand the king and not being punished, besides the boy look amused at the thought to.
"Lady Ella and I were about to embark on a picnic and were wondering if you would be willing to pack us some food so we don't parish of starvation."
"Of course." The cook scurried around the kitchen placing various items in a wicker basket, his face glowing. After several minutes he thrust the basket into the king's hands and smiled. "Now you to have a nice time."
"Thank you." Both young people said at the same time, they started to turn, but the cook called after them.
"And try acting like a gentleman, you don't meet a girl like that every day." The pair once again blushed at the thought of this.
"He seems special to you." Ella said looking at the grin that covered her friends face.
"When I was eleven I decided that I didn't want to be king and should be a chef instead. I every minute I could escape from everyone I would rush in here and beg him to teach me everything he knew. Of course as soon as my uncle found out he absolutely forbade it, but I figured out ways to learn. His soon was my best friend, so I would sneak away and visit him and every time I went I learned something new. I still don't know how, but one day my uncle found out and I never saw the rest of his family again. All but Jarom, the chef, vanished. Since I couldn't visit Jarom I never learned what happened to them. Samuel, the boy my age, was one of my only friends and after that I learned not to get to close to anyone, they could disappear like that." He snapped to make his point. "The few I had left eventually all drifted away, I chose to spend all my time in studies instead of making friends. My uncle would have never allowed me to associate with many of them anyways." By this time they had reached the stables and two grooms hurried to saddle two horses as soon as they were ready they rode side by side out of the city.
After riding through the woods for a long while, often stopping to examine the flora, the pair rode into a beautiful meadow and agreed to eat their meal there. As the pair sat in the day light laughing and talking, neither paid any attention to the shadows in the forest.
"What is it like to be the king?" Ella innocently asked and then was startled to the see the darkening of the king's face.
"I hate it! I absolutely hate it, you have no idea how lucky you are, being to go as you please and do what you want. You don't have an entire country's problems on your shoulders. I have no idea who actually likes me for who I am and who likes me because I am the king and thus they are obliged to. I don't know if someone acts like they are ever loyal to ever and are secretly plotting my downfall. Everything I do is inspected and I never get a moment of time to just be myself. I always have to be the ever regal king." The teen sighed and looked up at the sky, "But let's not talk of this now." His eyes lit up and he reached into a small leather bag that he was holding. "Close your eyes." She obeyed and he walked behind her fastening the diamond necklace around her slender neck. "Now you outfit is complete, I knew something was missing."
She looked down at the necklace and flung her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much, I have never worn something like this. I will always remember this as the day the king let me borrow his aunt's clothes and jewelry."
"You can keep it. I have no use of it, besides there is only one other person I would want to have it. It might help a little with your family." She thanked him again and they climbed onto their horses and rode away.
"Here, I want to show you the ruins of Aslan's Howe." They rode in silence for several minutes before cresting the hill. As they studied the ruins from the knoll a troubled expression descended on the king's face. "I don't remember ordering anyone to clear the way inside." He dismounted and ran down the hill followed by the girl. He stopped to study the way the rubble that had blocked entrance had been moved to the side, but the girl ran inside.
A moment later a shrill scream met his ears. "Ella!" He rushed into the hallway, and spotted the girl sitting at the end. "Ella, are you all right?"
She spun around to look at him, "Yes, I thought I saw someone in here and slipped."
"Ella, we have to leave now. Something is not right here." An ominous chuckle sounded behind them and he spun around pulling the dagger out of its sheath.
"Put that down boy you might hurt yourself."
"Never." Caspian heard Ella gasp, but before he had time to see why he felt the cold steel of a dagger under his throat.
"Now put the dagger down." The voice said and Caspian let his weapon slide from his fingers. It landed with a clank that echoed around the quiet chamber.
"Let him go." Ella's voice was shrill with fear.
"Now why would I do that, dear? No, I think he will stay with me, but you should come over here if you don't want to watch him die." The girl paused and then hurried forward seeing the man who held the blade at the king's throat move his hand slightly. "You, my little princess, will go back to the palace as if nothing has happened. You will not tell anyone where this boy is. I have spies every where and if they hear a single thing about this escape your mouth they will kill all six of your siblings, and then they will bring you to me to watch this boy die the slowest most painful death you can understand."
"What am I to say if they ask me where he is? Someone will surely notice the monarch is missing."
"Take Destria back with you." The knife was pressed with more force into the king's throat until a single crimson drop of blood appeared on it.
"Tell them that the king has discovered an ancient treasure and will soon return."
The girl nodded tears leaking out of her eyes and rolling down her pale cheeks, she took a single step towards the teen, and then turned and fled up the hill.
A/n: Hope you liked it. And guess what it is already longer than all my other stories combined. Please, please review, because I need at least six reviews before I update again. Thanks and much love.
-Alex