Author's Note: Special shout out to Angel of Versailles and monkeypants82 for prompting me to write a happier fic for Lucian. Though this may not be what you expect as it is not purely romance, but most of it is, and I hope that it meets your expectations. Takes place during and after the train crash, mostly through Lucy's eyes and a little from Caspian and the others. So be kind, read, review and enjoy.
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia do not belong to me, as well as any inhabitants and places that you recognize from the book. They belong to C.S. Lewis.
Minutes before the train crash, Lucy knew. She knew it by the sudden racing of her heart and by the strange anticipation and eagerness she felt, almost as if she was looking forward to something. But it was when a warm breeze fondly ruffled her hair and peace washed over her that she knew that the Friends of Narnia's time in the Shadowlands was coming to an end.
She knew she should be afraid and sad, leaving her friends and the people she loved behind. 'Susan' her heart insisted, 'Susan will not be coming back.' 'Not yet,' she corrected herself, 'not just yet.' She knew Pete and Ed had pretty much given up any hope that Susan would come to her senses, but Lucy knew that one day their Gentle Queen would return to her throne.
Silently, Lucy reached for her older brothers' hands and gripped them tightly. She knew she would not have enough time to say goodbye one last time as the train veered dangerously around the corner, but it did not matter, for they would be together again soon.
Out of the corner of her eye, as Lucy fell to the ground and was thrown hard into the walls of the train, she saw Professor Digory try to stop Polly from falling before he himself lurched and slammed into the seat before him. Lucy vaguely felt something trickle down her head and tasted the tangy, coppery scent of blood on her tongue as she felt two different, yet equally warm and strong hands grasping hers. And though the tiny black spots dancing in her sight grew larger and larger till she finally couldn't see anything, she managed to weakly squeeze Pete and Ed's hands, silently telling them 'I love you'. Distantly, she heard the roar of the engine -or was it the roar of a lion? -, before darkness consumed her.
Lucy slowly opened her eyes, feeling like she had just awoken from a deep slumber. Daylight caressingly combed through her half-closed lids and the gentle rays of the sun kissed her pale, freckled face. Dreamily, she realized that she was not lying in the rubble of the train, crushed and broken. Rather, she found herself in a bed of flowers and that it was so comfortable she did not want to ever wake up; the accident and the pain far in the back of her mind.
She knew she should be worried; she did not know where she was nor didn't what had happened to Peter, Edmund, Eustace, Jill, Professor Digory and Polly, but suddenly, it didn't seem so important at all. Something told her soothingly that everything and everyone was all right, here in this place and that nothing would ever go wrong again. And she was content.
Suddenly, she heard, or rather felt, the thundering of hoof beats coming her way. Alarmed, she leapt to her feet, and reached for a non-existent dagger at her side out of sheer habit.
She was surprised to see a man astride a great black horse standing before her, and before Lucy could utter a word, the man was already dismounting and striding towards her. Lucy frowned, the man looked strangely familiar, but, no.. It couldn't be..
'Lucy? Lu, is that you?' The man asked uncertainly.
She could only stare at him, tears filling her eyes as she looked into the dear face of one she loved and missed for so long.
He moved slowly forward, until he was finally standing in front of her, after all these years. He raised a shaking hand to her face, dared only to gently trace the freckled face he had missed so, afraid that it was just a dream and that she would disappear if he touched her.
For a moment, they just stood there, greedily drinking in the sorely missed sight of each other. At long last, Lucy sighed, lightly breathing his name; oh how long it had been since she last whispered his name, 'Caspian.'
For it was King Caspian X who stood before her, who loved her and her legend, who loved her beyond the stars and the barrier between worlds that kept them from each other. He looked no more than 26, a little older than when she last saw him on the Dawn Treader. Lucy smiled affectionately when she saw the lock of hair that stubbornly fell into his eyes as it did thousands of years ago.
Caspian suddenly laughed, loud and joyous and free. He swept Lucy's small frame into his arms as he held her close to him, never letting her go. Lucy wound her arms around Caspian as she buried her head in the crook of his neck and sobbed, years of yearning and mourning finally pouring out of her. He closed his eyes as he felt her tears wet his skin, and held her all the more tighter, hands threading through her silky golden hair, tears of his own slipping down unchecked and unheeded.
How long they stood there no one knew. The Talking Beasts and Creatures of Narnia (for surely it must be Narnia that Lucy found herself in) who came upon the reunited lovers did not dare break the spell and passed quietly on. Those romantic at heart sighed and smiled fondly at their beloved monarchs who finally found their way back to each other's arms. Aslan was right, they could want nothing wrong any more.
Finally letting go of each other, Caspian helped Lucy up onto his horse's broad back, who was no other than Destrier. He whinnied, pleased to see the little Queen back and turned his long, elegant neck to mischievously nose Lucy's hair. She giggled and by God, Caspian would have given anything to hear that giggle for the rest of his life.
Lucy laughed as she felt Destrier's velvet nose making her already mussed-up hair even messier, but she couldn't care less. She hugged his black neck, murmuring into his pointed ears how she missed him as she felt Caspian swing up behind her, his warmth seeping into her.
He whispered into her ear, making her heart flutter and beat erratically. 'You know, I think I am rather jealous of Destrier, for he seems to be receiving far more attention from you. Does Your Highness not think me worthy of your affection?' He grinned into her hair and laughed even more as Lucy gasped in mock indignation.
Laughing, she turned and swatted him on the arm. 'Really Caspian! Jealous of your own horse! You should be ashamed Your Majesty! Such jealousy is unbecoming of a royal person such as you!' Destrier whinnied, and Caspian thought it actually sounded like a laugh, which it probably was. He scoffed and lightly kicked the stallion into a swift gallop across the plains. 'Of course milady, whatever you say.' He grinned and before Lucy could protest, he continued on, dropping a kiss onto her head and making her blush furiously. She looks absolutely adorable when she blushes. 'But before you might reprimand me for my poor behavior and my manners, or rather the lack of thereof, I must deliver you to your brothers, friends and Aslan before they worry. Now come Destrier, run with the speed of Aslan has blessed you with, my friend!'
And it seemed that Destrier ran even faster than before, his hooves barely touching the ground as he flew across endless plains and lakes and rivers, dirt and grass flying from his thundering hooves. Lucy held on tight, laughing with wild abandon as she took in the familiar lands of her beloved Narnia.
It seemed impossible that they had already passed Ettinsmoor and Calormen in such a short time, but as Lucy reminded herself, this was Aslan's Country. Nothing was impossible here. And at last, Destrier slowed down, shaking his mane as his two riders slid from his back to the earth. Lucy patted his neck and hugged him tight once more before she turned her attention to the various figures running towards her.
Caspian smiled to see Lucy reunited with her loved ones as Peter and Edmund came barreling into her, knocking her to the ground as they laughed and cried and embraced. Jill and Eustace were just behind the boys and greeted Lucy with a great hug of their own, while Lord Digory and Lady Polly (as they were known in Narnia) watched on fondly.
As Peter and Edmund helped Lucy up, the Great Lion walked towards them, a smile on His muzzle. Lucy's eyes lit up to see her dear friend and she threw her arms around His great, majestic mane and as she once did as a child, tumbled down to the ground with Aslan chuckling and wrapping His paws protectively around her.
The others could only stare in awe at the close bond Queen and Lion shared, for no one besides Lucy would have dared play with Him as if He were a tame lion. Caspian shook his head in wonder at this beautiful, valiant woman he loved. He could only pray to Aslan that he would be able to spend eternity with her, and to never be parted from her.
Edmund and Eustace smirked as they saw the love struck smile on Caspian's face, and outright laughed at how Peter's face reddened as he struggled to hold back himself from challenging Caspian to a duel for the right to claim Lucy's hand. Polly smiled maternally at the boys she saw as her own. She knew how protective Peter was of his baby sister; not so little anymore, dear boy, she told him through her kind, twinkling eyes, some things never change.
Lucy finally let Aslan go and the moment they stood, He let out a great roar and spoke in His rumbling, deep voice for all of Narnia to hear, 'Heed me my Sons and Daughters, for the Kings and Queen of Old have returned!'
And at His proclamation, it seemed all of Narnia swarmed to where they stood, chattering with excitement and joy. Talking Animals of all kinds, Dryads, Naiads, Centaurs, Minotaurs, dwarves, Griffins, giants, Marshwiggles, Maenads, Merpeople, Dragons, Earthmen, Fauns, Winged Horses, Unicorns, Satyrs, Phoenixes and even Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve gathered around the Kings and Queen and Lords and Ladies, welcoming their lost monarchs and heroes' return. Every creature, every animal and every human wanted to shake their hands or even just to touch or catch a glimpse of them. It was a grand sight indeed, to see the inhabitants of Narnia in uproar to witness the homecoming of legends and heroes to Narnia. Old friends were hugged and tears were shed at their reunion and new ones were greeted gaily and 'hullo'ed.
No one noticed in the midst of celebration that the Great Lion had silently padded out of the crowd, turning alone to disappear in the woods. No one noticed the solitary tear he shed for the Queen who had lost her way and no one noticed two figures slip away into the dark; for indeed nighttime had come to Narnia and the moon bid goodbye to the sun as she rose to watch the figures run towards the glittering Eastern Ocean, headed once more towards adventure and a lifetime of love.
Lucy and Caspian laughed as they stumbled and fumbled their way in the dark to the shore where the Dawn Treader stood proudly, as she did a lifetime ago. Hands intertwined, they ran up the magnificent ship and raised the anchor and sailed away into the night. This time, they didn't have to worry about finding any Lords, nor storms nor evil mists nor the fear of being separated. This time, all they had to do was to set sail and journey to their heart's content, for in Aslan's Country, there was no pain nor fear nor evil. There was only love and joy and contentment.
It was 2 weeks from the day they sailed away and as Lucy lay on the deck of the Dawn Treader, staring up into the blue, cloudless sky, she couldn't think of anything that could possibly be more perfect and wonderful. Here she was, home with her family and friends and in the arms of the man she loved. Here, she didn't have to worry about growing up and forgetting Narnia and forgetting him. She sighed, closing her eyes; it was heaven.
When Caspian called out her name and was met by silence, he curiously walked up to the deck only to find his love lying with her wild hair spread out and a smile of contentment and peace playing on her lips. He smiled and gently scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to their cabin. Only she could lie on the hard wooden floor of the deck and fall asleep as if on the most comfortable bed, he mused, smoothing her hair away from her face, and pressing a kiss onto her closed eyelids.
The Valiant Queen stirred, not waking as she murmured something and cuddled closer to her beloved's strong chest, hands tightly gripping his tunic, never letting go. Caspian melted at the vulnerable sight of his strong Queen and thanked Aslan again as he did every day for allowing him to love this wonderful woman, and to be loved by her in return. A gust of wind pushed past him gently, and he actually heard the warm laughter of Aslan, joyfully giving His blessing.
Finally reaching the wooden door of their cabin, Caspian nudged it open with his shoulder and lovingly placed his sleeping Queen onto the large, four-poster bed. He slipped her beneath the soft, warm covers before climbing in as well. Caspian placed his arms securely around her, enfolding her in his secure embrace and whispered to her, 'I love you, my little lioness,' before falling into peaceful slumber and the sweetest dreams of love.
And in her sleep, Lucy smiled.