Caspian sat in the tower of the beautiful Cair Paravel. He was thinking of his broken past. The past he'd tried so hard to forget was rushing back to him in a flood of memories. They were painful, almost torturing. It hurt him to think about it. It was shameful to think about it. He'd been a Prince; he was supposed to be strong, not weak like he'd been. If this had happened to another child he'd have told them over and over that it wasn't their fault, but it hadn't been another child, it'd been him.
"Hello Caspian," Miraz said as he walked into Caspian's bedroom.
"Uncle Miraz? What are you doing here?" eight year old Caspian asked as he opened his sleepy eyes. He sifted in his bed and pulled the sheets around him. Miraz said nothing as he climbed into his nephew's bed. The little boy started to shift away as his uncle came towards the terrified little boy. "Uncle Miraz?" the little boy asked in fear as he clutched the blankets to his neck.
"You really are a beautiful boy Caspian," Miraz whispered to his nephew as he crawled closer to the frightened boy.
Caspian shuddered at the memories. He looked up at the sun set that he hated so much. It was mocking him, reminding him of so many memories he hated with a passion.
"Isn't that beautiful Caspian?" Miraz asked the nine year old. Caspian didn't respond as he watched the sunset. He wanted to move so much, but that would anger Miraz and then he wouldn't be gentle later that night. Caspian was squished up against Miraz who had his arm around him. He was also pressing on a bruise that was located on Caspian's shoulder. "Caspian?"
"Yes, Uncle Miraz, it's beautiful," Caspian whispered.
"Let us go inside Caspian, theirs something I've been wanting to try on you."
"Why did you do this to me?" I asked the sunset.
"Do what?"
Caspian jumped at the sound of the youngest Queen's voice. He turned around to see her leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.
"Nothing," Caspian answered, being careful not to look at her. She looked up at the stars.
"The stars look beautiful this evening," she said as she looked down at him. "This is my favorite time of day, when the sun is setting and the stars twinkle," she whispered. "Why aren't you at the party?" Her voice floated to his ears. He felt her standing behind him. She was wearing a riding dress that Susan would frown upon.
"I snuck out, you?" Caspian felt her sit down next to him, her legs dangling over the edge.
"I convinced Peter I was sick," Lucy said as she watched the sun continue to set. "You know me, never one to deal with people." I didn't say anything, "But you didn't sneak out because the people overwhelmed you, you snuck out because to day holds some kind of meaning for you." I gave her a fearful look. Would she use his secret against him? "I'm not blind Caspian, I came back to Narnia when I was 11 and I'm 13 now, every year on this day you hide out in this tower. This day means something to you, tell me Caspian, what does this day represent?" I looked at the youngest Queen, I needed to tell someone and she had always been the kindest to me. "Caspian... please..." the young Queen whispered, "you need someone to talk to..."
"Lucy, what do we never celebrate?" Caspian asked the Valiant Queen.
"Well I can't think of anything except… your birthday…" Lucy said as she turned to Caspian.
"Lucy, on this day, 20 years ago, my uncle raped me for the first time…" Lucy gasped. "It was my fault; I wasn't strong enough to fight him off, ever." Caspian started to cry a little. Lucy slipped her pale arms around him.
"Caspian, twenty years ago you would have been a little boy, eight years old, it is not your fault that your uncle took advantage of you," Lucy whispered into his ear.
"But I wasn't strong enough—"
Lucy grabbed his face between her hands. "Caspian, listen to me, what he did to you, is not your fault, it's not your fault," Lucy told him sternly.
"Thanks Lucy."
"No problem Caspian."
"Caspian!" Lucy and Caspian looked up to see Princess Lisa Jameson, the youngest Princess of Archland. "Come on, the ball started awhile ago, you have to dance with me Caspian. I can not have a splendid birthday unless I dance with all the eligible Kings and Princes," Lisa said with a smile to Caspian.
"Maybe this day could represent something new for you," Lucy whispered to him. "Go get your dream girl." Caspian smiled at Lucy as he followed Lisa out.
With that said and done Lucy lay across the floor with one hand behind her head and the other over her stomach. "Oh Lucy?" Caspian asked sticking his head back in.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
After Caspian left Lucy looked back at the sunrise, knowing that she would never get the Prince that haunted her dreams. "I love you Caspian."
