The following is just an idea I needed to get down. I haven't really been in the writey mood lately so I'm not sure if I'll get around to making this a full-length fic. If anyone wants to base this as a fic, I have no problem with that as long as you send me a link so I can read and review! ;)
"Hurry up, Ava," said Caryn over her shoulder to her daughter
"Hurry up, Ava," said Caryn over her shoulder to her daughter. Ava tried to pick up her pace, which was difficult with the heavy leather guitar case she was lugging on her back. The crowds bustled around them, some heading in the direction for Telmarine Castle. Looming high over the city and casting a shadow in the sunset light, a hundred pinpricks of light shone from its many windows. Ava gawked up at it as she hurried behind her mother.
"I knew I should have kept an eye on the skies," grumbled Caryn aloud as she opened the door to their quaint little dwelling in a little nook off of the main town square. "Get in, dear, and get dressed quickly. We've not much time." Ava nodded and headed to her room. Laid out on the small single bed was the dress she would be wearing for the banquet up at the castle. It was a simple periwinkle dress with a light lavender underskirt. It wasn't exactly a ball gown, but it would have to do for tonight's hired entertainment. Ava quickly dressed and brushed out her brunette locks. Caryn came in shortly and sculpted Ava's hair into an elaborate bun much like hers. She then took a plump brush and applied a touch of rouge to Ava's pale cheeks.
"Mama, I don't know if I can do this," said Ava, staring uncertainly at herself in the mirror. Caryn stood behind her and regarded both of their reflections in the mirror. She gave a reassuring smile.
"Have faith in yourself, my child. You will shine. And you know I need you with me for me to shine, too." Caryn paused, and then went to retrieve something from her room.
Ava stared at her reflection. The hair, the makeup, the dress. It was not a normal occurrence for her. She was used to performing at the many taverns around town where it wasn't necessary to dress formal. Every now and then she would see a soldier from the palace, but never before did she dream of ever stepping foot inside the palace. She was just a common girl. Nothing exciting ever happened to her. Until now.
"Ava." Ava was shook out of her thoughts as her mother returned. She stood behind her at the mirror once more. "Close your eyes." Ava acquiesced and felt something light touch her neck. "Now open them."
"Mama!" Ava gasped. She gingerly touched the sapphire pendant that dangled from the silver chain around her neck. "It's beautiful!"
"It belonged to your grandmother. She gave it to me on her deathbed and told me to have courage. I've had it for many years now and it has given me all the courage that I've needed, so I am passing it onto you now." She took Ava's hand and made her close her fingers around the sapphire. "Have courage, my dear." She placed a kiss to her cheek and then grinned widely into the mirror. "And now we must go!" They gathered up all of their instrument cases and loaded them onto their small single horse-drawn cart. They both mounted the horse gingerly as to not mess up their dresses and rode towards the castle.
Ava stood near the front of the banquet hall nervously unloading instruments from their cases. She glanced back at the crowd that was filing in and gulped nervously. Her mother passed by and squeezed her hand briefly. Ava closed her eyes and clutched the sapphire in her hand. Eventually her breathing slowed and she felt calmer. She opened her eyes again and saw her mother's smile.
"Shall we start?" She nodded and strummed the opening notes to the song. Some people glanced their way but returned to what they had been doing before. After a few bars, Caryn's smooth voice joined in with Ava's guitar. People's gazes returned to them once more. Some were contented to watch them as they waited for the banquet to start. Then came the cue, a short blast of a bugle outside the hall. Ava and Caryn quickly transitioned to the traditional Telmarine March as Prince Caspian walked into the hall, followed closely by Lord Miraz, who had his wife on his arm. The music stopped and everyone bowed. Lord Miraz stepped forward and said a welcoming feast, but Ava barely heard it because she was staring at Prince Caspian. Living in the city, she had only heard stories and gossip about what happened at the castle and the people in it. She had heard many stories about Prince Caspian but never dreamed that she would see him in person. He had very strong features and black hair that fell below his jaw line. The thing that stood out to her the most was his dark brown eyes and fierce Telmarine gaze as he looked around at the people in the hall. She never expected their gazes to meet, but somehow they did and she fumbled and dropped her guitar in surprise. It made a very loud thump on the floor and attracted the gazes of nearly everyone in the hall. Ava's face turned even redder than the rouge as she bent to pick up the guitar and give an apologetic curtsy. A chuckle arose from some of the guests and everyone turned their attention back to the banquet.
For the rest of the night, Ava made it a point not to look at the Prince for fear of the same incident. She simply played whatever instruments she needed to and watched couples waltz across the dance floor. At the end of the night, they played the final waltz and Ava watched Prince Caspian dance with a pretty girl who looked very star struck. They continued playing until almost everyone had gone from the hall. Ava packed up all of the instruments as Caryn went to fetch the horse. A throat cleared behind her and she turned and quickly curtsied.
"Many of our guests have complimented your music tonight. My family and I have agreed that we would enjoy having you and your mother perform again at the castle," said Prince Caspian.
"Thank you very much, your highness, it would be our pleasure!" Ava curtsied again. She couldn't stop herself from smiling. Prince Caspian nodded with a small smile and then walked away. Ava packed away the rest of the instruments but didn't remember doing it. Caryn returned and Ava immediately jumped on her and told her what had happened.
"Oh, Ava, this is wonderful!" said Caryn, scooping her daughter into a hug. "Tomorrow we will celebrate." They gathered their things and walked out of the castle arm in arm.
Ava opened her eyes and peeled her forehead from the window pane and rubbed at the red spot that had formed from leaning against it for so long. She must have fallen asleep in her window seat while staring out at the rain. Shortly after her mother's tragic death she had been invited to live in the palace and given the permanent job of the palace musician. She turned toward the dark interior of her small room and saw that someone must have brought some dinner up to her. She sat at the table and tried taking a few bites but she just wasn't hungry. She stood up, donned her cloak, and set out for the cemetery right outside the castle. She walked between the rows of tombstones and then stopped and knelt in front of a fairly recent one. She set a single rose in front of it.
"I miss you, Mama. I wish you were still here. It's so desolate without you." She closed her eyes and sat for a moment, the raindrops pelting her relentlessly and mixing with her tears. After a long while she stood up and turned to leave but bumped right into a black hooded figure. She nearly screamed, but recognized the face under the hood. She curtsied rather weakly. "Your highness."
"You should be inside. It's raining hard and you're soaking wet," said Prince Caspian, looking concerned. "You'll catch your death out here." Ava cast her eyes down.
"I'm sorry, your highness. I merely wanted to visit my mother's grave. It's the one year anniversary of her death today and the rain hasn't let up all day," said Ava, hoping the raindrops on her face hid her tears well.
"Don't be sorry. Grief of a loved one is always hard to get over." Caspian glanced toward a majestic-looking tombstone near the center of the cemetery. "Today is my father's death anniversary as well."
"Then I shall leave you in peace, your highness," said Ava, curtsying. She went before he could object and left him standing in the rain.
Gossip flew around the castle that morning like a swarm of angry bees and by noon the whole city had heard what had happened. Lord Miraz had a newborn son and Prince Caspian had gone missing. Many townspeople had reported hearing horses trotting past their houses during the night.
The banquet to welcome the new heir seemed strange and awkward with Miraz occupying Caspian's normal seat at the table. The strums of her guitar seemed bland and did nothing to improve the overall gloomy mood or nearly everyone in the hall.
A group of maids are huddled fearfully with Ava in her room. Sounds of swords clashing in the courtyard had woken her up and then they had burst in, squawking that Prince Caspian had come back with the Kings and Queens of old and an army of Narnians. Ava chanced a look out of her window and saw centaurs, minotaurs, fauns, and much more battling against the Telmarine soldiers. Prince Caspian and two other people were struggling to raise the gate. She fell back to huddle with the maids. It seems like years later when silence falls. She went to the window and dropped to her knees. A courtyard of slain Narnians…
Ava stood in the crowd in front of the huge tree and the huge lion. A few Narnians stood by and Prince Caspian stood by Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund. Aslan had told the crowd of their ancestry and offered to give them the chance to start a new life in a new world. The huge tree twisted until it formed an archway. Miraz's widow and two others volunteer to go. Silence as they wait for another volunteer. Peter looks at his siblings and says that they must go. Ava can't hear the rest but knows that they are saying their goodbyes. The four turn to go, but then Susan turns around, pulls Caspian towards her and kisses him. They embrace in a tender hug. Ava finds herself turning and leaving, anger boiling up in her that she can't explain.
Ava sings at banquets now. Before it had been only melancholy guitar strumming, but now it seems like there is a renewed glow to her. Maybe it's laughter from the Narnians telling their jokes. Maybe it's the cute little mouse accompanying her on violin.
Or it could just be that every time she glances towards the banquet table, she meets and keeps the gaze of a certain King.
A talking squirrel had delivered an anonymous note to her room, but she's pretty sure of who sent it.
They talk for hours, sitting casually with legs dangling over the side of the high wall looking out at the night sky and peaceful land.
It had been weeks of endless flirting, longing looks, and deep conversations after dinner that lasted well into midnight. Someone needed to make the first move.
She closed her fingers around the pendant her mother had given her. A dwarf had told her that it was a magic pendant that granted courage to the wearer when they needed it. She met Caspian in the garden like she usually did. He regarded her with his usual smile. She stepped closer than she usually did. Her hand dropped from the pendant. It started shaking. Caspian reached out and grasped it gently and didn't let go. His other hand lifted her chin up so that she could meet his gaze.
She leaned towards him slightly and he seemed to read her mind because the hand under her chin guided her lips to his. They broke apart slightly, foreheads touching. She initiates the kiss this time, arms thrown around his shoulders. She sighs when he deepens the kiss and presses her against him. The blossom tree above them discreetly moves her branches to give the lovers privacy. The night breeze swirls about them and carries their declarations of love into the wind.