Chapter 3

Caspian was the first one to hear the footsteps outside of the house. Then, the clicking noise of someone searching for the key made Lucy jump out of her seat.

"Ehm Caspian, I don't think my mother would be very pleased about having an uninvited guest. Especially not a grown man." She said nervously.

"I understand. Where should I hide?"

She heard the door open and didn't have time to think of a hiding place anymore. She pushed Caspian in the kitchen, cursing the non-existence of a door.

"Hide!" she whispered between gritted teeth and turned to face the entrance.

The person has finished hanging up his coat in the wardrobe and stepped into the living room. When Lucy saw his face, she let out the breath she had been holding.

"Edmund!"

"Hullo Lu, how was your day?" Edmund said.

"Well same as always I suppose."

"So not good." It wasn't really a question and she frowned.

"I forgot my umbrella at home and had to walk all the way back under the rain." Lucy complained.

"Is that why you needed two cups of tea?" he asked, pointing at the objects on the table.

Lucy didn't answer. Should I tell him Caspian is here? A part of her wanted to keep it a secret from her brother; she wanted to keep the Narnian and his tales to herself. But then she shook her head. Had she become so greedy?

"We have a guest." She announced lightly.

"Oh really? I thought we didn't expect anyone today."

"Well we sure didn't. You won't guess who it is."

"Well how should I know? Someone unexpected, huh? Is it Elton? No. Maybe… did Pete come home early? I know he's only supposed to arrive in two days but…"

Lucy snickered. Edmund was surprised at her cheerfulness. Of course she wasn't laughing and jumping around like when she was a child, but it was still something.

"Caspian!" Lucy called out.

Edmund's eyes widened. It couldn't be. But then he saw the young man step out of the kitchen with a wide smile on his lips. Aslan has sent him! He prayed. The two men faced each other and then fell into a brotherly embrace.

"Caspian, what wonder sent you to England?"

"It was Aslan of course!" Caspian laughed. "He felt that I was needed here."

"Aslan did?" Edmund wondered. "But did he tell you why?"

"Well," Caspian cast a glance at Lucy. "he said that the young lady over there was in terrible need and that I should save her. I am supposed to bring Queen Lucy the Valiant back."

"Back?" Lucy asked, uncertain. "You mean to Narnia?"

"I don't know. What do you think, Edmund?"

"I have no idea."

Caspian sighed, remembering Aslan's words: "They can't do anything, for they do not know what she is facing. You alone will be able to reach her, if she lets you." If nobody knew what the problem was, he would have a tough time trying to solve it.

"Anyway, I'm glad to see you." Edmund smiled.

"As I am to see you two." Caspian answered.

"But what do you plan on telling mum?" Edmund asked Lucy.

"Good question…" she answered." Maybe you can tell her he is your friend? That would look less suspicious."

"Probably. But still, he's an uninvited guest and we don't know how long he is going to be staying."

Lucy shrugged. "Tell her he ran away from home or something like that."

"I don't think it would be believable if you told her that I am from here. I don't know anything about this world…" Caspian pointed out.

Edmund and Lucy looked at each other. She sighed, tired of searching for solutions. He frowned, trying to find a plausible explanation:

"We can say that you are a foreigner. You have a slight accent, dark hair, and your skin is so sunburnt that you couldn't possibly be from England. It could work."

"Maybe…" Lucy didn't seem convinced.

Caspian, on the contrary very enthusiastic, replied: "We can do that!"

"Right. Well, I'll ask her."

"Good. Because she's here." Lucy announced.

The door closed and they heard a shuffle of coats. Then Mrs. Pevensie entered the room.

"Hello children! We have a guest?"

"Yes, it's my friend Caspian. He's new at our school so I invited him over." Edmund explained.

"I see. And why does he wear Peter's old clothes?"

"That is because he got wet under the rain so I have him something to change himself."

"Is that so? You did well. Nice to meet you Caspian. Where are you from?"

"I am from Narnia, milady. It is a small country very far away from here."

Lucy raised an eyebrow and Edmund shook his head, secretly laughing.

"It's an island mum, near the South American coast." He lied.

"Really? I have never heard of such a country… you should tell us more about it Caspian." She smiled. "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Caspian grinned and, with a small bow, he answered "It would be my pleasure. I long to discover English customs."

Mrs. Pevensie giggled and answered: "Well I am not such a great cook but I'll try to make you something typically English."

"I am sure that it will be delicious." Caspian said.

She smiled. "Well then why don't you two go up to Ed's room?"

They nodded and left. Lucy followed them without a word. Mrs. Pevensie sighed at her daughter's coolness. Then she went to the kitchen and took out her grandmother's recipe book.

When they were in the room, Edmund started laughing out loud.

"You made my mother – giggle!"

Caspian smiled brightly.

"Well I have learned how to be diplomatic…"

"That's not being diplomatic, that's seducing." Edmund corrected him, still hilarious.

"Seduction is a very important part of diplomacy, have you never learned that as a king?"

"Well most of the time, Susan was seducing more than was good for us – I mean think of the incident with prince Rabadash…"

Caspian blushed as he thought about Susan. How beautiful she was, with her long, chocolate curls, her proud, blue eyes, her perfect lips… He could still feel the faint taste of the sweet kiss they had shared six years ago.

"Oh." Lucy's eyes were glimmering with malice. "You are one of those who were tamed by Susan, aren't you?"

Caspian frowned and bit his lip.

"That's… not true." He protested feebly.

Edmund and Lucy looked at him sufficiently.

"We have seen hundreds of these love-trembling younglings. You can't fool us." Edmund told him. "But you know what, I don't mind. You are definitely good enough for her."

"Actually, the question would more be, is she good enough for you?" Lucy whispered. "She has forgotten all about Narnia, you know? I think the only remaining part of the Susan you loved would be her beauty. Ha! But then, maybe that is enough for you…?"

"Do you think so lowly of me?" Caspian snapped. "I do not care for shallow beauty. But I don't believe that Queen Susan could be shallow."

"Queen Susan doesn't exist any more." Edmund said. "As much as I love my sister, I can tell you that she doesn't have the qualities you seek in her. Of course she is not shallow, but she's definitely different."

Caspian seemed disappointed by his words.

"Let's not talk about Susan." Lucy said. "I prefer hearing about Narnia…"

"Lucy! Edmund!" their mother called out from downstairs. "Supper!"

"We're coming mum!" Edmund shouted back. He then turned towards his sister and friend. "Let's go. And, Caspian? Don't make her fall for you please."

He smirked and Caspian laughed.

"I will try my best."

The siblings' mother had prepared mashed potatoes and beef – not a particularly exotic dish, she had to admit, but it was always nice and it was one of the rare dishes where all her children would dig in and eat without complaining. Since Caspian came from far away, it would be even more exotic for him and she hoped he would appreciate it. But it's really basic, what if they also prepare it in Narna? She tossed that thought aside. As long as everyone was happy with her cooking, she would be happy.

Edmund came running down the stairs and the two others followed more slowly.

"Lucy dear, could you please set the table?" she asked.

Lucy groaned but eventually did what she was asked to.

"Boys, you can sit down." She told them, while preparing a salad.

Soon, dinner was ready and they all sat down and started chatting merrily. The young boy was charming; complimenting her about her cooking and telling stories of Narna. Apparently she had misheard the name the first time: it was called Narnia, not Narna. And it looked like such a pleasant place! Maybe, when the war was over, they could go and visit with the whole family?

Edmund kept an honourable amount of conversation. He seemed to be in a good mood, which pleased her; she was grateful that he was no longer sulking over every little detail of his siblings' actions like he used to. But then, Peter and Susan weren't there any more, which was probably the main reason for his positive attitude.

Lucy was rather silent but Mrs. Pevensie had gotten herself used to it. It was sad really, that her daughter was so gloomy. Very often, at night, the worried mother thought hard, trying to figure out a way to help Lucy regain her smile, in vain. She noticed that she and Caspian exchanged quite a few glances throughout the dinner. She wondered if they already knew each other…

When she was about to go and get the dessert, she remembered that she had something to tell her children. She quickly went to get the cheese cake she had bought earlier this afternoon and cut it into six pieces. Then she handed a piece to each of the children.

"I have to tell you something: starting from tomorrow, I'm going to be away." She announced to them.

"What, really? Why?" Edmund wondered.

"Your grandmother is very sick so I am going to stay at her side until she gets better."

"But Peter is going to be here next week…" Lucy protested.

"You'll have to give him an extra hug for me and who knows, grandma might be cured sooner than expected!"

"It would really be a shame if he doesn't get to see you! Maybe we can tell Pete, and he could come later." Edmund proposed.

"I don't know, he has already booked his plane ticket…"

"I'll call him, he'll tell us what he thinks." The younger brother said.

"Do what you want" his mother gave in.

She wondered how long she would be away. A week, maybe two? She didn't like the idea of leaving her children alone at home for too long. Of course they were big enough; Edmund was 18 already and Lucy was 17, but she couldn't help but worry. It must be a mother's nature. She thought. How troublesome.

Mrs. Pevensie was also worried about her mother: she had been sick for quite a time now and she probably wouldn't last long on Earth any more. Everything is going to be all right. As a soldier's wife, she was used to constant worry, the only antidote to which was blind faith.

Her husband would come home safe. Peter as well. Her mother wouldn't die. Susan would soon find a reasonable husband. The war would end before Edmund's school year did because otherwise he would have to leave for the battle front as well. Lucy would find a fine man who would cheer her up again. Of course the chances of everything going the way she hoped them to go were very low, but after repeating these wishes to herself day after day, she had started to believe them.

While she was thinking, the children had continued talking and suddenly Edmund asked:

"Mum, if you're not going to be here, can I invite Caspian to stay over for the time? He's definitely reasonable and he would be good company…"

"I suppose you can, Edmund. At least I don't mind. But what about your parents, Caspian?"

Caspian shrugged. Somehow, there was sadness in his eyes.

"They will be perfectly fine with it. I must say, me and my parents are not on best terms right now so it would do us good to stay away from each other for a while so we can cool down…"

Mrs. Pevensie nodded. The poor boy!

"If that's the case you are welcome to stay at my house. But you two will go to bed early and do your work, is that clear?"

Edmund laughed. "Yes mum! Thank you mum!"

Caspian thanked her as well, truly grateful.

"Well then, up to your room you two. Lucy, help me clean the dishes please."

"Yes ma" she sighed.