Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 4
Caspian went to bed that night deeply troubled by the conversation he'd had with Susan. Dismissed Aslan, how could anyone dismiss ASLAN? He tried to sleep but he just tossed and
turned for hours. Sometime deep in the night he heard Aslan's voice whisper to his soul, "Follow me, my son."
Caspian got up and went on deck, "How greatly I want to, Lord. But...where are you?" A bright white light glowed from the island in the distance and faded very suddenly. He looked up
at the mountain where he'd seen Aslan that afternoon, and to his relief he was there again. Gallaren was the one on watch, but he was about to switch with Drinian."If anyone asks
where I am, tell them I've gone ashore. Aslan has bid me come and speak with him." "Is it about the girl, sire?"
"I'm not sure, but, I think so." he said as he lowered a boat in the water.
About an hour later, Caspian stepped out onto the mountain clearing where Aslan was. Seeing His majesty reflected in the glow of the moon, Caspian was filled with an immeasurable
and unspeakable sense of awe. "Aslan, absurd?" he thought in disgust, "The fact that someone would think so, ha, now THAT'S absurd!" He came and stood by the regal Lion's side, a
deep silence falling over his whole spirit, waiting for Him to speak.
"You had a conversation with Susan this afternoon that has deeply troubled you, my son."
"Yes, Lord."
"She has abandoned the faith and dismissed me." The Lion's voice was filled with an undertone of pain.
"Yes, Lord! And what's to be done? She can't continue in this way, why if she does...she will never see Your country!" That is what had troubled Caspian the most. Everyone knew that
when a son or daughter of Aslan died, he or she was received into His glorious country, beyond the end of the world. But what would become of Susan if she forsook Him utterly?
Where would she go in the very end?
"My son, what need's be done, is being done."
"Then, Sire, You have allowed her to be brought back to save her?" The Lion looked at him, His eyes filled with untold sadness. And in his heart Caspian realized, his Master knew
something troubling that he did not. "Will she ...be saved, Sire?"
"I will not reveal too much to you, my son, for to do so would be more than you could, or should have to bear. Susan has been brought back to be witnessed to by the events
happening in My land now, and in your life. Soon, I will not say how or when, but soon, your life will be required of you. The witness of your death will have for Susan will be very strong,
and so she must be here to see the day come to pass. But whether or not she returns to me...is up to her."
Caspian was silent for a long while. "I hope it is not to soon...Drinian is not ready."
"Fear not, my son. I will be with him and with you, unto the very end. Caspian drew a shaky breath taking it all in. Aslan's love was overwhelming for how could He, after all He had
done, still stand with only grief and not great anger in the face of Susan's betrayal. His Mighty heart was broken for her, and seeing His Master's grief he only wanted more for Susan to
return to Him. He stood there beside the Lion's Majesty for a long time wordlessly, drinking in the Presence that was mind-blowing and consoling all at once. There looking into his own
future, and seeing nothing but death, he was not frightened or even somewhat anxious. No, he was filled with peace, indescribable peace.
"I thank you, Lord, with all my life's breath!"
Another moment of silence passed between them, "You must return to them now, my son. A day of despair dawns quickly for them, and you must lead them while yet you can. Go in My
name, and receive My blessing." Caspian drew a deep breath, for he already had, as the peace attached itself to his heart like a suit of armor. "Thank you, Lord. I bless Your name." He
returned to shore rowing back to the ship deep in thought.
Susan lay in bed that night agitated by her circumstances, and also somewhat embarrassed by her conversation with Caspian that afternoon. "What business is it of his, anyway?" she
huffed.
Suddenly a hissing voice replied. "Yessss, what businessss..."
"Who's there?" Susan asked in fear. The voice was silent for a moment ,then she heard, "If this is a dream...then shouldn't it be lovely? Shouldn't you have all that your heart desires?
Shouldn't you be mistress of your own affairs without caring half-pence what a dim-witted, imaginary king had to say?"
Susan looked into the darkness still somewhat fearful, "So, this IS a dream then?"
Suddenly the voice was clear and merry and sweet somehow, "Oh darling...you must have hit your head ever so hard! Of course it's a dream! how could anything real be so...absurd?"
Susan laughed, her fear melting, "You're right, I don't know what I was thinking! But...who are you?"
"Oh, I'm your deepest heart's wishes...and I can make myself part of your dream, if you wish."
"Really? Oh, well, I'd like that! What kind of things would I dream if I let you?"
"I could make you beautiful beyond your wildest dreams!'' she said merrily, "Why, you'd never have to read fashion manuals again. You'd be SETTING the trends."
"Really?"
"Yes, and every boy would notice you.."
"Oh, really?" Now she was sitting up.
"All you have to do is make me queen of your dream...If I were queen I could do all of that for you...somewhat like a fairy godmother... Ah, but only if I were queen..." Susan was again
skeptical, "I don't believe in fairy hog wash anymore. Why, that's just like something Lucy'd come up with.. yes this has to be a dream."
"Oh, but if it's a dream it's not supposed to make sense...Besides I said, 'like' a fairy god-mother I didn't say "as"." Susan nodded, convinced. "Yes, I suppose if it is a dream it couldn't
possibly hurt. But...how am I supposed to make YOU queen?"
"Oh darling, never mind all that, I'll do most of the work. All I need you to do is get the Royal Crown and the Seal of Narnia for me...no big thing... All you have to do is sneak into the
forecastle and get them out of the huge box in there..."
"But that would be like stealing!"
"How, pray tell, can someone steal from an imaginary king? No darling, you can do no wrong. Remember it's only a dream..."
"Oh alright, but, even in a dream, wouldn't the box be locked?"
"Oh I suppose it would, wouldn't it? Oh but the king {I tell you, he's a half-wit} has hidden the key in the pages of a huge old book he leaves just lying on the table!"
"Tomorrow...I'll fetch them tomorrow..."
"No, do it now!" the voice snapped but then soothingly it said, "What if the dim-wit looses it before then?"
"Alright, I'll go look." She got up and, taking her pillow case to stuff the things in, she crept on tip toes toward the forecastle. When she got there she stopped dead in her tracks, for
there was Drinian on his watch. "Oh make him go away!" she whispered miserably.
Suddenly, a green finger of mist came and lighted on his head. His eyelids drooped, and he nodded off to sleep leaning against the forecastle's wall. "Wow, thank you miss, wish-giving-
whoever..." She whispered, scrambling inside the forecastle. With shaky hands she searched the old book for the key. It was actually hidden in a flap in the leather-cover. "Well, I
suppose he's not as stupid as he seems," she mumbled taking it and shakily unlocking the box. The crown was in the box, but the seal was not.
"Well, Miss Whoever, you will not be pleased, but at least it's a job half-done." she mumbled stuffing the crown in the pillow case and then wadding it to make it look like a rolled-up
sheet. She casually stepped out of the forecastle and went to look over the rail out at the open sea. Her heart leaped into her mouth when she saw Caspian rowing towards the ship.
"But why would it scare me so bad...it's almost like I feel guilty."
Caspian hauled himself onboard. While he was hauling up the boat he looked up and saw her, and it startled him too. "Oh, umm, hello...," he said after blinking for a few minutes,
"Come out for a breath of night air?"
"Well, I suppose you could say that..." she said not looking at him. He walked up next to her and leaned against the rail, looking out to sea. "You know, if you're looking for mermaids
they're probably all asleep. And as for dolphins, I'm not so sure we have them in Narnia. I mean I've heard of them, but I've never actually seen one."
She wasn't paying any attention to what he was saying, for when he'd put his arms up on the rail, she'd chanced to look down and notice a ring on his finger. An important looking ring,
at that. "Oh that's nice! Where'd you get it?" she asked pointing to it.
He looked down as if he didn't remember he even had a ring. "Well from my father, of course, it's the Seal of Narnia! I thought it'd be stupid to just leave it lying around, even in a safe
place, being so very important and all. And so, I never take it off."
"Never? Not even to wash your hands?"
"No, why should I? If I leave it on then, it will get cleaned too!" he said grinning. Suddenly they heard a groan and Drinian cried out, "Oh, sire, I should be HANGED! I've fallen asleep on
watch duty! And I don't even know how, I mean, I wasn't even sleepy! Some king I'd make.. I can't even do my menial tasks as ship captain [or less than that even, usually watch isn't
even the captain's job. I was only doing it because I couldn't sleep!" he leaned heavily on the forecastle wall, pounding the wooden part with his fist.
Caspian came up and clapped an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, REALLY, Drinian, there's no harm done, unless,...it's been done to you." His voice was thick with concern. "This sounds
to me like some sort of bewitchment...as if.. the Green Witch is behind it...Perhaps you should consider putting two on watch from now on, just to be safe. If you want, I'll stay with you
till your turn is done. I can't sleep either..."
Drinian looked up at him and smiled, "Yes, sir, that'd be for the best..."
Susan crept off to bed, the crown in tow. "Oh now if only I could find a way to get the Seal away from him!" she thought not realizing how wretched a thing it was that she was about
to do.
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