Chapter 7

After a rather awkward good night hug and a wave of the hand, Lucy had retreated back to her sleeping chambers for a much needed good nights sleep. That would have been great, if she had gotten it. Instead, Lucy had lain awake all throughout the night weighing her options. She composed a list in her head for both Caspian and Landon of positives and negatives about them and what they could give her, as well as what her life would be like if she was with each of them. If she stayed with Caspian in Narnia, she would never see her family again, but, she would be able to spend her life in her favorite place in the world. If she left Narnia and went home to marry Landon like she was supposed to be doing, she would never again be able to return to Narnia. On top of that, she might spend her life regretting her decision and wallowing in the self pity that came from not being able to be with her one true love. Suffice to say, the only thing she got out of that self-argument was a guilty conscience. She was already engaged, and agreed to spend her life with Landon, so that was that, right? Wrong. If only it could be that simple, Lucy thought as she groggily pulled herself out of bed and to her feet. The colorful light that signaled an early morning shone through the window opposite the foot of her bed, forcing her to get up and dress for breakfast. Awesome, she groaned inwardly, a breakfast with Landon and Caspian on either side of me, both trying to win my attention. She dressed quickly in a pair of pants and white shirt, smiling inwardly at Caspian's knowing that this is what she would rather wear, and happy that they actually were made to fit her instead of a man. Lucy inspected herself quickly in the mirror one last time before moving to open her door to leave. She jumped in surprise when she was met face-to-face with a ginger-haired maid who smiled at her merrily.

"Good morning your majesty!" The girl exclaimed, bowing lowly to her, at which Lucy blushed with embarassment, forgetting how nervous royal attention made her. "My name's Sophie, and I am to be your lady's maid," she explained after getting back up, clasping her hands in front of her politely and her smile never leaving her face. She looked a few years younger than herself, with a childish face and dark brown eyes. Lucy smiled weakly, still rather taken aback that Caspian had sent this girl to her chambers, knowing fully well that she didn't require so much attention, and put her hand out to shake.

"You can call me Lucy," she answered, shifting uncomfortably. "Forgive me, but I don't believe that I require your services, though it is nice to make a new friend. Perhaps you could show me to the breakfast area? We can get acquainted on the way there," she tried to sound as polite as possible, and believed that she succeeded for Sophie did not look in any way offended, but only took Lucy's arm to lead the way.

XoXoXoXo

Lucy tried her hardest but simply could not ignore the death glare that she was recieving from across the breakfast table from a blonde-haired beauty that she did not know. After being awkwardly placed between Landon and Caspian, Lucy caught saddened looks from Caspian because he must have noticed how Landon took her hand under the table and was stroking the skin of her palm. He was still sort of jittery from the night's events, learning that not only had he been sucked into an alternate universe, but that his fiance was once a Queen of it. He had not been speaking very much but only seemed to grow more and more affectionate towards Lucy, probably because he could sense Caspian's more than obvious feelings towards her. Lucy would occasionally squeeze his hand, as it was appropriate, and do her best to avoid both Caspian's painful expressions and the looks of pure hatred she was still getting from this mystery girl. Lucy's eyes were pulled toward her as she tossed her golden hair over her shoulder and cast Caspian a flirty smile, a smile that made Lucy's stomach lurch.

"Are we still on for our mid-morning ride, Caspian? Or have other," she scanned Lucy up and down with a snotty smirk. "Distractions caused you to forget?" Lucy's eyes darted to Caspian and she watched as red patches appeared on his cheeks and he gave the girl a weak smile.

"Of course not, Princess Annelise. How could I forget?" Caspian's words practically stabbed Lucy in the heart. I thought he loved me! So why is he spending time with this...this-snob? "Annelise" immediatley turned her attention back to Lucy and gave her a satisfied smirk, almost causing Lucy to go completely out of character and jump across the table to get a fist full of that perfect blonde hair. I suppose I should not be too surprised. He's a king, he needs a queen in order to have an heir. I just thought that Caspian was the sort of man to wait for true love, regardless of his needs for an heir...

"How about you show me around today, love?" Landon chimed in, pulling his hand from her grasp and replacing it on her thigh, rubbing gently. Lucy almost was able to assume that he did this just for kicks, because even though it this was happening under the table, Caspian was seated at the head, and therefore he could see everything. He looked as if he wanted to do to Landon what Lucy wanted to do to Annelise. Well, Lucy thought, as her cheeks flushed. This is the most awkward breakfast I've ever had.Then, of course, she caught sight of Landon's face and saw the look of love that he was giving her, and immediatley felt awful for assuming that his intentions were bad, leaning slightly closer to him.

"Why don't the two of you join Annelise and I?" Caspian suggested, and Lucy could not help but feel happy at the annoyed sigh she heard from the princess. "I could show both of you around, since it has been quite some time since Lucy has been in Cair Paravel." He stood, nodding to the servants that they could clear the table, his mind clearly made up about the group all spending time together, instead of going off seperately. "Landon, there will be riding clothes in the wardrobe in your bedroom, you as well, Annelise. Lucy, of course, is already dressed for the occasion," Lucy blushed at the look of admiration he sent her, and looked away quickly. Everyone got up, Landon and Annelise went to change while Lucy and Caspian made their way to the stables where they would all be meeting. The walk was awkward, slow, and quiet. Eventually getting irritated, Lucy stopped in her tracks and grabbed Caspian's hand to prevent him from walking any further.

"Are you angry with me?" Lucy was surprised at how desperate she sounded, but really could not help it. Caspian didn't answer with words, but merely shook his head "no" at the ground. She sighed, stepping a bit closer and taking his hands, and he squeezed her gently. This only lasted a few mere seconds, however, because as soon as Caspian's skin touched her engagement ring he snapped his hands away, as if the object had burned his flesh.

"Would you have stayed with me?" He asked bitterly, his brown eyes finally meeting hers, a longing in them. "If you had known at the time?" Lucy's breath caught in her throat. Yes, the voice in her head mumbled, but Lucy herself was suddenly unable to speak. "Lu," Caspian whispered, getting close once again as his hands cupped her cheeks, their warmth setting her skin ablaze. A soft whimper escaped the back of her throat, and tears threatened to escape her eyes. "Please, answer me."

"I-I think I would have..." She whispered, her eyes never leaving his, and his instantly brightened as his mouth formed a faint grin. "But I didn't," his grin faded. "I'm engaged, Caspian." He pulled away, his eyes growing cold as his hands formed fists at his sides, clenched so tightly that his knuckles began to grow pale.

"You don't love him!" He spat harshly, turning his back on her as he began to pace back and forth. "I see the way you look at him, and how you look at me. There's a big difference." Her mouth hung agape at his sudden change in attitude, but it snapped shut quickly as she became hot with anger.

"You don't know that!"

"Do you?" His head snapped to look at her fiercely, getting close yet again and towering over her. He was not touching her, just staggering over her much smaller form almost intimidatingly. He didn't scare her though, she knew he was not threat, and put a hand to his chest to push him away. That didn't stop him from continuing, unfortunately. "He's so pompous, and not even your type! He knows it himself, and makes a point to put his filthy hands all over you when I'm around. I don't give a damn if he is your fiance, Lucy. If I ever see him groping you again, I'll twist his neck around."

"Oh, like you know what my type is, Caspian! And he wasn't groping me! But, you know what? Just for kicks, why don't you tell me why Landon isn't right for me?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes and tucking some fallen hair behind her ear.

"Because he isn't me," he said loudly, yet in a less forceful way, his gaze softening as he looked over her. "You said just a moment ago that you wouldn't have left Narnia if you had known that I love you. Well you know now," he seemed to grow some courage and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her towards him. Lucy's mind was screaming at her to pull away and slap him, but her heart was saying something else. "So can't that just be it? Aslan will let you stay if you are staying with me." She couldn't breathe. She knew she should say something, but no words would come out. He was just so close. His musky scent was positively intoxicating, and his warm, adoring eyes looked at her so longingly that his stare alone was pulling her closer and closer by the second. The hand he had rested on the small of her back began rubbing soothing circles, and his other hand came up once again to rest upon her cheek. "I need you, Lucy. Losing you again would be unbearable," as he spoke, he dipped his head down, his lips now only a breath away from hers. You're engaged! Stop this, one part of her hollared, while the other only replied: Shut. Up. She closed her eyes, giving into her desires and picking herself up to catch his lips...

"Lucy! Where are you?" The pair jumped apart at the sound of Landon's voice, Lucy looking rather flustered, while Caspian just looked annoyed. Lucy cleared her throat to answer him.

"Right over here!" She called back, smiling half heartedly when she saw him enter the court yard, now dressed for a ride, with Annelise who was dressed...the exact same way? Lucy looked her up and down skeptically. "How are you going to ride in a dress?" Annelise's eyes turned to slits at her comment and took Caspian's arm, rubbing it slowly.

"I'll be riding with his majesty of course," she answered in a syrupy voice, looking at Caspian adoringly while he just looked rather uncomfortable. "I'll be fine. Besides, I'd rather look like a girl." She earned a look of hatred from both Lucy and Caspian, while Landon just seemed to remain rather clueless, wrapping his arms around Lucy and placing a kiss to her cheek.

"Landon, join me in fetching the horses, would you?" Caspian asked, his voice pained from trying to keep his anger in check at the sight of this man wrapped around the girl he loved. Landon nodded, kissing Lucy's lips gently before leaving with Caspian, leaving the two girls alone to wait. Lucy watched as Annelise's fake happy grin was replaced with hate.

"Well well, aren't you just a little whore?" The princess began tauntingly. "Engaged to one man while having eyes for another. Tut tut, what would Aslan think?" She walked past Lucy, purposely knocking her shoulder before leaning her head down to speak in her ear. "The king is mine. So stay away." With this, the princess continued walking on in the direction that the boys had left, leaving Lucy with her jaw on the ground.