Sorry it's been a while you guys. College hit me hard. I've finally found a break and thought I'd use the opportunity to treat my wonderful readers!

(Sage)

Corset, dress, hair, makeup, shoes.

This routine had become a quick custom for Sage. It took all of a week for her to learn it and dismiss her maids from aiding in the process. Even though she was a Queen, she liked to think she could still do some things for herself. She was pushing the ripe age of 48 and though aches set deep within the hollows of her bones made her movements slower, she still accomplished them with equal amounts of vigor as she would have used in her youth.

Tonight was a special event, but then again every other evening was. A handful of honored knights and dignitaries would be arriving shortly to partake in yet another feast in the great dining hall. The whole palace acted like they weren't one wrong step away from ending the times of peace. Calormen was breathing down their backs and whoever had kidnapped Rilian was challenging them to their face. How was Sage expected to eat and play diplomat with those waiting downstairs?

She shifted her plain crème gown to sit just right against the hips that never quite returned to their slim dancer's build after giving birth. She swept a pale pink hoodless cape from her closet and settled it on her lap as she sat on the bed that was, well, fit for a Queen. Leaning her forehead against the silk purple canopy, her fingers twisted the pearls woven into the fabric of her cape as her mind pondered away at excuses to avoid going down to dinner. From the open balcony doors, cool air rushed in to caress her stressed mind.

Caspian emerged from their shared bathroom then, securing his brown belt about his waist. His grey hair was slicked back out of his face. Sage traced her eyes along the three laughing wrinkles stretching up from the corner of each eye to his hairline. She loved those wrinkles; she loved making him laugh and knowing more would follow someday as they aged together.

"Are you about ready?" Caspian spoke, checking the ties of his tunic to make sure he was not bearing too much of his chest.

His eyes traced over hers for only a moment before skipping deliberately away. He was so distant lately. Ever since Rilian had vanished, Caspian spoke less and less. Seeing him with Natalie had sparked hope in Sage, but the moment the old friend was gone, so was the man she'd married. The one before he'd buried his head in business so that there was no room left for anything else. While that helped him with the grieving process, and Sage had to admit she found herself doing the same most days, it also drove miles and miles between hearts that had once been so closely intertwined there was no room left for any of this pain. All she could do was watch him from a distance, like the stars to the moon. Recently, Sage felt their titles were more accurate than ever. The mysterious moon looked so close to the judicious stars in the glorious blue night sky, but that was all an allusion.

"Do we really have to go down? Can't we just skip this one thing?" Sage asked.

"We invited these men personally. It would be rude to do so."

"Our son is missing. Do people really expect us to continue performing as if nothing happened? Our guests would understand if we cancelled. We are in mourning."

Caspian came to stand so that the balcony door framed his slightly hunched frame. The moon's illustrious yellow light encircled him, as if feeling the need to give a physical representation to her earlier thoughts.

"Mourning implies that we have lost someone. Rilian is not dead," Caspian snapped, voice hard and emotionless.

"Alright, well I still don't want to go make small talk when Aslan knows what's happening to him! He could be being starved or tortured or…"

"Can you stop talking about it?!" Caspian's hands were fluttering about his heart. His face was an unusually pale palor.

"We never talk about it! Didn't you see Darius the other day? He's lost without Rilian. He needs his parents. If we can't even talk about it to each other, how do we expect him to feel like he can talk to us?"

"Darius is a hardheaded boy. He knows his brother will be fine."

"I can't lose another child, Caspian," Sage whispered.

"Shit, Sage, you're not gonna lose him. Rilian's not gone. He will come home. Darius will cope."

"I wasn't talking about them."

He sank to the trunk at the foot of their bed, head lowered and nails biting into the cushion beneath him. He was trying to swallow back anger; Sage could see the tension in his drawn shoulders. Their spat was charged on dark emotions for an unknown enemy, not on actual feelings of resentment towards each other. Silence crawled into the room and seated itself between the royal couple. It watched with satisfaction as the tension climbed higher and higher still.

"She had your eyes," Caspian murmured finally.

Pale, unblinking green eyes stared up at Sage. Sweat and tears blurred her vision, but that was ok. She did not want to see anymore. A nurse took the still born child from her arms, swatting its bottom and pressing its chest to get it to emit even the smallest of cries. Caspian had his own eyelids shut when she turned to him, whole body aching from the labor. She touched his hand and he flinched, letting how quiet the little girl had been fully sink in. Sage sobbed because someone had to, if not the baby then her. Caspian sat on the bed, gathering her up into his arms and kissed her forehead so many times she was certain his lips would be permanently imprinted onto her skin. He told her it was alright if Darius and Rilian didn't have another sibling. He told her it would be ok.

He made no such promises now.

"I didn't know you looked," Sage said.

"Of course I looked. She was my daughter. So, do you really think I am not grieving for Rilian too?"

Sage folded her fingers together over her stomach.

"I love him and I love you, but I love Narnia as well. And our people need to see us being strong. Whether Rilian comes back or not," Caspian swallowed thickly as he let the possibility slip past his lips. "we will have to endure no matter how this ends. I'm sorry for raising my voice, darling."

Sage kissed his lips, feeling that full beard scratch at her. "I'm ready," she told him.

With some groaning he stood to his feet and offered her his arm. Sage slid her cloak around her shoulders and set her hand against the crook of his elbow. Together they set off down the winding familiar halls. There was the corner Rilian had plowed into and cut his head open. There was where Darius convinced Rilian to jump from the second story window. There was the little hideaway where Rilian and Samira would meet up to read when it was a quiet day in the palace. Traces of her son were everywhere. This place was his home and he did not need to be away from it. She would go down and be a polite monarch alongside her husband. She would offer small talk and listen intently to keep the peace throughout the nation. She would do all this so that her son would have a wonderful home to come back to.