Chapter Ten
"Dad?" Peter asked. "Can we talk to you after you're finished with lunch?"
Mr. Pevensie looked up and smiled. "Certainly," he said. "Here, I'm almost finished."
Peter gave his father a tight smile of his own and retreated back into the parlor. "Mum's still planning on going to Mrs. Fitzwater's for tea," he reported, "and Dad should be in to talk with us once she leaves. He's about finished with lunch right now."
"I still don't think this is a good idea," Edmund said.
"I owe much to your father," Caspian said softly. "I do not think I could lie to him or conceal from him the truth."
"I think that Dad needs to know what happened," Peter told his brother. "I think he has a right to."
Edmund didn't look convinced. "Him knowing won't change anything."
"Yes it will," Lucy said softly. "He'll be one less person we love who we're keeping secrets from."
"And he's caught up in this already whether we want him to be or not," Susan added. "We might as well make sure he knows where everyone stands."
"And for all we know this might not be over." Everyone looked at Peter when he said this.
"What do you mean?" Edmund asked.
"The Germans brought Caspian here. They snatched him right from the border of Aslan's kingdom," Peter tried to explain. "They're messing with something they shouldn't be, that much is obvious. But are they finished yet?"
"You think they can summon Caspian back to them at will?" Edmund asked, looking alarmed. "Or they'll come after him?"
Caspian was suddenly on his feet. "I cannot be here if they attempt that," he said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.
Peter was in front of him before he could even take a step. "You're not going anywhere," he said firmly. "Sit down."
Caspian shook his head. "How could I not have thought of that? My presence here is putting you in danger!"
"We don't know that," Edmund said quickly. He stood and moved to block the door in case Caspian decided to try to make a break and got past Peter.
"It does not matter," Caspian insisted. "The risk remains."
"I'll say it again." Peter grabbed Caspian's forearm when he tried to move. "You're not going anywhere. Now sit down."
"Let me go," Caspian said plaintively. "I'll not put you in harm's way."
"Where exactly would you go, Caspian?" Lucy asked.
"Anywhere other than here." He tried to wrest his arm from Peter's grasp.
Then Susan spoke. "Don't go."
Caspian froze and turned toward her. Something in his expression changed marginally and he quickly looked away. "I could not forgive myself if harm befell any of you because of me."
"If there's danger we'll face it together," Edmund said, sounding a good deal more cheerful now that there was the prospect of a fight. "All for one and one for all."
Caspian's baffled expression made it clear that he had no idea what Edmund was talking about.
"We don't even know that you are in danger anymore," said Lucy. "I for one doubt it."
"Why do you say that?" Peter asked, slightly surprised.
"Well it seems as though it would be one thing to open a door from our world to another and pull someone through," Lucy said practically. "But I'd think it's quite another thing to open a door from our world that goes someplace else in our world. If the Germans could do that then I think they'd have abducted Prime Minister Churchill instead of Caspian."
"That's a good point," Peter agreed.
"It still leaves unanswered the question of what they wanted with him to begin with," Lucy continued. "No offense, Caspian, but you don't seem all that important to the war effort."
"Dead kings rarely are," Caspian muttered.
"Don't talk like that," Lucy said sharply. "You're here and you're alive and you're our friend. We're in this together. We always have been."
Caspian bowed his head slightly. "I thank you."
"What's going on in here?"
All five youths turned toward the doorway where Mr. Pevensie stood, his expression wary as he looked at Peter and Caspian and Peter quickly realized what the problem was. To him it probably appeared as though the two of them were having an argument or getting ready to exchange blows.
"Dad," he said, stepping away from Caspian and trying to think of the best way to start this conversation. "You might want to sit down."
"Why would you suggest that?" Pevensie asked, taking a step forward.
"Because what we have to say is likely to take a very long time," Susan told him.
Their father frowned as he looked from child to child, taking in their serious expressions. "Is everything all right?" he asked. "Caspian?"
Caspian nodded.
"Dad," Peter decided to try again. "There's something you need to know . . ."
"What is it?"
Peter opened his mouth but no words came out. His mind seemed to freeze up as he was put on the spot, and he belatedly realized that he should have thought this through better. Desperately, he glanced at Edmund, but his younger brother looked uncharacteristically nervous – even more so than Peter felt.
"Sir," Caspian said suddenly, stepping closer to Peter to stand at his side. He glanced at Peter who gave him a grateful nod then he took a deep breath and continued. "This meeting with your children was not our first."
Mr. Pevensie blinked. "What?"
"Last night was not our first meeting," Caspian said again. "We had met before."
"Where?" Pevensie asked incredulously. "How?"
"They found their way into my world many years ago," Caspian told him.
"By many years he means three," Peter said. He meant to be helpful but somehow doubted he was achieving that. "Time passes differently between our worlds, you see . . ."
"Is this a joke?" Pevensie asked, "Because if it is, it's a very poor one –"
"It's not a joke, Father," Susan told him. "We've met before. We've been to Narnia."
Their father was at a loss for words. For a moment he just gaped at them. Then he decided to take Peter's advice and sat down.
"You saw Caspian pulled out of another world with your own eyes," Lucy said when the silence started to stretch on. "I know it's hard to believe but you know it's not impossible for us to have gone to another world as well."
Mr. Pevensie nodded slowly. "And you all were . . . friends when you met before?"
"Yes," Peter told him. "We still are."
"Your children saved my life, just as you did," Caspian said softly. "And their cousin saved my son. It seems I am indebted to your entire family."
"Son?" Mr. Pevensie's eyes widened to the point where it was almost comical. Yet somehow, Peter would have sworn that his father looked . . . well, disappointed. "You didn't tell me you had a son."
"I told you I was 66 but had had my youth restored . . ." Caspian trailed off. "I could see you had difficulty believing and thinking of my son was . . ." his voice cracked and his eyes went to the ground, but he looked up with glittering eyes when Peter put a hand on his shoulder. Then he looked back to Pevensie. "I am sorry if you feel I deceived you by not elaborating. It was never my intention to withhold . . ." he trailed off again as Pevensie held up a hand to silence him.
"You've nothing to apologize for," he said and sighed. "Perhaps the rest of you should sit down as well. I want you to tell me everything. I have the feeling this is going to take quite a long time."
Peter nodded and motioned Caspian toward the sofa.
"So how did this all start?" Mr. Pevensie asked once they were seated. "Caspian?"
"I was not there for the beginning. I think perhaps her majesty Queen Lucy might be the best one to start the story." He looked toward Lucy.
"Queen Lucy?" Pevensie asked.
Peter sighed. This really was going to take a long time.
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Excerpt From the Diary of Lt. Daniel Pevensie
Have just been told the most unbelievable story, but have it on excellent authority that every word of it was true. Bloody hell, I need a drink . . .
End of Chapter Ten
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lizz22463, RleFay, kimidragon, cflat, Lepidus Animus, Ari, Queen Red Rum, garnetred, Selene Antilles, jxr1, maristelle, Hellen Lou, Solitaire42
cali-chan – Thanks for all the insights. Yeah, Caspian sleeping with the stuffed Reepicheep would make an adorable fanart. I hadn't thought of that, lol. If only I could draw . . .
flyingxdragonx123 – Those facts aren't common knowledge and they're not exactly something they teach in school. I've just always been fascinated by lost histories and crypto-histories. If you're interested in reading up on the subject then, at the risk of sounding like a Barnes and Noble advertisement, my advice is to head down to the aforementioned bookstore and take a look around their bargain section. That's where I've gotten most of my books for reference and research and last time I was there I saw a very nice hardcover by Paul Roland called The Nazis and the Occult which looked like a good overview on the whole Nazi-occult subject and cost only 9.99. Even if you don't have money to buy books, they don't mind you browsing their merchandise.
Satan's Spawn 1293 and mars'mallows – Tomorrow's chapter focuses on Susan and Caspian. Hopefully most of the questions or concerns you have will be addressed then.
Miniver – You seem quite well read. If you've done any research into folklore or fairy tales you might see a few things that are familiar in the coming chapters, where the White Witch is concerned.