Don't you hate it when a great idea pops into your head 10:38pm the night before finals? And you just know you'll never remember it- so here I am! BUT OMG, Moby Dick the Musical (yes it real!) goes on THIS WEEK!
Caspian and I walked hand in hand down the hall. Breakfast- or lunch seeing as it was rather late- had been wonderful. I felt a lightness I hadn't felt since that day with Scott. I couldn't really believe I had held it in for that long, letting the secret weight me down. I smiled; promising myself I wouldn't kept anymore secrets.
I remembered something I had heard that I wanted to ask Caspian about. "Caspian?" I said. His head turned my way, an eyebrow raised slightly. "Could I ask you to explain something I heard in the tunnels?"
"I thought you didn't hear anything?" Caspian teased lightly. I flushed slightly red and huff in fake annoyance, "I said I didn't hear much." I corrected him. He laughed and I sighed in content at the deep sound.
"What is it Lu?" He asked, still chuckling slightly.
"What is it you were going to tell me?" I asked cautiously, "At least, I'm assuming you were talking about me."
Caspian's smiled faded slightly, a panic crept into his eyes. Then it was gone in a flash and a sly smile replaced it. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he said, "I will tell you- but when the moment is right."
"What does that mean?" I huffed out. He merely smiled secretively. I lightly hit him with my free hand and earned another laugh. Then he said, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"That would be alright… I suppose." I teased.
"Would you mind telling me about Aribella?" He asked, "You sounded like you were very close with her." He explained once he saw my brow furrow in confusion.
"She was my best friend- is my best friend." I corrected myself, reminding myself we were just in different worlds. That hadn't stopped me from considering Caspian my best friend before. Then I smiled and bite back a laugh, "She actually is courting Peter- at least I am assuming they are."
"Really?" He asked, a spark behind his eye, "Isn't she your age?"
"Three months younger." I confirmed, "Why?"
"Well, Peter is my age." Caspian pointed out in a strange tone. It sounded scared, but…hopeful?
"I know that." I said slowly.
"I just guess I didn't see Peter, being, well, alright with that." Caspian admitted. I let out a giggle. He looked at me strangely and I shook my head.
"It took us forever to convince Peter that there was nothing wrong with it." I explained, "It took a life or death situation for him to finally admit how much he loved her and for him to stop caring about the age difference. In fact, I nearly choked on air when Ed said-" I cut myself off abruptly. Please tell me I wasn't about to tell Caspian about that conversation?
"Ed said what?" Caspian asked curiously.
"Nothing." I said, wincing slightly at the obvious lie. Caspian smiled at my grimace; "Do I not get to know?" he asked.
"Perhaps I'll tell you." I shrugged, then smirked, "When the moment is right." Caspian sent me a playful scowl and I let another laugh escape my smiling lips.
"That's hardly fair." He scoffed at me, but smiled.
"Really?" I pretended to be shocked, "I thought it was perfectly fair." I sent him a sly smile and he let out a laugh. He was just about to say something when we heard that patter of little footsteps. Jonathan came half running down the hall, slowing to a walk when he saw us looking. I smiled and let go of Caspian's hand to offer the little boy a hug. He seemed startled by the gesture, but quickly rushed into my arms. My heart broke a little to think that this sweet boy had never felt his mother's arms around him, and I held him a little tighter.
"What is it Jonathan?" Caspian asked, smiling at the exchange. Jonathan looked at Caspian, trying to remember why he had come to find us. His face lit up when he remembered, "Lord Trumpkin wanted to see you King Casthpian." I bit my lip on the smile that wanted to emerge whenever Jonathan said Caspian's name. It was just too adorable.
Caspian sent a glance my way and let his own smile show. "Thank you Jonathan. Would you mind accompanying Queen Lucy while I am gone?" He bent down to the child's level, looking at him seriously.
"No sir." Jonathan shook his head, "I wouldn't mind at all." He said and then smiled up at me. Caspian looked over is shoulder at me as well, sending me a wink. He then stood and clapped Jonathan on the shoulder "Good man." He praised kindly. Jonathan flushed a little pink, but stood straighter than he had before.
Caspian turned to me. "I shall see you later." Then he shocked me and caused Jonathan's jaw to drop a little when he sweetly kissed my cheek goodbye. Then he turned down the hallway and left. I distantly felt Jonathan wrap his hand in mine, but all I really felt was the blazing hot patch on my cheek where Caspian's lips had just been.
I decided to show Jonathan another tunnel other than the one that led to Caspian's study. I showed him how to get to the main chamber of tunnels and I led him down the western one that would lead to Ed's old room. Then we took the branch of the tunnel just outside of Ed's door and headed to the gardens.
The sky was darkened and threatened to open the storm on us any moment, but it also gave the garden a strange beauty. The harshness of the distant lightening with the gentleness of a rose petal created an almost dream like haze around the pathways of the garden.
Jonathan held my hand a little tighter than before and I could feel the fear rolling off of him in waves.
"Jonathan?" I asked quietly as to not startle the child's already frayed nerves. He glanced up at me, his eyes wide and innocent, "Are you afraid of storms?"
"No." He squeaked out a little to quickly for the lie to be even remotely believable.
"Well I am." I admitted. His eyes widened further in shock. "You are Queen Lucy?"
"Yes." I said, "Storms frighten me very much. Shall we get inside before it starts to rain?" I suggested. Jonathan nodded, not even pretending to think about it. We headed back inside the main hallway, sensing that the echoes of the tunnels would not help diminish the distant rolls of thunder closing in on us.
I sent Jonathan off on his merry way after we had gone inside to escape the upcoming storm. I could tell he was still nervous about the storm, but I hoped that I had helped him feel less uncomfortable about his fears. I knew he had made me feel better about mine, enough though I was sixteen and he was but seven. Sometime it just helped to know you weren't the only one afraid. I watched him skip now the hall, wandering off to do whatever little boys did.
I wandered now the hallway off towards my room, nodding at the people I past on my way. Many smiled at me, and some even stopped to say hello and make pleasant conversation. My eyes would glance to the window when ever I wondered the time, but then dark clouds blocking the sun reminded me I would just have to find a clock.
I stopped by the kitchen and the cooks insisted upon feeding me, seeing as it was dinnertime. Apparently Caspian's meeting with Trumpkin was taking longer than expected and he would not be joining me. I tried to ignore the disappointment that course through me.
I ate in relative silence, except for some idle chatter between the cooks or servants. I was content to listen to them, but without anyone to talk with on a deeper level I was rather bored, which also made me realize I was still rather tired. I lent on my hand and let my eyes flutter heavily. I was starting to nod off with Martha came crashing into the room.
"Queen Lucy child!" She scolded, setting down the fresh linens she carried, "If it is rest you require, then off to bed with you."
"King Caspian said he wished to speak with me." I murmured, trying to wake up.
Martha made a humph sound and said, "If his majesty has an issue with you getting some well needed rest, then he shall deal with me." I almost giggled at her threat, but I smiled instead. It had been a very long time since someone had told me to go to bed early. I nodded my agreement at her and followed her to my room.
Martha changed my sheets while I was changing into a nightgown, and bade me goodnight quickly after. I sat on my bed, idly staring out the window at the approaching storm. I distant part of my mind pointed out that it would be a good idea to shut the drapes before the storm could really start to frighten me, but as soon as I sat down on my warm bed, I was simply to comfortable to care.
I snuggled into my blankets, letting the warm elope me. Martha had only been able to find summer nightgowns, leaving the bare skin on my arm exposed to the autumn chill. I let my eyes drift close and the darkness take control of my mind and drift into dreamland.
I stood on the edge of the sea, the water's surface glittering like millions of diamonds. The sky was a shocking violet with streaks of pink and teal. I shook my head, "There is no way this can be real." I spoke to no one, my voice echoing oddly across the waves.
Then like an angel, a bright light appeared. I shielded my eyes against it, but it slowly diminished and I blinked to adjust my sight. Caspian stepped out of the light, his smile dazzling and hard to look at- I shifted my gaze away. "Lucy." He said.
"Caspian?" I asked, "Where are we?"
"That matters not."
"What are we doing here?"
"That matters not."
"What's going on?"
"That matters not."
"Then what matters?" I asked annoyed, looking at him again. He came closer to me until we were face to face, if I had been a little taller that is, toes touching.
"What matters is that you're here and so am I." He reached forward and brushed my hair out of my face and my eyes drifted shut to their own accord. His lips were a breath from mine and moving painfully slowly closer. I was shocked when I suddenly realized that I wanted him to kiss me- more than I had wanted anything in the world. Every dream, every odd thought, Edmund's views, how Caspian made me blush- it was all because I wanted him to kiss me.
"Oh Aslan. I love him." I spoke out loud. Then I realized he was still right there, but when I opened eyes, he was gone.
"Caspian?" I called out. But I only got the waves crashing against the shore as answer.
I sat up in shock and covered in sweat. The storm that had been in the distance was now above head and crashing. Lighting flashed just outside, illuminating the sky for just a moment before everything went dark again. I placed a hand over my heart, trying to calm it. I wasn't sure if it was because of the storm or my dream.
The thunder roared and I jumped up, hitting my head on the bed frame. I grabbed my throbbing head and nearly fell off the bed. I clambered down and went to shut the curtains, but only managed to bump my head on the bed frame when a knock sounded at the door. I bit my lip on a foul word that wanted to escape and tried to blink back the forming tears.
"Lucy?" Caspian's voice called. Perfect, before I even have time to process that I love him he has to show up. "Lucy?" he called again, and when I didn't answer he came in. He saw me holding my head and rushed over to me. He gently put his hands over mine and pulled them away, "Are you alright?"
"Fine." I murmured out, "I just hit my head…twice." I admitted reluctantly. Caspian was trying to hold back a smile and I smacked his shoulder lightly. "It's not funny."
"How did you manage to do that?" He asked, his fingers gently prodding my head to make sure no permanent damage had been done. Then thunder rolled again causing me to jump. He laughed a little and murmured something like ahhhhh.
He left my side to close the drapes and I sat down on the edge of my bed. He joined me shortly after, wrapping his arms around me in comfort. I lent into him and allowed my eyes to close. I let out a sigh as he started stroking my hair, playing with my curls. Strange- I know I love him, but nothing has suddenly changed. Wait….
Nothing has changed. My thoughts shot back to working outside of Trufflehunter's home. How our relationship had changed, because nothing had changed. But that had to mean…
"Will you tell me now?" I whispered. Suddenly, I had to know what he was going to tell me. Seeing the look of confusion on his face, I simply asked, "Is the moment right?" He understood what I meant and grew very still. "Please Caspian?" I begged a little bit.
He glanced at me, and then looked away, debating with himself. "I suppose it could be." He whispered, his tone trying to be teasing, but his slightly thicker accent told me how serious he was really. He looked at me, his expression confusing and unreadable.
"When I saw that you were the wild huntress, Lucy, that was the moment that I knew." He started, but he didn't explain what it was he knew. He continued on before I had a chance to ask him. "I mean I guess it was always you, even on the Dawn Treader and possible before that- but when I saw you, knew you had come back again even though you weren't suppose to, that's when I really knew." He stood from the bed. "The question became how to tell you." He walked away slightly towards the window, causing me to stand and follow him. My brain was fuzzy with trying to understand what he was saying, what I wanted him to say.
"I had to do it in some amazing way, a way you'd never forget. Something special." He scoffed at himself, "But then I realized when you told me about Peter and Aribella, that it didn't matter how I told you. I just had to tell you."
"Tell me what Caspian?" I asked, laying a hand to touch his shoulder. He turned and grasped my hand in his own, staring deep into my eyes. He ignored my question, and continued on with his talking.
"Unlike Peter," he whispered, "I'm not going to wait for a life or death situation to decide to do something about my feelings." I swear I felt my heart stop.
Before I could ask exactly what feelings he meant, I found out, and very clearly, when his lips met mine in a searing kiss.
Gasp! Did the really just kiss? Yes they did! In case you missed it before, that is why Peter and Ari were important…at least for now…maybe they'll be coming back… ;)
But first, we need some good Lucian goodness!
Review for me?