Eleven

Mika came to see Maren everyday after his lessons. Caspian was truly impressed. He hadn't expected the boy to show so much fortitude. Most of his mind, however, was consumed with Maren and the fact that she was still not awake. He called in every doctor in Cair Paravel and none of them could offer him a secret to healing her. Doctors and healers from other areas of Narnia were then called – ones who knew about poisons or deadly magics or ones who specialized in comas.

Mika asked the question that none of the adults would have dared put to Caspian. "Will she ever wake up?"

"I don't know," Caspian said, quietly.

Her face grew thinner and whiter everyday. Caspian spoke to her, but had the increasing feeling that it was doing no good. Maren did not stir. One day, while he was sitting with her, Doctor Cornelius came to him.

"Your Majesty, the rooms of the Calormenes have been thoroughly searched."

"And?" Caspian asked, his eyes rising slowly to the doctor's face.

Doctor Cornelius hesitated as if he feared Caspian's reaction. "We found a vial half full of the same poison that you swallowed and a letter to the Tisroc discreetly suggesting that you might not be around much longer."

"I see," Caspian rose calmly from his seat, but Doctor Cornelius looked alarmed.

"Where are you going?"

Caspian didn't answer, but left the room with a quick, self-assured gait. As he walked across the corridors, he drew several surprised glances. He must have looked angry. Well, he had a right to be angry. He walked down the winding row of steps into the dungeon and told the master of the guard, calmly, that he needed to visit Arkeer.

The man went to a cell about twenty feet down the corridor and fumbled with his keys. Caspian wanted to rip them from his hands, but restrained himself, making no outward show of impatience. The guard finally found the right key and pushed it into the lock. The door swung open.

Arkeer was lying on the ground, apparently half asleep, but he sat up when Caspian entered. He looked considerably shabbier and dirtier than the last time Caspian had seen him. "This is an outrage," he said, his voice clear, though he edged toward the wall when he caught a glimpse of Caspian's eyes. "If you insist on holding me with your unjust accusations, then I demand to be given rooms befitting my rank. The Tisroc will hear of this dungeon cell, I warn you."

Caspian punched him in the face.

Arkeer fell back. "How DARE you speak to me!" Caspian yelled, kicking the man in the stomach. "You've killed my wife! I'll tear you apart, you bastard!" He continued to kick the man until Arkeer was weeping. "Get up," he spat after a few moments. He wanted to punch the Calormene again. Arkeer did not move and at that moment, Caspian felt firm hands pull him back. It was the Lord Revilian.

"Your Majesty, no," he said and Caspian allowed himself to be led from the cell. His rage was suddenly gone, replaced a great weariness.

Doctor Cornelius was standing outside the cell, looking at Caspian anxiously. Caspian sighed. He dreaded the Doctor's lecture more than Revilian's. "He poisoned Maren," he said as they stepped away from Arkeer's cell.

"I know, Your Majesty," Cornelius said, sounding sad, "but that is not how a great king deals with prisoners. It is the way that you uncle handled those who upset him, not how the High King Peter dealt with those under his power."

Caspian shrugged. Part of him knew that Cornelius was right, but he did not want to admit it. "My uncle never would have beaten a Calormene dignitary."

"He was clever enough when he wasn't in a fit of rage," Revilian said, sniffing. "But can you honestly tell me that what I just witnessed wasn't a fit of rage?"

Caspian ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Enough. I am not in a mood for this conversation." And he walked away.

Caspian went up to his room, flung himself onto his bed and fell asleep within seconds.

--- -- ---

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! King Caspian!" someone was shaking him and calling his name urgently. Caspian came out of sleep reluctantly, his eyes heavy. He tried to make them focus as he saw a bleary Drinian standing by his bed.

"Wha?" he mumbled, feeling like a man who had drank too much the night before, though he hadn't had a drop.

"She's awake!" Drinian exclaimed.

"What?" Caspian asked, sitting up abruptly and blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Queen Maren is awake," Drinian said again.

"Maren?" Caspian rose to his feet and stumbled in the direction of the door that adjoined their two rooms. He flung open the door, and found her lying on her bed, still pale and sick, but now sitting up with her eyes open.

"Oh, thank the Lion," he breathed. She turned her head to look at him and managed a weary smile. He sat down in the chair at her beside. He was almost in tears. He had really started to think that she would never wake up.

"Caspian," she said, allowing him to take her hand and squeeze it.

"How long?" he asked, for she did not have the look of one who had just come to consciousness.

"A few hours," her voice sounded weak. "I told them not to get you until morning. You needed your sleep."

"That was wrong of you," he said, taking her hand to his lips and kissing it. "I should have known the instant you awoke."

She smiled. "I was dreaming," she said. "Before. And – oh – it felt like the dream lasted forever. At first I was in darkness so thick that I was swimming in it. I was scared. Then I began to see specks of light everywhere – they were stars. Eventually, they got bigger until they were shining people I could speak to. I swear that I spoke to my aunt, Arlia, who I have never met before. I spoke to others. I wanted to stay longer, but they made me come back."

Maren's eyes were now shining. Caspian leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. He would not mock her fancies – he had fancies of his own. "I am glad of that, then."

They spoke more of the stars and of her sleep, but after some time, her bright eyes clouded with concern. "Caspian," she said, "Doctor Cornelius said … he said that my sickness may have affected my ability to bear children."

Caspian sat very still for a moment. "He shouldn't have bothered you with that. Not so soon after waking up."

"I asked him about it."

"Oh," he gave her hand another squeeze. "When the other baby miscarried … I just – I just – it's painful to keep trying and failing, isn't it? If I weren't king then I wouldn't even worry about having a child. Not for awhile."

"I know," she said. "But we must do our duty, mustn't we?" She gave him a sad smile.

"It's not hopeless, is it?" he asked, anxious. "I mean, we may still have a child?"

"Yes," her smile tightened. "But, Caspian haven't you thought about it since you were poisoned? If you were to die tomorrow by some cruel means without securing the succession then who would follow you? There could be a civil war."

--- -- ---

Parry. Parry. Thrust. Mika practiced his sword fighting, swinging the wooden blade into the empty air. He had been practicing for almost an hour and was starting to get sweaty despite the autumn chill.

"You're getting good," said a voice behind him and Mika turned to see the King watching him, wearing that indulgent sort of smile that adults sometimes put on when speaking to children. Still, the words were kindly meant. "At this rate, you'll be deadly by the time you're fourteen."

Mika blushed. He had not meant for Caspian to see him. "I suppose."

"Have you been to see the queen today?" Caspian asked.

"Not yet," Mika said. "I mean to go this afternoon." Though Queen Maren had finally come out of her sleep, she was still weak and could not leave her bed for long periods of time.

"Good," Caspian said. "I think that she likes it when you visit."

Mika put his sword in its sheath. "Did you want anything else, Your Majesty?" he asked, stumbling over the formal address.

"Yes," Caspian said. "I wanted to speak with you." He waved at a bench and they both sat down, Mika shifting uncomfortably at being so close to the king's gaze.

Caspian licked his lips and began speaking. "When the queen is better, if she is better before time for the deep snows, then we intend to do a tour of the country. We usually do one in the summer, but this year we were too busy."

Mika was confused. "A tour of the country?"

"Yes," Caspian said. "It's when kings and queens go around to different parts of the lands and speak to subjects who otherwise might never see them and, if they are lucky, get a look at how business is conducted in their domains."

Mika tried to make some sense of this. He found politics confusing. "Anyway," Caspian continued, "the queen and I would be very pleased if you would accompany us. I know that you saw some of Narnia when you came from Calormen, but it would be a good opportunity for you to see the rest of the country."

"Oh," Mika said. He wasn't sure that he particularly wanted to see the rest of the country. He was just getting used to Cair Paravel. Still, one couldn't exactly refuse the king. "Can Squeak come? He's been teaching me to use the sword."

Caspian smiled. "Of course. If he wants to, that is."

"Can Doctor Cornelius come?"

"Doctor Cornelius is too old for heavy traveling," Caspian said. "You'll have to suspend your lessons for a few weeks."

Mika perked up at this. He loved Doctor Cornelius and was sure that the lessons would do him some good someday, but he would welcome a break. "Not that you'll be exempt from studying," Caspian said, taking in his expression. "You'll still need to study everyday. You'll just be focusing on other matters for a few weeks."

"Of course," Mika said, squirming. As wonderful as it all sounded, he still felt uncomfortable accepting something from the king so directly. He supposed that he had been accepting things from Caspian since he arrived, but it didn't feel that way because the king had never spoken to him in this way.

"Will you come?" Caspian asked.

Mika shrugged. "I guess."

Caspian gave a brief smile. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are things that need attending to --"

"Wait," Mika said, impulsively as the king turned.

Caspian looked at him and waited and Mika was a bit daunted, unsure of what he wanted to say. "I – I heard about what you did to Arkeer. That you hit him."

Caspian actually blushed and Mika was surprised. He had never thought of Caspian as the type of person who would blush. "I should not have done that. Not that he didn't deserve it, but it was not noble behavior." He looked Mika in the eye more directly than ever before. "Our family has a history of bad tempers. One which I hope you do not share, but which I do."

"He hurt the queen," Mika said.

Caspian shook his head. "You may think that excuses my actions, but it does not. All men deserve a fair trial." Caspian tilted his head and gave Mika another penetrating look. "Are you glad that I hurt him. I can't say that I would blame you if you were, with everything he did to you."

Mika thought about this for a moment. "I don't know," he said finally. "I never wished for him to be hurt, but I don't think I'm sorry. I just hope that I never have to see him again."

Caspian gave a brief nod. "I hope so as well."