Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from Narnia, but I do own this fanfic.
Hey everyone! Ok, just so you know, I wrote this chapter RIGHT AFTER the last one because I was so excited! It's the best chapter ever!
And as usual, thank you all for your lovely reviews.
And seeing how this is a very special chapter, I would like to dedicate it to my 50th reviewer, as well as my biggest supporter, TwlightMoon416! Thank you so much! I always look forward your reviews and hopefully you get this before you go to Prom! Have a great night!
Ok that's all so, on with the story…
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Chapter 14: Broken Promises
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Your POV
You stood against the hard walls of Aslan's How, arms crossed as you glared at Caspian's form preparing for the night raid. That was their plan- a night raid.
"Because you know…nothing could possibly go wrong at night. No, of course not…not when it's dark and spooky and totally creepy!"
Their plan, however, wasn't half bad. They planned on infiltration and attacking the castle from the inside. Caspian, Susan, Trumpkin, and Peter were going to get into the castle with the help of the gryphons (The huge birds) while Edmund signaled everyone from one of the towers with his flashlight. Once inside the castle, they would open the gates the led into the huge courtyard that you had been in when you first came here. At the same time, Reepicheep and his little mouse friends would also sneak into the castle in order to let down the drawbridge. And then, when everything was opened and in place, Edmund would signal all the other Narnians to attack. It seemed like a very efficient plan…if done correctly. You had to admit it to Peter, it was much better than just randomly charging in on them. This way they wouldn't expect anything- they wouldn't know what hit them.
Nonetheless, you continued to glare at Caspian's back as he began to put the final touches of his armor on.
"Keep staring. I still won't change my mind." He said calmly, refusing to meet your gaze. You fumed even more.
"You're not the boss of me." You snapped back dramatically, looking away from him.
He signed, strapping on the remaining pieces of armor before turning around to you. He buckled his sword to his belt and walked towards you…but you would still not meet his gaze. He stopped when he was a few feet before you.
"Jade…please. Don't act like this." He said desperately. You, however, remained infuriated.
"Acting like what? I'm not acting." You said as you snapped your head to meet his gaze. He didn't look sorry in the least.
"You're acting like a child." He said curtly. You felt the urge to slap him across the face. "I don't see what the big deal is anyway." He took a few brave steps forward.
"What's the big deal?! You're acting like my mother…that's the big deal! You think you can tell me what I can and can't do? Well you're wrong! I'm 18! I'm a legal adult! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" you yelled, your arm flailing as you pointed an accusing finger in his direction. He raised his hands in the air exasperatedly.
"Yes, I know! You're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself! I understand that! But if I'm not mistaken…I'd say that this little fit your throwing is the closest thing to war you've ever experienced!" he yelled back. You bit back your tongue when you realized that he had a point.
"But that doesn't matter!" your conscious yelled at you, forcing you to keep arguing.
"That's not the point!" you defended. "If I want to go and fight, then I should be able to go and fight! I want to help!"
You had made so many good friends in Narnia, all of whom you loved dearly. You could not bear to think of them all putting themselves on the line of duty while you sat safe and sound at home. Especially Caspian…
"But that's the problem…you can't fight! You can't handle a sword, and from watching you all day this morning, you definitely can't handle a bow and arrow! I understand that you want to help, and if there was any way you could I would let you. But right now, you just need to leave this job to the professionals. For someone who's never been at war before, this is just too dangerous." he finished, his voice becoming softer.
"What a jerk! Did he already forget that I was the one who saved him from getting his pretty-boy face smashed open by Peter? Does he really think he can…hold on…did he say that he was watching me all day?"
"I could use a crossbow…" you said quietly as you realized that you were losing the war.
Caspian shook his head. "Crossbows are only good for long range…what happens when a Telmarine comes up to you with a sword?" He asked as he stepped a bit closer, significantly narrowing the gap between the two of you. He placed a hand on his sword, mimicking the situation he was explaining.
You stared up at him deviously. "I'll kick them where it hurts."
Caspian immediately took a step backwards, looking at you in shock. You giggled, noticing that he was too scared to move back closer to you. However, a smile did make its way to his face and he listened to your tinkling laugh.
"So…does this mean you're not made at me anymore?" he asked hopefully.
You smiled back at him. "Of course not." You replied in a sickly sweet tone.
Caspian's smile faded. "Well, I don't care. You can stay mad at me for as long as you want, but you're still not going." He said as he gained his confidence back and closed the distance between you both. "It's for your own good. And mine too. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on our plan if I kept worrying about you."
He lifted his hand to your face and began to run his hands through your hair. You signed, giving in to his comfort.
"Damn! Why does he always have to be so sweet!" you thought angrily.
"But, it's not fair…" you said as he continued to comb your hair. "It's not safe for you either…and…I don't want to lose you." You said looking up into his eyes. He gazed back before he gently grabbed the back of your neck and laid your head on his chest. He then wrapped his arms around you and cradled you lovingly.
"I don't want to lose you either." He whispered as he began to gently rock you back and forth in his arms.
Your touching moment was soon brought to an end as Peter barged into the room. You jumped at the sight of him, but Caspian refused to let you know. Peter stared at the both of you awkwardly, and you felt a blush coming on.
"Oh…um, sorry." He said as he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Hate to break up your touching moment, but we're ready to leave." Caspian nodded at him.
"I will be there shortly." Caspian said, sending Peter a meaningful look. Peter seemed to catch the understanding, and he left the room to give you two a moment together.
Caspian pulled you away from him arms length, his hands resting on your shoulders. He bent his head down so that you two were eye level.
"I have to go now." He said, although he didn't seem too happy about it. "Promise me…promise me you won't set foot out of this room." He demanded.
You nodded. "I promise…" you whispered. "But…you have to promise me that you'll come back." You said. You knew that was probably too much to ask him, but his answer was the only thing that would comfort you.
"I promise." He said before bringing you into a tight embrace. You hugged him back just as tight, wishing he didn't have to go. You stayed like that until you heard Edmund and Peter calling for Caspian from the other room. He slowly and reluctantly pulled you away from him.
It was then that you realized you were crying.
Tears were streaming down your face as Caspian took your hands in his, bidding you farewell.
"Jade…please don't cry…I'll come back." He said, but you could not stop. "But…just incase something happens…" your head shot up. "Oh! Um…which it won't..." he said correcting himself, but you were still not convinced. "But anyways…if anything were to happen…I just want you to know that…I…I just want you to know…that I…that you're very important to me…" he said at last.
And before you could say anything back, he crushed his lips onto your. You leaned into him, wanted to taste more…but as fast as his lips came, they were gone. You looked up to him with tear stained eyes, begging him to continue.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered. "But…if I keep going …I doubt I will be able to stop…" he said sadly as he brought you into a tight embrace once more and rested his chin atop your head.
"Caspian…I-"
"CASPIAN! It's now or never!" you heard Peter boom from the other room. He instantly pulled himself off you once more, leaving both of your bodies cold and incomplete.
"I have to go." He said as he quickly pressing a kiss to your forehead. He was about to turn around when you grabbed him back.
"But wait! Caspian…I-" you were about to say something, but Caspian brought a finger to your lips, silencing you.
"Shh…" He cooed. "Tell me when I come back." And as usual, his words brought a smile to your face. Giving you a quick smile back, he then proceeded to walk away from you as fast as he could, in fear that if he looked at you one more time he would not be able to leave.
You did not budge from your spot as you listened to the flapping of wings disappear into the starry night sky.
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It had only been 20 minutes since everybody left, but it felt as if it has been 20 years. With your nerves on high alert, you were finding it exceedingly difficult to keep yourself busy as you anxiously waiting for everyone to come back safely. You had tried to fall asleep…but that attempt was useless.
That's how you found yourself in the small tunnel that led to the Stone Table room, sitting Indian style on the ground as you stared at the drawing of the goat-man under the lamppost with the umbrella. You didn't know why…but you were drawn to the image.
"I knew him." A voice said in the silence, causing you to jump. Turning around with your hand on your heart, you saw Lucy standing innocently under the threshold. "Oh…sorry." She said.
"No, it's alright." You said.
When you regained your normal heart rate, you motioned with your hand for Lucy to sit next to you.
"You say you knew him?" you asked and she nodded. "Tell me about him then." You said as you turned back to the drawing. Lucy smiled, anxious to tell her story.
"Well…for starters, his name was Mr. Tumnus, and he was the first person I met when I came here. That's where we met." She said, pointing to the lamppost. "It was a snowy day, you see, and he brought me inside his hut for some tea." She said with a bright smile as she relished in her memories. "No one believed my story when I came back…but then one day when we were trying to avoid one of our Professor's tour groups, we all hid in the wardrobe…and that's how we found this place."
"It snows here in the winter?!" you asked excitedly, winter being your favorite holiday.
"No…not exactly. You see…when we all came here for the first time, Narnia was under a spell. It was very long ago, back when Narnia was under the corrupt rule of the White Witch. She had made it so that Narnia was stuck in wintertime, and had been so for years."
"Wow…creepy." You said, listening intently to her explain everything.
"Very…" she said. "But no worries! Aslan came back and defeated her in the end…everything worked out fine. He brought the springtime back too! I just…wish I knew where he was now." She finished a bit sadly.
"You say he came back? Where did he go?" you asked.
"It's a bit complicated…but I'm sure you're used to complicated stories by now." She said and you laugh, urging her to continue. "Well, like I said before, when we came to Narnia it was under the rule of the White Witch…who considered herself the Queen of Narnia. However, as you know of course, Aslan was the rightful ruler of Narnia… and when he came back from wherever he had been; he brought the springtime back with his roar, significantly decreasing the Witch's power. And now that he was back, the creatures of Narnia would either take The Witch's side or Aslan's side…thus splitting Narnia in half. War was inevitable, and we all took Aslan's side…except for Edmund."
"What?!" you blurted out, shocked. "Edmund sided with The White Witch! Why?"
"It wasn't his fault!" Lucy said quickly, defending her brother. "He was tricked and brainwashed…it wasn't her fault…she's very tempting. Don't be too harsh on him…he regrets it even to this day. But anyways, he came to his senses eventually…that is after she tried to kill him. We were able to rescue him, but the White Witch demanded we give him back to her on the accounts of an ancient law gave her possession of all traitors of Narnia. However, Aslan offered to go in her place, and was sacrificed on that very stone table over there." She said, pointing into the room. "However, the Witch failed to understand the deeper magic of Narnia that old Aslan knew. Apparently, when someone who has committed no treachery willingly sacrifices himself for a traitor, death is reversed, and the martyr returns to life. He came back for us then…" she stared at the stone table with a distant look in her eyes.
You stared at her knowingly. "He must have meant a lot to all of you…you especially. I always see you sitting on that table." You said following her gaze. "I hope he comes back…at least for your sake."
She turned back around to you, tears threatening to fall. "He will come back! You'll see! I swear I saw him the other day…the day before we ran into you and Caspian. I saw him! I know I did! But no one will believe me!"
You instantly stood up and wrapped your arms around her, letting her sob into your shoulder.
"Shh…it's ok, Lu. I believe you." You whispered as you rocked her back and forth in your arms, just like Caspian had done to you before he left.
"He's coming back! I know he is! He has too…" she said, her voice trailing off as she started to feel sleep overwhelming her. "He has to come back…and soon…something bad is going to happen tonight." She whispered. This instantly caught your attention and you shook her a bit, not wanted to fall asleep just yet.
"Something bad is going to happen? Tonight?" you asked worriedly. "What's going to happen? How do you know? Lucy?"
"I…don't know what really…" she said with a yawn, "but what I do know is, that all my life that I've lived in Narnia…I always knew when something bad was going to happen…it was almost as if…he was warning me…" she said, her last words rolling off her tongue and she drifted off to sleep.
You picked her up and placed her gently on the stone table. You then gazed back up at the sculpture of Aslan in the wall, and you couldn't help but feel as if he was staring at you back. Whether it was a secret message that he had sent through your head, or your rash instincts kicking in, a plan came to your mind.
You bent down to Lucy's sleeping form and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"I'm sorry to leave you here, Lucy." You said, staring back at Aslan's eyes. "But I need to go." You said quickly before storming out of the room.
You stepped outside the safety of the How and into the fields before it, where the Narnian's who were left behind anxiously waiting for their brethren to return. Most of them were asleep, making it so that you were about to tip-toe the other way, unnoticed…over to the foot of the woods.
You looked up at the trees and gave a low whistle. Six large gryphons instantly swooped down to your form, and you waved over to the only who you were most familiar with.
He perked himself before you, and bent his head in pleasure when you wrapped him in a hug and began to pet his wings.
"Hello there, Gust. Haven't seen you all day." You said, and he let out a squawk of agreement.
"Listen…" you said, becoming more serious. "The others are in danger, and I need your help." You said expectantly, and the look he gave you seemed to be of disproval.
"Oh, come on!" you pleaded. "They're in trouble! We need to help them. I'll worry about Caspian later."
Gust eventually gave into your pleas and you hugged him happily.
You then crept over to a sleeping fawn and stole his crossbow while no one was looking, making your way back to Gust when you were all ready. With a nod of your head, he circled your form with his giant claws, lifting the both of you into the air with a flap of his wings.
The two of you soared over the countryside, and you signed in contentment as the cold air rush through your face.
You were actually flying…
You then heard a resentful squawk from Gust as you saw the lights of the castle in the near distance. he obviously still didn't not approve of your rash and dangerous decision.
"Don't worry, Gust. Caspian will understand…eventually. It's for his own good! Besides…" you said with a devilish grin, "he said I couldn't lay a foot outside these parts…he never said anything against flying outside them."
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Caspian's POV
Caspian rushed through the hallways, a murderous intent written in his eyes. His destination…Lord Miraz's bedroom.
As he rushed through the hallways, the only thing he could comprehend at the moment was the words of his Professor that were currently still burning into his skull.
"Do not underestimate your Uncle…or you will meet the same fate as your father…"
That was the final straw. The truth was finally out…and Caspian would stop at nothing to get his revenge…
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Uh oh…double cliffhanger! Oh well…at least Caspian and Jade finally kissed! (Even though it wasn't much)
But anyways, I hope you get this in time TwilightMood416 and have a great time at your Prom!
And stay tuned for the next chapter where the plot takes an interesting turn….
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