Chapter 21- Prince Caspian
Tessa stared up at the night sky from her spot between Pete and Susan, listening to the quiet sounds of the forest. Every few moments she would glance over at Peter and find he was still asleep, his lips parted slightly and his eyebrows furrowed as if he was deep in thought.
Moments like this drew her back into the murky waters of her memories- ones she had worked so hard to forget back in London. Memories swirled, memories of being a queen, memories of Peter, memories that made her chest ache. It all seemed so long ago, and here, she presumed, it truly was.
"Lucy?" Susan's quiets voice caused Tessa to stiffen. "Are you awake?" There was a rustling of noise and she guessed Lucy turned towards her sister. "Why do you think I couldn't see Aslan?"
"You believe me?" Lucy asked incredulously.
"Well, we got across the gorge," Susan said and there was a small moment of hesitation.
"I don't know," Lucy said. "Maybe you didn't really want to." Tessa's heart tightened. Lucy had always been wise beyond her years, she was probably onto something. Was that why Tessa hadn't seen Aslan either? Had it been because she truly did not wish to see him?
"You always knew we'd be coming back here, didn't you?" Susan questioned; but it sounded at if she knew the answer.
"I had hoped so," Lucy said simply.
"I just got used to the idea of living in England." The sadness in Susan's voice was quite apparent and Tessa understood. Being back in Narnia… it was both joyous and heartbreaking.
"But you're happy to be here, aren't you?" It sounded as if Lucy had fully sat up, but Tessa couldn't tell without actually moving. She sounded worried.
"While it lasts," said Susan.
Tessa's mind drifted. While it lasts... She blinked open her eyes to the soft sunlight peeking through the trees.
Turning slightly, she felt a weight over her chest and saw Peter's arm wrapped around her. Some habits never die, she mused.
Tessa quietly lifted his arm and set it on the ground next to her, brushing away his hair and planting a kiss on his forehead as she stood up. Sure he might have been acting out recently, but it wasn't anything she hadn't done before. She loved him. How he was acting wouldn't change that.
As quietly as she could, she walked out of the camp. She trailed her fingers ever so slightly against the pink leaves of the trees as she recalled the nymphs Of so long ago. It was moments like this, when her mind was free to follow its own path when the sorrow truly gripped her.
When they had returned to London, Tessa had felt as though she were drowning. Weeks had somewhat assuaged her pain, turning the gasping breaths and constant pain blooming in her chest into a dull ache. A familiar friend. She had told herself many a night when she lay awake crying that if she were back in Narnia, things would be different.
It wasn't sadness digging the painful daggers in her side- but the bitter sting of irony. Here she was back in Narnia, and nothing had changed. To her, it seemed she would never escape the stormcloud surrounding her heart. Peter, and the other Pevensies, were simply the small shafts of sunlight peeking through the dark clouds.
A low growl suddenly caused her to stop in her tracks. Turning around carefully, she came face to face with a Minotaur. A familiar foe.
She reached back for her swords, only to grasp loosely at air. A year back in London had softened her. Her swords lay where she had been sleeping.
The Minotaur lunged for her, but luckily she still retained some of her instincts. She ducked quickly and to the side.
Before she could retaliate, a hand wrapped around her arm and gripped it tightly. A grunt escaped her mouth as she struggled.
"Who are you?"
She turned and saw a young man, maybe a few years older than Peter. He had a sword in his other hand and His accent was thick. Black hair curled and lay down near his shoulders, his eyes equally dark. Telmarine.
"I could ask the same of you!" Tessa grunted through clenched teeth, and she knocked her head back into his, causing his grip to release as she spun away from him. A Burst of pain caused her to stumble ever so slightly, but before anything could happen Peter stepped from the cover of the trees.
His sword was drawn and with a mere tilt of his head Tessa drew closer to his side, a conversation passed silently in a glance. Yes, she was in pain but it was temporary. Yes, she forgot her swords. Yes, begrudgingly, she needed his help.
Proud and angry, Peter had swung forward at the man. However the stranger was quick on his feet and as he ducked the blow, Rhindon was lodged nearly hilt deep in the tree behind him.
A mighty tug revealed the blade to be stuck to deep to bother with it then, so Peter resorted to combat skills. However, his momentary distraction had been used against him and Peter was pushed a few feet back.
Tessa has not been standing idle, however, and using the stranger's lack of attention: Wolf-whistled. No sooner had Peter turned his eyes to hers did he catch the rather large rock she had lobbed his way.
He laughed Airily and was once again back on his feet. In one motion he had lunged for the man- rock in hand but the stranger had dislodged Rhindon. Rock against sword. Tessa was rushing forward with naught but the strength of her hands, but a clear voice cut through the forest air.
Lucy.
Tessa used their lapse of focus to place herself between the two men, her hand reached behind her to intertwine itself with her husbands.
He pulled her closer to him, his mind clearly working it's way through their predicament.
"Prince Caspian?"
Tessa's head turned quickly and her eyes flickered between Peter and the stranger. Could it be? It was true he was Telmarine… but he was just a boy! A foolish headstrong boy…
Tessa was flooded with a sense of foreboding. Two foolish headstrong boys in contradicting positions of power would never end well.
"Yes, and who are you?" His- Caspain's voice was clipped and heavy with a foreign accent, and his eyes wandered over them in disdain. By now she had already gathered he had no idea who they truly were. She couldn't help the smile rising on her face. This would be fun.
"Peter! Tessa!" Susan's reprimand rang through the now silent forest, a few birds flew off in a flurry of feathers and cries. Appearing alongside his sisters, Edmund lingered in hesitation. She noticed he held her swords and she breathed a sigh of relief. If things were to turn south now, Ed would easily be able to pass her her weapons.
She could see the wheels turning in the Telmarine Princes' mind, the pieces slowly coming together into clarity. Glancing down at the sword in his hand, he looked back up at Peter with wide eyes.
"High King Peter?"
"I believe you called," Peter replied with a haughty grin and Tessa let out a small chuckle, her thumb sweeping over Peter's palm in a small gesture of habit.
"Well yes, but…" his gaze shifted from Peter to Tessa, strictly scrutinizing their appearances to the legends. "I thought you'd be older..." She felt Peter stiffen behind her.
"Well, if you'd like, we can come back in a few years."
His voice created a crystal clear image in her mind, she did not have to turn to see his expression. She knew the glint of battle was back in his eye. He was daring the prince to continue down that dangerous path.
"No!" Caspian seemed surprised at his own outburst. "No, that's alright. You're just... You're not exactly what I expected!" His gaze turned from them to the others- though it lingered slightly longer on Susan.
Always the diplomat, Edmund had drawn closer instinctively. He too knew Peter's tone of voice meant danger- meant veering too close to a cliff he knew his brother could never crawl back up.
"Neither are you," Ed shrugged but he too stiffened at the sight of the Minotaurs. Prejudices were not so easily overcome, even for the Just King.
A badger had noticed his wariness, and stepped forth from the shelter of the trees. "A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes."
It was comforting to be once more in the presence of true narnians.
"We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service," a small mouse, another Narnian, bowed towards her and Peter. He was equipped with a sword about the size of a letter opener and a small hat. A small part of her heart felt an urge to crush the little creature into a hug- but she knew the pride of a mouse was a terrible thing to wound.
However, Lucy had not come so close with these narnians and before Tessa could stop her, had leant towards Susan to coo: "Oh my gosh, he is so cute!"
The mouse in question drew his sword, pointing wildly in Lucy's general direction.
"Who said that?!" He demanded, and Lucy smiled sheepishly and apologized. He was taken aback by the fact that the culprit was a queen, and he paused unprepared and apologetic.
"Oh, uh... your majesty. With the greatest respect...I do believe courageous, courteous, or chivalrous might more befit a knight of Narnia," he replied kindly and twisted his sword between his small paws.
"Well," Peter smiled down at the small soldier, "at least we know some of you can handle a blade."
The dig did not go unnoticed, and she saw Caspian narrow his eyes. Tessa set a small glance in Peter's direction. To the untrained eye, he appeared at ease, but she saw the way his shoulders and back had straightened and how his chin rose. It was a matter of title, of honor. Tessa knew it was best to let the poor prince figure out for himself just who he had surrounded himself with.
"Yes, indeed," the mouse replied. "And I have recently put it to good use acquiring weapons for your army, sire."
"That's Good. Because we're going to need every sword we can get," Peter smiled and Tessa nodded.
"Put it to good use indeed," she tilted her head towards the small creature. "Thank you." He sheepishly accepted her gratitude.
"Well then," clearing his throat, Caspian held out Rhindon. "You'll probably be wanting yours back."