A/N: As per my previous note, I am so sorry this chapter has been so long in coming. As I said, I've been unwell and unable to write, thanks for your understanding and patience.

In this chapter I wanted to get inside Caspian's head a little. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of C.S. Lewis's works and make no profit out of this - I wish!

Caspian emerged from his cabin the next morning to find that everyone else, bar Eustace who was still keeping to his bunk, was up. He noticed that the Pevensies were on deck and appeared to be helping the sailors. He himself had not taken part in any of the ship's duties, preferring to keep a strict boundary between himself and the crew, but if the Pevensies were doing it … perhaps it would be a way to win them over …

Dressing quickly, Caspian joined the Kings and Queens, he had something that he needed to do, which he should have done yesterday but he had been waiting to see if Peter would mention it first. But now that he had decided to try to win the Kings over …

"Susan, all of you, could you follow me to Susan and Lucy's cabin? I have some items that I need to give you all."

As they walked to the cabin Caspian linked his arm with Lucy rather than with Susan as the Pevensies might have expected. He wanted Susan to question why he did not seek her out, why he did not grasp opportunities to touch her. He would wait until she was ready, wanting contact, craving his touch before he made his move.

Entering the cabin, Caspian moved to a storage cabinet in the wall, removing Susan's bow and arrows and horn he handed them to her with a smile.

"Take back what is your own My Queen." He said to her tenderly, ensuring that his fingers brushed against hers as she took them. Caspian noted with satisfaction the slight catch in her breath and colouring in her cheeks as their hands touched.

Next, he drew out a small dagger and a crystal bottle on a belt.

"My healing cordial and dagger!" Lucy exclaimed darting forward before remembering herself.

"Oh … may I?" she asked.

"Of course, they are yours" Caspian smiled at the young Queen.

Next to Susan she was his favourite. Queen Lucy was always ready to see the best in people, she never judged, never censured. With this thought his gaze was drawn to the Just King's. Even in Caspian's day when much else had been forgotten the Just King was remembered for his unfaltering judgement. As he looked at the young King he saw that Edmund's eyes were focused on him, Peter's however were watching his sword.

Caspian was no fool. He had seen the High King's glance move often to Caspian's sword … Peter's sword, the one that Caspian had promised to return to the treasure chamber at Cair Paravel. That promise he had not kept; he had worn Peter's sword as his own every day since.

When he had noticed the High King's indignant glances towards his sword Caspian had stubbornly decided to let the High King wait, to make him ask for the sword back. However now … now he could use the presence of the sword to greater advantage.

Unbuckling the scabbard from his belt, Caspian handed Peter his sword with a bow.

"I have kept this safe for you King Peter, in Cair Paravel as you instructed" he lied smoothly. "But when I planned to come on this journey. I had a premonition, or perhaps it was only a fool's hope," here he glanced lovingly to Susan, "that you might join me on my journey and so I had all the royal weapons recovered and brought on board in case we might encounter you."

Caspian looked back to the High King who did not look entirely convinced by his story. To break the tension Caspian bent once more to the cupboard.

"I saved this for you" he said turning to Edmund and tossing him his torch.

"Oh … thanks!"

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That night Caspian tossed and turned in the bed in his cabin.

He could not sleep. Indeed, he rarely had a sound sleep.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw their faces in front of him, their eyes silently accusing him even as he slept.

Caspian sighed and turned in the bed trying to find a more comfortable position. He waited for sleep to come and eventually it did and with it the dreams and with the dreams … nightmares …

… Miraz was before King Peter, on his knees

Peter stared at the usurper his face unreadable.

"What's the matter boy?" Miraz sneered. "Too cowardly to take a life?"

Peter straightened, he had never looked more Kingly as he replied, "It's not mine to take!"

A thousand thoughts flashed through Caspian's head as the High King handed him the sword.

Then his uncle had looked him in the eye.

"Perhaps I was wrong. It seems you have the makings of a good Telmarine king after all."

Miraz bowed his head.

"Perhaps I have!"

Caspian raised the sword, muscles taught as he screamed, and stabbed …

Stabbed out the life that took his father's

Stabbed the uncle that had never loved him

Stabbed away the memory of the past … of being helpless, of having no control. As he drove the sword home and watched the light disappear from his uncle's eyes, Caspian vowed he would never let anyone put him in that position again.

As Caspian walked away the silence from the Narnians was deafening.

Lord Sopespian walked towards his King's lifeless body his eyes fixed on Caspian, a mixture of fear and trepidation in them and Caspian looking back at the Lord … found that he liked it …

Caspian shifted in his sleep again and drifted back into another dream …

… The Telmarines had surrendered.

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian knelt before Aslan.

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia."

Caspian stood alongside the Pevensies. Proud that he had won the right to be called King. Proud that he was ready to be King of the Narnians.

Aslan fixed his gaze on Caspian and the Young King thought that he could see something like censure in his eyes.

"Walk with me Caspian" the lion commanded …

Caspian frowned and turned in his sleep. Aslan had reprimanded him for killing his uncle in cold blood. Had warned him that he stood on the precipice of a dangerous path. Words that were later echoed by Peter. Words that he was of no mind to listen to … he would not be told what to do, never again! Caspian's mind drifted into another dream …

… Once again, he was sitting in his throne room staring sternly at the Telmarine Lords, those who had elected to stay in Narnia.

He had waited for this moment.

Waited until the Pevensies and Aslan were gone.

Waited until there was no one who could or would gainsay his decisions.

A frown marred his handsome face as he sat looking down on them where he had left them kneeling before him, his thumb clicking on the cross guard of Peter's sword.

The sword that he had promised he would leave back in the Treasure room of Cair Paravel.

The sword he intended to keep.

The sword with which he had killed his uncle … their King. The King that every last one of them had pledged fealty to.

These men had followed his uncle into war against him, knowing full well that it was he, not Miraz who had claim to the Throne and title of King. Caspian let them sweat while he continued to glare at them.

One of the Lords shifted on his knees, "Your Majesty … " he began but Caspian cut across him.

"We did not give you permission to speak, my Lord."

The Lord subsided and cast his eyes to the floor once more. After a short pause Caspian spoke again.

"Do you know the penalty for Treason under Telmarine law?" he asked them softly.

As one the Telmarine Lords looked up at their King, their eyes wide with shock; the penalty for Treason under Telmarine law was death by hanging.

"But My King!" the one who had spoken before objected. "We are in Narnia … not Telmar!"

"Indeed!" Caspian sneered. "You would have done well to think of that when you fought against the Narnians!"

"Caspian!"

It was Trumpkin. The crotchety old dwarf was a constant pain in his side. The only one left who dared question him, to advise against his actions and decisions.

Caspian looked to the dwarf with a raised eyebrow and a warning look in his eye.

"Your Majesty" the dwarf continued in a more respectful tone "these Lords decided to stay in Narnia, does that not make them punishable under Narnian law?"

Caspian frowned, there was no death sentence for anything under Narnian law, the toughest penalty was imprisonment or exile. Trumpkin should learn to keep his mouth shut, should learn his place. Were the dwarf not so popular he would … well he would do what he wished, because he, not the dwarf was King.

"Yes, Master Dwarf" he countered. "But why did they stay … was it because they wished to be Narnian?" The Lords all nodded and murmured their agreement, but Caspian was not finished.

"Or was it because they wished to spy on me in my own court? To undermine me. Perhaps they wish to place a new King on the throne. It may be that one of them wishes to be King!"

The Lords words were stumbling over themselves as they tried to deny the charges. Trumpkin spoke up once again.

"King Edmund the Just had a saying that he said came from Spare Oom." He raised an eyebrow at the Young King.

"Innocent until Proven Guilty!"

"It is good then Master Dwarf that we are not in Spare Oom, is it not" Caspian retorted glaring at the dwarf.

He turned again to the Telmarine Lords who were looking at him with fear in their eyes. Their families too stood at the back of the Throne room staring at Caspian with apprehension. In Telmarine law, if the crime was great enough, punishment was meted out to the whole family and not just the one who perpetrated the crime. The whole family deemed culpable.

All those eyes … looking at him … pleading with him … fearing him …

Caspian awoke with a start.

Those eyes … no matter what he did he could not forget their eyes … the Lords … their wives … their children …

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"Out with it D.L.F."

"Horns and Halibuts Your Majesty … who says that I was going to say anything!"

They were standing at the rail of the ship watching the sun rise. It was the first time the two of them had managed to be alone since they had boarded the ship. Every time the dwarf came on deck, Caspian seemed to appear out of nowhere to join them. It was almost as if Caspian did not want anyone to talk to Trumpkin.

Edmund raised one ebony brow at the dwarf.

"Have it your way Trumpkin!" he said. "But you've been staring at me since we arrived, as if you have something on your chest."

"Hrumph!"

"Well!" Edmund drawled. "I'm glad we had this talk … if there's anything else, any vague noises you just can't do without expressing, do let me know." Edmund made as if to leave.

"It's Caspian!"

Edmund turned back to his friend a rueful smile on his face.

"I rather thought it might be" he admitted.

Trumpkin shifted where he stood, seemingly uncomfortable with what he had to say. Edmund waited. He knew the power of waiting for someone else to speak, knew that when presented with silence most people felt an almost uncontrollable urge to fill it.

"He has not told you … that is he does not wish you to know … "

Trumpkin paused, obviously struggling.

"Thimbles and Thunderstorms! I do not know how to tell you!"

"Tell him what?"

Unnoticed by Edmund and Trumpkin, Caspian had come on deck and now stood behind them where they had been leaning on the rail. Edmund cursed himself for not being more mindful of his surroundings.

As for Trumpkin he turned alternate shades of deep red and pale white. If Edmund did not know any better, he would have said that his friend was afraid of the King. Trumpkin's mouth after hanging open clamped shut. Only to open again – an answer must be given.

"Only that he and his brother and sisters were missed in Narnia … I missed them." Said the dwarf turning crimson again with embarrassment as he supplied not what he had been going to say, but a truth none the less, one that he was mortified that he had admitted. With a gruff nod at the two Kings Trumpkin stomped away muttering under his breath.

Edmund and Caspian stared after the cantankerous dwarf and then glanced at each other. As one the two burst into laughter. With that shared laugh it felt as if some invisible barrier between the two had, although not broken, had at least lowered a little.

That's all for now - promise I'll update more regularly - please review

Maedhbh