Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters and plots. The original universe and everything in it belong to C. S. Lewis. All photos used of film characters belong to Walt Disney Pictures. The content I have written is fanfiction and its only purpose is to inspire creativity and to further immerse oneself in the universe C. S. Lewis has created.
"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different…"
- C.S. Lewis, "Prince Caspian" (1951)
Chapter 9 – Love, Loss & Family – August 2315 – Narnia
Susan and Caspian
It had been a dreadfully dull morning. Summer rain – damp and wet – poured from the grey sky in a constant stream. The subsequent fog that followed the misty weather had every inhabitant in the castle feeling sluggish and apathetic. Even the horses in the stables and the dogs in the kennel were awfully quiet, and seemed disinterested in one another and the food they were served by their masters.
The King's council was dismissed early as no one had any interest in debating or fighting over this morning's topics of conversation. Lucy, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter and a few other Narnians had left the eve before to journey to the Western March to discover what was left of the Beaver's Dam, the lamp-post and Mr. Tumnus' home. As a result, the castle was less chatty, and the jokes and liveliness had all but fled from the halls.
King Caspian was the only one that seemed to have an extra spring in his step this morning. Though he did not particularly enjoy the weather, his mood could not be lessened as he all but dashed through the castle corridors. He was late for a very important rendezvous with Queen Susan. He had promised to meet her by the conservatory by ten o'clock, but now mid-day was approaching fast.
He patted the bulge in the right pocket of his doublet to make sure the small, but not insignificant in sentimental value, gift still lay comfortably and safe within the cloth. His uncle Miraz had not been a doting father-figure, nor had he been a particularly adoring husband to his wife, and so Caspian had little knowledge of the courting of women, and he had few to learn from, but he trusted that he knew Susan well enough that this gift would be appreciated. And most importantly that she would understand the meaning of such an offering.
His heart swelled as he caught sight of her standing by herself, close to the double-glass doors that led into the greenhouse. He reminded himself that she would need the full grand tour of the conservatory, before he even thought about presenting her his tribute. As he came closer, he noticed how she was utterly drenched by the rain. Big, fat droplets of water fell from the sky and landed in her already wet hair. She did not seem to care as her eyes met his, and her lips stretched into a wide grin. Was he truly that late?
He came to a standstill in front of her.
Susan playfully raised an eyebrow. "You're late."
"My apologies, my queen. The council ran late." Caspian said, sheepishly running a hand through his hair. The rain drizzled down the back of his neck, but it did not bother him much.
"Liar. I met with Doctor Cornelius not half an hour ago. He said you'd barely started the session before everyone agreed to adjourn later due to the poor weather." Susan teased.
Caspian huffed. "How is it, that after only two months in our presence, you know everything the second it happens?"
"I have younger siblings, and my reign lasted fifteen years; it happens naturally after a while." Susan commented merrily. "Now, why you felt the need to lie about it, is something I cannot fathom on my own."
"I was planning on leaving council proceedings to Doctor Cornelius so I could share this morning with you." Caspian started.
"But then the weather happened?" Susan interrupted him, the slightest hint of sarcasm bleeding into her voice.
"Only a pitiful excuse for a respite. The noble lords and the Narnians are merely tired of fighting over miniscule details in the peace treaty." He found himself fascinated by a drop of water that slid from her delicate cheekbone, and down her chin. "But the wretched weather wasn't helping I suppose." He added.
"Well, let's look at the bright side." Susan said diplomatically. "At least everyone agreed on something in the council for a change."
"A small victory." Caspian admitted tiredly.
"But a victory none the less." Susan smiled kindly. "Doesn't explain why you're late though."
"I forgot something." Caspian defended vaguely.
"You forgot something? Consider my interest peaked, your highness." Susan stepped closer, admiring how the rain darkened the colour of his hair even further.
"It's a surprise for later."
"I loathe surprises." Susan complained and swatted his forearm.
"So, you've said. Please allow me to distract you then." Caspian grinned and reached for the door handle. "Follow me."
Together they stepped inside, and the humid air combined with the potent smell of vegetation stung sharply as they began their tour. Caspian explained the history of the building as they walked through the various sections in the greenhouse.
It was built over a hundred years ago by an elderly King Caspian the Seventh; his only remaining wish to retire among the greenery he had been so fond of his entire life. It was built of warm yellow stone with glass windows and roofs, and it was sectioned into eight different adjoined buildings and gardens. It measured up to five acres, and it was the most exquisite conservatory Susan had ever seen. She had been to Kew Gardens as a young girl with her classmates to observe and draw waterlilies, but it simply could not measure up to the magical atmosphere created within these stone and glass walls.
"And to think Telmarines did not believe in magic." Susan wondered aloud as she marvelled at the beauty of the flora before her.
Caspian chuckled at her comment, and led her further into the greenhouse.
They stopped briefly to admire the blooming gardens with its abundance of different flowering plants. There were hyacinths, sunflowers, poppies, snowdrops and roses of all colours covering multiple patches of grass. Some of the flowers had grown onto each other's plots leaving vibrant fields of plants to crossbreed into unknown and new variants of plant life.
They passed the orangery where Caspian the Seventh's groundskeepers had planted more than a thousand trees in boxes. There were palm trees, olive- and evergreen trees, and many different citrus-fruit trees. Susan spotted limes, oranges, lemons and grapefruits, but no tangerines. She'd have to remember to ask Caspian about that. There were also pomegranates, apples, cherries, mulberries and walnuts growing plentifully under the watchful eyes of the gardeners.
The next stop on their tour were the vegetable patches, where tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce thrived within their respectable plots. Before long they had also passed several aquatic gardens in which various fish and amphibians enjoyed the large space they had been designated. The morning passed too quickly as they enjoyed each other's company, and as they'd settled on a divan in the sun room, the two royals were faced with the dread of soon having to part. Susan had agreed to teach a herd of centaur-younglings archery, and Caspian had obligations to meet with a couple of farmers quarrelling over fertile soil.
"Caspian?" Susan inquired after a moment of silence as they enjoyed the sound of raining hitting the glass roof. "I was wondering…" She trailed off.
"Yes?" Caspian turned to her, allowing himself to become lost in her pensive eyes.
Susan blushed at his gaze. His adoring stares did not bother her like the stares of other men used to. Perhaps it was because she unexplainably adored him as well, or perhaps it was just because she was a woman twice grown and had learned to appreciate the kindness and love Caspian offered so willingly.
In this particular moment it did not matter she decided, and proceeded with the question she had been aching to ask him since he'd shown her the orchard.
"I couldn't help but notice there were no tangerine trees in the orangery. Why is that?"
A shadow came over Caspian's face as he mutely stared at the yellow, ceramic floor.
"There was once a grove of them in my mother's garden as I've told you." He finally spoke. "My father wanted the trees relocated to this greenhouse as he could no longer bring himself to visit her garden after her death."
Susan delicately took his hand in hers. She loved how well they fit once their fingers were laced together. "And?" She prompted after another moment of silence.
"And then Miraz had the groundskeepers uproot each and every one of them after I kept hiding there after my father had passed on." Caspian gritted through clenched teeth. "I was ten."
"That's horrid!" Susan felt her heart break a little as she imagined a young Caspian mourning his father.
A darkness had crept into Caspian's eyes as he continued, bitterness and resentment filling his voice and words. "Miraz murdered him in cold blood, and then had the audacity to cover up his treason by passing it off as a sudden decline in the King's health."
Susan squeezed his hand in comfort, but to little avail as Caspian's temper flared.
"My father was a great man! Despite his flaws concerning the Narnians." He spat out. "And Miraz was only a tyrant pretender!"
"Caspian." Susan brought a palm to linger on his cheek as she turned his face towards her, bringing him close. "You have avenged your father, and set things right. Do not let this anger consume you."
Caspian leant into her touch. "Sometimes I wonder if it's anger or fear of loneliness." His fury was gone, replaced by a melancholy more befitting an old man than a young King of only nineteen years. "Ever since I was a boy, Miraz tried to isolate me. To make sure I had no one else to turn to than him. He's manipulated so many."
Susan pressed a kiss to their joined hands. "He's gone now. He can torment you no longer."
"I can still hear his voice, taunting me, spreading venomous lies. It pains me." Caspian almost whispered.
Susan knew the feeling all too well. "I know how you feel. But the voices will fade, and the pain will get better with time."
Caspian wanted to ask what had once happened to her, but knew her well enough now to leave it. Susan had assured him she would eventually tell him everything. Someday, she had promised him in the woods on his birthday.
"When I'm with you the pain fades, Susan." He confessed openly. "The voices go mute."
Her heart swelled as she was rendered speechless by his admission. Abandoning all sense of decorum, Susan closed the gap between them and kissed him deeply. They both sighed in unison as their tongues met and they could taste each other. They kissed as often as they could these days; a stolen kiss behind a pillar in the castle or a longer, passionate kiss in a hidden alcove.
Caspian closed his eyes and exhaled as her delicate hand slid underneath his tunic, her fingernails faintly scraping down his chest and her breasts pressed against his abdomen. The smell of her hair and perfume was everywhere, and her affectionate and enthusiastic kisses slowly turned his brain to mush.
"Wait." It pained him to pull away from her, but he had to give her his gift before he forgot, and they both had to leave to attend their duties.
"Is something wrong?" Susan breathed heavily as she removed her hand and straightened herself.
"No. Heavens, no." Caspian grinned boyishly and kissed Susan's flushed cheeks. He reached into the right pocket of his doublet and retrieved an oblong shaped, velvet case. He handed it to Susan and watched as her expression shifted from confused to stunned.
"What's this?" She traced the velvet box and the golden latch keeping it closed.
"It's my surprise." Caspian reminded her with a coy wink.
Susan rolled her eyes, but still smiled widely. "I still hate surprises."
"Just open it."
Inside the casing lay a necklace. It looked old; it's silver chain heavy and adorned with a pendant. The pendant itself was a black tourmaline gemstone surrounded by a silver foxtail pattern.
"It's said that this gemstone can help the bearer overcome dark feelings and help nurture and heal the soul." Caspian explained. "It belonged to my mother. I believe it was a favourite of hers."
While Susan was deeply moved and stunned by the gift, she shook her head as she stammered. "Caspian, I can't – I can't accept this."
"Why not?" Caspian breathed close to her ear. His scent was overwhelming her.
"Because it's such a precious necklace. It should only be given to someone who-" Susan fell silent.
"Someone who holds my heart?" Caspian finished as they gazed into each other's eyes. "If you accept and wear this necklace, I'll know you feel the same."
Susan exhaled nervously. "If I accept and wear this necklace, everyone at court will know your intentions."
"So?" Caspian replied unabashedly.
"If you promise yourself to someone like me, you'll discard many other arrangements that may be better suited, politically speaking. It may offend many of the Telmarine noblemen if you do not even consider their daughters for marriage, or better yet princesses from other kingdoms." Susan spoke quickly, forcing herself to approach the subject as an advisor to the crown, and not a woman who the King had just declared for.
Caspian stood abruptly. "Is everything supposed to be a political scheme? I thought we'd grown closer these last few months, that our feelings for each other were true."
"They are!" Susan despaired. "But Caspian, Narnia is in a delicate situation, and we cannot afford to lose support or cause any insult, justified or not."
Caspian scoffed as he paced back and forth. "Is this a game to you?" His eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
"No! Of course not!" Susan exclaimed horrified as she stood in front of him.
"It must be if you reject me, after we've spent months in each other's company." Caspian seethed, vaguely registering in the back of his mind that he should walk away and cool off before he said something he might regret.
"I'm only saying it's too early to declare our intentions for each other." Susan pleaded with him as she stepped forward and tried to cup his cheek.
"So that we may continue fooling the lords and ladies at court? I won't make a mockery of my reign by pretending that I do not love you." Caspian spoke furiously and rejected her embrace.
"No, you misunderstand-" Susan tried.
"I have to go. I need to think about what you have said." He interrupted her and tore himself away from her, storming out of sight before Susan could get out another word.
"Please, don't go!" She called after him in vain, tears pouring from her eyes as she pressed the velvet jewellery case desperately close to her chest. Loud sobs escaped her lips as she fell backwards, landing harshly on the divan.
"Please, come back." She whimpered into the air, hopelessly willing him to return to her.
Lucy, Trumpkin and Trufflehunter
Far away from the quarrelling lovers in the capital, Lucy and her company had finally begun their journey back from the Western March. The setting sun was still shining warmly on their faces as they walked through the green forests and fields, laughing and enjoying each other's company.
Lucy walked with Trumpkin and Trufflehunter, partly listening in on their conversation about hidden underground dwarf mines yet to be re-discovered, and partly lost in her own thoughts. She had thought that visiting the Beaver's Dam and Mr. Tumnus' old home would give her some recollection of the old Narnia she had left behind, scarcely a year ago in her own time.
But, sadly, seeing the overgrown wood and neglected parts of Narnia did not stir the feelings of home she had hoped for. Once the company had discovered the lamp-post, she'd barely been able to guide them to Mr. Tumnus' home, and if she was honest with herself, which she made a habit to be, it felt like pure luck that she'd been able to stumble upon it.
To her siblings it seemed that Lucy was overjoyed to be back in Narnia, and that her unwavering faith in Aslan helped her overcome the grief of losing her friends during their thousand-year absence. There was truth in those statements, but sometimes Lucy, like Susan, wished she had never returned in the first place. And while Lucy believed in Aslan's wisdom more than anyone, she found herself doubting his intentions at times.
Moreover, she was a grown woman trapped in a child's body. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to navigate her wishes and will when everyone treated her like the girl she looked like in stature. It had been easy to forget when she lived in England, because school work and reuniting with her mother and father had kept her plenty busy. Being queen again, whilst not really having any tasks in relation to ruling, was challenging. And whilst she thought of Caspian as another dear brother more than Narnia's new King, she did feel overlooked compared to her older siblings. It wasn't his fault really, she too would've entrusted the political assignments to Susan and Edmund, and there was no one better suited to handling the army or prisoners than Peter.
Lucy sighed. More than anything she wished Pippa was here. They had always understood each other, and Pippa would've listened to her without passing judgement, or disregard her opinion. Susan had tried to fill the void Pippa left behind, but she was becoming more and more preoccupied with her Telmarine King to notice that Lucy needed her.
Lucy felt the familiar sting of jealousy burn in her heart as she thought of Susan and Caspian. How lucky they were to have found each other, when she herself had lost Peridan. Of course, that was not their fault either, but Lucy could not help herself from feeling envious. A sadness came over her every time she thought about her lost love. What hurt the most was having missed the chance to say goodbye. Even that would've lessened the pain just a little.
"Bulbs and bolsters! I've never heard you this mute!" Trumpkin exclaimed, startling Lucy so much she nearly lost her footing. "My dear little friend." He added as an afterthought when Trufflehunter looked at him disapprovingly.
Lucy giggled. "I'm sorry, D.L.F. My mind was elsewhere."
"Thinking of old Narnia, your majesty?" Trufflehunter guessed correctly.
Lucy nodded.
"Aye, but that was the whole point of this excursion, wasn't it?" Trumpkin added bluntly.
"It was." Lucy confirmed. "But all the same, it wasn't quite how I imagined it."
"If I may be of service, your majesty, my family of badgers have centuries worth of stories from after your reign to entertain us while we travel." Trufflehunter offered cheerfully.
"I'm sure that'll cheer you up, lass." Trumpkin added.
Lucy was intrigued by the badger's statement. "Do you? Do you know what happened after we left Narnia all those years ago?"
Trufflehunter hesitated. "With all due respect, my Queen, that is not a cheerful tale."
"Dear badger, do not mistake me for a youngling incapable of harsh truths. I am a woman grown." Lucy reminded her companions with a friendly smile, though her appearance reflected the Queen she truly was.
Trufflehunter bowed before her. "My apologies, your majesty. If these are the stories you wish to hear, I have plenty of knowledge of the end of the Golden Age. In fact-" The badger hesitated again.
"Yes?" Lucy was both impatient and eager to hear the tales Trufflehunter could share with her. Perhaps this was exactly what she needed to get some closure?
"In fact, I am a bit surprised you haven't reached out to me earlier, your majesty." Trufflehunter clarified.
"What makes you say that, dear badger?" Lucy asked surprised.
"Well, because of lady Philippa." Trufflehunter said thoughtfully. "May Aslan keep her soul." He added respectfully. "I shared some stories with her before we met up with your majesties in the woods. She too was quite eager to know of what passed after your reign ended."
Intrigued, Lucy asked Trufflehunter to tell her everything he had told Pippa.
Trufflehunter complied, and as they kept walking; wanting to reach Caspian's castle before nightfall, he told her about Peridan and lord Talon's treachery and how it all came to pass in the end; giving the Telmarines access to invade and declare themselves rulers of Narnia.
Lucy thanked him for telling the tale, and excused herself. She left Trumpkin and Trufflehunter behind, walking ahead to the front of the company where a faun that shared a bloodline with her dear Mr. Tumnus guarded the moving party. They walked in silence as Lucy contemplated the information she had just received.
Peridan had crowned himself King after their disappearance. How long after, Trufflehunter could not say, but it had to have happened swiftly; lord Talon was not one for idly sitting by whilst chaos ensued. Peridan and lord Talon had used his relationship with her to gain the council's trust, all the while having planned the Telmarine invasion behind everyone's backs. While her heart broke on behalf of her people's suffering, she was shocked by the detail the badger shared at the end of his tale.
Reluctantly he had confessed that Pippa had asked him to keep this knowledge secret from her. Pippa had known the truth that time they had sat in the How, waiting for the others to return from their mission. And she had kept silent about it, even as Lucy had mourned her supposedly faithful love. Why? What reason could she have for lying to her?
Pippa's betrayal hurt worse than Peridan's deceit. Lucy had always been unsure of how deep her love for him ran, and whether marriage was the true path for them, but she had never doubted Pippa's integrity. What else could she have purposefully withheld from her over the years? There was nothing Lucy had not told her, and up until today she'd thought that had been a mutual arrangement.
Lucy, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter and the rest arrived at Caspian's castle just after nightfall. Lucy was grateful for the darkness as angry tears had formed in her eyes, and she was sure her cheeks had reddened as they always did when she was upset.
Glenstorm greeted the travellers by the drawbridge. As they entered the courtyard, he turned to Lucy.
"How was your trip, your majesty?"
"Enlightening." Lucy answered shortly, not trusting herself to elaborate further in case she would burst out crying. "Where are my brothers and sister?" She asked instead.
"Queen Susan is in her chambers, she's asked not to be disturbed, your majesty." Glenstorm explained. "And I do believe High King Peter and King Edmund are in the city gambling, your majesty."
"Gambling?" Lucy questioned incredulously. This information caught her off guard, and she decided it was the perfect distraction. "Well, this I must see." She chuckled.
Glenstorm smiled sheepishly. "I'm afraid High King Peter insisted that you be kept away from the taverns. Said he wouldn't want you anywhere near the drunken sailors or the like."
Lucy tried her best to laugh off the disappointment and rejection with dignity. "Of course, drunken sailors are not proper company for a Queen to keep. I bid you goodnight." With all the grace she could muster, Lucy picked up her skirts and fled to her private rooms where she intended to cry her heart out as soon as she'd bolted the doors.
Peter and Edmund
It had been Edmund's idea to venture into the city and enjoy some dark ale at a tavern. Peter had only relented after ensuring they would not venture into any alehouse where women readily threw themselves at men with coins in their pocket.
Edmund had complained endlessly, but quickly shut his mouth when Peter had to remind him that even though he was a King, no barmaids would be interested in entertaining a fourteen-year-old boy. Edmund had blushed and muttered to himself how unfairly life treated him at this moment.
One of the Telmarine guards had known of a tavern where pirates frequently played dice, and so that had been their destination for the night. Peter and Edmund were currently seated at a table in the far back of the bar with their guards, disguised as common folk, and two rather drunk pirates. One of them was trying for the fifth time to explain the game.
"Sooo…" He slurred. "Pirate poker is a dice game." He hiccupped.
"A game o' chance." His companion added. The pirate was wearing a burgundy vest adorned with small golden bells. Another set of gaudy bells dangled in his ears and made quite a lot of noise as he spoke.
"You play for high stakes – gold or favours. If you ain't got money, we'll play any way, and if I win, you'll owe me something instead. And vice versa o' course." The first pirate continued.
"We've got gold." Peter threw a full purse of gold coins on the table.
"Excellent!" The bejewelled pirate coveted the gold with hunger in his eyes.
"We each get five six-sided dice." The first pirate handed Peter a cup containing his dice. "One o' us rolls first and claims what we 'ave on hand."
"Straight flush, four of a kind, two pair, full house and so on." Edmund piped up from his place beside Peter.
The first pirate, a man with an enormous red beard covered in foam from the ale he'd been guzzling all night, laughed loudly. "Exactly! This lad gets it!"
Edmund was just as knowledgeable in poker as he was in chess. Peter didn't dare ask where he'd learned and when.
"The one o' doesn't roll his dice has to guess whether the other's claim is a lie or no. It they think yer' lying you 'ave to show yer' hand."
"And if they're lying, they lose the round, yes?" Peter interrupted.
"That's right! And if you ain't lying, you win! Simple!" The red-bearded pirate grinned eagerly. "Ready to play?"
Edmund nodded enthusiastically. It had been too long since he'd played such a game, and he really needed to sharpen his bluffing skills.
"Gentlemen, place yer' bets!" The bejewelled pirate hollered.
Peter let Edmund take charge and play the first few rounds. After that he let the Telmarine guards have their fun as he enjoyed watching, thankful for the distraction. He found he had no need to increase the gold in his purse and as fun as dice was, he preferred playing cards. As the men around the table shouted and had fun, Peter fondly remembered how his father had taught him to play Whist.
I should teach it to Edmund, Peter thought as he watched his little brother beat the other players again and again. Before they'd left Narnia he and Edmund had duelled together and enjoyed competing against each other in horse races, but once they'd returned to England as children, they found that the distance between them had grown again.
Peter did not want them to grow apart when they left this time. He did not think his siblings were aware of it, but Peter felt it in his bones that their time in Narnia was almost up. The feeling had been there ever since they had arrived at the How, but it became overshadowed by Pippa's death.
Suddenly feeling quite overwhelmed by the warm stench of ale and the boisterous men in the small pub, Peter excused himself to get some fresh air. He felt certain that the guards still had their wits about them and could defend Edmund should he manage to irritate the drunken pirates to the point where they'd had enough.
Peter enjoyed a stroll through the lively streets, though he kept away from the crowds and had his hood up in case he was recognized. The summer night was vibrant in both heat, colour and smell. The people around him were in a festive mood; laughing, drinking and singing. A few foolhardy young men had even begun dancing with giggling maidens to an unfamiliar Telmarine tune.
Just as Peter thought he'd return to the tavern to fetch his brother before he accidentally enlisted on a pirate ship, a glimpse of a golden-brown tail disappearing into a secluded alleyway caught his attention. It couldn't be? He wondered.
He turned around and walked briskly as he listened to the common folk whisper amongst themselves. They spoke of a beast, a lion, with velvet paws and a mane with the colour of a thousand suns. Peter felt the familiar warmth and thrill associated with the Great Lion's presence. It was unmistakable. Aslan had returned.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Songs for this chapter:
Harvest – ASKII
La Valse de L'Amour – Patrick Doyle
Two Hornpipes (Tortuga) – Hans Zimmer
Can't Help Falling in Love – Haley Reinhart
Like I'm Gonna Lose You – Meghan Trainor, John Legend
Peter Pevensie – Born 19th of January 1924 (17 years old)
Susan Pevensie – Born 2nd of June 1925 (16 years old)
Edmund Pevensie – Born 6th of March 1927 (14 years old)
Lucy Pevensie – Born 25th of December 1929 (11 years old, turning 12)
King Caspian X – Born 14th of July 2296 (19 years old)