Part 8

The next days were busy ones, for both Narnian and Archenland royalty. Caspian and Arden spent the

days hashing out the affairs of state that had brought the elder king to Narnia. Lucy spent her time

avoiding Tracey and seeking out Altaira and Teddy. She spent time with her family members, and

Trumpkin and Drinian. No one she cared for was left out of her affectionate grasp.

Including, to his very great surprise, Caspian.

She had kept her word, only Lucy herself knowing the cost. She spent what little time Caspian could

carve out with him, being his friend and seeming to expect nothing more. The others would sometimes catch longing looks running between them, but since both parties buried the looks before the other could see, no one felt that they could…or should…comment to either Lucy or Caspian.

Lucy wasn't completely adept in hiding what it took to spend time with the man she loved as just

friends, trying to rebuild what had so nearly shattered.

Edmund and Caspian knew her well enough to see the agony buried deep beneath the surface. Edmund

guessed she was crying herself to sleep and hiding the ravages the sleep loss caused. Caspian just knew something had to give, and Lucy would not be the one to do so.

CoN CL CoN LC

The day of the ball dawned bright and clear. The women were excited, even Lucy. The men were

resigned to just getting through the thing.

Edmund had been very careful not to show his anger toward the friend who had so hurt his sister. He

had made an excuse when Caspian had asked him to spar today, not wanting to risk attacking the KING

in his brotherly rage. (But he HAD beaten a dummy into fragments to release the feelings.) Lucy had

asked him to forgive Caspian, but he had yet to answer that plea. He could not do that without uttering

a lie, and he could not forgive when he wasn't the one who had been wronged.

Caspian understood, and grieved for the damage that had been done to his relationship with his friends.

This was what he had worried about (incessantly) and it had happened anyway. That LUCY was trying to

reassure HIM that they were good hurt his heart.

Caspian had come to a decision the night of the storm. It was like Lucy's door shutting had opened

something in him. He could no longer fight the feelings one small, mahogany-haired, blue eyed, freckle-faced 16-year-old woman had caused to bloom in him. He wasn't WILLING to fight them anymore. The battle had caused the woman he loved damage he might not be able to repair.

Love.

He, Caspian Atencourt the Tenth, King of Narnia, was in love.

With Lucy Pevensie, Queen Lucy the Valiant of the Golden Age.

He huffed out a breath. Now he just had to convince Lucy that he had stopped fighting the feelings, that

he was ready for the change, and convince Edmund he'd do everything in his power not to bruise her

again.

The battle for his crown seemed easy by comparison.

CoN CL CoN LC

Lucy watched as Altaira and Tracey finish dressing in Altaira's room. She had already finished gilding

herself. Now all that remained was building the walls she had established around herself when it came

to Caspian.

The past day or so had been harder on her than she thought. All she wanted to do was throw herself

into Caspian's arms and beg him to love her…that or box his ears for being a clueless fool! She could only allow him so close before the hurt and self-preservation asked her to stop. While she had promised herself…and the man she loved…that they were still friends, she was having trouble keeping that promise. But since she HAD promised, she would play the part if it killed her.

And it just might. Emotionally, anyway. So she built the walls high, hoping to hide the pain from those would see it no matter what.

She was interrupted by Tracey asking, "Do you think Caspian will ask me to dance?"

Lucy REALLY wanted to say "Not a chance." She had watched Caspian with Tracey, and though he was

everything that was polite, he spent no more time with her than necessary. But she knew that watching

them dance together, looking beautiful and right as a pair, might just shred her heart even more than it

was already.

What she said was, "It's possible."

The girls finished and heard a knock on the door. Lucy called "One moment!" She allowed the other

young ladies to exit first, hearing an inhaled breath at Tracey's daring dress from her escort, and an

admiring comment for Altaira's from that escort. She peeked out the door, seeing her family there, and took their arms, ready for the show to begin.

CoN CL CoN LC

Edmund and Eustace looked at their kinswoman and whistled. Lucy laughed. "You are good for my ego,

you guys."

They smiled at her, approaching the ballroom. "You look beautiful, Lucy." Eustace said.

She smiled brightly, bathing her kinsmen in its radiance, and reassuring them slightly. "Thanks."

Eustace let her go and met up with his young friends from Archenland. He fidgeted a little, this being his

first ball, and nervous with it.

Lucy and Edmund were old hands at this, and waited patiently to be announced.

Inside the ballroom, Caspian was trying HIS hardest not to fidget himself. He was impatient to see Lucy,

and wanted the ball over so he could talk to her. He vaguely heard Eustace being announced, then heard

the herald say,

"King Edmund the Just and Queen Lucy the Valiant of Narnia!" Finally!

He looked over…and nearly choked on the sip of punch he'd just had.

She wore his favorite shade on her, a sapphire blue that brought out the red in her hair and darkened

her eyes to midnight. The dress was sleeveless, square cut to show the tops of her breasts; more skin

than he'd ever seen on her, but modest by most standards. It was fashioned to give the illusion of a

corset, shrinking her waist, and molding her figure. The skirt belled to the ground, hiding the low-heeled

slippers she wore in blatant disregard of fashion.

Her hair was pulled up in an updo, showing off her neck and strong shoulders, and in the mass of waves

nestled her crown from the Golden Age.

She was exquisite, and he…he had to get over there before other men noticed that!

He hurried to meet the pair of Pevensies at the bottom of the short staircase. Lucy saw him…and caught

her own breath. He was so handsome!

He wore a stark white shirt, peeking out from the edges of the formal maroon coat cut to fall to midthigh

and left open down the front to reveal a maroon waistcoat. His black pants had designs subtly

worked into the seams in black thread, and his black dress shoes were polished to a gleam.

He wore his crown as if he'd been born wearing it, and looked every inch the handsome Prince (or in his

case, King) Charming.

She was dazzled.

He was enchanted.

Edmund felt superfluous.

He cleared his throat, bringing the would-be lovers to his notice.

"Caspian, may I speak with you?" he asked, his tone suggesting it was not a request.

Caspian bristled inside, but knew the conversation should be had… and probably before the one he

wanted to have with Lucy. He inclined his head. "Of course. Queen Lucy, please save me a dance?" he

requested.

She smiled, puzzled but willing. "Of course."

The two Kings walked over to a nearby alcove, and Lucy moved away from the short staircase to allow

more people to enter the ballroom. She heard a low "wow" and turned to see Teddy standing there,

mouth agape as he stared at her. She laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He nodded. "It IS one." The orchestra struck up a lively tune and he held out his arm. "Care to dance,

Your Majesty?"

Lucy looked over at Caspian, gently biting her lip. He was still speaking to her brother, and the

conversation looked to be heated. She caught his eye, and he looked startled to see Teddy there.

She shrugged as he stared. "I'll keep a dance for you," she mouthed. He nodded reluctantly, and turned

back to her brother's "King Edmund the Just" countenance.

She worried her lip. This was NOT GOOD. Teddy spoke teasingly in her ear. "Does it take that long to

think of your answer?"

She turned to him, smiling. "Of course not, milord, and the answer is yes."

She took his arm and followed him to the dance floor.

Caspian and Edmund's conversation WAS heated. The younger King had led him to a quiet alcove in the

ballroom, and spoken severely. "You've hurt Lucy badly."

Caspian winced. "I haven't meant to."

Edmund looked angry. "Well, there's a lot hurt hiding beneath "haven't mean to". For her AND for you."

Startled, Caspian looked at one of his best friends. Edmund looked slightly sympathetic now. "Yes, I said YOU. You're too compassionate and observant not to have noticed, and hurting her hurts you. I do see that."

Caspian looked at little less pensive, but Edmund was not finished. "I do care for your feelings, Caspian,

but SHE is my first priority. And watching her cry herself to sleep the night of the storm, and then wake

to attempt to reassure YOU, is not something I'll forget. Or want to see again soon."

"I didn't ask…" Caspian said heatedly. Edmund interrupted.

"Yes you did. You asked in every step you've taken since we left the End of the World. You weren't

accepting of your feelings, and she knew that. She loves with her whole HEART, Caspian. It takes a lot for her to give up on someone." His blue eyes, so like his sister's, went distant for a moment. "Believe me, I know." He shook off the thought. "The point I make is that she wants only the best for those she loves.

She wants for them what they want for themselves. She gives all she has without thought for herself.

She knew your feelings were making you uneasy and even why, and she has tried to convince you that

nothing has to change."

Caspian spoke softly. "Even if I want it to change?"

Edmund was startled. He hadn't expected that. He regrouped. "She's afraid of change, too, you know. It may be her trying to give you what she thinks you want soothes her OWN fears. She doesn't say it, but she's not sure how long we'll stay."

THAT hit Caspian right in every cell of his being. His voice was clogged with pain when next he spoke.

"That I well know, my friend."

Edmund sympathized with him, but still had to make his point. Lucy's happiness was on the line.

"Aslan said something that made her less afraid than you of her feelings, but that doesn't mean the

fear's not there. She's breaking apart at the seams from the worry and strain of reassuring you, of

LOVING you and trying to be just your friend, and I'm not the one who can fix her. If you can't solve the problem by loving her back, then solve the problem by breaking her heart cleanly. She deserves at least that from you."

Caspian was flabbergasted by the conversation. Was Edmund actually ENCOURAGING the connection

that Caspian wanted so badly?

Edmund spoke again. "If you can't love her, despite all the obstacles that stand in your way, if you're not

willing to bulldoze through those obstacles…hell, man, if you're not strong enough to risk the pain if and

when we do leave…then leave her alone. She deserves someone who will walk through the fire with her,

who will fight as hard for love as she does. She's about to give up on you, Caspian. If you can't love her

the way she deserves, then let her do so."

Caspian thought hard for a moment, gathering his thoughts and words. He didn't want to tell her

brother the words he needed to say to the lady herself. But he needed to fix his relationship with

Edmund, too. "Ed, I already have a plan in place. I don't know the outcome. It's up to her. But, know

this, man. I will protect her and cherish her for as long as Aslan lets me…and longer."

The younger man nodded, satisfied. He moved to leave the alcove. But Caspian wasn't finished.

"Edmund…?" The Just King stopped. The Current King held out his hand. "Thanks for caring…about both

of us."

Edmund smiled and shook it, then spoke teasingly. "You're welcome. Now go rescue her from the

crowd!"

Caspian looked over, and saw, to his surprise, that there were people gathered around Lucy in the few minutes that had passed since the dance had ended. Teddy and Princess Altaira were by her side, helping to handle the swains and ladies vying for her attention. The young king wasn't really surprised that Lucy had admirers. She had a way of drawing people to her with her inner light and beauty. But since Princess TRACEY was in the room, he'd assumed that some would be dazzled by the outer beauty she possessed. So the fact that Lucy was surrounded spoke well of all involved. It just made Caspian a little wistful.

He'd wanted her to himself this evening…and as far into the future as Aslan would give them. But as he

saw her admirers, he knew that would not be possible.

Not just yet.

But he could wait.

For her, he'd wait forever.

End Part 8