The sun set just as the other longboat was lifted back onto the Dawn Treader. You watched from the rock you were perched on. It was a chance for you to recharge after a taxing day. Even though the physical storm passed, an emotional storm stuck around. Although it too moved on, you had yet to come out of it completely. You needed to sift through the day.
Despite apologizing to Caspian, you felt that the subject wasn't closed. You still weren't ready to think about being a wife, but he needed reassurance of the future. Knowing Caspian, he was questioning whether or not you wanted to be with him as Queen.
Rocks shifted behind you. Turning, you found Caspian coming toward you with a small smile and worry in his eyes.
"Is it all right for me to sit with you? If you'd rather be alone…"
"No. Please. You can stay." You scooted over on the rock and patted the empty spot. "I need to speak with you anyway."
The king sat beside you, looking across the water. His jaw was tense, and his shoulders didn't sit back like normal.
You took his hand and held it in your lap. "Don't worry, Caspian. Everything is okay."
He nodded once, eyes meeting yours.
"Are you worried about what will happen at the end of this voyage?"
"Yes… and about us."
"There's nothing to worry about when it comes to us, okay? What happened this morning was an attempt by the mist to put a rift between us. We'll finish this quest. After that, we'll… we'll start taking steps toward marriage… You'll have me as your queen… as your wife."
Caspian's dark eyes studied your form for any lies. But he knew you better than that. You wouldn't deceive him when it came to something so fragile and important.
You let out a huff of amused unbelief. "It might be hard to believe with all my avoidance of the subject, but I… I do want to marry you. It's scary, yes, but everything has pointed to you. I-… I want to be with you at Cair Paravel. As Queen Y/N of Narnia, wife of King Caspian X."
You'd seen Caspian at a loss before. Something about that moment sitting beside him on a voyage beyond Narnia, his lips parted, eyes wide, and red dusting his cheeks in the night made your heart rate speed up. It was a different but good feeling.
"You still… Really? You really do want that?"
Taking a deep breath, you squeezed his hand and watched the waves roll onto shore. "Yeah, I still do. I… I-I… I love you." Your voice trailed off into a whisper, leaving you when you needed it most.
Caspian stood up and knelt before you, taking your face in his hands. Even in the dark, you could see the glassiness in his eyes. "Do you mean that?" he asked. "Do you truly love me? More than a friend and a king?"
"Y-Yes."
He let out a shaky laugh and surged forward. His lips crashed against yours but moved slowly and tenderly as his fingers moved into your hair.
You nearly fell off the rock form the force of the kiss. You latched onto his arms to hold you steady. Once you were as stable as you could be as Caspian deepened the kiss, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders.
Caspian pulled out of the kiss, lips still close to yours. "I love you… more than what my heart can physically hold. I've loved you from the moment you asked me to teach you how to wield a sword… The way your eyes lit up when I agreed… I couldn't help falling for you." He sniffled and kissed you again. "I'm sorry I couldn't say it then or when you rode to Narnia to help with Miraz." A nuzzle to your cheek with his nose. "A thousand times I've wanted to tell you."
You looked at him and wiped away the tears you weren't expecting to see. "Well, now you have. Feel better?"
He grinned and led you into another passion-filled kiss. Each time your lips separated, he whispered his love for you. Your face, neck, and even your chest warmed to unbearable temperatures. It was you who had to put a stop to his kisses to allow yourselves a chance to get some sleep.
He agreed but insisted you slept near to him as appropriately acceptable.
So, you found yourself on the other side of Gael within reaching distance of Caspian. His fingertips touched yours, sometimes tracing across your hand. You swore he wrote "I love you" on the back of your hand at least twice.
As you drifted off, you could hear Edmund and Caspian discussing the constellations. Caspian mentioned his father. Lucy and Gael talked about their mothers and how much they missed them. It put your dreams in a melancholy state. You missed your family more than words could describe. You couldn't wait to see them again.
It wasn't the morning light that woke you the following morning. No, what stirred you out of your dreams was Lucy's frantic shouts to wake up.
"It's the blue star!"
Through bleary eyes, you sat up and followed her finger toward the horizon. A few degrees above it was, in fact, the blue star Coriakin spoke up. Things were finally looking up.
Hurried, everyone loaded up into the longboat and headed back to the Dawn Treader. Eustace stayed close to the ship, but not so much to frighten anyone or get in the way. You still couldn't fathom that there was a boy turned into a dragon flying above the ship even though it was happening in front of you.
Back on deck, you and the girls went into the king's quarters to clean up while Edmund, Caspian, and Reepicheep helped the crew get the ship moving again.
You were the first one done, so you meandered onto the main deck in hopes of finding someplace your abilities could be used. You found Caspian at the helm with Drinian, his eyes zeroing in on you. You flushed from the sudden smile he sent your way.
With subtle movements to keep Drinian unaware, Caspian pointed toward himself, then the center of his chest, and finally toward you.
The heat from the sun didn't compare to the heat from your face. Despite your embarrassment, you slowly and awkwardly mimicked his gestures. You felt somewhat better when his cheeks reddened as his smile grew.
Drinian gave him a look, having an idea as to why the king was acting like a lovesick boy. He rolled his eyes and took the king's attention away from you.
Gael and Lucy came to you in hopes of spending a little time together. You agreed and Gael tugged you along as you gave one more look toward Caspian. His wide smile was still plastered on his handsome face.
Lucy sat behind Gael on her bed to put her hair up in some cute braids while you sat in Caspian's chair. You pulled your knees to your chin and watched Lucy work.
"Will we be there soon?" Gael asked. "I hope Mama will be okay."
"She'll be just fine. Aslan will protect her and everyone else the mist took." Lucy combed her fingers through her mistake and restarted. "With Caspian and Drinian leading this journey, we'll find your mom and get you all home safe. Don't you worry."
Gael glanced at you. "I like the king. He's kind and handsome like the heroes in the stories my mom told me."
"He is very kind," Lucy agreed, meeting your gaze. "And handsome. Don't you agree, Y/N?"
"Yes. He always has been."
"She's going to marry the king one day," Lucy told Gael. "They've been best friends since they were babies. And now they're courting."
"Do you love him, Princess Y/N? Mama said that most royals are forced to marry and never really love each other."
"My father was close to arranging a marriage for me. I didn't want to get married for as long as I can remember, but I was going to try for my family." You ran your finger across the quill left on the desk thoughtfully. "I… I do love Caspian. Our courtship wasn't arranged and… I love him."
"Have you told him?"
You nodded.
Lucy grinned. "That's wonderful! Did he tell you first? It's been obvious since we came back to Narnia that Caspian loves you."
"Actually… I told him first. Your brother got through to me, I guess. It sort of spilled out."
"I'm so happy. I hope we stay in Narnia long enough to attend your wedding!"
It hadn't crossed your mind that she and Edmund could be sent back to their world once everything was taken care of. It broke your heart.
"I hope so, too. It wouldn't be the same without you."
"Maybe Aslan will let us stay until then even if we're not needed."
"I want to come, too!" Gael exclaimed.
You chuckled. "I'll be sure to include you and your family on our guest list, Gael. Maybe I'll have you drop petals on the runner before I walk down the aisle."
Her eyes glittered. "That would be amazing!"
"I'll see what I can do."
It took half a day for the wind to cease. The Dawn Treader was left stationary in the middle of the ocean. All available crew gathered their oars and started rowing, which was only so fast. At least the ship was moving.
You stood beside Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy. The shouts of Drinian commanding his crew sounded every so often with the grunts of the rowers.
"I fear we won't have enough well-rested men to fight at this rate," you told Caspian. "That is if we have to fight."
"Drinian expressed the same thought. It's troubling. We either sit and hope for wind or exhaust a majority of our men."
"Is there anything we can do?" Lucy asked.
"We're at an impasse, I'm afraid."
Eustace grunted overhead and grabbed the mast. Drinian shouted for him to get down until Eustace surged forward. Everyone that wasn't seated fell to the deck. The crew rowing cheered and pulled their oars back onboard.
"That's brilliant, Eustace!" Edmund shouted at his cousin once he was back on his feet.
Caspian helped you to stand, asking if you were okay. You grinned and squeezed his hand, cheering on Eustace. With a dragon to help, the ship would reach Ramandu's Island in no time.
With a good tug, Caspian brought you against him. Your palms were flat on his chest to prevent a harsher impact. His arm wrapped around your middle and he leaned in, his free hand cupping the side of your face.
The kiss was firm and sweet, showing you how happy he was. You met him in the kiss on your toes and with the same excitement. A few whistles ended your lip lock sooner than either of you would have liked.
Eustace gagged.
Edmund nodded. "Agreed, cousin."
"It's sweet," Lucy said.
Caspian's lips brushed against the tip of your nose. "That was rather bold of me in front of so many eyes."
"For the king? Yes, very bold."
"I only have so much time with you like this before we're back in Narnia with scrutinizing stares."
You chuckled. "Woe to the king."
With a smile, he searched your face, eyes softening. "You're happy."
"It's easy to be when we have a reprieve from the mist. Even if for a moment."
You watched a minuscule amount of sadness fill his eyes. His hold on you slackened.
Before Caspian could do anything more, you took his head between your hands. "I'm happy to be sailing on this ship with you, Caspian. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."
"I'm glad you're here."
"Me, too."
"Despite the ups and downs?"
"Despite it all."
Caspian pulled your hands away from his face, leaning in to press another kiss to your lips.
"Land ho!"
You both turned to look out across the sea to find another island in the distance, the blue star above it.
"Ramandu's Island," you said, looking up at Caspian.
He smiled. "And hopefully our last stop."