Hello! New chappy just out of the oven (well, laptop XD)! I had a lot of fun with this chapter and it has a bit of everything, I hope you like it! As always, please review! Reviews keep me going!
Enjoy
Chapter 6: When Quarrels Happen and Fireworks Issue
He hated Mondays. Council meetings were scheduled on Monday mornings and he dreaded every minute of them, waking up with a groan at the fact that he would spend long hours trying to reason with a bunch of people who simply wanted anything but to be reasonable. And now even Peter shared his utter disgust, as indicated by the annoyance with which the Magnificent King dropped himself inelegantly on the armchair across his, snorting derisively.
"How have you not sacked the whole Council is beyond me!" Peter burst, his frown narrowing his ocean blue eyes.
"What can I say, being obnoxious is their job" Caspian responded, rubbing his temple; the Council Lords had been particularly difficult that morning.
"But, My King, lowering the taxes is insane and unheard of, they amass the funds to sustain this castle among other things, Your Majesty" one of the lords voiced, mustering his courage to stare directly into Caspian's impatient gaze.
"Not only the castle, but the surrounding estates and royal properties; all repairs and maintenance are made with tax money" Lord Garrien spoke, looking at Caspian through his deep frown, his thick, greyish eyebrows almost hiding his dark brown eyes.
"It is quite a surprise to me, My Lords, to know that all of you are so well informed about the needs of the castle and other royal properties. Yet, as touching as your concern may be, I suggest you focus on the duties bestowed to the Council. The castle and the estates belonging to the Crown are the responsibility of the royal family, at least they were last time I checked, and it is only right that we are the ones to worry about them" Caspian spoke, his tone subtle and calm, his eyes being the only to reveal the witty spark he was trying to hide from his voice.
"But, Highness-" another lord peeped in, interrupted by Caspian's hand, preventing him to continue.
"My siblings, King Caspian and I have personally checked the account books kept in the castle, and we found that the maintenance of the royal estates represents but a small percentage of the tax income. Regarding the reconstruction works going on around the country but most particularly in the village surrounding the castle, Sir Rainstone – the centaur in charge of overseeing the different construction projects – assures us there are enough funds for months of work. Therefore, we see no reason why taxes should be kept so high if the Treasury is well stocked in gold" Peter explained, making an effort to keep his temper at bay at the evident opposition of certain Council members.
"Your Grace, please reconsider, it would have a serious impact on the people, it would be chaotic" Lord Bartrian spoke, ignoring Peter completely by looking straight at Caspian. His tone was sweetened with fake politeness, the tight grip on the eagle's head adorning his chair being the only giveaway of his annoyance at the two Kings.
"Your Majesty is perhaps misinformed of the reality of life in the villages. The current system of taxes is responsible for the good quality of life in the country" Lord Tir commented, casting a brief look at Bartrian before resting his eyes on Caspian.
"I suggest you stop taking me for a fool, Lord Tir. If the village surrounding the castle serves as to illustrate of the situation in the rest of the country, then 'good' is the last adjective I would use to describe life conditions in the country. I have spent enough time outside the comforts of this castle to see the misery that pervades in the streets. I have seen the pain, the hardship and the suffering of the people, of those who work hard only for their money to be harshly taken away from them. I have seen children forced to work, not even for money but for food, because their parents are not able to provide for them. I have seen the agony of parents, not knowing how they will sustain their homes with their insufficient incomes, and I've seen the fear in their eyes at the thought of the consequences shall they not pay the absurdly high taxes on time. And despite all this, you have the nerve to tell me I am not aware of the realities of the people?! That some extra money in their pockets would not help them?!" Caspian hissed, piercing the lords with his gaze. "As Kings and Queens of this land, Their Majesties and I are pained to witness this situation, and it is our duty and priority to provide a better living for them by sacrificing unnecessary expenses, even if that means curtailing our comfort" the Telmarine King spoke, seething .
"There will always be poor people, Your Grace" a voice commented, and Caspian's gaze flashed angrily at the man. Out of the corner of his eye, Caspian could see Peter's jaw clench tightly.
"You speak as if it was their choice to be poor" Peter remarked dangerously low.
"With all due respect, Your Grace, you and your family arrived only short time ago, not long enough to understand the proper running of things" Lord Prius spoke, his sharp eyes piercing Peter, obviously irritated by his intervention.
"And yet we have witnessed enough to notice the extent of the abuses committed by rich minority. One look at your manors and properties suffices to find the 'good quality of life' you insist on defending" Peter replied with surprising composure. Caspian was taken aback. Judging by the darkness of a storm tarnishing his deep blue eyes, he had expected the Magnificent King to burst into flames.
"The High King's words are becoming insulting!" Lord Haren protested, rising from his chair, clearly infuriated.
"Lord Haren, I suggest you sit down and keep your tone in check. High King Peter does not lack reason. It is no secret to me or to the royal family that taxes have become a useful excuse for all villagers to be extorted and robbed, their ignorance on the true worth of tolls allowing the rich to shamelessly abuse their superior position. This is why, from this day on, the tax system will be changed to favour those who have less" Caspian announced, intervening before the boundaries of Peter's patience were tested even further.
"Your Grace, you can-" Lord Garrien interrupted, an angry shade of purple colouring his swollen face.
"ENOUGH!" Caspian shouted, his patience running thin. "I have heard enough of your nonsense and this matter has taken too much of our time already. I do not like to be interrupted, Lord Garrien, you would do well to remember this for future meetings" Caspian told coldly, leaning forward on his throne and shooting a threatening glare at Garrien. The Telmarine King then cleared his throat.
"Very well, having discussed the matter carefully, Their Highnesses and I have decided to lower the taxes to three crescents to be paid once a month for all those who have an income up to fifty crescents a month. Those whose income is beyond fifty crescents up to a hundred and fifty shall pay a tenth of their monthly income. Merchants, landlords and major traders will have an extra fee of two crescents if they own more than one land, commerce or property. Any other person who earns above a hundred and fifty crescents will be obliged to pay fifteen percent of their total income in addition to the respective land taxes applicable to their properties. Anyone earning under twenty crescents a month is exempt from tax and shall benefit from special aids once they register at the relief centres created for this very purpose" Caspian explained under the hateful glares of the opposing lords.
"Income shall be calculated per family, that is, as the combined earnings of all labouring members of the same family living under the same roof, whether there is a single breadwinner or several" Peter clarified, nodding at the scribe.
"In spite of everything, I think we can consider this an important victory, even if the lords opposed" Caspian commented, throwing his head back to rest on the armchair and rubbing his neck, hoping to bring some relief to his tense muscles.
"I agree, but I cannot yet digest the nerve and downright insolence of the opposing lords! Oh, and the absurdity of their arguments is incensing! Those taxes are the lowest in 1300 years of history!" Peter burst out, leaping from his seat and pacing around. Caspian exhaled loudly, sending Peter a nod of understanding. The eldest Pevensie apparently needed more time to get over the lord's objectionable antics, not quite accustomed to them just yet. The door then opened with a light creak and Tairin popped in, smiling at the kings.
"I hope I am not interrupting anything important" she spoke, picking up on the tension in the room.
"Not at all, we have just come from a Council meeting" Caspian replied, a look of deep understanding passing between the siblings. Tairin winced and squeezed her brother's shoulder reassuringly before walking towards the shelves, looking through his collection of novels.
"My wish is to send them all away, drop them in some island and see if they end up killing each other. Or even better, put them in a ship and let it get lost at sea, hope it sinks on the way as well" Peter grunted a moment later, purely out of anger and frustration. Caspian looked at him with a frown.
"I will not do as Miraz, who sent all seven lords opposing him on a trip to their death, casting them away to the sea and never to return" Caspian told, his voice low, a hard look on his eyes.
"You know well I do not mean it, it was only an example. Point is, they should be punished for taking advantage of the hardworking people. They are moved by pure greed rather than duty" Peter explained, leaning back in his chair, relieving his annoyance by tapping his boot against the floor.
"We would come across as tyrants if everyone who opposes us is punished so severely. I want people to trust us, not be afraid of us, Peter. Not to mention the lords are capable of instigating a revolt; we can't expose the entire population to that, again" Caspian replied tiredly, wishing nothing but not to think, as it apparently increased his headache.
"We have arguments! They are preventing us from making changes that would benefit and improve people's lives significantly, from bringing a new era to Narnia. How can people ever have a better life if a bunch of selfish idiots keeps opposing any remotely decent changes!" Peter burst angrily. "And we can control and upraise, we have enough resources to hold and end a war if it were to happen" the Magnificent King added, positively fuming. Caspian sighed and let him vent, knowing Peter's harshness was born out of annoyance rather than the King's true feelings. Yet, Tairin was not aware of this fact.
"With all due respect, King Peter, my brother is trying to change history. I cannot see how your suggestions would result in anything other than another chapter in the bloodthirsty battle for power. This is certainly not the way to promote peace and union" the Princess intervened. Peter's shoulders tensed and he turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised in silent irritation.
"I beg you, Princess, not to get involved in this matter" Peter said, his tone dark and dangerously low.
"May Aslan have pity of us" Caspian whispered, watching King and Princess glare daggers at each other. Countering Peter when he was in such a foul mood was reckless, and it was an equally bad idea to stroke his sister's temper. Hell was about to break loose.
And it started with a thud.
Tairin slammed her book on the polished surface of the desk and turned to face Peter with a deadly glare in her eyes.
"I can assure you that the behaviour of the Council is not foreign to me and thus, I shall ask you to check the condescendence in your tone, My King. Despite not being present at the Council meeting this morning, I can very well imagine the hostility of certain lords and from experience I know blunt force is not the way to deal with them" Tairin argued hotly, her voice raising a few octaves.
"They will continue to do their bidding and stop progress unless strong measures are imposed!" Peter retorted, his face steadily gaining a brighter shade of red.
"Imposed by force, you mean. Is this how you pretend to be a leader? I really wonder how the Golden Age was one of harmony and peace with someone with such oppressing ideas as king!" Tairin replied with equal fervour, waving her hand in a sharp movement in Peter's general direction. A deep sound of despair escaped from Caspian's throat as he looked at the quarrelling couple, sinking deeper into his armchair at the prospect of having to intervene. Tairin's spicy tongue had hit Peter's temper – and ego – in full; he was not very good handling critics when in a good mood, worse still when not only his mood was darkened, but critics were aimed at his previous reign.
Caspian ventured a glance at Peter. The King had remained quiet, yet Caspian knew he was livid; the dark look in his eyes blazed with the flames of his temper, ready to combust. The Magnificent King straightened to his full – already quite impressive – height. His jaw was clenched, the muscles of his neck were tensed and his hands were balled into fists. The Telmarine King whimpered at the prospect of getting caught in the fight, knowing his sister was pretty much in the same state of near-combustion and he was the only poor soul around to prevent the whole place burning to a crisp after the clash of tempers.
"Peter, Tairin, this topic has been blown a bit out of proportion and should not be the reason for such a heated discussion particularly after an emotionally and mentally taxing morning" he spoke at the best of his diplomatic capacities, but was utterly ignored. Knowing he would regret it, Caspian got to his feet and stood between them, trying – and failing – to reason with them, only to be shoved out of the way, King and Princess telling him to stay away quite categorically. He exhaled and surrendered, falling back on his chair, watching as the argument resumed with heated screams.
"You say I am oppressive and tyrannical when I've done nothing but try to correct the absurd inequalities these men have advocated for, turned a blind eye to, and profited from all these years! The Golden Age was indeed peaceful and as glorious as the books describe because we didn't have sneaky, greedy and morally crippled Telmarine lords and opinionated women prying around!" Peter burst, losing his composure entirely, pride and anger clouding his better judgement. Even the fact that he was screaming at a lady appeared to have escaped his notice.
"Oh, this is bad..." Caspian whimpered, preparing himself for the hair-rising shrill that was simmering in Tairin's throat.
"YOU! How dare you! I should have expected you to be unable to keep an argument civilised, you brute!" Tairin shrieked, taking a step closer to Peter, her breathing ragged with anger. Despite the murderous look on her face, Peter did not falter, countering her with a step forward and a glare of his own. The volume and violence of the argument attracted the rest of the royals and Archen guests, who hurried into the room. Caspian was bombarded by questions and he tried to fill them in on the context of the fight despite the constant interruptions of Peter and Tairin, who kept throwing remarks at one another across the room, having been separated by the others. Susan and Ed forced Peter into a chair, while Caspian and Gemini were doing their best to keep Tairin from clawing Peter's eyes out. Lucy's face contorted into a disappointed frown, her aversion for all sorts of conflict legendary. The little Queen winced at the deep rage shining in both Peter and Tairin's eyes. Instinctively, she moved towards her brother, who was struggling in Edmund's strong grip, but was prevented from getting any closer by a pair of hands on her shoulders. She turned around to find Scorpio's blue eyes and small smile.
"I think it will be better if we don't get involved, on the risk of striking their tempers any further. I am sure that once they've cooled down a bit they will come to their senses and regret everything they have said" the Prince explained, quite unlike himself in his seriousness. It took the young Archen Prince some effort to convince the very reluctant Lucy to take a stroll with him in the gardens. As he followed her out of the room he glanced at the chaotic scene behind him; what in Aslan's name did King Peter do to upset Tairin like that? But then again, she must have said something just as bad to get him in his present state.
"Peter, listen to me. This is unreasonable. You are letting your temper keep you from thinking straight. You would never approve measures like this and would condemn them quite vocally. I understand the Council lords have caused your patience to run thin, but this is not the way to deal with it" Susan spoke calmly, her clear eyes looking straight into Peter's. The eldest Pevensie looked sideways, avoiding his sister's glance.
"If you had heard what that-she told me" Peter argued, pointing at the Princess across the room.
"I do not need to. It is quite clear that this was a fight over a pointless matter. True, it wasn't the best of timings, but it is not an excuse to make such a scandal, Peter" Susan replied, her lecture weaving with understanding.
"You are pissed off, Pete, we get that, but it is not a reason to make a mess over comments you were not in the mood to hear" Edmund spoke, earning a glare from Peter. The Magnificent King kept quiet, knowing his brother was right.
"You must apologise for this, Peter. Caspian and Tairin had no need to witness your foul mood" Susan said sternly.
"Apologise? You want me to apologize to her after all she said to me? Forget it, I won't do it" Peter refused, bristling up again and throwing a dirty glare at Tairin, King and Princess resuming their quarrel. The royals breathed a collective sigh, seeing their efforts thrown out the window.
"Heavens forbid the Magnificent Oaf from apologising, ever! Your ego wouldn't take it" Tairin retorted with a snort, crossing her arms. Edmund stifled a laugh at her comment and was swatted in the arm by Susan, her glare telling him not to make matters even worse.
"As if I would waste my words trying to shed some light into such a thick head" Peter hissed.
"You arrogant, misbehaved moron!" Tairin screamed, standing up and striding towards Peter, meeting him halfway across the room.
"Spoiled brat!"
"Oaf!"
"Savage!"
"And you call yourself a King! You're not even half what the legends tell you to be, so much for being 'the perfect gentleman', ha!" Tairin shouted, poking Peter's arm, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"As if you were any better, Princess. You are a silly, stubborn princess, pretending to be so clever and witty to cover up for your lack of intuition and manners!" Peter retorted, boiling in rage, not quite thinking straight. Silence fell on the room, thick and almost palpable. The Archen Princes and Caspian stared at Peter wide-eyed, knowing he had just lit the firework, and it would explode soon. Susan and Ed closed their eyes and cringed, preparing themselves for the blast.
"He has lost his mind" Susan whispered. Tairin was simmering, her expression frighteningly dark. With one clean sway, her hand impacted with Peter's cheek, the crisp sound of the slap drawing a gasp from Susan. Peter reached to rub his cheek slowly. Sharing a look with Rainidan, Edmund intervened quickly, getting hold of his brother and pushing him towards the door with the knight's help, knowing things were heading to an even worse end. Gemini and Susan tried to stop Tairin, keep her in the room until Peter had been removed, but the Princess had a different idea and she too strode towards the door, meeting Peter as they both tried to exit.
"Why I am not surprised of your lack of manners towards a lady?!" Tairin snorted, letting out an exasperated sound and pushing Peter aside, managing to get through the door.
"When you start behaving like a lady then you can talk about my manners!" Peter yelled at her retreating back, having followed her out.
"This only proves my point! You are in no way a gentleman! You are a second category King that has an ego bigger than his brain! Not that it is a hard task, considering its actual size" Tairin replied venomously.
"That is rich coming from someone who doesn't even make it to the royal ranking" Peter countered. Edmund rolled his eyes at the childishness of this remark.
"Man is said to be an animal of habits, but you, you have the habit of being an animal!" Tairin shrilled, Peter having drawn the last straw of her patience. The royals continued to shout at one another in the corridor, struggling against the people trying to restrain them, as Gemini and Susan kept pushing Tairin back to the study, while Caspian and Edmund battled Peter.
"How can a woman be so obnoxious!"
"Congratulations, you have just set a new low; I didn't think someone could be this daft and ridiculous!"
"You're revolting!"
"Witless!"
"Witch!"
"Moron!"
"Alright, that's enough," Edmund spoke, the grave and commanding tone of his voice managing to impose itself over the noise. "You better come with us on your free will" Edmund told, shoving an apple in his brother's mouth as the King seemed set on resuming the argument. Swiftly, Edmund and Caspian grabbed Peter by the arms and dragged him away, despite his efforts of freeing himself from their grasp.
Back in the study, Susan tried to comfort her friend, passing her a glass of water, which the Princess took with a shaky hand, whispering curses at Peter.
"Calm down, Tai. Peter behaves like an idiot sometimes, but I'm sure he didn't mean any of those things" Susan spoke, stopping Tairin from her pacing around the room, and seating her on the sofa.
"Sometimes? Ha!" Tairin snorted.
"If my experience in living with my very temperamental brother has taught me anything is that once he cools down, Peter will realise his mistake and feel bad about it. Give him some hours and he will be knocking on your door looking like a puppy who had just been lectured" Susan told, causing the Princess to chuckle lightly, finally starting to regain some calm. Susan then convinced her friend to go to her room, where they could talk more comfortably over some herbal tea.
Meanwhile, Caspian and Edmund managed to get Peter into the former's room, releasing him once they made sure the door was closed.
"Did you really need to drag me?!" Peter complained, outraged by the treatment.
"Yes" both Kings answered in unison, impassive at his bewilderment.
"Go have a cold bath, see if you can wash the moron away" Edmund told harshly, tossing a towel at Peter, who said nothing and walked towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
In the study, the Archen Princes and Rainidan were joined by Edmund and Caspian minutes later, once the Narnian Kings had made sure it was safe to leave Peter alone.
"What in Aslan's Mane happened?" Zephyr asked, hurrying into the room, having been at the training grounds when the fight broke off.
"Peter stroked my sister's temper" Caspian explained simply, looking tiredly at his soon-to-be brother.
"He sure did! She was furious. At some point I thought her clothes would combust! Although, you would have liked that, don't you" Scorpio commented with a foolish grin as he elbowed Zephyr. As if expecting the blonde to say something improper, all three men surrounding him raised their hands and whacked his head, not even looking at him.
"Hey!" Scorpio complained, huffing and walking away, rubbing the back of his head.
"You'd think after all this time I would have managed to ignore him" Gemini told Caspian, sighing and shaking his head. As Zephyr learnt the whole story, a small frown appeared on his handsome face, concerned for his fiancée.
"It seems to me it was just a question of very bad timing, it's nobody's fault. I should check on her, she must be very upset" the Archen lord spoke, and Caspian smiled; Zephyr's personality made him incapable of blaming anyone.
"I consider its better to leave Tairin in Susan's company a little longer. I find women's confidence with one another works wonders and is much more efficient than what our lame diplomatic skills can ever achieve" Caspian voiced. Gemini nodded in agreement, while Zephyr agreed a bit more reluctantly.
Later that day, after reflecting upon the matter at length while on his bath, Peter decided to apologise to Tairin, guilt over his lack of gallantry and manners speaking much louder than pride. His apologies, along with the small bouquet of flowers he had brought along as a peace offering, were successful in piercing through the remains of the Princess' resentment. As soon as he left, she turned to look at Susan, who only gave her a knowing smile.
The gardens had become one of her favourite places in the castle, especially the largest one, where various trees and bushes grew freely along with some small bushes, little wildflowers dotting the grass here and there. The sun was shining brilliantly that morning, this being its first appearance after several days of gloomy weather. The air was still laced with the faint fragrance of rain along with a brisk freshness typical of spring.
She sighed contently, pulling her light coat tighter around herself. She enjoyed this simple, peaceful moment, the lush grass giving up softly under her feet, some blades tickling her ankles. She was strolling, moving to wherever her feet would take her, just enjoying the tranquillity surrounding her, accompanied by the gentle rustle of leaves as the wind caressed them. Her walk between the trees soon led her behind one of the towers, into a more secluded part of the garden, where several fruit trees stood. Pear, peach, apple and plum trees were scattered everywhere, inviting her to continue her stroll and maybe even find some nice ripe fruit to delight herself with. A huge plum tree was revealed to her as she rounded a small pear tree, and under it, relaxing on its shadow, was Caspian, stretched over a blanket and munching on something she could not make out.
He gave a contented sigh as he plopped another strawberry in his mouth, enjoying the sweetness of the fruit. He relished the peace and quietness around him, having been in quite some need of a moment alone, with no pesky lords bothering him with paperwork or ill-timed enquiries. It was such a nice day and he was simply drawn to this place, the shadow of this old plum very inviting and pleasant, even despite the light chill in the air. He chuckled softly at the cook's face as he entered the kitchen, the old woman having known him for so many years that she hinted immediately he was there to steal something tasty. Sighing, she passed him a bowl of strawberries and he grinned thankfully, grabbing some chocolate on his way out. His thoughts were halted abruptly when he heard the light sound of steps on the grass and sat up with a jump, turning towards the sound, a soft gasp reaching his ears. Susan was standing a few steps away from him, looking startled at first before a blush of mortification slowly took over her expression.
"Oh, please forgive me, I didn't want to interrupt you" she apologised vehemently, taking a few steps back.
"Oh, no, not at all, on the contrary. I wasn't doing anything special, there was nothing to interrupt" Caspian replied, getting on his feet, shortening the distance between them.
"Would you care to join me? Company is always welcome" he invited, smiling at the Queen's gentle nod and he led her over to the blanket, offering her his hand and helped her to sit down.
"Are those strawberries? They are so big and red, I've never seen any like this" Susan commented some little time later, glancing over at the bowl at Caspian's side.
"Yes, they were freshly picked this morning; it seems this year the harvest was one of the best. Here, try one, I am sure you have never tasted something this sweet" Caspian offered, grabbing a strawberry from the bowl and taking off the crown of leaves, placing the fruit in Susan's palm as he finished. She took a tentative bite, her eyes opening wide, a soft contented sound escaping her throat as she chewed, the sweetness and the delicious taste astonishing her.
"I didn't know My Queen was so keen on strawberries" Caspian teased lightly, causing her to smile, somewhat ashamed of her reaction. As she peeked inside the bowl to pick another of the luscious berries, she found that several had been already separated for her, all lacking their green crowns. She looked up at Caspian, who cheekily faked innocence, and she thanked him with a smile, endeared by his gesture.
Sharing his strawberries had been a terrible idea, a very bad, teasing idea. Her lips were driving him insane. A knot formed in his throat as they wrapped around each strawberry, only long enough for her to take a bite, a light shiver running down his spine as a droplet of the red juice slid down her bottom lip, quickly captured by her tongue. How much he wanted to kiss her, capture her lips and taste their sweetness laced with that of the strawberries, to finally feel their softness and put a stop to his imagination. His lips ached with need and all he wanted was to lean forward and end this torture, reaching its most pleasurable end, but he knew he could not and he contained himself, trying to push those thoughts away and distracting himself with another strawberry.
It was almost as if he was doing it on purpose, eating the strawberries with his usual nonchalant charm, sucking on his thumb as some of the juice spilled from the fruit, looking completely innocent and casual while her heart was beating wildly in her chest, eyes stuck on his lips. Was it terribly improper and immoral to wish to be kissed so badly? And she blushed, caught up in the heat of her own thoughts as she imagined just how passionate a kiss from the Telmarine King would be. No, this was not time to be thinking such thoughts, not when it was him sitting right next to her. No, she had to keep those thoughts for when she was alone with no one to witness her foolish smile and mortified blush.
As they reached for yet another of the berries, his fingers brushed against hers, the bowl almost completely empty, a single strawberry left. They looked up at each other, eyes betraying their previous thoughts for one another, their contact leaving searing spots where they had touched. They looked away, fighting to keep their composure and battle the traitorous blush that now flooded their cheeks, hands retreating and leaving the bowl abandoned in between them.
"You can have it, if you wish, I ate plenty already" he spoke, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"And you would have eaten more if I hadn't stolen so many from you. You should have the last" Susan said, smiling shyly, her eyes flickering between him and the grass at her feet. Without a single word, Caspian placed the red strawberry in her hand, his eyes telling her he was set on not letting her refuse, and with a sigh of defeat she surrendered. The strawberry was too big to be eaten entirely in one bite, and she halved it with her teeth, an idea occurring to her as she looked at the remaining half in between her fingers. She leaned over the now empty bowl and pressed the half bitten strawberry to his lips, pushing it inside as he gasped in surprise.
"It waf yourf!" he complained with his mouth full, causing her to laugh, the King resentfully tossing a fallen leaf at her.
"Just eat it already" she told him, giving a sound of approval as he slowly started chewing, still huffing.
The hint of sweetness her lips left over the berry felt like the ghost of a kiss, not really helping his distress, but rendering the fruit much more delicious, nevertheless.
Monday. Normally Caspian would be groaning and sighing, completely unwilling to meet with the lords for another session of wasted words and reasons, but not today.
His first reaction to Edmund's idea was to laugh, the Just King waiting patiently as his friend went through his fit. As the Telmarine King slowly caught his breath, a chuckle escaping his lips ever so frequently, Ed explained the details of his plan, his lips twitching into an impish, victorious smile as he saw the bright spark of mischief shining in his friend's eyes, confirming he had found the idea appealing. The idea was brilliant, mischief running loose in a way that only Edmund could conceive, and he had to admit it was very tempting, if only by the mad fun they would have. One thing was certain: this would not be a common Monday.
They tiptoed as quietly as possible along the corridors, each holding one end of the massive firework they had just stolen, keeping their steps agile and scurrying down the corners with ease, Caspian leading the way. After turning several corners and crossing wide and narrow corridors, they arrived to a poorly lit passage, stopping in front of a slender wooden door. Caspian let a triumphant whisper at finding the door open.
"How are we going to get this standing, it'd be dangerous if we hold it" Edmund pointed out, looking around for something they could use as a makeshift stand for the firework.
"There is always a loose stone around here" Caspian murmured, kicking the wall softly. Having found a decent sized rock, they positioned the firework, aiming it through the door and inside the room, hoping the first impulse did not send it crashing against the nearest wall.
"Ready?" Edmund asked, holding a blazing torch, his eyes glistening with excitement.
"Do it" Caspian answered, taking a few steps back, hands covering his ears. The fire consumed the wick quickly, barely giving Edmund enough time to step back and cover his ears before a sizzling noise was heard, getting louder and louder, until a flash illuminated the corridor, the firework zooming inside the room, leaving a smoky trail behind.
The lords were growing very irritated, huffing and groaning as minutes passed by, marked by the King's absence.
"That's what we get for letting a kid rule a country" one of them commented, tapping his foot on the floor. The echo of the room intensified the sound of whispering, the men starting to share ideas and comment between themselves, eyes trained on the door, expecting it to open anytime and reveal the young King so they could give him a piece of their thoughts. Their mutterings were suddenly interrupted by a loud whooshing sound, which they could barely register, for a firework invaded the room, pirouetting in front of them, almost running them over.
The uncontrolled piece of pyrotechnics flew across the whole room, drawing long loops in the air, its course changed as it crashed against several chandeliers, ricocheting against the Council chairs and walls, its power allowing it to continue flying even despite these hits. The lords yelled and sought for cover, some hiding behind their chairs, others under them, the rest shielding themselves with anything they could get their hands on while covering their heads. Their eyes followed the firework as it made its way through colourful sparkles, colliding with one of the corners of the imposing throne before rising towards the ceiling for its last performance. The last explosion was magnificent, leaving a dark spot on the roof as green, blue, red and violet sparks lit the room and showered down, extinguishing midway. Silence floated in the air as the lords looked at each other in shock, some slowly coming out of their hiding places. Silence did not last long, however, for soon they were all shouting in outrage, shock and disbelief, complaints becoming a mass of incomprehensible words and yells.
Caspian and Edmund peeked inside with caution, scanning the area, ignored by the scandalous lords, who were too focused on their riot to notice anything. Muffling their laughter – quite poorly – behind their hands, the Kings ran away from the crime scene, entering the first room available – an old storage room – and burst out laughing. The plan had been a success and they had gotten more than what they had bargained for, the images of the scared yells and faces of the lords bringing them to tears, both Kings rolling on the floor, holding their hurting bellies.
"I have to admit, Ed, this was just epic!" Caspian commented in laboured breaths, trying to calm down from his hysterical laughter, failing in his task several times.
"Their faces, oh goodness! Did you see Lord Almien? His fat butt was sticking from under his chair, I hope he got stuck!" Ed told, joining Caspian into another fit of cackles.
"We better go. All that din must have called the whole castle to the Council Room and it would be suspicious if we don't show up as well" Caspian spoke, taking a deep breath.
"True, but let's take separate ways, our excuses will be more believable" Ed agreed, and both rose to their feet, snorting and laughing lowly as another flow of memories hit them.
"Did you hear that?" Peter asked as he met Susan in one of the upper corridors, having rushed out of the study at the loud rumble that shook the castle. "Do you think it was a catapult?" he added worriedly.
"Only one way to find out" Susan said, bolting towards the stairs. The King and Queen followed the crowd of servants, arriving to the cluttered Council Room, where the lords were still bellowing, fuelling the commotion.
"What in Aslan's name happened here?!" Peter exclaimed, making his way through the servants, who pushed themselves away to let them pass. Both siblings were astounded as they reached the doors, looking around at the deplorable state of the room, smoke fogging the air with a thin, bluish layer.
"Could someone explain what this is all about?!" a grave, accented voice reached them from behind, and both turned to see Caspian jogging to them, looking around in awe, Susan noticing he was making an effort not to laugh.
"A firework! Someone let a bloody firework in the loose!" Lord Tir shouted, his dishevelled clothes and hair adding to the picture of insanity.
"We were waiting for you, and then this happens!" Lord Garrien hissed, throwing his hands into the air, his composure long gone. Caspian had to discretely pinch himself to not to snort at the several burnt spots the man sported on his clothes.
"I apologise, My Lords, I thought our meeting was scheduled for this afternoon, but really, how does a firework get in here like that?" he commented, turning as he looked around, frowning convincingly.
"That is what I very much would like to know!" Lord Garrien bellowed, dropping himself on his chair, red as a cherry, breathing with some difficulty. However, before anyone could say anything else, be it a complaint or a question, a creak was heard above their heads, and the massive, heavy, old chandelier – the centrepiece and the pride of the room – fell with a magnificent clatter inches away from the throne, shattering into pieces, candles and fragments of marble from the floor flying everywhere.
"Heavens! What was that?! Actually, what is all this?!" Edmund's slightly nasal voice was heard, waving his hand in front of him as he walked forwards, clearing his way from dust and smoke.
"A firework exploded in the room" Susan informed him, eyeing him suspiciously, the King pulling his best awestruck face, looking around with wide eyes.
"I suggest you go home, Your Lordships, there is no way we can hold a meeting here, not today and not in several weeks, it seems. I am certain you are in no condition to it either, this has been quite the experience" Caspian spoke, serious and collected, not letting out a single hint of amusement.
As the lords left and the dust finally settled on the floor, the four royals dispersed around the room, taking notice of the damages. Chandeliers and other decorations had been twisted, broken, mingled or singed, while the throne sported a large burn covering most of the sitting area, chunks of the wooden decorations darkened here and there, some bits having fallen off. In short, the room was a total, dust-coated chaos, and Susan had a strong suspicion of who the culprits of such destruction were; she would talk to them later. Right now the most pressing matter was how to clean this mess. Servants started pushing themselves to take a peek from the door, a small disturbance issuing as some of the old maids fainted from impression, or perhaps at the prospect of having to deal with such disarray.
"Well, I think this means the meetings will need to be suspended for a while" Caspian commented, examining the fallen chandelier, poking on the twisted metal. Susan turned to him as he spoke, feeling he had been somehow involved in this 'accident'. Yet, as much as she wanted to lecture him on the grave consequences of this tasteless joke, she could not, for deep inside herself she was content at the prospect of not having the lords around as much. Nevertheless, she had to talk to him. With a sigh, she thought it was good Tairin and the others had decided to go for a walk around the forest; as much as she knew Scorpio would surely complain of not being here to see this, it was better like that, this was not an image to be presented to guests.
Some hours later, they all decided to leave the room, after most of them started sneezing due to the puffs of dust that rose as they walked. Edmund led the way, coughing soundly.
"Caspian, hold on" Susan called, the Telmarine stopping mid-step to look at her.
"You and Ed were the ones who let the firework inside" she stated confidently, eyes trained on his reaction. Caspian dropped his gaze to the floor, though not for long, looking up to her with a sheepish grin the next minute.
"For the record, it was Ed's idea. I swear we didn't think it would make such a mess; we didn't even get one of the really huge fireworks however tempting the idea was" he explained, raising both hands in his defence. "The plan was to prevent today's meeting, though in that aspect we got much more than what we bargained for" he added with a winsome smirk. Susan was unable to keep herself from smiling at his boyish attitude.
"I should have known it" she lectured. "Be careful next time, or even better, do not include explosives in your next plan" she told him, her tone amused rather than scolding. "I think rotten eggs would have had quite the same lord-repelling effect without the mess, don't you think?" she added with a spark of wickedness in her clear eyes, chucking softly.
"You surprise me more and more every day, My Queen. I didn't think you capable of such naughtiness" Caspian remarked with a playful tease, the Gentle Queen laughing merrily as she linked her arm with his and pulled him through the door.
Her laughter was the best recompense he could have had today.
Having been told by the Queen herself about her liking for garden walks, Caspian made a point of joining or inviting her ever so often, revelling in the time he got to spend alone with her. They were now meandering across the main gardens, currently heading to the banister overlooking the city and the deep pitch separating them from it. Their conversation was carefree and light, King and Queen swapping comments about current events or the inhabitants of the castle. Scorpio had succeeded in being the main character of their talk, having gotten himself in a series of small troubles right after his arrival.
"... and then Gemini and I arrived, only to find him covering himself and dodging things thrown by my very incensed sister. Later on we discovered he had opened the door to her room without knocking first and had caught Tairin wearing just her bathrobe. Scorpio being Scorpio, he tried his luck and dared to joke about it" Caspian told, a smile appearing on his lips at the memory.
"Oh, I know, Tai told me, Scorpio spent the whole day moaning about being abused and mistreated. Apparently only Lucy took pity of him" Susan said with a chuckle. Earlier that day, she had found her sister comforting the Prince while he exaggerated his misery to the little Queen.
They continued to walk in silence, stopping to appreciate the view before them, the orange hue of the afternoon sun tinting the walls of the city.
"Caspian?" Susan called after several minutes of staring into the horizon, getting a hum in response. "Do you know the son of Lord Baranian? I think his name is Korian" the Queen asked, glancing at him.
"I do, why?" Caspian asked, frowning in puzzlement, cutely in Susan's opinion.
"He came to me this morning, wanting to present himself as my suitor" she replied with an amused smile. Caspian's expression hardened as he subconsciously clenched his jaw.
"Ridiculous man, thinking he can simply announce himself like that; not that it surprises me, he has always been so full of himself" Caspian commented, disgruntled. "You know, he has a reputation of being quite the womaniser, although not as bad as Zirid; my friend is incorrigible" he added with a snort. "Korian has lost fortunes in gambling debts and has been found roaming the streets of the city drunk to the point of not knowing where his house is. He even undressed in the middle of the street once. He would be terrible to have as a suitor and even worse as a husband" he told, his dark glare piercing the air in front of him. Susan bit back a giggle at his evident jealousy, the fact passing unnoticed by the irked King.
"Not to mention that he has a ridiculously big nose and has the constitution of a blackcurrant: small and round; rounder on one side, considering his oversized belly. That, and he is practically bald, his head covered in those tufts of greasy hair he is so proud of, while his arms appear to be sprouting all the hair missing atop his head. Also, I've seen horses with prettier smiles than his and surely his voice could annoy a deaf person. His eyes are of a nice colour, I suppose, which he took from his lovely mother, but this is his only remarkable feature, since I'm sure you noticed, his eyes pop out of his head like a frog's and they tend to look to opposite directions" Caspian ranted, successfully making the lord in question the most abdominal man in Narnia.
Caspian was upset. He could not stand the fact that this excuse of a man dared to be so forward in his intentions towards Susan. He hardly knew her! He saw only beauty but not the marvellous person she was. For men like Korian, she was a pretty doll whose appearance mattered more than her wit, her heart and her personality, while others lusted after the power of her royal status. Her laughter pulled him out of his irritated thoughts, and he turned to look at her, meeting her entertained gaze narrowed by her smile.
"May I enquire, My Queen, what amuses you so much?" he asked, huffing lightly.
"Well, your passionate speech on every single defect you could find on this man leads me to think you are jealous, Caspian" Susan told, her clear eyes filled with mirth. The former Prince looked at her very taken aback. He looked away, feeling a blush crawl up his face.
"I- no, of course not, it's not jealousy" he spoke, clearing his throat. "I- it's just- I've had the distaste of knowing him for a while; I know what kind of man he is and he is definitely not what he pretends to be. I know you deserve better, Susan, someone who appreciates what you are and who is good enough to keep up with you, not some petulant, walking sprout" Caspian told, his eyes looking deeply into hers. Susan's laughter ceased when she saw the seriousness in his chocolate orbs. Her lips curled into a kind smile and her hand reached to touch his, warm and delicate, ivory pale against his.
"Needless to say, I didn't accept his offer. I don't like pompous brats who declare their affections so easily; to think he expected me to agree even if this was the first time we've met!" Susan explained, snorting at the man's presumptuousness. "Thank you for being concerned though, it's very sweet of you" she told, giving his hand a gentle squeeze, her warm smile enough to lighten his mood and forget about that conceited prick completely. His fingers wrapped around the small of her hand, and they stayed like that for a while, holding hands and looking ahead, very comfortable with each other, despite the tingling sensation in their joined hands.
They resumed their walk some time after, another topic mingling and weaving into their conversation, which was dotted with laughs and jokes. They rounded the garden several times, not really noticing time flying by. A call from the distance interrupted Caspian mid-sentence, and they both looked at its source.
"High King Caspian, Queen Susan" the woman curtsied once she had caught up with them, throwing Susan a slight glance of contempt. "I had been looking for you, My King; my father came to discuss some business with High King Peter and I thought it would be lovely to share this beautiful sunset with you, Your Grace" the woman stated, throwing a flirty glance at Caspian through her heavy lashes, fiddling with her necklace absentmindedly and pointedly ignoring Susan.
Did these women not have anything else to do? Honestly, did all high-born ladies have to throw themselves at Caspian like flies to honey? First in the market, now this, what would it be next time, his bathroom? They had absolutely no sense of place – or propriety, come to think of it – since it was evident they did not care if there were other people around. What a shame, the conversation was so pleasant, as was the stroll.
"If you excuse me, I'll be inside" she told, rushing her steps as she left them behind, the woman sending her the fakest of smiles as he passed next to her.
Caspian stretched his arm to keep the Queen from leaving, but was prevented from it by the annoying woman, who grabbed his arm and clung to it, a silly smile plastered on her deep red lips. Caspian watched as Susan entered the castle and with an angered sigh he turned towards the woman holding his arm in her deadly grasp.
"I have to kindly ask you to let go or my arm, Lady Arella" Caspian said coldly, trying to keep his temper at bay.
"But, My King, we are friends, are we not?" the girl spoke in an irritatingly casual tone, trifling with his words and firing his temper even more.
"I am afraid there has been a gross misunderstanding; I do not remember having said nor insinuated anything which may have led you to think we had such degree of intimacy, My Lady" Caspian replied crossly. "You come unannounced, you irrupt into my privacy, and you behave with utter inelegance towards Her Majesty; what is worse, you assume I would not take any of this into account in favour of your company" Caspian noted disapprovingly.
"I am sure Queen Susan understood we were to be left alone, it was the proper thing to do" she said in that silly voice of hers, once again making light of his words and sending him a suggestive look that only succeeded in irking him more.
"With all the respect you have done nothing to deserve: I am not interested in your affections and I have to insist for you to stop trying to seduce me. I assure you your attentions have the opposite effect you seek. Also, I remind you Queen Susan is as much as your Queen as I am your King and your utter disregard and lack of respect towards her leaves me no choice than to have a word with your father. Such behaviour shan't be tolerated again" Caspian stated icily, imposingly, his expression emotionless except for his eyes, which were flashing dangerously at her.
"My King, you reject me when there are many men pursuing me, men who would give their entire fortunes to be in your place" the girl hissed, clearly displeased by his refusal.
"Your shallowness is then well matched with any of those men. You fail to see that I'm looking for wits and charisma, and you lack both. Why waste your time with me when you could be entertaining those very men with the attributes you display so generously" Caspian growled, sprinting after Susan without another word.
"How dare he!" the woman protested, outraged, left alone with her tantrum.
Susan was about to start climbing the stairs when Caspian called after her, slowing his pace as he caught up with her.
"Susan, I- I don't know what to say, that was awful. To be honest I am still disconcerted about her brusque intervention. I'm sorry if she offended you in any way, it would be terrible if your mood was spoiled by such a brat" he apologised.
"You did nothing wrong and thus you should not be the one apologising. I can't say her behaviour didn't vex me, but I would never let something so insignificant ruin what had been until then a very enjoyable afternoon" she said with a soft smile, proving her gentleness was beyond anything books could describe.
"In that case, would My Queen agree to join me for tea?" the King asked with an exaggerated polite tone, snatching a chuckle from her as she nodded.
"You surprise me, King Caspian. Was it not you who declared tea as the most repulsive of beverages?" Susan teased, causing his eyebrow to rise challengingly.
"And this opinion still stands, for I shall be having coffee. Yet, you flatter me by the attention you pay to my words, however trivial" the King replied with a wink. "Let's wreak some havoc in the kitchens by stealing some large quantity of biscuits" he joked, lips stretching into a foolish grin. Susan shook her head and laughed, taking the arm he offered her.
The sun set in a mesmerising display of colour and light as they drank their hot beverages in one of the balconies. In spite of everything, this moment of silent wonder was the perfect ending to their afternoon together.
Susan, Lucy and Tairin were conversing in the garden, sitting under the shadow of a tree. The boys had taken the morning off to practice a bit with their swords, their excitement quickly evolving into a sparring session, in what the girls could only qualify as a form of manly bragging. King Gaetan, Gemini and Zephyr were observing from the distance, the younger Archens having declined the invitation to join the unconventional practice.
Caspian sheathed his blade and approached his adversary. The young Archen Prince had tripped on a root and fell flat on his face, wounding his lip, which was now bleeding profusely.
"Let's call it a match, you need to get that sorted" Caspian suggested, offering a hand to his friend.
"Trust you to avoid getting hurt in a fight but loosing against the ground, Scorpio" Tairin sighed as they sat down, forcing the Prince to keep still while pressing a cloth to the wound to staunch the bleeding. Susan asked a maid to bring them some cold water and an herbal preparation meant to keep the wound from swelling.
"Do you think she will like to kiss me better when she comes back?" Scorpio joked, earning a swat from Tairin and a giggle from Lucy.
"Shut up or it will bleed more" the Princess told him, pressing the cloth further into his mouth to prevent him from speaking.
"Tairin?" Caspian called, interrupting the casual banter between his sister and the Prince.
"I have only just noticed that Rainidan keeps throwing discrete glances at you" the King observed, eyeing his sister enquiringly.
"Like a faithful dog protecting his mistress, hoping to get some affection perhaps" Scorpio commented airily, a knowing look on his greyish blue eyes. Tairin threw him a pointed look and turned to her brother, who looked at her expectantly.
"You forget he was the one who saved me that night in the forest all those years ago, and that King Gaetan sent him to look after me and protect me on the trip back here. He is a good man who is only doing his job" Tairin explained with a sigh, Caspian quirking an eyebrow at her statement.
"But you are safe here" he argued, hiding a small smile at his sister's irked eye-roll.
"He is a friend, a friend who got used to guard me after all the years I spent in Archenland. I don't mind him and I don't see why you should, brother" Tairin replied, brushing some dirt off Caspian's sleeve before looking up to him, hoping for him to drop the topic.
"Don't take me wrong, I don't mind at all. I truly appreciate his caring attitude towards you, but you have to admit that his glances to you are not just friendly; they are full of respect, yes, but there is a glint of something- more" Caspian pointed out, holding his sister's gaze.
"If I may, I think dear Rainidan has warmed up to you and his concern goes beyond duty. His attentions are kept within boundaries, but I, too, have noticed he has a special spark in his eyes when you're around" Susan noted matter-of-factly. Tairin threw an urgent look at her friend, silently conveying that there was more to the matter than what she felt comfortable sharing at the present moment.
"Oh, Rainidan is so handsome and nice! I wouldn't mind him guarding me!" Lucy sighed with perfect timing, letting herself fall on Caspian's lap in a dreamy fashion, causing the others to laugh at her enamoured comment.
"Oh, my poor heart, I don't think I can bear the agony of not meeting your standards, Lucy" Caspian said, exaggerating a dramatic tone while holding his chest, to everyone's laugher. The Valiant Queen giggled amusedly and hurried to pamper Caspian and reassure him of her very positive thoughts on his good looks.
A few hours later, Susan and Tairin had found an excuse to sneak away from the merry party.
"Alright, we are alone, now you must tell me everything" Susan told excitedly, sitting on Tairin's plush bed and placing the tea tray in between them. "It's obvious Rainidan has a crush on you, as much as he tries to hide it" she added, reaching for a cup. Tairin looked at her dear friend in slight mortification as she accepted the cup offered to her.
"I know and it is terrible! I swear, I would prefer to be oblivious of the whole thing, like that I wouldn't suffer knowing I will never love him as he loves me" Tairin confessed, her emotions clear in her face and eyes, a feature she shared with Caspian.
"But at least he seems to understand you love Zephyr and he has no hopes" Susan consoled, reaching to pat her friend's arm. "He is very reserved with his emotions and it seems he has accepted he has no chance. I've never seen anything like it" the Queen then observed, taking a sip of her tea.
"He has always been very respectful and sweet, and I wouldn't have ever found out about his affections had I not listened on a conversation he and Scorpio had out of sheer curiosity" Tairin told, unfolding the memory.
They sat on one of the benches in the garden as they usually did after practises or before them, when Rainidan would try to convince Scorpio not to skip his training. Their backs were facing her and she tiptoed towards them, hoping to give them a good scare. She was a few feet away when she was stopped dead on her tracks by hearing her name in the conversation. Finding a good hiding spot, she curiously listened to the two young men.
"What are you saying Scorpio, you're imagining things!" Rainidan told, looking away.
"I don't need to imagine anything, my friend, it is all very clear. I am not the only one who has noticed how protective you are of Tairin" Scorpio teased, smirking smugly.
"It is my duty to protect her, as would you; it's His Majesty's orders" Rainidan replied, yet the Prince remained unconvinced.
"Rain, please, even the stupidest of men can see that you love Tairin, that it is not duty what makes you so passionate about her welfare" Scorpio stated. The knight looked away, taking a deep breath, and letting it out slowly.
"By Aslan! You have a crush on her, I knew it!" Scorpio pointed out with his usual lack of tact, succumbing into a fit of snickers. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hold myself" he apologised as Rainidan threw him an annoyed look. "But really, mate, you should tell her; I'm sure she will accept you, she is very sweet and you get along so well" the Prince advised, patting his friend encouragingly on the back.
"Absolutely not, I can't. She is a princess, a highborn, and I am no one. She is out of my league, my friend, knights do not marry princesses, not ones without a single drop of noble blood in their veins" Rainidan reasoned, passionate in his words.
"You are nobler than many dukes, lords and barons – stuck up snobs – and she is not the kind of girl to consider such a thing as birth or social position, you know that. I think you should give it a go" the golden-haired Prince told his friend, trying to push some hope into his heart.
"I prefer to keep her friendship and company than to share my feelings and ruin everything" Rainidan countered, and Scorpio admitted he had a point, though not enough as to bear the agony of unrequited love. "And I can't do that to Zephyr, he loves her, truly. Confessing my feelings to Her Highness would turn us against each other by competing for her affections. It would be like betraying him, his trust. I better keep my feelings to myself and have them both as my friends, than have them distanced because of love" he declared, his honey-coloured eyes shifting to his companion, who was staring at him in undiluted amazement.
"You are a true knight, the noblest man I've met. You put honour before anything, even your own chance of happiness, it is admirable. Just don't let love pass by you unnoticed when it arrives, when that one girl sent to you by Aslan crosses your path" Scorpio spoke wisely, sincere on his praises and advice to his friend.
"Until then, I will lock my feelings here" Rainidan agreed, patting his chest lightly.
And all she could do was run to her room, her thoughts confused and her heart beating wildly.
A few months later, Gemini celebrated his birthday in a modest party, nothing too big, but being the Crown Prince meant that even a small party had a great attendance of guests. Rainidan had had quite some wine, having participated in various toasts and shared drinks with a few of the guests. Scorpio, as could be expected, contributed to intoxicating his friend even further by pouring almost an entire bottle down his throat in one go, getting the poor knight in a state of dizziness he had never experienced before.
She had been taking a walk around the garden, hoping for a small moment of solitude and quiet from the noise inside, sadly thinking about her brother. Rainidan had noticed her all alone and joined her, enquiring about her wellbeing and sounding surprisingly sober even after so much wine. Tears glistened in her eyes and she could see he panicked for a moment, not quite knowing how to comfort her, extending his arm cumbersomely to pat her shoulder. He cleared his throat, apparently looking for the appropriate words to say.
"Is it Her Highness' brother again?" he asked softly and she sobbed, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
"I-I f-fear he m-may be h-hurt, t-that they may k-k-kill him!" she spoke, unable to control her weeping. She was desolate, as she would get at almost every party, wanting to share her happiness with Caspian but knowing he was far and possibly in grave danger. It was probably this image of fragility what touched his heart, his arms enveloping her a moment later, patting her hair soothingly while she cried on his chest.
After a few moments, she realised she was probably constraining the knight and she took a deep breath, lifting her head and offering him a wet smile. The moon was shining over them at that moment and she could see him clearly, his concerned frown shadowing his eyes. She sniffed miserably and looked away in embarrassment; her current look – puffy eyes and red nose – was not how she wanted to be seen, even if Rainidan was a friend. His thumb brushed her tears away as delicately as his calloused hands allowed him and she smiled, making a mental note to thank him once the knot in her throat loosened. Everything happened so fast after that, she felt his finger under her chin, lifting it softly, and in a blink of an eye his lips brushed against hers, staying there for a brief moment, leaving her in utter shock.
"I'm so terribly sorry, Princess, I- I don't know what got over me. It was awfully indelicate and I beg your forgiveness on my total lack of respect. I'll leave you alone now" he said, jumping apart from her as his righteousness returned to him. He turned on his heels and walked away. She stared at his retreating back, utterly dumbfounded. She barely registered what happened, just his words in the distance, unable to react as he marched away. She saw Scorpio crossing paths with him and asking him something, getting no answer as Rainidan walked right past him and vanished inside. Confused by his friend's reaction, the Prince broke into a light sprint to join her, finding her still astonished.
"Tai, what happened? Are you alright?" he asked, leaning to take a look at her. His brows knitted into a frown as he found her empty gaze, her dark eyes staring absently ahead. In her confused state, she noticed some little panic in his face as he decided what to do and then took her to a nearby bench, holding her hand and telling her to keep breathing, almost funny in his alarmed concern.
"I'm fine" she managed to say after some minutes and the blonde Prince sighed relieved, squeezing her hand after letting out a long breath.
"What happened?" he asked, pulling an arm around her shoulder and bringing her to him in an affectionate brotherly way.
"Rainidan, I-he- I am not quite sure what happened. I was here, thinking about my brother and then he came, and then I don't know and he- he- he kissed me!" Tairin explained, words not making sense inside her head.
"Ah, I see, that explains it" Scorpio murmured, casting a quick look at the palace before grinning and looking back at her. "Well, a man can't hold his impulses for too long, my dear sister, and I think wine might have loosened Rain's hold on his" the Prince spoke with his usual jest, causing Tairin to laugh.
"You don't even try to hold them, Scorpio" she replied and he smirked, winking playfully at her.
"You know me, I'm a man that takes things as they come" he told smugly, moving his hand in a careless motion, succeeding in making her chuckle.
"I worry for Zeph. I really don't want to hide this from him but I don't want him thinking ill of Rainidan" she reasoned, groaning gloomily.
"Leave that to me, I will talk to him and explain everything. He is a good man, I'm sure he will be very understanding" Scorpio assured her, placing a loving kiss on her temple. "Let's take you inside, shall we? You'll get a cold out here in that dress" he added, smiling kindly and helping her to her feet.
The next morning, Zephyr delicately told her Scorpio had explained the whole situation to him. He was aware of Rainidan's crush on her, having been told by the knight himself, and could not blame him either, knowing he had had a good quantity of wine.
"Who am I to be angry at feelings I know are impossible to control?" he told her, always thoughtful and noble, making her fall in love with him even more. He then checked on her, asking her infinite questions to make sure she was indeed fine, adorable beyond words.
"I know Rainidan is a good man and I'm flattered by his affections. Any woman would be lucky to have such a wonderful man so in love with her, but I could return his feelings even if I tried; I have Zeph, whom I love with all my heart. I swear I would have fallen in love with Rainidan right after I learnt about his feelings, if I could. I would love to give him a chance if the circumstances were any different, and yet, I can't help to feel horrible for causing him such pain" Tairin told, looking deeply into Susan's eyes, hoping for her to understand the sorrow in her heart; if there was anyone who could, it was the Gentle Queen.
"Sadly, there is nothing to do in such cases, dear. Love works in mysterious ways, it comes when we least expect it and brings torture when unrequited. From what I've witnessed, he has accepted his fate, treasuring your friendship and having no hopes of it ever becoming anything more. It is outstanding since it's an almost impossible task to manage, and yet, he has. You have done nothing wrong, Tai, and even if it feels so, don't torture yourself by thinking what could have been different; you can't change the way your heart beats and if its Zephyr who you love, that is the truth and it can't be changed" Susan spoke, wisely and gently, putting the tray aside and moving closer to her friend. She took both Tairin's hands in hers and gave them a firm squeeze, her gentle words and her kind gaze extremely reassuring.
"We could always find him a girlfriend, it would be a most interesting project" the Gentle Queen said with a conspiratorial smile and they both giggled, Tairin's mood improving instantly.
"Thank you, Susan, it's really great to have someone to talk or just mess around" Tairin acknowledged gratefully. "In Archenland I had Myrina – King Gaetan's niece – and she has been a most amazing and supportive friend, but being younger, there was a limit to the matters she could advise or help me with" the Princess explained, smiling at the mention of her dear friend.
"I can truly relate. I never had many friends my age, and as much as I always had Lucy, I could not – and still can't – possibly discuss everything with her. I'm very glad to have met you, too" Susan agreed, both girls hugging each other sweetly, resuming their talk and adding new topics and comments to it.
A knock on the door announced Lucy before her head popped inside, the little Queen welcomed kindly by the girls, inviting her in to join them.
"You two held a meeting together and didn't call me! I feel rejected!" Lucy whined, pretending to be offended but was betrayed by her amused smile.
"Oh, but we didn't want to interrupt your romantic stroll with Terin, my sweet" Tairin told, teasing the young Queen speechless, a darkening blush on her cheeks.
"He is such a charming boy, Lu, and he is melting in affections for you" Susan added, chocking down a giggle.
"I know, he came all the way here to invite me for that walk, and he looked so hopeful, so expectant, I just couldn't break his heart!" Lucy exclaimed, climbing on the bed. "I enjoyed the walk and he is very sweet, but there was not much of a conversation, not really" Lucy confessed, barely above a whisper, fiddling with her dress, hiding her bright red face from view.
"Aw, that's so sweet!" Tairin squealed, embracing Lucy. Suggestions, advices, jokes, laughs and giggles filled the room as the three girls chatted, spending the rest of the afternoon together and leaving the group of men wondering just what exactly they could be doing.
AN: There you go peeps! This was such a fun chapter to write! My favourite part was Peter and Tairin's fight, it was just so fun to write such fiery tempers clashing and poor Caspian caught in the middle! And of course the romance, and the firework! Please tell me in the comments which bits you enjoyed the most, I love reading your comments!
Cheers!