This chapter is told from Caspian's pov.

Chapter 13-Cloud Over Confusion

Caspian was confused by the way Peter was acting since his arrival. He could never really tell what Peter was thinking, but there had been several moments when they embraced that just felt both odd and nice to Caspian. He remembered how his eyes had closed when he sensed Peter's fingers curl around the ends of his hair and it felt so beautiful that he was upset at himself for interrupting it. And he couldn't remember quite clearly, but he was certain a pair of lips had brushed across his cheek that morning. He thought it was a dream and thought that Peter was only speaking to him in his dream, but maybe…just maybe the eldest Pevensie really had said those comforting words to him. Caspian had hoped, but he couldn't be sure.

The king's mind was racing as he knocked hesitantly on the door to the girls' room. He wanted to ask Susan directly about this James fellow and figured, the sooner, the better.

When Susan opened the door, she demanded rather impatiently, "what do you want?"

"May I come in?" Caspian asked.

"Lucy's sleeping." Susan said. She closed the door behind her instead and stepped out into the hall, arms crossing over her chest.

"Well?" She asked when Caspian didn't speak right away.

Caspian took a deep breath and asked, "What is your relationship to James?"

Susan shifted her weight as she asked in return, "why do you wish to know?"

"Just curious." He said honestly.

The eldest Pevensie girl wrapped a lock of hair around her ear, clearly nervous as she said, "Well, I am seeing him here and there, so I guess you could say that we're close, although he hasn't come by recently."

Caspian bit his lip as he glanced down at his feet. He should have known once Susan returned to England that it would be a lost cause between the two of them.

"I'm sorry, Caspian." She said.

"No, it's fine." Caspian sighed, "I guess I should not have been so naïve."

Before Susan could say anything, Caspian left and headed toward the stairs. He wanted to find Peter, but at the same time, was afraid that Peter would still be mad at him and turned to the only other person who could hopefully help him: Edmund.

"Come in!" Edmund's voice called after Caspian had knocked on the door.

When Caspian came fully into the room, Edmund got up from his card game and quickly apologized to Caspian for shouting at him earlier.

"No, really, it's all right." Caspian assured him. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh," Edmund sounded a little surprised as he asked, "sure, what about?"

"Well…" Caspian had trouble starting and chose his words carefully. "I think I may have upset someone whom I may have feelings for."

"Er, well, I'm not very skilled in that area. Maybe if you could talk to Susan—"

"No, I cannot talk to her about this." Caspian explained.

Edmund gave a response that read that he understood what he meant, even though Caspian figured he wasn't getting all of it. He made no comment though.

"So, you don't want to tell Susan right away?"

"I'm not sure if she would understand." Caspian said.

"Well, Susan is hard to talk to sometimes and if you do try—"

"I've already talked with Susan." Caspian told him.

Edmund stared at him, "you have?"

"Yes," Caspian said.

"Then, are you saying you upset her and she's mad at you now?"

"No, not exactly." Caspian said, biting his lip, fearing the questions that Edmund kept asking.

Edmund gave him a puzzled look as he asked in an undertone, "Are you referring to Susan?"

Caspian closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's obvious that she has moved on. I see that now. Even though she kept rejecting me, I kept wanting to be with her, but I realize that if I tried any harder, I would only keep getting hurt. But now, I think I've hurt someone else."

"And you have feelings for this other person?" Edmund estimated.

Caspian nodded, not looking directly at Edmund.

"Who?"

Caspian feared this question the most. Who was this other mysterious person he had feelings for? Should he tell him the truth or make something up? The truth was always the best, but even with Edmund, the truth could be avoided in this situation.

"It's not important." Caspian said, not wanting to press the subject. "But I fear I've upset them greatly. I'm now worried about them."

Edmund gave him a strained look at the mysterious answer and instead of remedying the problem, he kept questioning. "Does this person know how you feel about them?"

Caspian had to think hard. He hadn't showed much affection that he could recall toward Peter, but that didn't mean that Peter didn't think he liked him. Since he wasn't really sure, he said, "I don't know. It doesn't look that way, but I'm not sure."

"When did you meet them? Recently?" Edmund asked.

Edmund must have guessed Caspian was in love with someone he met on the streets or on the train even. Or even back in Narnia.

"Several years ago." Caspian answered honestly.

Edmund thought carefully, probably trying to glue the missing pieces together. Thankfully, he hadn't quite figured it out and said, "Have you shown any affection for this person in the last few years since you've met them?"

Again, Caspian had to be honest. "No." At least not openly. He had been too taken away by Susan to even think of Peter, but when they fought alongside each other, he saw that they both enjoyed what they were doing. It clicked as a more amiable relationship than anything, but that didn't mean that Caspian never thought about Peter in the two years that he had been away. He did on occasion wish that he were there as well.

"Did these feelings occur on their own or were they somehow…awoken, so to speak?" Edmund asked, seeming more curious to know who it was himself.

Caspian gulped as he answered, "I have no idea how they seemed to awaken, but it almost seemed like they did. Every time this person was around me, I got these odd feelings. I couldn't explain it at first, but then it grew into…compassion."

Edmund paused before asking carefully, "And you've upset this person, yes?"

Caspian nodded, keeping his gaze down.

"How recently?"

Caspian cursed in his head as he thought on how to answer the clenching question. He hated lying to Edmund, but if he answered truthfully, Edmund would surely pull the pieces together. He had to deviate from letting him know.

"A while ago." Caspian answered vaguely. If you mean about three minutes ago, he amended in his mind.

Edmund seemed more confused than ever at Caspian's vague answers which Caspian was grateful for. He didn't want to spill everything to the younger brother, just enough to have him understand his current situation.

Edmund cleared his throat as he said, "Okay, well, have you been away from this person for a while?"

Caspian shut his eyes tightly as he realized this was it. This was the question that would definitely give him away. He had to avoid it, for both his and Peter's sake.

"Well, my heart's been absent." Caspian said. It wasn't an exact answer to the question but at least it gave off the impression that his feelings had been wary while his presence had not been.

Edmund blew his bangs out from his eyes as he said, "Caspian, you're avoiding my questions. If you don't want to tell me, then why did you come to me?"

Caspian looked up at him carefully as he said, "Because I hurt h—them." Caspian almost gave away his position. "I had no one else to go to."

"What about Peter?"

At the mention of his name, Caspian had to look away. He knew his eyes were forming tears at the thought of what Peter was doing now. He was very upset, Caspian could tell. It had been his fault that Peter had gotten hurt. He had to amend it.

"Caspian?"

Caspian almost forgot Edmund was in the room as he looked up slowly, trying his best to hide his eyes and said, "I've already talked to him too."

"And he couldn't help?" Edmund asked.

"He wasn't…should I talk to him?" Caspian asked, light in his eyes as he thought about his options.

"Didn't you already?" Edmund asked, slightly confused again.

"I should talk to him again." Caspian said, realization dawning on him now. "I need to amend things."

"Sorry?" Edmund was lost.

Before Caspian could answer, he was out the door and racing down the hall. He didn't look back to see if Edmund had followed him. He was at the stairs now and he ran down them quickly. Looking around the ground floor, he checked the main room first. He wasn't there. He checked the kitchen next. No Peter. Then, he saw a curled up shape on the chair by the window in the library.

"Peter." Caspian breathed.

A/N: The next chapter will return to Peter's pov in the story.