Susan awoke to the sound of the door opening. She sat up quickly as servants filed in, setting food on the table. Caspian stood across the room, staring at her. He pulled a knife from his boot and approached her as she attempted to scramble backwards. Susan didn't know how long she had before he either killed or raped her, but she hoped he didn't have what it took to do either. He grabbed her and looked into her eyes for a moment before he cut her binds, "Eat something."
She stood and smoothed out her dress and hair before approaching the table. She'd never had pastries more delicious...well, she probably had, but she was so hungry, parchment would've tasted like filet mignon.
When she finished eating, she noticed him watching her intently. She looked back at him, refusing to back down. She was a warrior queen and would act as such, regardless of how harshly he stared at her.
He laughed dryly and shook his head, "You need to learn your place Susan. You are not a queen within these walls."
How could he possibly be the ruler the professor spoke of? She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, trying to find a person below all of the hatred, "Caspian...what happened to you?"
He snatched her to her feet by her arms, "Silence yourself woman...you know nothing of me."
His grip on her arms was so tight she was sure bruises were forming at that moment. She struggled to escape, but he just pulled her closer, holding her body tighter. He allowed his gaze to drop to her heaving cleavage as he gritted his teeth, staring lustfully at her.
He made the mistake of looking into her eyes...her large, bright blue eyes. It was then that she saw a small spark of humanity. Caspian must have realized it too, because he pushed her away, causing her to stumble back and nearly fall against a table. He quickly got dressed and left the room, muttering something to the guard who stood just outside.
Caspian stalked the hallways of the castle as he attempted to reign in his thoughts. The Telmarine way was the strong way...the right way. That's what his uncle said. Caspian clenched his hands behind his back and sighed as thoughts and uncertainty began gnawing at the back of his head.
Before he made the mistake of looking into her eyes, he was sure the decision to relinquish his rights to the crown was the right way to go. His uncle promised that giving him the crown was the only way. In exchange for the crown, Caspian would be able to live a worry free, wealthy life.
He wandered until he came upon his aunt holding her newborn son...the child who took his place as heir to the throne. He bowed his head slightly as she smiled, "Ah Caspian...it is time you have met your cousin."
He gave her an uncomfortable nod as she stepped forward with the newborn in her arms, giving him a view of the child's face. Caspian looked down, not knowing what to make of the tiny little bundle in his aunt's arms. He cleared his throat, "He is a fine child..."
She beamed down at the child, "He is and thanks to you, one day, he will be a fine ruler."
Caspian nodded and shifted uncomfortably, "Yes...well if you will excuse me."
He left without another word.
Susan wandered around the room looking for anything she could use as a weapon. The young prince was smart. He had no doubt seen her in action during the raid and wasn't taking any chances at leaving a potential weapon out for her. She seethed as she plopped down on his bed. How could he be the true ruler of Narnia? He seemed to be nothing more than a heartless Telmarine...no better than the ones who hunted and slaughtered innocent Narnians during the past several hundred years.
He was a barbarian.
She plucked a book from his book shelf and busied herself reading for a couple of hours. She happened to pick up a Telmarine history book and scoffed at the historical inaccuracies. Susan took comfort knowing the professor had worked tirelessly to ensure that Caspian knew at least some of the true history of Narnia.
At the thought of the prince, she stopped and closed the book, sitting it on her lap. She saw a glimmer of hope within his eyes when he looked at her, which is, no doubt, why he left so quickly. He was probably afraid of appearing weak to her. Perhaps if she could make him see that showing kindness and mercy actually makes him stronger, she could get through to him.
Susan began to realize why fate placed her in this position. She may be the push Caspian needs to embrace the Narnian within.
At the same time the captive warrior queen was thinking of the conflicted Telmarine prince, he was thinking of her. He sat on the empty training grounds, sharpening his sword. All guards were working double duty at their posts while all available soldiers were building the bridge and preparing to cross the river to fight the Narnian remnant. Caspian relished the silence for a moment before his thoughts slipped back to his prisoner.
Why hadn't he simply taken her yet? He had plenty of opportunity to do so, but something in her eyes stopped him. The look she gave him when he yanked her body to his awoke deep, dormant feelings his uncle told him would make him weak. When her ethereal blue eyes fell upon his, he felt shame, regret, fear, humanity and desire.
Caspian stood and began practicing his sword fighting on one of the wooden dummies, taking out his frustrations during each and every blow. By the end of his session, he had worked up a sweat, so sent servants ahead to have food and a bath waiting for him by the time he returned to his room.
As he walked back to his chambers, he passed the professor's quarters. He looked up and down the hallway before entering slowly. He ran his fingers over the books and papers that still lay sprawled over his desk...almost as if he would return at any moment. Caspian stopped and quirked a brow as he noticed a book he had never seen before, sticking out from beneath the professor's mattress. He picked it up and opened it, immediately recognizing his handwriting. It was his journal.
Caspian looked around and tucked it under his arm as he quickly continued to his room. When he walked in, the air was thick and humid, smelling of roses and vanilla. He almost panicked when he noticed the distinct absence of his prisoner. He rushed around his quarters, looking underneath the bed, behind curtains and within the wardrobe.
As he stood still scanning his room, he heard the soft sound of water splashing. He walked to the curtain that led to his bathing room and pulled it back. He was immediately taken aback at what he saw. Susan lay in the large bath tub up to her neck in water.
Rose petals freely floated around her body, peskily covering up various bits and pieces. She had just reemerged from underneath the water. Her hair was still wet and her face was slightly flushed from the heat of the bath. She was blissfully unaware of the peeping tom that stood in the doorway, admiring her naked body as she lay relaxing within the fragrant water.
The barbarian in him wanted to snatch her from the bath and take her right there on the cold stone floor...but something stopped him. He looked down and silently closed the curtain, creeping back to his room. He left and found a servant, ordering them to prepare a bath for him in one of the spare rooms.
When Susan got out of the water, she wrapped the provided cloth around her body. She didn't want to put her dress back on. It was caked with dirt and stained with blood from the night of the battle. She felt too clean to put it on. She hesitantly knocked on the door, trying to get the attention of the guard she knew stood out front.
The man cracked the door without looking at her, "What do you want?"
Her voice was small and unsure, "Um...I am in need of clothing."
She heard him bark for a servant as he closed the door.
Susan turned back around and noticed something sitting on Caspian's bed. Nothing had been there before she got in the bath tub...or had it?
She picked up the book and opened it, reading the first page.
"Professor Cornelius..." she read aloud.
Before she knew it, she was engrossed within the doctor's writings, studying page after page.
After his quick bath, Caspian dressed and began making his way back to his quarters. Sure she was done by now. He noticed a servant walking toward his door carrying a dress. He stopped her, "Who is this for?"
"It is for the prisoner my lord...you said she could have food, drink and clothing as needed."
He pinched the fabric and furrowed his eyebrows. It was a plain dress, beige in color. The fabric was a rough linen, often worn by commoners and the servants in the castle.
He shook his head, "This will not do. Do you know where the royal dress maker is?"
The servant nodded, "Yes sire."
He sent her off, "Fetch her a dress from there."
The girl curtsied obediently and rushed off as Caspian walked to his chambers. He closed his eyes and felt a pained expression creep across his face...Susan was in his room naked, waiting on her dress.
When he entered, he could tell she thought he might be the servant girl with her dress. He drank in the sight of her as she stood with fabric wrapped around her, clutching it together at the front with both hands. The last thing he noticed was the professor's journal open on the bed.
He approached intimidatingly, but she stood her ground, clutching the fabric tightly. He stood barely an inch before her as he reached behind her and closed the journal. The air seemed to crackle around them as he spoke, holding her in his deep gaze, "So I see you have found the professor's journal....have you read anything interesting?"
She stared at him for a moment. During her brief time reading the professor's journal, she learned a little about Caspian's childhood. She read about the death of his father and mother and his uncle's harsh treatment.
Susan was beginning to understand the man that laid beneath the hard layers of Telmarine armor. She shivered slightly, "I am sorry about your father and mother."
He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why did she not hate him? He had struck her, bruised her and kept her prisoner...she had a right to be hostile with him, but here she stood, vulnerable and staring at him with sadness and sympathy in her eyes, apologizing for the death of his parents. Caspian did not know how to react to such kindness, "I do not need your pity, Narnian."
"Good, because I am not offering it, Telmarine. I am simply extending my condolences."
He breathed in her soft scent...so fresh and delicious. He imagined her body tasted just the same. He longed to lean down and capture her lips in a kiss, but cleared his throat and stepped back instead. He looked away and whispered, "Thank you..."
So there was a human being under there. Susan breathed a sigh of relief. If she could just get him to embrace the kinder, gentler man that the professor instilled in him, he may have a chance of becoming the ruler he was destined to be...the ruler that would beat Miraz and unite a troubled kingdom.
Thanks for the reviews/encouragment guys! Please keep them coming!
