Chapter 3

"Lord Caspian." Glozelle called, lightly pounding his gauntlet against the large wooden door in front of him.

Silence accompanied his knock, causing the General to sigh softly and raise his hand again. Like his first knock, the second went unanswered, leaving him no choice but to quietly pull the door's latch and push it open. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't dare intrude in this matter, but the council's growing concern over the King's lateness compelled him. Today was the first council gathering Caspian would attend as the new King of Narnia and the Lords had gathered well over an hour ago.

He'd been inside of the King's chambers many times before, during Miraz's reign, but this was his first entry under Caspian's. After taking a handful of steps into the room, he instantly noticed a handful of drastic changes, the heavy dark draperies that Miraz enjoyed where replaced at Caspian's insistence by softer shades of green and blues. The colors drew more light into the room, illuminating the stone walls and floor and helped give the room a more inviting feeling.

Glozelle's eyes scanned the length of the room, until they glimpsed the King still sound asleep in his bed. The General cocked an eyebrow; it was well into the day and Caspian was still sleeping? He closed the door behind him and walked towards the bed, his eyes never leaving the sleeping King. As he drew near the side of the bed, Glozelle felt himself come to a halt. Caspian was curled on his side in the bed's center, eyes lightly closed. The thick bedding was bundled around his bare waist - even with the small distance between them, it was easy enough for Glozelle to notice the King was completely nude - but his eyes were drawn to several red blotches across Caspian's chest and shoulders.

However, he resisted the urge to glance at them closer, and placed his hand on Caspian's shoulder and shook lightly.

"My King."

Caspian moaned softly, and when Glozelle shook his shoulder once more, his eyes slowly opened. "Mmmh…"

"My King?"

Caspian's brown eyes blinked and gazed up at him sleepily. "W-what is it?"

The King's voice was hoarse and strained, almost as if he'd been yelling for hours on end.

"The council has gathered, my King; they've been waiting for you."

It took a moment for the General's words to register in his head, but when they did, Caspian sat upright with a sharp gasp.

"They're in session?"

Glozelle nodded. "Yes, my Lord, they've been waiting for almost an hour."

With a sleepy groan, Caspian inched to the edge of the bed. The bedding, however, didn't move with him, and the youth failed to notice as he swung a leg to the floor. Unfortunately, Glozelle noticed and felt his eyes drawn to the bronze skin that was suddenly presented to him. His eyebrow once again raised itself when he caught site of more red marks, and even a few dark colored bruises, adorning Caspian's hips and upper thighs. The small, red marks looked almost like they were caused by teeth, and indeed, a few had tooth impressions embedded in their centers, but the black and blue areas were in the disturbing shape of finger tips.

Another soft gasp moved the General's attention away from the King's lower areas, as Caspian suddenly realized his nakedness and quickly covered himself, his face flushing a bright crimson. Glozelle mentally shook himself and turned away. The sounds of Caspian climbing out of the bed and wrestling with cloth reached his ears, but he kept his back to the King, already feeling ashamed for his staring. He turned when Caspian cleared his throat softly, relief spreading through him when he saw that Caspian had a thick robe wrapped around himself. His face still held a heavy flush, and the General suspected it wasn't fully from embarrassment.

"I will be along in a few moments."

"Are you ill, my King?"

Caspian wrapped his arms around his torso and shook his head shakily. "I am well, Glozelle. Wait for me outside my chambers."

Glozelle straightened and nodded at the order, turning swiftly on his heel. Caspian's eyes followed him out of the room until the door closed, sounding the General's exit. Once left alone, the young Telmarine felt himself fall heavily back onto his bed. His hands nervously opened the front of his robe and he gazed down at the red marks littered across his chest.

It wasn't a dream; his eyes were staring down at the proof written across his skin.

No…

A cry started making its way up the King's throat and Caspian bit into his fingers in order to keep it silent.

Glozelle nervously fingered the hilt of his sheathed sword as he waited for Caspian to emerge from his chambers. Behind the door, he could hear the sounds of the King moving about, but the General forced his curiosity to the back of his mind. It was hard battle since his mind was still groping for answers about the marks he witnessed on the King's body, and though he tried to dismiss the thoughts, he wasn't fully able to.

Caspian had gone to his chambers alone the previous night; he himself had accompanied the King to this level and parted ways when the King entered his chambers for the night while he patrolled the surrounding levels of the castle, as he did every night since he was appointed General by Miraz.

Miraz…

Glozelle felt his shoulders coil tight, and he was forced to lean against the stone wall behind him to center himself. Miraz was a tyrant and a man without a single sense of honor, but he served him never the less, and the General damned himself every day for it. Miraz had given him his rank and privileges, more then enough reason for Glozelle to serve him loyally, but hardly enough for the Lord to earn his respect. He respected Caspian IX though, the former King was the reason he enlisted in the guard many years ago only to find himself placed in Miraz's private forces.

Most of the memories he carried from those times were anything but pleasant, and the General pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. None of that mattered now, he finally had a chance to redeem himself and his honor under the command of new King, and while Caspian was young and had been Narnia's King for little more then a week, he was more suited to the role then his uncle had been, with his compassion and want of peace. The boy was the first decent King Glozelle had severed under and he would gladly protect him with his life.

The sound of the door to the King's chambers opening echoed loudly in the empty hall and Glozelle pushed himself away from the wall. Caspian was dressed in a rich blue tunic adorned with gold thread near the neck and sleeves, and dark pants. His choice for clothing seemed to give his eyes a deep, honey colored glow but it did also serve another purpose in the General's eyes, it helped transform Caspian into the noble King he was born to be.

"I am ready."

Glozelle nodded and started down the hall, Caspian falling into step beside him. The two Telmarines descended into the ground levels of the stone castle. Caspian eyed the ground nervously during their walk, and Glozelle once again found himself watching the King. The boy's face was blank and pale, but worry was clearly present in his eyes and it only intensified as the neared the council chambers.

Soon, the two found themselves standing outside of the large chamber doors.

"We are here, my King." Glozelle announced, turning towards the youth.

Caspian nodded and eyed the door nervously. The General watched silently for a moment, his chest tightening from the sight. How easily many people – and he himself was guilty of it, many times- forgot Caspian's age. Even though the young Telmarine was King, he was still a boy and as he gazed fearfully at the door and dreaded what was behind it, Glozelle's eyes saw the small child who kept dropping his sword during his lessons. The boy who'd gazed at him with awe when the General spared with his solders and always found a way to separate them from their weapons without much effort.

Glozelle smiled a bit at the memory of the curious little boy and placed a comforting hand on the King's shoulder.

"Do not be nervous. You will do fine."

Caspian turned his head away from the door and met his gaze. "But what if they don't approve of the Narnians, or if they want—"

"You are their King; they will accept your actions one way or another." Glozelle replied, keeping his voice deep and fatherly, the same way he spoke when Caspian was younger. "Now, stand up straight and keep your head high. You look down to no one."

Caspian straightened his shoulders nervously and took a few deep breaths. Glozelle watched proudly, even though it was obvious the King was still nervous.

"Are you going in with me?" Caspian asked, his voice was even, but there was still a faltering edge to it.

"I can only enter the chambers under request, my King."

Caspian pondered the General's words for a moment.

"Will you accompany me?"

Glozelle nodded, not at all surprised by the King's request. "As you wish, my King."

Caspian breathed a sigh of relief and after swallowing the lump inside his throat, walked forward, and pushed the heavy wooden door open. Silence was heavy inside the room and Caspian wasn't even halfway into the chamber before a handful of eyes were upon him. What was left of the council sat in their respective chairs, each turned in the new King's direction. The men straightened in their chairs as the door was pushed open once again and closed swiftly, revealing Glozelle standing protectively behind the new King.

Caspian took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "My apologies for being late, I was—"

"The King was detained by other matters." Glozelle finished, his dark eyes meeting the gaze of each of the council members.

Each of the men registered his glare with a controlled look of their own, but their gaze's hardly rattled Glozelle's state of mind. He'd been in this council chamber many, many times under Miraz's command and learned the tricks each man used to manipulate the other members for their own gain. And, while a good number of the Lords were peaceful and never used their methods, Glozelle knew the others relished the chance of having a new, young King who would be easy for them to control. He'd gladly unsheathe his sword at the first one who dared to corrupt Caspian, restraint and his rank be damned.

Weary of the General's stern glare, the council member closest to the door rose from his chair.

"It's quite alright, my King, may we please begin?"

"Yes." Caspian nodded and made his way towards the chairs lined on the opposite end of the room.

The Lords started quietly talking amongst themselves as Caspian made his way to his chair. He'd only been inside of this room once, and that was upon his uncle's insistence when he was a small boy. The room hadn't changed much as far as his memory was concerned. The walls were still adorned by the various flags and banners of the surrounding lands. The wondrous chandelier still hung in the center of the room and Caspian's eyes were drawn upwards as he passed under it.

Glozelle fell into step beside him silently, ignoring the looks directed at his back from the council Lords. He watched the King out of the corner of his eye and upon seeing that Caspian was slowing his pace, signaling distraction, he lightly thumped the tail of his sword's scabbard against the back of the King's knee. It was enough to break Caspian out of his daze and the King quickly composed himself and made his way towards the chair reserved for the current King.

Caspian sat down quietly and Glozelle moved to the shadows on the chair's left side. The young King cleared his throat nervously.

"Shall we begin?"

The Lords nodded in their agreement and the one closest to Caspian stood and bowed before speaking. His request was addressed to the other Lords, so Caspian remained silent, relishing the chance to compose himself. His head was hazy and had felt that way since Glozelle had awakened him. There were also sharp pains radiating through his body that he used all of his willpower to ignore.

"Now, this will hurt, young one…relax more, there's a good boy."

He cried out as a sharp, stinging pain shot through his lower body. He didn't need to glance over his should to realize the man had penetrated him. His head fell against the bedding with a pained whimper, his eyes squeezing closed.

Caspian closed his eyes briefly, trying to halt the memories that were starting to fill his mind.

He was encircled with warmth, but his body still felt cold down to its very core. Seeking more heat, he arched up against the warm body pressed heavily against his back, a slight groan easing from his mouth. The man started moving inside of him, it was painful at first but the pain soon dulled and was replaced by warmth and pleasure… pleasure the young King had not felt since the night in Asland's How.

"So responsive, am I your first?"

The voice was smooth, raising goosebumps against his skin when it spoke.

"Lord Caspian, what's your solution?"

Caspian blinked and lightly shook his head. Several of the council Lords where staring at him eagerly and he had not heard one word they had said. With a nervous swallow he did the first thing he could think of, he turned his head towards Glozelle. His prayed the General could read the plea for assistance in his eyes.

"All roads and trading routs leading through and nearby the woods have been disbanded by the King's orders." Glozelle stated loudly, drawing the council's attention upon himself. "My men will provide you with maps detailing alternate routes upon your departure in the morning."

The General's voice held its normal authority and none of the Lords challenged it. Caspian sighed in relief and straightened in his chair, aware that Glozelle was watching him closely.

"What of the Narnians, my King?"

Caspian looked over at the Lord who spoke. "What of them?"

The Lord humbled slightly when all eyes in the chamber moved on him. He was young, looking only a small handful of summers older then Caspian himself.

"What are their restrictions?"

"Restrictions?" Caspian raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, what times are they allowed to enter the city? What roads will they be allowed to use?"

Caspian blinked once again, trying to process what the man was asking.

"I'm afraid I do not understand your question?"

"Well, my King, you can't honestly expect us to associate with those creatures-"

Caspian tensed and tightened his fingers around the arm of his chair. He'd feared the Lords would react this way.

"They are to be treated no differently then the rest of the Telmarines, they will have the same freedom and rights as us."

His statement caused another one of the Lords to speak up. "Lord Caspian, you cannot be serious."

Anger spread through the King's body, and he stood from his chair, ignoring the pain that emitted from his lower body. "I am indeed serious. Those creatures are my friends and the reason I am King."

"With assistance from Lord Sopespian and your new General as well, my King." The younger council member spoke up once again, eyeing both Caspian and Glozelle with distain.

A heavily silence formed in the large room, both Caspian and the outspoken Lord glaring at the other while the room's other inhabitants were torn between observing the two. Before either youth could utter another argument, Glozelle strolled forward. His face was composed, but his eyes were just as enraged as Caspian's.

"Lord Carilles, you will leave the council chamber respectfully of your own free will." The General commanded in an even voice, sliding his sword partly out of its sheath. "Or I will escort you out."

The Lord narrowed his eyes at the General's threat and rose from his chair. His eyes continued to bore into Caspian's face as he turned on his heel, leaving the chamber without a single word. The door slammed loudly as he departed and Caspian couldn't help his small flinch at the sound.

"If any other Lord shares his views, you are more than welcome to leave."

Much to the young King's relief, none of the remaining Lords left their chairs, and he sank back down into his heavily. The silence was still present in the chambers, however, and remained for a long passage of time before one of the Lords decided to address another issue. Caspian only spoke and replied when he was needed to but otherwise remained passive.

"You did well today, my King."

"You have never been a good liar, professor." Caspian mumbled, idly playing with a tiny trinket resting on the professor's cluttered desk.

"Very true, my King." Cornelius smiled at him from across the room briefly as he pulled a few books from his cluttered shelves.

Caspian continued to fiddle with the small trinket, not replying to the statement. Cornelius carried his armful of books to his desk, taking the seat across from the King. His sharp eyes held the distressed teen in their gaze for a moment before the professor sighed warmly.

"The first few meetings are always difficult for a new King. Do not judge yourself too harshly."

Caspian kept his head lowered, his dark eyes hidden from the professor under his bangs.

"They do not accept the Narnians."

Cornelius nodded slightly. "I suspected as much. The Telmarines have always viewed themselves superior to the Narnians. One can't expect them to change their beliefs over the course of a week."

The King raised his head slightly, still keeping his eyes lowered.

"They do not accept me as their king."

"But alas, you are their King, nevertheless." The professor replied, opening the book closest to him. "Respect can be gained in two ways. You can earn it, or like your uncle, you can demand it through fear."

Finally the king meet his gaze, obviously growing bored of the small metal item he'd spent the better part of an hour poking at. "What are you reading?"

"It's an old journal my former mentor left in my care long before you were born. Like myself, he had dwarfish blood, and wished to explore as much of the land as he could."

Caspian blinked, obviously bored. "Oh."

At this, the older man chuckled. "My King, you are free to leave my study whenever you desire. You are no longer a boy."

"I enjoy spending time in here professor."

"I'm humbled you feel that way, my King." Cornelius hummed happily, turning a page in his book. "However it is getting rather late. It would be best if you were to turn in for the evening. You must face the council once more in the morning."

Caspian's shoulders seemed to shrink from the statement, causing one of the older man's eyebrows to rise questionably.

"Is something wrong, my King?"

"No." Caspian hastily assured, but his unease was still present in his voice. "I…I would just like to remain here for a few moments longer."

Cornelius wearily closed his book. "You are welcome to stay in my library as long as you wish, my King."

"Thank you." Caspian whispered, hiding behind his bangs once again.

He remained in the professor's chambers for a few more hours before Cornelius retired to his chambers for the night, leaving Caspian no choice but to climb the levels to his own chambers. When he opened the door the first thing he noticed was Ambrose waiting in the darkness for him.