Chapter 23
Somebody to Love
Part 1
The Telmarine castle looked different in the noontime sun than it did in the dead of night. It seemed ominous before; a dark, foreboding mass of stone and marble cloaked in fog and shadowed by the massive towers that rose above it. Now those towers were dressed in brightly colored flags of red and gold, and the cheers of happiness that filtered from the castle's corridors and streets filled the air with a light tone that enveloped the large party of soldiers and royals that rode slowly towards it.
Caspian was in the forefront, the emblem of the Great Lion that walked beside him embroidered across his chest. Peter and Cara rode only steps behind, the former recalling with a small smile how difficult it had been to convince the soon to be King to take the lead.
"But you are High King, Peter," Caspian had argued as the royals began climbing onto their mounts and taking their proper positions in line. "You will always be King before me."
"Today you will be crowned the King of Narnia," Peter replied, "and you need to enter your Kingdom as such." Caspian watched as Peter pulled himself gracefully onto the back of his steed, his movements seeming far smoother and more comfortable than anything Caspian could accomplish. "Caspian," Peter continued once he noticed the look of nausea creeping onto the Prince's features, "I am a King of Narnia, but you are going to be the King of Narnia. My time has come and gone. It's your turn now."
The two young men regarded each other quietly before Caspian nodded in understanding. Peter watched with sympathy as Caspian attempted to square his shoulders and tighten his jaw before swiftly pulling himself onto the back of his horse. The High King fully understood the boy's anxieties and fears. He had been their once. He knew the suffocating feeling of responsibility.
Once situated, Caspian glanced quickly at Peter and offered him another quiet nod. It was stronger, more determined. "After you," Peter responded as he indicated with his hand for Caspian to take the lead. With a visible sigh, Caspian ushered his mare into a slow canter and made his way towards the front of the quickly forming line. Peter followed suit, a small smirk playing across his lips.
"What are you smiling about?" Peter's mind slowly drifted back to the present at the sound of Cara's voice. She sat happily upon Alvaro, both draped in the colors of the Lion and embellished with chains and ribbons of gold.
"Can I not just be happy?" Peter questioned with a raised eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk.
"Only if I am your reason for happiness." Peter laughed openly at Cara's reply, the sound deep and musical. "Why does that reason call for laughter?" Cara questioned with a look of mock astonishment.
Peter's laugh continued as he moved his horse closer to Cara and attempted to grasp her hand. "Come here."
"Oh no, Dear King. Do not think my forgiveness is so easily given," Cara responded as she dipped just out of Peter's reach.
"You minx." Peter reached for Cara again, his fingers ensnaring her forearm and pulling her towards him. Alvaro followed the weight of her body and instantly stepped closer to Peter's horse. Attempting to hide her amusement, Cara turned her head away from Peter and refused to meet his eyes. "I see the games you play."
"Games? I do say you are digging yourself into a much deeper hole," Cara retorted while she playfully tugged her arm from Peter's grasp and pushed him away.
"How might I return to your good graces?"
"Well," Cara pondered out loud. "You could begin by giving me a swe—"
A very loud and distinct groan came from behind Cara abruptly ending her request. She turned to see Edmund riding close behind her with his hand massaging his temple and look of disgust across his features. "For the love of all things holy, please do not finish that sentence. I do not think that my throbbing head can take anymore looks of love or sickening sweet flirting from you two today."
Cara's face immediately became flushed with heat. The previous night's private events had left both royals far less guarded about their wants and emotions, but Cara could not recall any display of affection that warranted such a look of loathing. Needing reassurance, Cara turned to Peter.
The High King seemed far less concerned than Cara, for displayed across his face was a confident smirk. "I do say that throbbing is your own doing, Ed, and as I recall you were far from upstanding last night when your arms were draped so carelessly around the waist of that nymph or dryad or whatever she was."
Edmund's face soon filled with as much heat as Cara's, which, of course, only increased when both Susan and Lucy erupted into giggles. "Do not hate on a young man for following his passions," Glozelle commented with a wide smile. "We have all had such experiences."
"Indeed," Peter replied as he turned in his saddle to look at his siblings and Glozelle, "I recall you, Gentle sister, following such passions as well." Susan's shocked face turned such a deep red that it reminded Lucy of the time when Susan first attempted to douse her cheeks with blush. The result was two large, bright pink blotches that kept Lucy in giggles and Susan in tears for nearly an hour.
"Yes, Peter," Susan finally replied, "as I do recall that tale is a wonderful illustration as to why following one's passions is not always the best course of action."
"Rabadash wasn't all that disagreeable," Edmund chimed in with a smile before wincing away from the sun and once again covering his eyes.
"No," Lucy added. "He only wished to conquer Archenland and force Susan into wedlock." Susan's eyes immediately dropped, her cheeks turning from red to pale.
"He sounds perfectly agreeable," Cara said with a laugh as she leaned over Alvaro and placed a soft kiss on Peter's cheek. The High King smiled in return, his fingers immediately intertwining with hers.
The journey to the castle was now only a short distance longer. Soon the steady clip clop of hundreds of hooves ricocheted off the wooden bridge and along the deep gorge that lay below it. Trumpets sounded as the party filtered past the main gate and into the lower corridors, while children and women tossed handfuls of wild flowers out of their windows and balconies. Soon the air was filled with dancing petals as they floated over the traveling party and onto the ground.
Most everyone seemed content to allow the talking beasts and royals from old to enter their city. They cheered a happy welcome and ran their fingers through Aslan's mane as he walked past. Caspian's woes were no longer worn across his face. Instead he radiated confidence as he rode towards the heart of the castle, his smile wide and his hand consistently in the air.
"Glozelle!" a feminine voice called not long after the entire troop had entered the gate. A bright smile danced off of Cara's face as the beautiful form of Catalina appeared and disappeared between the crowds of moving people. "Glozelle!"
"General." Cara cocked her head until she found Glozelle riding only a few horses behind her. He instantly looked up at the sound of her voice. "I believe you have someone looking for you."
With a furled brow Glozelle began to scan the surrounding crowd. "Lina!" he shouted once he caught sight of Catalina's face bobbing between people.
Catalina finally pushed past the crowd and into the street, her eyes immediately seeking the General's. Upon finding him, her face broke into a brilliant smile. "You're alive," she stated breathlessly. Glozelle laughed at her statement as he ushered his horse to the edge of the street and closer to Catalina.
"I am."
"They did not harm you?" Catalina questioned as she glanced at the passing Narnians with apprehension.
"On the contrary. Many of them helped to keep me alive," he responded as troops continued to move past him and deeper into the castle. Glozelle glanced quickly at the now distant forms of his companions before once again catching Catalina's eye. "I must go. I will see you inside." Without another word, Glozelle kicked his horse forward and along the side of the street.
Catalina watched Glozelle's fleeting back until he rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. With a heavy sigh she turned from the street and pushed her way back through the happy crowd. She did not know what she expected from their reunion, but the little girl inside of her suddenly felt crushed and alone. Visions of him sweeping her from the ground and onto the back of steed entered her mind. Both were happy and content as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest. Stupid girl she thought to herself. Stupid, stupid girl.
"Move. Please move," Catalina pleaded as she shoved her way into the shadows of the side streets and back to the castle, her chest contracting in pain as she attempted to contain her tears.
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Queen Prunaprismia stood quietly at the top of the stairs that led to the interior of the castle. She wore her best gown. It was a deep purple made with yards of fabric so thick that it barely moved when she walked. Apart from the slight redness and swelling that encircled her eyes, Prunaprismia's demeanor was flawless and unabashed. Behind her stood a short dumpy woman with wild grey hair and a look of complete boredom. Clutched tightly to her breast was the newly born Prince. He cooed quietly as his fingers attempted to grasp the grey ringlets that dangled before him.
The cheers of happiness that wafted through the outside corridors and halls quieted as Caspian led the majority of the party towards his aunt. Aslan stayed beside him the entire time, his tail twitching sporadically from side to side. Prunaprismia gave the Lion a look of unease before focusing her gaze completely on Caspian. She regarded him with tired eyes, but made to move to offer any gesture of welcome.
"I loved my husband," she finally said. Her voice was powerful and deep for a woman.
Visibly unsure of how to react, Caspian's eyes raked across Aslan before landing on Peter. The High King offered Caspian a distinct nod of encouragement, but nothing more. Quietly Caspian returned his attention to the woman that had mistreated him his entire life and condoned his murder attempt for the sake of her own son. Many words entered Caspian's mind, most far from kind, but with a deep breath he allowed the past to remain the past, and opted instead to bow low before her. "Queen Prunaprismia."
Her eyebrow rose at his gesture, but her stance was unwavering. Realizing that she was not going to return such formalities, Caspian returned to an upright position and attempted to keep his demeanor cool. "As I am not yet King, I ask you for your blessing to enter your home, and for those that enter with me to be treated kindly by yourself and your people." A long moment of silence past before Prunaprismia nodded her head in understanding.
"You all may enter," she stated as her eyes swept across the small group before her. Caspian offered her a hesitant smile, which she acknowledged but did not return. Caspian's smile faltered as he turned to the others who were still standing quietly behind him. Peter gave a nod of approval and slight smile, while Glozelle, who was now holding Miraz's belongings, stepped towards his former Queen.
"Your Highness," Glozelle greeted as he slid to one knee and offered Prunaprismia the sword of her husband. She looked upon it with a rigid jaw before grasping it tightly between her finders and bringing it to her chest. Without another word she turned away from the party and disappeared back into the castle.
"Well," Caspian said once the last of Prunaprismia's gown was gone from sight, "shall we?" Being the closest to him, Glozelle patted Caspian on the shoulder before following Prunaprismia's footsteps and moving into the castle. The rest soon followed, all once again wearing smiles and talking blissfully about the coronation to come and all the various possibilities for the future. Susan and Lucy were discussing the latter when the younger Queen's face suddenly became alight with an idea.
"Oh Peter," she said as she skipped forward until she was walking beside Peter and Cara, "I just had the most brilliant idea. Do you recall that Cara has never been to the Lone Islands?"
"I do," Peter responded, while Cara gave her a quizzical look.
"Well after the coronation and such we should take her!" she exclaimed. "Wouldn't it be wonderful? We could build a ship even more magnificent than the Splendor Hyaline."
"That would be wonderful," Cara replied to the beaming girl before turning her eyes to Peter and nudging his side. "Quite wonderful." Lucy immediately began planning the size and look of the ship, from its silken sails to the mermaid that would encompass the bow. Soon Susan joined her, both now describing the music and food that would accompany them on the voyage.
"I would love to go," Cara said quietly to Peter as his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.
"And I would love to take you," he answered. "As soon as Caspian is comfortable in his duties here, we will be free to do anything that we wish."
"A lifetime of happiness?" Cara questioned causing Peter to smile and hold her even tighter.
"A lifetime of happiness," he whispered into her hair.
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Catalina had managed to control her emotions by the time Queen Prunaprismia reentered her chambers. A few lone tears did leek from her eyes while she ran quickly though the castle, but she had wiped them angrily off before they had a chance to reach her cheeks. The result was a look similar to the one worn by Prunaprismia; a hard, coarse demeanor with red-rimmed eyes and an occasionally quivering jaw.
Prunaprismia entered her chambers quietly and sat stiffly on her massive, inordinate bed. Catalina watched from across the room as her Lady pulled her husband's sword tightly to her chest and began weeping. The once strong, poised Queen looked broken, the sight causing a new wave of tears to spill shamelessly down Catalina's cheeks. Prunaprismia looked up at the sound with wild, glossy eyes.
Seeing that she was caught, Catalina stepped forward and into the dim light that filtered in through one of the chamber's many windows. Prunaprismia instantly set Miraz's sword to the side and wiped the tears from her face. "There is a small group accompanying my nephew. Go to them and see if they need any help in their preparations for the coronation."
"Your Majesty?" Catalina questioned. "I rather assist yo—"
"Go!" Prunaprismia shouted bitterly. Taken aback by her Queen's outburst, Catalina stood stricken for a few long moments. "I said go, you stupid girl." Finally shaken from her rigid state, Catalina curtsied quickly and ran from the room. Prunaprismia waited until the sound of the door slamming shut ricocheted throughout the room before collapsing onto the bed and allowing her tears to engulf her.
Catalina was once again attempting to control her emotions as she hurried down the hall. Glozelle did not want her; her Queen did not need her, and now she was being forced to minister to the very group of people that had destroyed her life. Was there no justice? Quickly the emotion driving Catalina's tears turned from sorrow to anger, but that anger never had a chance to manifest itself, for she turned a sharp corner and rammed headfirst into the chest of the High King.
Peter's hands instantly shot to Catalina's shoulders as he steadied her quivering body. "Are you alright?" he questioned with a look of concern. Catalina's tear filled eyes stared forward her as she attempted to make out the blurred emblem upon his chest.
"The Lion," she whispered before pushing herself away from Peter's grasp and falling into a deep curtsy. "Your Highness, I apologize for my careless and rude behavior. I will happily accept any reproof you give me." Catalina did not know the royal's name or status, only that he was quite obviously important.
"Reproof…?" Peter stepped forward and pulled Catalina from her bow. "There is nothing to be sorry for," he said softly causing Catalina to stare up at him in astonishment. Truly it was the first time that she had seen him, and her now wide eyes were caused less by fear and more by the depth of the deep blue pools that were gazing down at her. Any thought of Glozelle or ill will towards the castle's new residents was instantly gone from her mind. She would serve anyone without complaint if it was the wish of the man before her.
"Peter." The sound of Glozelle's voice instantly destroyed the moment, for Catalina found herself now standing feet from the Narnian royal, her body still tingling from his warmth. "I see you have met Catalina," Glozelle continued as he approached the duo, his features slightly hardened and his tone cool.
"Ah," Peter responded with a smile as he turned his attention back to the girl, "so that is your name."
"Your Highness," Catalina whispered, her cheeks burning red and her heart thumping wildly in her chest.
"That is not necessary," Peter continued. "You may call me Peter."
"Peter," she corrected softly, his name falling easily from her lips.
"Yes," Glozelle cut in, "now that introductions are over, Caspian sent me to find you." Glozelle stepped in front of Peter as he said this, his body completely blocking Catalina from the High King's sight. Peter nodded at Glozelle once before stepping away from him and looking softly at Catalina.
"It was lovely to meet you. I'm sure we will see far more of each other," he said with a small bow. Catalina offered a bright smile and a small crusty as Peter turned on his heel and disappeared back the way he came. Both Glozelle and Catalina watched him go, their expressions ranging from annoyance to giddy happiness. Finally pulling himself together, Glozelle turned his attention to the girl beside him. He noted with further aggravation that she was still gazing at the spot Peter had occupied only moments prior.
"Don't fool yourself," he said to her as he went to walk away. Catalina's previous reasons for sorrow and anger instantly rushed to the forefront of her mind. Attempting to control the bitter hatred that was once again burning in her chest, Catalina closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath.
"Whatever do you mean?" she finally said nonchalantly to Glozelle's back.
"I saw the way you looked at him," Glozelle responded as he turned quickly and stared accusingly at her. Catalina regarded the General with a blank expression.
"Oh offered him no look, and if I had, it would be no concern to you," she scoffed.
"He is a path that will only break your heart." Glozelle attempted to move towards Catalina, but she quickly retreated from his grasp. A strange feeling seized his chest at her actions. Never before had she seemed so repulsed by his touch. She had always wanted him. Always needed him.
"I have duties to attend to," Catalina said softly as she turned away from Glozelle and continued on her way.
"Fine," Glozelle called after her, pride controlling his words and actions, "you will discover soon enough that my words are true."
With tears once again threatening to leak from her eyes, Catalina broke into a short jog in an attempt to rid herself of Glozelle presence. Seeing her so desperate to get away from him, a sadness that Glozelle could not place overwhelmed him. "Lina," he suddenly called, but the sound seemed lost to her, for she quickly turned the corner at the end of hall and disappeared from sight.
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"The dress actually ripped?" Cara asked with a look of astonishment. She was currently sitting on a plush bed in an ornately decorated room. Susan and Lucy were with her, the former sifting through a row of possible gowns and the latter laying lazily across a rug of deep blue and bright gold.
"Yes," Susan replied, "I had never been more embarrassed in my entire life."
"You should have seen her face," Lucy chimed in with a giggle.
"Truly," Susan added as she turned away from the wardrobe, "all I was trying to do wa—did either of you hear a knock?" Silence filled the room as Cara and Lucy turned their attention to the door. "Lu, go check," Susan added before turning her attention back to Cara and continuing her story.
With a sigh and an eye roll, Lucy pushed herself up from the ground and made her way to the door. Devoid of any excitement, Lucy pulled open the door only to reveal a very ragged and emotional looking young woman. "Can I help you?" Lucy asked in a worried voice, which caused both Cara and Susan to once again turn their attention towards the door.
Catalina attempted to swallow the lump in her throat as her eyes blurred over with tears for the umpteenth time that day. "Oh…" was all Lucy could say before Cara leapt from her place on the bed and stepped beside Lucy.
"Catalina?" Cara questioned as she tugged the distraught woman into the room and shut the door.
"You know her?" Susan asked, her delicate features filled with concern.
"She aided in my escape," Cara explained while she led Catalina over to the massive bed and ushered her into a sitting position. Once Catalina seemed comfortable, Cara carefully pushed her hair from her face and wiped the dampness from her cheeks. "Are you alright?" Cara asked softly. The young woman made no response, causing Cara to glance at Lucy and Susan in a silent plea for help.
"I always like candies when I'm sad," Lucy offered with a small shrug of her shoulders. Susan shot a look of disproval at her sister before walking gracefully to the side of the bed and wrapping her arm around Catalina's shoulder.
"Catalina," Cara said quietly as she attempted to get the girl's attention. "Is it Glozelle?" Catalina's eyes shot up at the mention of the General, and even though she fought the new onslaught of pressure building behind her eyes, moments later she was leaning heavily on Cara and weepy uncontrollably. Cara was bewildered that her first guess had been the correct one. She had simply offered his name for he was the only Telmarine that both young women knew. Cara supposed it was a typical cause, though. Men were always the greatest at making girls cry.
"I—I hate him," Catalina shouted through her tears.
"Surely you can't mean that," Cara cooed as she rubbed Catalina's back in an attempt to calm her.
"I do!" Without warming Catalina shot from the bed and began pacing the room. "I abhor him. He is the lowest piece of scum to ever walk upon this land. He cares nothing for the feelings of others. Even if—even if they love him with all their heart." Susan glanced at Cara with wide eyes as Catalina ended her rant and sat heavily upon the ground. The girl looked defeated and broken. Silent tears tricked from her red, swollen eyes and ran lazily down her cheeks, while her disheveled dark hair shot from her head in random places.
The three young royals sat quietly in their spots waiting for Catalina to make her next move, whether that be another rant or another breakdown. The servant girl did not keep them waiting long, for not moments after she entered into a quiet calm, her eyes once again grew wide as she shot to her feel. "Your Majesties please excuse my behavior. I promise it shall never happen again."
Susan and Lucy shared a look of utter confusion before returning their attention to the now bowing young woman. "This has to be the strangest girl I have ever met," Susan whispered to Lucy.
"Susan," Cara reprimanded, "this girl has lived in a household of cruelty for the majority of her life. She is a servant, and is used to being treated as thus." Pouting, Susan pushed herself from her sitting position upon the bed and wandered back over to the wardrobe where she rather roughly began to reexamine the gowns.
"Catalina, I will not have you bowing before me. If it wasn't for you and that man that you so detest, I would be dead. Pull yourself together." Cara shifted her gaze from Susan to Catalina, before returning it to Susan with a scrutinizing look. "I have an idea," she said suddenly. Even though Susan was pretending to be uninterested, she glanced over her shoulder with a look of slight interest as Cara rushed over to Catalina and began to pull her towards a small chamber in the back of the room that contained a wash tub.
"Lucy, ask for some hot water. Susan pick the most beautiful gown you can find," Cara explained with excitement.
"Am I allowed to ask why?" Susan questioned.
"We are going to make Catalina the most beautiful girl at the coronation," Catalina's eye grew wide at Cara's words as she attempted to pull herself from the High Queen's grasp.
"Your Majesty that is not only unnecessary, but impossible," Catalina exclaimed.
"Catalina," Cara said softly as she placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, "it is obvious that Glozelle hurt you in some fashion, and the greatest way to cause him the same amount of pain is to dress yourself in confidence and pretend that you do not care." The two women regarded each other quietly for a long moment. Catalina's mind wandered from Glozelle to the blue-eyed royal that had treated her with such kindness. Perhaps the time to move on from Glozelle was upon her.
"Ok," Catalina replied with a small smile, "but Glozelle is not the only man whose attention I wish to catch."
Hey guys! Sorry that you had to wait a month for this chapter, and I'm even more sorry that it is short and rather uneventful. Both Catalina and Prunaprismia are going to be important characters, so I needed to take some time to introduce you guys to them. The next chapter will be posted much quicker, and I promise it will be far more entertaining. Actually, a lot happens between now and the end. Anyway, please leave a review. I would love to hear what you think about this chapter and what is going to happen next! Cheers!