A/N: Alright lovelies...I believe this is a chapter that you've all been waiting for ;) As always, some of the characters are owned by C.S. Lewis and Disney. Now onward and upward…

CHAPTER 6

As I predicted, Caspian was extremely busy over the next three months. Cair Paravel's construction was already making decent headway, thanks to the commitment of hundreds of Narnians and Telmarines working around the clock. The council had also decided that Caspian should go to the Ethanites, just to ensure that we stay on good terms. Thankfully, they were just extremely apologetic and promised that we are still on good terms. It is a ten day journey each direction to get to their castle, so Caspian was gone for an entire month. When he finally got back last night, I practically tackled him. It was after sundown, and I knew that he must be tired from the consecutive days of traveling, but he refused to leave my side. We ended up going to the top of the highest tower really late, after most people were already in bed. We just laid side by side, arms linked, talking and laughing for hours. I almost kissed him, but I got too nervous at the last second. He has been so extremely patient, and hasn't made me feel pressured even one time.

It's been a long road, but I know that I'm finally ready for my Prince. I have thought a lot about relationships during the three months it has been since I broke up with Stephen. It's such a relief to finally have all that behind me, and looking back, it just feels like a faraway dream. My feelings for him felt so real while I was with him, but I realize that there's no way I was in love with him. By the end, I barely even wanted to see him, and that's no way to love someone. I thought I would need a lot of time to recover and reflect, but it was less than I expected. But still, the first few weeks were difficult. Caspian was wonderful, always giving me the right amount of space when he knew that I really needed to be alone. Then when I needed to talk about it, he would be there to listen and be a comfort. Those moments have finally passed, and I know that my heart has moved on.

It is finally the beginning of summer in Narnia. Every last bit of frost and cold of spring has gone and we can finally revel in the beauty of the new season. Caspian and I have always despised the cold, so we make the most out of summers. I especially love my summer wardrobe. My dresses are made of lightweight material and either have short sleeves or just thick shoulder straps. They feel so freeing after the heavy, constricting style of winter and spring.

I put on one of my favorite lavender dresses this morning and make my way down to the royal dining hall by the kitchens. The Telmarine castle has a few dining rooms, including a much nicer, formal one that we call the Grand Hall; however, Caspian and I usually eat in the smaller, more casual one by the kitchens. I find Ty, our favorite kitchen servant and tell her what I would like for breakfast, then go in and sit at the huge wooden table, finding that I'm alone in the room. I look out the window and watch the clouds slowly pass until Ty comes with my food.

"Here you are, Miss Anna."

"Thank you, Ty. It looks wonderful. You're my favorite for a reason," I say smiling at her.

"I thought I was your favorite," says Caspian, entering the room with some pretty crazy bed hair.

"Not when you look like that," I deadpan.

"Oh man. I knew I forgot something," he replies, running his hands through his hair. It only helps a little. He then gives his breakfast request to Ty before he turns back to me. He's sitting on the wooden bench across the table from me, and he scoots it in to be closer. "I may look disheveled, but you look beautiful this morning."

"Thank you my darling."

Ty returns, now with Caspian's plate of food, and then leaves so we are alone again.

"So are you going to be working all day until late again?"

He smiles mischievously, "No, I am not."

"Oh?"

"There is a lot that I should be doing, but I'm only going to work until early afternoon. Then I'm thinking about stealing you away for the rest of the day."

"Oh really? And where will we be going?"

"Well, I was thinking that we could do a little horseback riding. And we haven't had a bonfire in a while, so we can find our place by the woods later on."

"You can't go now?"

"I wish I could. But don't worry. I'll work as fast as I can."

We both finish our breakfast, and then part ways as I try to find a distraction for a few hours. I decide to go into town for a little while. I go to my favorite tailor in town to get some more pants and tunics made for when I train. Thankfully, that kills just enough time for me to meet Caspian back in the dining hall for a meal before we leave. Then we both grab what we need for the day, and meet back up again at the stables. By the time I get there, our horses are saddled and ready to go.

Caspian comes up to me, "Do you want to ride Destrier?"

"No. I need to get used to her," I say, pointing to my horse. "I'd rather do that when I'm with you and not all alone."

He holds her steady while I mount her. "Have you named her yet?"

"I think I've decided on Kalani. Do you like it?"

"It's perfect," he says, mounting Destrier.

We ride for about two hours to the edge of the Wolfwood forest to a spot where we have been several times before. There is lots of good wildlife in this area, so we have come with small groups to hunt. And few years ago, we found some large rocks in the forest, so we made a circular fire pit. I'm glad we left it here, because it's been nice to come back to every so often. We relax and read for a while, thankful for a change of scenery. Then we get tired of that, so we decide to go explore the forest a little. The trees in the area have fairly large trunks and are really tall. There aren't too many low branches on them, which makes it easy to navigate and walk around. The bed of the forest is a mixture of a short, moist type of moss and some of the fallen leaves from the trees. We walk hand in hand, enjoying our time when I look up to suddenly see a beautiful blue bird flying between the trees. I walk faster to try to keep up with it, but as I'm looking up, my foot lands on a rock wrong. Then my other leg, trying to recover my balance slips on the moss, so I immediately fall to the ground. Caspian, still holding my hand, tries to keep me upright, but he loses his balance too. His legs land beside me, but his torso lines up right above mine, his head lying on my shoulder by my neck. I laugh hysterically, then he follows suit, so I know we are both ok. He leans back a little after we finally stop laughing.

"You've always been the clumsy one."

I reach up, trying to get his hair out of his face. "I just like to keep things interesting."

"That you do," he says, and then he stays like that for a few moments, looking into my eyes. Then he glances at my lips, but only for a second. I know that he wants to kiss me badly, but he's far too chivalrous to kiss me before I'm ready. Only, the problem is that I still haven't told him that I'm ready, so I realize that I'm going to have to initiate any further progression in our relationship. At least this is a problem with a simple fix. I just need courage.

We walk back to the camp and he builds a fire using kindling he collected from the forest. We cook our dinner over the fire as we watch the sun set in the distance. There are only logs for seating around the fire, but after dinner, I waste no time before snuggling up to Caspian and I lay my head on his shoulder. I grab his hand and we intertwine our fingers as we sit and watch the fire.

The fire starts to burn low, so Caspian frees himself from my grasp and goes to get more firewood. I know this is my opportunity to make it clear that I'm ready to be more than friends. I follow him for a few feet, but I'm afraid he'll get too far ahead of me, so I reach out with my right hand and grab his arm. He spins halfway around, looking down at his arm, then at me. "Anna, what?" Thankfully, he seems to pick up on my mood pretty quick. He turns to face me completely, and I step closer, leaving only about a foot between us. He takes his hands and rests them on each side of my face. I close my eyes because even that feels good and I clasp my arms around his lower back. It seems like an eternity of waiting, but finally for the first time, he leans his head down to mine and our lips meet in a passionate kiss. His lips are perfection and perfectly mold to my own. We are a little hesitant at first, testing the waters as we get to know ourselves in this new and exciting way. But it doesn't take me long to just let go and feel. My heart feels like it is going to pound right out of my chest. Then his hands leave my face, one threading into my hair on the back of my head and the other one leaves me completely so he can guide us until I'm pushed up against a wide tree trunk. His body presses tightly against mine against the tree. He then pulls away slightly because we are now both out of breath. He rests his cheek against mine for a few seconds while we slow our breathing a little, but thankfully, he's not quite finished with me yet. He gently tilts my head to the side and he begins a slow trail of kisses down my neck. I let out a little whimper when he lovingly teases one particular spot on my neck, opening his mouth and gently sucking on the skin. He then kisses back up my neck and presses a few more fervent kisses on my waiting lips, then he reluctantly pulls away. I've kissed a few boys when I was younger, but I know that nothing will ever compare to Caspian. I'm surprised that either of us could even stop.

"Wow," he says which makes me happy to know that he felt everything that I just did.

I rest my head back against the tree trunk. "Yah. Wow. I can't believe we've never done that before."

"My thoughts exactly," he says before leaning in again and pressing several more heated kisses on my lightly swollen lips. I weave my hand in his hair, and he nips then sucks on my bottom lip for a moment. Then he finally pulls away and presses a kiss on my forehead.

"I'm in love with you," I say because the moment is right, and it's exactly how I feel, heightened by this moment.

He looks at me, astonished, and then smiles brightly. "I'm in love with you, too."

This time, I kiss him, but we are less rushed. We pour all of our feelings into the give and take of our lips moving against each other, over and over again. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he continues to hold me against the tree. I'm getting out of breath again, so I move my hands to grasp either side of his waist and playfully push him back a little.

He smiles and bites his bottom lip. "Sorry. I've wanted to do that for a really long time."

"Don't be sorry. That was perfect."

I go back to the fire, while he collects more wood. I am completely content here in this moment and all that it means. He comes back with an arm full of kindling and drops it into the dying flames, then sits back down by me on the log. Our hands find each other again.

"Do you remember the note that I left for you in case something happened to me?"

"Of course. Are you finally going to tell me what it said?"

"Well, it's a little anti-climactic now, but it said that I'm in love with you."

"You were even back then?"

"Yah. I have been for a while," he says, looking a little embarrassed.

I reach up with my free hand and cup his opposite cheek. "I can't live without you."

"You won't have to. I'll always be here for you," he says, placing another kiss on my lips. And it wouldn't be the last.