Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters and plots. The original universe and everything in it belong to C. S. Lewis. All photos used of film characters belong to Walt Disney Pictures. The content I have written is fanfiction and its only purpose is to inspire creativity and to further immerse oneself in the universe C. S. Lewis has created.

Author's note: Rated M for a lemon at the end of the chapter.

"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different…"

- C.S. Lewis, "Prince Caspian" (1951)

Chapter 2 – More Than a Thousand Years – May 2315 – Narnia

Trufflehunter led Prince Caspian down the narrow path that would take them to the Dancing Lawn. Pippa trailed after them and listened in as the badger mumbled words of encouragement to the nervous Telmarine.

"Remember to speak to the ones that doubt your claim, sire. You already know you have Glenstorm and the other centaurs' approval, and you'll most likely be supported by the minotaurs too – though I suspect that's just because they're aching to pick a fight with Miraz."

Pippa watched as Caspian's tanned face turned a shade lighter.

"The foxes, hares, badgers and fauns are likely to be on your side too. I've done some campaigning on your behalf, your majesty. Though I suspect the brown bears might be less inclined to join us, I have their word they won't try to eat you if they don't like what you have to say."

Caspian looked as if he wanted to vomit all over the badger.

"So sorry to interrupt," Pippa prevented the badger from unknowingly tormenting the prince any further. "but we have arrived."

The Dancing Lawn was located west of the River Rush and close to 'the How' – a place of sanctuary for the old Narnians and the heart of the Resistance according to Glenstorm.

The glade was full of oak trees, cherry blossoms and more Narnians gathered in once place than Pippa could ever remember there having been before. Surely, there had been just as many Narnians gathered at Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy's coronation, but Pippa could not say for certain that it had been so.

The clearing was full of all sorts of Narnians: bears, foxes, leopards, dwarves, minotaurs, centaurs, fauns, hares, mice, badgers, satyrs, owls, ravens and squirrels, and even a hag and what looked like a hairy troll (the ghastly moles that Pippa had encountered were also there, sniffling above the ground by Reepicheep's side). Caspian observed them all with wide eyes and a flabbergasted look on his face.

Trufflehunter gave Caspian a push with his paw and the Prince unceremoniously stumbled into the glade. All eyes were suddenly upon him. Pippa felt bad for him as she herself loathed such attention, but then again this was a war council where he would need to beg for support, so perhaps the spotlight was to be preferred after all.

Trufflehunter chuckled cheerfully by Pippa's side as the two of them watched as Caspian struggled to take it all in.

"He's very nervous you see. He's hardly met a Narnian before now. Barely knew what a minotaur was when I first met him."

Pippa watched the badger with interest. She would need to speak with him later. It was after all he who could tell her about the end of the Golden Age and the fall of Narnia.

Caspian cleared his throat. "Narnians. I have gathered you here today–" He was interrupted by several outraged cries.

"You've brought us here?"

"Liars, all of you!"

"Filthy, Telmarine!"

"Thief! Murderer!"

"Kill him!"

"Silence!" Came the deep voice of Glenstorm as he stepped forward. "He blew the horn; he must be heard!"

"His possession of the horn just proves he's a thief!" Cried Nikabrik, the black-haired grim dwarf.

"Yeah!" Some other creatures echoed.

"I am no thief!" Caspian replied hotly. "I didn't steal anything!"

"No?" The question was asked by a red-haired young faun. "Telmarines have stolen everything from us; our homes, our livelihoods, our entire country!"

"You cannot hold me accountable for the sins of my people and forefathers! I have dreamt and hoped for your existence my whole life! I want the Narnians to take back their homeland!"

Pippa then realized two things; 1) that Caspian had a temper, and 2) that if he was unable to contain himself, he might spoil the purpose of their meeting.

"I shall hold you accountable Telmarine! And punishable too!" Nikabrik moved closer to Caspian with one stumpy hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

Caspian was about to speak, his nostrils slightly flared as he faced Nikabrik.

Pippa decided to cut their argument short as she stepped into the clearing.

"Then shall I, dear dwarf, hold you accountable for the sins the dwarves committed against the Kings and Queens of Narnia when you sided with the White Witch? For I was there, I remember those sins. I bear those scars upon my skin."

Gasps of wonder escaped the Narnians surrounding them.

"Well said!" Reepicheep nodded towards her.

Pippa's eyes narrowed as she stared at the mouse. He had yet to apologize for his unjust attack on her.

"Yes, we sided with the Witch, and we would do so again, for at least she might help rid us of the Telmarine scum once and for all!" Nikabrik shouted angrily.

"Are you suggesting we bring her back and defy the will of Aslan?" Reepicheep spoke again, his rapier drawn and pointed at Nikabrik.

As Aslan's name was invoked most of the Narnians inhabiting the Dancing Lawn spoke at the same time. Some of them cried out his name like a prayer; some shouted enraged words at Nikabrik. Mostly they all agreed that it was nonsensical to go against the will of the Great Lion.

"Some may not remember as well as I do, but it is true that Narnia has always prospered under the rule of a son of Adam or a daughter of Eve." Glenstorm spoke wisely.

Pippa smiled gratefully at him.

"But he's a Telmarine!" Nikabrik seemed beside himself by now. "Why would we ever trust him?"

"Because I can help you!" Caspian was calmer now. "Miraz murdered my father and wanted to murder me too! The throne is rightfully mine, and I swear that if you help me reclaim it, I shall bring peace between our peoples." His heavily accented words echoed between the large trees in the glade as everyone went quiet.

"I have called the ancestors of Narnia's Golden Age to help us, and here is proof that my call has been answered." Caspian continued as he gestured towards Pippa. "I know you have spoken to Glenstorm and his visions in the night sky prophesies that the time is ready to liberate yourselves. You must believe me when I say I have always felt more Narnian than Telmarine, and that all I have wanted since I was a child was to meet a talking creature of old."

Pippa noticed that the Narnians were watching Prince Caspian speak as if bound by a spell. That was a good sign.

"And here you are – alive and in strengths and numbers we Telmarines never could have imagined! No matter what magic exists within this horn," Caspian held Susan's ivory horn close to his chest, his voice full of passion. "It has brought me to you. And I shall never forget meeting you, and therefore I beg of you to support my claim because together we can fight the usurper and take back what is ours!"

As Pippa watched the Prince as he spoke, she realized that the Narnians were truly listening now and that more and more of them were agreeing loudly with Caspian. That was definitely a good sign.

"If you are willing to lead us, then we will follow." Glenstorm said solemnly. As he stepped forward and drew his sword, the rest of the Narnians followed suit, chanting as they did so.

"Long live King Caspian! Long live old Narnia!"

Reepicheep bowed deeply before Caspian. "We will gladly lay down our lives for you, sire."

Nikabrik said nothing, but he kneeled beside Reepicheep and bowed his head.

Pippa moved to stand next to Caspian. "We cannot wait for High King Peter to join us; we must find shelter and begin preparing your army right away."

Trufflehunter agreed and said: "Lady Philippa is right sire; we must secure weapons and armour as well as prepare food and drink for the battle ahead."

Caspian nodded. "Then let us travel to the How – Aslan's How – at first light. Perhaps we shall encounter their Highnesses on our journey."

The next morning the flock of Narnians were on the move. Those who could fly, went ahead to prepare the Narnians that were guarding the How. The squirrels, the moles (Pippa still shuddered involuntarily) and the mice travelled separately and in packs to make sure the rest of them went unseen by the Telmarine scouts. One squirrel had reported that the Telmarines were also on the move, building bridges across Beruna and setting up camp not too many miles from the How itself.

Pippa walked by herself until she was joined by Trufflehunter, the honey badger and Reepicheep, the proud mouse.

"Lady Philippa." Trufflehunter spoke first. "General Glenstorm said you've been meaning to speak with me about the past."

Pippa nodded eagerly. "Yes, indeed dear badger."

"But first," Said Reepicheep as he dropped to one knee in front of Pippa. "I must humbly apologize for my behaviour in the woods the first time we met. It is deeply upsetting that I have caused her majesty such offence."

Gosh, he certainly is very cute, Pippa stared at the mouse, trying not to giggle. "Does it matter more because I'm royalty?" She questioned.

Reepicheep looked horrified. "No! No, of course not! You were alone, and most importantly unarmed, which is why I did not challenge you to a duel to the death, my lady."

"Reepicheep." Trufflehunter warned.

Pippa pressed her lips together to try the keep the laugh from escaping her throat.

"What I mean to say is, I'm sorry I let my intentions, however honourable they were meant to be, cloud my judgement. You were clearly no foe, not a dangerous one anyway–"

"Reepicheep, honestly…" Trufflehunter shook his head.

"And so, I offer my deepest apologies, and beg on bended knee that my lady forgives me and my companions appalling behaviour." Reepicheep finished.

Barely able to withhold her laughter, Pippa ushered him to get off the ground. "Apology accepted, noble mouse. We shall never to need speak of it again. Seriously."

"Ah, very good!" Reepicheep easily jumped to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, my lady, Trufflehunter, I shall go to the Prince to offer my protection during this journey."

Pippa and Trufflehunter watched as he disappeared stealthily into the brushes.

"I am very sorry, my dear. Noble he may be, but I'm afraid he lacks some insight." Trufflehunter sighed. "Now, let's continue our walk as we speak. We are not so far from the How now."

They resumed their walk at a brisk pace.

"I must ask–" Pippa began.

"Ask away, ask away. We badgers remember easily what others have forgotten, but you mustn't forget these tales are over 1300 years old and so even my forefathers tales of the Golden Age must be taken with a pinch of salt." Trufflehunter replied pleasantly.

"Who took the throne when we left? I mean, none of us had any heirs." Pippa felt an icy dagger pierce her heart as she remembered all her disastrous pregnancies.

"I believe that lord Peridan took the throne, my lady. With some help from lord Talon he convinced your privy council that he was the obvious choice; especially given his closeness to Queen Lucy."

Pippa wasn't too shocked to learn that Peridan had stepped up when they needed a new ruler of Narnia; he had always seemed very keen on that aspect of his possible marriage to Lucy. But Telmar's invasion of Narnia did not seem logical to her. They were at peace, were they not?

"When did the Telmarines invade?" She asked the badger.

"Ah, not even a year after your majesties disappearance. I suspect they began preparing for an invasion long before you left Narnia. The Telmarines were sea-faring folk then, and an invasion by ship would have taken a lot of time to prepare for."

"But that must've meant they had a spy inside the castle?" Pippa wondered aloud. "Someone with access to our privy council meetings, and close relations with Telmar and their ambassadors–" Pippa cut herself off as her stomach filled up with dread.

Who did she know that had extorted her for a seat on the privy council the first time they had met at Anvard? Who did she know that had offered her his hand in marriage in exchange for power, or who had schemed to overthrow Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy the second it suited him? Who did she know that had close friends in Calormen and Telmar? Who offered to stay behind when the others wanted to hunt for the White Stag? And was the man she was thinking of not hard to read, conniving, charming and pompous whenever it suited him? The perfect cover for a spy.

"I'm such a fool." Pippa cursed herself.

Trufflehunter patted her on the arm. "I say lord Peridan and lord Talon were the fools, my lady. For no sooner than they had opened their home to Caspian the Conqueror, he killed them both in a gruesome way. Once a traitor, always a traitor he is believed to have said."

"They betrayed us all. Trufflehunter, I'm so sorry, but it is all my fault. I let lord Talon manipulate me at every turn." Unshed tears clouded Pippa's grey eyes. Suddenly she perked up. "You must promise me you won't tell Lucy what we've discussed. It would break her heart if we insinuated Peridan might have used their relationship for such a traitorous gain."

Trufflehunter studied her for a moment before nodding. "I shall keep quiet for Queen Lucy's sake. I fear though that one day she might find out."

"Let me deal with it if she ever does. Lucy is as valiant as they come, but she's always wanted the love she unconditionally gives others. I fear she might never love again if she found out."

Pippa stared into the landscape as they walked in silence. Now more than ever did she want to help Caspian oust the Telmarines from Narnia. Even if her motivations were powered out of guilt over her dead friends and countrymen.

"Lady Philippa, you'd better come quickly! Someone's fighting." A copper-coloured squirrel alerted her as she sat on a log.

She had needed a break after walking for many hours in her comfortable, but impractical for hiking, leather shoes. Pippa jumped to her feet and followed the squirrel as she unsheathed the sword she had been given by the dwarf smithy. Soon she heard familiar voices.

"Well, if you'd like, we could come back in a few years." Peter.

"No, no, that's alright. You're just not exactly what I expected." Caspian.

"Neither are you." Edmund.

"Pippa!" Lucy.

All eyes were on her as she came to a halt between two fauns. Lucy, who had spotted her first, ran up to her and gave her the biggest hug Pippa had ever received. The hug caught her off guard and as she wrapped her arms around Lucy to return the hug; she could hear Peter, Caspian, Reepicheep and Trufflehunter speaking.

When she released Lucy, she was met with another, gentler hug from Susan.

"We've missed you." Susan spoke softly into her ear.

"I've missed you all too." Pippa responded as she searched for Peter's face in the crowd. She soon found it. He looked just as handsome as she'd remembered, his hair still golden and long with his bangs falling into his gorgeous blue eyes. He was staring at her too, his eyes cold and calculated. He was angry, why was he angry? Pippa felt confused.

Suddenly, he turned back to face Caspian.

"Well? Where is your camp? You must take us to it so we can begin the real work." Peter said nastily.

Caspian rolled his eyes and inclined his head. "This way, your highness."

Peter turned abruptly and went in the direction Caspian had suggested. With a sigh and huff Edmund followed his brother, with Caspian walking right behind him.

"Well, that was embarrassing." Lucy stated, giggling as she took Pippa's hand and dragged her along.

"Indeed, it was. I don't think I've seen Peter behave so childishly since he lost a duel to that awfully arrogant toad of a knight from the Lone Isles." Pippa responded.

"I'm afraid you don't know the half of it." Susan sighed.

Pippa looked at Susan in surprise. What did she mean by that? What had happened since she and Peter had been parted seven months ago?

"You're obviously right." Lucy giggled. "But that's not what I meant!"

"Well then what did you mean Lu?" Susan asked perplexed by her sister's giggle.

"Did you not see the way Prince Caspian was looking at you Su? I even think sparks flew and one accidentally hit me in the eye!" Lucy joked.

"Oh, hush." Susan said sternly, but a faint blush spread across her freckled cheeks. "I'm far too old for him anyway."

"Hm. He did say last night he'd always wanted to meet a creature of old though." Pippa teased and winked at Susan.

"How rude of him. One should never refer to lady's age." Susan stated in mock offence as she stared at the back of the tall prince as he walked behind her brothers.

Pippa and Lucy looked at each other and burst out laughing. Their sounds of amusement reached the boys' ears as they all turned to look at them. Susan blushed scarlet as Caspian's onyx coloured eyes searched her face briefly before looking away.

"What's so funny?" Called Edmund.

"Nothing you'd understand Ed!" Laughed Lucy.

Pippa's laughter died in her throat as she met Peter's furious gaze. He was angry, now also with her. Why was he so angry?

"Hurry up, your majesties!" Glenstorm called from the front of the troop. "We're nearly at the How!"

They reached Aslan's How before nightfall. It extended from the outskirts of the Great Woods and into an enormous field. The field was full of green and yellowed grass, but also what appeared to be remains of a marbled floor with pillars reaching high into the sky. Some of the columns were merely ruins, and the entrance to the How looked to be crumbling as well. Pippa could see that some of the stone and clay had broken off and had fallen to the ground in massive boulders.

The How itself was a hollowed-out mound which extended into countless caves and galleries, which seemed like a maze to all who entered before they had the place mapped out. Pippa had heard some of the Narnians discuss how an ancient stone lay in the centre cave of the How. A particularly chatty owl had told Pippa that the stone was indeed magical and as old as Aslan himself.

Caspian was in the lead as he had been to the How once before to help the Narnians get settled. Reepicheep and his eleven companions were currently on a mission to secure weapons from the Telmarines and sabotage their food storages, whilst the dwarfs were busy within their nearby mountain halls forging armour and weapons with haste. Glenstorm and his sons were lined up at the entrance to the How with raised swords, and as the Pevensies entered, they bowed their heads in respect for the Kings and Queens of Old.

The How was filled to the brim with working Narnians and the place seemed hot and dusty, despite the chill of the ground and the cold stone walls.

"It's not exactly ideal." Edmund finally said.

"But it is defensible." Caspian added.

Peter looked on unimpressed.

"Peter, come look what Lucy's found." Susan alerted the others as she stood by a nearby tunnel.

As soon as Pippa entered the spacious passageway, she spotted various patterns and pictures drawn with chalk onto the wall or carved deeply into the stone. Many of the carvings depicted Aslan, mostly roaring or pouncing on different enemies, but soon Pippa could see familiar sketches etched into the blocks of the hard earth that surrounded them.

Lucy stood nearby with a lit torch, the flames illuminating a picture of four children sitting upon four thrones in a great hall. Edmund used his brand-new battery-driven torch to light up another drawing. It was of him as a young boy standing beside the White Witch as she had him in chains.

"What is this place?" He asked Caspian stiffly.

"You don't know?" Caspian asked confused.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Come on, let me show you something." Caspian led them through various tunnels until they reached the centre and the main chamber of the How.

Pillars of tremendous size and weight supported the roof and in the centre of the room itself lay the magical stone Pippa had heard about. Susan and Lucy gasped and strode towards the stone.

"How can it be?" Susan asked Lucy in a whisper.

Lucy turned to Pippa, Peter, and Edmund as they watched in silence. "Don't you recognize it? Su and I were here first, of course, but we all went to visit it after our coronation."

It dawned on Pippa that is was not simply a stone, but a giant table. It was split in two in the middle and had once been covered with ancient writing in a very old language, but the wear and tear of hundreds of years of weather had made the writing unreadable.

"The stone table." Peter finally uttered what they'd all been thinking.

Caspian let the light of his torch illuminate an intricate carving of Aslan. Pippa felt a surge of magic warm her bones as she looked into the wise eyes of the Great Lion.

"I wonder where he is?" Lucy asked in a small voice. "He must know what he's doing?"

Her question stirred feelings of doubt within all of them as they wondered why Aslan had been gone for more than 1300 years and why he hadn't shown himself yet.

Caspian, who had never met Aslan before, wondered how he could have abandoned Narnia to the Telmarines willingly, leaving the tree spirits to wilt and die, and all other talking animals to flee in fear and have to hide their existence for so long.

"If Aslan cowers, then we must deal with this on our own." Peter gritted out between clenched teeth. "It's time things were done the right way." He added as a stared at Caspian before turning abruptly and leaving the chamber.

Susan sighed, while Lucy looked sadly at Pippa. Edmund simply shrugged.

Pippa turned on her heel to pursue him.

She followed a fuming Peter through the dimly lit stone halls of the How. She nearly ran into a stone wall after Peter took an abrupt left turn, but together they soon entered a seemingly abandoned storage room. There were piles of sacks and crates of grain and rice, as well as caskets of wine, ale, and fresh water.

"Can we talk now?" Pippa asked impatiently. They hadn't seen each other in over seven months, and his reaction to meeting her again was not what she had hoped for.

"Fine. Whatever." Peter said shortly.

"Peter, why are you so provoked by everything Caspian does? It's not like you to be so sour!" Pippa searched his face for an answer, but it was closed off and cold to her.

"It's nothing. I'm not used to being back is all." Peter rebuffed.

Pippa sighed. "You're scaring me Peter, this anger, this indifference – Where does it come from?"

"Don't know what you're talking about." Peter tried to reject her arm as it curled itself around his neck and she moved to stand very close to him.

Pippa stared into his empty blue eyes. "Talk to me. Please."

Peter exhaled as he enjoyed the feel of Pippa's fingers stroking the back of his head.

"I've missed you." She continued. "I've nearly gone mad from not seeing you these past few months. Bristol's been terrible, especially without you by my side." One hand went further up his head and into his hair, the other slipped down his back as she caressed his spine. She kissed his neck lightly.

Peter's hands moved from his side and to her waist to hold her gently. Her roaming fingers and her soft whispers were calming the storm inside his mind, but also awakening feelings of desire for her that affected his entire body.

Pippa continued planting small kisses between his right ear and his exposed collarbone. She gasped as he pulled her closer and she felt him hardening against her.

"I know you've missed me too. I can feel it." Pippa reached in between their fused bodies and gripped his cock through his trousers. Her grip was gentle, but unexpectedly pleasing to him.

Peter's eager hands had slithered upwards, tracing her ribs, and brushing against her clothed breasts. They moaned simultaneously as Peter grasped her by the thighs and hoisted her up and against the stone wall. His hands lifted the bottom of her dress as he caressed the bare skin of her calves and thighs. Pippa groaned into his mouth as he kissed her suddenly and hungrily.

Peter's hands moved from her ribcage to the small of her back where he began fumbling with the laces that held her gown together. Shivers ran up Pippa's spine as his tongue slid against hers in a delightfully hard and wet way. Her hands clung to his shoulders as he worked to undo the back of her dress.

There was no more time for teasing as Pippa felt the urgent need to be intimate with her husband. She reached for the hem of his tunic and pulled it up his toned stomach. Peter broke their kiss to peel the tunic off and over his head. Once he'd finally unlaced her gown, it fell off her shoulders and down to her waist, exposing her chest to the cold. Her rosy nipples pebbled instantly and as Peter's mouth closed around one hardened nub, she moaned shamelessly.

"Oh, please." She gasped, undid his belt, and shoved his trousers down his legs.

They both knew they needed to be quick, and in this moment, quick, hard, and unyielding against a cold stone wall was everything they wanted and needed.

Pippa wrapped her legs around his waist as he sought between them to touch her slick opening before positioning himself against her centre. A groan rattled Peter's throat as he pushed into her slowly.

"Is this –?" Peter began.

"Yes, yes it's so good." Pippa mumbled incoherently as she focused on the pleasure of him moving within her.

Peter curled his body forward as he sank deeper and filled her completely. They kissed soundly in between moans of pleasure as they moved together, hips rolling against one another.

Their lovemaking was bruising Pippa's back, but she found she did not care as Peter's thrusts became harder and more feverish. Their hot breaths mingled between kisses as they both pushed against each other to reach their climax.

Peter's fingers tangled with hers as their joined hands rested above Pippa's head. Soon, they both surrendered to the peak of pleasure as they came together in the most satisfying way. Pippa breathed heavily as she rested her head in the crook of his neck when his hips came to a stuttering halt.

Later they would need to talk about what was bothering him, but for now, this moment shared together would do to ease his weary mind.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Based on 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' (1951) by C. S. Lewis.

Based on 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' (2008) by C. S. Lewis (Andrew Adamson, Mark Johnson, Phillip Steuer, Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures).

Songs for this chapter:

Amy and Rory – Murray Gold

Lover, where do you live? – Highasakite

Poor Wayfaring Strangers – Evynne Hollens

Journey to the How – Harry Gregson-Williams

Arrival at Aslan's How – Harry Gregson-Williams

Peter Pevensie – Born 19th of January 1924 (17 years old)

Susan Pevensie – Born 2nd of June 1925 (16 years old)

Edmund Pevensie – Born 6th of March 1927 (14 years old)

Lucy Pevensie – Born 25th of December 1929 (11 years old, turning 12)

Philippa Copland – Born 7th of July 1924 (17 years old)

Prince Caspian X – Born 14th of July 2296 (18 years old, turning 19)