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smileyjaeminies · 5 years ago

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In times of war

Synopsis: As captain of the archers, you try your best to defend your country in time of war. Your closeness with the Prince and his first ever battle come to sway your concentration on the battlefield.

Word Count: 6, 8 k

Genre: Narnia au!, Prince Minho! Au, angst

Warnings: Fighting, war, curse words here and there

Member: Minho, ft. Changbin, Jisung and Hyunjin

A/N: This work is quite dear to me, for Narnia formed my whole childhood. I really hope you can enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

UPDATE: In times of war now has a sequel!! Click here to check it out!!

You took your last steps, climbing the hill of the overlook as the sky assumed one of your favourite colours, a beautiful magenta you couldn't tear your eyes off of. Indeed, Narnia was a gifted land, with skies more beautiful and stars more bright than any other. You greeted the guard, exchanging a few pleasantries before taking your assigned position. The other guard took off, making for a pub or back at the camp to rest.

The silence engulfed you completely as you kept watch over the valley. Your thoughts drifted away as the world beneath you slowly fell asleep. It had been almost a year of fighting and now and you begun to feel the heavy weight of war over your heart.

From a very young age, you had loved being athletic. From fighting with your brother, to running in the fields, you had tried everything your parents could offer you. However, you found your true passion in the form of a bow and arrow, a gift for your seventeenth birthday. You trained and trained, learning and improving with each passing day. You never thought it would be a skill you'd use at war.

One day you were hunting in the Shuddering Woods, a forest near your home. You were trailing a doe, certain you'd be able to catch it this time. Your bow and arrow were ready at your hands, your feet light upon the leaves as to not make any sound. The doe was still; the kill seemed almost easy to you as you lifted your bow, taking a deep breath and taking your aim. You were startled to hear hooves on the ground and raised voices coming closer and closer.

By the time you let your arrow fly it was too late, the doe was already off. You used words your mother would be horrified to hear coming from your mouth and made your way to the raised voices.

"I suppose you consider yourselves very clever indeed" you said, leaning on a tree as five men on horseback made their way to you.

"And what would you know about it?" one of them challenged you.

"Well, you just scared off my family's dinner with the awful ruckus you were making" you answered, standing straight in front of his horse.

"Oh really? I supposed that bow and arrow were your brothers'. What are you doing with that, little girl? You are going to get yourself hurt." he mocked you.

Without a moment's hesitation, you drew your bow to your face, aiming exactly over the man's heart.

"Want to bet?" you challenged him.

"The kid's got nerve!" one of the other men said.

"What were you hunting anyway?" another one said.

"A deer." you answered, not taking your eyes off of the man you were aiming at.

"Let me cut you a deal then. If you bring me that deer, I'll take you in in my unit." he said effortlessly.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" you asked, tearing your eyes off your target but without lowering your weapon.

"I'm going to give you this" he said, offering you a horn. "You can tell the guards it's mine and they will lead you straight to me."

You hesitated only for a moment. Fighting was not something you loved, despite the fact that you were good at killing. You hesitated to use your skills opposite other humans. Maybe you wouldn't even catch the deer. Maybe you'd go back empty- handed.

You lowered your weapon, taking the horn from the man’s hands.

"Who do I ask for?" you asked.

"General Ravenseer" he said.

You simply nodded, turning to shoot another harsh look at the man that taunted you. You turned on your heel, getting lost inside the safety of the trees.

"You really going to take her in?" you heard someone ask.

"No way can that girl catch a deer." the General answered him, all the men breaking into laughter.

"Sure, laugh now, you won't be able to do it for much longer" you thought.

It took you three days to find another doe and this time you wouldn't let her go anywhere. You chased it around and around, and finally you were able to take the kill. Carrying a 60kg deer back home was no easy task, but you managed. You skinned it, and with the help of your mother smoked its meat, placing it into two large baskets.

You then took some time to think. Think about how your life would change depending on your decision. Think about how you would feel about yourself, if you could bear the burden. You thought and thought, your head aching and spinning. Overall, your will to serve your country and to be a proud Daughter of Narnia overpowered everything else. You thought upon Queens Susan and Lucy of the legends, both truly brave and strong. They stood as equals next to their brothers, fighting and serving their country at the best of their abilities.

The very next day, equipped with the two baskets and the General's hunting horn, you made your way to the castle. It was a long journey to Cair Paravel, but you were determined to arrive in two days. When you finally reached the gates, you asked to be led to the General and by showing his horn you were granted access. The General was stunned to see you walk through the door, easily placing the two baskets along with his horn in front of him.

He seemed to truly take you in for the first time, weighing your odds. You returned his look, determined to serve and make Narnia proud. And that's what you did. Working tirelessly next to other soldiers, it didn't take long for you to start climbing through the ranks.

You took a look at your shoulder, the Captain's badge embedded onto your uniform. You were proud of yourself, you had made it. Even when war came upon your peaceful kingdom, you didn't cower, instead rushing to battle.

Your thoughts drifted to your first battle, the crying and screaming, the sounds of metal on metal. Your General screaming at you and your comrades to load, draw, loose again and again, until your hands were bleeding and your back aching.

You brushed away the thoughts, shaking your head to be cleared of them. You turned your attention back to the valley where a shadow had just started to move. Your eyesight was not as strong in the moonlight, but you readied your weapon as you saw the figure move. It was carrying something? Someone? You readied your shot, just as it stopped moving.

The figure made the mannequin it was carrying stand, fake hand outstretched and stepped back. He moved, hitting the mannequin again and again, circling around it only to hit it again from behind. You lowered your bow, standing back. Just another soldier trying hopelessly to prepare himself for battle.

"Just like the prince" your mind added before you could stop yourself.

And just when the thought came to your mind, you turned to look at the soldier once again. He was still dancing around the mannequin, hitting it from any angle he could. You took a closer look, as close as the moonlight could grant you and it became clear; your Prince was before you. It was unmistakable, you reprimanded yourself, the line of his shoulders, the way he set his jaw, his moves and technique all screamed of Prince Minho.

Your mind rushed back to the day you first met the Prince. You were about to complete your training and finally be able to leave the grounds. You were seerving a night watch, the cold seeping through your light armour despite the fire that burned right next to you. Your mind wished to trail away, to remember of days filled with sunlight and laughter back at your parents’ house. You willed yourself to stay alert and do your job.

Not long after, your ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps coming your way. Unsheathing your longsword, you turned to the stranger, pointing the edge of your sword to his neck.

“Who goes there? What is your business, up and about in the small hours of the night?” you asked.

The stranger weighed you in, his eyes darting from your face to your sword, to your eyes. He stayed silent, watching you.

“So? Answer me!” you said abruptly.

“One would think that he’d be free to walk his own castle as he pleases.” He stated simply, smirking.

You were frozen in place, everything becoming clear. The Prince was before you and you tried to arrest him like some kind of criminal. You dropped your sword to the ground, bowing before him.

“My Prince, I have made a grave mistake. Please forgive my folly, I was merely trying to do my job” you tried explaining.

“That is no way for a lady to bow. You should curtsey before your Prince.” He said.

Anger pulsed through your veins, heat rushing to make your cheeks hot. You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down before answering.

“But it is the way a soldier should bow before their Prince. I am no less a soldier of your guard and of your armies than any other man in this castle, your Highness.”

“What is your name, girl?” the Prince asked, grabbing your chin and making you face him.

“Y/N, if it pleases your Highness.” You answered, meeting his eyes.

“Y/N, I am glad to have soldiers like you in my guard. Thank you for your service.” He said.

You gasped then and gasped again at the memory. The honor of someone in the Royal Family saying those words to you was immense.

“Thank you, my Prince. I am always at your service.” You managed, bowing again.

The Prince only nodded, smiling at you.

“Until we meet again, Y/N” he said, moving away from you.

And from that moment on, you saw Prince Minho everywhere. Where you had barely seen him a couple of times from afar, for the next months until your discharge he would turn up everywhere you went.

He wouldn’t shy away from talking to you either, going as far as to offer you tea on one occasion. You tried to keep your distance as much as you could without offering him any offence, but the Prince seemed set on befriending you.

You were horrified to see him in the training field one day, the General beside him. You walked up to a post not too close to them, but before you could get ready, the General beckoned you over. While walking there your mind didn’t fail to notice the Prince, his hair now pushed back away from his face and a loose white tunic falling around his frame. The gear he was wearing made him look more sophisticated and grown up, despite his young face.

“Captain! I knew you’d turn up eventually!” the General said.

“Always do sir, we all need our training.” You answered him.

“Yes, yes, that’s true. Captain Y/N, this is Prince Minho, I doubt you’ve met formally before-” the General was saying.

“Oh, we’ve met. I told you when I asked for her, General” the Prince cut him off, a smirk falling on his lips.

Your cheeks turned crimson with anger and shame. How dare he ask for you, as if you were a new piece of furniture he wanted? And how dare he talk like that in front of your General, a man you looked up to and owed your whole career to? You said nothing, stood there and waited for further instructions and it killed you.

Prince Minho didn’t fail to notice the difference in your stance, but had to quickly turn his attention to the General.

“Yes I suppose all our paths cross around the castle” the General tried to cover up. “But, as I was saying, Y/N, you will have the great honor of mentoring our Prince in the art of archery.” He announced.

You stood frozen while your mind was overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions.

“M-Me, sir?” was all you managed, as the Prince smiled down at you.

“Well you are the most talented archer I’ve seen in years and Prince Minho is Narnia’s future. We can as for nothing than the best, right Captain?” the General turned to question you.

“Of course sir. You will not be disappointed.” You said at last.

After a few more words and a promise to check up on the Prince’s progress regularly, you were left alone with the Prince. None of you spoke for a few minutes as your eyes scored the grounds and his were trained on your face.

“Are you cross with me?” he asked and you were surprised by how small his voice was.

“No, your Highness, I would never.” You answered him.

“Please drop the formalities, Y/N. Also, I need not remind you I have five sisters and a very loving Mother. I know what an angry woman looks like.” He said.

“Come here” you told him, drawing him closer to you. “You see that woman over there, gathering weeds? That’s one of your Mother’s spies. And that man down there, planting the flowers? That’s the General’s. The boy that is carrying that sack? That’s from your friends in Archenland. Every single move you make is being watched. You should be wary of every choice you make both inside and outside your castle. Do you understand now?” you asked.

“Yes. Yes I do understand.” The Prince said.

After that day, your training with the Prince was peaceful. You took pride in the progress he had made and how the General thanked you for your good work.

You saw none of that now. The Prince was breathless, beating the poor doll like a savage. That’s why you hated one on one battles. You found the bow and arrow much more delicate and artful.

Another memory popped in your mind, of a day you tried your best to forget. It had been a month before, while you were dispatched back to Cair Paravel as part of the King’s guard. One day, as you were going back to the barracks to rest, you found the Prince’s close companion, Jisung, sitting on the steps.

“Captain! Finally you’re back!” he exclaimed upon setting eyes on you.

“Jisung, what brings you here?” you asked him.

“I have urgent word from the Prince. He wants to see you at once.” He told you.

“Let’s get going then!” you answered, quickly going up to the castle.

Jisung led you through parts of the castle you’d never seen before, walking quickly and without talking. He ushered you through a door to what you could only guess were the Prince’s chambers. The room was in shreds. Parts of the bedding had fallen on the floor, torn, pieces of glass and porcelain were everywhere and before the window stood Prince Minho, breathless, cheeks burning, sweat dripping from his hair.

“Y/N…” he says, and his eyes dart to Jisung. “Get out.” he says, burning eyes on him and Jisung almost trips over his own legs in his effort to do his Prince’s bidding.

“Your Highness… what did you do?” you ask Minho.

“Y/N…” He says again making his way to you.

You take note of his hands, which are filled with blood. The knuckles are red and irritated, the skin has broken open and the palms are bleeding, with tiny bits of glass embedded inside. You ask Jisung, who is standing right outside the door, for some water and a cloth, a salve for cuts and gauze.

In the meantime, you try to have Minho sit down. He tells you bits and pieces of what had happened and you listen without speaking. In an effort to keep yourself busy, you close the open windows and do your best to gather the broken pieces in a single corner on the floor. Jisung rashes back with a basinet filled with water and a cloth like you asked him, only to disappear immediately.

“I-” the Prince starts, but you cut him right off.

“Let’s get you cleaned up first. This is going to sting.” You warn him and he nods.

You slowly brush the wet cloth on his hands, trying to get rid of the excess blood. After that, you start picking out the glass shards. The Prince stays quiet, biting his lip bloody and hissing here and there. After treating both his hands with the salve and wrapping them up with clean gauze, you finally take one good look at him.

You only see a person torn. His eyes are still bloodshot from crying, his hair is as messy as you’ve ever seen it. You let the silence engulf you for a few more moments before he speaks up, voice low.

"I can’t stand it anymore, Y/N. Changbin is out there, fighting my battle. My father is always close to the battlefield. Even you, you’re fighting and I sit here waiting for any of you to come back. No more. I can’t just sit in here while my people are giving up their lives. I have to fight"

"You don’t get it, do you? Prince Changbin is third in line! He might never see Archenland’s throne! You are our future. No one will ever be you. Narnia is nothing without you. You are a selfish boy, who knows nothing about battles. You've never struck a foe and I hope you'll never have to." You answer him, exasperated.

That fight went on and on in circles, as the whole castle heard your raised voices. You stormed out of the Princes chambers some time in the small hours of the night, tears streaming down your face because he would just not listen.

Though you tried to hide it and often failed to admit it even to yourself, you were fond of the Prince. You would always find your mind trailing to him, your eyes would follow him without your knowledge and your mind would note the tiniest details of his features and face.

As you looked at him from the overlook, you knew, and had known for quite some time that you should put your feelings for the Prince aside. But the heart reigns over the mind and as much as your mind was telling you no, was not enough.

When he guard for the next watch arrived, you rushed back to the camp. You had barely walked in when Jisung approached you out of the blue.

“Captain, I-” he started.

“I know he’s here. You can tell His Highness I’ll be with him shortly.” You told the boy before he had the chance to speak to you.

You did your best to clean yourself up, tying your hair back on a loose ponytail. You found your way around easily through the darkness. Your previous wins had allowed you to stay at the same place for quite some time now, but the soldiers were getting tired and grumpy.

Fighting was not easy and as much as you won, the losses you had were immense. The war seemed to go on indefinitely and what had begun as a small murmur was now in every conversation. The arrival of the Prince seemed to quiet things down, but for how much longer?

Lost in your thoughts, you allowed yourself in the Prince’s tent, only to let out a small yelp. Before you, stood Prince Minho, shirtless, wearing only a loose pair of trousers. He seemed surprised at your sudden entrance as well, fumbling over a chest of clothes.

“Your Highness, I am terribly sorry” you mustered, facing the wall of the tent, giving him some privacy.

“I should’ve expected that” you heard him mumble and you chuckled lightly.

His shadow danced on the wall of the tent, still looking for a shirt in the big chest. An array of profanities left the prince’s mouth as you still looked directly to the wall. You saw his shadow pulling a shirt on his frame and tried to calm your racing heart down.

You were too preoccupied to notice the Prince walking up to you, raising a hand to touch your face. You jumped at the contact, but that did not faze him as he brought up a second hand, cupping your face in his hands. He stared into your eyes and you tried to do the same, but the intensity of his look forced you to look down.

“You just had to do it, didn’t you?” you whispered.

“You know I have to be here.” He answered.

“No. No you don’t.” you said.

You moved to turn away, move out into the camp and back in your small tent. The others would be moving soon, you should be resting. Before you could move though, a strong grip on your arm pulled you back.

“Please. Please stay” the Prince asked in a small voice.

“I can’t” you tried to tell him.

“Then your Prince commands you. Stay.” He said, his voice not small anymore, but sure and steady.

You turned to face him, trying to erase every emotion from your face. You didn’t know if you succeeded or not, but the Prince led you further inside and sat you down on a couch.

Silence enveloped you as you did your best to sit straight, look straight and breathe evenly. The Prince’s eyes burned the side of your face as his hand held yours tightly, tracing shapes on the back of your palm.

“What is it like? War?” he asked finally.

You tried to take a deep breath and gather your thoughts before answering him.

“It’s nothing like training. It’s messy. And dirty and loud. I don’t know how it is one on one but I suspect it’s even worse. It’s… A nightmare.” You answered truthfully.

The Prince nodded, but you knew he wouldn’t understand. No one understands until they fight.

“Why do you do it? Why don’t you run away? Go someplace safe?” he asks again.

“If war is here, soon it will spread everywhere. Narnia is as much my country as it is yours, your Highness. I’ll fight for it until my last breath.” You replied.

The silence was deafening as the Prince took in your words. Suddenly, the entrance of the tent opened and Prince Changbin emerged, holding a bottle of wine and exclaiming Prince Minho’s name. You jumped, stepping away from the Prince as he looked at his friend.

Prince Changbin looked from you to the Prince several times before asking “Bad timing?”

Prince Minho laughed loudly, getting up to greet his friend.

“No, not at all, dear friend” he said, hugging the other Prince.

“About time you joined us! I was beginning to think you a coward” Prince Changbin said.

“No, no such thing. Only the loving fear of a Prince first in line” Prince Minho answered him.

“Well, at the eve of your first battle, I come bearing gifts!” Prince Changbin announced.

“I do not think that would be wise, friend” Prince Minho says, pointing at the wine.

“You were always the wise one, were you not, Minho?” he asked.

“I think you’ll have to excuse me, your Highness” you spoke up.

Prince Minho turned to look at you. You knew he couldn’t speak up while Changbin was there, so you moved to the entrance of the tent.

“Yes, yes, thank you for your service or whatever.” Prince Changbin dismissed you.

That was all you needed. You walked away, back into the clear air of the night and found your way to your tent. Not bothering to change, you laid under your blankets.

Before you fell asleep, you sent a prayer to Aslan to keep the Prince safe in the battle to come and not to let him drink that night.

After what felt like mere minutes, the sound of raised voices woke you up from your slumber. You woke up dipped in sweat and breathless from another nightmare. You had dreamt of standing in one of the balconies on Cair Paravel, facing the sea. Prince Minho was beside you, talking to you, only you couldn’t hear a thing. You couldn’t speak either, your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth.

You shook your head, shaking the thoughts of your dream away with it as well. You got up, getting ready for battle. Gathering your equipment, you moved quickly through the constant flow of other soldiers to find your unit. It took a long time for everyone to move accordingly, taking their places for battle.

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The archers were placed on the same overlook she had been at the previous day, looking down at the valley, only the view was wildly different. The serene, quiet picture she recalled was filled with people that morning. The metal from the soldier’s armour blinded them as they moved, the huge crowd making her anxious.

Before long, the others were standing opposite Narnia’s armies. They came from behind the trees, taking their own place on the chessboard the valley had transformed into. The General shouted out for the archers to load and keep steady. Everyone was holding their breaths, waiting for someone on either side to make the first move.

A man on horseback from the others started to move forward, the man everyone knew started the war, the selfish King, along with a Minotaur. Narnia’s side answered, sending forth Prince Minho with one of the Centaurs. The short discussion of those moments was filled with anger and resentment from each side.

Simultaneously, two voices whispered their quick prayer to Aslan. They prayed for safety and grace, of an upcoming victory and concentration and most importantly, to save the others’ life over theirs.

And within a few minutes, the battle had begun and mayhem had ensued. The cries of commands being given rung in everyone’s ears as she did her best to stay focused. Bringing down enemy after enemy, the metallic smell of blood filled the air. With effort, she spotted him, from her place up and away with the other archers, watched as he moved elegantly here and there. He was an avenging angel, a coursing river, fire spreading in a forest.

Nothing, not all the training in the world could have prepared him for the thrill of battle. He struck at foe after foe, never quite certain he did anything but push them back. Adrenaline cursed through his veins as he had no time to think, just act, his instincts taking over.

And as quickly as it had started; it was over. The others were pushed back onto the tree line and Narnians remained victorious. A deal for ceasefire was struck and time was given to each side to gather their losses and tend to their wounded.

During the battle, the archers had been forced to move downward, so her way back to the camp was quick. She longed to lie down, every bone in her body screaming for her to rest. She moved quickly, bee-lining to her tent, brushing off the soldiers shouting and drinking the horror of battle away.

Safe as ever, she buried herself under the safety of her blanket. Closing her eyes, she thanked Aslan for his blessing as sleep enveloped her, guiding her to a blissful oblivion.

His story was wildly different. He laid on the ground, hearing different voices shouting over his head. A familiar face finally appeared and relief washed over him. If Jisung was there, everything was bound to be okay. The only sound to come out of his mouth was her name, low and repeated like a prayer. Then, there was darkness.

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Your sleep was restless once again, with nightmares plaguing your dreams for yet another night. You twisted and turned under your covers, dreaming of a vast darkness surrounding you, the Prince shouting your name from afar. You were confused, unable to understand where the sound was coming from. You were woken up by the raised voices of men outside the tent.

“I can’t go in there!” one voice said.

“Well, someone has to!” the other argued.

You allowed the fight to go on, slowly getting on your feet and pulling on your boots. You opened your tent to find the two boys still going at it. They jumped at your appearance, both awkwardly looking back at you.

“Jisung.” You greeted the boy. “And Hyunjin. What brings you here?” you asked calmly.

The two boys started talking at the same time, then turned to stare at each other for interrupting. You saw Hyunjin was about to snap, so you took action, stepping in.

“Jisung? Talk to me.” You said.

“Captain, I am terribly sorry for this, this fellow-” Jisung started but Hyunjin interrupted.

“Captain, I barely did anything, this one-” Hyunjin countered.

“BOYS. Enough.” You shouted, both of them immediately snapping their mouths shut.

“Jisung. What’s up?” you asked again.

“Captain, the Prince…” He hesitated.

You shot him a hard stare, urging him to go on.

“He was injured. During the battle” He announced finally.

“How is he?” you asked, trying to mask your feelings. You hoped the crazy pace of your heart was not heard by the boys in front of you.

“Much better. The healer was with him, he said he’ll be just fine, thank Aslan.” The boy said.

You released a breath you didn’t know you had been holding and fought to compose yourself.

“Okay.” You said, trying to keep a straight face. You moved to turn to Hyunjin, but Jisung stopped you. “He was asking for you.”

“Fine. Just give me a second alone with Hyunjin” you told him and he walked a few feet away, giving you some privacy.

“Hyunjin. Is everything alright?” you asked.

Hyunjin was a greenie. He had only turned up a few months prior, but aced his training, giving himself a one way ticket to the front of the line, with you. A precious relationship had blossomed between you, for he reminded you so much of your brother, who you had lost in one of the first battles.

“Y/N…” Hyunjin said, dropping the formalities, “I’ll be okay, you’ve been summoned, you have to go.” He told you.

“Are you sure?” you asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The boy just nodded, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze and pushing it off of him. He then turned on his heel, off to only Aslan knew where.

You took a few seconds to compose yourself before turning to follow Jisung’s lead to the Prince’s tent. Your mind whirled with questions and emotions in the short walk. What had happened? Jisung said he was okay, but how hurt was he? Was he in a lot of pain?

Arriving at the Prince’s tent, Jisung gave you a curt nod, leaving you alone. You let yourself in, finding a bright fire burning inside, making your cheeks flare up. You saw the outline of the Prince’s body laying quietly on the bed. Walking closer, you saw his black hair spread unevenly upon the pillow, eyes shut tight and mouth hanging slightly open.

You moved his covers a little, careful not to disturb his sleep. Looking inside, you discovered the Prince was shirtless, layers upon layers of bandages covering his torso, some of them already bleeding through. You laid the covers back down, watching the Prince wince when they made contact with his skin.

Making an effort to keep quiet, you drew a chair next to him. You watched his chest rise and fall in an even rhythm, mesmerizing you and allowing your thoughts to roam free. You had been staring for a while, so you noticed the Prince taking a few deep breaths. Slowly and with visible effort, he opened his eyes, which landed on you.

He gave you a small smile, closing his eyes again for a few seconds before opening them again, only to find you looking back at him.

“Y/N?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“I’m right here, your Highness” you told him.

“I thought you were a dream” he confessed.

“No, your Highness, I’m here” you said, smiling at him.

“Can you stay?” he asked, his voice faltering.

“Of course. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” You told him.

“Neither would I” the Prince told you, giving you another weak smile before sleep overtook him again.

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The injury the Prince had sustained was not too serious. With rest and quiet, he was able to have a speedy recovery. Meanwhile, the King and ambassadors worked tirelessly to strike a peace with the others.

And there you were; in Cair Paravel’s Great Hall, feasting upon your victory. Peace. It seemed unbelievable to you that the war was finally over. You sat at the table with the other lower officers, at the back of the hall. You drank and sang with them, ate and talked, all the while feeling two eyes burning through the side of your head.

At the other end of the hall sat the King and his family, ambassadors and officers surrounding them. Although it was not too far away, it felt like a lifetime separated you from them. That day was the Prince’s first appearance since the battle. He looked well, strong and there was nothing else you could’ve asked for.

As the feast reached its climax, the officers around you started passing out, with some even being gently carried away. Before long, the smoke from their pipes caused your mind to become hazy and the loud music ringed in your ears as the dryads were dancing in the middle of the hall.

The combination of scents and sounds made you sensitive, so you excused yourself, making your way outside to take a breath of fresh air. Your feet carried you around the castle you knew so well, leading you to one of the lower balconies.

Your mind noted how similar the view was to the one from your dream. You marveled at the beautiful view of the ocean and sky meeting at the end of the horizon. Looking down, you saw the soldiers were having their own feast next to the castle. You looked at the fires burning bright, fawns dancing around them to the sounds of flute and lyre.

“Are you looking for something?” a voice asked you, making you jump.

You turned around to meet the Prince’s eyes only a step away from you.

“No, your Highness. I just needed some air” you answered him.

“So we’re back to square one?” he asked you again, making no effort to mask his frustration.

“I don’t understand-” you began, trying to make an excuse, but he cut you off.

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about, Y/N.” he told you sternly.

You did know what he was talking about. The day after the battle, the Princess Sophia arrived at the camp to tend to her wounded brother. She found you in his tent, helping the Prince with his breakfast. A huge fight ensued between brother and sister about your place, making you hear insults you that stayed imprented in your memory.

After that, you retreated into the back of the camp. Jisung would come to summon you again and again, but every time you made up some excuse. Hyunjin was very curious, but respected your privacy and didn’t press you for an explanation.

You hadn’t seen the Prince since that morning. And now, he was looking back at you with those dark eyes of his, seeing inside your soul. He was dressed formally for the occasion, his dress shirt tightly fitting his body, dark trousers on his legs. Your hands longed to touch him, to reach for him and keep him close. But that was unacceptable and it would never happen again.

“Your Highness, you forget my place.” You tried to explain.

“You think I care? You think I care what people will think? What they say? You think I care about my sister, or my Mother and Father? No, Y/N. All I care about, all I’ve ever cared about, is you.” He said passionately.

He took a step closer, raising a hand to reach for you. Without thinking, you took a step back, your back hitting the railing of the balcony. Emotions flashed in his eyes one after the other, so quick you could barely tell them apart, as his hands dropped to his sides. Your eyes filled with tears as you turned back around to look at the sea in an attempt to conceal them.

“You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t care about you? You think I’ve spent all these years next to you without loving you? No, my Prince, that is not the case.” You told him.

He came to stand next to you, placing his hand on top of yours. You tried not to flinch as a steady fire started burning where his skin touched yours.

“Then why-” he began, but it was your turn to cut him off.

“Why don’t I accept my feelings? Because they are entirely wrong. You and I both know it, no matter how much we hate to admit it, even to ourselves. Even if you say you don’t care about other people, that is not true and we both know it. You are the Prince of Narnia, first in line for the throne and your Princess will one day be Queen. I can never be Queen.” You said.

“Why would I or my people want a silly rich girl for our Queen? You’ve fought valiantly for Narnia, you’ve given back as much as you could. There is no man or woman that loves their country as much as you. I don’t see why you would be unfit to rule.” He countered.

“I love Narnia. Which is why I must leave it.” You announced.

You heard the Prince gasp, you felt him move next to you, but you couldn’t bear to look at him. You kept your eyes trained to the distance, to the soft waves and to the clouds, running around the sky.

“You’re leaving? When? Why?” he asked.

“Next month. I’ll be the Master of Archery for the Princes of Archenland.” You answered him.

“Next month… But, Y/N you can’t leave Narnia. This is your home, this is your place.” He told you.

“Don’t you realize I have to? Soon enough, this land’s finest Ladies will come paying visits hoping to earn your favour. And I’ll have to watch from the sidelines as you fall for someone new, someone that can and will stand next to you for the years to come.” You said.

Your cheeks were burning and new tears were filling your eyes. This time, you made no effort to conceal them, letting them make their way down your face.

“Oh, Y/N” the Prince said, cupping your face.

You let him. You had nothing left to lose. You melted into his touch as he looked into your eyes. He crashed you onto his chest and you wrapped your hands around him, holding onto him with everything you had.

“Y/N, Y/N, my Y/N” he whispered, squeezing you in his arms.

You let him pepper sweet kisses at your hairline, on your cheeks, on your eyes, at the tip of your nose. When his lips finally found yours, you felt your heart soar. Thoughts died in your mind as every thought was overwhelmed but him, him, only him.

You broke away first, gasping for air. You kept close, your foreheads touching. If you moved an inch his mouth would be on yours again. The mere thought had your head spin in circles. You took deep breaths, making an effort to keep your head straight.

“I seem to always be asking for you to stay. I will try once more. Stay” he whispered.

“I can’t” you said, your voice breaking.

“Give me tonight then. Just tonight. You’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours.” He pleaded, running a hand through your hair.

You met his eyes, trying to find the right answer in them. You were shocked to find such despair and urgency. You knew that the right thing to do was disappear. But when he held you like this, looked at you like this…

You nodded your head, knowing your words would fail you. He pressed another sweet kiss on your mouth, then took your hand to lead you back inside the castle.

You took one last look at him, the true love of your life, before disappearing the next morning. Even if you were never going to see him again, that night would stay in your mind and your heart forever.

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