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kingorqueenofnarnia · 1 month ago

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A Prince's Favour

A little caspeter drabble before Peter duels Miraz. Enjoy!

Peter is standing still in the middle of the overheated room as Edmund drags the strings of his pauldron taut and twists them into a knot when Caspian appears is the doorway. He watches as Caspian takes a step into the room, then steps back as if unsure whether he is allowed to enter or not, and decides to put his mind to rest.

“Caspian,” he says as amicably as he can, and holds in his smile when the Prince startles. “Come in, sit.”

Caspian tilts his head, then slowly steps into the room. He is not yet dressed for battle, but there are three weapons on him— his sword and two daggers. Peter lifts his arm so that Edmund can attach the buckle, but does not take his eyes off of Caspian, who sits down gingerly on the cot before turning to him with an uncomfortably straight back and curious eyes.

“This is your armour from the Golden Age, I presume?” he asks, head clocked like a dog, watching as Edmund finishes with the pauldron and moves onto the arm bracers. Peter buckles them up this time, Edmund holding the metal pieces together so he can drag the strap and pin the metal down.

“You presume correctly,” he says, lips twitching up into a sad smile. A pang echoes through his heart at the memory, but he still continues speaking. “It was one of the gifts from Lucy on our fourth coronation anniversary— our previous suit of armour suffered irreversible damage at the hands of the Giant King Bhisa during the Second Rebellion of Ettinsmoor.”

Caspian eyes the armour again, taking in the gold details on the edges, the embossed details that displayed a lion rearing on its hind legs.

“Your sister has a tasteful eye,” he says quietly, and Peter lets out a bark of laughter. Edmund snorts as he steps away and drops down on the cot next to Caspian, who looks a little apprehensive as Peter continues to laugh, the younger King cackling beside him. “I don’t understand— did I say something absurd or—”

Edmund doubles over, arms wrapped around his stomach as he wheezes, and Peter shakes his head. “No, no,” he chortles. “It is simply that, well— Lucy has horrible taste in aesthetics, and she knows it. She consulted Suzenn when having this made.”

Edmund’s cackling slowly dies out, and Peter sighs, leaning against the wall. He breathes in silence for a few seconds, and sighs when Caspian opens his mouth, then closes it again and bites his lip.

“There is something troubling you,” he says matter of factly, and Caspian sighs.

“Well, it—” he huffs, eyebrows furrowing, and Peter pushes himself off the wall to get closer. Caspian looks up, fists clenched where they rest against the edge of Peter’s cot, and his lips twist into a frown. “Why did none of you even consider sending a challenge of single combat between Miraz and I? I know I am not as excellent as you are, but I am still a capable sword wielder and—”

“And the only figurehead of an oppressed people.” Edmund.

Caspian twists his head to the side to give the King a confused look, and Peter absently trails his gaze over the line of his nose as it scrunches. “What?”

Edmund pushes himself to his feet with a rough exhale, then pats Caspian on the shoulder and walks out without a word. Peter sighs when Caspian shoots the empty doorway a look that is half confused, half annoyed, and finds himself agreeing with the sentiment.

“Edmund enjoys being a man of too few words a little too much,” he says exasperatedly, and smiles at the chuckle his statement elicits. “What he wishes to convey,” he explains, “is that you are too important a person to risk sending to die— you are certainly capable with a sword, but we have no guarantee that you would not lose the duel. You are the person we wish to put on the throne. You are the figurehead. You cannot die, Caspian. We need you alive.”

Caspian’s frown deepens, and Peter has the sudden urge to press the tip of his finger to the divot between his eyebrows, to ease the expression off of Caspian’s handsome face. Such intense worry does not belong on such a beautiful face. “But you are High King,” the Prince says slowly. “Your siblings are Rulers with you. If I die, you four would continue to fight, would you not?”

Peter closes his eyes, feeling the armour press into his skin, feeling his skin heat with the flames that burn just out of reach. He blinks and locks gazes with Caspian, lips set into a serious line.

“Verily, we would fight for Narnia till our last breath,” he vows solemnly, and the words settle into his skin just as they had in the times long gone, when he had uttered them before every battle he fought. Now, he utters them before battle once again, a High King without a Kingdom. “However, we have no wish to rule over Narnia.”

His time to rule is done. He had his chance, and he knows he did well, and now it is time to let go. He does not need to rule, and neither does he want to. He says as much to Caspian, pushing as much earnestness into his voice as he can. “Our reign is over— we are simply here as help, as assistance, to place the crown upon your head. If the future king is dead…”

Caspian’s frown immediately clears, and his eyes widen in realisation, and he breathes, “then so is the revolution, and so are the Narnians.”

“So you understand,” Peter says with a nod, reaching over to the table so he can pull on his gauntlets. “We may be the golden past of Narnia, but you, Caspian— you are the hopeful future of Narnia. This is why we cannot afford a single mistake in ensuring your survival, why we must send out a champion to fight in your name instead of you yourself lifting up your sword.”

“Why must you be the champion? Why not anyone else?” No sooner has he finished speaking, does Caspian realise what he has said, and ducks his head in embarrassment. “I apologise, I had no intention of being rude.”

Peter grins, hopelessly endeared by the flush that has climbed up the Prince’s cheeks, and leans forward to gently flick his forehead. He scrunches up his nose into an annoyed frown, and Peter laughs quietly.

“We would not label curiosity as rudeness.” Amusement is apparent in his voice, and Caspian definitely notices it, going by the way his annoyed frown deepens. “You are free to ask all the questions that you want to ask. As for why not anybody else, well— duels may only be fought between knights. I am the only knight apart from Edmund in our army, and Edmund is to be my second.”

Caspian purses his lips and stares at Peter, hand reaching up to grab his gauntlet covered wrist. Peter almost wishes he had left off wearing the gauntlets for later, but he pushes away the thought and focuses on the way that Caspian turns his eyes to the side and refuses to meet his gaze.

“But…,” the Prince chokes out quietly, “what— what if— what if you die?”

Peter stills. He stares at the boy sitting on his cot, hair sweeping across his face like a silky curtain and fingers clutching his gauntlet. He presses his lips into a straight line, then breathes deeply and reaches a hand out, tilting Caspian’s chin up with gentle fingers. He goes down on one knee to come level with Caspian’s face, and waits until his eyes lift up.

“That will not happen,” he says firmly, confidently. “Trust, Caspian, that Our life will not be taken by a Kinslayer.”

Caspian exhales, swallows, then nods slowly. He leans forward to press his forehead to Peter’s shoulder, and Peter places a hand on the back of his head.

“We shall fight as your champion knight in the duel,” he murmurs quietly into the scant space between them. Caspian smells of leather and sea salt and the soft summer air, and Peter longs to simply hold him close, to wrap his arms around him and never let go. “And when victory is Ours, the throne of Naernia shall be yours, Caspian.”

Caspian raises his head from Peter’s shoulder, black eyes glittering madly and lips parted just so, and Peter feels all his breath leave him in one silent exhale. The firelight from the torches turns the other man’s skin burnished golden, and Peter wants to drag a fingertip over the strong line of his eyebrows, over the straight bridge of his perfect nose, down his high cheekbones, along his sharp jaw, over the seam of his plush lips.

“Well then,” Caspian breathes, quiet and almost like he is not in control of what he is saying, “it is only right that my knight would carry my favour.”

He leans forward and presses his lips to Peter’s.

Peter kisses back on instinct. He closes his eyes and wraps an arm around Caspian’s waist, dragging him forward by that and the hand still on the back of his head, till he is sliding off the cot and onto his thigh with a muffled sound of surprise. He marvels at the softness of those lips, at the feel of hands coming up to cup the sides of his armoured neck, fingers splaying over the mail coif and reaching under to brush lightly against his jawline. Distantly he wishes he was not wearing armour if only to feel that warm touch on bare skin, and then it suddenly occurs to him what is happening.

He pulls back with a sharp intake of breath, the cold douse of realisation of his actions spilling over the warmth that had spread through his chest.

He opens his eyes, and immediately regrets it; Caspian’s cheeks are dusted deep red, rosy lips parted and dark eyes wide almost as if he is surprised. His hair is a little messed up under Peter’s hand, and he is still only a hair’s breadth away. The sight makes Peter long to press forward and take, take, take, more and more and more, but he unwraps his arms from around Caspian.

Before he can say anything, however, Caspian bolts.

Peter is left alone in the room, still down on one knee that is starting to ache and his arms hanging limply at his side, staring at the empty doorway with the phantom feel of soft lips pressing against his own.

#caspeter #sirius writes #sirius writes about narnia #narnia #the chronicles of narnia #peter pevensie #pevensie siblings #edmund pevensie #peter x caspian #caspian x peter #caspian the tenth #prince caspian

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slaymitchabernathy · 2 months ago

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The Nanny

꧁ Two Months Later ꧂

The next few weeks flew by for Soarynn.

As she spent more and more time with the Snow children, her fear of messing up grew less and less. Her respect for President Snow borderlined on being downright fearful, but she preferred it that way and she was pretty sure he preferred it that way too.

She interacted with him twice a day. Once at breakfast where he now acknowledged her by saying: “Good morning Ms. Nightingale.” And at night when he’d come home from dinner and inquire about the children.

Most of what she learned about him was from either Eudora or the children. Eudora actually let her know about more important things like his daily routine, habits, and whatnot. The children would drop little notes of information unknowingly, telling her about the shampoo he used or how he didn’t like cabbage.

Either way, she was glad for the bits and pieces to help her further understand her employer.

He certainly paid her well. The first paycheck she was given nearly blew her away. Still residing in her childhood home left to her by her father, Soarynn didn’t have to worry about rent or a mortgage. She paid for other things like the utilities and vet bills for Petunia.

She was also given one day off a month.

She hadn’t really known what to do with herself the first two times she had the day off. She had grown so used to spending every waking moment with the children that to have free time was foreign to her.

So she ended up working on those days as well, popping in after breakfast since she truly had nothing better to do. Eudora had scolded her about it both times, claiming that everyone needed a break but if President Snow didn’t take any breaks, then she wouldn’t either.

Besides, the children needed her.

She was the longest-standing nanny hired by the Snow family and she was proud to say that she and the children had developed a perfect routine.

She’d wake them up around seven since none of the children ever got up the first time she’d knock. They’d have breakfast at eight and then she’d get them dressed for their daily outing.

After asking Eudora who asked President Snow, Soarynn was given permission to take the children out into the Capitol. They went to galleries, parks, the zoo, museums, and many other places that would entertain their young minds.

All three children were partial to different places. Caspian loved going to art museums, all the bright colors fascinated him. He loved it so much that they would often partake in finger painting back home, many pieces of his artwork now hung on the playroom wall.

Celeste preferred going to parks because it meant getting to play with other children. It had taken her a few visits to gain the courage to actually leave her big sister’s side, but once she did she was better off for it. Soarynn loved to watch her play with other children her age.

Celeste was fascinated by the planetarium. She loved getting to learn about the stars and other planets. She always asked for them to go to the shows where they’d sit in a dome-shaped auditorium that spun them around, making them feel as if they were truly in space.

Of course, certain precautions were taken to ensure the children’s safety. If they were to go to any public building then it was almost always cleared out aside from the staff working there. Parks were tricky, but at least ten Peacekeepers patrolled the premises at all times, one assigned to each child always steps behind them as they ran around.

Sometimes Soarynn wished there could be less security. She wanted the children to feel as normal as possible, not like they were trapped inside a glass display box. She had brought it up to Eudora who simply said that things would forever be this way.

After the death of his wife, President Snow was terrified of losing the remaining members of his very small family.

Soarynn couldn't really blame him for that, not when she saw how sweet he was with the children, how patient and kind, always answering their questions at breakfast. Eudora had told Soarynn that President Snow was very pleased with how she had been taking care of the children. In fact, he was so pleased that tonight for the first time in a very long time, the Snows were throwing a party.

Soarynn hadn't believed Eudora when she heard the news that President Snow was finally opening the doors to the Presidential Mansion but Eudora claimed that it had been long enough and the children were well adapted to their new life without a mother.

While climbing the steps to the second floor, Soarynn can't help but wonder what tonight will entail. The children are allowed to come but only for a little while, mostly for dinner and a bit of dancing in the ballroom before they're put to bed. Ceraphina and Celeste had whined about it for a good week, saying it wasn't fair that they couldn't stay the entire time.

When their father offered to cancel the party altogether, they quickly changed their minds.

Soarynn herself was quite nervous for many reasons. One was that she'd be chasing around three children by herself in front of very important people. Two, because she was required to wear an outfit that matched the occasion and she worried that the dress she chose might not be enough. And finally, because something was bound to go wrong.

But now isn't the time for those negative thoughts. Soarynn quietly pads down the hall towards Ceraphina's room, slightly cracking open the door to see both girls sound asleep under the covers. She smiles when she sees how many stuffed animals are surrounding them this morning.

Soarynn slips into the bedroom, closing the door behind her before she makes her way over to the windows, opening the curtains one by one. "Wake up girls," she says softly, "today's the big day." Both girls have been talking nonstop about this party, even though Eudora claims it won't be half the size their usual parties are.

It's a party nonetheless.

Soarynn is only met with tiny groans and mumbles. She glances over her shoulder to see both girls pulling the covers over their faces, trying to block out the sun. "Don't try and fight it," she tells them opening the last of the curtains and beaming in the fresh morning sunlight, "we've got a very busy day ahead of us remember?"

Neither of them makes any moves to get up and start their day.

Soarynn sighs, walking over to the large canopy bed where the only thing visible is their blond hair sticking out from under the covers, "If you're not feeling well, I can tell your father to cancel the par-"

"No!" They both shout, throwing the covers off of them, "We're awake!" Ceraphina says, widening her eyes for emphasis, "We're awake we promise." Soarynn raises an eyebrow because she's heard that before.

"Help me make the bed then."

She's only met with more grumbles and yawns but after another five minutes of convincing, she gets the girls out of the bed so they can put it together before starting the day. Over the past three months, Soarynn has tried to instill a set of habits within the children such as making their beds, picking out their outfits the night before, and cleaning the playroom on a daily basis. all things they'd learn from their mother if she was still alive.

"Are we gonna go get our dresses today Soarynn?" Celeste asks, tugging on Soarynn's hand. Soarynn nods, squeezing her small hand, "We sure are. And we'll pick up Caspian's suit as well."

Eudora had insisted on all three children getting new outfits tailored for such an event and none of them declined such an exciting offer. The girls have been asking about their dresses all week and they're finally ready to be picked up today.

"Oh, I'm so excited! Did you bring a dress Soarynn?" She nods at Ceraphina's question although it sparks up her nerves about tonight. The dress she brought is very simple, something that'll help her keep up with the children should they choose to run rampant tonight.

"What color is it?"

"Pink."

She's met with gasps from both girls who absolutely adore the color pink and looks down into two pairs of blue eyes filled with excitement, "We can match!" Celeste says, bouncing up and down on her toes. Soarynn chuckles and runs a loving hand over Celeste's head where a few curls have come undone while she was sleeping, "We most certainly can. Now, let's go wake up Caspian so we don't miss breakfast."

Both girls run ahead of her, pushing open the doors to Caspian's nursery, quietly arguing about who gets to wake him up this time. "It's my turn," Ceraphina whispers, putting her hands on her hips. Celeste sticks out her tongue and shakes her head, "Nuh-uh, it's my turn. You're not the boss of me."

Soarynn manages to suppress a smile and crouches down in front of both the girls, "I do believe that it's actually my turn to wake up Caspian," Soarynn says softly, "but you two can be my helpers and open up the curtains. How does that sound?"

A morning crisis is averted it seems when both girls nod and go to pull open the dark blue curtains, letting the light flood into the nursery. Saorynn walks up to the crib to find Caspian passed out, Lenny clutched in his hold with a little drool on his cheek.

Soarynn gently reaches into the crib, scooping him up and groaning when she bears his full weight, "Good morning my sweet boy," she says, placing a hand on the back of his head, "it's time to wake up Caspian."

Normally Caspian gives her the least amount of trouble when it comes to waking up and going to sleep, but every once in a while, he gives Soarynn a run for her money. This morning isn't one of those mornings though and she looks into the eyes that are identical to his fathers, piercing blue.

"Momma," he mumbles, blinking away the sleep from his eyes. Soarynn sighs, brushing his hair from his face, some things have stayed the same since she started working here, such as Caspian asking for his mother. "She's not here darling," she tells him, her heart breaking a bit when she sees his crestfallen face, "but look who is here, your sisters!"

Caspian's eyes widen and he looks around to find his two sisters who've made themselves busy opening all the curtains in his room, "Lenny." Soarynn reaches into the crib to grab Lenny who looks like he's seen better days. Eudora says Caspian will pick a new stuffed animal to obsess over, but Soarynn's not so sure.

"Can we have breakfast now?" Ceraphina asks, opening the last of the curtains, the room now bright as can be.

Soarynn nods, "We sure can."

꧁ ꧂

Breakfast goes by rather quickly, and President Snow shows up a bit later than usual. He looks good though, he always looks good. His suit today is navy blue which brings out his eyes.

"Daddy tonight is the party!" Ceraphina tells him, jumping up and down while he walks towards the table. The smile on Celete's face drops and she grabs her father's hand, "We're still allowed to come, right Daddy?"

President Snow stops in his tracks when hearing his youngest daughter's question, filled with dread and anxiety. Celeste knows what it's like to be let down. Her mother passed away and every nanny she's ever grown attached to has left. It's only natural for her to expect the worst outcome which is unfair in Soarynn's opinion. This sweet little girl shouldn't have a single worry in her head.

President Snow kneels down and holds her small face in his large hands, "Of course you're still allowed to come darling. Everyone is so excited to see you." Her face brightens up once receiving the confirmation she so desperately wished to hear and she giggles, "Are the Plinths coming?" He nods, "They are, and the Creeds, and the Dovecotes. All our friends are coming to the party."

Ceraphina twirls around in her pajama dress, her curls flying everywhere since she took out her braid, "And we can dance!" President Snow grunts, rising back to his full height, "There will be dancing," he confirms.

He makes sure both girls are sitting back down before he comes over to bid Caspian a good morning. Caspian has insisted on sitting in Soarynn's lap every morning since she first started, not that she's complaining considering how easy he is to feed.

"Good morning Caspian," President Snow says, his voice a bit deeper than usual. Caspian looks up at his father and a small smile creeps across his face, "Party!" Soarynn smiles and President Snow chuckles, "Yes, it seems that everyone is looking forward to tonight. But we'll have to be on our best behavior," he says as he sits down, giving Ceraphina a pointed look.

She gives him a sly smile, poking at her eggs, "I'm always behaved Daddy." President Snow shakes his head, "Well tonight will be no exception. If I hear word of my children acting out, then you'll be taken upstairs and sent to bed." The girls gasp at the threat, a justified one in Soarynn's opinion but she keeps quiet.

"We will be perfectly behaved Capitol children," Celeste promises, reciting the words Eudora has drilled into their heads. She earns an approving nod from Eudora and a questionable look from President Snow who eyes her warily, "I'll believe it when I see it," he replies.

Soarynn smiles to herself and finishes her own breakfast before helping Caspian with the rest of his. The girls ask their father about a million questions about tonight, who's going to be there, what everyone's wearing, how late they can stay up.

"Is Soarynn invited?"

Ceraphina's question causes Soarynn to almost drop the fork she's using to feed Caspian. She had assumed she was invited since she'd be looking after the children but perhaps she won't be allowed to attend.

"Of course she is dear," Eudora answers, flipping through her binder, "she's going to make sure none of you run off where you're not supposed to. And she'll make sure you behave during dinner." Eudora gives Celeste and Ceraphina pointed looks but they only giggle in return, "We'll be good at dinner Soarynn," Celeste says sweetly.

Soarynn raises her eyebrows, "Well I've never known you not to be."

The children are more behaved than they're given credit for but every once in a while they have a bad day and those are the days that are remembered in fear of them happening again but in front of the wrong people.

Eudora starts rambling off President Snow's schedule for the day so Soarynn tunes her out, focusing on making sure all the children are properly fed. Dinner will be later than it usually is for them and she doesn't want them to get cranky. Caspian fusses for a moment, pushing away at Soarynn's hand when she tries to feed him little pieces of strawberries, "No, Momma."

Soarynn sighs and glances over at President Snow who's watching his son with a distant look in his eyes. She wonders if he misses his wife or simply misses when he didn't have to deal with all of this by himself.

"Eat your food Cas," he tells his son, "your mother would want you to eat your breakfast." Caspian pouts but he seems more open to eating the strawberries the next time Soarynn offers them.

Once Eudora finishes rattling off the schedule, President Snow is off to his first meeting, bidding everyone goodbye and promising to see them later tonight. "When can we go pick up our dresses?" Ceraphina asks while eyeing her sister's leftover muffin. "After we get dressed we can go," Soarynn answers, dabbing Caspian's mouth with a napkin, "we'll have to make the trip to the park short so we have enough time to come back and clean up," she reminds them.

The girls had requested to go to the park today which should be fine as long as they get back in time to bathe and get ready for tonight.

"Yes, remember to stay on schedule," Eudora agrees, sipping her tea, "failing to plan is planning to fail."

She's not wrong about that.

꧁ ꧂

"I can do it, let me push it!"

Soarynn takes a step back from the boutique door so that Celeste can push it open. It's a rather heavy door but she manages to get it open, sounding a bit breathless once they're all inside, "I'm a big helper," she tells Soarynn who nods, giving her a smile, "You most certainly are. Thank you, Celeste."

The boutique is empty but that's no surprise, everywhere they go is cleared for their safety. But the woman who runs this boutique, Miss Tigris is here and she rounds the counter with a big Capitol smile on her face, "Welcome, welcome! Oh, don't you girls look so precious today?"

The girls beam at her compliments, giggling when she insists they've grown since she last saw them. "Are our dresses ready?" Ceraphina asks Tigris, clasping her hands behind her back like a proper little lady. Tigris nods and waves to the back of the store, "I just put the finishing touches on them last night."

She waves them all to the back of the shop where rolls and rolls of fabric can be seen, along with mannequins sporting beautiful designs. "These are gorgeous," Soarynn tells her, her fingertips grazing a particular mannequin sporting a two-piece set with feathers and sequins intricately sewn into the fabric.

Tigris waves her off, "You're too kind. I only wish you would've let me make you something as well."

Soarynn has brought the children to see Tigris three times since the party was announced. The first time was to simply get an idea of what they wanted, namely the girls who had a million different ideas. The second visit was to get their proper measurements and to pick out the fabric swatches. The last time they visited, Tigris had the bones of their dresses stitched together and had them tell her if anything fit too tight or too loose.

Caspian's suit was much easier since he didn't really have any preferences but Soarynn knew he'd look dashing in his tailored suit no matter what it looked like.

"Don't worry about me," Soarynn insists, setting Caspian down so he can go explore with his sisters, "I'm the nanny, not a model." Caspian toddles over to his sisters who're fawning over a large ballgown with layers and layers of ruffles, "You're still allowed to feel confident," Tigris counters, disappearing into the storage room, "you've got to look presentable!"

Soarynn rolls her eyes, Tigris and her go all the way back to their Academy days. Tigris always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and Soarynn always dreamed of becoming a mother and starting a family.

At least one of their dreams came true.

"Here they are!" Tigris announces, wheeling out a clothing rack with two pink dresses and a tiny black suit. The girls gasp, immediately trying to grab at their dresses to feel the fabric. There had been much discussion over what fabrics to use for their dresses. Soarynn felt they should have something breathable and comfortable. The girls wanted the fanciest silk money could buy. They settled on the bodices being made of velvet and the skirts being made of tulle to give the illusion of a ballgown, something the girls desperately wanted.

"They look like princess dresses!"

"So pretty!"

"Can we try them on please?"

Tigris nods and points at the pedestal she's had the girls stand on the last few times they've been here, "Of course. The fitting rooms are over there."

Soarynn helps both girls get undressed and slips on their new outfits for tonight, cherishing every excited gasp that leaves their mouths. "You two look so beautiful," she tells them once the dresses are fully zipped, "your father will be so impressed."

"Do you think Daddy will dance with us?" Ceraphina asks once they've stepped outside to properly see in the large mirrors. Soarynn helps her onto the pedestal, admiring how wonderfully Tirgis made the dress, "If you ask him nicely he might," Soarynn replies, not wanting to promise her something that might not happen, "he's going to be very busy tonight entertaining the guests."

When they left the house was busier than Soarynn has ever seen it, Eudora was barking out orders left and right. Safe to say, tonight will be perfectly planned down to the last minute. The girls take turns standing on the pedestal, twirling around in their pretty dresses. The dresses are identical for the simple reason of not wanting to spark an argument about whose dress is better than the others.

"Here's the suit for little Mr. Snow," Tigris says, handing over the cutest suit Soarynn has ever seen. It's black with a little rose embroidered onto the lapel, "Oh it's perfect. Look at your suit Caspian." He only gives it a glance before running over to touch more rolls of fabric but Soarynn appreciates the craftsmanship, "Thank you," she says to Tigris, "President Snow inquired about who was making their dresses for tonight so I let it slip that it was the one and only Tigris."

Her friend gives her a sheepish look, despite wanting her name and brand to be well known, Tigris is rather shy and reserved, almost like a cat. "You really didn't have to," she mumbles, "your business is more than enough."

Soarynn shakes her head, "Nonsense. People should know who you are and how incredible your work is! If anyone asks about the children's outfits tonight, I'll be sure to send them your way."

She means it too, a small kindness can go a long, long way.

꧁ ꧂

"Why couldn't we play at the park for longer?" Celeste whines, looking out the car windows longingly as they pull away from the park entrance.

Soarynn sighs, readjusting Caspian on her lap. He always falls asleep after playing, even if most of his playing just entails being pushed on the swings and climbing up three steps before climbing down them. "We have to go home to start getting ready," Soarynn gently reminds her, "and your brother needs a nap before tonight or he'll be cranky during dinner and we don't want that do we?"

Both sisters shudder at the thought of their little brother screaming and crying during dinner. It would not be a pretty sight and their father would not be pleased.

"Besides, when we get back you two can have a snack and play with your dolls. Your father got you new ones remember?"

Ceraphina nods but a frown sits upon her face, "Mommy used to play dolls with us, remember?" She looks at Celeste who nods, "Mhm. She didn't want to play anymore when she got sick though. Does being sick make dolls not fun anymore Soarynn?"

Soarynn swallows at the loaded question, it seems that every time she tries to steer away from bringing up the sore subject of their dead mother, they ask more and more questions about her. "Sometimes when people get sick," she says slowly, "they don't have a lot of energy to do the things they normally do. Like playing dolls with their daughters."

Celeste tilts her head, "Is Daddy sick too then? 'Cause he never plays dolls with us anymore."

Soarynn shakes her head, "No darling, your father isn't sick, he's just very, very busy working to keep the country running."

Celeste slouches in the seat, crossing her arms over her chest, "Well maybe he should quit." Soarynn chuckles at her naive way of thinking, if only it was that easy to resign as President of Panem. Soarynn doubts President Snow would ever just give up his title willingly. If the death of his wife didn't cause him to quit, she doesn't know what will.

꧁ ꧂

The President's Mansion is in full swing for tonight's preparations.

Soarynn and the children walk into what could pass as an active warzone, people running everywhere carrying various objects all while being yelled at by Eudora. Soarynn grabs Ceraphina's hand who grabs Celeste's hand, "Duck and cover," Soarynn says, leading them toward the back staircase.

"How big is this party?" Ceraphina asks when a giant ice sculpture gets wheeled by. Soarynn's eyes widen when ten couches get wheeled by next, "Very big apparently." She's heard about the parties that President Snow throws, but she's never been to one herself before. Tonight is sure to be full of surprises.

"Big," Caspian repeats, his tiny fist grabbing onto her dress. Soarynn smiles down at him, "That's right, it's going to be a big party so you need to take a big nap, mister."

Soarynn leads the children upstairs where it's much calmer and has the girls go to the playroom to get out some more energy while she puts Caspian down for a nap.

She passes by Ceraphina's bedroom, then Celeste's then President Snow's, and the doors are slightly ajar, his commanding voice slipping out into the hallway. Soarynn only catches a few words as she passes by, "...exclusive guest list..."

Caspian perks up at the sound of his father's voice, a voice he's associated with breakfast time no doubt since it's the only time he truly gets any attention from the man. Not that it's President Snow's fault, Soarynn reminds herself.

The past few weeks have been a true battle between her thoughts and her actions and trying to discern the President's thoughts and actions. He loves his children, she can see that clear as day, but she sometimes wishes he'd show it more. Not that she expects him to stop working to spend every waking minute with them, but she's seen how much he means to them.

He's all they have for a parent.

"Look Caspian, it's Lenny," Soarynn says once they're in his nursery. They had left Lenny behind for their daily outing since she knew they'd be going to the park. Lenny has taken quite a few tumbles at the park so now he gets to stay home where he won't be run over by toddlers.

Caspian reaches out for his beloved lion, mumbling a few incoherent words, "This won't be as long as your other naps," she whispers, carefully setting him down on the dresser to change him into his pajamas, "but you'll appreciate it later tonight at the party."

Caspian watches her with wide eyes, letting her maneuver his arms and legs into his little onesie, "There we go, much comfier."

Once she puts him down in his crib, she draws all the curtains shut, making the room as dark as possible. "Meadow," Caspian says, his fingers curling around one of the crib railings. Soarynn smiles, Caspian loves it when she sings the meadow song.

"Alright, I'll sing your favorite song."

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes, and when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, here it's warm, here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

Caspian eyes grow heavy and she watches him slowly drift off to sleep, Lenny held tightly against his chest. Eudora says Lenny was the first stuffed animal Caspian ever got, so it only makes sense for it to be from his mother.

Which means Soarynn will do everything she can to keep both of them safe and sound.

꧁ ꧂

All Soarynn can hear is the sound of the girls giggling while she attempts to do their hair.

They normally sit very still but tonight’s excitement has made it hard for them to contain their emotions which has led to brushing out their hair to be much more difficult than usual.

“If you don’t hold still then I can’t do your hair,” Soarynn gently reminds Ceraphina who keeps twisting every which way on the stool in front of the bathroom counter.

Ceraphina lets out a loud and exaggerated sigh, “But I can’t sit still, not with the party being so soon!” Soarynn shakes her head and continues brushing through Ceraphina’s hair which is less curly than Celeste’s, it’s more wavy if anything.

Celeste runs back into the bathroom, twirling around in the dress she picked out this morning for their daily outing, “I can hear Eudora yelling at more people!” Soarynn chuckles knowing that Eudora is probably the most stressed she’s been in a long time.

One evening, she had confessed to Soarynn that the hardest thing for her to plan was Livia’s funeral.

Soarynn hadn’t quite known how to respond to that.

“Now you girls don’t need to be reminded again, but, we must make sure to be on our best behavior tonight okay? That means eating our dinner, all of our dinners,” she gives Celeste a knowing look, “and staying in our seats the entire time. We can’t run over to your father or Eudora.”

Eudora had shown Soarynn the seating chart for tonight’s party and there were several long tables that all the guests would be eating at. She had been given the honor—and the responsibility—of sitting at the President's table to ensure that his children were well-behaved.

“I can’t believe we get to have dinner with Daddy,” Celeste gushes, all of Soarynn’s words going right into one ear and out the other. Soarynn sighs, finishing up Ceraphina’s hair with an elastic, “There, all done.”

Ceraphina had requested for some of her hair to be pulled back from her face and then braided, giving her an adorable half-up and half-down look, with a bow to top it all off.

“Can I wear makeup?”

Soarynn shakes her head, setting down the brush, “You don’t need makeup darling, you’re already so beautiful.” Not to mention how livid her father would probably be if he saw his oldest daughter running around with a painted face.

“I want my hair done too!”

Ceraphina slips off the stool and skips into her closet, “When we can put on our dresses Soarynn?”

“You can put them on after I finish doing Celeste’s hair.”

Celeste hops onto the stool, her legs dangling off the edge, “Can I have a bow in my hair please?”

Soarynn smiles, gathering her blonde curls into a ponytail, “You certainly may. Is there a specific way you want me to do your hair for tonight?”

Most of the time, the girls don’t really care what she does with their hair. Soarynn does her best to keep it out of their faces and always makes sure to take care of their curls but every once in a while they have a request. Caspian would care less what she does with his hair so long as it takes less than five minutes.

“I want it to be like Ceraphina’s.”

Soarynn has noticed more and more that Celeste wants to be just like her big sister. If Ceraphina is eating ice cream, Celeste wants to be eating ice cream. If Ceraphina is wearing a pink dress, Celeste wants to wear a pink dress. One cannot be complete without the other it seems.

Eudora assured Soarynn that Celeste would grow out of it just in time for Caspian to start wanting to be just like Celeste. So the vicious cycle would continue till all the children were ten years old.

But Soarynn doesn’t mind it for the most part. She thinks it’s sweet that Celeste wants to be just like her big sister. It’s her big sister who thinks it’s a problem.

Ceraphina has complained many times about her little sister “copying her” and Soarynn has reminded Ceraphina that wearing a certain hairstyle or outfit doesn’t always make one “original.”

“Alright, we can do that.”

Celeste’s hair is much shorter than her sisters so it takes less time for Soarynn to pull some of it back. She makes sure to apply product to the curls, not wanting the child of President Snow to be seen with dry hair.

“Soarynn?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you a part of our family?”

Soarynn almost drops the hairbow in her hand. What a loaded question to ask someone who doesn’t know the answer. Well, she knows the answer. But she also knows what Celeste wants to hear.

Soarynn clips in the hairbow, making sure there are no bumps on her hair, “I work for your family darling. But I’m not really a part of your family. I have my own family.” She doesn’t really have any family anymore, but that’s not important.

Celeste looks up at her, those piercing blue eyes holding so much love and adoration in them, “Sometimes I like to pretend you’re my sister.”

Soarynn grins, running a loving hand over Celeste’s hair, “But you already have a sister silly, and a brother!”

Celeste giggles and shakes her head, her curls bouncing up and down, “It doesn’t matter! You look just like us and you spend every day with us, just like a sister!”

How did Soarynn get so lucky with these sweet children?

“Well it can be our little secret then,” Soarynn decides, “I can be whatever you want me to be.”

Celeste raises up her little hand, her pinky finger extended, “Promise?”

Soarynn locks her pinky around Celeste’s, something she taught the girls a month ago when it comes to making and honoring a promise.

“I promise.”

She means it too. She's not going anywhere.

| Part 3. |

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

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literary-illuminati · 4 months ago

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2024 Book Review #36 – Life Does Not Allow Us To Meet by He Xi

I read this basically entirely because it got a hugo nomination, and assuredly would never have tried it otherwise – I literally wouldn’t even have heard of it, let alone be able to get my hands on a (digital) copy. So I went into this with frustratingly little context. Overall I’d call it an interesting read if not necessarily a loveable one.

The story follows a trio of explorers being sent to the colony of Caspian Sea, decades after the previous attempt to check on its progress was lost in a freak FTL accident. The planet, seeded with a population of genetically engineered ‘pioneers’ - humans modified to thrive in its environment - needs to be graded for suitability, and the colonists introduced to advanced technology and welcomed into humanity. Unsurprisingly, things do not go according to plan – the last mission’s destruction wasn’t as reported by the lone survivor, and the population has strayed increasingly far from the plan the Constitution of Earth demands.

Its heritage is of course entirely different, but the story was just incredibly reminiscent of old Golden Age American sci fi to me. The reason is some combination of style and content, I think. It’s overwhelmingly a novella of dialogue and exposition – pages at a time are dedicated to one character explaining a principle of the story’s science or technology to another. With the exception of the very final reveal, the whole plot is dialogue explaining the laws which the story is an expression of or decisions that they had already made – ‘action’ in any sense is in very short supply (despite the genocide). Reminded me of reading my dad’s ratty old paperbacks in the basement as a kid. Oddly nostalgic reading experience.

Prose-wise the story does come across as slightly stilted? Or maybe distant is the better word. Characters emote and have strong reactions, but in nearly every case it felt a bit tell-not-show. I’m not sure how much of that is from the original and how much is an artifact of translation (such is life for the tragically monolingual). While I mean, I’m fairly certain the translation could have been more graceful in places (I simply do not believe that referring to the original colony ship as Big Ship as a proper noun reads the same in English as whatever the original Mandarin was), but beyond that.

Speaking of being in translation – this is a story that made me desperately wish I was more properly familiar with the Chinese SF scene. If only because my initial reaction to it is that it’s obviously in conversation with the whole Three Body Problem series, but also those are literally the only two works of Chinese science fiction I’ve read so I really have no knowledge at all of the wider context they’re both swimming within.

Regardless, Life’s presentation of alien life absolutely does rhyme with Three Body’s, right down to the same examples of historical genocides being used to make the point. The xenophobia is presented as policy rather than an actual law of history, but it feels like a very intentional reference (and the story clearly considers it at least plausible if not necessarily self-evident). Which is what drives the central moral drama of the story – that despite the most careful possible genetic engineering, stellar radiation has left the pioneers of Caspian Sea incapable of reproducing with earth-born humans, and so made them functionally a different species. And thus, by the constitution of earth, axiomatically a potential threat to the survival of humanity that must be exterminated out of hand.

Going from Children of Memory (a series motivated in large part by wonder and joy at the idea of truly nonhuman intelligence, and possessed of ironclad faith in the potential of cosmopolitan, liberal societies to integrate wildly disparate parts) to this was something of a shock.

The book’s vision of humanity is kind of interesting, honestly. Subspecies modified to thrive on different planets, but capable of interbreeding to ensure some level of biological solidarity or shared destiny or something. Not making drastic changes to the appearance, even if it means awkwardly hiding gills under arm pits or not even trying to colonize worlds that would require exuding a thick mucus layer, basically explicitly to make sure that everyone will still find each other fuckable. Fascinatingly shallow, almost?

Anyways yes, interesting ideas and central drama, let down some by prose and execution. Very Asimov.

#book review #life does not allow us to meet #he xi #sff #space opera #hugo nom

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lovelbear · 6 months ago

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Finished catching up on lore and now I've got a single question

If Caspian's soul combined with part of raza's does that make him part of Arisanna parent now?

Also does that make season 3 the season of characters getting parents back? (Except for centross) cause like Aax got two parent figures, Rae gained a the mother he wished he had (before she died), icurus got fable back, and ari had her mom for a bit. Ignore the fact that three characters lost a parent and boom

#chat i have too many thoughts #fable smp #fablesmp #season 3 aka season of the parents #i don't know what I am typing anymore #chat i definitely need to go to sleep #this will probably get deleted #once i realize what mess I've posted #it makes a pretty funny headcanon if nothing else

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jamroses · 1 month ago

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list of all my favourite fictional characters + why i love them 1. charlie dalton: he is the character who inspired me to get out of my shell more and carpe the fuck outta that diem and i really like how his character was written. he is such a fun character to love and i just wish there was more of him out there!!!! 2. loki laufeyson: WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE???? he has the hair, he has he fit, he has the sass, he has it all. from the first moment i saw him on the screen i immediately loved him and i dont think thatll every change. i was so happy when his series came out because it gave ppl a deeper understanding of who he was (a silly boy who just wanted to be loved)

3. galadriel: first of all she is GORGEOUS !!!!!! second of all shes an absolute girlboss and i love love love how we got to know her AND elrond (another fave) better. i screamed when they kissed. i totally cant wait till season three! 4. prince caspian x: MY POOKIE BABYGIRL WIFE I LOVE HIM SO SO SOSO MUCH HE MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH NARNIA AGAIN I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO FIHGT A BATTLE WITH HIM OR BE ON A BOAT WITH HIM

5. anne shirley: if it wasnt for her id be dead now (/hj) she taught me to be a dreamer and never give up and stand up what i believe in for and she is a BADASS her beef with gilbert blythe ate

6. elle woods: another ICON thank you mama woods for motivating me any time i have exams or tests :3

#charlie dalton #dead poets society #loki laufeyson #marvel #galadriel #lord of the rings #rings of power #prince caspian #narnia #anne shirley #anne of green gables #elle woods #legally blonde

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hoardingpuffin · 11 months ago

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I just noticed -

Well not just but you know - it is December and thus Aschenbrödel season.

You know what that means?

Resuming work on Three Wishes on Caspian!

[in the time I am not writing on my thesis but you know what I mean]

#fanfiction #fanfic writing #aschenbrödel #drei haselnüsse für aschenbrödel #three wishes for cinderella #fable smp #caspian solcrest

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padfootagain · 2 years ago

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Scars

Hello! Here comes my first request for my Comeback Event! This request was sent by @themessedupsonata : “Hey, Carole! For your comeback event, could you write a Caspian with the au c and the prompt 6 please? I love your work ❤️”

Prompt c is ‘Soulmate AU!’ and prompt 6 is ‘Enemies to lovers’ (excellent choice, may I add!!).

I hope you like what I’ve written for you for this request! Thank you for sending it!

*****

Pairing: Caspian x reader

Warning: none, a bit of angst and some fluff, Soulmate AU with characters feeling their soulmate’s physical pain and getting their scars on their own body (but there is no depiction of violence in this fic and no character is hurt).

Sum up: Caspian and you need to reach an agreement on this treaty, it is vital for both your kingdoms. The problem is, you are simply unable to get along. Or well… at first, you can’t get along, there is still this strange tension between the two of you though. But it would be ridiculous to act on it, because in this world filled with soulmates, you cannot be meant for each other… right?

Word count: 6075 (it got quite long… sorry?)

You truly are insufferable.

The more Caspian stares at you, the more he wishes he could simply shake some sense into foreign dignitaries’ heads whenever he wants. But he can’t, that would probably lead to a war, and even if his frustration with you seems to have reached new heights this afternoon, he can’t act so carelessly. He loves Narnia too much for that. He merely pictures the scene in his head instead.

He gets it that you are here, in Cair Paravel, to defend the interests of your own country. But he also reckons that you could go about it in a smoother, nicer way.

And you find him pig-headed to no end.

The more you look at him, sitting there in his tall wooden chair, the more you want to slap him. Imprint your fingers in his cheek in red lines. That would feel good. But you can’t, because that would probably lead to a war between your two countries, and you love your kingdom too much to endanger it in such a stupid way. You are too smart to do so. Instead, you simply picture Caspian’s stern face coloured with the traces of your palm across his cheek.

You get it that he is defending the interests of his kingdom, but you reckon that he could handle the situation in a more sympathetic way.

One thing is for sure, he doesn’t like you.

And one thing is for certain, you don’t like him either.

Caspian heaves a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. He has a headache after hours of discussions on this treaty. It’s almost midnight, the world is full of shadows and starlight now. He wants to get out of this room, walk through the gardens, all the way to the cliff so he can look at the sea shimmering under the moon and smell its salt in the air.

He can’t think properly now, anyway. He’s too tired for that.

“Lady Y/N, I reckon we should take a break for tonight. We all need some sleep. We can resume this meeting tomorrow morning.”

You want to contradict him, just for the sake of it, but the truth is, you’re exhausted as well. You easily yield, the negotiations will resume in the morning. You don’t want him to see that you’re relieved though, so you walk out without showing how tired you truly are.

He annoys you so much. When you walk out, you notice the way he politely waits for you to exit before he would. You hate the fact that he asks you if you want him to accompany you back to your room, that he asks politely if everything is to your liking…

You hate it how polite and perfectly sweet he is despite the fact that your discussions are going nowhere.

You decline his offer to accompany you of course, after three weeks spent in Cair Paravel, you know your way around the castle pretty well.

Once in your bedroom, you heave a relieved sigh as you take off your corset, and slip into some comfortable night gown. And as you change into new clothes, you stare at the scar on your forearm, a white line that runs along the length of your limb. You have about a dozen of these by now. None of them come from your own life.

Your soulmate must be reckless, and you’re not surprised. You’ve always been pretty reckless yourself…

You sit down on the edge of your comfortable bed, brushing your finger along the pale mark. Sometimes, you wonder if he’s still out there. You haven’t had a new scar in a while. You haven’t felt physical pain because of him for over a year. Maybe that last time, the day you got a very nasty scar across your back, he didn’t make it…

You push the thought away. You can feel that he is alive still.

One day… one day you will find him.

You shake yourself out of these thoughts, and get ready to go to bed. You can’t let yourself be distracted by this. You’ll find your soulmate one day, but for now, you must remain focused on this treaty you must create. A lot of work. It worries you enough already.

It worries you so much, actually, that despite your exhaustion you find it impossible to sleep tonight. Thoughts keep bumping into each other in your busy head. Things to do, arguments to try…

You heave a sigh, sitting up in your bed and reaching for a candle to get up. Maybe some fresh air will help you find some rest.

You put on a long coat, open the door of your chamber, and walk into the corridor, your way lightened by the small candle in your hand and the stars shining brightly outside.

Caspian shudders, but he doesn’t walk back inside to fetch a coat. It’s only September, the end of summer and the dawn of autumn. Still, the wind is cold, coming harsh from the sea, salty and wild. Caspian loves it, the strength of the wind as it gets caught in his loose hair, in his large purple shirt. It reminds him of sailing. The feeling of freedom, the rush of adrenaline, the reassuring movement of the sea… He misses it. As he stares at the ocean before him, with soft waves making its surface everchanging, modifying constantly the pattern of the reflected starlight, he misses exploring its secrets, its islands, its wild dreams.

He takes a deep breath, shudders again in the cold. It smells of salt, seaweed and a little bit of the last roses still blooming in the gardens behind him.

It’s quiet. Only the distant murmur of the sea coming and going, running away and then crashing again against rocks and sand. It’s quiet. Almost still. He hears the branches of the trees behind him as well, as they swing gently in the summer air. Leaves whisper, and if Lucy was there, maybe she would understand them. The thought makes him smile. He misses her. He misses all of them tonight…

He jumps as he suddenly feels a sharp pain in his toe. He winces, looks down at his leather boot. But nothing has bumped into his foot. It’s his soulmate again. She keeps on bumping into things, he has stopped counting the bruises that have appeared across his skin because of her along the years. A tender smile forms on his lips. She must be clumsy.

One day he’ll find her. One day, he’ll see her and he’ll know right away. He is certain of it. He’ll feel that she’s the one the second he sees her. He’ll find her one day.

But for now, he doesn’t have time to look for her. For now, he has this treaty to establish and to sign. It’s more important, Narnia depends on it. And Narnia always comes first…

The pain in his toe subsides. One day, he’ll find her…

He notices then that a new sound has appeared. Distant still, muffled, but still there. Caspian listens carefully.

Footsteps…

“Is anyone there?” he asks, his voice loud but still warm.

The footsteps stop, seem to hesitate, and then resume, this time heading in Caspian’s direction.

Caspian surprised when he sees you appear at the end of the path where he now stands. He greets you with a polite yet forced smile, and you do the same. But it would be inappropriate to turn back, so you join him, determined to merely respect the etiquette, and then to be on your way again.

“Lady Y/N, it is a surprise to see you here so late at night. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, your Majesty,” you nod, forcing your polite smile to remain on your lips. “I was merely not tired enough to fall asleep. What about you?”

He smiles, his gesture more genuine this time.

“I reckon that the same subject that kept you up tonight is also the cause of my own unrest.”

“I see… This treaty is a lot work, indeed.”

“It is.”

An uncomfortable silence settles between the two of you, and you look away. Instead of staring at Caspian’s features - that are partly hidden because of the darkness of the night - you settle your gaze on the infinite sea. You grow calmer instantly. And the king by your side seems to notice it.

“This is my favourite view of the sea,” he says in a quiet voice, unwilling to disturb the peaceful expression that has grown across your face.

“It’s beautiful. And… quiet.”

“The ocean can be very soothing.”

“Is it the reason why you are here so late at night?”

Caspian nods, his eyes set on the flicking light of the moon upon the changing waters.

“I come here whenever I need to think. It helps me calm down and focus.”

You understand why he would do that. It is peaceful indeed. The regular sound lulls you, makes you feel calmer than you have felt for weeks, months even.

The silence that settles now between the two of you is more comfortable than you expected it to be. You feel relaxed, and you reckon it is the first time since your arrival at Cair Paravel that you feel so calm in Caspian’s presence. Maybe that’s why you speak again; you’re not sure why though.

“I had never seen the sea before coming here.”

Caspian turns to you again, a slight frown across his brow.

“If you wish, I could show you some beautiful spots.”

“Do you not think that we are too busy for sightseeing?”

Caspian shrugged.

“Maybe it would do us good, actually. We have been fighting against each other for three weeks now, a truce could help us settle on an agreement.”

“I would hardly say that we have been fighting,” you argued.

“Constantly arguing then,” he laughs.

“We are defending different sides.”

“You are a little harsh sometimes.”

“And you are too stubborn.”

The two of you stared at each other for a moment, with the sound of moving branches and waves crashing upon the sand as a background. It painted a scene filled with the patience you sometimes lacked around him. It filled all the space with the moderation Caspian sometimes abandoned when you were around.

You thought to have crossed a line, he was King, after all. But Caspian smiled instead of being angry. A bright, genuine smile that you recognized despite the darkness that surrounded you here, at the top of the cliff. You offered him the same gesture.

“I shall try to be more open-minded, then,” Caspian said after a short silence.

“And perhaps I could try to be calmer.”

“I truly want our two countries to build an alliance. One that would guarantee peace between our kingdoms for the years to come.”

“This is what I want to achieve as well.”

“We have the same goal, we should be able to settle on an agreement.”

“I hope so. The future of our peoples depends on it.”

Caspian nods, but he offers you a smile again nonetheless.

“If you agree, I would like to show you around tomorrow. We can go to the beach, I know a few places you should enjoy, the views are particularly beautiful. We can continue our work on the treaty the day after. Perhaps… if we spend a little time together, we would be able to work together in a more efficient way.”

You nod, quite unsure about this proposition, but you don’t dare refuse. He’s King, after all.

“Very well. Then, I should go back to bed, and try to get some sleep for tomorrow.”

Caspian bows his head, and you walk back to your bedroom, quite puzzled by your exchange with the king.

What does this new behaviour from the king mean?

You keep on thinking about this strange proposal of his to spend the day with you. Alone, apparently. Just the two of you. The mere thought to be alone with him for several hours makes you nervous, because he is king, but for another reason as well, one you can’t seem to fully fathom just yet…

You reach your bedroom again, set the candle you carried with you on your table, it has died long before; when you walked out of the castle and into the garden it was blown out by the wind.

You take off your coat, your shoes, and in the silver light of the moon coming in through your window, you notice that your toe has reddened. You have hit it in a rather big rock set in the gardens.

You heave a sigh, shaking your head at yourself. You can be so clumsy sometimes…

You reckon this will leave a bruise.

You love the smell of the sea.

Salty and fresh and dangerous. Seashells crack under your feet with each step you take. There are so many of them. You’ve picked a couple, the prettiest one, you hold them in your palm now. Fragile. Colourful. Tiny treasures you mean to keep forever.

You’re surprised, really. Caspian is charming. You’re used to being mad at him, to being annoyed by him. But now… now he’s walking by your side, your arms locked together, and he talks about Narnia and the things he loves, and you find his voice soothing and warm. You could listen to it all day long.

What is happening to you?

You laugh at one of his remarks, and he can’t help but smile at the sound. Maybe, just maybe, you are not as insufferable as he thought you were…

You let him guide you along the beach. It’s quiet under the tall cliffs, no one in sight but the clear blue sky, the turquoise sea, the golden rocks and the white sand. Just you and Caspian and the beautiful landscape. Back and forth of the waves. You like it this way.

Caspian is guiding you towards one of his favourite spots, a lagoon in which coral has been growing for centuries. Undisturbed, it covers the shallow sea with hundreds of shapes, colours and fish.

You can’t refrain a gasp at the sight of so many colours. The water is almost transparent, only slightly tainted in blue. You follow Caspian as he climbs on top of a rock at the foot of the cliff above you, and you sit down together on the edge, staring down at the incredible sight. You stare at the fish that swim and hide among the coral reef.

“It’s beautiful,” you whisper with a grin.

Caspian stares at you, a satisfied smile on his lips. And he reckons that… you’re quite a sight to see…

He looks away, blushing slightly.

“I’m glad you enjoy it.”

“How did you find this place?”

“I love sailing. I’ve explored most of the Narnian coast.”

“Are you not afraid? When you go sailing?”

“Of the sea? No. I like how wild it can be. I find it reassuring.”

“Really?” you ask with a frown.

But Caspian nods, and gives you an amused smile.

“It’s soothing. The waves, the peaceful sounds. When I’m at sea, I’m not really a king anymore. I depend on the elements around me, and no one can ask me to control any of it. It’s reassuring, to know that for once, you are not the only one responsible for what happens next.”

You stare at him, puzzled by his response. He keeps on surprising you.

“Duties can be a heavy load to carry,” you answer, but your voice comes out as a breath, and it makes Caspian look at you again.

“Indeed… most of the time.”

“Your people seems satisfied though. Most seem happy here.”

“I hope so.”

“What about you? Are you happy?”

Caspian smiles.

“What a personal question!”

“You are not forced to answer it.”

The king takes a second to think about it, ponder your question, weigh his response.

But eventually, he answers with an earnest smile.

“I reckon that I am as happy as I can be in my current situation.”

“What an elusive answer,” you tease him, and he chuckles.

“There are people whom I miss,” he goes on. “I am worried about Narnia. About your kingdom. About the future. About the past. I am worried about many things. But I have friends who help me, I cannot ask for more.”

He takes a long, deep breath, takes in the taste of the salty air.

“What about you, my lady? Are you happy?”

It is your time to hesitate. You have not planned for the conversation to turn out so personal, but when you look into his eyes, you can’t look away. You can’t remain silent. Instead, you want to confess everything to him.

“I think that I am… as happy as I can be in my current situation.”

You exchange a smile.

“Are you homesick?” he asks in a quiet tone, as if to not scare you away.

You shrug.

“Not really. But I am worried about this treaty. I am worried about your kingdom. I am worried about mine. I am worried about my soulmate too.”

Caspian frowns ever so slightly, but doesn’t stop you when you continue.

“I haven’t had any sign in over a year. I’m scared he might be gone already.”

“I am sorry to hear that. I hope he is still alive and well, that you will find him soon.”

You give him a grateful smile; you can hear in his voice that he means it.

“What about you? Have you found your soulmate?”

But Caspian shakes his head.

“Not yet. I have not had the time to look for her. I know she is alive though. She seems clumsy. I have so many bruises…”

You both laugh.

“Mine seems reckless,” you tell him, a fond smile on your lips. “He has some nasty scars.”

“A soldier?”

“Probably, yes. I suppose so.”

“Have you been looking for him?”

“Not really. No time for that. I have a treaty to prepare instead.”

Caspian smiles fondly at you, before setting his gaze on the sea again. It’s infinite, it would seem. From here, it looks never-ending…

“I hope we find them, eventually.”

Something has shifted since that afternoon with Caspian, and you don’t like it.

Or rather… you do like it. And you hate the fact that you enjoy it.

There is a pull towards him now. An external force that seems to guide your gaze in his direction all the time.

Maybe it’s because you’ve spent a lot of time with him that day. You’ve spent a long time talking together while sitting on this giant rock, looking at the ocean. And you enjoyed that moment, you genuinely did. Caspian was kind, gentle… a side of him you had not witnessed before.

Is it the reason why you keep on staring at him now? Why you notice the way his messy bun leaves a few strands of dark hair escape? Why you keep on thinking that you love how dark his eyes look, so black you can’t see where the pupil ends and the iris begins…

You hate the fact that you can feel that you have started liking him.

Because you would be lying if you pretended that you do not find him attractive. Caspian is truly handsome. And you hate yourself for thinking that way, but you can feel that you are attracted to him now. Which is the last thing that you need, because a) he is the king of Narnia and you are a foreign representative with a treaty to defend; b) you have an awful lot of work to do, and you cannot let yourself be distracted; and c) Caspian is not your soulmate, and it would be ridiculous to endanger your work and your reputation for a fling, no matter how kind and handsome the man can be.

Of course, you know that Caspian is not your soulmate. How could he be? He is a King, and you are not a princess. Besides, you reckon that you would have felt it. You would have known, at first sight, as soon as your eyes would have landed onto his frame. You would have known that he was your soulmate. And you did find him attractive when you first met him, but nothing more. And then you got annoyed at him, angry even and…

And even now, despite this afternoon spent together, during which you grew closer, there are moments when you get so frustrated with him…

Right now, for example.

You are tired, it’s late. You’re hungry, but this meeting seems never-ending.

And you’re tired. You’re tired of arguing, of discussing, of convincing him…

And the more frustrated you become, the more you feel attracted to him. Desperately so. And that is not a good thing at all.

You cannot have this kind of thoughts. The kind that makes your heart quicken as you lose yourself in his dark eyes. The kind that makes you wonder what it would feel like to run your fingers through his hair. The kind that makes you want to taste his lips…

You look away in a hurry. It must be the frustration, the tiredness… the exhaustion even. You are not yourself. Absolutely not yourself.

Caspian loosens his collar, before popping open a button of his purple shirt, and you can’t help it when your eyes linger on the spot that is now revealed to your gaze, the patch of pinkish skin under his neck…

You turn away, trying to focus on his words again, but you get lulled by his deep, warm voice…

You shake yourself. What is wrong with you?

“Lady Y/N?”

You look up at him when he speaks your name. He’s frowning. The three advisors who are also in the room are also staring at you now.

“Is everything fine?”

You nod, but quickly heave a sigh.

“I apologize your highness, but… it is very late. I reckon that I am too tired to focus.”

Yes, that is good excuse…

Caspian nods, glancing at the inky sky on the other side of the window.

“Indeed, it is quite late. We should eat something, before going to bed.”

“I am not very hungry…”

“But you must eat something…”

But you refuse again, and this time, he doesn’t insist.

“Well, then… I bid you good night. We will resume tomorrow morning.”

You notice the dark circles under his eyes. He seems just as tired as you are. You catch yourself wishing that he could get some rest.

You must remain professional. You cannot let yourself develop some kind of crush on him. Because, as you keep on repeating yourself as you get up and walk to the door, this can only be temporary. This… tension you suddenly feel… This is only temporary. Caspian is not your soulmate…

“Lady Y/N?”

You turn around, your hand on the doorknob.

“May I have a word? It will be just a minute.”

You merely nod at the king, and move to the side to let the advisors exit the room in silence.

You’re alone with Caspian now, the door closed again, and you stare at him with expecting eyes, wondering what he wants.

And Caspian finds it a little harder to breathe.

Actually… actually a lot harder.

And he hates himself for it. He hates himself for the way his heart is beating faster at the thought of the two of you being alone.

He hates himself for wondering how soft your skin could feel under his fingertips…

He clears his throat, trying to hide his blushing cheeks.

“I just wanted to make sure that you were fine. You seemed… distracted today. Actually… you’ve seemed distracted these past few days.”

You shy away a little, looking down at your feet.

“Is… is there something I can do to make you feel better?”

His voice is gentle, caring even. It makes you look up at him, and you offer him a reassuring smile.

“No, I am perfectly fine. Simply tired. But thank you, your Majesty. It is very kind of you to worry about me this way.”

“Is it… Are you uncomfortable? Have I made you uncomfortable?”

“No, of course not, your Majesty.”

“You… you seem different since… since that day we have spent together. I’ve been wondering if I had done anything that could have offended you or… I don’t know. We spoke of very personal things that day, maybe… maybe too personal…”

“No, I… You have done nothing wrong. Really. I… I very much enjoyed that afternoon we spent together.”

“I did as well.”

He sees you biting your lower lip, and Caspian’s heart jumps against his ribcage. He can’t help but stare, it takes everything in him to look away from your lips again.

He cannot afford to be like this. To feel so… attracted to you. It must be fatigue. It must exhaustion and frustration towards the treaty, towards you…

You are not his soulmate. He must remember that. It would lead nowhere. And there are enough tensions with your kingdom as it is, there is no need to add a scandal.

“I am simply very tired and… I will try to be more focused tomorrow,” you add.

Caspian slowly nods. He wishes he could simply walk over to you and…

No. No, better not think about that…

“Then, good night, my lady.”

“Good night, your Majesty.”

You run away more than you walk out of the room. You barely breathe at all until you are finally alone in your chamber. You let out a trembling breath.

All of this is getting out of hand…

Caspian is not certain when the conversation got so out of hand.

You are alone together in the corridor. It is late in the afternoon, the negotiations for today are over. You are tired, have a headache, and are famished.

Caspian decided to walk you back to your chamber to finish the conversation you had started. There is no one in the corridor but the two of you, and you are grateful for it. Because the debate is turning into an argument, and it is better if no one is here to bear witness…

It has started with a detail in the treaty. It is slowly drifting to things much more personal…

And you hate it. You hate it because you know that Caspian is kind. But you are so frustrated with him and his stubbornness and his bloody principles and his adorable frown, and his locks of dark hair that call for your fingers and his lips that keep on making you wonder how they taste like and…

You can’t think, you can only get angrier.

“I apologize if his Majesty finds the world unfair. Unfortunately, it has been so since… forever.”

“It is no reason to give up on the idea of improving it.”

“I am here to defend the interest of my nation, not yours.”

“But the interests of your nation should not be limited to destroying Narnia’s interests.”

“That is not what I am doing, and you know it.”

“Do I?”

“Of course, you do. If I simply wanted to make a stand against Narnia, I would have walked away a long time ago and let you deal with a war.”

“Is that a threat?”

“A threat? No. A simple fact. A reminder, perhaps.”

You have reached the door of your chamber, but this conversation is far from over. So, you remain both standing there, in the middle of the empty corridor, your voices raising more and more.

“I do not like your tone,” Caspian warns you, taking a step closer to you.

He doesn’t like it, indeed. He doesn’t like your stare either, the way your breathing has visibly quickened with anger, the way you frown at him, the way you look slightly dishevelled after a long day, the way he wants to run his fingers through your hair, the way he wants to make you shut up with his own lips…

“I do not like yours either, your Majesty.”

“I will not accept this kind of behaviour in Cair Paravel.”

“Perhaps his Majesty should learn that we do not always get what we want.”

“Oh, I know. Thank you for the lesson.”

His sarcasm breaks the lasts bit of patience still stored inside you. It’s your turn to take a step towards him.

And by Aslan’s name, you want to slap him. Or kiss him. You haven’t settled on that yet.

“If you were not a king…” you breathe, anger making your voice tremble.

Caspian takes a last step towards you, bringing you so close together that your chests are almost touching.

“What would you do? Insult me? I reckon you already have. So, what now?”

You stare at each other for a moment. You are unbelievably close. So much so that, as you look up at him, you can feel the warm air escaping from his lungs as it fans over your face…

You glance down at his lips, and when you look up again, you catch him looking down at your mouth too.

Both of you are barely breathing, and it’s not only due to your anger or frustration.

You are standing so close, you are almost touching.

Almost… Caspian keeps imagining it. The way your lips would feel against his, taste on his tongue, his hand in your hair…

And you are so frustrating, he wants to make you shut up…

By Aslan’s name, he wants to kiss you so badly…

He’s been thinking about it for days. He’s been dreaming about you, and thinking of you every waking moment, and he simply cannot take it anymore…

When you open your mouth to fight back, you get shushed by a pair of soft lips pressed against yours.

Caspian has taken your face in both his hands in an instant, on impulse, before pulling you gently towards him so he could kiss you.

He crashes his lips against yours, but he waits a second before moving his mouth over yours. What was vivid at first becomes gentle as Caspian loosens his hold on your face, starts grazing his lips over yours before kissing you gently, softly…

When you kiss him back though, he kisses you harder again, and you love it. Every second of it. You reckon that your heart is going to explode, your knees are about to give out, but you don’t care. All there is to care about is that Caspian is kissing you. Again, and again, and again…

You never want this to end.

But all things must end.

When he pulls away, slowly, your fingers are lost in his hair; his bun already messy before has now disappeared altogether under your touch.

He stares at you, both of you out of breath. You look fragile, all of a sudden. All traces of anger have disappeared from your features, you merely stare with your beautiful eyes, wondering what he will do next.

And Caspian seems to fully realize what he has done now…

He lets go of you completely, in a rush, almost pushing you away.

He takes a couple of steps back.

“This… I am so sorry, my lady,” he whispers, his eyes round in horror, and cheeks reddened by shame.

“No… there is no need to be sorry for, I…”

“Of course, there is a need to be sorry. I should have never had done that…”

You nod, slowly, but you don’t seem happy about it.

“I accept your apology,” you answer in a neutral tone, trying to calm yourself and ignore the way your heart is breaking when it shouldn’t.

Caspian nods, slowly, clenching his jaw.

Why does it hurt to hear you push him away like this?

“You should… go to bed now.”

Caspian turned on his heels, and he has already crossed half of the corridor when you call him. He freezes.

“Caspian!”

It’s the first time you call him by his name. He closes his eyes. He likes how his name sounds on your tongue…

“Wait, please.”

He turns towards you again, but doesn’t move.

“I think… I think we should discuss this.”

“Don’t you think we have spent enough time discussing for one day?”

“Something has just transpired between us. We cannot merely ignore it.”

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Caspian walks back to you, while you wait for him, motionless in front of the door to your chamber.

“There is nothing to discuss,” Caspian says. “I should not have acted like this. It was out of line. I apologize.”

“Why did you kiss me?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does.”

“It would be a waste of time. A waste of pain. You could be fired, or worse…”

“Why did you kiss me?”

You wore this stubborn look again, and Caspian loved it. He loved the way you spoke your mind too often, the way you were a little rough sometimes. He loved it all…

“Why did you do this?” you ask once more.

Caspian is lost in your eyes. Too much so to refuse anything from you…

“Because I’ve wanted to do so for a while,” he answers, maybe a little too earnestly.

You struggle to swallow, your heart pounding.

“What if… what if I’ve been wanting this for a while too?” you ask in a shy breath.

“It’s madness…”

But this time, it’s your turn to shush him by crashing your lips against his.

And this time, the kiss gets more heated. So much so that Caspian takes two steps forward to press your body against the wooden door that stands behind you.

But clumsy as you are, you hit your head quite hard against the surface, and have to break the kiss with a loud ouch, rubbing the back of your head.

What you did not expect though, was for Caspian to do exactly the same.

You see him wincing, rubbing at his painful skull. When he looks up at you, he freezes.

You both understand at the same time.

None of you can breathe. If you were both in pain at the same time, then…

Slowly, you pull up the sleeve of your left arm, revealing one long scar across the inside of your forearm.

Caspian swallows hard, before doing the same.

He has the same mark on his skin.

“I have twelve scars from fighting on the battlefield,” Caspian speaks slowly. “The last time I was injured was over a year ago.”

You nod, unable to speak for a while. When your voice comes back, it’s a mere whisper.

“I have twelve as well. The last one appeared across my back.”

Caspian can’t help the grin that forms on his features as he raises his hand towards your cheek, relinquishing in the feeling of your soft skin against his calloused fingers.

“You… You’re my soulmate,” he whispers, and his tone is not really one of questioning, but rather of realisation.

“It would seem so…”

You both chuckle, unable to fully comprehend what is happening.

Caspian is about to speak when you pinch him hard on the shoulder.

But you feel the same sharp pain across your flesh…

“It’s really you…” you breathe, tears blurring your vision.

“It is,” Caspian nods.

You cup his cheeks in your palms, brushing your thumbs across his short beard, and he leans closer into your gentle touch.

“I was so worried,” you breath. “I thought you were gone…”

But Caspian shakes his head.

“I’m right here. Have always been.”

You rush into his arms, and let him hold you close.

“What will happen now?” you ask softly, breathing in deeply his scent of firewood and soap.

“I am not sure. But if you are my soulmate then… it changes everything.”

But you shake your head, looking up at him.

“No politics anymore. Not now.”

“I agree.”

“Kiss me again?”

Caspian can’t help but chuckle, and you soon join him.

But he brushes his fingertips down your cheek, and then along your jaw, making your heart explode…

“That can be arranged,” he smiles.

And he doesn’t know what will happen with your government. He doesn’t know what will happen with this treaty. But he doesn’t care.

As he kisses you once more, he figures out that he cares about nothing else but you. And it’s enough.

#caspian #caspian x you #caspian x y/n #caspian x reader #caspian fanfic #caspian fanfiction #caspian x #narnia #narnia fanfiction #narnia fanfic #narnia imagine #comeback event #event #fic #fanfiction #fanfic #writing

127 notes · View notes

rose022 · 3 months ago

Note

1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, I think

(What did you dream about last night?)

i dont know. i dont remember .. idk if i did....

(Have you ever wished on a shooting star?)

yeah a lot, also i say "star light, star bright, first star i see tonight. i wish i may, i wish i might, have this wish i wish tonight" except theres wayyy fewer stars out here. wait fuck i just realized that said shooting stars, i wish on all stars. uhm i dont see many shooting ones tho

(Name a movie that makes you genuinely laugh.)

ermm idk most of them??? i watched legally blonde recently and i laughed a bit i think. idk

(What do you enjoy daydreaming about most?)

points to lbc. so uh. mc there is so me and uh. well. its all isekai rf mostly. somtimes not so much isekai but. actually as ive gotten older my daydreams have too. uhm. ermm. just all kinds of fantasies of stuff i want and uhm. well for a while there was a batfam one. ive done a few pjo storylines. mostly its nonfandom tho. most of them i forget after a while but the most recent isekai rf is uhm. gets isekaied into a otoge and theres magic and her name is alice but instead of going for any of the 5 romacable boys shes goes for the "villain" characters, the dukes daughter calliope who was supposed to marry the crown prince caspian (one of the love intrests) and her friend valerian who is the main antagonist in the game actually. but hes really nice actually and his parents were actually controlling and since hes the princes cousin his parents wanted him to be the heir instead and uhm. well mc also has a bff in the game called elodie and they all go to the acadamy together and take classes abd the game starts day one of your second year and thwres three grades and. well all of this is subject to change and i still havent really gotten much past orientation but. yeah.

(What is something (or someone) you’re in love with?)

luka and saeyoung mmm. my wifee and husband. and shelby grace and hii chan. i love them so much. i love sweets and video games and art of all kinds.

(Describe the memory of the last time you felt true happiness.)

when ive been hanging out with my new friends lately and on sat we went to get boba and got matching temporary tattoos and we have inside jokes and theyre so fun and ive been hanging out with them a lot and its nice

#ask rose!

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prismatica-the-strange · 1 year ago

Text

Black Sheep | Surprising These Hands Can Hold Me Up

Warnings: 18+, nudity, I have never read the books so I'm basically adlibbing from the movie-verse, sorry if my lore is off

Beretta starts to adjust to her current life as a suitor in King Caspian's castle despite a few setbacks, they start to become quite fond of each other.

Not a fully coherent story and not quite an anthology, but an assortment of moments from early on in Caspian and Retta's relationship. Takes place over the course of six to seven months.

Word Count: 4.5k

Song: Gold by We Are the Guests | Picrew Link | Dividers by @cafekitsune

He can tell she knows he's there by the way her ears flick at his every quiet movement, but she doesn't look up from her book.

"So this is where you hide when you disappear," He says, bringing her attention fully to him.

"Your Majesty," She starts to close her book and stand, her middle finger keeping her page, but he waves his hand to stop her.

"You don't need to stand and, please, call me Caspian," He insists, taking a seat next to her on the stone bench.

She nods, sitting back where she was, but she's much less relaxed, her back looking more rigid than before.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your reading. Is it a good book?" He kicks himself for being so awkward with her. He just doesn't know how to act around suitors yet.

"My favorite, actually," She admits.

He glances over her shoulder to see well-read pages with notes and scribbles filling the margins.

She likes to read. He makes a mental note of that.

"Perhaps you would care to tell me about it tonight over dinner?" He asks, "Only if you wish to. I'd love to know more about the things you enjoy."

He tries to hide the smile spreading across his face when he sees her cheeks tint pink.

"I believe that sounds agreeable, your Majesty."

"Good, but I believe I asked you to call me-"

"Caspian," She replies, correcting herself. They've know each other barely over a week but he can't deny the flutter in his chest at the sound of his name on her lips.

It's been nearly three months since her arrival and he has a surprise for her. The only problem is he's searched the whole castle and can't seem to find her anywhere, not even in the hidden nook in the garden where she likes to read.

He sighs, relief washing over him when he does find her in one of the less-used corridors until he sees the troubled look in her eyes.

"There you are," He calls, making his way over, "I've been looking for you. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She waves off his concern as he takes her hands.

"That look didn't seem like nothing to me," He pushes, thumbs brushing the fur peaking out from the cuffs of her sleeves.

She refuses to meet his gaze, worried if she were to look into his warm brown eyes she'd crumble.

"I'm fine," She insists.

Since she seems unwilling to tell him, he drops the subject for now.

"Well, no matter the case, I have something for you."

"For me?"

"Yes, for you," He chuckles.

"You didn't have to..." She looks up at him and his eyes light up.

"I know," He grins, "I wanted to."

He leads her out to the stables where he has both their horses saddled and ready.

"Are we going somewhere?" She asks.

"You didn't think your surprise was in the stables, did you?"

Her ears fall slightly at his teasing, cheeks warming up again.

"May I?" He holds out his hand to help her onto her horse.

She's hesitant but lets him, his hand is warm around hers.

"Thank you."

She notices as he pulls himself into his own saddle, that his sword is hanging off it. Her bow and quiver are secured to hers and her eyebrows furrow.

"You think we'll need these?"

"I prefer to have them with us, just in case."

She nods in agreement, taking up her horse's reins.

"So where're we off to?" She asks, eyeing the large pack on the back of his saddle.

"Just follow me.

It's farther than she expected, nearly half a day's ride from the castle. They'd left later than he wanted, so they make it to the camp just as the sun sinks below the horizon.

"Caspian, what is all this?" She asks.

"It was meant to be more of a secluded dinner for the two of us but," He clears his throat, "I seemed to have gotten the timing wrong."

She chuckles, jumping down from her horse before he can offer her his hand again.

"It's a nice spot," She comments, "Pretty."

"I'll get a fire started."

"I can do that. You seem to have some unpacking to do," She snickers, motioning to his pack with her chin.

Twenty minutes later they're sat across a roaring fire, picking at the remnants of their packed lunch.

"Not much of a meal, is it?" She comments and his eyes go wide.

"If you want more I can-..." She starts laughing when he moves to stand and he freezes, words trailing off.

"I'm teasing, My King," She smirks.

"Oh," He settles back down, chuckling and hoping the firelight hides his reddening cheeks.

By the way she keeps giggling, he can tell it doesn't, which only makes it worse.

"So," She crisscrosses her legs as she sits up, looking at him over the fire, "How did get this one past your advisers?"

"I have no idea what you mean," He smiles at her.

"Well, some people might consider this... improper," She teases, "A young, unmarried couple stealing away unchaperoned to the woods? Scandalous."

"I believe that, if we are to be married, someday, we should be able to get to know each other in a... less formal setting," He explains and she nods.

"I will find us something a little more hearty in the morning," He says.

"You plan on hunting with that sword of yours?"

He sees the way the light catches as a playful glint in her eye.

"Perhaps you would rather catch our breakfast, then?"

"I'd likely be quicker at it."

This is better, He thinks. Their conversation flows much more comfortably than at the palace.

She seems to be able to hold her own out in the wilderness. He doubts that any of his other suitors would be nearly this at home in the woods.

"So, you didn't bring yourself a bow, did you forget anything else important?"

"Like what?"

"Wine of course!" Her eyes narrow at him, "You can't expect to spend multiple nights without any spirits!"

He laughs at that, one thing he's noticed is that she never goes a meal without at least one goblet of wine.

"I had a cask brought out," He assures her and her ears flick down in surprise.

He wakes up not long after the sun rises to the sound of boots shuffling in the dirt.

He reaches for his blade out of instinct, only to realize it's just his companion.

He rubs the sleep from his eyes as he sits up and he freezes when she drops three dead rabbits on the ground in front of him.

"How long have you been up?" He asks.

"Maybe an hour before dawn."

"You couldn't sleep?"

"I was hungry."

"You should have woken me," He argues, picking up the animals.

"I didn't see a need," She shrugs, "Now, I killed them, so you prep."

"Sounds fair," He grins. He pulls out his knife and is about to get to work, but stops when she starts to leave camp again, "Where are you going?"

"To wash up," She calls over her shoulder, "I got blood in my fur."

Once he's skinned and prepared the rabbits to be cooked he follows her path to wash the blood from his hands and dagger.

He stops in his tracks when she comes into view. Her clothes are laid out on a rock on the river bank and she stands in thigh-high water with her back to him as she washes herself.

He means to look away but instead, his eyes wander her frame. Curly, black fur wraps around her hips, trailing down her thighs, up her spine, and spreading out to her shoulders. A black fuzzy tail sits at the base of her spine just before the curve of her rear.

He looks up to see her looking back at him, her arm quickly moving to cover her breasts.

"D-did you need something?"

"I-" His eyes go wide and his mouth opens and closes soundlessly, "I-I didn't-!

His hand suddenly flies up to cover his eyes before he turns his back.

With his back to her, he can't see the small, curious smile playing on her lips, "How long were you standing there?"

He looks up at the sky, nose scrunching in embarrassment, "I apologize, I... I didn't mean to."

She bites her bottom lip when an idea comes to her.

"I don't mind," He hears water splash as she makes her way towards the river bank, "You startled me is all."

Her voice is right next to him now and when he glances toward her he chokes on air. She's still naked.

She chuckles and places her hand on his arm.

"It's alright," She purrs.

Aslan help him, He prays, swallowing hard and tearing his eyes away from the trail of dark fuzz leading from her sex to just below her breasts to meet her gaze.

"You- um..."

He's red from the neck up and the sight makes her grin.

She giggles as she pulls away, and he can't stop himself from watching her hips sway as she walks towards her clothes, her tail flicking playfully.

Fauns.

He huffs and shakes his head. Sometimes he forgets she is one with how poised and stoic she acts at the castle. But seeing this side of her seems to endear him to her more.

The other suitors he's met are much more... stuck up is a word he would use. More proper, and would never allow themselves to be caught like this with him before marriage, let alone this early into their courtship.

He glances back over his shoulder to see her now covered.

She comes back toward him, her hand running down his arm as she passes.

She giggles as she finishes her goblet of wine.

The cask is nearly half gone and she's drank most of it herself.

She sighs and leans her head on his shoulder, deciding three cups in to move from her spot across the fire to sit by his side.

"Mmm, this is nice," She mumbles, nuzzling her head against the bottom of his chin

Fauns

The fire is warm, but where she lays against him is burning hot, and even then, he can't seem to find it in himself to remove her.

It isn't long before she starts to relax more, her black nose twitching as she adjusts beside him.

She clumsily slides her head into his lap, a small, drunken smile on her face.

"This was a great idea," She laughs, "I feel like I can breathe again!"

He hesitantly reaches to brush his fingers through her hair, it's a temptation he's been fighting since they first met. It just looks so soft.

His fingers still and the question lingers in his eyes as he looks down at her face. Her cheeks are flushed the cutest shade of pink as she stares back at him.

"May I?"

She nods, her eyes fluttering shut when he runs his hand disappears into her hair.

He lets a baffled chuckle, it's even softer than he expected, and her ears-

"Eh!" Her eyes snap open and she hurriedly sits up.

"D-did I-"

"My ears," She whimpers, pulling on the one he'd caressed, "They're very sensitive..."

"I'm sorry."

She shakes her head, peeking over her shoulder at him, "I should have said something."

He reaches over again, fingers brushing the fur at the back of her neck. Her ears flick at the touch and he pulls away slightly. She looks back at him, her face bright red, "Well don't stop."

She sounds almost embarrassed, but the feel of his hands in her fur was so delectable that she doesn't want it to end.

He chuckles at her annoyance, arm gently wrapping around her to lay her back in his lap.

He cards his fingers through her fur, runs his thumb over the spots on her cheek, and pets the fur on the sides of her face as the night goes on. She looks as though she were in heaven under his lavishments until she falls asleep.

Summer fades to fall and it's late autumn when another, unexpected, suitor arrives at the castle, with too much luggage and three ladies' maids.

Much to Baretta's dismay, Caspian doesn't turn her away outright, far too chivalrous to do so after she's traveled such a long way. Had she been in The Fae Empire she wouldn't have hesitated to do so for inconveniencing her.

A week into her stay winter blows in, freezing the landscape in frigid snow.

"There you are, my king!" A shrill voice calls from behind them, interrupting their mid-morning walk, "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Caspian and Beretta share an annoyed look before he turns to greet her.

"Good morning, Princess Georgiana," He smiles courteously at her.

She looks flustered, cheeks flushed pink from the cold, and perfectly curled, golden, hair haphazardly tussled around her shoulders while simultaneously being crushed by her hat.

"Princess Georgiana," Beretta greets with a small bow of the head.

"May I join you?" She asks directly to Caspian, completely ignoring her.

Caspian though, looks to her for her approval and she sighs.

"I have something to attend to," She smiles politely, lying through her teeth.

Caspian's face falls when she lets go of his arm, dark eyes sorrowful as she steps away.

"No, please, stay," He says, trying to not sound like he's begging.

"I'm sorry, My King," She bites back a smile at that, "But I should leave you two be."

She tries not to laugh at the desperate look he's giving her when she turns to leave the garden.

Two hours later, Caspian is in a meeting with his advisors and Retta is curled up in a plush chair in one of the sitting rooms with a book and mug of hot chocolate.

"This castle is freezing," A familiar voice snaps, "Must be nice being a fuzzball, she doesn't have to worry about it."

Her ears pivot back. Fuzzball?

"Yes, m'lady."

"I'm shocked he lets her get that close," She continues, "I wouldn't be surprised if she had fleas."

"And who ever heard of a faun being queen of Narnia?" Georgiana scoffs, voice echoing throughout the castle corridors, "She must be kidding herself if she thinks he'll actually pick her!"

"Yes, m'lady..."

Her ears fall as she frowns. Do people actually think that?

Is she not what the people expect from a queen?

Self-doubt swirls in her mind and eats away her afternoon.

"I can't believe you left me to fend for myself with her this morning," Caspian jokes, startling her as he falls into the chair across from her, "I swear I have bruises from how tight she was clinging to my arm."

The sun is setting outside the windows and she wonders what happened to the day.

Her lack of response worries him.

"Retta?" He leans over, finger curling under her chin, turning her face to look at him, "Are you alright."

"I..." She can feel her eyes start to glass over but she doesn't pull away, "I'm fine."

His jaw sets when her voice cracks and he slides out of the chair to his knees in front of her, taking her face in his hands.

"What happened?"

"I-I'm not..." She tries to not sniffle, "Not good enough..."

His dark eyes search hers for more answers, "Not good enough? For who, my love?"

"For you," She cries, tears falling down her cheeks and dampening her fur.

His eyes go wide and he tries to wipe them away with his thumbs.

"Where did you ever get such a silly idea? I'm certain Aslan himself must have blessed me with the chance to be by your side," She looks at him with big, wet eyes as he continues, "And may he help whoever made you feel this way, for they will have no shelter from my rage."

He pulls her closer and tilts her head down to kiss her forehead.

"Come now," He shushes, moving to sit beside her, nudging her over before pulling her into his lap, "It's alright. Dry your eyes."

She feels childish, crying like this over something she'd overheard from a pompous, spoiled brat of a princess. But the way he cradles her against his chest is more than enough to soothe that worry.

She clings to him and lets herself be truly vulnerable.

The Christmas Ball quickly approaches and since their heart-to-heart, if that's what you can even call it, Beretta and Caspian have been closer than ever.

The only thing keeping them from declaring their complete and utter love for each other to all of Narnia is a handful of old laws and traditions.

Caspian must first meet with and consort with all of his suitors, then spend the minimum of a year courting the one he desires and desires him in return.

The whole thing frustrates him to no end. He knows who he wishes to spend his life with, who he wants to rule over Narnia with.

"You seem upset," Her cool fingers rubbing between his furrowed brows, smoothing the wrinkles by making him relax slightly.

"Just thinking."

He takes her hand in his and kisses the back of it.

"Tell me what's troubling you," She says, sitting on the arm of his chair, cradling his hand in her lap.

"My own impatience," He sighs, looking up at her, "I want you by my side."

"I am, silly," She bumps him with her hip and he chuckles.

"In everything," He clarifies, "In life, as my queen, my other half, and I yours."

"You have many suitors, My King," She reminds him.

He groans, slumping back in his desk chair, "Yes, I know. And much of Narnia to reunite."

"Would it not be easier for everyone if I had the matter of my marriage settled so we could all focus on bringing peace to Narnia?"

"Romantic," She teases.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do," She kisses the top of his head, muttering into his hair, "And I share the sentiment."

"You're Majesty- Oh! I-I apologize."

They both look to the door where Reepicheep is standing, flustered, gold ringlet between his paws.

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's alright, Reep," Caspian chuckles, motioning him in, "What did you need?"

The mouse quickly climbs up onto his desk and bows to them.

"My lady."

She bows her head to him in return and he turns to Caspian.

"Your Majesty, your advisors are gathered in the war room. They wish to discuss with you about the Giants of the North."

Caspian lets out another sigh, looking over at Beretta longingly. He'd much rather spend his time with her.

"I'll be around should you need me," She promises, finger tilting his chin up at her. She kisses his forehead and wanders out of his study.

"You know, Your Majesty," Reep says, "Some traditions are meant to be changed.

Reepicheep's words stick with him and before he knows it, it's the night of the Christmas Ball.

He adjusts the collar of his jacket, grimacing at the color in the mirror.

The dark, piney green is definitely festive, but not a color he would have chosen for himself. This is what he gets for leaving all the decisions up to his tailor.

Normally, he would be looking forward to a night of levity and merriment, but not tonight, because that's not what tonight will be for him. No, tonight he meets the rest of his suitors, all those who were unable to join them at the castle previously will be gathered at the ball.

He'll be expected to greet, mingle, and dance with each of them as the night goes on. The only thing keeping him from sneaking away outright is that he'll be able to share, hopefully several, dances with Beretta.

The party has barely started and he finds himself already overwhelmed with the people wanting to speak with him.

He's courteous and kind as they bombard him, and it's only by happenstance that he notices Beretta enter.

Her earthy greens and browns are changed to a beautiful wintery blue for the night, with a white bust above the corset, flowing sleeves, and gold trimmings.

Link

He doesn't even realize he's trailed off mid-sentence until the duke he's conversing with speaks up.

He finds himself distracted as he makes his first round about the ballroom, his eyes drifting to wherever she may be.

By the time he finally makes his way to her, he's desperate to be near her.

"My King," She greets when he approaches her. She bows to him, standing on ceremony in the bustling ballroom.

Before she can rise to face him he gathers her hands in his, pulling them up to his lips.

"I have missed you today, Lamb," He mutters against her skin.

"Caspian," She chastises quietly, pulling her hands from his, "You can't do that here."

Her cheeks are pink and he wants nothing more than to kiss them.

She looks up at him with warm yet sympathetic eyes.

"Please," He bends at the hip in a small bow, offering his hand, "Join me for my first dance of the night?"

She bites back the grin fighting its way to her face, smiling politely with a small nod, "I would be honored, My King."

She melts at the way his face lights up when she takes his hand.

"Caspian," She mutters as he leads her to the middle of the room. Nearly all eyes are on them, and she's suddenly aware that the musicians are playing quiet melodies, barely audible over the chatter. He doesn't seem to notice as he turns her to face him, "No one is dancing."

"That's one of the great things about being king," He says, wrapping his arm around her waist, "If I wish to dance..."

The music picks up into a waltz and they fall into step together.

He feels himself able to breathe again, getting lost in the feel of her touch. Her closeness is suffocating in its own way but he wouldn't have it any other way.

He grips her hips, feeling the give of her fur beneath the silk of the gown, and lifts her up with a twirl.

The back of her hand trails down the side of his face as he sets her back on her feet.

Her eyes are so soft and her hands are so warm on his shoulders, he can't stop himself from leaning down to press his lips to hers.

He worries he's done something wrong when she quickly pulls away, eyes wide in shock.

"I'm sorry," He whispers, but before he can stand straight again she takes his face in her hands, pulling him in for a deeper kiss.

Their feet still as he cups the back of her neck, keeping her close.

The crowd and world around them fall away and months of yearning come to a head.

Her lips are just as soft as the rest of her as they move against his. He forgets himself, forgets where they are, and presses their chest closer together.

His pupils are blown wide when he pulls away, turning his already dark eyes to pitch.

"My love," He breathes, a small smile playing on his lips, "I fear I may die if I ever stop kissing you."

She grins up at him, butterflies dancing in her stomach, "Caspian, I-"

"My King," A woman interrupts, shattering their little bubble.

They turn to see Georgiana in her bright red dress with too many ruffles and petticoats, her hair curled and piled high on her head, adorned with holly leaves.

"Lady Georgiana," Caspian nods.

Retta all but hides her face against his shoulder, not ready to relinquish their moment.

"My father would like a moment of your time, Your Majesty," She curtsies.

Torn again between his duty as a king and his longing to stay beside her, he sighs.

Beretta's face falls when he steps back, trying to keep her hurt from showing as he bows to her.

It doesn't work. The pain in her eyes breaks his heart.

"Thank you for the dance, My Lady."

He swallows hard when she bows back, "My King."

The night drags on for hours and he's unable to speak to her since their kiss.

As the party winds down and guests start to filter from the ballroom to their suites, he searches for her in the crowd.

When he can't find her he takes to her room, hesitating outside her door for a moment before knocking.

"Caspian?" She asks when she sees him.

"Did I offend you?" He asks worridly, referencing to their moment on the dance floor, his eyes wandering her body and the long satin nightgown clinging to her curves.

"No," Her eyes narrow in confusion and she reaches up to place her hand on his cheek, "Why would you think so?"

"You disappeared without saying goodnight."

"I was tired," She admits, "And you seemed occupied. I didn't wish to pull you away from anything important."

He leans into her touch, lips grazing the edge of her palm, eyes falling shut.

"You look exhausted."

"I am," He mumbles, "May I come in?"

"You know I would never deny your company, My King," Her voice is quiet.

"But?"

"But... I think it's best you take to bed."

He forces his eyes to open, placing his hand over the one on his cheek.

"And what if I wish to spend the evening with you, Lamb?"

"Caspian..." She coos, letting him back her into her chambers, door shutting behind him before he kisses her softly.

He smiles against her lips when she lifts onto her toes to get closer to him.

She grips the raised collar of his jacket when he moves to pull away.

"This night without you on my arm has been torture, my love," He breathes.

She bumps his nose with hers, a small whine coming from the back of her throat. She couldn't agree more. Seeing him be fawned over by dozens of gorgeous, powerful women made her feel as though a vice had been strangling her heart.

"Beautiful, wonderful, lovely..." He murmurs against her lips and cheeks, his hands warm on her neck and collarbone.

"Caspian," Her fingers weave into his hair, pulling strands from their tie and tilting his face up to look at her.

Her expression is soft as she gazes warmly at him. His hands fall to her hips, his breath shuddering when she leans forward, lightly kissing the spot between his eyes.

"My queen..."

His voice is barely audible, but her sensitive ears hear the loving sigh and she laughs, "I don't believe I hold that title, love."

"Not yet, but... someday."

She blinks at him in surprise. Is this a proposal? "Cas..."

"Someday..."

#king caspian #prince caspian #caspian x #Caspian x oc #Black Sheep #prisma self ships #self ship story #prisma writes #narnia #the chronicles of narnia

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