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queenlucythevaliant · 2 years

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Their souls were knit together

The captain of the Dawn Treader was four years the king’s senior, tall like a strong young sapling, wicked with a sword, quick-witted and bright. Now that Narnia no longer feared the sea, Drinian was wont to be a very great man; so he thought, and so everyone seemed to say. He would make his home on the waves: a mighty captain and a prince of the seas.

When the Dawn Treader embarked, he scarcely expected to retire from seafaring after one voyage. But he scarcely knew King Caspian then.

Caspian pleasant, sharp, and charismatic, but more than anything he was insatiably curious. The young king peppered Drinian with questions at every opportunity. “What does this instrument do?” “Why is this rope tied here instead of over there?” “How far can you see when you look out at the horizon?”

Drinian could not help but love him. They fell into an easy report of laughter, competition, and honest advice. Before the first month was out, Drinian felt as though he had never known life without King Caspian by his side. Their souls, he felt, were knit together by something intangible, yet utterly indelible.

Because he loved him, Drinian did what he could to be beside his king always.

When at last the Dawn Treader came to port in Narnia, pennants flying, Drinian found Caspian in his stateroom preparing to disembark. The Star’s Daughter had been staying there since Ramandu’s island, but the king had all manner of items stored about the room that needed organizing.

Drinian stood in the doorway until he was sure he had Caspian’s full attention. Then he took off his sword belt and his mail shirt and his helmet, knelt before the king, and offered them up. It was a pledge like a knight of old might have made. No words were needed.

Caspian stood looking at him for a long moment. Drinian lowered his gaze. Then suddenly there was a hand beneath his chin: Caspian’s hand, raising Drinian’s face to meet his eyes. He took the sword and the proffered armor and placed them on his desk, then returned and gave Drinian his signet ring.

“Brother of my soul,” he said, “I thank thee.”

Drinian stood for Caspian at his wedding. When Rilian was born, he was the third person ever to hold the child.

Rilian was hot to the touch when he was born, but the Lady Queen said this was to be expected for the blood of the stars. He blinked up at Drinian and kicked his impossibly tiny feet. When Drinian turned to the king, he saw that Caspian was weeping

When Caspian rode out to battle, Drinian rode beside him. The Lady Star managed the Cair in their absence, safe in the knowledge that her husband was defended by a knight more loyal than any other. Indeed, sometimes Drinian flattered himself to imagine that Caspian was like King Peter of old, and that Drinian was the King Edmund, his brother. It was said that those two never failed in defense of one another; neither did Drinian intend to fail his king.

Drinian remembered King Edmund, but he’d never met King Peter. Caspian talked about him sometimes: young, but brimming with strength and a leader’s poise. A strategist and a warrior. The greatest and most humble man he’d ever met.

“I haven’t come to take your place, you know, but to put you in it.”

In the Golden Age, had King Edmund worried over his brother before battle? Had he poked as many holes as he could find in his King Peter’s stratagems, fortifying them and making them better? Had he held King Peter on his shoulder when soldiers were lost at the High King’s word?

He must have, Drinian imagined. From the months they had spent together, Drinian knew King Edmund to be a measured and stalwart man. At any rate, Drinian aimed to be nothing less to Caspian.

As Rilian grew, he came to rely on Drinian’s council. He was like an uncle and more: patient when the King was weary and present when the Queen grew distant. Drinian was the first to know when the young Rilian loved a girl, twelve years old and hopelessly woebegone. He’d patted the boy on the back and regaled him with stories of hearts broken and mended.

As he grew, Rilian confided deeper concerns: disputes with his father, insecurity in his role as prince, fear on the eve of battle.

Drinian listened as one who had long ago pledged his life to Rilian’s father. In time he came to love the boy almost as his own.

Once, the Lady Queen put her warm hand on Drinian’s arm and whispered, “I could never have wished for a greater brother to my husband, nor a dearer uncle to our son. Thou’rt more beloved of our family than I can say, dear Captain.”

They were happy for many years: Caspian, the Lady Star, Rilian, and Drinian. This bears saying. Whatever came after, they were happy for many years. Narnia prospered and her royal family had joy.

On a sweet spring morn when Rilian was a young man, the royal retinue returned to the Cair with the cold body of the Queen in tow. That evening found Rilian in Drinian’s quarters, mourning there so as not to compound his father’s shattering grief.

“She tried to speak,” murmured Rilian, staring unblinking at a point on the wall behind Drinian’s left shoulder. “She tried to speak but she could not be understood. Now I shall never know what words she wanted to say in her final moments.”

“Courage,” said Drinian, “thou’lt speak with her again when Aslan takes thee to his own country.”

“Yes,” said Rilian, drawing himself up and finally meeting Drinian’s eyes. “Yes, courage. The worm that slew her still lives, and I’ll not rest so long as it remains alive.”

Caspian arrived at Drinian’s door mere minutes after Rilian had left. On seeing him, Drinian immediately enfolded the king in his arms.

“Brother of my soul,” Caspian wept on Drinian’s shoulder. “I loved her! Do you know how much? Oh, how I loved her. My darling, my sister, my bride!”

A month passed during which Rilian was scarcely seen in the lands around the Cair. The Lady Queen was interred beneath a great white stone. Caspian wept and moved through the halls of the castle as though surrounded by a thick haze of fog. Drinian comforted him. Rilian rode north again and again.

During the short times when he was at home, the prince looked as though he had seen visions. His eyes were wide and tired and there was a manic energy in his limbs. He did not seem to sleep.

Caspian did not seem to notice the change in his son, so lost was he in the fog of his own grief. Yet Drinian saw it. He sought the boy out one evening and urged him to give up his hunt for the worm. “There is no true vengeance on a witless brute as there might be on a man.”

Rilian drew back, eyes alight with something dangerous that Drinian had never seen before. “I have almost forgotten the worm these seven days!” he exclaimed.

“Then, by the Lion’s mane, why dost thou ride so continually into the northern woods? Child, the king grieves. He needs thee beside him.”

“That may be,” replied the prince, “but my lord! There I have seen the most beautiful thing that was ever made.”

Drinian thought of the lilies and the light at world’s end. He thought of the Star’s Daughter as he had first seen her, of Caspian on his wedding day, of the baby prince blinking and sniffling on the day of his birth. He looked at Rilian’s transformed face and he feared for the son of his heart.

Drinian had many good reasons to withhold the story of the woman Rilian was seeing at the fountain, at least for the moment. Rilian had asked him to keep it secret, and Drinian had never before broken the boy’s confidence. Caspian had too much weight on his shoulders already; he walked like an old man now and Drinian could not bear to add to his worries. There was no cause to think that the woman was an immediate danger to Rilian, for they had been meeting for more than a week without incident.

Yet when Rilian did not return from the north one night, Drinian’s heart was disturbed within him. As the hours passed and the shadows grew long, he tore his clothes and paced his quarters, summoning the courage to do what he must.

He found Caspian seated outside the Small Armory waiting for word from the search parties. His shoulders were slumped and his hair grew white at the temples. Drinian’s dearest friend was wasting before him and he had no power to stop it. No, he could only add to Caspian’s woes, more’s the pity.

Drinian fell to a knee, just as he had done aboard the Dawn Treader so many years before. He put out his hands, empty now, and bowed his head. “Lord King, slay me speedily as a great traitor, for by my silence I have destroyed your son.”

Caspian stood; it seemed to take an age. Yet when at last he was on his feet, he hefted a battle axe and rushed forward upon Drinian.

Drinian held fast, prepared for the death-blow, until he felt a hand beneath his chin.

The axe had been cast aside. Caspian stood stooped before him and lifted Drinian’s head so that their eyes met. “I have lost my queen and my son,” he said, tears welling at the corners of his eyes. “Shall I lose my friend also?”

The king held out a hand and drew Drinian to his feet. An instant later he was enfolded in strong arms. “Brother of my soul,” Caspian wept. “How could I bear it?”

In all the next fortnight, Drinian and the king were scarcely parted. They supped together, slept in adjoining chambers, and wept together.

Oft times they walked by the sea in the cool of the day, listening to the lapping of the waves and the cry of the gulls. Drinian recounted stories he had learned as a boy from his Galman mother, of sirens and pirates and children riding across the seas on the backs of great whales. Once in a while he drew a smile from the king.

“Perhaps we should go to sea again,” Caspian said one such evening. “Another voyage. Perhaps it would be a balm to the soul.”

“Someday,” Drinian answered. “Not today. Thou art too much a king to depart with the kingdom in such a state.”

“With my soul in such a state.”

“Am I not the brother of thy soul? Have I not sworn it? Give me a little of thy care, Majesty, and I’ll carry it for you.”

Caspian opened his mouth and shut it. “Tis beyond speech,” he said.

“I know it,” answered Drinian. “Say only what thou canst. The Lion, in his mercy, will provide the rest.”

“O my son Rilian, my son, my son Rilian! Would the Lion I had died for thee! O Rilian, my son, my son!”

When at last Caspian was old and sick and dying, he walked with Drinian by the sea and told him, “The time has come.”

She was a beautiful ship, taller and sturdier than Dawn Treader once was. She was elegantly designed, artfully crafted and expertly engineered bow to stern. If he had been a different man, her captain might have boasted that she was the rival the Splendor Hyaline, the flagship of Narnia’s Golden Age.

As it was, Drinian took the helm with an old grace. The feel of the ship’s timbers beneath him was a comfort, the tender touch of a long-abandoned dream. He hoped Caspian would be comforted too.

Caspian X could have been called the Restorer, or even the Great. Yet Caspian was the Seafarer both in name and in memory. Drinian, the brother of his soul, was his captain before he was anything else. Aslan willing, the sea would prove a balm to both their souls.

#drinian #narnia #into light #pontifications and creations #Leah stories #Drinian is one of the best underrated characters in the series #and the Caspian Family Tragedy is always *chef's kiss*!#like. i don't think I've quite done this premise justice #but i edited and rewrite and then posted and then almost immediately took it down and edited and rewrote some more so this is as good #as it gets for now #going for David and Jonathan vibes with Caspian and Drinian. hope that was obvious #i mean it's kind of a 'what if Jonathan had lived' kind of deal but still #all the allusions are there as deftly as i could manage hem #anyway yeah this is long #no idea where to put the cut...#night under narnia

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to-the-western-wood · 28 days

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caspian, meeting eustace for the first time: you look like someone who will create lots of problems for me

#this is how that went right #drinian is laughing in the background #caspian x #eustace scrubb #incorrect narnia quotes #incorrect quotes #narnia

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fiction-quotes · 1 year

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Hardly a word was spoken on board all that day, till about dinner-time (no one wanted any dinner, the water was enough for them) Drinian said:

“I can't understand this. There is not a breath of wind. The sail hangs dead. The sea is as flat as a pond. And yet we drive on as fast as if there were a gale behind us.”

“I've been thinking that, too,” said Caspian. “We must be caught in some strong current.”

“H'm,” said Edmund. “That's not so nice if the world really has an edge and we're getting near it.”

“You mean,” said Caspian, “that we might be just – well, poured over it?”

“Yes, yes,” cried Reepicheep, clapping his paws together. “That's how I've always imagined it – the world like a great round table and the waters of all the oceans endlessly pouring over the edge. The ship will tip up – stand on her head – for one moment we shall see over the edge – and then, down, down, the rush, the speed – ”

“And what do you think will be waiting for us at the bottom, eh?” said Drinian.

“Aslan's country, perhaps,” said the Mouse, its eyes shining. “Or perhaps there isn't any bottom. Perhaps it goes down for ever and ever. But whatever it is, won't it be worth anything just to have looked for one moment beyond the edge of the world.”

“But look here,” said Eustace, “this is all rot. The world's round – I mean, round like a ball, not like a table.”

“Our world is,” said Edmund. “But is this?”

“Do you mean to say,” asked Caspian, “that you three come from a round world (round like a ball) and you've never told me! It's really too bad for you. Because we have fairy-tales in which there are round worlds and I always loved them. I never believed there were any real ones. But I've always wished there were and I've always longed to live in one. Oh, I'd give anything – I wonder why you can get into our world and we never get into yours? If only I had the chance! It must be exciting to live on a thing like a ball. Have you ever been to the parts where people walk about upside-down?”

Edmund shook his head. “And it isn't like that,” he added. “There's nothing particularly exciting about a round world when you're there.”

— The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (C. S. Lewis)

#book quotes #fantasy fiction #children's fiction #c. s. lewis #the chronicles of narnia #the voyage of the dawn treader #lord drinian #reepicheep #eustace scrubb #edmund pevensie #caspian x #religion #spirituality #sea #sailing #adventure #geography #earth #fairy tales

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senior-chicken · 1 year

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I watched some clips from VOTDT and noticed something strange:

What is that lamp for? And who put it there? Because I imagine the conversation to bei Like this:

Caspian: Put this at the back!

Drinian: Your Majesty, that would be of no use at all!

Caspian: And what about road safety?

Drinian: We're at sea! There are no roads!!

Caspian: But…road safety?

#also I think it would be hilarious if one of the sailors had to blow the lamp out and light it up again whenever they did a turn #I know I'm stupid #narnia #the voyage of the dawn treader #caspian x #captain drinian

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the-pirate-captain · 5 months

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*watching The Voyage of the Dawn Treader for the first time*

Lucy: what's east of the Lone Islands?

Drinian: uncharted waters. Sea serpents.

Lucy: sea serpents????

Caspian: alright captain, enough of your tall tales

Me: sir one of your deck hands is a minotaur

#op #Narnia #I know this movie is especially unfaithful to the book but my library had it and l was curious

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livelaughnarnia · 1 year

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better luck next time

warnings : a badly written duel/fight scene, slight angst at the start cuz they miss each other

word count : 1.2k

edmund stepped out of the portal in his own world, already missing her, missing narnia. he was so glad he could go back, but him and lucy didn’t know how long they would have to wait this time. they didn’t know if it was going to be a few months or a few years, but the time they were back in their own world was spent thinking about narnia.

y/n and caspian were busy at work leading a kingdom, and yet still they found time to think about their lovers. y/n and caspian weren’t siblings as such, but they had grown up together in such a way that anyone who didn’t know them could mistake the two for siblings. y/n was the child of caspian’s uncle miraz, which you would think would mean the two would be enemies, but y/n had in fact been raised by the professor working in the castle, her mother and father having only been young royals when she was born. y/n and caspian had been friends since they could remember, always doing everything together, so it was no surprise when they decided to lead narnia together. y/n, despite being intelligent, was much better with her sword than with a quill. therefore caspian was left to political matters while y/n was left to deal with military matters, a subject she enjoyed thoroughly. the two also knew how to throw a party, growing up inside the castle they had been to their fair share of balls and other various events. currently, both were aboard the dawn treader, one of the finest ships narnia had seen. drinian, the captain, was a master of the seas, he had been sailing most of his life and the two royals trusted him with their lives. the rest of the crew was composed of relatively normal sailors and narnians. the dawn treader hadn’t been sailing long and conditions were good, but the royals were looking for something in particular. something they couldn’t find in their own land.

water began to rise around edmund, he watched as it took his sister under and soon his cousin eustace too. he swam up, watching the room they had been sat in disappear around him. eventually he broke the surface of the water, shouting for lucy he shaded his eyes from the bright narnian sun, watching as a large ship came towards them. “ed! edmund!” he heard lucy shout from behind him. he turned to see her and eustace, swimming towards them and away from the ship. “who do you think is on the ship?” lucy asked, trying to keep herself afloat. they watched as crew began to dive from the ship, swimming towards them, eustace began to panic, and they all began to swim away from the crew. “it’s alright i’ve got you.” said caspian as he grabbed lucy, stopping her from slipping under the water. “caspian!” lucy shouted, excited the see the young king again. “let’s get you back on the ship ay?”

“caspian it’s great to see you again!” said ed, “if your here, where’s y/n? did you leave them to rule while your gone?” he asked curiously, hoping y/n was in fact on the boat too. he had missed them so. “i’m right here ed!” they exclaimed from behind him. he turned and enveloped them in a hug. “i’ve missed you.” they said in unison, giggling like lovesick teens. “y/n here didn’t come to save you as they didn’t want to get their hair wet!” caspian laughed. “hey! cas, you know i only managed to get it to look good today! i wasn’t ruining it!” they retorted, turning to lucy and pulling her in for a hug, “i missed you too, lu! don’t tell ed but your my favourite sibling.” they whispered. lucy laughed returning their hug before eustace screeched out. “you better tell me what’s going on right now! i’ll report you to the british consulate! have you arrested for kidnapping!” y/n began to chuckle at the boys outburst, walking towards him and reaching out their hand. “queen/king y/n of narnia, welcome to the dawn treader!” they smiled warmly at the boy, trying hard not to giggle at the boys reluctance. “eustace scrubb, those two over there happen to be my cousins, theyre always going on about this place called narnia, quite annoying really-” he was cut off by a minotaur “your in narnia boy!” eustace turned, and before he could even reply, he passed out, probably from the shock of seeing a minotaur. “something i said?”

“y/n here has actually been leading narnias military at the minute, theyre better than you with a sword now ed!” caspian bragged, watching as she rolled her eyes and edmund gasped. “how about a duel then?” ed smirked, watching y/n think about his offer. “why so i can beat you ed?” y/n smirked back. now the crew had started to gather, excited to watch the action unfold. “the people want to see it.” said lucy laughing. “we cant disappoint the people ed!” y/n laughed too. they unsheathed their sword as edmund did the same with his. “first to be disarmed loses!” y/n exclaimed as they pointed their sword at edmund. “fine, but if i win…” he pondered, “you have to tell the kingdom i’m a better swordsman!” y/n scoffed. “just wait until i beat you!”

their swords clashed as the duel began, onlookers passing whispers between themselves, betting on who they suspected would win. y/n swung their sword towards edmunds leg, he jumped narrowly avoiding the blow before sending his sword towards their shoulder. the clang of metal resonated as they blocked his hit. y/n took a deep inhale, taking a step towards edmund before swinging, narrowly missing his head. their swords met again, and this time y/n managed to turn theirs just at the right angle, watching as edmund struggled to keep a hold of his sword they lightly kicked his abdomen, pulling their sword away and watching him stumble back slightly. onlookers watched with intent as edmunds sword left his hand. the blade fell almost in slow motion before hitting the deck, the sound declaring y/n victorious. they cheered, watching edmund flush red after being beaten so easily. “better luck next time ed!” caspian shouted from the sidelines, and y/n swore they could hear the exchanging of coins from the crew. “yeah ed, looks like the kingdom will never hear how good of a swordsman you are!” y/n laughed.

“what do you want?” asked ed. “what?” “for winning, what do you want?” he asked again. y/n thought for a moment before walking closer towards edmund. “it depends, how much of your dignity are you willing to sacrifice?” they quirked an eyebrow, trailing their fingers across the buttons of his tunic and glancing towards their small wardrobe. “all of it for you y/n” “good”

“ed! you look hilarious!” lucy and caspian were crying with laughter as edmund strutted out in y/n’s clothes. “y/n i cant believe this is what you made me do!” he began to turn red as he watched the crew stare at him, beginning to laugh when he continued walking further onto the deck. “that’s what you get for losing king edmund!” shouted drinian.

#edmund pevensie #edmund pevensie x reader #narnia x reader #narnia fanfics #narnia #edmund pevensie fanfiction #voyage of the dawn treader

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supernovasilence · 3 months

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Casmund au: Edmunds mother calling Caspian Edmund's beau. Since shes the first to come around she soon adores Caspian and how much he makes her son happy(if she could she'd brag about him to her lady friends at tea) Caspian is Helen's favorite in law. Even though technically Casmund is not married(they might be in Narnia)

I'm dying because yes, Helen would love Caspian. He makes her son so happy and he's handsome and charming and a perfect gentleman and she absolutely would brag about him at tea. She calls him her son and everything thinks she means he's like a son because he's orphaned and a dear family friend. But secretly she means son-in-law. Except then I started thinking about Caspian and Edmund being married in Narnia and now I have so many ideas.

Imagine right before the final battle in VDT, Caspian realizing it's now or never and asking Edmund "In case we don't get through this...will you marry me?"

Edmund is shocked because you're asking this now? They might die, and even if they don't, they both know this is the reason Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace were brought to Narnia; they will likely not stay long after the battle. That's exactly why, Caspian tells Edmund. If they only have a little time left together, Caspian wants Edmund to be fully his for it.

So they have a very hasty wedding (Drinian officiates, Lucy is Edmund's best man and Reepicheep is Caspian's), they fight sea serpents, and then they have to say goodbye.

OR imagine Caspian telling Edmund "In case we don't get through this...I want you to know I think of you as my brother" because he wants to ask Edmund to marry him but loses his nerve at the last moment. Wouldn't it be cruel, to offer Edmund his heart and his hand right when they are about to be separated? But after the battle Aslan tells Caspian "There is a question you did not ask earlier, but this is a place of endings and beginnings both. It would be meet to ask it here." Caspian asks Edmund to marry him, Edmund says yes, and Aslan marries them, there at the edge of the world.

OR OR there's the comedy version. I wrote a fic (Favor for a Knight) where the ring Caspian wears in VDT is an old one of Edmund's that Caspian took from Cair Paravel's treasure vault after PC, thinking he'd never see Edmund again. What if there's some quirk of Narnia law and oops, they're now legally married? Caspian doesn't realize until Edmund and Lucy tell him. Caspian is horrified he forced a king of old into marriage, and Edmund thinks Caspian was trying to wear a momento of Susan's, and both keep insisting they'll figure out how to dissolve the marriage because they think the other one wants to. Meanwhile Lucy can see they're both head over heels and is trying so hard to get them to tell each other. So hard. They're both pining oblivious disasters.

But no matter what scenario, they have to say goodbye, and then Caspian gets his second chance in England. And one day Helen is sighing that it's a shame Edmund and Caspian can't get married. And they look at each other, and Edmund awkwardly says, "well...we sort of already are."

(Helen is delighted and also so disappointed she missed it. They have another, private ceremony out in the country at the Professor's house so she and the rest of the family can attend.)

#nova actually answers asks #darkcrowprincess #casmund #helen pevensie #caspian the tenth #edmund pevensie #caspian in england au #the chronicles of narnia

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fairmerthefarmer · 15 days

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Some more dawn treader crew members cause I can’t stop. We’ve got a himbo, a cabin boy, a cook, two act first questions later types and a navigator. (Either the big himbo is rynelf or the little guy is and the far right one is rhince)

The other ones:

#fairmerthefarmer art #character design #narnia #CoN #chronicles of narnia #the voyage of the dawn treader #caspian x #narnia oc #dawn treader crew #faun character design #artists on tumblr #digital art #captain drinian #drinian

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padfootagain · 9 months

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You and the King (IV)

Chapter 4 : The Dinner

Hi lovelies! Here is a new chapter for my Caspian series!

Today we have: Dalia being Dalia. Baras being Baras. And Caspian being Caspian. I hope it gives you all some useful clues ;)

I hope you like this new chapter! Let me know what you think!

****

Pairing: Caspian x reader

Warnings: None

Summary: Sequel to The King and You – After meeting Caspian in your own world, you decide to follow him to Narnia, your love for him too strong for you to keep your old life. But as you discover the magic of Narnia, you soon realise that this extraordinary world is as dangerous as it is magnificent. Will your love for Caspian be enough to defeat your new enemies?

Word Count: 3171

Masterlist for the series – Caspian’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist

Dalia wanted to strangle you, but it wouldn’t have been proper, so she chose to control her impulse and merely shook her head instead.

But you were terrible at this. You couldn’t even sit properly, your posture was all wrong, and when you had tried to bow… By Aslan’s name, there was nothing to be saved in you.

“No, my lady, you need to hold your head straighter… chin up!”

But the book on your head fell again.

And this bloody headache of yours was not helping in the slightest…

“If you just tried…”

“I am trying.”

You heaved a frustrated sigh, bending to pick up the book again. The servant nearby tried to pick it up before you, but you were faster.

“A lady does not bend to pick up anything unless she is alone,” Dalia admonished. “Let the servant do it.”

But you winced at the mere thought.

“I’m not doing that.”

You put back the book on the top of your head, and tried to keep it balanced again.

“Good, now, walk,” Dalia ordered, crossing her arms.

You took a few steps but the book fell again in a thud.

This time, the servant was faster though, and she handed you the book, looking down at her feet as if she wasn’t even allowed to look at you and… and it was painful, really.

You cleared your throat.

“Thank you. I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

She was quite young, you noticed. Eighteen, maybe? Just a child…

She looked up at you with wide eyes, and stuttered her answer.

“I… I’m Chloe, my Lady.”

But you gave her a bright smile.

“Thank you, Chloe. There’s no need to pick up this book for me though, I can do it.”

She nodded, trying to smile but she was clearly intimidated, and she merely backed away to stand in a corner of the room.

Dalia rolled her eyes.

Of course, Caspian had to choose a useless softie…

“Again,” she sighed, rubbing her eyes.

You did as you were told. At least, you were obedient enough…

Still… what did he see in you? If Caspian truly loved you so much, what did he see?

Because Dalia was looking at you now, and she didn’t get it. There were prettier women in the Castle, and she counted herself among them. You weren’t particularly graceful, this lesson was the final proof. She had not spoken to you much, it was still hard for her to truly judge your character, but you didn’t seem… special, in any way.

But then, what did you have that she didn’t?

Because Dalia was perfect for the court. She was elegant, and beautiful, and smart, and she knew everything there was to know about politics. She was… perfect. And yet… Caspian was choosing you…

The book fell once more. A thud noise breaking the still silence of the room. You heaved a sigh, but picked up, and tried again.

You weren’t anything special, so why you?

Caspian heaved a tired sigh, rubbing his temples, trying to chase away the headache that pierced his skull.

It was the end of the last official meeting he had planned for the day, Drinian and Reepicheep had been waiting outside for a private discussion with the King.

There was much to be discussed, after all…

“Any news from Cirvan and his men?” Caspian asked before his two advisors could even take a seat.

“His troops are advancing closer to our Northern border.”

Caspian slowly nodded.

“It was to be expected. He is putting pressure on us…”

“What should we do in response?”

“How far from the border are his troops?”

“Too close.”

Caspian ran his hand through his hair, letting his gaze drift towards the burning fire in the hearth, weighing his options…

“If we do not move our troops, we will be unprepared in case of an attack,” Drinian went on.

“And if we do, we are taking a step closer towards an actual war,” added Reepicheep.

And Caspian was aware of the two possibilities, of their consequences. Still, a choice had to be made.

“Move our troops as well,” Caspian ordered, his eyes still fixed on the flames. “To protect the villages closer to the border.”

“Do you think Cirvan could attack us?”

“We have a stronger military force than he does, it would be foolish,” Caspian answered. “But with Cirvan, one may never know how reckless and stupid he might get.”

“That was why the wedding was such a safe option,” Drinian slowly nodded.

And Caspian finally turned to him with a disappointed frown.

“I did not think that you would be part of the ones going against my decision.”

“I am not, your Majesty. I am merely stating a fact.”

Caspian nodded, too tired to argue.

It was late already. It would soon be time for supper, and the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving the world to shadows and silvery lights.

“Keep a close eye on Cirvan. I want to know everything he does.”

“I’ve heard that he wishes to come to Cair Paravel to continue the negotiations.”

“Good. Better keep him close. He won’t attack while he’s in Narnia, that would be too dangerous for his own safety.”

“Have you talked with Lady Dalia?” Reepicheed asked, drawing the conversation towards another topic. “Why was she not at the meeting yesterday?”

Caspian clenched his jaw.

“She does not seem keen on helping Y/N. She thinks I am rushing things with her. And she thinks I am altogether making a terrible mistake.”

“I see…”

Caspian heaved a sigh, rubbing his temples again.

“I did not expect this reaction, to be honest. I thought she would… understand.”

But Reepicheep chuckled.

“Dalia is not the most understanding person in the court.”

“No, that she is not,” Caspian conceded. “Still… we have been friends for a very long time. I thought she would be happy for me.”

“She must want to protect you.”

But Caspian shook his head.

“No, I think there is something else. Something… reminiscent from our youth. And I wish it could remain buried.”

He didn’t elaborate, and his friends didn’t ask. Still, Caspian remained worried.

He hoped he was wrong about this, about her. They had been friends for so long, he didn’t want to lose her…

“Will you go see Lady Y/N tonight?”

Caspian seemed to relax at the mere mention of your name.

“Yes, I will eat dinner with her, if I am not too late for that. Otherwise, we will merely take a walk or… anything, really. I hope her day went better than mine.”

“She arrived during troubled times in our kingdom,” Drinian nodded.

“We will be safer in Cair Paravel. In the meantime, I will remain overwhelmed with work and worry.”

His tone was humorous, but his friends were not fooled. It was partly true.

“I must see Ammos before joining Y/N, though,” Caspian added, and they all stood up, ready to leave the room.

They separated in the corridor, Caspian aiming his footsteps towards his private chamber, where Ammos was waiting for him to present a report.

“Thank you for coming, Ammos,” Caspian offered his loyal soldier a smile. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

“There is no need, your Majesty.”

The minotaur bowed before speaking again.

“Lady Y/N has attended the meetings that were planned for her during the day. I have noticed no threats.”

“Good,” Caspian nodded, visibly relaxing.

“Lord Baras did, however, invite her to join him and his friends for lunch.”

Caspian frowned hard at that.

“Who was present?”

“The usual group.”

“Including Velma?”

“I am afraid so, My Liege.”

Caspian winced, shaking his head.

“Lady Y/N did, however… handle the situation.”

Caspian raised an eyebrow.

“How do you mean?”

“She was a little rude,” Ammos conceded. “But it was effective. I must admit, Your Majesty… If I may speak plainly…”

“Please, do, Ammos.”

“Well, I reckon that it was a test to see if she had the strength to fight back to the usual cruelty of the court. And she did. She mentioned a custom from her world that would have led her to… ‘throw her plate at their face and break their noses’, or something along those lines.”

Caspian laughed at that, loud and bright, his smile turning fond as he calmed down.

“Y/N is calm and kind, but I am not very surprised to hear that she held her ground. She has the strength for it.”

“Besides this incident, nothing happened today. She seemed… tired, though.”

“I expect so much after such a day. Thank you, you can rest tonight. But we will keep these meetings daily, and between us.”

“Or course, Your Majesty.”

Caspian waited a few minutes before walking out of his chamber again, partly because he was lost in thought, partly because he didn’t want anyone to see him near Ammos.

After all, he couldn’t be spotted with one of his spies…

Lying down for a while did help with your headache, although it wasn’t enough. You had no idea whether or not you would get to see Caspian today at all, and you were seriously considering skipping dinner altogether. If you went to eat simply to get insulted again, you preferred staying in for the night.

The more you thought about it, the more terrified you were. You were not fit for all this. You kept on repeating yourself that it was but a matter of time, that you needed to get used to this world. But perhaps you were wrong about that. Perhaps Caspian and you had been born into two different worlds because you belonged into different worlds…

Your grim thoughts were interrupted by a knock on your door, and you cursed whoever was disrupting you so late in the evening, after all, it was night already…

But your grumpy expression turned into a smile as you opened the door to discover Caspian waiting on your threshold.

He smiled as well at the sight of you.

“Good evening, my darling.”

“Evening!”

You were grinning now, you looked excited to see him, and all of a sudden, Caspian wasn’t so tired. He wasn’t so afraid. He wasn’t so worried.

You were still here…

“Have you eaten tonight, already?” he asked, but you shook your head quickly.

“No… I was thinking about skipping dinner, actually.”

“Why? Do you not feel well?”

“Headache. And… well… lunch was… full of surprises.”

You remembered his words of warnings about eavesdroppers, and you didn’t want to take a risk, so you remained elusive. But after Ammos’s report, Caspian was perfectly aware of what you were referring to.

He checked that there was no one around, but only Diego could be seen at the end of the corridor.

“We could ask for some food to be brough to my personal office. What would you say to that? Just the two of us?”

You grinned.

“I thought we couldn’t be alone.”

“We cannot be alone in each other’s chambers. But we can leave the door of my office open…”

“How romantic…”

“Well, if you’d prefer, we can attend dinner with the rest of the court.”

“No, thank you, I’ll take the open door of your office.”

“I thought you would.”

He offered you his arm, and you welcomed the contact, the excuse to have him close.

Everyone you passed by stared at you, and you hated it. You hated it, but you could hold Caspian’s arm a little tighter, and it made you feel better about it.

You noticed Lord Baras’ insistent stare as you walked down a corridor, but he didn’t say anything, merely bowed before Caspian.

You were starting to genuinely relax as you reached Caspian’s office, but that was before you spotted Dalia waiting for him before the closed door. She refrained a wince at the sight of you, but couldn’t summon a warm-enough smile.

“Can I help you with something, Dalia?”

Caspian’s voice was colder than usual, and she hated the sound, but she kept her polite demeanour all the same.

“I wished to talk with you.”

“I am afraid I am busy for the rest of the evening.”

She frowned hard, staring at you, before looking back at Caspian.

“It would be extremely improper for the two of you to share some time alone,” Dalia spoke in a hushed tone, and there was almost fear in her voice.

Because… if the two of you were alone, then anything could happen between you and… would Caspian go that far? Before marriage?

“We will keep the door open, there is no need to start worrying about rumours,” Caspian reassured her.

“Still, it is highly… unconventional.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment, at this point,” you mumbled, getting grumpy again, but Caspian looked at you with an amused smile.

“Lady Y/N…” Dalia tried to protest, but Caspian interrupted her.

“Dalia, is it urgent?”

“I mean… it is important.”

“Can it wait till tomorrow morning?”

“I… I mean…”

But you were tired of this game already. Because you could see the signs, they were pretty obvious. The way she looked only at Caspian, the way she kept on touching her hair, the way she… the way she looked at him, like he had hung the stars in the sky, or some other miracle of the kind.

And it was pretty obvious that you had been right since the beginning, and that you knew why she didn’t like you at all.

“If no one is being under attack, if no one is dying, and if no ancient witch is being reborn and sending Narnia into a new ice age… then it can wait for tomorrow,” Caspian replied, annoyed by now, and he moved to open the door of his office before she could answer. “I will see you tomorrow morning, Dalia. Enjoy your evening.”

As promised, he left the door open, merely invited you to sit by the table, and he asked a guard to get some food sent to his office. You sat down, Dalia still staring at you from the threshold. But Caspian took a seat as well, ignoring her.

And you felt bad for her, because she was still standing there, in the doorway, and she seemed… sad.

But she was good at hiding her feelings, years at the court had taught her that. Actually, she was broken-hearted.

Eventually though, Dalia did walk away, chin higher than ever, and anger replacing her bruised heart.

You heaved a relieved sigh as you were alone again.

Caspian glanced in the corridor, but there was no one in sight.

“How did your day go, darling?” he asked you, relaxing in his chair and crossing his legs, getting more comfortable.

“Fine… as fine as it could get, I guess.”

“Ammos told me about what happened with Baras,” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

“Did he tell you what they said about me?”

His worried frow deepened.

“No… was it serious?”

“No… I guess not. I’m glad he didn’t tell you.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Nothing… I’ve handled it.”

A smile tugged at his lips again.

“Yes, I’ve heard that threats of breaking noses were made.”

You laughed at that.

“I didn’t threaten anyone! I… answered a rude comment with a rude answer, and Baras asked if it was common in my world to talk this way, and I replied that in my world I would have been physically violent.”

Caspian let out a bright laugh.

“I would have paid to see their faces at that comment.”

“You’re not mad, then?”

“That you defended yourself? Absolutely not. Be careful, though. You need allies in the court.”

“They were pretty mean.”

He snorted.

“Knowing how kind you are, I never doubted that they deserved your wrath. You were right to defend yourself, if you do not, they will think that you are weak, and they will be even worse. But be careful to choose your battles. You cannot make everyone angry at you by being too earnest. If you do, they will use more powerful and dangerous weapons against you than a mere insult.”

“How reassuring…”

“I’ll make sure Baras and his friends don’t bother you again.”

“I can handle it. I am not useless.”

“I have never said such a thing. But I am King. Authority is… quite in my area of expertise.”

Food arrived as you shared a warm smile, and you ate while chatting about your day, about the meetings he had to go through. Nothing too technical, but he noticed that you tried to memorize things he mentioned. You were too tired, and your headache was too painful, but you tried anyway.

Meanwhile, in less than half an hour, everyone in the fortress knew that Caspian and you were sharing a meal in his private office… alone. And Lord Baras could barely believe his ears at the news.

“They cannot be alone…” he protested when Lord Luis brought him the news.

“Apparently, they are…”

Baras blinked, doubting that the king would do something so stupid and reckless and utterly out of any protocol and etiquette that existed in Narnia. And Lord Cirvan was still here…

He strode towards the King’s office without another word, needing to see it all by himself, needing to stop the king to do something so reckless… what had gotten into his head to do something so ridiculously scandalous? The whole court knew about it…

He was not surprised to find several people following him, among which were Luis and Velma.

But he didn’t have to go as far as to knock on Caspian’s door, because the door was, in fact, open. And as he advanced down the corridor, he caught sight of the two of you talking around a meal, sitting on opposite sides of a table, at a perfectly respectable distance.

It was unconventional, but not scandalous.

And as Baras looked around him, the lords and ladies had different reactions to the scene. Some seemed quite touched by the genuine interaction they were witnessing, and seemed content to see such a bright smile on their king’s face. Some were disappointed to miss the opportunity for a sensual rumour to spread. And a couple, like Baras, were impressed.

Because Caspian knew what he was doing. He was spending time with you, which he clearly seemed to genuinely enjoy, but he was also making sure that everyone could see the two of you. It was an insurance against rumours to spend time with you, of course it was. But it was also a way to remind the court that he had chosen you. And his choice was made without the court having a say about it. He was reinforcing his statement that he was going to marry you, and that no one could change his mind.

It was a way of showing off your relationship, while keeping a form of intimacy. And Baras was impressed.

His King was most definitely excellent at playing chess in the real world…

*******************************

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tenth-sentence · 6 months

Text

Then Caspian caught up a battle-axe and rushed upon the Lord Drinian to kill him, and Drinian stood still as a stock for the death blow.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair" - C. S. Lewis

#book quote #the chronicles of narnia #the silver chair #c s lewis #backstory #caspian x #drinian #battleaxe #battle axe #death

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im-a-wonderling · 1 year

Text

Do You Yield? ~ Caspian

Request: “plz plz write something for caspian in the VOTDT era” - Anon

Warnings: none

Word count: 2.6k

Picture cred: @geohenley

I let out a sigh. “Eustace, you have to keep your blade up.”

Eustace jerked the sword sharply, almost hitting a rope that held one of the Dawn Treader’s sails in place. “I don’t believe in people swinging pointy objects to draw blood as a show of masculinity,” Eustace said with a grumble. “The whole thing is a barbaric practice, and I don’t hold with it.”

I lifted my eyes to the picturesque clouds above, clinging to my patience like a port in a storm. “Maybe you don’t hold with it,” I said patiently, looking back at the grouchy boy, “but it’s better to have the skill and never have to use it than to need it and not have it.”

Eustace eyed me accusingly. “Ladies shouldn’t fight.”

A snort came from behind me, and I glanced to see Edmund peeling a potato with his knife. “Eustace, are you including yourself in that category then?”

“I’ll make you pay for that, cousin,” Eustace replied, his cheeks bright red.

Edmund paused in his task. “How, if you can’t even use a sword?”

Eustace started mumbling, but I knew enough advisors back in Narnia to know if it was a real argument, he wouldn’t bother saying it quietly.

I brandished my sword a little, trying to get him to cue back into my teachings. “Ok, attack me.”

Eustace started to protest, but I cut him off, repeating my request.

He warily raised his blade before swiping it at me.

I merely angled my head back slightly to get out of the blade’s path. “Put more force behind your swing.” He tried again, but I blocked it, resulting in a loud clang that made the boy wince. “You have to keep your arm steady and put pressure behind your blade to keep me from pushing you back.”

Eustace leaned his weight forward as he struck again. I stepped to the side, and Eustace tumbled forward, running into the railing and nearly losing his blade over the side.

“Balance, Eustace.” I tapped his side, and he jerked upright again, flushing.

We practiced for another half-hour. He was panting and mopping up his forehead as I stood, barely winded.

“Break…please…” he wheezed.

I smiled encouragingly at him as I sheathed my sword. “Okay. We can do more later.”

Eustace walked to the stairs in that odd shuffling way of his, holding the sword with stiff arms and stiffer shoulders.

Shaking my head, I sat down on a crate beside Edmund. “You’d have better luck trying to put a muzzle on Reepicheep,” he said with a smirk.

The sailors in earshot all laughed.

“I heard that,” Reepicheep called from his perch on the upper deck.

Edmund held up his hands in surrender and returned to his peeling.

The sound of lively footfalls reached my ears, and my cheeks blushed before my brain even processed who the footfalls belonged to.

“Drinian says we should be able to see the Lone Islands in a few hours.” Caspian leaned on the deck railing, and I ducked my head, cursing the heat that was now expanding down my neck at the sight of his generous forearms.

Edmund gestured at me with his knife. “You missed the show, Caspian. Y/N was trying to teach Eustace to wield a sword.”

I would strangle him the next time we were alone.

Even though I wasn’t looking at Caspian, I could swear I felt the moment the king’s gaze fell on me. Doing my best to keep an impassive face, I lifted my head.

Caspian let his hair grow out for this trip, and I had to admit, it did things to me whenever I saw it pulled back into a bun or ponytail. His jaw and shoulders had filled out these past few years, and even though his eyes were the same brown, they’d changed as well. They were deeper somehow, more solid.

They were dancing with mirth now.

“Y/N.” He rested his hands on his hips. “Teaching Eustace.”

“Yeah?” I stood and mirrored him, mocking his skeptical body language. “What of it?”

Caspian’s head tipped back as he laughed, exposing his neck, which was just as tan as the rest of him—he really had been spending a lot of time in the sun, hadn’t he? “I can’t see you teaching anyone to wield a sword.”

Once again, the sailors within earshot all laughed, even Edmund.

I raised an eyebrow at the king. “That’s rich, coming from someone who can’t hold his own against a hag.” The sailors all “ooh”ed, waiting for Caspian’s rebuttal.

“A hag, you say?” Caspian’s lips were slightly pulled to one side, indicating his amusement.

“Yes, a hag.” I folded my arms, jutting out one hip. “I distinctly remember having to kill one before she killed you.”

The sailors started to gather, all with grins on their faces. They could tell where this was leading.

Caspian didn’t look at them, his eyes not budging so much as a centimeter from mine. “You think you could beat me?” His tone was low, not at all befitting the taunt he’d just thrown my way.

Before I could answer, he pulled his sword out of the scabbard, holding it off to the side with casual confidence, daring me to take him up on his challenge.

I placed my hands on my chest in feigned nerves. “Oh, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.” Muttering erupted on the deck as the sailors watched me, confused at my sudden concession. “I know!” I said, causing the muttering to cease. “We can tie one hand behind my back.”

The sailors all howled with laughter.

And when Caspian smiled, I could’ve sworn I saw a sparkle in his eye. “Alright,” he said, extending his sword towards me, the point of it a foot away from my nose. “First to disarm wins.”

Baying erupted from around me as the sailors eagerly waited for my response.

Before their cacophony of hoots and hollers could die out, I whipped out my own sword, swinging it above my head.

Caspian’s rose to meet it, our swords flashing in the sun as a great clang rang out. The sailors around us started loudly making bets, but I shut them out as Caspian parried my blade.

I stepped forward, swiping at Caspian’s torso. He blocked the strike with ease, pushing my sword back much the same way I’d pushed Eustace’s. I allowed him to push me a step backwards, my sword breaking contact with his.

Caspian grinned and took a step away. I advanced, stabbing my sword in the general area of his right shoulder and then his left, getting deflected both times.

I released a barrage of hits, Caspian meeting me step for step.

There was a strange intimacy in being so well matched in such a dangerous dance. It took only the subtlest of our partners’ movements to follow the steps—a flick of the eyes, a twist of the wrist—and the clang of our swords was the perfect soundtrack to our fevered yet balanced pace. How could the brush of my steel with Caspian be softer than any caressing hand I’d ever felt?

The crowd of sailors around us was its own creature, shifting to make room as Caspian and I went round and round the deck. Their cheers stroked the buzzing rivalry in my chest. The wry smile on Caspian’s face told me he felt it too.

Even if I’d wanted to contain my glee, I wouldn’t have been able to, and when I ducked to avoid Caspian’s swing, my smile broke through.

Caspian stumbled.

It was the smallest thing, barely even a hiccup, but his blade caught mine at the wrong angle. His wrist twisted, his fingers loosened, and I didn’t even think twice before taking advantage.

I put all available force into my next strike, and the clang of Caspian’s sword on the deck was music to my ears. I dared a glance at the oohing crew, ready to celebrate my victory, until his foot came flying up to hit my hand, causing me to yelp and drop my own sword.

Fingers stinging, I raised an eyebrow at the king. “You didn’t tell me we were fighting dirty.”

“Scared?” Caspian said lowly.

“No.” Before Caspian had time to reply, I leapt forward, drawing my knife.

Caspian took a step back, but he didn’t seem to realize the ship’s mast was right behind him, for he collided with it.

Jumping on the opportunity, I lifted the knife to Caspian’s throat, holding him tightly in place against the wood with my body. The sailors hooted like monkeys, crowing so loudly about my success, that I didn’t have to say anything myself.

“Do you yield?” I asked anyway, banishing the thoughts about just how big Caspian’s stature was compared to mine.

A lesser man would’ve looked at the witnesses with insecurity. But Caspian just smiled at me, so smugly, one would’ve thought he’d been the one to win the duel. “I yield.”

I stepped away, strangely disappointed in spite of my victory.

“Alright, fun’s over,” Drinian called over the hubbub. “Back to work.”

The group around us started to disband, and I could’ve sworn I heard the clinking of coins exchanging hands.

Caspian bent down, picking up both swords rising to his feet, holding the hilt of my sword out to me. I wrapped my hand around it, ready for its familiar weight.

But he didn’t let go.

Instead, he tugged on the sword, pulling me off balance. My free hand splayed out in surprise before landing solidly on his chest. I looked stupidly up into his face, one hand on his chest, the other still around the hilt of my sword. The blasted heat rushed back into my cheeks as I tried not to fall into his brown eyes.

“Good match,” he said simply, not letting go of the sword.

I debated moving my hand, but he didn’t seem uncomfortable with our current position. “It was,” I mumbled. He still didn’t let go of the sword. “You fought well,” I said, and then cringed, pulling my hand away. Could I not go an entire minute without making a complete fool of myself?

He still didn’t let go of the sword. “I fought well,” Caspian echoed, peering into my face. “Is that all I get from you? I would’ve thought you’d have more compliments for me.”

I wished I could blame my blinks on the brightness of the sun, but I felt the heat of its rays on my back, not my face. Did he know? Had Edmund told him something? Was he fishing for some sort of confession? My heart sped up alongside my thoughts.

But as I studied his broad smile, I knew he wasn’t mocking me, only jesting. Very well. Two could play in that game.

“I always have compliments for you.”

Caspian hummed. “Like what?”

“I think you’re brave.” My words were hushed, but I could tell he heard me, for his eyes widened slightly. Encouraged, I continued. “Perseverant. Generous.”

“Generous?” Caspian let out a breath that sounded like a laugh.

Was I imagining the sudden doubt that crossed his face? “You are. You do whatever you can for people, and you never seem to want or need anything as you lead.”

Caspian’s intent look could be compared to the sun in temperature and intensity

“That’s not true,” he replied, his voice slightly hoarse as his eyes dipped down to my lips. “I can think of at least one thing I need.”

Before I could process his words, he let go of my sword and stepped away.

“Y/N,” he said in acknowledgement before walking away.

I watched him go, trying to cool the heat in my cheeks with the back of my hands. Feeling stunned, I returned to my seat beside Edmund.

“I saw that,” Edmund said, smirking.

“I don’t care,” I replied, trying to bring my breathing back to normal.

He chuckled. “You might as well have kissed him, it’s not like anyone on board doesn’t see it.” There was a muffled thud below decks, and the whiny voice of Edmund’s cousin immediately rang out. “Except for maybe Eustace,” Edmund said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes, getting back to my feet. “I’m going down to find Lucy.”

Edmund’s laughter chased me down the steps.

“Stupid boy,” I grumbled as I walked around the barrels and bags of supplies in the hold. “Stupid, self-righteous, good for nothing, crazy–”

“I hope you’re not talking about me.”

I jumped, whirling around to face a smirking Caspian, leaning against a barrel of water. “Caspian! What are you doing down here?”

“Waiting for you.” Caspian cocked his head. “You’re so predictable.”

I gawked at him. “What?”

“Predictable.” He advanced another step.

“I heard you,” I barked, heat racing to my cheeks as I backed up. “I am not predictable. I am original. And unexpected. And unique.” Caspian’s lips twitched, and my temper flared. “I beat you. If I’m oh so predictable, then why would you fight me? If you really knew I would win, you wouldn’t have challenged me.”

Caspian stepped closer again. “Oh? And why’s that?”

I stumbled back another step. “Because no king wants to lose his pride in front of all his men.”

“Perhaps I was concerned with things other than my pride.” Caspian took another step nearer, and I stepped back, right into a tower of boxes.

I swallowed. “Like what?”

His only answer was to move forward again, his body only a hair’s width from touching mine, resting his hand against the box beside my head, trapping me. I barely had enough room to tilt my head back to look at him.

“What are you doing?” My voice was embarrassingly high and breathless, but I couldn’t have expected better, considering I could feel every rise and fall of his chest.

Warm fingers brushed against my cheek, causing my breath to hitch. “Well,” he said softly, resting his other hand on my hip, “I figure it’s my turn to pin you against something.”

I gaped at him, my heart undeniably pounding in my chest. “I, um, y-yeah, that makes a lot of sense.”

At my words, his grip on my waist tightened, and I braced my hands on his chest to stay balanced. His eyes twinkled, a playful smile spreading across his cheeks. “Do you yield?” he asked, parroting my words from earlier.

Taking all the time in the world, I leaned in, deliberately keeping my gaze on his lips. Caspian’s lips parted in anticipation. At the last moment, my eyes flicked up to look in his. “Never.”

Caspian didn’t look at all upset. No, the look on his face was something else, something infinitely more unsure, more tender, more vulnerable. I didn’t decipher what it was before he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips.

It lasted only a moment, not enough time for me to even close my eyes.

He ran the tip of his nose underneath my eye, towards my temple. “How about now?”

I slid my hands up to rest on his shoulders. “No, but you’re welcome to try again.” Caspian laughed, pulling away to allow me a view of his wide, dazzling grin. I waited for him to kiss me again, but he didn’t. He just stood there, holding me close and looking at my face like he wanted to write songs about it. “What?” I said defensively.

“Losing my pride was well worth it if it got me this close to you.”

“Charmer,” I mumbled just before his lips met mine again.

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