Capricorn [ Chapter Five]
Title: Capricorn
Rating: PG
Summary: Susan worries about her wedding and Lucy finds truth among the ruins of her past...
Chapter Five
Two days passed since Lucy had shut herself off from the rest of the family. Each of them had tried to reach her, but all failed. By the fall of the second night, Susan was beside herself. She had joined Caspian in his bed chamber, needing to discuss the situation at hand.
“Should we postpone the wedding?” she asked from her seat on the edge of his bed.
Caspian turned from his spot at the window and looked at her.
“Do you want to?” he asked.
Susan half smiled. “Not really. But what about Lucy? I want her to be able to celebrate with us.”
Caspian nodded. “I want whatever will make you happy.”
An actual smile touched her lips.
“You are too good to me.”
“I could never be good enough, gentle one.”
He walked over to her and kissed her forehead, cupping her cheek. Her eyes were warm, but there were shadows beneath them.
“You look tired, my love.”
“I haven’t been sleeping well. With Lucy and wedding planning…” She trailed off with a smile. “I’ll be alright.”
“I’ll have one of the handmaidens take over the rest of the planning.” he said. “Now, you need to rest, my dear.”
Susan started to stand, but Caspian stopped her.
“Stay here.” His hands encircled her waist. “Please?”
She laughed. “But what abou---“ Susan was cut off by Caspian placing a finger against her lips.
“Don’t worry about anyone else.” Caspian told her. “Let me take care of you.”
And she did. She pushed everything away from her mind except him. She climbed onto his bed and relaxed against the down-filled pillows. Caspian joined her, spooning against her back. Sleep claimed her almost instantly, while Caspian watched her until dawn broke and, in turn, sleep overcame him.
* * *
Lucy awoke in the morning, knowing that it was another day closer to Susan’s wedding. Her emotions were raw, her feelings befuddled. I have to get away from here. She changed out of her night gown and into a simple red dress.
Once dressed, she headed to the stables. She saddled her horse and got on, leaving the castle as fast as she could. The young Queen headed west, traveling to the one place she knew she could clear her mind: Cair Paravel. She urged her horse to gallop faster, desperate to get there before her thoughts could catch up with her.
She arrived by noon. Lucy dismounted her horse and walked among the ruins until she reached what was left of the throne room. She gasped when she found she wasn’t alone. Aslan lay among the crumbled thrones.
“Aslan!” she cried, running to him and throwing her arms around his massive neck.
Lucy hugged him tightly, tears stinging her eyes. In the back of her mind, she knew that she needed him to get her through this. And as always, he was there when she needed his strength the most. Her tears turned into helpless sobs as she pulled away from the hug.
“Talk to me, dear one.” Aslan’s voice was gentle, soothing.
“Oh, Aslan,” Lucy moaned, “everything’s gone wrong.”
“How so, my child?”
“Tumnus is dead and I…I…” Lucy sighed. “I’ve been so angry, Aslan.”
“Angry at whom, little one?”
“Susan…”
“Why are you angry? She is happy. Her wedding is a happy occasion for all.”
Why was she so angry? Susan was finally happy, finally in love. Lucy was grateful for that. But she knew she needed to say the words that she had been holding back from herself, from everyone.
“I’m jealous,” Lucy sighed. “It’s not fair, Aslan. I love…loved Tumnus, we were to be married. And then I went back home.” Lucy began to look down, but didn’t want to appear even weaker in front of the Lion. She kept her chin up.
Aslan’s gaze locked on hers. “Why do you refer to your love in the past tense?”
Lucy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Love is the one thing in the world that transcends everything. Even death,” Aslan said. “Do you still love him?”
“Yes and that’s what hurts the most.”
“I will tell you this, Lucy,” the Great Lion said. “Tumnus died knowing that you loved him. That is why he left you the ring, to always remember his love for you, even after he was gone.”
Lucy, who had put the ring on a white gold chain and wore it every day since, removed it from her neck. She held it up between her and Aslan, a sad smile touching her lips.
“It doesn’t even fit me,” she said softly. “It was sized for when I was older.” The last word held a hint of bitterness.
“You’re still angry, child.”
She nodded. “I am.”
“At whom?”
She could not lie to him. Taking a deep breath, she bravely whispered, “You.”
Lucy looked up, expecting to see anger, expecting to see hurt. But in his face, she saw compassion, love.
“Why?” he pressed gently.
“How could you, knowing that Tumnus was going to ask for my hand, let me go back through the wardrobe?”
“It was destiny, dear one,” Aslan explained gently. “You were needed to return at another time, to help save Narnia and restore good to the world. After you returned to your world, Tumnus and I had a long talk.” The lion’s eyes squinted, making him look as if he were smiling. “It was similar to the one we are having now. And in the end, he understood that. He led a good life, documenting your story for those who would rule after.”
Lucy nodded, tears beginning to fall. “I suppose I’ve been acting like a git, haven’t I?”
“No, little one,” he replied with a quiet rumble from deep within his body. “You have acted as any adult in love would have.”
“That’s just it, Aslan,” Lucy said softly. “I was used to being grown while in Narnia. I feel like I’ve lost my place since I’m a child again. I can’t do any of the things I’d been accustomed to.”
“You grew here once and you shall again,” he answered. “Don’t give in to the negative thoughts that dwell inside you. You are Queen Lucy, the Valiant. You are strong.”
The guilt, the anger, the burden, everything lifted from her and she felt at peace as his words settled.
“Thank you, Aslan.” Lucy hugged him again.
”You are more than welcome,” he replied, smiling once more in his own way.
“Do you suppose I’ll ever find love again?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” Aslan answered. “You still have a lifetime of happiness before you.”
Lucy smiled, grateful for his words. “I should probably apologize to Susan.”
The lion nodded his large head. “That would be best. She’s been worried about her sister’s well-being.”
The Queen gave him one last hug before stepping down from the throne of the past.
“I do have one last thing to tell you, little one,” Aslan informed her.
“What’s that?” Lucy asked.
“I have two gifts for you. One will come to you on the morn of the sixth day, the other will come to you on the eve of Caspian and Susan’s wedding.”
“How will I know what they are?”
He chuckled. “You will know. Now hurry back, before the others wake and find you gone.”
“Thank you again, Aslan.” Lucy dropped into a bow. When she looked up, he had vanished. Lucy smiled and hurried to her horse, riding as fast as she could back to the castle.
Rating: PG
Summary: Susan worries about her wedding and Lucy finds truth among the ruins of her past...
Chapter Five
Two days passed since Lucy had shut herself off from the rest of the family. Each of them had tried to reach her, but all failed. By the fall of the second night, Susan was beside herself. She had joined Caspian in his bed chamber, needing to discuss the situation at hand.
“Should we postpone the wedding?” she asked from her seat on the edge of his bed.
Caspian turned from his spot at the window and looked at her.
“Do you want to?” he asked.
Susan half smiled. “Not really. But what about Lucy? I want her to be able to celebrate with us.”
Caspian nodded. “I want whatever will make you happy.”
An actual smile touched her lips.
“You are too good to me.”
“I could never be good enough, gentle one.”
He walked over to her and kissed her forehead, cupping her cheek. Her eyes were warm, but there were shadows beneath them.
“You look tired, my love.”
“I haven’t been sleeping well. With Lucy and wedding planning…” She trailed off with a smile. “I’ll be alright.”
“I’ll have one of the handmaidens take over the rest of the planning.” he said. “Now, you need to rest, my dear.”
Susan started to stand, but Caspian stopped her.
“Stay here.” His hands encircled her waist. “Please?”
She laughed. “But what abou---“ Susan was cut off by Caspian placing a finger against her lips.
“Don’t worry about anyone else.” Caspian told her. “Let me take care of you.”
And she did. She pushed everything away from her mind except him. She climbed onto his bed and relaxed against the down-filled pillows. Caspian joined her, spooning against her back. Sleep claimed her almost instantly, while Caspian watched her until dawn broke and, in turn, sleep overcame him.
* * *
Lucy awoke in the morning, knowing that it was another day closer to Susan’s wedding. Her emotions were raw, her feelings befuddled. I have to get away from here. She changed out of her night gown and into a simple red dress.
Once dressed, she headed to the stables. She saddled her horse and got on, leaving the castle as fast as she could. The young Queen headed west, traveling to the one place she knew she could clear her mind: Cair Paravel. She urged her horse to gallop faster, desperate to get there before her thoughts could catch up with her.
She arrived by noon. Lucy dismounted her horse and walked among the ruins until she reached what was left of the throne room. She gasped when she found she wasn’t alone. Aslan lay among the crumbled thrones.
“Aslan!” she cried, running to him and throwing her arms around his massive neck.
Lucy hugged him tightly, tears stinging her eyes. In the back of her mind, she knew that she needed him to get her through this. And as always, he was there when she needed his strength the most. Her tears turned into helpless sobs as she pulled away from the hug.
“Talk to me, dear one.” Aslan’s voice was gentle, soothing.
“Oh, Aslan,” Lucy moaned, “everything’s gone wrong.”
“How so, my child?”
“Tumnus is dead and I…I…” Lucy sighed. “I’ve been so angry, Aslan.”
“Angry at whom, little one?”
“Susan…”
“Why are you angry? She is happy. Her wedding is a happy occasion for all.”
Why was she so angry? Susan was finally happy, finally in love. Lucy was grateful for that. But she knew she needed to say the words that she had been holding back from herself, from everyone.
“I’m jealous,” Lucy sighed. “It’s not fair, Aslan. I love…loved Tumnus, we were to be married. And then I went back home.” Lucy began to look down, but didn’t want to appear even weaker in front of the Lion. She kept her chin up.
Aslan’s gaze locked on hers. “Why do you refer to your love in the past tense?”
Lucy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Love is the one thing in the world that transcends everything. Even death,” Aslan said. “Do you still love him?”
“Yes and that’s what hurts the most.”
“I will tell you this, Lucy,” the Great Lion said. “Tumnus died knowing that you loved him. That is why he left you the ring, to always remember his love for you, even after he was gone.”
Lucy, who had put the ring on a white gold chain and wore it every day since, removed it from her neck. She held it up between her and Aslan, a sad smile touching her lips.
“It doesn’t even fit me,” she said softly. “It was sized for when I was older.” The last word held a hint of bitterness.
“You’re still angry, child.”
She nodded. “I am.”
“At whom?”
She could not lie to him. Taking a deep breath, she bravely whispered, “You.”
Lucy looked up, expecting to see anger, expecting to see hurt. But in his face, she saw compassion, love.
“Why?” he pressed gently.
“How could you, knowing that Tumnus was going to ask for my hand, let me go back through the wardrobe?”
“It was destiny, dear one,” Aslan explained gently. “You were needed to return at another time, to help save Narnia and restore good to the world. After you returned to your world, Tumnus and I had a long talk.” The lion’s eyes squinted, making him look as if he were smiling. “It was similar to the one we are having now. And in the end, he understood that. He led a good life, documenting your story for those who would rule after.”
Lucy nodded, tears beginning to fall. “I suppose I’ve been acting like a git, haven’t I?”
“No, little one,” he replied with a quiet rumble from deep within his body. “You have acted as any adult in love would have.”
“That’s just it, Aslan,” Lucy said softly. “I was used to being grown while in Narnia. I feel like I’ve lost my place since I’m a child again. I can’t do any of the things I’d been accustomed to.”
“You grew here once and you shall again,” he answered. “Don’t give in to the negative thoughts that dwell inside you. You are Queen Lucy, the Valiant. You are strong.”
The guilt, the anger, the burden, everything lifted from her and she felt at peace as his words settled.
“Thank you, Aslan.” Lucy hugged him again.
”You are more than welcome,” he replied, smiling once more in his own way.
“Do you suppose I’ll ever find love again?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” Aslan answered. “You still have a lifetime of happiness before you.”
Lucy smiled, grateful for his words. “I should probably apologize to Susan.”
The lion nodded his large head. “That would be best. She’s been worried about her sister’s well-being.”
The Queen gave him one last hug before stepping down from the throne of the past.
“I do have one last thing to tell you, little one,” Aslan informed her.
“What’s that?” Lucy asked.
“I have two gifts for you. One will come to you on the morn of the sixth day, the other will come to you on the eve of Caspian and Susan’s wedding.”
“How will I know what they are?”
He chuckled. “You will know. Now hurry back, before the others wake and find you gone.”
“Thank you again, Aslan.” Lucy dropped into a bow. When she looked up, he had vanished. Lucy smiled and hurried to her horse, riding as fast as she could back to the castle.