Fanfiction: A King's Duty
Title: A King's Duty
Rating: K+
Word Count: 822
Pairing/Characters: Caspian and Aslan; minor Susan/Caspian.
Genre: General
Summary: Aslan confronts Caspian after the Pevensies' final departure from Narnria. (Movie-verse)
Notes: First Narnia fanfiction from me. I have an idea for another but after that I'm not sure. Anyway this is just short, bittersweet and to the point.
He watched her retreating back disappear through the tree, looking for all the world as if she and her siblings had stepped right over the cliffside.
His jaw clenched. His legs had never ached to take him away from a place as badly as they did at that moment. He had half a mind to take up Susan's horn and call her back, but that would only serve to anger Aslan, and really, what good would it do anyway?
Besides, he was king now, King of the Telmarines, so he composed himself, stood up straighter as he watched more of his people volunteer to enter the place their ancestors had hailed from.
None of their departures stung him quite like the Pevensies.
The affair didn't take long and his body stayed rigid with pride as he nodded his people off, but inside his stomach was churning with loss as he tried to banish the memory of Susan's warm gentle lips, her delicate, soft shoulders beneath his lips as they embraced...
He thought he sensed Aslan gaze upon him a few times but never ventured to meet his eyes.
Finally, finally, an opportunity for escape presented itself and he took it immediately, heading for his chambers.
Caspian had never been a particularly emotional man(at least not in the tearful sense), though that didn't stop the tightness from forming in his throat as he stared out the window at his kingdom.
He blinked rapidly.
"You are upset, your Majesty."
Caspian didn't even flinch. He seemed to remember locking his chamber door, but when had a silly thing like a lock ever stopped the great cat of Narnia?
"No. But I feel...empty," he replied, voice thick. He swallowed and cleared his throat quickly.
"There is no need to be ashamed. It appears that in your short acquaintance, you grew quite attached to the Gentle Queen." Aslan frowned. "I must confess I never thought something like this would happen."
The Telmarine King shrugged.
"It's already in the past. She's gone."
"Forgive me," said the old lion sadly, and those big amber eyes looked very sympathetic. "I thought it for the best."
"I am sure you had good reason," replied Caspian calmly, though he did feel slightly bitter on the inside.
Still, who was he to question Aslan's wishes?
"I did," said Aslan simply.
There was a long pause in which Caspian regarded the window once more.
Then--
"I cannot undo what has been done, but perhaps I can do something."
Caspian looked at the feline with wariness.
"I could give you the opportunity to meet her in your dreams, this night," said Aslan.
The color drained from Caspian's face at the thought. He was no fool, he had heard the lion's words quite clearly: This night. As in one night. One.
"I...I do not think I could bear it," he managed. What was the point in torturing himself and Susan as well? It would be a wonderful thing, to spend one last time with her, but in the end it would only make things that much worse.
No, moving on would be hard enough without an extra night together.
"Very well," stated Aslan, bowing his shaggy head briefly. He did not look mad, but Caspian bit the inside of his lip, hoping he had not offended by refusing his offer.
Aslan smiled at the King's worry.
"A wise decision," he said, but then his face turned more serious, almost grave. "I hate to relay my next words when the wounds of loss are still so fresh, but you are a king, Caspian, and as such you will one day need an heir.
"I know."
"Grieving is natural, but it will not do to dwell on what is past and cannot be."
"I can never forget her," replied Caspian firmly, eyeing Aslan levelly. The great cat did not move or yell or even look angry. He could not have looked more sorry for the king, nor more impressed by his resolve.
"I am not asking you to forget her, merely that you understand that as king, you will be expected to take a wife."
A pause.
Eyes locked.
Caspian swallowed again and straightened.
"I mean you no disrespect, Aslan, but you must understand that while I accept this responsibility and accept that I must take a wife, that while I will love her and give her my children, my heart will always belong to High Queen Susan the Gentle, wherever she may be. Always."
His chest rose and fell as though he had just run a marathon.
A smile twitched Aslan's whiskers, and he bowed.
"I expected nothing else. You will make a fine king, Caspian, and serve your people proudly."
Said king bowed back respectfully, blinked and the great cat was gone.
Sighing, taking one last look out the window, Caspian adjusted the belt of his tunic and left the chamber to begin serving his people.
Rating: K+
Word Count: 822
Pairing/Characters: Caspian and Aslan; minor Susan/Caspian.
Genre: General
Summary: Aslan confronts Caspian after the Pevensies' final departure from Narnria. (Movie-verse)
Notes: First Narnia fanfiction from me. I have an idea for another but after that I'm not sure. Anyway this is just short, bittersweet and to the point.
He watched her retreating back disappear through the tree, looking for all the world as if she and her siblings had stepped right over the cliffside.
His jaw clenched. His legs had never ached to take him away from a place as badly as they did at that moment. He had half a mind to take up Susan's horn and call her back, but that would only serve to anger Aslan, and really, what good would it do anyway?
Besides, he was king now, King of the Telmarines, so he composed himself, stood up straighter as he watched more of his people volunteer to enter the place their ancestors had hailed from.
None of their departures stung him quite like the Pevensies.
The affair didn't take long and his body stayed rigid with pride as he nodded his people off, but inside his stomach was churning with loss as he tried to banish the memory of Susan's warm gentle lips, her delicate, soft shoulders beneath his lips as they embraced...
He thought he sensed Aslan gaze upon him a few times but never ventured to meet his eyes.
Finally, finally, an opportunity for escape presented itself and he took it immediately, heading for his chambers.
Caspian had never been a particularly emotional man(at least not in the tearful sense), though that didn't stop the tightness from forming in his throat as he stared out the window at his kingdom.
He blinked rapidly.
"You are upset, your Majesty."
Caspian didn't even flinch. He seemed to remember locking his chamber door, but when had a silly thing like a lock ever stopped the great cat of Narnia?
"No. But I feel...empty," he replied, voice thick. He swallowed and cleared his throat quickly.
"There is no need to be ashamed. It appears that in your short acquaintance, you grew quite attached to the Gentle Queen." Aslan frowned. "I must confess I never thought something like this would happen."
The Telmarine King shrugged.
"It's already in the past. She's gone."
"Forgive me," said the old lion sadly, and those big amber eyes looked very sympathetic. "I thought it for the best."
"I am sure you had good reason," replied Caspian calmly, though he did feel slightly bitter on the inside.
Still, who was he to question Aslan's wishes?
"I did," said Aslan simply.
There was a long pause in which Caspian regarded the window once more.
Then--
"I cannot undo what has been done, but perhaps I can do something."
Caspian looked at the feline with wariness.
"I could give you the opportunity to meet her in your dreams, this night," said Aslan.
The color drained from Caspian's face at the thought. He was no fool, he had heard the lion's words quite clearly: This night. As in one night. One.
"I...I do not think I could bear it," he managed. What was the point in torturing himself and Susan as well? It would be a wonderful thing, to spend one last time with her, but in the end it would only make things that much worse.
No, moving on would be hard enough without an extra night together.
"Very well," stated Aslan, bowing his shaggy head briefly. He did not look mad, but Caspian bit the inside of his lip, hoping he had not offended by refusing his offer.
Aslan smiled at the King's worry.
"A wise decision," he said, but then his face turned more serious, almost grave. "I hate to relay my next words when the wounds of loss are still so fresh, but you are a king, Caspian, and as such you will one day need an heir.
"I know."
"Grieving is natural, but it will not do to dwell on what is past and cannot be."
"I can never forget her," replied Caspian firmly, eyeing Aslan levelly. The great cat did not move or yell or even look angry. He could not have looked more sorry for the king, nor more impressed by his resolve.
"I am not asking you to forget her, merely that you understand that as king, you will be expected to take a wife."
A pause.
Eyes locked.
Caspian swallowed again and straightened.
"I mean you no disrespect, Aslan, but you must understand that while I accept this responsibility and accept that I must take a wife, that while I will love her and give her my children, my heart will always belong to High Queen Susan the Gentle, wherever she may be. Always."
His chest rose and fell as though he had just run a marathon.
A smile twitched Aslan's whiskers, and he bowed.
"I expected nothing else. You will make a fine king, Caspian, and serve your people proudly."
Said king bowed back respectfully, blinked and the great cat was gone.
Sighing, taking one last look out the window, Caspian adjusted the belt of his tunic and left the chamber to begin serving his people.