FANFIC | Of Hearts Unknown - Chapter 02
Title - Of Hearts Unknown CHAPTER TWO: Damages
Author - Kitoky
Fandom - Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Movie-Verse)
Characters/Pairings - All; Susan/Caspian
Rating - Chapter Rating: M (violence), Overall Rating: M
Status - Not Complete
Summary - It was supposed to be simple. They open the gates, draw the bridge, and infiltrate the castle. It was supposed to be simple, but not easy.
WARNING - This is basically an alternative story to Prince Caspian. It's movie!based but there are some book-mentions for background information. Chapter is rating M for a bit... more than violence.
Disclaimer - All rights go to CS Lewis, Disney, and Walden Media.
Of Hearts Unknown - Chapter Two: Damages
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..
“I don’t want you going to these parties anymore, Su.” Her brother scolded her as he walked her home. Susan was wrapped in her warmest coats and her cheeks were flushed from the midwinter air. She walked side by side with Peter and the tension was sharp and suffocating.
“What is it to you if I go? They invite me and so I go,” she snapped back, not appreciating how he was thinking he could order her around.
Peter stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and faced her, his eyes angry. “Well it’s fine if you go to some of the decent parties once in a while, but it seems like you’re always out every night. You’re out more than you’re even in and what about tonight?”
“What about tonight?” she said sharply, she brushed past him.
Peter moved along side her. “When you called, something happened. Tell me. Is it that boy? That… Jack fellow?”
“Does it matter? I called and you came to get me. Why didn’t you bring the car?” She didn’t look him in the eye.
“Mum had to take it to Aunt Muriel’s. She’s sick.” Peter answered quickly, “If he did anything---.”
“He didn’t!” she might’ve shouted or screamed or barely whispered it but Peter was taken aback. “He… I stopped him before he could.” Susan saw that all too familiar tension in his jaw line and how his nose flared. “Don’t! Don’t think you can go marching back there and defend my honor or whatever it is that you always do. Nothing happened. Let’s just go home.”
“Nothing happened this time, but what about the others? What will you do if it happens again?”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Bloody hell you can,” Peter grabbed her arm. “Did you hear yourself when you called home? You were crying and I know it. Lucy’s starting to ask why you’re out all the time and Edmund wonders too but he’s not going to be asking. Why do you go to these things, Su?” He wasn’t simply inquiring about the parties but the make up, the entire process of dollying herself up.
Susan paused when she looked at the interrogating gaze of her brother and she thought about it.
“… I don’t know,” she said finally, looking away from him.
“I think I do,” Peter said. Susan looked up and behind him she didn’t see the snow covered yards of the neighbor houses, but an elegant ballroom decorated of fine gold and red silks. She blinked but it was still there and Peter looked out of place with his old but pressed pants and shirt. “This isn’t Narnia.”
“What are you talking about?” Susan frowned and the backdrop behind Peter expanded more gloriously into their entire surrounding and it was not in the cold streets of Finchley that they were standing anymore. “Peter, what’s going on?”
Peter gave her a sympathetic look and held her by the shoulders. Figures of half human, half animals and feather light fairies of some sort danced all around them but her brother didn’t seem to notice the absurdity of it all. “I know why you’re doing this, Susan. We can never go back.”
“Back where?” she screamed hysterically, coming closer to her brother as a half goat, half human pranced near her feet. “What is going on? What is this? This isn’t real!”
“Wake up, Susan.” his voice was echoed. “This isn’t Narnia anymore. You’ve got to wake up. Wake up.”
“Wake up!”
Susan could feel the air being knocked out of her as a Telmarine kicked her sharply in the stomach. “Argh,” she let out a groan.
“Good morning,” a cheerful voice greeted her. “Or rather… Good afternoon, as it were.”
She looked up and a sharp pain lurched through her neck. Susan moved her hand to grasp at her neck but found that she could not and the sounds of chains met her ears. She looked around her and saw that she was sitting on the floor of a dirty stone cell and both hands were hanging limply from chains from the wall above her.
“I can only play for a short while so here goes,” the man stood straight in front of her and some of his men flanked him, observing her quietly. “Who are you? Why are you fighting for the Narnians and where is their base located?”
Susan remained silent, taking her time in observing the Telmarine before her. He held himself arrogantly despite how small statured he really was. He was barely even Peter’s height. Another blow to her stomach caused her to cry out again while soldiers grabbed both her arms and held her up against the wall.
“No answer?” the man questioned, folding his arms. “I apologize, I forgot to go over the rules of play. I ask questions. You answer them, truthfully.”
“I don’t quite like this game,” Susan muttered. She flinched as another blow was given, this time to her face.
“Fouls are given for every answer I don’t like,” he said cheekily. Susan tried not to concentrate on how numbing her cheek felt after the slap in the face. He watched her to see if she would have a change of heart and would answer his questions. “I see. Perhaps a little incentive?”
He waved to one of his men, who nodded and left the cell promptly to retrieve something. Upon his return, he threw the Leopard at her feet. He was tied, both front and hind legs together and his jaw was clamped shut by a rope. It was the Leopard that went after her into the castle. His eyes peered up to her and she shook her head at him when she saw that he had tried to mutter a formality.
“The legs were a necessity. The mouth, well… we just hate talking animals.” Susan glared up at him, and the man seemed pleased to have an actual reaction. “So are you ready to talk?”
She said nothing, but looked down at the Leopard. Golden eyes pleaded up to her not to give in.
“No answer is punishable as well.” She heard and the Telmarine motioned again. She blinked until she saw that a soldier had loaded his crossbow and pointed it at the Leopard.
“No!” she lunged forward but was held back by strong arms and the heavy chains.
“We won’t kill him if you just tell us where the Narnians are.” He smirked, “We’ll pretend that you’re not a Telmarine traitor, just tell us where they are.”
Susan looked down at he Leopard once more, who had shrunk back at the threat of the arrow.
“There are…. Ruins,” Susan began to say, and the Leopard gazed at her wide-eyed in disappointment. “Near the eastern sea coast. It used to be the royal castle of the old rulers of Narnia.”
“Those ruins are bare and open,” he scowled. “No army would build up there. My men would have scouted them out already.”
“Not at the ruins,” she swallowed, her eyes focused on the Leopard’s who had since realized what she was doing. “There’s a cave beneath the ruins on the beach.”
She could feel his eyes searching her face and she gave him a hard look just to give her story some weight.
Finally, he nodded seemingly satisfied and made a motion for the guards to release her. “Kill the animal.”
“No, don’t!” She cried but it was too late, the arrow pierced through the Leopard’s shoulder and struck his heart. “You liar!” She screamed at him, pulling at her chains.
“I made this game,” he smirked at her. “The rules tend to change. Thank you for playing.”
He turned to leave and his men followed him. Two of them picked up the Leopard roughly to discard. Susan was mute watching the movements with disbelief. The look on the Leopard’s face playing over and over in her mind which reminded her of the fateful night at the Stone Table so long ago. It would take them a good day without rest to get to Cair Paravel, and once they get there… she might as well sing her prayers now.
~*~*~*~
They arrived finally to the How after a full night’s journey and Peter had hardly spoken a word to him. Peter and Edmund explained the situation with Queen Susan to Queen Lucy who had taken it hard. Caspian didn’t have the courage to face the youngest Queen and had decided that avoiding her entirely would be for the best.
But the young prince soon learned that avoiding the young Queen was not so easy.
“Caspian, there you are!” Lucy ambled towards him and he was so afraid what she might do to him that he could’ve risked taking a tumble down the side of the How. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Y-your Majesty,” he gulped. “I must apologize for causing---.”
“Oh, stop that rubbish, Caspian,” Lucy cut him off and he was really starting to get irritated that the Kings and Queens always seemed to do that. “No one’s blaming you for what happened to Susan.”
Caspian just gave her a look.
“Okay well… Peter’s like that, he always wants someone to blame. But Edmund doesn’t really believe that you could’ve stopped it.”
“And the Narnians?”
“Well, they don’t exactly know what happened.” Lucy said and shrugged, “I don’t even know for that matter but I’m sure you didn’t mean for her to get captured. I just hope she’s all right.”
Caspian was tempted to voice his doubts but even then, it probably would not have dampened the small queen’s spirits. He grasped at the protruding rock near where he sat. “It is my fault though,” he said.
Lucy gave him a questioning look and plopped herself down next to him. “What happened in there?”
“At which part?” Caspian gasped, and pulled a bit of the grass that grew between the cracks of the stone, “The part where I messed up or the part where I messed up?” He shook his head and threw the grass. “It’s what I do… mess up. I can’t do anything right. Now Queen Susan might be…” he didn’t finish the thought, feeling his throat constrict and his heart wrench.
He peered over to her and noticed she was giving him an expecting look and he realized he didn’t answer her question. “I’m sorry,” he said and looked down. “… I… the gate was closing and Peter had called for everyone to pull back. Beforehand, I had went to release my professor from his prison cell and I had to go back for him to get him out. I should have made sure Queen Susan got out before I went to get Professor Cornelius.”
“So you barely made it out in time? I heard the gate collapsed almost instantly after Peter went through with the horse you brought out for him.” Lucy asked. Caspian nodded, swallowing. “Well there you go then, it’s not your fault.”
Caspian looked at her, thoroughly confused. “Your Majesty?”
“If you had stopped to worry about Su, you and Peter and your professor wouldn’t have been able to make it out and you all would have been trapped in there just like Susan.” said Lucy, nodding at her own logic. Susan wasn’t the only one who can reasonable. “Susan would hate to think that you were all too busy looking after her that you got yourselves all captured.”
He stood up suddenly, an absurd idea springing to his mind. “Caspian?” inquired Lucy, who also stood.
“I can get her out,” he said with great confidence. “That’s it, I can get her out.”
“What do you mean? How?”
Caspian did not answer her, just held her by her arms to excuse himself past her back into the How to fetch his loyal Destrier.
He would give Miraz what he wanted to ensure Susan’s safety.
~*~*~*~
“We could try doing another raid… except not a raid, more of a rescue mission,” Edmund suggested awkwardly from his spot on the Stone Table. “We won’t need as many men and it should be a quick in and out, just for Susan.”
Peter shook his head, leaning his knuckles against the Table. “No, Miraz has probably tripled the guards now so we’d actually need more men.”
Nikabrik sauntered over from his corner with Bulgy the Bear. “I find it all very flattering to the Queen that you all seem to think she’s still alive. You don’t know the Telmarines at all, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her the instant they laid eyes on her.” He said. “There’s no use risking more of us for someone who may already be dead.”
“She’s not just someone,” Peter glared at the insolent dwarf. “She’s your Queen and it’s about time you showed some concern.”
“Don’t hold your breath, My King,” Reepicheep spoke up. “His old allegiances die hard.”
Nikabrik growled, “Why you---.”
“Enough!” Edmund yelled, exasperated. “Do we want to get Susan out or not? Because arguing amongst ourselves isn’t going to magically break her out of that fortress.”
“If I may, Your Majesties,” Reepicheep said, standing on his legs. “Perhaps if I and a few of my fellow Mice snuck into the castle again to see if My Queen is still with us?”
“All right,” Peter nodded. “But I want you to ride with a Gryphon there and back. It’ll save us some time, who knows when it’ll be before Miraz discovers we’re here.”
The Mice bowed their respects but the one Gryphon that accompanied them in the war room flapped its wings in displeasure at the idea of carrying Mice. Peter was seconds before dismissing the meeting when Lucy and Cornelius came barreling into the room in a fury.
“Peter!” she cried, Cornelius not far behind her.
“What is it, Lu?”
“It’s Caspian, he’s gone!” she said.
“What?” said Peter. “Gone where?”
“Back to Miraz’s castle,” answered Cornelius. “He insists that he may trade in his own life for the Queen’s safety.”
Peter turned to look at Edmund.
“I’m going to kill him.”
~*~*~*~
Caspian tried to ignore how cold night the night wind brushed against his ears, making it feel as though there was a winter frost. Destrier was topping full speed as Caspian had ever seen him and he himself was anxious to get to the castle. He can buy Queen Susan’s safety. Miraz wanted him and he could bargain with himself for her release. Caspian bit down hard.
This would mean that he would die.
It is an honorable death, he told himself and steered Destrier to dodge the roots and fallen trees. Queen Susan was captured because of his own carelessness. He just hoped that it wasn’t too late. Earlier in his drive to help to Narnians, he would have been too afraid to face Miraz and submit to death but he would do so now. It’s funny to think that he would have been willing to kill his own uncle for his father, and now he will die by Miraz’s hands for Queen Susan.
A large snap was heard behind them and Caspian soon heard the beating of horse hooves. Lots of them. Telmarines, Caspian thought. He had to get to the castle to buy his time and get Miraz’s attention to make the deal. If the Telmarines captured him now, they would be more than willing to slice his throat and present his head to Miraz thereby being no use to the Queen at all.
“Hyah,” Caspian kicked Destrier harder and they flew into a wind breaking speed. He felt his cloak flutter behind him almost masking the noise of the hooves.
Suddenly, a heavy load landed before them and Destrier jerked to a stop and reared up on his hind legs. “Woah, boy,” Caspian cried, urging Destrier back on his fore legs. The horse obeyed but anxiously galloped in uneasy circles. The Telmarine prince looked up to see that it was a Gryphon that dove through the open branches of the trees and blocked their path to the river.
On its back was a livid King Peter of Old.
“What do you think you’re doing?” The High King yelled, not bothering to care if they were heard.
Caspian gulped and braced himself, “I would think that would be obvious. I’m going to Miraz.”
“And get yourself killed? You’ll die!” Peter urged the Gryphon closer to the frightened horse who had only two paths, forward and back. Caspian heard the hooves getting closer and closer to them and he turned to see King Edmund upon a horse and three other centaurs.
“I had rather counted on that,” Caspian bit back.
This only made Peter more angry, “How more incredibly impulsive and stupid can you get?”
“Sound familiar, Peter?” Edmund said from behind.
“Shut up,” Peter snapped and turned back to Caspian, “If you want to go die, do it on your accord but don’t do it to save my sister. I won’t have your meaningless death on her shoulders or on mine. I have enough of them already.”
“It’s not meaningless,” Caspian cried. “If I can exchange my life for Queen Su---”
“You won’t.” Peter grinded. “You can’t mean to tell me that you actually think that Miraz would exchange a Queen of Old for you. Even if he agrees, he would strike both you and Susan down before they even let her take a step outside the doors.”
Caspian fell silent. He had suspected that, but he had to try. He had to try for Susan. There were noises that could be heard from a distance, loud noises like marching. Peter peered past Caspian and nodded for the centaurs to check it out.
“You’re going back with us, Caspian.”
“No,” the prince refused. “I won’t. I’ve got to try at least.”
“Trying only works if there’s a possibility of succeeding. You don’t have a chance, Caspian.” Peter said. “Now turn around and go back to the How.”
“No,” repeated Caspian and he steered Destrier to move around the Gryphon. The Gryphon instantly spread its wings to scare the steed back. “Why does it seem like I’m more concerned about rescuing your sister than you are?” It was a cheap jab, Caspian knew.
If Edmund ever thought that Peter could not have looked angrier, he was wrong. He was very, very wrong.
“You don’t think I care about what happens to Su?” he bit out, barely been able to be heard. “I’m worried sick about her and if you actually worked with us since we got back to the How instead of avoiding everyone, you’d know that. Now I won’t say it again, go back.”
Caspian straightened his back upon his saddle, “No.”
“Then you leave me no choice.” Peter unsheathed the sword at his side. Caspian was prepared to grab his own until he felt weight dropping down on him.
“Forgive me, Telmarine.” Reepicheep cried before swiping sharply at the hand that held onto Destrier’s reins causing Caspian to let go. His fellow Mice had dropped to the ground and began spooking the horse into a fright.
Caspian and the good Knight simultaneously proceeded to tumble off the horse as Destrier reared back on his hind legs again from the scurrying of Mice at his feet. Before Caspian could scramble up however, the Gryphon, Gibri, that dropped the Mice at the High King’s signal, grabbed him securely by his brigadine and flew up hovering slightly off the ground.
“Take him back to the How, Gibri,” Peter said, who had climbed off his Gryphon and took a hold of Destrier’s reins. “It’s time you learned how to look at the bigger picture, Caspian. Your life is not your own anymore. Once you swear yourself to Narnia, you belong to the Narnians.”
Caspian said nothing and slumped in utter defeat from being suspended so far off the ground. He prepared himself for an anxious flight back.
Peter watched until Gibri and Caspian disappeared over the treetops and made an effort to mount and calm the horse. “Reep, take your men and get to Miraz’s castle. I want to know if she’s all right. Erphus will take you.”
Reepicheep turned to peer at the Gryphon that was still with them and gave it a respectful bow.
“We hope to return with good news, My King,” Reepicheep said and placed his rapier back through his belt. He motioned for his fellow Mice to climb onto Erphus who took off immediately.
Edmund and his horse made their way to stand beside Peter as he muttered, “I hope so…”
“You really are too hard on him, you know,” Edmund said conversationally. “He’s trying.”
“He’s trying to do all the wrong things.” Peter mumbled.
“You weren’t exactly the perfect King when we first came here, either you know.” His brother said, “You might want to think about that. I find it admirable that he would die for Su.”
Peter sighed and shook his head. “As ridiculous as this may sound, I think that was one of the more idiotic qualities all her old suitors had.” They both laughed, and Peter groaned.
“What?” asked Edmund.
“I don’t like to think that Caspian’s going to be Susan’s next suitor. We’ve only been here a few days and it seems like she’s got them lined up already.”
“That’s our Su,” said Edmund, grinning at the apparent pain his brother was displaying.
“Yes, it is.” Peter agreed.
The centaurs broke through from behind the trees as they returned from investigating the noise.
“What is it?” Peter asked, “Anything we need to be concerned about?”
“It depends, Sire.” Talbit said, gesturing in the direction they had come. “It is a good portion of the Telmarine Army, My King. They seem to be heading South East.”
“South East?” Peter questioned, “Where could they be headed…”
“Cair Paravel.” Edmund answered. “Susan must have led them away from the How.”
“She may still be alive, yet.” Peter grinned. “Come on. She’s just bought us an immense amount of time. Thank you, men.” The centaurs bowed. “Let’s go.”
The group rode off into the night.
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.
End Chapter 02
Caspian's just not doing too well here. 0 for 3.
Author - Kitoky
Fandom - Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Movie-Verse)
Characters/Pairings - All; Susan/Caspian
Rating - Chapter Rating: M (violence), Overall Rating: M
Status - Not Complete
Summary - It was supposed to be simple. They open the gates, draw the bridge, and infiltrate the castle. It was supposed to be simple, but not easy.
WARNING - This is basically an alternative story to Prince Caspian. It's movie!based but there are some book-mentions for background information. Chapter is rating M for a bit... more than violence.
Disclaimer - All rights go to CS Lewis, Disney, and Walden Media.
Of Hearts Unknown - Chapter Two: Damages
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..
“I don’t want you going to these parties anymore, Su.” Her brother scolded her as he walked her home. Susan was wrapped in her warmest coats and her cheeks were flushed from the midwinter air. She walked side by side with Peter and the tension was sharp and suffocating.
“What is it to you if I go? They invite me and so I go,” she snapped back, not appreciating how he was thinking he could order her around.
Peter stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and faced her, his eyes angry. “Well it’s fine if you go to some of the decent parties once in a while, but it seems like you’re always out every night. You’re out more than you’re even in and what about tonight?”
“What about tonight?” she said sharply, she brushed past him.
Peter moved along side her. “When you called, something happened. Tell me. Is it that boy? That… Jack fellow?”
“Does it matter? I called and you came to get me. Why didn’t you bring the car?” She didn’t look him in the eye.
“Mum had to take it to Aunt Muriel’s. She’s sick.” Peter answered quickly, “If he did anything---.”
“He didn’t!” she might’ve shouted or screamed or barely whispered it but Peter was taken aback. “He… I stopped him before he could.” Susan saw that all too familiar tension in his jaw line and how his nose flared. “Don’t! Don’t think you can go marching back there and defend my honor or whatever it is that you always do. Nothing happened. Let’s just go home.”
“Nothing happened this time, but what about the others? What will you do if it happens again?”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Bloody hell you can,” Peter grabbed her arm. “Did you hear yourself when you called home? You were crying and I know it. Lucy’s starting to ask why you’re out all the time and Edmund wonders too but he’s not going to be asking. Why do you go to these things, Su?” He wasn’t simply inquiring about the parties but the make up, the entire process of dollying herself up.
Susan paused when she looked at the interrogating gaze of her brother and she thought about it.
“… I don’t know,” she said finally, looking away from him.
“I think I do,” Peter said. Susan looked up and behind him she didn’t see the snow covered yards of the neighbor houses, but an elegant ballroom decorated of fine gold and red silks. She blinked but it was still there and Peter looked out of place with his old but pressed pants and shirt. “This isn’t Narnia.”
“What are you talking about?” Susan frowned and the backdrop behind Peter expanded more gloriously into their entire surrounding and it was not in the cold streets of Finchley that they were standing anymore. “Peter, what’s going on?”
Peter gave her a sympathetic look and held her by the shoulders. Figures of half human, half animals and feather light fairies of some sort danced all around them but her brother didn’t seem to notice the absurdity of it all. “I know why you’re doing this, Susan. We can never go back.”
“Back where?” she screamed hysterically, coming closer to her brother as a half goat, half human pranced near her feet. “What is going on? What is this? This isn’t real!”
“Wake up, Susan.” his voice was echoed. “This isn’t Narnia anymore. You’ve got to wake up. Wake up.”
“Wake up!”
Susan could feel the air being knocked out of her as a Telmarine kicked her sharply in the stomach. “Argh,” she let out a groan.
“Good morning,” a cheerful voice greeted her. “Or rather… Good afternoon, as it were.”
She looked up and a sharp pain lurched through her neck. Susan moved her hand to grasp at her neck but found that she could not and the sounds of chains met her ears. She looked around her and saw that she was sitting on the floor of a dirty stone cell and both hands were hanging limply from chains from the wall above her.
“I can only play for a short while so here goes,” the man stood straight in front of her and some of his men flanked him, observing her quietly. “Who are you? Why are you fighting for the Narnians and where is their base located?”
Susan remained silent, taking her time in observing the Telmarine before her. He held himself arrogantly despite how small statured he really was. He was barely even Peter’s height. Another blow to her stomach caused her to cry out again while soldiers grabbed both her arms and held her up against the wall.
“No answer?” the man questioned, folding his arms. “I apologize, I forgot to go over the rules of play. I ask questions. You answer them, truthfully.”
“I don’t quite like this game,” Susan muttered. She flinched as another blow was given, this time to her face.
“Fouls are given for every answer I don’t like,” he said cheekily. Susan tried not to concentrate on how numbing her cheek felt after the slap in the face. He watched her to see if she would have a change of heart and would answer his questions. “I see. Perhaps a little incentive?”
He waved to one of his men, who nodded and left the cell promptly to retrieve something. Upon his return, he threw the Leopard at her feet. He was tied, both front and hind legs together and his jaw was clamped shut by a rope. It was the Leopard that went after her into the castle. His eyes peered up to her and she shook her head at him when she saw that he had tried to mutter a formality.
“The legs were a necessity. The mouth, well… we just hate talking animals.” Susan glared up at him, and the man seemed pleased to have an actual reaction. “So are you ready to talk?”
She said nothing, but looked down at the Leopard. Golden eyes pleaded up to her not to give in.
“No answer is punishable as well.” She heard and the Telmarine motioned again. She blinked until she saw that a soldier had loaded his crossbow and pointed it at the Leopard.
“No!” she lunged forward but was held back by strong arms and the heavy chains.
“We won’t kill him if you just tell us where the Narnians are.” He smirked, “We’ll pretend that you’re not a Telmarine traitor, just tell us where they are.”
Susan looked down at he Leopard once more, who had shrunk back at the threat of the arrow.
“There are…. Ruins,” Susan began to say, and the Leopard gazed at her wide-eyed in disappointment. “Near the eastern sea coast. It used to be the royal castle of the old rulers of Narnia.”
“Those ruins are bare and open,” he scowled. “No army would build up there. My men would have scouted them out already.”
“Not at the ruins,” she swallowed, her eyes focused on the Leopard’s who had since realized what she was doing. “There’s a cave beneath the ruins on the beach.”
She could feel his eyes searching her face and she gave him a hard look just to give her story some weight.
Finally, he nodded seemingly satisfied and made a motion for the guards to release her. “Kill the animal.”
“No, don’t!” She cried but it was too late, the arrow pierced through the Leopard’s shoulder and struck his heart. “You liar!” She screamed at him, pulling at her chains.
“I made this game,” he smirked at her. “The rules tend to change. Thank you for playing.”
He turned to leave and his men followed him. Two of them picked up the Leopard roughly to discard. Susan was mute watching the movements with disbelief. The look on the Leopard’s face playing over and over in her mind which reminded her of the fateful night at the Stone Table so long ago. It would take them a good day without rest to get to Cair Paravel, and once they get there… she might as well sing her prayers now.
~*~*~*~
They arrived finally to the How after a full night’s journey and Peter had hardly spoken a word to him. Peter and Edmund explained the situation with Queen Susan to Queen Lucy who had taken it hard. Caspian didn’t have the courage to face the youngest Queen and had decided that avoiding her entirely would be for the best.
But the young prince soon learned that avoiding the young Queen was not so easy.
“Caspian, there you are!” Lucy ambled towards him and he was so afraid what she might do to him that he could’ve risked taking a tumble down the side of the How. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Y-your Majesty,” he gulped. “I must apologize for causing---.”
“Oh, stop that rubbish, Caspian,” Lucy cut him off and he was really starting to get irritated that the Kings and Queens always seemed to do that. “No one’s blaming you for what happened to Susan.”
Caspian just gave her a look.
“Okay well… Peter’s like that, he always wants someone to blame. But Edmund doesn’t really believe that you could’ve stopped it.”
“And the Narnians?”
“Well, they don’t exactly know what happened.” Lucy said and shrugged, “I don’t even know for that matter but I’m sure you didn’t mean for her to get captured. I just hope she’s all right.”
Caspian was tempted to voice his doubts but even then, it probably would not have dampened the small queen’s spirits. He grasped at the protruding rock near where he sat. “It is my fault though,” he said.
Lucy gave him a questioning look and plopped herself down next to him. “What happened in there?”
“At which part?” Caspian gasped, and pulled a bit of the grass that grew between the cracks of the stone, “The part where I messed up or the part where I messed up?” He shook his head and threw the grass. “It’s what I do… mess up. I can’t do anything right. Now Queen Susan might be…” he didn’t finish the thought, feeling his throat constrict and his heart wrench.
He peered over to her and noticed she was giving him an expecting look and he realized he didn’t answer her question. “I’m sorry,” he said and looked down. “… I… the gate was closing and Peter had called for everyone to pull back. Beforehand, I had went to release my professor from his prison cell and I had to go back for him to get him out. I should have made sure Queen Susan got out before I went to get Professor Cornelius.”
“So you barely made it out in time? I heard the gate collapsed almost instantly after Peter went through with the horse you brought out for him.” Lucy asked. Caspian nodded, swallowing. “Well there you go then, it’s not your fault.”
Caspian looked at her, thoroughly confused. “Your Majesty?”
“If you had stopped to worry about Su, you and Peter and your professor wouldn’t have been able to make it out and you all would have been trapped in there just like Susan.” said Lucy, nodding at her own logic. Susan wasn’t the only one who can reasonable. “Susan would hate to think that you were all too busy looking after her that you got yourselves all captured.”
He stood up suddenly, an absurd idea springing to his mind. “Caspian?” inquired Lucy, who also stood.
“I can get her out,” he said with great confidence. “That’s it, I can get her out.”
“What do you mean? How?”
Caspian did not answer her, just held her by her arms to excuse himself past her back into the How to fetch his loyal Destrier.
He would give Miraz what he wanted to ensure Susan’s safety.
~*~*~*~
“We could try doing another raid… except not a raid, more of a rescue mission,” Edmund suggested awkwardly from his spot on the Stone Table. “We won’t need as many men and it should be a quick in and out, just for Susan.”
Peter shook his head, leaning his knuckles against the Table. “No, Miraz has probably tripled the guards now so we’d actually need more men.”
Nikabrik sauntered over from his corner with Bulgy the Bear. “I find it all very flattering to the Queen that you all seem to think she’s still alive. You don’t know the Telmarines at all, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her the instant they laid eyes on her.” He said. “There’s no use risking more of us for someone who may already be dead.”
“She’s not just someone,” Peter glared at the insolent dwarf. “She’s your Queen and it’s about time you showed some concern.”
“Don’t hold your breath, My King,” Reepicheep spoke up. “His old allegiances die hard.”
Nikabrik growled, “Why you---.”
“Enough!” Edmund yelled, exasperated. “Do we want to get Susan out or not? Because arguing amongst ourselves isn’t going to magically break her out of that fortress.”
“If I may, Your Majesties,” Reepicheep said, standing on his legs. “Perhaps if I and a few of my fellow Mice snuck into the castle again to see if My Queen is still with us?”
“All right,” Peter nodded. “But I want you to ride with a Gryphon there and back. It’ll save us some time, who knows when it’ll be before Miraz discovers we’re here.”
The Mice bowed their respects but the one Gryphon that accompanied them in the war room flapped its wings in displeasure at the idea of carrying Mice. Peter was seconds before dismissing the meeting when Lucy and Cornelius came barreling into the room in a fury.
“Peter!” she cried, Cornelius not far behind her.
“What is it, Lu?”
“It’s Caspian, he’s gone!” she said.
“What?” said Peter. “Gone where?”
“Back to Miraz’s castle,” answered Cornelius. “He insists that he may trade in his own life for the Queen’s safety.”
Peter turned to look at Edmund.
“I’m going to kill him.”
~*~*~*~
Caspian tried to ignore how cold night the night wind brushed against his ears, making it feel as though there was a winter frost. Destrier was topping full speed as Caspian had ever seen him and he himself was anxious to get to the castle. He can buy Queen Susan’s safety. Miraz wanted him and he could bargain with himself for her release. Caspian bit down hard.
This would mean that he would die.
It is an honorable death, he told himself and steered Destrier to dodge the roots and fallen trees. Queen Susan was captured because of his own carelessness. He just hoped that it wasn’t too late. Earlier in his drive to help to Narnians, he would have been too afraid to face Miraz and submit to death but he would do so now. It’s funny to think that he would have been willing to kill his own uncle for his father, and now he will die by Miraz’s hands for Queen Susan.
A large snap was heard behind them and Caspian soon heard the beating of horse hooves. Lots of them. Telmarines, Caspian thought. He had to get to the castle to buy his time and get Miraz’s attention to make the deal. If the Telmarines captured him now, they would be more than willing to slice his throat and present his head to Miraz thereby being no use to the Queen at all.
“Hyah,” Caspian kicked Destrier harder and they flew into a wind breaking speed. He felt his cloak flutter behind him almost masking the noise of the hooves.
Suddenly, a heavy load landed before them and Destrier jerked to a stop and reared up on his hind legs. “Woah, boy,” Caspian cried, urging Destrier back on his fore legs. The horse obeyed but anxiously galloped in uneasy circles. The Telmarine prince looked up to see that it was a Gryphon that dove through the open branches of the trees and blocked their path to the river.
On its back was a livid King Peter of Old.
“What do you think you’re doing?” The High King yelled, not bothering to care if they were heard.
Caspian gulped and braced himself, “I would think that would be obvious. I’m going to Miraz.”
“And get yourself killed? You’ll die!” Peter urged the Gryphon closer to the frightened horse who had only two paths, forward and back. Caspian heard the hooves getting closer and closer to them and he turned to see King Edmund upon a horse and three other centaurs.
“I had rather counted on that,” Caspian bit back.
This only made Peter more angry, “How more incredibly impulsive and stupid can you get?”
“Sound familiar, Peter?” Edmund said from behind.
“Shut up,” Peter snapped and turned back to Caspian, “If you want to go die, do it on your accord but don’t do it to save my sister. I won’t have your meaningless death on her shoulders or on mine. I have enough of them already.”
“It’s not meaningless,” Caspian cried. “If I can exchange my life for Queen Su---”
“You won’t.” Peter grinded. “You can’t mean to tell me that you actually think that Miraz would exchange a Queen of Old for you. Even if he agrees, he would strike both you and Susan down before they even let her take a step outside the doors.”
Caspian fell silent. He had suspected that, but he had to try. He had to try for Susan. There were noises that could be heard from a distance, loud noises like marching. Peter peered past Caspian and nodded for the centaurs to check it out.
“You’re going back with us, Caspian.”
“No,” the prince refused. “I won’t. I’ve got to try at least.”
“Trying only works if there’s a possibility of succeeding. You don’t have a chance, Caspian.” Peter said. “Now turn around and go back to the How.”
“No,” repeated Caspian and he steered Destrier to move around the Gryphon. The Gryphon instantly spread its wings to scare the steed back. “Why does it seem like I’m more concerned about rescuing your sister than you are?” It was a cheap jab, Caspian knew.
If Edmund ever thought that Peter could not have looked angrier, he was wrong. He was very, very wrong.
“You don’t think I care about what happens to Su?” he bit out, barely been able to be heard. “I’m worried sick about her and if you actually worked with us since we got back to the How instead of avoiding everyone, you’d know that. Now I won’t say it again, go back.”
Caspian straightened his back upon his saddle, “No.”
“Then you leave me no choice.” Peter unsheathed the sword at his side. Caspian was prepared to grab his own until he felt weight dropping down on him.
“Forgive me, Telmarine.” Reepicheep cried before swiping sharply at the hand that held onto Destrier’s reins causing Caspian to let go. His fellow Mice had dropped to the ground and began spooking the horse into a fright.
Caspian and the good Knight simultaneously proceeded to tumble off the horse as Destrier reared back on his hind legs again from the scurrying of Mice at his feet. Before Caspian could scramble up however, the Gryphon, Gibri, that dropped the Mice at the High King’s signal, grabbed him securely by his brigadine and flew up hovering slightly off the ground.
“Take him back to the How, Gibri,” Peter said, who had climbed off his Gryphon and took a hold of Destrier’s reins. “It’s time you learned how to look at the bigger picture, Caspian. Your life is not your own anymore. Once you swear yourself to Narnia, you belong to the Narnians.”
Caspian said nothing and slumped in utter defeat from being suspended so far off the ground. He prepared himself for an anxious flight back.
Peter watched until Gibri and Caspian disappeared over the treetops and made an effort to mount and calm the horse. “Reep, take your men and get to Miraz’s castle. I want to know if she’s all right. Erphus will take you.”
Reepicheep turned to peer at the Gryphon that was still with them and gave it a respectful bow.
“We hope to return with good news, My King,” Reepicheep said and placed his rapier back through his belt. He motioned for his fellow Mice to climb onto Erphus who took off immediately.
Edmund and his horse made their way to stand beside Peter as he muttered, “I hope so…”
“You really are too hard on him, you know,” Edmund said conversationally. “He’s trying.”
“He’s trying to do all the wrong things.” Peter mumbled.
“You weren’t exactly the perfect King when we first came here, either you know.” His brother said, “You might want to think about that. I find it admirable that he would die for Su.”
Peter sighed and shook his head. “As ridiculous as this may sound, I think that was one of the more idiotic qualities all her old suitors had.” They both laughed, and Peter groaned.
“What?” asked Edmund.
“I don’t like to think that Caspian’s going to be Susan’s next suitor. We’ve only been here a few days and it seems like she’s got them lined up already.”
“That’s our Su,” said Edmund, grinning at the apparent pain his brother was displaying.
“Yes, it is.” Peter agreed.
The centaurs broke through from behind the trees as they returned from investigating the noise.
“What is it?” Peter asked, “Anything we need to be concerned about?”
“It depends, Sire.” Talbit said, gesturing in the direction they had come. “It is a good portion of the Telmarine Army, My King. They seem to be heading South East.”
“South East?” Peter questioned, “Where could they be headed…”
“Cair Paravel.” Edmund answered. “Susan must have led them away from the How.”
“She may still be alive, yet.” Peter grinned. “Come on. She’s just bought us an immense amount of time. Thank you, men.” The centaurs bowed. “Let’s go.”
The group rode off into the night.
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.
End Chapter 02
Caspian's just not doing too well here. 0 for 3.