The King and the Girl

Chapter 2

After Aslan had gone, Caspian had given you a dress that was unlike anything you had ever seen before. It was so simple, yet elegant. After he left, you slipped out of your jeans, tee-shirt, and cardigan and managed to put on the dress without difficulty. You looked at yourself in the large mirror in the corner and realized just how much your favorite color had complimented your skin. You smiled and smoothed the dress a little before deciding that you still had to learn a lot.

You stepped out of the door from your bedroom to find Caspian a little ways down the enormous stone walkway. He turned to face you and gave you a smile before thanking whomever he was talking to and walking back toward you.

"Caspian, you don't have to-"

"____, my job as King is very important, but that was not a conversation about that." He reached out and grabbed your hand, lightly kissing your knuckles before standing tall and holding his arm out to you. You smiled and looped your arm through his. You'd read enough about this setting to know a few of the customs. How to walk straight, speak clearly, you felt like you were inside of one of your fairy tales.

"Caspian, where are we going?" You asked as he began to lead you out of the castle.

"There's something I think you need to see." He said, still smiling as people you walked past waved or even lightly bowed. He lead you to the opposite side of the garden in the back of the castle. You quietly followed him, wondering what he could possibly be hiding out here.

You came up to the largest oak tree you had ever seen. Actually, it looked to be two trees that had grown against a large boulder and twisted together at the top of it, holding the boulder in place. You gasped at how beautiful it looked as Caspian watched you stepping closer to read what was on the boulder.

"Here is where the Great Kings and Queens of our time had returned to their world. We shall always remember their kindness and their fierce protection against those that would choose to extinguish the great magic of Narnia. We shall strive to follow their example for the love of others and protect those who cannot protect themselves."

You turned to Caspian, looking a little confused. "What is this place?"

"This." He pointed at the words on what you were now assuming was a monument. "Is where the Great Kings and Queens of Narnia had left us to prove that they were ready to return to their world without fear. A few days after they left, this boulder appeared in the archway of the trees. It serves as a reminder to those who visit that no matter what may happen, someone is always willing to help you." You noticed that he was no longer holding his hands politely behind his back. Something he had done since the moment you had woken up.

"But I don't understand what this has to do with me? I'm just a girl who loves to read. I couldn't protect anyone, even if I weren't too terrified to speak up." You sat on a nearby bench and felt your shoulders slump. Caspian walked over and sat beside you, placing a hand on your shoulder in comfort.

"____, it will be alright, we just take one breath at a time, one moment at a time, and the picture becomes clear over time. I've learned when it comes to Aslan, the best thing to do is trust him. He may be a little intimidating, but he's really got everyone's best interest at heart."

You nodded and took a deep breath before looking up at Caspian again. "So who are these 'Great Kings and Queens' and where are they now?" You asked curiously.

Caspian spent the rest of the afternoon telling you about the Pevinsy's and their adventures throughout Narnia. He told you how he fit into the story, and just about any other detail that he knew about the family. You nodded, listening along intently and trying to think of what your role might fit into the story. If it did at all. Before you knew it, he had finished telling you of the Kings and Queens. You sighed as he finished, and leaned back on your hands while looking up at the sun beginning to fall behind the horizon.

Caspian watched the sun fall with you, and as it finished fading from view, he sighed and suddenly you felt his hand brush against yours. You both quickly pulled your hands away and you felt a slight blush on your cheeks.

"I'm sorry." He said, embarrassed, as he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "We should probably head back. I'm sure Reepicheep is tearing up the entire castle looking for us by now."

You nodded, and slowly got up from the bench, and followed him back to his castle. When you both walked through the entrance, the little mouse was, of course, standing in front of the very large doors to the entrance of the castle, and he did not look pleased.

"Where have you been, your highness? I've been looking for you all over!" He exclaimed as he looked over Caspian closely, looking for any signs that he was hurt or not himself. You felt a small giggle escape and tried to cover your mouth before the mouse heard you. His head snapped to your direction, and you immediately regretted not being able to hold it in.

"And you, did you put a spell on him? Make him eat anything that might have changed him in any way?" he ran over to climb up the skirt of your dress and sit on your shoulder to look in your eyes. "You do know I will kill you if anything is wrong with my king?"

Caspian let out a chuckle and waved the mouse away from you. "Reep, I was just showing her The Pavillion. Relax."

You smiled at the mouse and felt a slight blush as you remembered the way your hand tingled when Caspian had touched it on accident. "We might have gotten caught up in the colors of the sunset a bit..." you twirled a strand of your long, dirty-blonde hair in your fingers. A nervous habit you've had since you were little and your teachers would take away your books in an effort to get you socializing with the other students in your class.

"You- You got 'caught up in the sunset?'" the mouse turned to Caspian again. "Really?"

Caspian chuckled again. "Yes, Reep. The sunset. Have you not seen one? They're quite beautiful." He joked as he began walking into the castle. You let out another giggle and followed him inside.