The King and the Girl

Chapter 3

You stretched your arms over your head as you woke the next morning. You looked out to the balcony and admired the view from the extremely soft bed. You heard a soft knock on the door and sat up, looking to the door as you called out. "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal Caspian, with a beautiful silver tray in his arms filled with different kinds of fruits, and even some toast, along with a silver goblet, even though you couldn't tell what was in it.

"Good morning ____" He chimed as he walked through the door and brought the tray over to the nightstand beside your bed.

You smiled at him and felt a giggle coming on. "Are you sure I'm not dreaming? Yesterday I woke up to go for a walk in the woods with my only friend being a squirrel. Today I have a king bringing me breakfast in bed. In a world full of talking animals and magic."

He let out a small chuckle and sat on the bed, cautiously, not wanting to invade your privacy. "Well you are my guest, ____. It wouldn't be right if I allowed you to go hungry before I've gotten to know you better." You smiled and quietly thanked him, picking up a small piece of fruit from the bowl.

You looked down at the fruit in your hand and felt yourself begin to get a little sad as you realized you really were alone in your life. You felt a warm hand touch your wrist and looked up to find Caspian watching you, concerned again.

"Are you alright?" He asked genuinely. You gave him a small smile and then turned back to the fruit, dropping the smile before speaking to him.

"I'm alright. It's just been a very long time since anyone ever has taken care of me, let alone tried to get to know me before."

Caspian opened his mouth to say what you assumed would be something comforting when there was another knock at the door. Caspian answered for you. "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal a girl who looked about your age, only her hair was braided back in a fancy half-and-half style that you had only ever seen in the movies before. She bowed politely to Caspian before looking up and smiling at you.

"____, this is Amy. Amy is going to help you to get ready for any events that may come during your stay with us. Think of her as a friend, who will help with whatever you ask of her."

I looked at Caspian, a little confused, "You mean, like a lady's maid?" Amy then spoke up from near the door.

"Yes, Miss. Only I do hope that you and I will become quite close over the course of your stay in our beautiful home." You smiled at Amy and she smiled back.

"I'd like that, too." Caspian smiled at you and stood beside your bed.

"I have to go and do some reading myself, Amy, will you help ____ to the library when she's done getting ready?"

She gave Caspian a small curtsy "Of course, my king." Caspian reached down and grabbed your hand, giving you a slight tingle, and softly pressed his lips against your fingers as he had done when you came out of your room yesterday, before he turned and walked out of the room.

You felt a slight blush and placed your hand over your heart. Yep. Harder and faster than it had ever beat before. You laid back in bed groaning before Amy walked over, giggling lightly.

"Someone seems to have a crush on the king." She teased. You shot out of the bed and looked out to the balcony, holding your hands together against your chest.

"It's not a crush..." you said softly, running your thumb along the spot he had just kissed. You dropped your hands and turned to face Amy who was looking at you with a dreamy look on her face. "I've read enough books to know better. He's just being polite, I'm a guest in this world, I don't belong here and I know it."

You and Amy talked and asked each other many questions as she helped you slip into the gown that she had brought with her and fixed your hair. It was a beautiful dress, and it fit like the one Caspian had brought you yesterday. Only this one was slightly more elegant. This dress was a smoke-colored grey with flowing sleeves a silver belt that fit your curves. You looked at yourself in the mirror and couldn't help yourself from admiring the moon and star charms that hung delicately from the belt. Amy had fixed your hair to the back of your head, and although you weren't sure how, she had also curled it for you so that it bounced slightly as you walked.

Amy led you down the large stone corridors until you reached a large door. She smiled as you reached the door and motioned for you to go ahead without her. You pushed the door and it opened surprisingly easy. You stood in awe as you saw the largest collection of books you had ever seen in your life. It was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen. You walked to the middle of the room and found that it was even larger than you thought. There were shelves upon shelves of books reaching beyond where the ceiling should have been.

"Marvelous isn't it?" You jumped and turned around to find that Caspian was behind you, admiring the books with the same awe that you just had.

"Y- Yes," you smiled and looked back up at the shelves, wondering what words and wisdom the many books had to impart on you. "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Caspian chuckled as he stepped slightly behind you, his hands behind his back again and admired the books with you for a moment longer before clearing his throat. "I have something to show you."

You followed him through the library before you walked up to a giant painting, looking up into it, there was no denying. The painting showed a beautiful woman, sitting atop a horse. She appeared to have a slight glowing around her, just as Aslan had seemed to have yesterday. You stood back a little further to admire the painting before realizing why Caspian had shown you the painting. She may have had a different nose, but there was no doubt in your mind once you saw her eyes. You were the beautiful woman in the painting.

You felt yourself back into a table and suddenly stopped breathing. You stared up at the painting in complete shock. Suddenly Caspian was standing in front of you, he touched your shoulder, looking into your eyes concerned about you again. It was too much. This was all too much. You caught your breath and suddenly felt yourself running.

"___!" You heard Caspian call after you. You just kept running. You burst out of the library and kept running. Even as Amy asked what was wrong. You ran through the castle, tears of confusion and fear soaking your cheeks. You kept running until you found yourself on a large stone bridge connected to the castle. You looked out and realized you were alone. You watched the trees dance in front of you and tried to form a thought or explanation as to why you were in the painting.