The Choice

the bracelet

When I woke up the next morning, I grabbed my daggers and a cape and sneaked out of the room. I was sleeping with my sisters and they were still sleeping, it was very early in the morning but I wanted to make sure I have had enough training before we go to battle. I walked out of the fortress and made a bullseye on a tree with some paint I found, I started throwing my daggers and after a couple of times practising I succeeded at throwing my dagger in the bullseye without missing. Suddenly an arrow was shot next to the bullseye "Nice shot" I say looking back in search of the person who shot it and there he was, our beloved prince. "Need some help, princess?" "No smartass, I've got it handled perfectly" I said a bit insulted by his remark "I didn't mean to suggest otherwise princess" he smirked at me. "Never mind, and besides you didn't even hit the bullseye." I laughed. " Pick a target and I'll show you my skills." "Okay prince, as you wish. You see that pine cone over there." He nodded and aimed for a pine cone but that wasn't the one I meant, the one I meant was much higher and further away. I took his arm and moved his crossbow so that now he was aiming at the pine cone I meant "You sure that's not a squirrel?" I laughed and shook my head in disbelief "Fine!" he said while firing his arrow. He missed it by a millimetre " Nice shot! Not too bad, for a prince." I laughed. " You suppose you can do better" he said being a bit annoyed. "Watch and learn my prince" and with that, I throw my dagger at the pine cone and as I hoped I hit it and it lands on the ground with my dagger in it a bit further. "I must say I'm impressed, princess." I laughed at his compliment "Thanks". I heard my stomach growling and apparently so did Caspian. "Didn't you eat any breakfast before training?" he asked me concerned. "No, I didn't want to wake anyone. Did I wake you?" I said feeling guilty that I might have woken him. "No you didn't, I was already awake. Care to join me for breakfast now, I know a place at the fortress where we have an amazing view over the How." "I would love to, my prince" I chuckled.

After we got our breakfast Caspian lead us to the spot he was talking about and he was right this was an amazing view! "It's beautiful" I whispered. He nodded and motioned at me to sit next to him, so I did. "Can I ask you something Maria?" "Yeah sure, what would you like to know?" " Why do you train that much, I saw you fight earlier! You're better than the most Telmarine soldiers!" " I don't know, I just don't want to be a burden to anyone when I'm out there. If people constantly have to look where I'm at and protect me, these people will end up hurt." "Maria, you will never be a burden. People look after you because you're important to them, not because they don't believe in you. They care about you, I care about you Maria." " Thanks, Cas" I said putting my hand on his shoulder, as I did he looked at me in total shock. "What? Did I do or say anything wrong?" "No, you didn't! But can I ask, where did you get this bracelet?" "Sure, I got it as a present from a soldier who I saved." he looked at me confused so I explained " When my siblings first came to Narnia and I didn't join them, it was because I wasn't with them when they found this beautiful world. Instead of fleeing for the war, I enlisted to work at a field hospital, I wanted to save the lives of those who risked it to give back our freedom. So, during the war I stayed and worked in a field hospital, I learned a lot and I really enjoyed the gratefulness people gave me. There was this one time, it was in the middle of the war and it was getting really heated at where our field hospital was located. My superior told me we had to move it further away from the battle, we were located in the front of the battlefield and very close to no-man's-land. So, I did as I was told, I helped to move all of the patients, beds, medicines, tools from one place to another and when I did I saw a man of our troops laying very heavily wounded on the border of no-man's-land. I asked my superior to let me go help him but he said it was too dangerous and we should let him die in peace, I didn't accept that answer so I decided to go behind my superior's back and help the man. I grabbed the things I needed and made my way to the man. He had several infections and bullet wounds but I succeeded at healing him without getting shot by the enemies. When I brought him to the closest field hospital, I was called to my superior because they had found out about my activity. He was furious and threatened to send me home but he couldn't because I was one of the best doctors he's got. When I went to check on the man I saved, he was so grateful, he wanted to give me the world but I kept saying I didn't want anything in return. Still, he gave me this bracelet as a token of my bravery. He told me there was something magical about it and that it would change my future, back then I thought it was crap but now I start to believe him. This one time, I dreamt about Aslan and he told me I could summon him with it and besides I don't think it's a coincidence that the handles of my daggers match my "magical" bracelet. Why the sudden interest in my jewellery?" I chuckled. Caspian still looked shocked and without saying a word he grabbed something that was hidden underneath his shirt when I looked at it I was blown away. There he was, holding a necklace with the other half of the shell that perfectly fitted into my half that was hanging on my bracelet. "How?" that was everything I could come up with at this moment. " My father gave this to me when I was a little boy, he told me to keep it close because it would change my future, just like the soldier said to you. He said I would find something or someone that would change my life and right now, I'm starting to think it's a someone," he said looking deep into my eyes. I putted my head on his shoulder and asked " Can we just stay like this for a couple of minutes?" "Whatever you want princess, your wish is my command." Caspian whispered.

"Thank Cas" "Anytime Maria". And before I knew it I fell asleep on the shoulder of the sweetest and most caring man I've ever met.