The Coming Storm - Book 1 (Caspian x Sister OC) (Edmund x OC) (Prince Caspian)

Chapter 7 - Beautiful

They walked through the woods, Peter, Caspian, and Idalla speaking about troops, training, and more while Trumpkin reunited with his friends, and others talked to friends and family. They eventually passed through the treeline, coming to a large open field with a rock fortress on the other side. They walked up the path, the centaurs presenting their swords over their heads as they passed under them, the Pevensies first, followed by Caspian and Idalla, and then the others. Lucy smiled at a young centaur whose father had to pull his arms up so that they wouldn't walk into his sword. They went inside the Great Mound, areas already having been delegated for work. The large room they came upon almost as soon as they entered was bustling with activity as weapons were made, fixed, and sharpened.

"It may not be what you are used to," Caspian told them, "but it is defensible."

"Peter," Susan called from the side of the room, "you may want to see this." They all followed her, grabbing a torch. They walked through the smaller cavern, holding the light over the paintings on the walls displaying the Pevensie's story. "It's us."

"What is this place?" Lucy asked.

"You don't know?" Caspian asked and they didn't say anything. Caspian grabbed another torch, leading them down the hallway. Idalla and Caspian lit the room, the former taking the torch out of Edmund's hand and placing it in the right oil well as Caspian placed his in the left. The room slowly came to light, revealing stone carvings around the walls, a large portrait of Aslan in the middle, and the Stone Table sitting in front of it.

Lucy walked forwards, gently placing her hands on it. "He must know what he's doing," she turned back to them.

"I think it's up to us now," Peter said after a moment, the rest of the room staying quiet.

***

"Idalla, right?" Edmund asked as he came and sat next to her, looking up at the stars from one of the higher levels.

"Yes. King Edmund the Just?"

"Edmund is just fine."

"Yes, sire," she teased and he chuckled. "So, how are you liking the Great Mound?"

"It's beautiful."

"Probably nothing compared to Cair Paravel."

"You'd be surprised how boring it could get there."

"I doubt it. From what I've heard, it was one of the most grand places in all of Narnia."

"And you seem to have heard a lot," he looked at her. "I thought Telmarines weren't taught any of that."

"You seem to catch on quick."

"Word travels fast around here."

She hummed. "They're right though. When the Telmarines came into power, they wiped out the Narnians and all records of them, chalking them up to legends over the years. Obviously, some Narnians and their stories survived. As children, we weren't taught any of it. If we heard anything about Narnians it was that they were ruthless, vile creatures who were dangerous. The woods were said to be haunted by their spirits. All stories to scare children into behaving," she looked over at him. "I always thought they were more, but I kept it to myself. Until one day, I went to talk to my professor and found an open book with the history of Narnia. I was... fascinated. Enchanted," she stared off, a fond smile on her face. "I had never read anything more magical. All I wanted was for the world to be as it was in that book." She snapped out of her trance. She chuckled with a small blush. "You probably didn't want to hear any of that."

"No, no, it's nice. I get the same feeling whenever I used to think about it after we left."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave?"

He sighed. "We didn't mean to. We practically forgot over the years that we hadn't always lived in Narnia. We were riding one day and ended up back in our world."

"Must've been quite the shock." He only let out a quiet hum. "Did you miss it? Being here?"

"Yeah. More than I thought I would. London doesn't compare."

"London?"

"That's where we're from."

"I've never heard of it."

"There, they've never heard of Narnia."

She chucked with a small smile. "I guess we're not that different then. Both born into worlds we feel like we don't belong in."

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry," she apologized. "Just the way you talked about it-"

"No, no. I understand. I guess a part of me feels like I belong in Narnia more than I do in London. I just don't understand why you feel as if you don't belong."

She shook her head. "It's nothing. Forgive me."

"I want to know," he assured her and she looked at him for a moment before sighing.

"My father died when I was young, my mother before that. My uncle was voted to take power until Caspian came of age. Cas had a purpose. He was meant to be king, but I couldn't seem to find any place where I was truly meant to be. I guess that's why I threw myself into studying everything I could about Narnia. I felt like I belonged more in the stories I read than in the life I truly lived."

"You are living there now," he told her and she nodded.

"I know. And it's incredible. But something still just feels wrong. I can't explain it." There was more silence as they stared at the stars. "Would you tell me about London?" she asked after a few minutes.

"London?" She nodded. "It's nothing compared to here."

"Please, Edmund." He stopped, taking her face as the moonlight reflected off of it, making it look as if she was giving off a small glow.

"It's big. Crowded. The buildings are tall and much plainer compared to those here. There's no magic, no talking animals, just loud machines."

"It sounds like you hate it there."

"No," he shook his head as he thought about it. "It's just different. I missed the people and places here and that made it harder to try to like it there. Plus there was the war."

"There are wars here."

"But here I could help. There, I was stuck feeling useless."

"That I understand. Women aren't treated the same way they were when you were in power. At least not with the Telmarines. We are secondary to any man that exists. Our only point is to bear and raise children. We sit by and watch as the men in our lives make all the decisions for us and we have no voice in what our future might hold. My uncle already has plans to marry me to the son of a wealthy lord a few years older than me."

"It's not equal in London either. Better than it is in Telmar, I guess, but still not perfect."

"Nowhere's going to be perfect. We just have to try our best to mend a broken world."

"I like the way you think," he admitted. "And the way you speak. How wise you are."

She bushed, looking down. "I'm really not."

"You are. You speak your mind, but not in anger. It's eloquent. Everything you say is thought out and beautiful."

"From the stories I've heard, the same does not go for you."

He chuckled. "No, it probably doesn't."

"I like it though," she admitted with a small blush. "You're not... dry or proper. You have personality and tenacity. And from the conversations I've heard you have, you're sarcastic and funny and... I think that's beautiful too." She gazed up at him and he gave her a small smile, taking his hand in hers and she smiled.

First real scene between Edmund and Idalla. What did you guys think?