𝐒𝐊𝐘𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 - 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐞

five | secrets

-FIVE-

Caspian sat next to Lucy, who was watching Rani by the dim firelight. The pirate queen was laughing as her clever fingers made little shards of what looked like peppermint, but the moment one of the crew members bit into it, his jaw was cemented shut for a good thirty seconds before he could speak. 

"Peppermint snaps, is what my sister calls it." Caspian explained. "She's rather fond of making them." 

Rani walked over to the pair, sitting comfortably next to Lucy as she smiled, "Peppermint snap?" The smile was different from the ones Rani usually gave. Caspian noticed it immediately, and smirked to himself. His sister was very much in love and he was well aware of it. Lucy accepted it and instead of biting on it when she popped one in her mouth, she let it melt. Though it was tough peppermint with a caramel center, the sweet disintegrated almost immediately and filled Lucy's tastebuds with a flash of minty and sweet flavour.

"These are amazing!" Gasped the girl. 

"Atleast you know how to eat these." Chuckled Rani. "The men here have absolutely no clue. They bite into it and then get a locked jaw for thirty seconds."

"Isn't that interesting?" Lucy chuckled. "I think you'd very much like to use these on Eustace."

"I did. I gave him two." Replied Rani, chuckling at Eustace, who was struggling to open his mouth. "Twice the torture."

Caspian laughed at his sister, "You are one sadistic person, sister." 

"I know," Rani replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must give one to Edmund." 

"She's beautiful," said Lucy in a low voice. Caspian heard her and chose not to say anything. "How I wish I was as beautiful as Susan, then she'd maybe like me back."

"She does," Caspian said. "She, in fact, is very much in love with you." 

"Was I thinking out loud?" Lucy exclaimed, "I'm so sorry! You must think I'm horrid for being like this." 

"Well, I do not." He replied. "My sister isn't like every other woman you meet." 

Lucy's brow furrowed into a frown as he continued, "As you know, she was--is--a pirate queen. She has sailed all Narnian seas, and conquered almost every island there is. However, whenever a suitor would try and court her, she would--and still does-- hold up her left ring finger, where she bears a ring, one which Aphrodite herself gifted her. That one plain copper ring is a symbol of her...difference."

"But why Aphrodite?" Asked Lucy, being well-versed in both her Narnian and Greek mythology. She knew that Aphrodite never busied herself with Narnians, so why bother with one then?

"Spilling secrets of mine, brother?" Rani asked, appearing behind Caspian as she placed her arms atop his head, leaning on it. 

"Maybe," chuckled Caspian, taking his sister's hand and guiding her to sit. Rani rolled her eyes and flicked back her braid, saying, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell everyone my secrets."

"How about you tell me yourself?" Lucy asked, "If you want to, of course."

Rani looked at her brother pensively for a moment, and when he nodded at her she leaned forward, looking at Lucy, "I'll tell you if you don't tell anyone else."

"I think Drinian requires my assistance. I'll leave the two of you to your own devices." Caspian stood up and walked away. 

"So...you've been blessed by Aphrodite?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. 

"Well, it's rather odd as a tale to narrate. But if you do want to know, I'll tell you." Rani began to tell her tale, which many people had butchered by way of rumors.