Mist and Mystery at Calormen's Grove

The Feast, Part I

14. The Feast, Part I

"May I join you?"

Susan raised her gaze from the book she'd been consumed in and took pause as she saw the Telmarine king stand a few paces away from her seat.

The young woman had been certain she'd found herself a little hideaway in one of the corners of the royal library behind book shelves and words of wonder, but clearly that was not the case. The young man, however, seemed quite stoic as he kept his distance and held his hands behind his back while maintaining a regal posture, as if he hadn't intended on finding her there either. He seemed quite uncomfortable with his find, but noble and kind enough to not simply walk away without first breaking word. After the past few days, Susan wondered at his kindness towards her.

Her heart could not endure to cause him more pain, and meekly she nodded, "... Yes. Yes, of course, your highness."

With a timid smile that seemed to echo with gratitude of not being turned away, the man sat down opposite the queen in the bay window among the pillows she'd gathered there. As soon as he was comfortable, Caspian leaned back against the wall and gazed outside at the beach far, far below. When he remained silent, Susan turned back to her book but found that the written words suddenly blended into a messy blur of ink with neither purpose nor meaning.

The young woman traced a hand through her long braid as she inconspicuously let her glance wander back up to the handsome man in front of her. He was rubbing his left shoulder through the brown jerkin he wore, though his mind seemed miles away as he did.

"Does it still hurt?"

Caspian swiftly turned his attention back to her with a confused, "Hmm?" His own gaze traveled down to his shoulder and he lowered his hand at once. Susan couldn't quite read his mind as he shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "I didn't realize I was doing it."

"Do you want me to send for Lucy's cordial?" the brunette's voice filled with worry of the intensest kind as she allowed herself to see how the man struggled with some mind matter or another. The brown-haired man raised his chin then and as his eyes met hers, Susan wanted nothing more than to lean closer and offer him some measure of peace. She wanted to reassure him of everything; his safety, the well-being of his people and, perhaps most of all, her feelings for him. But she uttered not a syllable.

The bearded king cleared his throat and lowered his gaze with an almost apologetic shrug. The pain she'd caused him with her rejection was plainly evident in the way he carried himself, though he spoke not a word about it. He didn't seem as broken as he had been that day, but there was evidently something in him that desperately wanted to know more about what had happened.

"I don't know why I did it. I'm completely healed, but I suppose the memory of that day is still so fresh. It's barely been a week. Perhaps touching the spot where I was injured reminds me of my good fortune. You need not worry about me, my queen."

"I fear some things are easier said than done," Susan breathed before she could stop herself. She saw the man's eyes widen in recognition of her sentence and at once, she re-focused on the book in her hand. Flickering through the pages, she hoped he would not see the true meaning to her words. For a few seconds there was silence around them except for the pages softly caressing each other with every move of her hand.

"How are the preparations for the banquet faring?" the young man asked at length. His voice seemed strained like a newly strung violin, as if the silence had threatened to catch him in a dark spot.

"Well, I think," Susan nodded, a tad too vigorously, as her gaze once more rose to meet his dark, passionate orbs. "Lord Greagoir and I have sorted all the main issues, with our DLF's helping hand. Though the feast isn't until the day after tomorrow, many of the guests have already started to arrive, as you must be aware... From Archenland, Calormen, the forests... Even from beyond the Eastern Sea. Lord Greagoir and I am to meet the royal chef to prepare the last details for the menu later tonight. All according to plan."