Autumn Nights - A Narnia Oneshot Challenge

Little Valiant

Prompt: Red and Brown

"Everything's going to be fine, I promise." Caspian's strong hands gripped Lady Lilias' shoulders, ocean-blue eyes turning to steady stone. He spoke so earnestly that she was tempted to believe him. But he didn't know. Neither of them knew anything. All she knew was that it was her fault.

All her fault.

Her eyes widened, a terrible thought striking her, "Cas, what if he went to the river?"

Caspian shook his head. "There are already men there. That's the first place Drinian went. Our job is to look around the gardens, okay?" She nodded, a knot forming in her chest, pushing its way into her throat. Caspian's brow creased. "Are you okay?"

The pressure won, bursting forth in a sob. She buried her face in her hands, shoulders heaving. "I knew I didn't get much sleep last night, but I didn't think I was that tired—" she said, voice cracking. "Nurse offered to take him out for me, she said I should rest—but I didn't think I was that tired—"

"Hey, hey," he leaned down, trying to meet her eyes. "Lils, it doesn't matter—what matters is that we find him."

She shook her head. "He could be anywhere by now—I don't know how long I was asleep, I—" her breaths were coming in ragged gasps, saliva pooling in the corner of her lips as she tried to yank in the air for her next word, but all that came out was a strangled squeak.

Caspian rubbed her shoulders. "Lilias, you need to breathe. Breathe with me, okay?" He modeled three slow breaths. "Come on—"

"I can't—" a sob hitched in her throat. "We don't have time—I can't get the breaths—we have to keep looking—"

"Lils," Caspain's voice hardened, "we can't very well look if you pass out. Breathe with me." He grabbed her wrist, placing her hand on his chest. "Feel my chest rise, okay?" He took in a deep breath again, chest rising gently, Lilias's hand rising with it.

She sucked in a breath, but it stalled in her throat. Her lungs ached, constricted, unable to stretch with the volume of the air being forced into them. Her ribs threatened to crack with the pressure. The breath rushed out and she began to tremble. "I can't—" she stuttered, "it hurts—"

"Okay, okay, it's okay—" Caspian's words were quick, clipped. "That's alright. We'll try something else." He glanced around, thinking on his feet. "What colors do you see?"

"What?"

"What colors do you see? Name two colors."

Lilias looked around at the autumnal landscape. "Red and brown."

"Perfect. Name five things you can see that are red."

She didn't take the time to question him. "Um...the leaves on that tree...your cape...the rose bush..."

Caspian numbered the items on his fingers, holding them up. "Okay, that's three. Can you name two more?"

"I don't see anything else."

"What about the gem of your ring?" He pointed to her pinky finger. "That's a ruby."

She nodded. "The gem of my ring...and..." she glanced up at him, his blue eyes shining back at her. "The design on your sheath..."

He smiled. "Good! Okay, now five things that are brown."

She started over. "The tree bark, the leaves on the ground, your boots, my belt, and...this little curl." She pointed to a lock of his golden hair, just dark enough to be considered a light brown.

He laughed. "Perfect. Now, do you think we can keep going?"

She took a shaky breath, nodding. He squeezed her hand.