Silence.
That was what reigned around Caspian. Armor shifting, horses moving, the blank sound of empty air.
No one spoke, hardly daring to breathe.
Heavy.
The sword in his grasp weighed his arm down, the metal blade carrying his anger, his revenge- his bitterness.
Fear and resentment followed his every step towards Miraz. Caspian's uncle, his supposed protector. The man he now hated. Miraz knelt just ahead of him.
Fury.
It narrowed his vision, choked out his breath, and overtook his mind.
Everything good had been taken from him, stolen, ruined by the very man before him now.
To avenge the lives of so many would feel so right. So good.
The Narnians. So many innocent people and creatures. Caspian's own parents.
To kill the killer.
He could feel the hatred burning behind his eyes, knowing it darkened them. Knowing it showed. He knew it shouldn't, but he didn't want to care.
For so many years, he'd stayed silent, enduring whatever his uncle threw at him, whatever Miraz did. Never questioned him.
Living under the lies he told. Wanting a father from the man who'd taken his, only to learn the truth. Miraz didn't want him. He hated him the same as Caspian's father- his brother- and he had killed him.
Yet throughout all these fifteen years, Caspian hadn't hated him. Hadn't let himself become angry- he'd kept it away.
Hidden, unseen. Silent.
He was still waiting for Miraz to love him. Never had he really considered that his uncle had killed Caspian IX, never truly thought he was capable.
Or rather, he'd chosen not to see it. In his childish hope, he'd turned a blind eye to a lot. His endless, ever-present hope.
But now, Miraz was a murderer, a monster; the enemy.
And Caspian hated him.
Though this had been King Peter's fight, he'd handed over the sword, acknowledging that it had been Caspian's fight longer.
That it wasn't his score to settle- it was Caspian's. It wasn't Peter's choice to make; it was his.
Now he stood inches before Miraz, down on his knees, waiting. The more Caspian looked at his eyes, his face, the more his anger grew.
For all Miraz had done, he deserved this. He did. All the lives he'd taken- for everything.
A flicker of guilt snaked forward in his mind, but he pushed it away. He knew this was right... or he wanted it to be right.
He wanted justice- his way.
Caspian lifted the sword, aiming it dangerously at Miraz.
Once his uncle; never his friend. Never his father. Never anything more than Caspian's enemy.
Miraz looked up, resigned. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king, after all."
Then his eyes flickered down to the ground in resignation. He accepted his fate and awaited the inevitable end.
Perhaps his eyes could have held a hint of the pride Caspian had so long sought after, maybe respect.
Something.
Anything.
But nothing he wanted.
His rising fury fell, leaving a rush of unplaceable emotion. Tears glazed his eyes, but he refused them to fall.
With a frustrated yell, he slammed the sword into the ground before his uncle, the tears blurring his vision, but still kept from falling.
With much effort to keep his voice steady, Caspian met Miraz's gaze as it lifted.
"Not one like you. Keep your life, but I'm giving the Narnians back their kingdom."
In a single moment, he'd renounced everything he had ever wanted from the one person he'd wanted it from.
He would never please Miraz. Not when he was younger- and not now. And he wouldn't want to.
Not anymore.
Because to gain all he yearned for from his uncle, he had to become him, but Caspian wasn't like Miraz, and he never wanted to be.
He'd made his choice.
Miraz was wrong. That was that.
The desire for revenge still burned at him, still shouted in his mind. He still wanted to avenge everyone.
Avenge himself.
But not this way. He couldn't justify revenge to quench his long, built-up anger and hurt.
It wasn't right, even if it felt good.
It wasn't him.
It wasn't Aslan's way.
Miraz stared at him in disbelieving silence. Without another word, Caspian turned his back and walked away.
Away from the last remainder of his past. Turning his back on what his uncle had wanted from him.
The gathered Narnians erupted into a cheer, applauding his choice. King Edmund extended a hand, lightly patting Caspian's shoulder in acknowledgment.
It was hard to walk away. Everything in him wanted to turn around, but this was right.
He was doing the right thing- as a Narnian, not a Telmarine.
Whatever happened next, Caspian of Narnia was ready to face it with his people.
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(Narnia) Broken Pieces -Caspian X- A One Shot Collection
Fanfiction"If only he'd been a little older, then he would have his own memories. But his father and mother were gone, leaving him in a castle, surrounded by people, yet almost entirely alone. Alone without even a memory..." Short one-shots exploring Prince C...
