𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍 || 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶𝑎𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛

CHAPTER 3

꧁ Kidnapping, is it? ꧂

That wasn't the way Elizabeth thought she would spend the day off that for a long time Finn had been advising her to take, but she certainly couldn't complain. Besides, now she was wearing new dry robes, spare garment of the crew that, together with Lucy, they had happily accepted. During the change of clothes and a good part of the afternoon, Elizabeth had therefore got to know the girl a little better the girl, who had told her about her life and her family. She had learned that Lucy was the youngest of four siblings, one of whom was Edmund, and that together they had already been to Narnia twice. Eustace, the whiny boy, instead, was here for the first time, just like her.

✵✵✵✵

It was now sunset, and she admired the sun going to take refuge among the waves of the sea with her elbows comfortably resting on the edge of the ship, her gaze lost among the wonderful orange colors of the sky, her brown hair free to the wind and a sweet smile on the lips.

Caspian couldn't say how long he had been staring at her, leaning against the mast, observing every detail of her figure, before having the courage to approach her.

"Ever been on a ship before?" he quietly asked her, resting his elbows on the edge, right beside her.

"Just once, but it was a long time ago." she answered, turning her head a little to look at him.

Observing him in the sunset's light, Elizabeth had to admit to herself that her savior was indeed a handsome man. His dark brown hair, now perfectly dry, fell loose on his shoulders and were therefore victims of the gentle breath of the wind. His hazel eyes were beady and bright, while his full lips surrounded a wonderful smile. He had high cheekbones and a slightly olive skin, probably tanned by the time he spent at sea.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I've introduced myself properly," he started, waking her up from her thoughts, "but in my defense it's been a quite rough day. My name is Caspian, and I believe you are Elizabeth, am I right?" he said, smiling down at her.

"Indeed, you are," she replied, "it's a pleasure to meet you, your Majesty."

"Please, don't. There's no need for that." he told her, shaking his head slightly. "So, you are from the same world of Lucy and Edmund, but from a different time?" he then asked her.

Elizabeth nodded, smiling at the absurdity of the situation, "I am, I live more than seventy years in the future compared to them," she explained.

"How complicated," he ironically stated.

"Yeah, it's quite a mess, isn't it? I mean, people from the past and from th future together in another world. Crazy." she said, chuckling.

Caspian laughed too, "well, I hope not in a completely bad way," he replied.

"Not at all. I'm glad to be here." she assured him.

"Are you really?" he joked.

"Having only seen your vessel, this world seems to me far more beautiful and diverse than mine. I am intrigued." she affirmed.

"Why is that so? Is your world really so different from this? And in what way is it worse?" he asked her, with a little bit of both curiosity and confusion about her words.

Therefore, they stood there talking for a time that seemed endless. Elizabeth told him of her world, how it was not possible to find there mythological creatures or talking animals as devoid of magic. She told him about her life in London, her job and her family, which she usually never talked about, after all there was not much to say: for years she hadn't seen any of her relatives, there was no reason, they had never been on good terms.