Caspian Chapter 6

Caspian didn't know how to handle Eustace and all if his... Well, he didn't even know what to call them. Opinions?

"Issues," Edmund had stated, once.

The young Telmarine king was sure he'd done nothing to warrant Eustace's distain for him, and yet the young cousin of Lucy and Ed seemed set on hating almost everything about Caspian. And he let everyone know about it. Loudly.

From his hair to his clothing, his dark looks to his supposedly "ridiculous" attire (he saw nothing different in his clothing from the next Narnian), Eustace tore and verbally rendered every piece of Caspian. It was almost unbearable.

"Don't mind him, dear Caspian," Lucy tried to sooth as they sat near the main mast. "He seems almost allergic to pleasantness. It's not you, darling."

But, Caspian couldn't shake the feeling that it actually was him.

Was this part of his trials to getting Peter? Was he supposed to convince Eustace that his love for Peter was true? Worthy? That, despite his seemingly foreign looks and tongue, he loved Peter above all else? Above himself?

That wasn't a hard point to prove. He'd given a year of his life and laughter in order to earn the right to even sail the ship in search of the end of the world. In search of Peter.

"I love him dearly," Caspian insisted to Ed. "More than myself. More than my own worth in LIFE! Only Aslan holds a higher place than my love for your brother. Though, I do love you and your sisters-"

"I know, young King," Ed would have laughed, if the subject hadn't been such a serious one. "You don't need to convince anyone of your love for my brother."

"But, Eustace-"

"Has brought with him a multitude of prejudices that have nothing to do with you, or even Narnia. I know you feel as if you need to prove something to him, or as if maybe his scorn is part of this trial by voyage, but it's not. Trust me. I have a feeling Eustace is on this voyage for himself, not for you."

They had no idea how right Ed would turn out to be.

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The whole slavery fiasco was terrifying for everyone. Caspian thanked his lucky stars, and Aslan that he'd been picked up by a familiar face. How sad it would have been if he'd been permanently waylaid, forced to be a slave and never again see freedom or the ones he loved. Never to find his freedom. His Peter.

It was with no little feeling of satisfaction that he ended the slavery on that tiny island not so far from the heart of his kingdom. He would check the island more thoroughly once he returned. He would make sure that his people thrived. (He would also make sure that , should he bring his love to the island, there would be no chance of someone separating himself and his darling for slave traders and buyers.)

The dragon fiasco was almost worse.

Why Eustace felt the need to wear the armband was beyond Caspian. Every Narnian knew that unknown objects were to be treated with care. He felt terrible for the young lad, regardless of his former treatment by the boy-now-dragon.

The only saving grace seemed to be that Reepicheep had come to some kind of understanding with the Eustace-dragon. They could often be found in each other's company, and Eustace actually made himself useful as he never had in human form.

Caspian tried not to think about how he would explain to Peter that his young cousin was now a dragon.

He also tried not to dwell on just how thankful he was when, by Aslan's grace, Eustace returned to his original form. Not the least of which because he now didn't have to really explain anything unless it was in past-story-not-current-condition form.

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The rest of the Voyage is as you will recall it to be. But, thankfully, that really isn't the focus of this story. No, this story is about Peter and Caspian.

You see, They made it to Ramandu's Island. They met his daughter, and saw the lords at the table.

This. This is where Caspian's true test began. Ramandu's daughter was lovely, and truly a kindhearted being. She wished no ill, and no fame or fortune. She was radiant.

Though Caspian's heart lay with Peter, he was not blind to her appeal.

As the ship sailed towards the horizon, a feeling began to tug at Caspian. It was almost like doubt, but not nearly as unsettling. The feeling became thought, and the thought became whispers.

What if she were your queen? The daughter of a star, the queen of Narnia.

Caspian shook his head. He would have no other but Peter.

But what a lovely queen she would be. Gentle and kind. Loved by all.

Again, Caspian shook himself. Peter was already a well-loved Narnian King. He was gentle and kind. And Magnificent. Peter the Magnificent.

Ah, but she could bear you children. Wouldn't that be nice?

Well, Caspian had always wanted a family of his own. After his uncle's betrayal, he'd often thought to himself that he'd like to raise a family to be true. Like his father.

Yes. Lovely children raised by King Caspian and his humble wife. Grandchildren of a star. Golden and shining, like her hair.

'That would be lovely,' Caspian thought to himself, 'For surely her children would be lovely like her. Lovely and shining and golden like...'

He threw himself upright from where he'd started to list on the railing. 'Like Peter! Golden like the gold of Peter's hair! Not like Ramandu's Daughter!'

At the adamant thought of his love, the ship seemed to rock violently forward, as if pushed from behind. The sailors and Pevensies gave a shout, each looking as dazed as Caspian felt. They looked around them as a great vapor came up over the stern of the ship.

It washed over the deck and rushed towards the inhabitants. A great rumbling and crashing came as each being took up arms and braced themselves against whatever magic this seemed to be.

And there! A monster, bigger than the ship, rose from the water and turned its' great and terrifying head towards the Dawn Treader.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The Narnians all turned their eyes from the monster to the vapor and back. Once.

And then the battle raged.

The monster attacked as the vapor curled around the ship and its' occupants. It whispered their greatest fears and their deepest desires into their ears, lashing out and pulling focus and trying desperately to weaken the minds and spirits of the crew.

The battle came to a head with Reep shouting his battle to the four winds as the vapor turned all of its' rage and power on Caspian, engulfing him in a bright green smoke.

DON'T YOU WANT TO LIVE A CHARMED LIFE?

It cried in a multitude of terrible voices.

DON'T YOU WANT YOUR PEOPLE TO BE BLESSED WITH THE BLESSINGS OF THE HEAVENS? WHAT MORE HEAVENLY COULD THERE BE THAN A STAR? THE FAMILY OF A STAR?

YOU COULD RULE THE WHOLE OF THE WORLD! YOU COULD TIE YOURSELF TO THE HEAVENS! YOU COULD HAVE CHILDREN BORN OF THE HEAVENS!

"NO!" Caspian cried, slicing his sword through the mists and thick fog. "MY LOVE IS MY CHARM! I WILL RULE ONLY WHAT I AM GIVEN BY GRACE! MY TIE TO THE HEAVENS WILL BE MY LOVE FOR ASLAN!"

And with the mighty yell of the great Lion's name, Caspian shattered the mist. It curled around itself like a dying thing, writhing from its' death throws in the face of the name of Narnia's true Lord, and burst into a thousand sparks before shimmering into nothing.

Caspian looked around to find his crew lying around the deck and railing in various stated of winded exhaustion. Even Reepicheep, always ready for a battle, was resting back to back with Lucy and gasping for breath.

Monster was gone, and the seas were calm. And there, on the deck, stood the Lion himself. Aslan.

"You have done well, my son," The great Lion rumbled as he looked on Caspian. A great twinkle of pride shown in his eyes.

"Aslan," Caspian cried, dropping his sword and fairly fell into the Lion's great rumbling chest, which rumbled with a soothing purr the moment Caspian was rested against it. A paw came round to pull Caspian closer, and hold him as he shook.

"Aslan!" Lucy and Edmund cried, as well. They came to bury their faces in Aslan's mane, and the rest of the Narnian's gathered to kneel at the Lion's sides and feet.

"My Lord," Reep said solemnly, giving a great bow that Aslan acknowledged with gentle nod, careful not to dislodge the Pevensies or bump the young King.

"All is well, my king. My children," Aslan rumbled as Caspian and the Pevensies gently pulled away to sit at the Lion's feet. "As have you, young Eustace."

The company turned to find a wholly human and humble Eustace standing off to the side. He seemed to have a silent conversation with himself and then the Lion, before moving forward the embrace of the great, golden mane.

"And now you are here!" The Lion exclaimed jovially, turning his head to the horizon. "The end of the world."

He turned back to face Caspian.

"You've fulfilled all the tasks laid before. Fought the darkness and the monsters. You've proven yourself worthy." Aslan smiled gently at Caspian. "Would you like to give Peter his choice, now?"

Caspian's eyes bugged for a moment. "Now?" He squeaked, then cleared his throat. "Now?"

Aslan chuckled. "Yes, dear one. You've shown me how much you really love him. Now, would you like me to fetch him?"

"Yes," Caspian breathed, having to be steadied by the hands of the King and Queen of Olde. "Yes, my Lord. Oh, please. Yes."

"Then sail on to the edge, my king."

And in short order, the company was on their way. The the edge of the World.

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AN: Well, there's another chapter, done! Whoot! I've mixed a bit of the book and the movie, here, to suit my needs. But hey! Fanfiction. Artistic license. ;) I hope you're enjoying it, so far. This is far from the end! Well, maybe not that far. But, will Peter say yes? Will they be reunited? We'll see! :)