WAR OF HEARTS ━ prince caspian x

eleven

˗ˏˋCHAPTER ELEVENˊˎ-

***

THE NEXT DAY, everyone was gathered before the new king as he readied himself for his speech. Wren was stood off to the side next to Aslan, who was allowing her to comb her hands through his mane as attempt to calm her nerves. She'd never been in front of so many people before. She remembered as a child and how she refused to participate in any of her school plays. She simply couldn't do it. But now, she realized that it wasn't all that bad. Still, she had a bundle of nerves in her stomach and was distracting herself with the lion's fur.

"Narnia belongs to the Narnians," Caspian started. "Just as it does to man. Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

"It's been generations since we left Telmar," a man spoke up from the stampede of people.

"We're not referring to Telmar," Aslan stated. "Your ancestors were seafaring brigands. Pirates run aground on an island. There, they found a rare chasm that brought them here from their world. The same world as our Kings and Queens. It is to that island I will return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

A tense silence fell over everyone, before another man called out. "I will go." Wren widened her eyes in shock, realizing that who spoke had been Miraz's second. "I will accept the offer."

Caspian slowly nodded his head, and the unnamed man pushed through the sea of people to the front of the gathering.

"So will we," Caspian's aunt announced, her newborn baby still in her hands.

"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good," Aslan told them, turning to look at the large tree. It's branches suddenly twisted, pulling the trunk of it apart to form an archway. Wren stared in awe. The three Telmarines walked to it, and disappeared immediately.

"How do we know he's not leading us to our death?!" Someone demanded in the chorus of exclaims and confusion from the crowd.

"Sire," Reep spoke. "If my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay."

Aslan hesitated, but Peter stepped up. "We'll go."

"We will?" Edmund repeated, clearly not having expected this.

"Come on. Our time's up," he insisted. "After all, we're not really needed here anymore. Narnia has got a new king now." Peter glanced to Wren with a smug grin, handing the other brunette his sword. "And a potential new queen."

"Now why would you say that?" She asked with her own smile. "Total barbaric accusation there."

Caspian took the weapon from Peter's grasp with a firm nod. "I will look after it until you return."

"I'm afraid that's just it," Susan said sadly. "We're not coming back."

"We're not?" Lucy asked, and Wren's heart sunk. If she stayed in Narnia, she'd never see any of them again, would she?

"You two are," Peter informed. "At least, I think he means you two."

"But why?" Lucy questioned, frowning. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, Dear One," Aslan replied. "But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it's time to live in their own."

"It's all right, Lu," Peter assured. "It's not how I thought it would be...But it's all right. One day you'll see too, come on." He began to pull her to the tree, but Lucy broke away from him, and darted straight over to Wren, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"When will we see you again?"

"Come on, Lucy," she rolled her eyes with a grin. "I'm a Narnian. Not a psychic."

A small laugh escaped the youngest Pevensie's lips, and when Wren looked back up, Susan had stepped over to them as well. The two friends immediately went to embrace each other, and for a moment Wren thought Susan was crying into her shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you. Nobody in our world understands me like you do. You've been a great friend, Wren."

"Look at that," Wren attempted to stop the tears threatening to spill over. "You're rhyming now."

Susan choked on a laugh. "You're ridiculous."

"What did we say about name calling?" She teased, although her heart was heavy and a small part of her wanted to go with them. But she knew Susan would never let her go back to their world just to make her happy. She'd say something sappy like put yourself first. And Wren would argue with her until Susan would say something so smart that even Wren wouldn't have a response to.

With one last shared smile, Susan turned on her heel and followed after her siblings. Wren watched as they evaporated into thin air, but she felt a comforting hand place on her shoulder, and turned to see Caspian. The sight of him staring at her like that again made her stomach do a flip, but she managed a smile that she hoped would be enough to convince her that she'd be okay.

"What do you say to continuing our conversation from last night now that Peter isn't here to interrupt us?"

"Here?" She echoed, heart racing as she glanced to the crowd. "In front of everyone? Caspian I'm not-"

But, much to her surprise, he cut off her protests with a passionate kiss that made her legs go weak, as if he almost knew exactly what she was going to say. You're a king. You can't be with someone like me. And it astounded her that he had been able to read her so well. They broke apart as the people of Telmar cheered loudly, hooting and hollering so much that her cheeks turned a crimson red.

Caspian smirked down at her, that glint in his gaze again. "Your eyes look really blue when you're blushing, you know."

She gave him a dumbfounded look. "You told me that already. You sound like a broken record." Clearly confused by her terminology once more, Wren felt a laugh bubble up in her throat, and she let it escape at his expression. "You are an idiot, you know."

"Now you sound like a broken record."

She just grinned in response, and he lightly took her hand in his as they both turned to stare at the crowd that had started to lessen as more and more people began to enter the archway. And as Caspian glanced over to the girl next to him, he realized that all his worries of becoming a king were all for nothing. Because he wasn't alone anymore. He wouldn't have to rule by himself for the rest of his life. He had Wren Wilde, and he couldn't be any happier than he was in that moment. Because they were together, and that's all he had ever wanted from the moment he laid eyes on her.

authors note

kind of sappy ??? yeah no not kind of it just is sappy but🥱🥱 get over it idc JDISJDSK

okay so i know this moved really quickly ???? but caspian is only in two movies and it was kind of difficult to write. but i'll be doing the dawn treader as well and i'm planning on some angst so😁😁 don't leave if you were like ewww no too fast lmao

happy new year's eve !!! hopefully next year will be better than this one🙏🏼