His Majesty, Her Grace - Sequel to A Prince Caspian Love Story

Chapter 5 - Just a Subject

Althea's POV

"Since you left, the giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally. Then we defeated the Calamine Army of the Great Desert. There is peace across all of Narnia." Caspian explains. He decided to bring everyone together, including Drinian to get Edmund and Lucy up the speed.

"Peace?" Edmund seems impressed.

"In just three years," Caspian says.

"And have you found yourself a queen in those three years?" Lucy's question makes my heart jump.

The thought hasn't crossed my mind, we've just always been together and that was enough. I'd like to think that it's a possibility, a very likely possibility but I'm not royalty and I'm pretty sure that means I don't stand a chance even if I'm an envoy. I'm one of his subjects, not an equal.

I look up from the map to Caspian and he's grinning at me with child-like innocence. I feel like my face is on fire as I quickly look back down. Lucy nudges me with her elbow and giggles beside me, not helping with how inferior I feel at the moment.

"Hang on, so if there are no wars to fight and no one's in trouble, then why are we here?" Ed asks, completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

"That's a good question. I've been asking myself the same thing." Caspian says, his voice the slightest bit off. I've noticed that about him. His mood shifts so easily and I feel like I'm the only one who notices. He looks disappointed and maybe hurt.

"So, where are we sailing to?" Ed asks.

"Before I took back the thrown from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters," Caspian explains, turning his back on me to face the sketches of seven men on the wall behind him. The Seven Lords of Telmar. "They fled to the Lone Islands, the only place that would take them in and protect them. Something happened to the Emperor of the Lone Islands shortly after. I think my uncle had something to do with it, especially since the Emperor and Lords haven't been heard from since."

"So you think something bad's happened to them?" Ed asks.

"Well if it has, it's my duty to find out."

"What's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy speaks up, running her hand over the map.

"Uncharted waters. Things you can barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse." Drinian says mysteriously.

"Alright Captian, that's enough of your tall tales," Caspian says.

Everyone starts to leave the small office but I catch Caspian's arm, keeping him back.

"Did I upset you?" I ask.

"Of course not." He lies. I can always tell when he lies because he blinks rapidly and looks down. He really is a horrible liar, even if he didn't have the cute tell sign, he would still be bad at it.

"Please be honest with me." I plead.

"There's nothing to be honest about." He musters a smile, kisses my forehead, and leaves. I'm worried, he usually doesn't hide things from me. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings and of course being with him is something I want, but is it possible?

I leave and find Lucy on the deck talking with Reep.

"What do you think is past the Long Islands Reep?" She asks.

"Well, I've been told the furthest east one can sail is to the end of the world, Aslan's Country."

"Do you really believe there's such a place?"

"We have nothing if not belief." He says.

"Do you think you can actually sail there?" I ask quietly and they both look at me, not realizing I had been there the whole time.

"Well, there is only one way of finding that out. I can only hope that one day I can earn the right to see it... Your Majesty." He says to Lucy before scurrying off. She leans over the railing to see the water.

"Althea look!" She says, pointing down at something. I peek over the edge and a transparent mermaid waves up at us. We both wave back before the pair of them dive back under the surface and disappear.

The clashing of metal brings out attention back to the deck, Edmund and Caspian have locked blades in a friendly sword fight and the crew gathers around to watch. I pull myself onto a nearby barrel just as Ed ducks under Caspian's blade. They playfully taunt and egg each other on. I'd say they are both evenly matched and the short spar ends with their swords pressed against one another's chest, but not hard enough to actually hurt each other. A draw. Everyone claps and cheers, including me and Lucy.

"You've grown stronger my friend." I hear Caspian say. He seems in a better mood.

"It seems I have." Edmund laughs.

"Alright back to work!" Drinian shouts from the upper level of the deck, next to the massive ship wheel.

Edmund walks over to us but Caspian doesn't which makes my worry return twice as hard as before.

"Edmund? Do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we'll just tip off the edge?" Lucy asks. Eustace, who's been passed out this whole time, climbs out from below deck.

"Don't worry Lu, we're a long way from there," Ed reassures her.

"I see you're still talking nonsense, the two of you." Eustace whines.

"Are you feeling better?" I ask, trying to be friendly.

"Yes, no thanks to you, it's like I have an iron constitution." He snaps and I suddenly have no idea what he's talking about.

"As enthusiastic as ever I see." I scoff. "Find your sea legs?"

"Never lost them. I was simply getting over the shock of things." He says. "Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence."

Ed coughs on his water.

"I don't think he has an acute anything," I mutter under my breath.

"I'll have you know as soon as we find civilization, I'm contacting the British consort, have you all arrested for kidnapping." He says trying to walk away, but running straight into Caspian instead.

"Kidnapping is it? Funny, I thought we saved your life." Caspian seems very amused by Eustace and his strange and confusing words.

"You held me against my will." He exclaims and this makes me audibly snort with laughter. This kid is ridiculous.

"Did I?" Caspian asks.

"In what I must say is one of the most unhygienic quarters. It's like a—like a zoo down there."

"He's quite the complainer isn't he," I say.

"He's just warming up," Ed says into his cup of water.

"Land hoe!" A man calls out loudly from the crow's nest. I scan the horizon and sure enough, a small island formation is just off in the distance.

The Lone Islands.
~~~
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