For King and Country ⭒Caspian x Reader⭒

Chapter 10

Morgan fanned herself with a fan embroidered with swans made of silk while the unseasonably warm sun beat down on us as we reclined in the seats on the dais in the arena.

Over the clomping of hooves, it was hard to hear much of anything, and we had grown accustomed to sitting for hours in the same seats watching knights from varied houses compete in the endless tournaments that had been taking place.

A horse race was scheduled for the day and it had begun just as the sun cropped up on the horizon and had continued into the late day as each race ended in tie after tie, in which the competitors would have to rematch.

"We get it, you're fast," Morgan mumbled as we watched the same people on the same horses race by time after time.

Caspian did not compete in this tournament but sat at the helm of the platform flanked by his two remaining suitors. Dark circles were painted under his eyes, but he projected his normal, jovial demeanor to the crowds around them as if he weren't spending late nights rehashing matters of war with every noble in Narnia.

It's funny to watch how people act around a King. Every time a joke is told, people look to him to see his reaction, and if he laughs the people bend at the belly with him, but if he is silent they will be too. So, when he'd clap as the horses raced by the crowd would break into applause, whoops, and yells, and when he waited with bated breath the air hung still.

Titus's golden steed tore out into the front. His shirt rippled in the wind as he urged his horse on. The other competitors pressed close to him, but the man leaned down and whispered something into his horse's ear and the animal pushed to the front, the muscles under its coat rippling.

"Those saddle sores are going to be unbearable for him tomorrow," I winced.

I had spent years in the saddle. Apparently, that was one thing ladies could do without reproach or having to hide under the cloak of night. After long days of lessons, I would practically waddle back into my quarters, but there was satisfaction in knowing that no part of oneself was held back from the endeavor.

Another round tied in Titus, Peter, and a knight of house Bouregard crossing at the same moment. The crowds sighed in frustration at yet another rematch.

"Someone's going to have to give up their pride and just slow down and let the other competitor win," Morgan huffed.

Peter dismounted his horse and led it back to the starting point and his cheeks were flushed under the sun's glare. He had represented Caspian's house well the whole day staying neck in neck and not letting an inch separate him from the lead, but as he readied his horse for another round, a thought occurred to me-

"We're going to be doing this all day if something doesn't change," I stood from my chair and strode over behind Caspian's seat.

Blair was whispering something coy in the King's ear as I made my presence known, and he turned in his seat to look at me.

"Let me ride for your house. Peter is likely exhausted, and I can ride just as good,"

"Oh...," He examined my appearance as I was in a dress more fit for a picnic than a race, and a small glimmer twinkled there before he snuffed it out, "I won't stop you,"

"You'll thank me later," I said walking off the platform into the sandy arena. Whispers dispersed through the crowd at the "Vidalian acting like she owns the place,"

Peter was brushing down his horse as I approached him, "Come to try your hand?" Peter said with a weary grin.

"I thought I'd give it a shot," I returned a smile as he handed the reins over. My white gown was stained at the bottom from the grime of the arena floor as my skirts fluttered while I hoisted myself onto the horse.