I Will Always Love You-Prince Caspian X OC

Chapter 16

Sleep was not a given that night for any of the young people. Gwen stayed awake to make sure that herself along with Lucy and Eustace were as safe as they could be under their dire situation. 

Lucy and Eustace both tossed and turned about, unable to get comfortable enough and were too afraid to fall asleep. 

Caspian awoke with a dull yet throbbing ache in his head from having been knocked out by the slave traders. He noticed from across the large and spacious dungeon cell that Edmund was still out cold. 

He paced back and forth, thoughts swirling over everything that had happened the past few hours. 

Gwen, Lucy, and Edmund hadn't even been back for a day and all of them were already separated. He had just gotten Gwen back and now she had been pulled away from him again.

He had heard rumors of slave traders the last year, but just believed it to be exactly that; rumors, started by those who considered him an enemy. 

If only I'd been a better king and investigated the matter more, we wouldn't be in the predicament we are now, he thought. 

He had also heard through stories of the ruthlessness and evils that slave traders would commit to gain a coin or more. He knew that with Gwen being as beautiful as she was and more headstrong and gutsy than she realized, that she was going to be targeted. 

The morning sun began to rise, causing panic to stir in Caspian's heart. He continually tried to kick down the cell door, only failing. 

He had to get to Gwen before it was too late. 

~~~

Gwen's heavy, pained eyes noted the sun's higher position and she tapped Lucy's arm. Fear and panic struck her.

"Lu, Lu, wake up. The sun's rising," she whispered. 

Lucy quickly shot up, her eyes widening. "I'm scared."

Gwen took a breath. "I know. I am too." 

She turned to Eustace who was snoring loudly. "Eustace, the sun's rising. Wake up, quickly."

"Alberta. . .five more minutes," he murmured. 

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Wake up!" She shoved him lightly, causing him to shoot up. 

"Alberta, what in--Oh, it's you." He looked around. "Wait, we're still here?! I thought it was all a nightmare!" 

The sun continued to shoot up to its rightful place and Gwen caught her trembling lip between her teeth. 

A scene began as more people began to crowd. Minutes later, Gwen witnessed a boat full of people disappear on the water, in a cloud of green mist. 

"Lu, are you seeing this?" 

Lucy gasped. "What in heaven's name. . ." 

"Here they come again," Eustace said. 

The men started toward the line of captives, starting with Gwen first. She let the man unlock the chains, not attempting to run. She knew she would only be wrenched back. 

"Gwen!" Lucy exclaimed. 

"It's okay! I'll find you!" 

As Gwen rounded the corner, she saw a group of men that were all well dressed, standing before a block. Her captor threw her onto it, causing her to stumble. 

"Now, what'll you lot give me for this beauty?" the auctioneer cried. "She's special, she is. The king's lover she is,"

Gwen had never felt such shame wash over her as she stood there being bid on like an animal with no help in sight. She felt so degraded. The price kept rising.

"Three hundred!"

"Three hundred going once,"

Silence.

 "Going twice,"

Please, no! she thought.

 "Sold!" 

Gwen felt herself being dragged off as she kept her eyes to the ground, refusing to meet anyone else's. She heard the auctioneer calling out more unfortunate souls and as time passed, she began to worry more that the search party wasn't coming. 

What if she never saw Lucy again or Edmund or Caspian?

That's something she could never live with. 

She felt a hand on her upper arm, dragging her back suddenly.

"Come on, time to go to your master."

"No. . .no!" Gwen struggled but the man held his grip.

Gwen looked up, seeing that they were approaching a boat. 

She shook her head. "No! Stop, let me go this instant!" 

The boat only got closer.

~~~

Caspian punched down another slave trader, seeing a girl and a man near the docks.

 That girl was Gwen. 

"You're not taking my girl," he whispered. He hurried as quickly as he could down to the docks, picking up a sword that had been dropped in all of the fighting. Thankfully, the search party had finally come for them. 

He kept his grip tight around the sword as he came to the docks. 

Gwen was being handed over to another man. 

"Hey!" he yelled.

The three turned, and Gwen smiled, relief washing over features. "Caspian!" 

Caspian came closer, holding out his sword. "If you pull her any further away, I swear to you this blade will impale your lungs. Let. Her. Go." 

The slave trader had already made a run for it, only to find that Caspian's crew had come to back him up.

The noble-dressed man held Gwen's forearm tightly for a moment, then threw her into the water. 

Caspian forgot about the nobleman and dove into the water. Gwen was thrashing about before he caught her. He placed her bound arms around his neck as he swam to the surface, both gasping for air as they popped up. 

Gwen coughed violently, despite having been under for only a few seconds. 

"Can you hold on for another moment?" Caspian asked. 

She nodded, still sputtering.

He swam to the dock, lifting her onto it. Some of his men cut her bonds away as he pulled himself up. 

Gwen fell onto him in relief and exhaustion, letting go of all the tears she had bottled up over the hours. 

Caspian pulled her up to stand with him, wrapping her in an embrace. The crew left to give them a moment to themselves. 

"I thought. . .I was. . .a goner. . .I thought. . .I'd never. . .see you. . .again. . ." 

"Shh," he consoled. "You're safe, my darling. You're safe." 

"I'm. . .so thankful. . .you found me. . ." Gwen breathed, beginning to gain some control over her emotions.

She looked up at him, finally in control of herself. Caspian brushed his thumbs over the streaks of tears, wishing he could do more to help her. His heart ached to see her so upset.

 "I don't know what I'd have done if I hadn't. I couldn't live without you." he said.

And it was in that moment as their eyes met, despite the clutter in their minds, they realized that their feelings had blossomed into something more. 

Love.