I Will Always Love You-Prince Caspian X OC

Chapter 24

Gwen roamed through a garden. She stopped by some flowers, breathing deeply and sighing at the sweet aroma. 

"Gwen, there you are." 

She turned to see Caspian behind her. He smiled. "How is my lovely wife today?" 

With a gasp, Gwen shot up. 

"Gwendolyn," 

She startled. It was Aslan's voice again. 

"Aslan?"

He walked out from behind a boulder. 

"Aslan!" she exclaimed as she ran to him. 

"What have you done, child? Why didn't you tell him?" 

She looked down. "I couldn't. I was so afraid. I'm not worthy of love, Aslan."

"No one is, yet we receive it anyway. He loves you, Gwendolyn."

Tears sprung up. "And that's what hurts so badly. I know he does. I can tell and I can see it. But my aunt and uncle--" 

"Your aunt and uncle are evil people, Gwendolyn. They have lied to you ever since you came to live with them. The reason they have abused you so, is their hearts are as black as the starless night sky. The evil deeds they have sown, they're now reaping in more than they planted."

Gwen's heart thumped hard. "What--what happened?" 

"Your aunt went into labor too early. The child passed." 

Gwen's heart dropped to her stomach as her gaze fell to the ground. "And--and--that happened because of how they treated me? I was the reason they lost my cousin?"

"Their evil deeds were the reason." 

 She looked up at Aslan. "Aslan, please, tell me. Am I so unruly, so disappointing, that I don't deserve love?" 

"If you continue to believe what is false, you will be miserable for the rest of your life. And life is too precious to be wasted away in such a manner." 

Gwen pondered his words. "I am worthy, aren't I? Those all are lies, aren't they?" 

"And now, dear one is your time to figure that out for yourself." 

"Gwen!" 

Gwen's eyes opened to see a concerned Caspian kneeling beside her. 

"Are you well? You were calling out for Aslan." 

She nodded as she sat up. "Uh, um, just a dream. Thank you." 

He helped her up. "The star is out. We've got to get back to the ship." 

Gwen brushed the sand off of her clothes as she and the others quickly gathered their wits about themselves and started off in the boat. 

Gwen remembered the previous night's event and nearly began to cry. She looked at Caspian, a smile playing at her lips. It slowly dropped seconds later.

How could she have been so foolish and so selfish? Caspian admitted his feelings. He needed to know not just that she cared for him, but that she too loved him. 

A spark of hope lit inside of her at that moment. Aslan was right, he wouldn't lie to her. She believed him.

Everything Robert and Ellen had told her was a lie. 

She wasn't worthy of being loved, but at the same time, she was. She didn't deserve to be alone for the rest of her life. She did deserve happiness.