Tales of the heart {Prince Caspian}

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IT ALL STARTED in Calormen, an empire in Narnia full of many provinces, beautiful views and magnificent palaces. Vienna was found mostly around the main castle of Calormen, her home, splashing her feet in the forest stream to cool down, practicing her archery in the beautiful yards of the castle or simply going for a walk. She preferred being outside the castle than being inside it. She didn't like being inside all day long. At some point she needed to get fresh air.

But now, she was in the kitchen, humming to a tune she heard a few days ago. Boredom struck so she asked the cooks to bake cookies with her. After asking nicely and a charming smile, the cooks couldn't do anything less than agreeing.  She really desired the sweet taste of the dough on her tongue that afternoon. And the way the cookies smelled when they were in the oven, she adored it. It was one of her favorite scents. It reminded her of home and how safe she felt there.

She was focused at making shapes for the cookies until she heard the kitchen door open. Looking up she saw her sister, smiling brightly at her. Her blond hair in a beautiful braid and a gorgeous dark blue dress fitting her body perfectly. "Hey Vienna, do you want to go horse riding with me?" She asked, a convincing smile playing at her lips. From when she was young, her sister, Celia always loved horses. It fascinated her, how beautiful creatures they were and how elegant they moved. So knowing that, Vienna couldn't say no.
"Of course, I'll be right there, just give me a minute." Celia smiled and left to put her horse riding gear on while Vienna finished up her cookies. When she was done, she handed the plate to the cook and he put them in the oven. "They'll be ready in 30 minutes your majesty." The cook said with a warm smile. "Perfect, I'll come get a few after dinner. Thankyou for making time." Vienna replied to which the cook nodded his head and bowed for her. She nodded her head as a sign of goodbye and left the kitchen.

When Vienna arrived at the stables she saw her sister already on her horse, waiting for Vienna to climb on hers. She was trying to leave quickly before guards could go with them. So she walked to her horse.
She ascended him and before she realised it they were gallopping throught the woods. The wind blowing in her brown hair while a ray of sunhine hit her face now and then. Vienna couldn't help but let a content smile stretch on her features . She was enjoying this a lot. She also loved horse riding. It cleared her mind and let her only focus on the bond between her and the horse.
It was summer so the forest had a beautiful green colour. It gave a fresh feeling to be in the woods, away from the warm sun for a moment.

The further they got from the castle, the more the landscape changed. From a beautiful green forest behind her castle to vast meadows. After a couple of minutes Celia's horse came to a halt. They had arrived at their favorite spot. A cliff, with a view of a village. Frankly, they didn't know which village it was and they didn't care about it either. The two sister, especially the youngest didn't want to think about the people that are under the control of their family. They dismounted their horses, tied them to one of the wooden fences and walked to a large tree not far from the cliff. The branches reaching far enough to provide Vienna and Celia of some shadows. Celia sat down against the hard trunk of the tree and let a big sigh escape her mouth, her eyebrows pulling together in a frown.

Vienna noticed and couldn't help but ask. "What's wrong? I thought you liked going to our spot." A small smile formed on Celia's lips but it was gone as quick as it appeared. "Vienna, we can't keep doing this forever." Vienna's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. She had no idea wat her sister was talking about so suddenly. "What are you talking about?" Vienna didn't like where this was going, she didn't like it at all. The way her sisters voice sounded so serious, she hated that.
"Mother said as the oldest I have to be more responsible, whatever that means." Celia mumbled.
Vienna wasn't sure what her sister meant. But whatever her mother told Celia, it didn't mean any good.
It was typical for their mother to do something like this. She would tell them something bad was going to happen and she would leave without saying anything further.
As a result, the news would be stuck in Celia's and Vienna's head for days. Thinking of solutions for the problem. Worrying about it constantly. Spoiling all their fun. According to their mother it was good for them. They would be prepared for later, when one of them would be on the throne.
In Vienna's opinion it didn't give them anything but stress. But at this age she was quite used to it. Even though she would never be ruling Calormen because her sister was the eldest. Her mother made sure she was prepared in case something happened to her sister.
But she didn't want to be thinking about something bad happening to her sister. But as a princess she had to. She had no other choice. She had to be ready when something happened.

"Never mind, Vienna, it's nothing, I already regret telling you." while plastering a fake smile on her face. Was she trying to be like mother? Put another problem in someone's head? Vienna decided to not ask any further. But what Celia said kept her thinking for a moment.

Vienna was always really protective when it came to the people she loved. Nobody would dare to mess with her loved ones or they'd be dealing with her. So every problem that Celia had, Vienna couldn't help but try to help her sister. Trying to make her happy. Trying to lift a bit of weight from her shoulders that was weighing her down.
Emphasis on trying, Vienna didn't always succeed.
Vienna was so lost in thought that she almost didn't hear Celia. "I'll never get tired of this view." Celia said watching the horizon and everything beneath it.
Vienna lifted her head up and instead of her hands pulling grass she saw the view. One of the villages of Calormen. The citizens minding their own business.
She saw a woman with a basket in her hand, holding her child's hand in the other walking to the village market. Probably to get food. Judging by his movement she saw a man chopping wood. His movements always the same. Raising the axe over his head and splitting the piece of wood in two with great force. She then moved her gaze to a grassy meadow surrounded by fences. Cows grazing while others were walking towards a farmer who had a bucket of food in his hand. Soon every cow stood by the farmer, waiting for food.
They weren't called herd animals for nothing.

Sometimes she wished to be like them, not the cows obviously, but the ordinary citizens. She sometimes found it suffocating, being a princess and having all it's duties. She knows a lot of people would call her dramatic for saying that but she sometimes really wanted an escape from the whole princess being. She wanted to go on an adventure. She wanted her own adventure. Not something already chozen for her. She wanted someone to understand the way she felt.

After a while of just sitting and talking the two sisters decided to get back to the castle.
The sun was starting to go down, illuminating the sky with beautiful colors.
Vienna thought it looked a lot like a painter's palette. The way the colors mixed with each other. Making a beautiful sunset full of different colours. Another thing she loved to do. Paint. Every sunset different. Every painting she made also different.

She would love to stay and watch the sun go down but she couldn't. The sisters both knew that they always had to be home before the dark. It was way too dangerous for princesses to be out at night without any security. She untied her horse and stroked his manes. It's manes were a beautiful dark brown. It matched his chocolate colored coat perfectly. She ascended him and made her way back to the castle, following after her sister.

They arrived and put their horses in the stables. Judging by the hour they came home, her parents had probably already had dinner. So Vienna made her way to the kitchen to grab some cookies as promised. When she entered the kitchen there was no one to be seen. The kitchen still smelled a bit like freshly baked biscuits. She inhaled extra deep, so the scent could fill her nostrils and smiled. She looked at the counter where she saw a plate of cookies. Put there especially for her. She smiled again, walked over to grab the plate and made her way to the library.
In the library she spent a while looking for a book to read before going to bed. The books on the shelves each having a different cover. Making the library a rainbow of colors. Some old, some young. The books about the magical creatures of Narnia were her favorite. She always imagined meeting them, Narnians, Minotaurs and Centaurs. And how Narnia was before they disappeared. So she took one of those books and made her way to her chamber. By the time she entered her chamber, the sun was replaced by the moon and beautiful stars flickered in the sky. She spotted her sister in her room, sitting on her bed with an even more serious look than the one she had this afternoon. "Hey Celia, what's wrong?" Vienna asked.
Celia looked at her and took a deep breath.

"I'm getting married to a prince."