Helena Pevensie (Caspian Love Story)

23. King Caspian

Helena was so weary that she collapsed almost as soon as she was out of the hole. With the help of Rilian and Puddleglum, she was moved into the cave where the party had prepared their dinner for the night and was allowed to sleep.

The morning proved a very sorrowful affair as, after a quick breakfast, they had to say goodbye to Puddleglum and were soon off to see the king's return. Helena couldn't help but dread the moment as they arrived at Cair Paravel. Helena watched as the ship approached and was secured to the shore. As the gangplank was lowered, they all waited, staring, expecting to see the king come down. Instead, only a young lord came down and whispered something to some of the courtiers and Rilian at the bottom.

Helena and the children, being at the very back of the crowd, of course, could hear nothing. Then something did come down from the ship. A bed was being carried down and in it Helena could see Caspian. The moment the bed was set down, Rilian rushed over to it. He knelt down and embraced his father. Caspian raised his hand to cup his son's cheek and seemed to be speaking to him. Then, Caspian's head fell back and he was still.

A sob left Helena's lips as Rilian lay down his head and wept. Covering her mouth, she turned away. But so overwhelming was her grief that she buried her head in her hands. When she looked up again, it was to see that they were no longer in Narnia and instead were back on Aslan's mountain. Helena couldn't stop her tears and soon Eustace was embracing her, tears falling down his own cheeks.

Aslan was with them now and as the two cried, he lowered his great head and wept with them. Jill had not known the king as they had, but she felt their sorrow.

They had appeared by a small stream in which Caspian's body lay. Helena could not bear to look at it. In a low voice, Aslan said, "Jill, go into that thicket and pluck the thorn that you will find there, and bring it to me."

When she had returned, he held up his paw with the pad up and said, "Now, drive it into my paw."

"Must I?" Jill asked reluctantly.

"Yes," the lion replied. Setting her teeth, she did so. Aslan's blood was a deep red, deeper and redder than anything they had ever or would ever see. The great drop fell over Caspian. Helena looked up, her eyes still flooded with tears. But as she watched, Caspian's beard and hair seemed to recede into his head. His hair darkened back to the deep brown Helena remembered so dearly.

Then, he got up, looking as young and energetic as she had ever seen him. He rushed forward with a great cry of excitement, wrapping his arms as far around the lion's neck as they would go. Turning to the others, he said excitedly, "Helena! Eustace!" New tears sprang to Helena's eyes as she accepted his embrace. She was so overcome that she began to sob again. Eustace had by now pulled away from the hug, leaving just Caspian and Helena.

"Thank you, Helena," he said.

"What for?" she asked, pulling away slightly and wiping away her tears.

"Saving my son," he said. Jill watched them for a moment before suddenly everything in her mind clicked.

"Wait," she said. "Helena, is this the person you told me about? The one you loved? It was Caspian?" Helena's cheeks flushed and she averted her eyes. With a teasing smile and raised eyebrows, Caspian stared at Helena who blushed furiously.

"In my defence," Helena said, returning his teasing look with an equal amount of sass, "it had only been a few months for me!" Caspian laughed. It was a hearty, good-natured laugh. "But regardless," said said, allowing her sassy expression to be replaced by a fond smile, "friends."

"Always," Caspian replied with a warm smile.

Helena had just begun to tell him about the journey to save Rilian when Aslan interrupted her and said, "Now, my children, you must go back to your own world for a while."

"Sir," said Caspian. "I've always wanted to have just one glimpse of their world. Is that wrong?"

"You cannot want wrong things anymore, now that you have died, my son," said Aslan. "And you shall see their world - for five minutes of their time. It will take no longer for you to set things right there." Aslan paused a moment before explaining, "Eustace and Jill go to the same school Helena teaches at. The instructors there and those above them do not punish things like bullying and those who try to stop it are tormented and harassed verbally, emotionally, and with inappropriate comments of the sexual nature." Jill took Helena's hand. Caspian looked up at her, something none of them could quite name in his expression, some combination of understanding, sympathy, concern, and admiration.

It was at this moment that the children and Helena realized that they were in different clothes, the same ones, in fact, that they had worn on their first day in Narnia. Helena was again dressed in the flowing turquoise pants and the silvery top. Her hair too was clean and hung down to her waist with its natural curl.

"Daughter," the lion said, looking at Helena, "draw your knife." He then ordered Caspian and Eustace to draw their swords and Jill to draw her hunting knife. Then, he said, "Take care not to hurt anyone. Run them off and nothing more." They all nodded and, turning toward where they had originally come on to that mountain all that time ago, they saw the walls of Experiment House. With a roar, Aslan caused the wall to collapse and lay down with his back to England, keeping his face towards his own country. As the four remaining stepped into England, a large group of children approached. The whole gang of bullies were there, rushing up through the laurels towards them with sneering looks, just as they had been the moment they had left.

"Oh, come now, Pole-" one sneered as another called a degrading remark about Madam Pevensie rubbing off on Jill. As they caught sight of what was above them, however, they eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Even the threat of the weapons in their hands was so great that in two minutes upon seeing the approach of the four people in glittering clothes, the bullies were running as fast as they were able, crying, "Murder! Fascists! Lions! It isn't fair!" The Head had appeared by this time and, after taking one look, turned on her heel and ran to her office to call the police with stories of escaped lions and convicts.

In the midst of it all, Eustace and Jill slipped into their dorms and changed into uniforms while Helena went back to the wall with Caspian. "Thank you," Helena said. "For coming with us." Caspian only smiled.

After a moment, he asked, "What's a fascist?" Helena let out a laugh.

"Oh, my," she laughed. They had now come to the wall again. With a bright smile, Helena said, "They are everything you are not."

Caspian smiled, studying her face for a moment before he asked, "Will you be alright here?"

"Yes," Helena said and for the first time, she believed it. "Goodbye, Caspian."

"Goodbye, Helena," he replied, stepping over the edge of the broken wall.