On My Mind {Suspian}

A Stranger Lurking

Memories cascaded from the jug of iced tea that Mary served with a warm bread pudding. The group settle before Peter wishes them all good health and allows them to eat. His heart-shaped eyes gazed at Lilliandil and a smile beamed off his freshly shaved face; her eyes gleamed under the mornings glow.

"Has anyone seen Caspian or Susan?" Lucy chirped trying not to laugh. Everyone looks at each other before shaking their heads. "Lilliandil, did he say he was going any where this morning?"
With a gulp and a sigh she truthfully answers: "I haven't seen him since last night, I slept else where but he normally goes for a morning stroll across the beach when he has something to think about. As for Susan, I also haven't seen her since last night." she paused before calling Mary over. The frail old women spoke with dishonesty "I dressed her this morning in her riding gear. But I didn't dare ask where she journeys as she doesn't seem to like me, ma'am. Caspian also left early this morning, but through the balcony doors and down to the gardens."

There was stained glass clarity to the sunbeams that surrounded Caspian. It started with panes of light poking the shadows and making the earth steam. Midges rise with the grass mist, hanging like moon dust in the glassy haze. His mind was a volcano waiting to errupt yet his heart was as calm as the sea on a wind free summers day.

As he wandered down the spiral paths, he couldn't help but admire how green the grass was and how admirable the silver clouds looked as they floated through in the sea of blue. For a moment, he thought he heard a whisper from the depths of Narnia. The sort of whisper that drove his head into a wall of wonder.

"Who's there?" He fierce-fully approached an array of cherry blossom trees before grabbing his sword.

Faintly in the distance, a hard and sharp sneeze sounded followed by the rattling of a few trees. "As your king, I demand you to come out." Caspian demanded and the soldier cautiously did.

He was as tall as a skyscraper, but hunched over from years of ware and tear. Caspian felt empathy for the man with half an ear, glassy red eyes and a Maine half the size of Aslans.

"Don't hurt me dear king. I have been injured and full of illness. Don't come close or you might catch it and risk losing your child." His voice was graspy like sandpaper against your ears.

"What are you talking about, I don't have a child and as your king I ask you to let my maid help you." Caspian voice was sincere. Slowly he edged closer, until he could see broken wires hanging from his cheeks and scars.

"Your Majesty, I urge you to keep your distance. The Queen forbid me to speak to you, she threatened my family; but Queen Susan is in danger and so are you-" His words crumbled as he fell to his knees. A loud yelp came from his mouth. His brain couldn't handle all these new emotions. With a drained heart and a cold sweat, Caspian held his hand out in a stopping motion and took a moment to comprehend the words cutting through his ears.

"You fool, I told you I'm not just a mouse." Taunted a familiar voice. The rusty veteran fell onto the ground and groaned in pain.  "Ah Caspian, Just the man I was looking for."

Caspian stood confused and lost for words, was he dreaming?

-

Peacefully, she lay in the comfort of her mind. Her eyes were sealed shut and her heart was a ticking time bomb. The dormant trees hovered over her still body and waved frantically in the wind for help. The birds cooed a warning but the message was unheard. Susan had been stranded alone in a vacant forest without the ability to move or senses that she required to warn her of the dangers she was in. Lightly, a blanket of snow wraps its arms around the fragile body - over a few hours it could kill any victim with an icy bite.