Disclaimer: I dont own any of the characters that C.S Lewis thought up.. I wish i did ;)

**********

I had a distinct feeling that life was going to get much more complicated sooner; with the due date of Miraz's child quickly approaching, I was frightened of what was to come. But here, settled with Caspian's hand intertwined with my own, the world seemed a much more peaceful place.

Maybe one day soon, I could grow accustomed to this.

**********

The next morning was blurred, being woken up by the maids and thrown into the shower. I wasn't a fan of being stripped down, scrubbed and polished but these maids weren't taking no as an answer.

My hair was rinsed twice with a substance that smelled of fresh oranges, filling the room with the delicious aroma almost instantly. Eventually, I did allow myself to relax and the time passed much quicker.

When they had finished in the shower, they pulled me into a room full of various pieces of clothing. The larger woman shuffled around me, allowing me my privacy as I put on what they laid out for me, stopping when my undergarments were on and waiting for further instructions.

"Blue or green?" She asked, tapping her foot impatiently as I thought for a moment.

"Green." I decided, watching as she picked out an emerald green, plain material dress and a corset of a darker shade. The dress was simple, one shade that had long arms which would keep me warm and would stop just underneath my knee.

She handed me the dress carefully as I pulled it over my head and slipped my arms into the material. It was soft to the touch and felt nice against my skin.

Then came the painful bit.

She roughly placed the corset over the dress and told me firmly to hold my hair out of the way. The maid pulled so hard on the strings that I could feel the breath leaving my body. She moved me over to the wall where I placed my hands on the surface as she pulled tighter. She tugged once more before tying the knot up and excusing herself from the room.

I placed a hand on my stomach and moved over to the long mirror in the corner of the room.

There was a difference, in that I could actually see the curves my body had, seeing the definite curve of my waist made me feel good, as if I was actually starting to become a princess in my own right.

There were two green pumps placed by the doorway with a small tied note in the left pump. I took it out and slipped my feet into them, figuring out how to tie them up as I did so. The two pumps had two ribbons coming out of the back, so I figured that the best way would be to wind the long ribbons up the lower calf of my leg and tie them in a bow at the back.

I did this for both pumps and turned my attention to the nearly forgotten note on the floor, opening it up and smiling to myself.

My Love,

Some things came up this morning, but I promise to spend some time with you later today.

I have sent the maids in to get you ready; I hope you do not mind?

The dress and shoes are a gift; I hope very much that you like them.

Please meet me in the stables at noon.

I shall be waiting, my love.

Caspian

I looked at the room for the clock, finding one on the far wall. It read '11:43' so I ran out of the room and down the corridor, bursting into Professor Cornelius' room and asking him where the stables were. He just laughed and said to carry on down the same corridor and to not turn off of it, so I thanked him and did precisely that.

I saw somebody walking my way as I slowed down into a walk. I didn't want anybody thinking I was too eager to meet Caspian, even know I knew I was.

The woman was tall with flowing locks of black hair. Her skin was a dark shade which left me staring, it was a beautiful shade that suited and complimented her well. What really grabbed my attention was her stomach, large and round which was obviously from pregnancy.

So this was Miraz's wife.

She saw me approaching and caught my eye, looking at me from the bottom up.

I walked slowly past her hoping that she would not question where I was going or who I was.

"Wait!" She called as I spun round to face her.

The attractive lady rubbed her growing belly with one hand and her back with the other.

"How is your skin that pale?" She mused, continuing the soothing of her body. "It suits you well."

"I wish mine was as dark as yours, my lady." I curtsied politely to her.

She leaned against the wall in support as she rubbed her back again. She looked as if she were in pain.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked, holding her hand when she looked like she were about to pass out.

She only nodded before putting her slim arm around my shoulder. I led her down the corridor slowly before kicking at Cornelius' door. He came quickly before looking confused at the sight before him.

"She looked as if she were about to pass out," I explained swiftly, "I didn't know where else to go."

Cornelius nodded before leading me down various corridors, pausing when the woman I was holding had to stop and hold her belly. I thought about if the baby was coming early, and wondered what it would do to Caspian.

Cornelius led us into a room at the back of the castle, stopping at the door and lowering his voice slightly. The lady's attention wasn't on me or him, so she didn't notice his words.

He only said one word as he knocked on the door which sent a single shiver down my spine. "Miraz."

The door was pulled open to reveal a distressed looking Miraz. He wasn't fully dressed, and his chambers looked untidy from what I could see from where I was stood; bed covers not put neatly and clothes scattered on the floor.

"What do you want, Professor?" He asked impatiently, looking around before seeing his wife and I stood behind.

He was immediately at his wife's side, taking her off of me and pulling her into the room. She lied down onto the bed and sighed a breath of relief.

"I'm fine, dear. Rest is all I need." She said, soothing her stomach again.

He stood away, putting some space in between them. "Be careful, wouldn't want to harm the baby now, would we?"

She didn't reply as Miraz made his way back to the door, shutting it without another word behind him.

I breathed my own breath of relief.

"Isn't Caspian waiting for you, young one?"

My eyes drifted to the clock on the wall which now read '12:04'. I cursed silently under my breath and sprinted back where I came from, shouting a loud 'thanks' to Cornelius as I ran.

It didn't take me long to find the stables, but I was sure that Caspian would have been waiting when I got there. Sure enough, he was, dressed in a simple cotton top with battle chainmail over the top. He has his sword strapped onto his waist and long trousers with high boots on top.

I was gasping when I stopped, holding onto my sides as I breathed in and out heavily.

He looked at me perplexed. "You did not need to run, my love. I would have waited."

"It was Miraz's wife." I explained, holding my hands up when his eyes narrowed. "She was in pain so me and Cornelius took her to their room to rest."

He didn't say anymore about the matter, but instead led me to two beautiful horses behind him. One was a dark shade of brown, easily mistaken for black. But the way the sun hit the colour was definitely a beautiful shade of brown. The other was white, the purest white that could be found on a horse. Not one hair was out of place on either horse.

Both were saddled up and ready to ride.

"Caspian," He turned round from the horses to face me. My hands fiddled behind my back. "I...don't know how to ride a horse."

He only smiled tenderly. "That's why I'm here."

Caspian patted the horse tenderly, earning a sound of content coming from deep in its chest. Instinctively I took a step back, holding my hands out in front of my protectively.

He only laughed, stroking the horse again. "There is no need to be afraid of her. I have raised this horse since she was a foul, and I know better than anybody that she means no harm. She is named 'Adina', which means 'gentle' in foreign language."

He pulled the white mare towards me by the reigns, stopping just shortly before me and taking my hand. Caspian put it on Adina's soft skin, going softly over it before encouraging tickling the mare behind her ears. She let out a soft, almost chuckle like sound as I giggled, using my other hand to stroke her skin on the other side of her head.

Caspian pulled me over to her side, taking a hold of my waist which made me blush.

"Jump." He whispered, allowing me to do so before hoisting me carefully to sit on her. My feet went into the stirrups as my hands clenched tightly around the reigns.

He got up gracefully onto his own horse as he came to my side, seeing me tense up.

"Are you confident enough to ride her by yourself?" Caspian asked, seeing my rigid posture and frightened expressing. "Come on, dismount her."

I slowly got myself off of the horse, feeling rather displeased with my actions.

"I'm sorry, Caspian."

He laughed. "Do not worry, my love. I'd rather see you safe and happy than injured and unwell. Now get on."

My eyes must have been the side of saucers as he moved back on his horse and offered me a place in front of him. He held his hand out to me as I kept them secure to my chest which was pounding too fast for my liking.

Eventually I took his hand, rather gracefully I may add. Placing one foot in the stirrup I swung my other leg over. Caspian got closer, pushing his body up close to mine and placing my hands on the reigns underneath his.

"Let's go." He whispered, raising his and my hands on the reigns and quickly pushing them down.

The horse raced out of the stables as I screamed quietly and pushed my face into Caspian's chest. I felt his chest vibrate slightly but I couldn't hear him as the wind was too loud in my ears. His hands guided mine and the horse but I honestly couldn't tell where we were going.

It slowed down into a slow gallop as I turned to face forwards, seeing nothing but grassland and forest in front of me. There was something mysterious and mystifying about the words; they seemed to call to me.

"Let's go in there..." I asked, and after seeing his uncomfortable look, I knew that I would have to take charge to get what I wanted.

I grabbed the reigns, quickly shaking off Caspian's hands and whipping the leather forward, causing the horse to enter into a very fast run. Caspian's hands snaked round my waist and round my stomach in surprise at my quick learning.

The trees whipped past at lightning speed, all forming a blur as the horse ran past them. The green blurred into a continuous streak, causing my eyes to tear up and cry unintentional tears.

Suddenly a blur of gold caught my vision, causing me to pull as tight as I could on the reigns. The horse reared onto its hind legs in surprise, which made Caspian fall and me fall onto him. We landed with a loud 'oof' onto the grassy land.

We lay there for a while, breathing until our breaths weren't as heavy.

"This land is beautiful." I spoke quietly, not so much for Caspian but for anybody and anything to hear.

I felt Caspian nod his head. "It is in parts."

"Caspian, what's going to happen when Miraz's wife gives birth?"

He sat me up straight and wiped away the tear stains on my face. His face was serious.

"I do not know, but whatever happens," He cupped my face with his palm. "I will keep you safe."

I pushed his hand away. "I don't want to be safe; I want to be with you."

He looked anywhere but my eyes and I knew that he was thinking of the right words to say.

"If being with me means that you are in danger then I will not allow for you to be with me."

"No!" I cried, pushing his hands away again when they tried to comfort me. "I want to make my own decisions, even if that means being in danger."

"I will not allow it." He said, his voice taking a demanding tone that I didn't like.

My eyes narrowed. "You're not the boss of me!"

"I am your Prince and you will do as I say."

"I don't even come from here idiot! I do as I say!"

He put a hand through his hair in anger, pushing the soft locks from his face.

My breath came out in angered gasps as I stood up and made my way over to the horse, clambering on in an unladylike way which I'm sure looked less than graceful to Caspian. I didn't turn my back as he made no attempt to stop me.

I rode into the distance after the gold blur that I knew was Aslan. Maybe he could answer some of the questions that I desperately needed answering.

**********

My mind was racing a hundred miles per hour, and the horse never slowed as I kept thrashing the reigns about. Horse riding was coming to me like second nature, which felt great since I had never been on a horse before today.

The gold blur kept appearing, but only for a few seconds each time.

I began to wonder if I was seeing things as I slowed the horse down, bringing it to a stop.

All the trees looked the same, the green combining together as I looked around. Which way had I come from? I couldn't remember as I realised that I had absolutely no idea where I was, or how to get back.

The exhilaration was knocked out of me for a second.

I felt a familiar feeling creep over me as I gripped the reigns tighter and shut my eyes, concentrating.

Follow the trees, my child. They will lead you to your Prince.

My eyes stayed shut, listening to the rustling. There seemed to be a pattern to the sounds as I turned the horse around, listening in further. The melody got louder to my ears, and I kicked the horse into action, pushing him forward into the beautiful tune.

Time seemed to be still as I listened to the melody, its sounds echoing through me. It sounded like the leaves were singing, and there was no other way to describe its sound in words.

Suddenly the music was stopped as I opened my eyes, seeing Caspian lying peacefully on the ground in the horse's path. I tugged on the reigns hard, causing the horse to thrash wildly, spinning out of control and throwing me violently on the ground.

I heard Caspian rush over, holding my face in his hands and making sure my limbs were all intact.

My breathing was laboured. "Did you hear them?" I asked, opening my eyes and smiling up into his confused eyes. "The trees Caspian, the trees."

"Did you hit your head, Bella?" He questioned, carefully touching the back of my head to make sure there was no injury or blood. I knew there wasn't, but it was still saw from my previous injury. I hissed as he retracted his hand, giving me a small smile as an apology.

He lay down next to me. "I am sorry about before, it was uncalled for. Even so, I still stand by the 'keeping you safe' rule."

"I'm sorry too, but I still stand by the 'I'll do as I damn well please' rule." I replied, giggling when he slapped his forehead.

There was something special about Caspian. Even when he was mad at me, and made me mad at him, there was a part of me that had already started to forgive him, or wasn't mad to begin with. Maybe it was the part of me that liked the way he looked at me; like I was worth something, or maybe it was the part which longed for his hand to brush mine.

I shook my head. "It can't be."

"What can't be?" Caspian questioned, clutching my hand which made my heart beat faster.

I pulled my hand from his and sat up, rubbing my head and holding it when it started to throb. It passed after a few moments, and I stood up and pulled Caspian up. I nodded towards the horse as he nodded back, rapidly and elegantly getting onto the horse and hoisting me up behind him, this time.

One of my arms wound round his waist whilst the other clung to my side. I pressed my face to his back as he pushed the horse into action.

It seemed like mere seconds before we were out of the forest, back up into the gates of the castle and into the stables. I didn't want to let him go.

Caspian hoisted himself off of the horse and helped me off also, taking my hand and leading me towards the castle. We didn't speak, but I felt that the atmosphere wasn't awkward or tense in anyway, and it also felt that words didn't need to be said between us.

He stopped, catching me off guard but stopping me also. He seemed to want to say something but no words came out of his mouth.

I saw Cornelius step out of a room from the corner of my eye, as he saw us and changed his direction to come our way. I smiled and politely greeted him.

"Bella, my Prince." He replied, bowing his head slightly and smiling back.

Caspian snapped out of his daze as I squeezed his hand. "Professor, how has your morning been?"

Cornelius looked confused for a moment, checking his watch and chuckling. "My Prince, it is almost the evening. What have you two been up too?"

I looked out the window, seeing that the like blue of the sky had changed to a slightly darker blue which was almost dark. I must admit, I was surprised.

"We went out into the woods," I replied, leaning into Caspian's arm. "We had a bit of an argument, but were okay now, right Caspian?"

He nodded, smiling down at me as my smile widened. Cornelius only laughed merrily.

"I think it's time you heard some of our tales. Have you told her any of them, my Prince?"

Caspian shook his head. "No Professor. I knew it would only be a matter of time before you told them to her, so I didn't see the point."

Cornelius looked from me to him, seeing the obvious disappointment in my eyes. "Well then, we will sit together in my room and you shall tell her the stories-"

"-But Professor I-" Caspian interjected as Cornelius cut him off.

"-No buts, my Prince. See it as a test of remembering what I have told you many times. It will be easy; you know the stories by heart anyway, right?"

Caspian nodded, looking slightly defeated. I giggled as he turned to glare playfully at me, putting my spare hand over my mouth when he started to look agitated.

Cornelius left us shortly after, making sure that Caspian would remember to go back in less than half an hour so that we could go through the various stories that Narnia held in its history. He also made Caspian promise that he would make sure that I was changed out of my clothes before entering his room; especially after seeing the grass and mud stains that went up the sides and back of my dress.

I had explained the whole 'falling off of horse' twice situation to him, but he wouldn't hear of it, saying that it was 'too much' for his mind to handle.

It didn't take long for us to reach Caspian's room, and after he pushed me quickly into the shower room, I took off my dirty clothes and took a welcoming shower. I scrubbed all of the dirt off of my skin and made sure that I smelt nice.

I wrapped the towel around my body and opened the door to Caspian's bedroom. I saw Caspian stood with his back to me.

I gasped quietly, seeing his bare back. Even though I knew I shouldn't be so hormonal over a bare back, this was Caspian. The muscles rippling on his back and biceps made me shiver.

Coughing, he turned around and smiled. "Nice shower?"

I smiled the best I could in my situation without giving myself away. I also nodded, not trusting my voice.

"Right," He replied, brushing his hair from his face. "I'm going to have a shower too, so take anything you want from the wardrobe, okay?"

I nodded again, blushing slightly and averting my gaze to the floor.

Seriously, what kind of teenage kid are you? This is ridiculous!

He moved towards me, and I thought he was going to kiss me. He didn't though, barely brushing past me into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Even so, the hairs on my neck and on my arm rose instinctively.

I sighed and pushed myself into the wardrobe.

The room seemed to have gotten bigger than when I was in here this morning. I looked around for a bit, glancing at different items of clothing and deciding that it wasn't the right time to wear them. Eventually I found draws with underwear in them, and dismissing the thought of why Caspian's wardrobe would have ladies underwear in, I grabbed the pieces that I needed and slipped them on.

There was a light tap at the door. I didn't have time to reply as it was opened to reveal a wet Caspian with a towel wrapped around his waist.

I saw his eyes widen as I'm sure mine did too. Nothing was said for a very long couple of minutes until I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Even Caspian's mouth twitched into a slight smile, though I could tell that he was embarrassed by the whole situation.

I laughed, holding my stomach. "Caspian, it's really not that bad."

He turned his attention away from me and my skin on display. "Yes it is. I shall take my leave now."

I sighed and continued to look through the clothes. Just before Caspian left the room he pointed to a corner in the room.

"Pyjama's are in there," He pointed to a cabinet obviously full of clothes. "I would say the blue set would compliment your skin, Bella."

I only laughed as he casually slipped out of the room. I picked out the blue set from the draws and put them on, admiring the way it felt on my skin. It was a light blue colour, like the sky. The top was a tank top, just rising above the hem of my long blue trousers.

There was a knock on the door as I went over and opened it, seeing an apprehensive Caspian on the other side.

"You ready?" He asked, not looking at me but looking at the floor.

I giggled and pushed him back, seeing that he was also dressed for bed I pulled him quickly to Cornelius' room, eager to hear the tales that were the history of Narnia.

The Professor was sat in his chair by the fire as I took a seat on the floor next to it, rubbing my hands together and basking in the warmth that it gave out. I felt Caspian sit closely next to me as Cornelius coughed expectantly.

"Fifteen hundred years ago, Narnia was ruled not by Telmarines, but by-"

"Who are Telmarines?" I interjected, confused already when Caspian hadn't really even started yet.

He sighed quietly. "We are Telmarines. Everybody you see in the town is a Telmarine."

I nodded, feeling bad for butting in.

"Narnia was ruled by Narnian's, which are not extinct. When Telmarines invaded all those years ago, the Narnian's were forced to retreat into the woods. They-"

"Sorry, but," I cut in, which annoyed Caspian as he fought the will to curse at me. I looked at the Professor hopefully and he smiled and nodded.

He chuckled, silencing Caspian. "I am sorry, dear one. The Prince has momentarily lost his manners and I will answer your inquiries. What is it you wish to know?"

"Caspian said that they retreated into the woods, right?" Cornelius nodded, holding his hands in his lap. "What about the trees themselves? Do they speak?"

I saw Caspian laugh under his breath from the corner of my eye.

"I have read stories of the trees. Some say they speak a language we cannot understand, but others say that they speak in music."

I nodded, interested. Even Caspian seemed to have stopped laughing long enough to listen. I turned to him and signalled for him to continue. Eventually he got the hint.

"Narnian's were of all forms; the animals could speak and could say their thoughts and feelings. There were also cases of Minotaur's and Centaurs, of Dwarfs and other such creatures which are hard to imagine." He paused making sure I had caught up in what he was saying. I nodded for him to continue.

"The biggest tale of all is the Kings and Queens of Old. They ruled Narnia for many years, bringing peace upon every Narnian whom lived in Narnia. There were two Kings of Adam and two Queens of Eve, and there have been many tales about how and when they lived which were passed down to us when we came upon the land."

I nodded again when he stopped explaining, and Cornelius pulled out a large, leather bound book. It had dust all over, and the pages were almost a coffee brown colour, staining nearly every page as Cornelius flipped them, coming to one and pushing it into my lap.

It was a picture which took up the whole two pages. A very detailed painting which captured the expressions and details very clearly, but it showed four figures sat in four magnificent thrones.

Caspian pointed to the man on the far left. His face was aged, but still had the curve of boyhood that he clearly hadn't grown out of yet. He had dark hair like mine, but was a few shades darker. His eyes were also dark and capturing.

"That is King Edmund the Just. He is co-ruler of Narnia, but this-"

He pointed to the man sat next to Edmund, definitely older and much more handsome. His face didn't hold the boyish charm that Edmund had, and he looked more serious. His hair was a light blonde, his eyes a golden honey colour.

"-High King Peter the Magnificent."

Caspian then pointed to the lady sitting next to Peter. She was beautiful; her long dark hair resting at her waist was beautifully curled in the picture, the small tiara she wore acting like a halo on top of her small, dainty head. Her features were subtle, and her dress was magnificent.

"This is Queen Susan the Gentle."

I saw the admiration for her in his eyes and the way he spoke her name, and I knew instantly that I was jealous of her and her beauty. I thought of what she had that I didn't, and knew that I'd never be able to match up to her. In Caspian's eyes anyway.

He pointed to the last person of the four, a woman who was much younger than Susan and whose face still remained that of a child, despite her womanly curves. Her eyes were bright and inviting.

"Queen Lucy the Valiant. They are all said to be the best rulers that Narnia has ever had in its lifetime. Narnia was in peace for the fifteen years that they ruled."

I became confused. "Did they...die?"

The Professor shook his head and chuckled. I clasped the book closer to me, stroking the faces of the people that once ruled this land.

"No, dear one. That is the mystery of the Kings and Queens of Old. They simply disappeared one day and never came back to Cair Paravel."

I looked back down at the book and traced their faces again. "How could they just disappear and leave their country like that? What's Cair Paravel, by the way?"

Caspian pulled my hand back softly and turned the page, both men laughed as I gasped at the painting.

It was beautiful, stunning even. A large cliff by a sandy white beach and deep blue seas. The Castle was tall over the sea, its beauty almost shining over the land below. It was tall with arches and flags coming off the top. It looked almost like a fairytale castle.

"It's stunning," I said tracing my fingertips over the page. "Is it still like this? Can we go and see?"

I saw Caspian give me a small but sad smile as I frowned. "I'm afraid when the Telmarines invaded Narnia they got rid of any trace of the Narnian embassy. Cair Paravel was destroyed by cannons many years ago. It's in ruins now, and everybody is banned from going near it."

Through the page I could see gold on the other side of the paper. I flipped it over and gasped again, whispering the word 'Aslan' quietly to myself. It was him, the magnificent lion that I kept seeing in my dreams.

"That's Aslan," Caspian murmured, taking my hand and tracing them over the picture. I could almost feel the lion's fur underneath my fingertips. "He is the King of all Beasts. He is said to rule over everything, and know everything."

Should I mention that he speaks to me, that I know him and him me? Is it important that I do?

I decided against it, flipping the page to see a sight that made a shiver crawl down my spine. It was of a woman, dressed in a long, silver gown that fell to the floor. The sharp features of her face were contorted in anger as she held a long and sharp spear over a fox. It seemed to be cowering away from her as the spear merely touched its skin.

"This is Jadis, also known as 'The White Witch'. She ruled for four-hundred years before the Kings and Queens of Old turned up to defeat her. The spear you see turns anything it touches to stone, which is why everybody feared to rebel against her. They did, and they won; Aslan finally putting an end to the winter that fell upon Narnia, turning it into summer again."

I glanced back down at the picture before back up at Caspian. I realised that I had never noticed the slight accent to his voice almost that of a Spanish accent from back home. It was rather addictive, and him speaking to me in long sentences wasn't helping.

I yawned against my will, covering my mouth with one hand and balancing the book in the other. Caspian and the Professor smiled as Caspian grabbed my hand and took the book from my grasp.

I pouted at him, hoping that he wouldn't send me to bed.

"You're tired and you need your rest. You've had a long day, Bella." His voice was strained and I knew that my pouting was getting to him.

I pouted again, clasping his hand at my chest. "Please? I'm not ready yet."

He groaned, pushing back a stray hair from my forehead behind my ear.

"I am going to retire now anyway, so you two can go back to your chambers." Cornelius interjected, watching as me and Caspian got up off the floor, put the book back on the desk and then almost pushing us out of his library.

I did manage to thank him for the stories and the fire as he shut the door behind him. Caspian kept a hold of my hand and almost pulled me down the long corridor, opening the door swiftly and pulling us both in. It shut with a small click.

"Time for sleep..." He whispered, turning off the lights and getting into bed. I followed his example and clambered into the bed, getting comfortable and listening to Caspian's breathing.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" He asked, lying on his back and putting his hands behind his head. I turned on my side to face him.

"Teach me how to sword fight." I whispered, not breaking eye contact when he looked at me in a confused manner.

He shook his head. "There is no need for you to learn how to wield a sword, Bella."

"There's every reason, Caspian. I just have a...feeling that one day it's going to save my life."

"A feeling isn't a reason for a woman to learn how to use a sword."

I sat up in the bed. "So it's just because I'm a woman?"

He also sat up. "No Bella, I didn't mean it in that way," He pushed a hand through his messy hair, pushing it from his face in defeat, though missing one large strand. "Okay, give me one good reason and I'll teach you."

I boldly brushed the strand of hair from his face like he had done to me earlier, placing my hand on his cheek. "Because one day I'm going to save your life like you've done for me many times now, and I can't do that without any knowledge of how to wield a sword. So teach me!"

I giggled and stroked his cheek. His eyes were smouldering, boring holes in mine. He nodded once before taking my hand in his, away from his face.

"Fine, but we start with arrows and then sticks and only when I feel your ready will we go on to swords. Deal?"

I lunged at him across the bed, placing my arms around his shoulders tightly pressing myself against him. I did feel him stiffen beneath me and under my arms, but I was too busy laughing to care.

"Yes, thank you so much Caspian!"

I felt his posture relax as his arms came up to hold me. They came around my waist as he pushed me even tighter against his body.

I pulled away slightly, but found that he wasn't letting me go. I looked at him questionably as I then realised how close my face was to his. My eyes widened as his face came closer, barely brushing mine, but placing a chaste kiss on the soft skin of my cheek.

Caspian then let go and turned away from me, whispering a small 'good night' before his breathing evened out and slowed down.

I don't know how long I sat there, but long enough for Caspian to fall into a deep sleep beside me. Eventually, I turned round and pulled the covers over my body, just counting down the seconds and minutes until I could train with him tomorrow, and show off how good I was at sword fighting and archery.

Maybe I should have told him that I have about seven years of fencing training and about eight years of archery practice under my belt?

Even so, as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but have a feeling that something really bad was going to happen tomorrow.

It didn't help that Aslan's voice drifted through my dreams, only uttering a few words which didn't help to soothe my uneasiness.

Get ready, My Child. All that you know is about to change.

**********

Review, please? ;)