The Lost Legacy

Chapter 12: An Unseemly Bow

As they made they way back to the river, Sophie crossed the bridge without any fear. She was with Caspian. What could go wrong, she thought. But before they came out to the clearing, she knew that she could break the silence. "Is everything okay?"

Caspian smiled at her, enjoying the sound of her voice against the tranquility of the woods. "I think so."

"Nervous about the ball?"

He smirked at her attempt to lighten his mood. "Terrified," he admitted. "I'm not sure how to be a better ruler for everyone." He didn't know how those words came out of his mouth. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the prophecy was close to being disclosed.

"Hey." She touched his arm. "You don't have to. You are already one of the best rulers that I've seen. And read about. I know my history and I know you." What did I just say? I know you? "I mean, from whatever I know about you, you seem to be doing a great job."

"Thank you, Sophie. It means a lot that you think that."

"I know for sure."

Sophie didn't know what exactly happened next but there was a tall fallen tree in front of her, so to cross it, she held an overhead branch to cross her legs over to the other side. A sharp pain went through her right arm, the palm of her hand having been cut by a loose thorn, making her groan.

"Are you okay?" Caspian asked, turning around. He took her hand in his and examined the wound, careful to not press on the wound. "You're hurt." 

This was what Glenstorm had meant.

Another coincidence.

"It's nothing," she said, but an idea struck her. She gathered her skirt together and ran towards the river. She put her hand inside the water and it happened once again. Her hand had healed. She really was Poseidon's daughter somehow. "Yes!"

"Sophie!" Caspian ran behind her.

"Look." She showed him her palm.

He took her hands and looked at it back and forth. "That's impossible. I saw the cut only moments ago."

"I told you that the river healed my hand. I knew this was the right moment to show it to you."

Caspian looked at her sudden blue eyes and had to resist the want to push her falling strand of hair behind her ear. He walked away. He really wanted to talk to the Professor and couldn't wait for him to come back. 

"We have a long day ahead of us," he said as he got on Destrier.

That night, Sophie decided to show him the painting and fulfill her end of the deal to cheer him up from whatever was disturbing him. "Hey," she said as she entered the tower.

Caspian noticed the rolled up parchment in her hand and smiled. "I can finally see it then."

"Here."

Caspian opened it up and stared at it, mouth open. It was a pencil sketch of him sitting on his throne. He was wearing the same outfit that he had when Sophie first came to the castle.

"It's bad, isn't it? I tried to do everything by memory. I'll have to work on it then."

"This is wonderful!"

"Really? Personally, I think that I could've done a better job but-"

"It's perfect," he said. "Thank you."

His eyes locked with hers and Sophie knew she would have to keep the conversation going if she shouldn't get lost in his eyes, although she wanted to drown in them. "I've kept my end of the deal."