Inheritance: Threads of Fate

Chapter Twenty Two - Goodbye Old Friend

Caspian waited until you were alone to come back and sit on the sand next to you.
"Well. That was intense." He stated plainly.
You blushed. "Yea... Sorry...I know I got loud."
"It was to be expected after everything you've been through."
"How much did you hear?"
"Of the yelling? All of it." He chuckled lightly. "Everything else, not much."
"So you guys pretty much just heard me yelling at my Dad..." you looked down guiltily.
"Well, we heard how upset you were. How emotionally overstimulating it was to be reunited... but none of us think any lesser of you for it."
"Speak for yourself. Raxe and Zumi are probably afraid to be near me, that's why only you came over."
He laughed. "They told me to come over, they wanted me to check on you."
"Yea, sent you in first to test the waters..."
"Because they care about you." His lips still cracked a smile. "They didn't think you needed a whole crowd of people surrounding you right now."
"I don't know what I need right now..." You looked up.
"I do." He handed you a cup.
"What's this?"
"Arak."
"Aslan's mane..." you looked down and shook your head, but you couldn't deny that was exactly what you needed.
"Am I wrong?"
"No..." You took it down in one swig, then made a face. "It never tastes any better..."
"I'm beginning to learn its purpose is not for taste..." He chuckled.
"Phew...well it does it's job." You felt a bit light headed, and much less weighted down.
"So." He leaned back on his arms, with his legs stretched out in front of him. "What does your father think of you being the new Lord?"
"I think he might actually be kind of proud? Though he won't admit it. I know he wouldn't have wished a life of piracy on me but, I think he feels that me picking up the mantle is some way of righting the wrongs of him abandoning it."
"What was so wrong about him dropping that life for love?"
You explained what you learned about the power of the Scales coming together. How your father felt partially responsible for the state of the world in the last ten years, and how it was now partially your responsibility to keep anything like that from happening again.
"That's....a lot." Was all Caspian could say.
"Yea..."
You sat in silence, looking up at the stars.
"But... a party does sound fun..." He commented after a while.
"You would only focus on that." He never failed to make you smile when you needed it most.
Raxe and Zumi walked over to you both.
"Hey, we're gonna head to bed. Just wanted to check on you. You doing alright?" Raxe asked.
"Yea, better." You answered honestly.
"Good, now I can go to sleep worry free. Goodnight you two. Don't keep us up with any...shenanigans..." Zumi winked at you two and disappeared into the tent.
"I have to have a talk with him about tact..." Raxe shook his head. "Goodnight guys."
"Nite." You and Caspian responded together.

"Did you want to go to bed too?" You asked Caspian, unsure if you were keeping him up.
"Not if you don't." He responded simply.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Not if you're not." He repeated in a chuckle, then spoke delicatley "I want to be wherever you need me right now."
"Ok." You responded quietly, and slid down your rock onto the sand next to him. You lay your head on his shoulder and looked up at the stars together.
You were trying to relax and enjoy the moment, but the familiar thoughts of self doubt and unworthiness, that attached themselves to you like leeches, kept screaming louder than any other thoughts that raced across your mind.

"Caspian?"
"Yes, My Starlight."
"Do you think I'm a good person?"
He turned his head and looked down at you in surprise, "Of course."
"Good enough to make world altering decisions?"
"I think if the fate of the world was solely in your hands, we would all be much better off."
"Are you just saying that?"
"No." He chuckled. "Even if I wasn't hopelessly in love with you, I would think you would make a fantastic Lord."
"I'm not sure I'm ready for this..."
"A wise Lion once told me, 'It's for that very reason, I know that you are.'"

* * *

You spend the majority of the following morning hiding your face in embarrassment. Your father was relishing in the fact that he had hundreds of embarrassing stories to tell your friends and the KING OF NARNIA. He didn't leave out any details of the day you first used the potty successfully. Or when you first discovered how to undo your own diaper and your favorite pastime became running about the village butt ass naked. He had Raxe, Zumi, and Caspian rolling with laughter at the first time you accidentally blurted out a swear word in front of an old lady and made her faint. Caspian and Raxe, however, did not find the story of when Raxe followed you home with a self picked bouquet of daisies and asked you to marry him at six years old, entertaining.
As you were packing up your mounts, and preparing for you and Caspian to share a camel again when your dad approached you.
"Bug, would you mind if I spoke to Caspian alone for a little bit?"
"Uhhh." You recalled all the stories he was telling that morning, the panic must have been apparent on your face.
"I swear. No embarrassing stories." He chuckled.
"Alright I guess?" You agreed hesitantly. "Dad?"
"Yes sweetheart?"
"Please be nice..."
He winked at you and mounted his own camel.
You joined Raxe and Zumi. "Looks like one of us is sharing for a while." You motioned back to Caspian and your dad.
"Oh Aslan, please don't make me ride with him." Raxe stared at Zumi. "He doesn't understand personal space..."
"Oh please, you love the attention." Zumi joked.
You laughed. "Ok ok, Zumi take Abra, he knows you anyway. Raxe, help me up." You sat in front of him in the saddle.