We Were Both Young, When I First Saw Your

"Staying here would be pointless."

"It's defensible though! No one has ever managed to take the castle!" Caspian shouted back, his eyes full of disdain.

The ragtag army stood around the round table, discussing their plans. The main two arguers however, were Caspian and Peter. Their fighting had raged on for what seemed like hours.

Lucy and Arianna were sitting on the table, with Arianna braiding Lucy's hair. The two girls both look annoyed.

"I think I know what I'm doing!" Peter said pointedly, glaring at Caspian, "Far more then you do."

"If we stay here, the Telemarines could just starve us out." Edmund pointed out.

"We could collect nuts!" Pattertwig the squirrel said excitedly, twitching and jumping up and down.

"Yes! And throw them at the Telemarines!" Reepicheep said, turning to him. His smile quickly faded into a frown however as he turned to stare at the squirrel with annoyance, "Shut up." he turned back to Peter and Caspian, "I think you know where I stand my liege."

"I think we should wait for Aslan." Lucy said quietly.

"I think we've waited long enough." Peter replied, just as quietly.

"I agree with Aunt Lucy." Arianna said, her voice full of anger and annoyance as she remembered the early morning.

~----------~
"WHAT?" she shouted, clenching her fists, feeling the nails dig into her palms, "You AGREE with him?"

He flinched, but nodded his head firmly, "Yes...unfourtantly. You are not to fight, Arianna. That is final!"

"Why NOT?!" she felt her face flush. She was furious, wasn't HE the one who taught her how to fight when she was young? Had he no faith in his own daughter?

"I just got you back Arianna. I am not going to just send you out to battle!" Peter shouted, "Now you'll do as I say, or so help me...!"

"You'll what?" Arianna said, her eyes tearing up now, "Lock me up?" she laughed at that, "Honestly father...you've changed..." and she turned to leave, passing by Caspian as she did so. He opened his mouth to speak, and reached his hand out to grab her arm. But she was too fast.

"Well, I appreciate your input Arianna." Peter said curtly, "But we're going to mount an attack against the castle. There won't be that many soldiers there. We'll be able to do it. You're to stay here with Lucy."

At that, Lucy glanced at Arianna with sadness.

Arianna could only look back, shaking her head quietly.

~----------~
"They've been gone for a while." Lucy said quietly.
They were alone now. There were others that had stayed behind, but they had left the two girls alone.
Arianna nodded, as she stroked her aunt's hair gently. How odd, it was for the two. At one point, Lucy had been the elder of the two, the one who did the braiding and stroking of the hair. And now, Arianna was the older one...
"Yes..." Arianna replied softly. Her anger from before had subsided, and for now she had given up the hope she'd be able to fight in this battle, "I hope their alright..."

"I'm sure they are." giggled Lucy, "Peter won't die easily. Neither will Susan."

"Mm..." she looked down at her young aunt, "Aunt Lucy...do you...believe in fate?"

Lucy craned her head to look up at her niece, "Well, yes I do." she said, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just...well, Caspian kissed me."

Lucy giggled at that, "I know, I was there silly."

"Again." finished Arianna.

At that, Lucy sat up to look at her, excitment in her eyes, "Really?!"

Arianna nodded, "Well, yes. And the thing is..." she paused now, not particularly wanting to admit the next part, "I feel like...I know him." she blushed and looked down, "You remember those dreams I had when I was younger?"

Lucy nodded, a smile playing on her face, "That little boy right?"

Arianna nodded, "Yes, he reminds me an awful lot of Caspian. I just, I don't want my life to be dictated like that!" she scowled, "I want to be able to choose whom I fall in love with!"

"Perhaps you chose who that was when you were little." Lucy said, smiling at her.

Arianna stuck her tongue out, "Yes, perhaps so. It just annoys me that both he and my father refuse to let me fight! It's so infuriati-"

That was when a horn was sounded.
They were back.
With a quick glance at each other, the two girls leapt up and ran out of the underground cavern.

~----------~
"What happened?!" cried Lucy.

"Ask him." Peter said roughly, glaring sharply at Caspian.

"Me? You could have called it off, there was still time!" Caspian accused back, his eyes narrowing.

"No, there wasn't thanks to you!" Peter spat back, "If you had kept to the plan those soldiers might still be alive right now!"

"And if you had just stayed here, as I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian shouted, throwing his hands up in the air.

"You called us remember?" Peter said, clenching his fists. The two were now standing by each other, staring at each other with anger in their eyes.

"My first mistake." Caspian said quietly.

"No, your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people!" Peter shouted, turning to walk away.

"Hey!" Caspian took a step forward, furious, "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia!"

Peter stopped, turning to look Caspian. His fists clenching and unclenching, "You invaded Narnia! You have no more right leading then Miraz does!"

Caspian said nothing, and simply glared at Peter before pushing past him.

"You! Him, your father! Narnia is better of without the lot of you!!"

At that, Caspian whirled around, sword and unsheathed and pointed at Peter. But the High King was as fast him, and had his own sword out and pointed at the prince.

"KNOCK IT OFF!"

The two looked over, to see a furious Arianna standing there. Her short brown hair blew in the wind, and her green eyes were full of anger.

"Honestly! Neither of you can stop to look at yourselves! What does it MATTER who's fault it is?" she said, walking over and shoving both their swords down, "You should stop thinking about what's failed and think about what we're to do next!" Finished, she stood there, looking at Caspian and her father, her cheeks flushed.

"You're right..." Peter said softly, putting his sword away. With a sigh, he turned, kissed his daughter on the cheek, and continued his way back to the Stone Table to think.

"Thank you." Caspian said quietly, putting away his own sword.

"For what?" Arianna asked curtly, brushing her hair out of her face.

"For talking sense into me." Caspian replied, "That got...a bit out of hand. I'm sorry. It's just-"

"It doesn't matter." she replied, looking up at him, "I understand. You're under a lot of stress. We all are Caspian. But don't let that undermine common sense."

Caspian looked at her, at the way the wind ruffled her hair which caused her to scowl and push it back.

He laughed, "Alright...thank you milady." he held out his hand, "How about we go eat? I'm starving."

She looked at him in surprise, and then hestitantly took his hand, "I'm still angry with you, you know." she muttered, "You and father."

Nonetheless, butterflies floated in her stomach as images of her dreams rushed back.

Perhaps she had chosen who to love after all.