Tarnished Crown

Caspian was rarely shy or nervous. When you were seen as a joke among your peers you couldn't much afford to be awkward and uncertain. But he found himself fidgeting slightly as he walked up to the castle doors. Belle's irritable handmaiden was waiting for him there, leading him to a small but elegant room with a table on a balcony overlooking the gardens. The table was laid out with tea and scones and assorted little cakes and sandwiches.

"Belle will be along in a moment," Eliana said. Caspian stared out the window until he heard the door open. He jumped and spun around to see Belle. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid and she was wearing a more formal dress than he was used to seeing her in. She smiled, her cheeks pink.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," she said.

"I just got here," Caspian replied, pulling out a chair for her. He noticed for the first time that there were assorted odds and ends spread across a table against the far wall. "What are those?" he asked.

"Oh! They're my father's. Some of the various magical objects he collects and tinkers with. This is technically a work room for him, but it's fairly private and has such a beautiful view. So I asked him if I could use it today. Sometimes Annemarie and I take tea in here."

"How fascinating. I'd like to speak to your father about his work."

"Be prepared. If you do that you'll never get him to stop."

Caspian's lips quirked up in a smile and Belle smiled back. They say there for a moment before she seemed to shake herself.

"Um, so tea," she said. She half-stood, reaching for the teapot at the same time Caspian did. Their fingers brushed and her blush deepened.

"How many sugars?" she asked, voice squeaking slightly.

"Two," Caspian said, trying not to laugh. "You look very pretty today."

"Thank you," Belle murmured. "So do you. I mean, you look nice. Handsome. Not pretty, of course."

Belle hurriedly sipped her tea and Caspian ate one of the scones.

"I'm glad that you asked me here today," he finally said. Belle smiled slightly.

"I'm glad that you came," she admitted.

"Does this mean you don't despise me anymore?" He grinned and Belle grimaced.

"Despised is a harsh word. I don't know that I ever-" She broke off as there was a thud and some urgent whisper-giggling from the hall outside the door. Belle roles her eyes.

"Those two," she muttered. She flashed Caspian an apologetic smile. "I'll be right back."

She stood and hurried to the door, slipping out. Caspian saw a glimpse of red hair and an elaborate gown and realized Lily and Annemarie were lurking outside the door. Chuckling to himself, he rose and went to look over Tobias's magical odds and ends. He didn't have a clue what any of it was, but a large glass orb shimmering with silver-blue light caught his eye. He leaned down to study it more closely, noticing other colors occasionally flashing inside of it. If he squinted just right he was sure he could make out faint images.

Fascinated, he reached out to brush his fingers against the glass, feeling it ripple beneath his touch, almost like it was water instead of glass. He would absolutely have to remember to ask Belle what-

The world tilted and his stomach lurched unpleasantly. The room around him disappeared, replaced with a hazy image of a field. He spotted four children; three boys and a little girl.

"Maybe we should see if Izzy can swim," one of the boys taunted.

"No!" the girl screamed, tears in her eyes. "Give her back, Alec!"

Caspian realized with a startled jolt that he was seeing Belle and Alec when they were children. Alec was holding onto Belle's doll, dangling her just out of Belle's reach. Caspian studied the other two boys, recognizing one of them as Daniel. The other must have been Evan. They were both snickering as Alec tormented his little sister.

"Alec, give her back now or I'll tell Daddy you took the special toy he saved up for!" Belle kicked him in the shin, tears spilling over her cheeks now. Alec scowled.

"Such a crybaby," he muttered, shoving the doll at her. "Dolls are for babies. Baby Belle."

"Don't call me that," Belle sniffed. Alec jogged backwards, continuing to call her a baby in a singsong voice. Belle clutched her doll tightly to her chest and continued to sniffle. Some time later, Daniel came back.

"Your mom wants you home for dinner," he said. He shifted from foot to foot, rubbing nervously at his neck. "I don't think dolls are for babies," he blurted. "And I wouldn't let Alec throw Izzy in the river."

He turned and hurried away so Belle was forced to jog to try and catch up. But she wasn't crying anymore. The scene lurched and swirled again, and now Caspian was seeing a slightly older Belle; maybe fourteen or fifteen. She was talking to Daniel, doing an exaggerated imitation of some girl that was apparently interested in Evan. Daniel was laughing, his brown eyes crinkling. Belle pretended to swoon and Daniel caught her. She started laughing too and their eyes locked. Belle's laughter faded and Daniel leaned down to kiss her. They sprang apart quickly, both their faces red.

The scene wavered, then became clear again. They were under the same tree, this time in the evening. Daniel was reading and Belle approached slowly, looking nervous.

"What is it?" Daniel asked. Belle opened her mouth, looking as unsure and frightened as Caspian had ever seen her. Then she disrupt flung herself at Daniel, kissing him fiercely. The scene broke apart again, and moved forward several more years. Daniel was being led to the gallows, hands bound. The executioner slipped a rope over his head while the crowd gathered below shouted in protest. One voice rose above the others, screaming Daniel's name.

Belle ran toward the hanging platform, her blue eyes terrified and haunted. Daniel spotted her in the crowd, his axe softening. He mouthed the words, "I love you." Alec caught her then, pulling her into his arms and pressing her against his chest as the floor dropped from beneath Daniel's feet. Belle sobbed against Alec's chest, her knees giving out. The crowd was full of people crying or bowing their heads as Daniel swung lifelessly at the end of a rope. Belle wailed brokenheartedly until she completely crumpled in her brother's arms, unconscious.

The vision disappeared and Caspian saw the room in the castle again. Shaken, he yanked his hand away from the glowing orb. No wonder Belle had been so unimpressed with him. He grimaced, feeling at once ashamed and embarrassed. He had to leave. Belle came back into the room to find him pale and disheveled.

"Caspian? Are you all right?"

"I-I think I should be going, Princess," he stammered. "Thank you, for the tea and the lovely afternoon."

He bowed hastily while Belle stared at him in bewilderment. He forced a smile as he moved past her, beating a hasty retreat. As he hurried down the halls he realized he was surrounded by portraits of people lost in the revolution. He cringed when he saw one of Daniel. It wasn't as large as the one in Dominic Wither's home, but it still made Caspian feel like he'd been punched in the gut. Stomach in knots he practically ran from the castle and back home.

Lara met him in the foyer, clutching an envelope in her hand. "Cas, this letter was delivered to you. What's wrong? Did something happen with your darling princess?"

"No," Cas muttered, taking the envelope and sitting down hard on the couch. "Nothing happened. Nothing will ever happen." He closed his eyes and sighed. "She was in love before. With a revolutionary hero. He was executed."

"So? What does that have to do with you?"

"Lara, I've never been in love in my life. I've never done anything in my life, actually. I spent the first part of it trying to impress people who would only be impressed if I magically vanished. Then I've spent all my time since doing everything I can to embarrass them and having meaningless flings." He let his head flop back against the back of the couch. "Helene is right about me."

"Cas." Lara sat beside him. "Don't let her get to you. You're an amazing person. It's their loss that they refuse to acknowledge it."

"If Belle has already had real love in her life, especially with a man like Daniel, then it's best for me to leave her alone. If she is going to open her heart to someone again, then it should be to someone far more deserving than me."

"Cas."

"Who's the letter from?" he asked, changing the subject. Lara sighed.

"I don't know. But it seemed the courier had been searching for you pretty urgently."

Caspian tore open the letter, reading it with a frown.

"What is it?"

"It's from my mother," he said slowly. "It seems all the infighting in Rehan has finally stopped and they've achieved peace. But my grandfather is sick, he may be dying. She wanted me to know in case I wanted to see him before he passes."

"Are you going to go?"

"I met him a few times when I was a kid, before Helene forced mom to leave. I think I should go to my family."

Lara nodded. "You'll come back right?"

"I wouldn't abandon you." He smiled, but it quickly faded. "It's just as well. Belle will surely be better off without me around, and I haven't seen my mother in twenty years."

"You should go," Lara agreed. "But what about your birthday gifts for your uptight sweetheart and her paint smeared nephew?"

Caspian glanced toward the boxes in the corner. He'd found some enchanted paint brushes for Lucian that could absorb the color of whatever you touched them to, then transferred that color to the paper. Belle's gift was something much more personal, and now that he knew the ribbon tied around the doll's wrist was from Daniel, he felt his heart sink. Maybe Belle would be angry with him for taking Izzy.

"I'll go to the birthday party," he said. "I'll give them the gifts. It's still a couple of days away. I need to make preparations to leave anyway." He nodded. "I'll go to the party just long enough to drop these off. Then as soon as possible, I depart for Rehan."