Tarnished Crown

"Absolutely not."

"Lara."

"No."

"Please?"

"Caspian Augustus Everhart, don't you dare give me those sad puppy eyes. I have no interest in going on one of your silly play dates so you can impress your stick in the mud princess."

"It's not a play date. And she's not a stick in the mud. Come on, Lara."

"She's probably going to have a conniption having Baby anywhere near the kid. He's easily five times the bratling's size."

Caspian rolled his eyes. "Just do it for me, Lara."

She huffed dramatically. "If I agree to this, you owe me big time, Cas."

"I know. You're the best cousin in the entire world." He kissed her cheek and she scowled, squirming away from him.

"I'm well aware of that," she informed him. "What's your fascination with those two, anyway?"

"He's a sweet kid, Lara. Very bright and talented. And Belle is-"

"Belle has big blue eyes and doesn't swoon at your feet," Lara interrupted. "And is a stick in the mud. You always have been most drawn to the weird ones."

Caspian rolled his eyes again. "Come on, I'm already late."

Lara sighed dramatically and whistled for Baby, who came loping to her side, leaning against her side affectionately. He was taller than her when he stood on his hind legs; nearly taller than Caspian. Startlingly blue eyes peered out from his short, silky fur. Lara had found him as a puppy and insisted on keeping him. He was highly intelligent and well trained, though only for Lara. Caspian was certain he was at least half Elbian Mountain Wolf, which were rare and elusive but frightfully huge animals that prowled deep within Elbis's forests and mountains.

Harrison opted to sit this excursion out, staying in Caspian's temporary summer home to work out mathematical problems for fun.

"I won't be held responsible if Baby thinks the prince is a snack," Lara griped. Caspian walked on her other side, draping an arm across her shoulders. When they reached the spot by the lake where Belle and Lucian were waiting, Lucian's eyes grew huge and round. Belle looked alarmed.

"Wow!" Lucian exclaimed, scurrying forward. Belle hurried after him, eyeing the dog nervously.

"Are you sure it's safe to have him around Lucian?" she asked.

"Baby doesn't maul anyone unless I tell him to," Lara replied. Belle pursed her lips.

"That's comforting," she muttered. Lara stayed half hidden behind Caspian, trying to keep her distance from Lucian as usual.

"Can I ride him?" Lucian asked. Lara looked affronted.

"He's not a horse," she said irritably. Baby sat down, head cocked as he studied Lucian. He was surprisingly calm and gentle as the little prince stroked his ears and walked in a circle around him.

"He's ginormous!" Lucian said. "Does he do any tricks?"

Lara's expression turned even more sour. "Baby can do anything," she said crisply. "He's smarter than most people you'll meet."

Lucian ended up spending most of the afternoon playing fetch with Baby instead of painting, though he did finally sit still and do a quick portrait of the dog.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Caspian said to Belle. She'd ignored her book today, making sure to keep her eye on Lucian. Lara was the one who sat with her nose buried in some book about mythology. Belle had seemed almost surprised to see Lara toting the thick tome around with her.

"Thank you," Belle said. "And thank you again for the books. It was very thoughtful of you."

He chuckled. "I am capable of it from time to time."

"You two have a very odd way of flirting," Lara remarked and Caspian shot her a warning look as Belle turned red.

"We're talking," Caspian said.

"Uh huh." Lara rolled her eyes and returned to her book, muttering, "waste of damn time. All this beating around the bush. Dragging me and my dog into it."

Caspian nudged her, thankful that Belle didn't seem to have overheard. Lara seemed relieved when it was finally time for Lucian and Belle to return to the castle. She hurried ahead of the rest of them, Baby practically galloping after her while Lucian giggled and tried to chase him.

"She's not very social, your cousin," Belle noted. Caspian shrugged.

"It takes her a while to warm up to people. Even people as charming as you and Lucian."

Belle rolled her eyes but it looked like she was holding back a smile. Caspian bowed and bid the two of them goodbye while Lara waited impatiently.

"Hope that girl is worth all this trouble, Cas," she grumbled as they walked home. Caspian smiled slightly.

"I'm pretty sure she is," he replied.



Somehow Helene had garnered an invitation for the entire Everhart family to attend a dinner party hosted by Dominic Wither; one of the king's generals. Caspian was surprised Lara didn't put up much protest, until they arrived and she started asking Dominic for gory war details. Her mother turned pale, then green. Caspian thought the man would have been offended but he seemed more than happy to share his war stories.

"Caspian!"

Caspian turned to see Lucian bounding toward him, dressed up in finery. Lily and Alec were hurrying to catch up to him. Lily gave Caspian a warm smile.

"Nice to see you again, Caspian," she said. He stood and bowed.

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty."

"I wanted to thank you for being such a good friend to Lucian. He speaks very highly of you."

Her point was proven by the fact that Lucian was currently hugging Caspian's leg.

"I've immensely enjoyed his company these past few weeks," Caspian said, while Lily tried to pry Lucian off of him. "I'm honored he chose me of all people to befriend." His gaze flicked behind them, and he realized he was looking for Belle without even thinking about it.

"Belle didn't come tonight," Lily said, a knowing sort of twinkle in her eyes. "She's not feeling one hundred percent better just yet."

"Am I that obvious?" Caspian asked with a grimace. Lily laughed and patted his arm.

"Don't worry; I think it's sweet."

They all took seats around the grand dining table and Caspian sensed Helene's gaze boring a hole into him. She was probably seething at the sight of him talking casually with the queen and prince. His father and half brother barely even seemed to notice Caspian was there. Samson Everhart was busy talking some sort of business with an Aegaeran lord sitting next to him, and Oskar was picking at his food with that bored, droopy-eyed look he usually wore. Lara was still pestering Dominic for war stories and his wife Gwendolyn was smiling fondly at stories she'd clearly heard before.

After dinner Caspian found himself waiting in the foyer for Lara to finish flaunting her knowledge of war strategies, and noticed a huge portrait on the wall. He studied the young man, wondering who he could be.

"You found Danny's picture." Lucian came to stand beside Caspian, clasping his hands behind his back the same way Caspian was.

"Danny?" Caspian repeated.

"He was a special friend of Auntie Belle's," Lucian explained. "And Daddy, too. But he went away a long time ago so I never met him. Auntie Belle gets sad eyes sometimes when people talk about him."

"I see."

"Lucian, your mother is looking for you." Dominic stuck his head into the room.

"Okay. Bye, Caspian!"

"Good night, Lucian."

Lucian scampered from the room and Dominic glanced from Caspian to the portrait.

"I don't mean to pry," Caspian said quickly. "I was just waiting for Lara."

"That girl has quite the impressive mind," Dominic chuckled. "Has more smarts than many trained men I've worked with."

Caspian smiled, feeling a rush of pride. "She is exceptional," he agreed.

Dominic's gaze flicked to the portrait of Danny, his gaze going soft and faraway with sadness for a moment. Caspian was about to ask more questions when Lara appeared, announcing that she was ready to go home and read some books Dominic had lent her.

"Thank you for having us," Caspian said. Dominic smiled.

"Thank you for being pleasant company."

Lara fairly tugged Caspian from the room but he couldn't help but look back over his shoulder at the portrait, and at Dominic, staring up at it. He had sad eyes when Danny was brought up too, it seemed. Caspian left the manor with a bad feeling in his chest.