Watching the Stars

“You won’t be watching the stars tonight, my prince.”

A cold hand covered Caspian’s mouth in his sleep, and the prince gave a violent twitch before snapping his eyes wide open. Seeing that it was just his old tutor in a dark cloak, he relaxed and snuggled back into the sheets of his bed. Yes, princes snuggled, because they needed sleep.

“Five more minutes,” Caspian mumbled sleepily when Cornelius would not move.

“Come,” Cornelius hissed, pulling him out of bed. Caspian groaned, stumbling on his feet.

“What’s going on?” he asked quietly, as they stood in front of his door. Cornelius looked around; making sure that nobody was there to catch them. He turned to Caspian, a serious look in his eyes.

“You aunt has given birth,” he explained in a hoarse voice. “To a son.”

Caspian raised an eyebrow, but watched as Cornelius pulled them into another hallway, hissing, “Come!” and pulling him further. Caspian was still curious. Why would a boy cousin be any danger?

Footsteps echoed into his room, and Caspian was quick to shut the door behind him, leaving it open only a crack so he could see who would intrude his sleep.

A few of the guards, some who he recognized, stepped quietly into the room. If Caspian was still asleep, he wouldn’t have heard them. He had been awake a day and a night and another day. Time with Estella and then time worrying for her. He swallowed the air, and watched.

There must have been at least thirty, all dressed in their armor and mail. They surrounded his bed, and Caspian watched, horrified, when he noticed that they were all carrying bows and arrows.

And all at once, they began to fire. At his bed. The bed he had been sleeping in before Cornelius had dragged him out. He now owed his life to his professor. Once they had all fired and saw that there was no one there, they all became suspicious. Caspian fled and followed closely behind Cornelius.

He kept looking back, in disbelief. The army had tried to kill their future king. And he still couldn’t understand why.

Grabbing his mail and a sword, and the dark cloak from Cornelius, they traveled to the front of the castle, where his horse was waiting. Caspian was still confused.

“You must make for the woods, they won’t follow you there,” Cornelius instructed. He pulled something long and white out of his pocket, smuggling it towards Caspian. “It has taken me many years to find this. Do not use it, except at your greatest need.”

Caspian nodded towards his tutor. “Will I ever see you again?”

“I dearly hope so, my prince,” Cornelius bowed his head, a grave look in his eyes. “There was so much more I meant to tell you. Everything you know is about to change.”

Caspian nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by yells behind him.

“Go!” Cornelius ordered, and Caspian gave a kick to his horse, who started running.

“There is something I need to do first!” he called back to Cornelius, and the doctor stared back with wide eyes.

“Be cautious, my prince! They will find you!” Cornelius yelled back, but Caspian was already out of sight.

* * *

The horse was running as fast as he could, Caspian could not doubt. But this was his life in danger right now, and he had to visit Estella one last time. Escaping the guards in the front, he made his way towards the village, where Estella’s house was.

They were interrupted by colourful fireworks that decorated the sky and destroyed the stars, and a loud announcement to the whole village:

“A son! A son! Lady Prunaprismia has, this night, given Lord Miraz a son!”

Caspian turned around and glared at the castle he once called home. Some uncle, he thought.

He stopped at Estella’s house, hiding his horse in the shadows. He knocked on the door loudly, and was answered a minute later by Estella. She was dressed in her night gown, the white reflecting with the candle she held in her hands. Her eyes were tired, and now confused.

“Caspian, what are you—”

“There is no time,” Caspian rushed. “You heard the announcements in the sky. I have a baby cousin—a boy. Miraz wants me... d-dead, so he can have the throne, I suspect. I have come to say a last goodbye.”

Estella’s eyes were wide. “Where are you—”

“The woods. To... to Narnia. I wish you all the luck on your wedding tomorrow,” Caspian nodded, biting his bottom lip. Estella sighed and leaned up to kiss him.

“I... I hope to see you again. You are taking my heart with you,” she blushed, holding him tightly. “I hope you will be all right.”

At the same moment, they heard battle cries and horse hooves against the stone roads in the background. Estella looked up with wide eyes, wondering if they were too close.

“I love you,” Caspian breathed, kissing her again. Estella smiled sadly.

“The stars, Caspian. Look for me when you look at the stars,” she told him with tears in her eyes.

Caspian nodded, hugging her tightly. He pulled away and escaped to his horse, looking back so he could keep her image in his mind. She folded her arms, closing the door behind her as Caspian rode off towards the forest.

* * *

He was never more scared in his life.

Hearing the army behind him as he rode his horse into the woods. Hitting his head on a branch and being knocked off and dragged through the leaves and dirt.

He ended up lying by a great tree, the rest of them towering over him. Caspian felt pitiful. Perhaps he should die. It would all end if he would let himself be dragged back to the castle, lifeless on a horse.

“Estella,” Caspian groaned, his head throbbing with pain. “I cannot see the stars...”

He heard footsteps on his right side, but was sure that it wasn’t a Telmarine. They were soft footsteps, the ones of an animal. Caspian didn’t mind animals, as long as the soldiers got here before it attacked him.

“What is he moaning about?” Caspian heard a rough voice ask. His heartbeat quickened.

“I’ll take care of them, you get him!” he heard another voice command, and then the cries of the Telmarine soldiers were so close.

Caspian lifted his head, seeing three shadows against the warriors. There was no way he was going to live through this, there was no way. He would die and Estella would love Felix and marry him because Caspian wasn’t going to be around. He reached for the magical horn that Cornelius had given him, blowing into it as hard as he could because this was probably a good time to do so.

He glanced at the stars one more time before it all went black.