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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 16:36:12 GMT -4
The wolf stood with his paws balanced perfectly in the branches of a high tree. No ordinary wolf could do this, but for the changeling it was an easy task simply by being a monkey first. This was his normal way of hunting. The dumb animals caught scent of the wolf and thinking it was in the trees which was impossible they disregarded it until it was too late.
But it was not the animals he hunted for: It was his son. He had come to understand some things about his son. He had known them before, but he had not made the connection between them and his own experience until now. A few months had passed since his wedding day, he had given his son enough time to be happy with his wife. The demon of a boy had left them alone for the most part, but that didn't mean he wasn't hiding in the woods somewhere. But for now he and his son had to talk - alone.
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 16:43:05 GMT -4
Caspian was happy today as he walked down the forest path. He knew that his father wanted to speak with him at some point during this day, or so he had been told by the servants. He enjoyed the forest scent as he walked, taking in the smell of wild flowers and fresh strawberries. A bird whistled and he looked up, but to his surprise, he saw a tail hang down from one of the branches. Caspian smiled, knowing the only dog who might climb a tree would be the shape-shifter. Over the past months, he had done nothing untrustworthy, nothing offensive, nothing wrong. He seemed to be somewhat trustworthy. The King jumped up and grabbed the grey tail childishly, pulling on it with enough force to pull him out of the branches.
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 16:48:30 GMT -4
As the boy pulled his tail, a move he hadn't expected, the dog's instinct was to whimper. He did, but only for a moment. King's didn't whimper. He shook the dirt from his fur and sat and changed to become a tiger with his tail curled around his paws."So you came," He said, "I didn't think you would. I figured you would have used the child as an excuse not to come." He bowed his head for a moment, as if in respect, "But, no matter, you're here now. And do you know why I have called you here?"
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 16:52:36 GMT -4
Caspian shook his head no, still smiling. He found wolves falling from trees to be quite amusing. "No, I don't know why." he answered. Today was just a good day. Nothing had gone wrong, and most of the people in the Castle were smiling. Something in the air was just right about today, but he couldn't figure it out. "Why did you want to talk to me?" Caspian asked.
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 16:58:34 GMT -4
"I called you because I question your judgment," He said, "You told me that you would rather be burned rather than see a scratch on queen Susan's face. This I can understand, I wanted it as well for your mother. But as I began to think on your decision I must tell you that you cannot let this be. For her sake, when the moment comes, let her die." He said this knowing Caspian would disagree, but he knew what he was saying well. If he gave him a chance to explain himself perhaps the boy would understand much better.
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 17:03:31 GMT -4
The smile was completely wiped off his face now. Anger burned inside of him. How could he let Susan die? He never would. Never. "That's ridiculous." he said. "How could I ever? I'd rather be put through a thousand years of torture and die than watch her fall." The King stared at the tiger.
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 17:11:02 GMT -4
"I know." He said sadly, "I was like you once. I will tell you something my father told me when I was much younger than you are now: History will repeat itself if we do not learn from it. I am sure you have heard it before. But it is because of this that I tell you to do this. Your mother . . ." He stopped for a while letting the memory sink in, "Your mother did not die in childbirth, she was taken from me by demons. They took her, no matter how hard I fought. For your sake, to keep you out of the demon's path, the story was told much diffrently. But it is because I had to live with such loss that I tell you this now. To live without your lover is a fate worse than death. You know only a small fraction of the feeling, she had to leave you for a short while to live in England. The both of you remember how hard it was to survive. Now to know that there will be no comming back, that there is no way for you to find her, only makes things millions of times worse. Now, tell me son, would you sit back and die leaving her to this life suffering?"
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 17:17:41 GMT -4
Caspian got up and began to walk away. He wasn't in the mood to fight. Moments ago, he had been happy. And now he was being told to let his wife die, even when no danger approached them. But the words that the tiger said did burn deep into his skull. He could remember that nightmare, when he had been hugging the gravestone and cutting down their tree, in the process killing himself. But how could he stand by and let her die? He couldn't. It was impossible. He would die for her, just like he had promised. She was to grow old and die peacefully, not by the hand of evil. Not by pain. Not by anything but age. Caspian clenched his sword in his hand angerly. He didn't want to think about this.
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 21:02:45 GMT -4
"Wait!" The tiger bounded after him, he knew his son didn't like to hear this, but it needed to be said, needed to be done. "You must give me your word." He said, "you must promise that you will let her die. Should you fall she will have little, if not nothing to live for. Her heart is already in pieces as it is, you are what is keeping her in this realm of the living. You heard her say it to you herself: The Dark Island's voice nearly drove her off the cliffs. I know you would die to protect, I honor your decision it is one i wished I had made before your mother's death. But having to experience that pain is one I know you would not want her to go through. I tell you again: If you fall she has little, if anything at all to live for. Promise me you will let her go."
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 21:07:57 GMT -4
"I will give you my word on nothing!" Caspian roared. "How do you expect me to stand there and watch as she perishes? It's impossible. It's my will and instinct to protect her! I will kill the Dark Island voice. I will find a way. I will. I will!" The King continued to walk away. "Why is this so important to you?" he spat, turning around to face him. "It's no concern of yours."
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 21:16:19 GMT -4
"Because it is not only the your sake and that of Susan." He told him. He hated doing this, hated telling him like this. But the king must be firm, must endure, must stand strong like a rock against the raging sea that was his own child. "If not for the sake of your own wife's sanity then do it for the narnians. If she perishes there will be no heir for the Telmarine throne. History will repeat itself just as it did with me. I died and my brother took power. You will die and Lamont will take power. Yes, the narnians will accept having Peter or Edmund or Lucy as leader. But the Telmarines, your own people, will not take it as well and they outnumber the others by hundreds. Narnia could be destoried, this time for good. The throne must have an heir."
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 21:23:15 GMT -4
"Then I will have a Will, something that you didn't have. I can skip over my cousin, and the throne may go to Susan or Peter or Edmund or Lucy. And will you please stop talking to me! You speak as if dying for my wife is a bad thing. Well, it isn't! And why do you tell me all of this now? We are not currently in any danger, nor is there any sign of it. Aslan is coming back. I don't know when, but he will. He is the only one who can kill Lamont now, and he will not abandon his people. And besides, Lamont can't touch Susan or I now." Caspian's voice was heated. Why shouldn't he die for Susan? It was his duty as a husband, a friend, a lover. He had promised it. A King never brakes his promises.
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 21:28:50 GMT -4
The tiger stopped as he said this, his front paw still hanging in the air like a hunter's dog. His ear's perked and his head raised only for them to be brought back down. "I am sorry." He said, "I did not know my place. I thought you would already understand, I thought you already knew. But I realize I was wrong and I'll go. It's not my place to tell you what happened. It's her's alone. I will go if you wish."
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Post by King Caspian X on Sept 22, 2008 21:31:58 GMT -4
Now he had Caspian's attention. The man turned on his heel. "Thought I already knew what?" he asked, curiosity coming into his voice. "Who do you mean by 'her'?" The King waited, wondering. What didn't he know? What happened?
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Post by Cotnar on Sept 22, 2008 21:38:44 GMT -4
"Who do you think?" He said as though the answer was obvious. It did seem so, the girl seemed to be the centerpoint of all things, good and evil, in Narnia "The one who's life is in your hands; the one who lives for you more than Aslan. The girl you are willing to condemn to a life of suffering. But I say no more, it is not my place." He stayed now only because the boy did not dismiss him or leave.
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