It Is Time

[King Caspian X]

Caspian laughed and kissed her softly on her face, next to her ear. "It would be wonderful." he agreed. "But let's not lose count. They all need individual attention. I wouldn't want one of them to feel left out." Caspian told her. He hugged her tightly and rested his head back down on the pillow. "Now please, Dear, try and get some rest." he told her, closing his eyes once more.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"I'll try," She let herself relax much eaiser than before. The voice only gave her one nightmare each night, the other nights were dreamless or peaceful. But though the images did not pass over her mind the voice still spoke. Did you enjoy your rest? It said. You couldn't possibly believe that could happen. Caspian loves me and would never hurt me. He proved you wrong like he did before so why are you still here? I wasn't proven wrong, he just said I was. But do not rely only on words, they will lead you to danger. There is few dangers that are not sparked by words. Caspian has never hurt me. He loves me too much and hates the thought of it. Sleep began to take full hold of her, but the voice spoke again and because of the few words her sleep was filled with, not so much a nightmare, but horrible memories of her past. So did your father.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian slept quietly, his mind not even touching into dreams. Everything was just dark and quiet and calm. He liked it. There was no reality, nor dreamworld, nor land of fears. It was simply peaceful for him. Once or twice thoughout the rest of that night, the King felt a sharp pain in his wrist, but had to try his best to ignore it. There was no other medice that could be given to him, nothing more to take away his hurt. Even in his rest, a desire to kill the demon and his cousin burned within him. It was a desire that hadn't left since Lucy had first gone missing. It only grew with each event that took place. The forest, the child, the battle, Lucy's death, the betrayal, the wounds, everything only fed the fire in his heart.

[Lamont]

Only the strongest could attempt what he would attempt. The changeling had told him the layout of the castle down to the placement of every stone. He looked up to the place far above him, the window where his love was likely asleep. He looked to the setting moon, there would not be much more time before the sun rose. He would have to move quickly. From the forest's edge he ran and leapt at the wall, gripping the slightest handholds between his fingers. With all the strength he could muster he pulled himself higer before he had time to fall. He repeated the enduring prosses until the ground became small far below him. Using a windowsill only a floor below his target he rested for a moment before returning to his task. Silently he rejoysed in his victory when his fingers wrapped around the frame he sought. He pulled his body up the rest of the way and swung his legs into the room where the three of them lay sleeping. Clever move putting him where you can reach him so very easily, but I can still reach him. Moving with speed and silence unatural for any human he reached his son's resting place in a matter of seconds. With his eyes locked on his cousin for movement he scooped the child in his arms. It stirred but he was lucky, it did not wake. He perched himself on the windowsill once more looking down. To jump was to commit suicide, to stay would be to suffer from his cousin's blade or his woman's arrows. But then, he thought as he held him a little tighter, they wouldn't want anything to happen to the boy. He took hold of a small whistle around his throat and pressed it to his lips. The sound from it was high, barely auditable by humans. If his luck held out none would hear, but it was unlikely. Now he had to wait.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian awoke when the nurse shrieked, pointing to the windowsil. His eyes were drowsy as he bolted from the bed, startled. "What it it?" he shouted, but when he saw where her finger was pointing, he leapt. "THAT'S MY SON!" he cried, waking little Galen with his yells. Caspian grabbed his cousin by the back of the throat, yanking him from the window. The babe was still in his arms, screaming. "Give me my son!" he shouted, looking around for something to kill the devil with. He had no sword, and his eyes went to the dagger that the doctors had used to cut the cloth for his cast. The King snatched it, ready to use it if he had to. "Shut the window." he demanded, and the maid quickly did so. "Get the soldiers." The lady looked puzzled, but when to get the soldiers none the less. They would be here in moments. "Give me my son, now." Caspian repeated.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

How could you know that. She continued to fight with her mind as the moments dragged on. I am truth, I know all things of past and presant from the moment my mind became one with yours. I know of your father. His words forced her into reality. She feared the nightmares he would send her of her past. For a moment she stared at the ceiling trying to control her breathing. It did not take her long to realize what was happening because of Caspian's screams. She searched for their son and found him in the arms of her enemy. She readied her bow that she kept by her bedside since he hurt her but lowered it, the chances of her hitting the wrong target was to high.

[Lamont]

"No," he said calmly drawing his sword and slaying the maid without a thought otherwise and opening the window again, "He is not your son and by right he is mine. The law was laid down by your true father several years ago: A son is the son of his father. By your own laws I am allowed to take him, or will you defy your father? It matters not, whether your choice is to or not I will still take him. You are unworthy to be a father and you a pathetic excuse for a mother. I will raise him much better than the both of you ever could." He looked back to the window waiting and then looked back to them with his sword ready.

[King Caspian X]

"A son is the son of his father and mother. Should the two ever disagree on to whom the son belongs to, a trial shall be held to see who the child would have the best life with." Caspian said. "And that law is for Talmarines. You are an outlaw, and are therefore unprotected by it. As are any whom choose to follow you." And with that he lunged for his cousin, sword or not, to save his son.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan held back a scream as the maid fell. Though she struggled not to show it his words hurt her. She would be a good mother somehow. she didn't know entirely how she could but Caspian believed she could and so she would. Then she screamed for Caspian as he threw himself at him griping his broken arm well above the cast and praying it did not hurt. "Are you insane?" She whispered even if Lamont could hear her, "One wrong move and he goes over the edge with the baby."

[Lamont]

"You should listen to her," He taunted, "As useless as she may be she is convient from time to time." He almost laughed at them and her unwillingness to fight. Perhaps there was more than one way to solve this then he had planned. He tightned his grip around the child as it continued to cry and sat on the edge of the window. The ground was far below him, a full four stories if not more. But as Susan had said, to do him harm was to risk the life of the child. For the moment he was invinsible. "And no, the law still stands simply because you were too foolish to change it. After your mother died to the demons hands your father made the law to save your life. Had he not you would have been branded orphan, prince or not. You would have no throne you never deserved and I would be in my place now. You owe your life to this law and you would defy it now?"

[King Caspian X]

"I don't think you understand." Caspian said. "I would have not been orphan, because I still had a father. I would be motherless, but not orphan. No one could have taken me from my father, with or without the law. And you are no longer protected by it either. It no longer applies to you." His eyes went wide as he saw the baby being dangled from the window. "Don't you dare." Caspian warned. Who was he kidding? This boy had killed his own mother. A son was no different.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Please," She begged him almost ready to cry and collapsing. She could not bear to see her child fall to his death at all, much less so soon after his birth. "There must be something else I can do." If there must be a sacrifice . . . "Anything, just leave him and Caspian alone." Then let it be yourself. After all, only Caspian would notice if you are gone and even then you can arrange to see him. Just go, get out of his sight, so that he will never have to look at your face again.

[Lamont]

Lamont smiled, enjoying the offer, but never pulled the boy in. For a moment he considered it though. For a child he was incredibly fearful of heights. Even in the blankets that saved him from his death he tossed and turned threatening to pull himself loose as he cried. But instead he tightned his grip and held him out farther. He offered his hand and spoke "Come."

[King Caspian X]

No. Caspian began to snarl. He could do nothing. He felt broken. He felt helpless. Please, no. This night, he would either lose his wife or his son. Caspian held her tightly, holding back his tears that he would not let fall from his eyes. Hours ago they had been talking, and now he might never see her again if she accepted. His eyes shown pain and worry. "Don't go." he pleaded. But he knew that if she didn't, their son would be dead. Caspian was trapped yet again. It was either his wife or his baby.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She looked away from both her husband and the boy. Caspian's arms around her were . . . discouraging, to say the least. They made her want to stay with him, even more than she already did if it was possible. When she opened her eyes they saw his wounded arm resting on her shoulder. His suffering will only worsen if you remain beside him. She knew it was true. If she stayed she lost her son, if she went both of her life's joy would live to see another day. "I will go, but only if you let him go."