Lucy smiled up at him before she slipped her small hand through the crook of his arm and gently held onto his muscular bicep, before they started to walk back to camp.

They were in high spirits as they slowly walked back from the stream, until they reached camp. Drinian, looking very serious and grim, stood in the middle of camp on horseback and the very centaurs that were sent out to distract Vartan, were waiting in heavy armor just behind the general awaiting for the King's orders.

"We have come with important news your majesty." Drinian said grimly.

"Then let me hear of it." Caspian said seriously, the mischief far gone from his dark depths. He nodded looking at Drinian, signaling for him to come forward and talk to him privately in his tent.

He then turned to Lucy, expecting something familiar to a pout, but was quite surprised when she gave him an encouraging nod and slowly backed away and stood beside his older general, Thatch.

Caspian gave her a small nod, and quickly turned around to walk right beside Drinian as they traveled inside his tent, which lay in the center of camp, And discussed the events that had just occurred.

The twenty other Narnians continued on with their day while Lucy and Thatch stood quietly where Caspian had left them thirty minutes ago.

"Do you not feel left out at all?" She asked the kind general.

"Oh they will inform me m'lady, they always do when the time is right,

however, I do not feel too anxious for it isn't often when I get to stand beside a beautiful woman." He said with wink.

Lucy laughed, shaking her head. "You sure know how to compliment a lady. Do you have a family General?" She asked curiously.

He scoffed before replying. "I tire of formalities m'lady, I am old and would be grateful if you but called me Thatch." The middle aged man said respectively. "Oh and yes your highness, I have a family that makes me very proud." His face began to glow when he spoke of his wife and children.

"They sound lovely, I cannot wait to meet them, and please, call me Lucy." She said with a genuine smile.

"Very well." He said with but only a hint of a smile.

After the conversation ended Lucy exhaled loudly.

"Now, what do think they are speaking of?" Lucy asked almost desperately to the handsome fifty year old.

"I'd say it can't be good from the way Drinian looked when he rode in." Thatch answered quietly. "I think once they come out, preparations to leave will begin at once."

"But where are my elder brothers do you think?" She whispered into Thatch's ear.

He replied with a barely audible scoff.

"Those are questions you must only ask the King." He said seriously and glanced back looking to the tent, but it wasn't the answer Lucy wanted to hear, though part of her didn't want to know.

Once Drinian informed Caspian that Vartan was preparing an extensive army, he knew they needed to get back to the Cair as quick as they were able.

"And what of Peter and Trumpkin?" Caspian whispered at last hoping they had not fallen on his behalf.

"We did not know they were imprisoned Sire, for we lost both minotaurs and if we hadn't moved as quickly as we had, we would have all been dead by sundown." Drinian answered honestly. "They outnumbered us ten to one."

"Yes and Vartan is only going to get more each day we wait to strike. I believe King Edmund will have a good start in training and numbers when we return, but Drinian, it is of the utmost concern we get as many troops as we can and return to castle Harfang. We must retrieve Peter and Trumpkin out of the situation I have put on them and then, I must try to speak with Vartan, but if he will not come out of the madness he has thrown himself into, I must end it for all of our sakes. Inform everyone we leave at sundown, it's nearly a three day journey." He commanded respectively and exited the tent.

As the small number of Narnians quickly packed up their belongings and tents, Caspian was rather surprised that Lucy had never asked him why Peter and Trumpkin weren't with them. In fact she had hardly said a word after Drinian returned and remained distant and a sadness showed in her eyes. He was suspicious her behavior was because of Peter and Trumpkin, but Thatch had already informed him she didn't know what had happened to them. He also knew he did not want to be the one to start that fragile conversation.

At dusk, everything was packed and ready for the journey homeward.

Every man, faun or dwarf rode on a dumb horse or even a centaur, since they were in a hurry, otherwise as I'm sure you know, the centaurs would have them walk since it dampens their pride being ridden.

Minotaurs of course are far too heavy for a horse or even a centaur to carry, but they are strong creatures and can march far longer distances than you or I ever could, and so they marched behind the centaurs.

Caspian lead the party on his magnificent black gelding, Drinian and Thatch behind him, and Lucy riding behind the three leading men in complete silence while being followed by the rest of the group.

Caspian went through every possibility in his mind on what was troubling her, and it was pure torture seeing the sadness in her emerald eyes.

Finally at midnight, Caspian decided that the sooner he knew what was troubling Lucy, the better.

"Give us a moment." He said quietly looking back at Thatch and Drinian, and as they slowed their horses to a sluggish gait, and when it gave Caspian plenty of space, he called to Lucy.

"I would like a word." He said evenly and waited for her to urge her horse to catch up to him.

Once they were side by side, he waited to speak until he knew no one could hear them.

"Are you angry towards me." Caspian asked seriously as he looked only ahead into the never ending forest.

She never answered him, and there was such a long uncomfortable pause after he had spoken that Caspian went through every little thing he had said or done to her in his head repeatedly, trying to figure out what he had done to make her boil, when her soft voice pierced through the ever growing silence and made his heart leap as he turned and looked at her in the moonlight.

"Of course I'm not angry at you Caspian." She whispered softly and his heart sped up as her sweet sounding voice floated in his ears.

He shouldn't have looked at her, his entire being seemed to go mad when he took in her beauty.

When he looked at her yet again in the moonlight, it suddenly reminded him of the night they had visited Tumnus' grave those two months ago.

That was the day he had realized how much she really had grown up. Now of course we don't have to go into the details of what she looked like and how much her features had changed, because I have already told you that already, so all I can tell you is that as he looked at her yet again in the moonlight, she was radiant.

Lucy cleared her throat and he quickly turned his head away as he realized he had been caught staring.

"You've never mentioned where Edmund is." Lucy declared, still looking straight ahead, hoping he would take the bait and wouldn't notice how flushed her cheeks had suddenly become, thanks to his praise. And oh how her ears burned from his heated gaze.

Caspian didn't disappoint.

"He is training every Narnian willing to fight, as well as calling to Narrowhaven in The Lone Islands and Redhaven on the Island of Brenn in The Seven Isles, addressing we are in desperate need of aid."

He explained showing no emotion.

"And Peter?" She asked sadly.

He let out a sigh that some would say could have been a moan.

"There were too many of them." He answered softly, trying to swallow the burning lump in his throat. "Peter wanted me to make sure that you lived." He added, hoping it would make her feel pride for her elder brother.

"They are going to treat him far worse than they ever treated me." Lucy moaned. "This is all my fault."

"What are you talking about?" Caspian asked not understanding what she meant.

She quickly turned and looked at him.

"Don't you see? I should have listened to you and not have gone wondering off, or else we would all be together back home. How could I have been so stupid." She added with self loathing, making Caspian feel nothing but sympathy.

"Lucy, listen to me," He said sounding a bit harsh, startling her.

"It was not your fault Peter got captured but my own, I could have simply put you in Peter arms and stayed and fought with Trumpkin, as it was his choice to stay, but I didn't. I wanted to see you open your eyes and see me first, not Peter. You can call that cowardice if you so desire, for I truly believe it was that in which I behaved. And

it was no ones fault you were taken captive but my own as well, for if I had protected you more seriously, we both could have safely gone back to the Cair. No, I am the one to blame, not you, my dear Lucy, not you, ever. I am truly sorry." Caspian said sincerely, and when Lucy bore into his dark depths, she saw nothing but sincerity.

"Oh, It's alright. I'm sorry for not listening to your advising me not to adventure away from the castle. Would you like to refresh ourselves and start over?" She suggested with a toothy smile, making Caspian laugh.

"Of course."

"Good," She sighed.

"Now about that kiss..." She said trailing off with a playful grin and a wink.

Caspian slowly shook his head looking heavenward, trying desperately not to burst into laughter.

"And here I thought you would grow out of that unique openness you had as a child." He said with a low chuckle.

She scoffed.

"Oh I may have grown older Caspian," She said smartly. "but I have never actually grown up." She replied with a twinkle in her eye and a brilliant smile to match.

Lucy rode side by side with Caspian from then on, and the journey homeward was fairly uneventful as the small party was desperate to see their families and friends,

though they all knew inwardly there would come a time when they had to fight for their country once more.

No one spoke, perhaps in sadness that a terrible war was brewing, or perhaps in fear Vartan and his army would jump out from the nearest tree.

They moved quickly and only rested and camped when they knew they could go on no longer.

Finally, they broke through the unending tree line, and they stopped and looked beyond the cliff in a moment of silence.

After the moment of shock and awe passed, they all gave a joyous shout, for they had reached the border between Narnia and Ettinsmoor.

Lucy was the only one who didn't shout or say a thing at all for she was so overwhelmed on the cliff where she could see everything beyond.

She put her hand over her mouth to keep from sobbing as she saw her rich country when at a time, she truly believed she was going to die in that dungeon all alone, and never lay eyes on the place she called home, but she really was there.

She joyfully looked below the cliff where beautiful valleys and hills lay, and recognized the grassy field where she and her elder siblings fought the White Witch in their first adventure.

She then looked to the glittering snakelike rivers and sparkling streams that lead to the Great Eastern Ocean, and she even recognized the famous and very enormous stream called the Fords of Beruna where the Telmarines were utterly defeated.

And but just a glance over was none other than Aslan's How. Pleasant memories filled her mind, and just looking at what lay ahead of her made her so grateful she was back where she knew she truly belonged.

She quickly looked as far as she could see, beyond the valleys and hills, on the horizon, and she smiled as she saw the small blue ridges that were none other than the beautiful snow peaked mountains of Archenland. She looked back to the great valley and her eyes slowly turned to the right. She grinned when she saw the large dark patches of trees of the Western Wood, Where The Lamppost lie, as well as Mr. Tumnus' house.

And the last place she looked was to the far left, and far far beyond, lay the magnificent castle of Cair Paravel which was glittering brilliantly in the sun.

Lucy couldn't help but close her eyes trying to keep the tears from falling, when she felt masculine comforting hand gently rub the small of her back.

"You never thought you were coming back did you." Caspian stated gently.

"No I really never thought I would get the pleasure." She answered seriously.

He suddenly smiled mischievously, which only lit up his warm brown eyes and made him look utterly charming.

"If it wasn't for me, you would not be here, so now would be a great time to say your appreciation for me." He teased.

"Oh hush you," she exclaimed. "I could blow Susan's horn anyday." She said crossing her arms.

Caspian chuckled. "Alright, maybe we can continue who is more capable once we reach the castle?" He suggested.

Lucy smiled mischievously. "Alright. Pick whatever weapon you please Caspian, but just don't get too upset after you lose." She teased with a genuine laugh.

"I accept the challenge. But first I think we need to actually get to the castle." Caspian said with a smirk.

"Well I can't say that's your worst idea. There is still hope for you yet." Lucy said with a laugh, leaving Caspian no choice but to join in.

----------------------------------------------------------