Caspian walked side by side with Rurina during the night festival, he looked around but he was very distant. His mind and heart were on Aurora, he really needed to be reunited with her.

"Look! Look!" Rurina said excitedly.

She was looking at some sweets, they had them in the palace but probably did not know about them. He went over to the stall and got her some which she stuffed her mouth.

"So delicious."

Caspian laughed at her excitement, then the next stall ahead of them was one with beauty accessories.

Rurina was having fun in selecting one by one,

"Sire."

Caspian turned, and Nadia was standing there with the concubines,

"I didn't know you were attending." Nadia carried on.

"I wasn't but Rurina wanted to come so I came with her."

"Rurina we are having a concubine lunch for you tomorrow at noon." Nadia said to her.

Rurina nodded, "Alright."

Rurina took his hand before they carried on talking and she was dragging him away, she was very strong, no doubt about that.

They bought some lanterns and stood by the river, as they let them loose Caspian said the prayer in heart, all he wanted to do was to find Aurora, let him just find her.

"Together forever." Caspian heard Rurina say, maybe she also had her own problems that she was hoping would come through.

Caspian felt his hand being taken and he found Nadia standing on the other side, then he felt his other hand being taken and this time it was Rurina.

She was mimicking everything that Nadia did, his hands were held but not by the right woman. The night finished and he was walking them back,

"Could we stop by Rurina first, I have a few things I need to discuss with you." Said Nadia.

Caspian saw that Rurina wanted to refuse, "I will see you tomorrow Rurina, I need to speak to Nadia."

Caspian and Nadia made their way back to her villa,

"I have been meaning to have a word with you, but I have not gotten the chance to do so Caspian."

"Everything has been hectic."

"I am waiting for you to tell me in your own words what you went through,"

"When the time is right I will tell you Nadia."

"I suppose you have heard that my parents are going to be gracing us."

"I heard, are the arrangements going well?"

"Yes, everything is going as planned and it would be our first banquet being king and queen."

"How have you been fairing as the queen?"

"Everything is well, now that you came back to me."

"You're strong Nadia, you would have managed."

"I am but I could not do it alone, not with out you. It would have been meaningless."

"It would have not been Nadia, the people would have needed you and I am sure you would have bought great comfort to them."

"Thank you for your faith in me."

"I wanted to thank you for keeping my mother afloat with the burdens that were making her sink."

"You don't have to thank me for that, it was my pleasure to help, she is my mother too and I would not have stood by watching her feel alone in her sorrow."

"I'm glad I left her in care with you, and that she is here today because of the help you gave her."

Nadia took his hand, and he did not resist as he owed it to her, "I knew you would come back, I had to make sure that you would be reunited again. I'm sorry about father, that you could not have had enough time to reunite properly."

"I will meet him in the after life so not all is lost."

"Forget all the sorrows and let's start anew."

Caspian did not reply, he knew that he if he agreed to Nadia he would be lying to her. He was going to find Aurora and bring her back home.

They made it to Nadia's villa and he let go of her hand,

"It was nice talking to you Caspian, just as the two of us."

"Me too."

Nadia drew in and she stood on her tiptoes but Caspian tilted his head and pulled her into a embrace, he did not want to kiss her.

When he watched her enter safely he made his way to his room. He need to bath and think hard, he should have some sort of clue that Aurora could have gone to.

Did he know so little about her that nothing came to mind?

The next morning after Caspian had gotten ready, Rurina stood in the doorway,

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Not yet but I was about to."

"Great, I wanted to eat with you."

The breakfast came and they began eating,

"Was there something wrong?" Rurina asked.

"No, why?"

"Last night when Nadia wanted to speak with you."

"Just family matters."

"Was that all?"

"Yes, most of it."

"Did you sleep at her villa?"

"No I didn't, I walked her there then came here, I prefer my own bed."

Rurina smiled, "Makes sense."

Rurina left and the day went on he attended meetings, tomorrow they would be hosting Nadia's parents so he had to make sure that everything was ready for their arrival.

His mother was overseeing everything in the palace, and it seemed that her spirits had lifted after his father death.

This gave her something to put her mind off the pain, and he had to play the role, the role of the put-together and emotionless king as his father had been.

He could not show any weaknesses, especially at this point in time, he was being tested and had to pass at all costs.

Caspian decided to go and see Douglas, and when Douglas spotted him he met him half-way,

"How are the preparations going?" Douglas asked him.

"Fine I suppose, mother is on top of everything."

"You need to rest Caspian."

"Why do you say so?"

"You look rough, and you don't want to cause alarm tomorrow."

"I suppose you are right, I will retire early to my bed chambers tonight."

"I will pass by to make certain."

"Yes, mother Douglas."

They both laughed at his response, but he turned serious, "Any word on Aurora?"

"I am afraid not, but I will keep looking."

"I appreciate it Douglas."

After sometime, Caspian headed back and now he was soaking in the bath, his muscles ached. He doubted that he would recover easily from all the damage that his body had subdued in the years of being captive.

Caspian lay in his chambers, even if he could not fall asleep he would close his eyes and rest them. He wondered what Aurora was doing at this very moment? Was she looking at the moon? Was she asleep. Was she also thinking about him? Was she happy? Was she sad? All these and many that he wanted to know about her and hoped he would get the opportunity to do so. Finally his body caved in and he fell asleep thinking of all the possibilities that he and Aurora could have. The hope and anguish driving him grew everyday.

Caspian had no doubt that he would go to the ends of the world if that meant finding her........

Early access to book 1 complete: www.patreon.com/taniashava