Luck: chance considered as a force that causes good or bad things to happen

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Caspian watches as Peter and Edmund leave, the former only glancing back as he holds open the door for his brother. Peter nods, a silent acknowledgement. Of what, Caspian can only guess. He turns his attention back to the Lion, who is watching him with an unreadable expression on his face. "You wish to go to England." It's not a question.

"Yes, sir." He really does. Besides, his old Nurse won't be alive much longer, however much the thought hurts him. The Doctor will be busy with ensuring that the Telmarines cooperate permanently. There's no one else who would miss him.

"There is something you should understand." Aslan gazes at Caspian, an indecipherable look in his eyes. "Narnia, as it is, cannot let older children in. If you leave now, you will be too old to return here."

Caspian can't hide his shock. He searches for something to say, anything to say, but he can't think. And yet, he doesn't want to change his decision. England feels like a promise of a new start, one where he isn't held accountable for the trauma of an entire country. As well, he's grown to like the Pevensies -- most of them, anyway. Edmund is friendly enough, if understandably more concerned with his maybe-wife Sanya. Caspian finds Sanya confusing, and the difference between her Narnia and his doesn't help. Lucy is wonderfully enthusiastic and he enjoys her company. Susan is somewhere in between, though where in between is anyone's guess. He isn't sure what he feels for Peter, the extraordinary boy that he is. There's at least some hostility between them, since Caspian can't read his body language. He keeps trying, though, watching Peter subtly any time he's not looking. Whenever Caspian thinks he's understood something about him, though, Peter goes and capsizes it like a dinghy overcast by a tidal wave. Caspian finds it exhausting and exhilarating and intimidating. The last person he didn't understand was... well. Miraz. Caspian never trusted Miraz, and he's not sure if Peter deserves his trust now. Yes, he's astonishing and imposing, but Caspian can't tell how deep the kindness he displays to his siblings runs.

"Has your decision changed?" Aslan's voice is gentle as it shakes him out of his trance.

"No, sir. I -- I'd still like to go." For the first time, Caspian wonders if Aslan will let him go. Caspian trusts him, with everything in his heart, but he doesn't really know him. Nobody does, so nobody can predict his actions.

"Then when the King and Queens of Old leave, you shall leave with them. I shall work out the minor points." Aslan has a soft expression on his face, one Caspian has only ever seen when the Lion is with Lucy. He doesn't know what it is, or what it means.

"Thank you, Aslan." Caspian bows deeply, with an unsettling feeling that he will not bow to the Lion very many more times in his life. He likes that he gets to go to England. If Aslan had forbidden him, like Miraz would have inevitably done... but he hadn't. Caspian is going to England, and if he can somehow shake off Miraz's memories... England probably won't be as good as he hopes it will be, but it cannot be worse than here. Narnia is wonderful, he knows, it's beautiful and the Talking Animals are incredible and he's only beginning to find the awe-inspiring spots of the country and make memories in those spots. But that will take years, maybe decades, and England won't be full of places that scare him. He's mostly glad he's leaving Narnia, even though it's a haven. England will be better, he tells himself. It won't be terrifying. He won't be alone.

"One more thing," Aslan says, "when you see the High King Peter and Queen Susan, tell them I wish to speak with them."

Caspian suspects it will be for the same talk that he has just experienced. He thinks he's lucky to be able to go with them, and he doesn't want to risk that chance. So, he merely nods and leaves, resolving to find Trumpkin and Trufflehunter.

~~~

The Dwarf and the Badger are harder to find than he had expected. Glenstorm has left them, and they don't seem to be doing any work, so Caspian approaches. Trufflehunter perks up when he sees him, and Trumpkin smiles. They look happy to see him. It's -- well. He doesn't want to analyze that.

"Caspian!" Caspian notices Trumpkin's lack of an honorific before his name. He supposes he'll have to get used to it in England, but here it still feels surreal. "How are you, lad?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I do have something to tell you -- both of you, though."

Trufflehunter and Trumpkin turn to him, matching expressions on their faces (he doesn't know how, since they're different species, but he doesn't question it either). They don't look angry or disappointed or frustrated, he knows very well what those look like. He can't read these expressions. It scares him. So, he takes an unnoticeable breath to brace himself for their reactions and lets his words rush out. "I'm going with the Kings and Queens to England -- to their world. Permanently."

Now their expressions have changed to something almost familiar. "Caspian -- are you -- really? Is this because we asked for the council? It wasn't anything you did, we promise, we only wanted to be in control of our lives again after so long." Trufflehunter is half-frantic, Caspian knows. Frantic is bad, frantic is dangerous, so he rushes to reassure. He's been there before, he'd rather not repeat it.

"No no no, it's not because of the council, of course it's not. I like the idea of seeing another world, after spending thirteen years in this one." Caspian thinks they are only just remembering how young he is in comparison to them. Yes, thirteen is a man in Narnia, but not to anyone except humans. Dwarves lived relatively long lives, and while badgers didn't, Trufflehunter is somehow more mature than he is.

"Are you sure?" Trumpkin sounds odd. Like he's choking on something.

"Yes. I've gone to Aslan, and he's given his permission. It's been planned out already. I wanted you two to know." He shifts on his feet. When or if they snap, he has to be able to escape quickly.

"Can we convince you to stay?" Trufflehunter nudges Trumpkin with his nose, a foreign gesture. Caspian wonders what it means.

"No." Caspian feels odd now. He hadn't considered Trufflehunter or Trumpkin when he made his decision. He assumed they would be alright without him. Had he been wrong? "I... I'll miss you both, but this is what I want." He thinks, though, that it would have been nice to find the Lords that allied themselves to his father over Miraz. He can't remember the man, but he knows that Miraz is definitely worse than he could have ever been. There are... seven, aren't there? Bern, Rhoop, Octesian, Argoz, Mavramorn, Restimar, and ... Revilian, that's it. "Actually, could one of you -- or both, or just someone, it wouldn't make a difference I suppose -- could you find the Lords that supported my father? They should know that it's safe for them to return from their exile, and if they didn't support H -- Miraz I'm almost certain they won't mind existing peacefully."

Trufflehunter chuffs. "Oh, Caspian. You always think of others before yourself, poor boy."

Caspian is confused. Miraz had taught him everything. Wasn't a King supposed to be selfless, bordering on self-sacrificing? Caspian's not going to be King anymore, but Miraz's teachings are all he has to rely on. He doesn't have another way to act, so he just gives a structured half-smile. Agreeing almost always works to keep him safe, even when he doesn't know what he's agreeing with. Trumpkin says that he'll go to find them himself once the country is running smoothly. Caspian thanks him, he hadn't honestly thought that they would say yes. But now they have, and he's grateful for it. There's another feeling under his skin, though. This one is more familiar, the one he gets whenever Miraz catches him being weak. It's not fear, although, so his instinct to cower is more or less absent.

Oh, no. Caspian slaps himself mentally. "Um, I should go. Aslan instructed me to find the High King and Queen Susan." The honorifics are back, even in his head, he notices. That can't be good.

Trufflehunter sighs. "Of course. We shouldn't keep you, but -- if you wouldn't mind, when you find the time, would you write a letter to Alden for when he's older? You undoubtedly have things he should know, both about his father and this country's alliances."

Caspian agrees instantly. Agreeing is safe, like always, and he won't have to do anything... bad. He repeats, "I'll miss you both."

Trumpkin nods, though it is one of defeat. "We will, too, Caspian. We will too. I hope we'll meet again."

~~~

He ends up writing the letter after finding Queen Susan. She said that she would go to Aslan, because her brother was busy. With what, Caspian doesn't know and hadn't asked.

He stares at his quill and his paper for what feels like a long while. If he wrote about Miraz, it wouldn't be a good message for a child to read. He knows his experiences aren't normal. To the rest of the world, anyway. Trumpkin and Trufflehunter have never mentioned his back, but he knows they must have seen it before he woke up with that first meeting. So he starts without thinking any more, and just writes.

        Dear Alden,

    My name is Caspian the Tenth. I'm your cousin. As I write this, Trufflehunter and Trumpkin and Glenstorm have just started the Narnian Council. You are a newborn. They've asked me to write you a letter for when you're older, when you will take the throne. I'm not certain what will become of the Council at that point.

    As you probably have been told, Miraz was your father. Prunaprismia was your mother. I was... raised by both of them, though Miraz mostly. He was an odd person to have as a father figure, and it did not work out for me. I think Trufflehunter and Trumpkin, if that is who has raised you, would be much better. I don't want to say much regarding Miraz, as I know now that he was not good to me in any way.

    When you become King, you'll want to have alliances with the other countries. As of now, Rihaaya and the Lone Islands are vassals of Narnia, which means Archenland and Calormen are mainly who politics are necessary for. Archenland is friendly with Narnia, having its own Talking Animals and non-humans, but Calormen will be trickier. Appeal to their Tisroc's greed and pride. I don't know anyone from Calormen, but I do know that the Tisroc's family is rarely made up of good people. However, this almost definitely does not stand for the other residents/citizens of Calormen.

    I hope that you live a long and happy life, with the same kind of reign. You should know that I do not and cannot harbour any grudges against you. Although I am gone, I will remember you and I hope that you enjoy this land and these people without being hurt as I was.

    From,

        Caspian X

He figures it ends quite suddenly, but he can't think what else to say that would be beneficial for Alden. So, he seals it in an envelope provided by Glenstorm and drips wax on the fold without imprinting it.

Now all the strings are tied together. He can leave without a nagging conscience.

A/N:

This is early for a specific reason, but I don't know if they want everyone to know, so just thank them. I may have been plotting this release in relation to it.

Also, yes Caspian doesn't understand feelings unless they're bad and yes he's very traumatized (if you couldn't tell) and yes Trumpkin is "from" the UK and no I do not take criticism.

Well technically that last point isn't true. I do take *constructive* criticism. If you notice a spelling/grammar error please please please point it out! I know some authors don't like when people do that, but I'd appreciate if you guys could.

Warning, though, I've never actually watched the movie. I've seen a few scenes from it, of course (you have to when you're on the fictional side of the internet), but that's all. So although I will try to incorporate parts of it, I plan on relying on the books until we get into un-CS-Lewis-written territory. Which, incidentally, will start next chapter.

But you're here for a second chapter! Thanks!! As you probably realized, I made an actual cover. Bonus points to anyone who can guess the flowers (it might not be hard or it might be too hard but either way I'll do the reveal next chapter). Here're the hints: loyalty, trust, a feeling no words describe, and courage.