Caspian walked up to his mother and she had aged significantly. When he stood in front of her, she had tears trickling down her face.
"Mother I am finally home,"
"You must have gone through hell."
His mother pulled him into her arms and he felt comforted by her. He never thought this day would come.
After some time after they embraced, Caspian turned to Rurina, "This is my life's saviour Rurina, without her, I would not have been able to escape and be in front of you as we speak."
His mother went up to Rurina, and took her hands, "I will forever be in your gratitude for helping my son be bought back."
Rurina just nodded,
"Where is Father?"
Her mother's face became all the more strained, "He is very sick, your disappearance took a toll on him."
Caspian nodded, "I need to go refresh and I will come back looking better."
Her mother called the guards, "Take Caspian to his villa and Rurina to the outhouse villa."
Caspian smiled in reassurance after he stripped off and got into the water. More than anything he could not wait to see Aurora.
This moment he was waiting for, when he was done bathing he went to his chambers. Everything was the way he had left it.
He sat on his and lay down, he needed a bit of rest,
"Caspian! Caspian!"
Caspian rose from his bed, "My Lord your mother requests for you to come urgently to see your father."
Caspian saw it was dark out, "How long have I been asleep for?"
"For three moons My Lord."
Caspian was surprised, he was so fatigued. He dashed to his parents' villa, and walked into his parent's chambers,. His mother was sitting next to him.
He went up to the bed, and his father looked pale, he took his hand.
"My boy, I always have dreamt about this day." Tears fell down his father's face.
"I am happy to be back father."
His father's eyes closed and he stopped moving, Caspian could not grasp what had just happened, her mother's cries were loud.
The day went by as they prepared his father for the funeral. The news had broken out and everyone was mourning his father.
He did not have a chance to see Aurora yet, the funeral was to be only the close members of the family.
His father's body was taken to the wooden stakes where he would be cremated,
"Caspian?"
He turned and found Nadia was in his arms, "You are back, I prayed every day for your return."
Nadia finally pulled back, "How have you been sire?"
"I'm fine Nadia."
Rurina came and stood next to him, "Who is she?"
"I'm his wife," Nadia replied.
"You are married?" Rurina asked.
"Yes I am, and Nadia Rurina is my life's saviour, without her I would not be here."
"Then I also owe you my life."
His mother stood beside him, and he held her hand as the cremation began. Tears were pouring down her face, he was heartbroken that he had come back a few years too late.
When the cremation finally ended, he went back with his mother and Nadia as his mother requested. He had told Rurina that he would be back.
They sat around the dining room table,
"Caspian you will have to take over the throne in a few days' time."
Caspian nodded, he did not fear anything anymore, "I will take upon my duty."
"I am glad that you are being assertive, Nadia you will need to prepare to be the queen of this kingdom."
"Thank you, Mother, I will make sure that I help Caspian as much as I can. I will be by his side and make his burden lesser."
"That is what I want to hear from you two, you know the rules that you aren't allowed from this moment on to wander around until the coronation has taken place. Do you understand?"
"Yes Mother," Caspian replied he did not want him to be the cause of a heavier burden as she was mourning the most, she wanted to make things easier for his mother, so she would not have to suffer and be in torment.
Caspian walked back to his villa and told one of the guards to let Rurina know that he would not be able to see him for a few more days.
He sat by his table and everything did not seem real to him, his door burst open,
"Caspian!"
Caspian stood up and hugged Douglas tightly.
"I never thought I would see you again, you bastard."
"That is your way of telling me you missed me."
"Of course." Said Douglas and he had so much emotion in his voice. They finally separated and sat around the table.
"What happened to you Caspian?"
Caspian told Douglas everything that had happened to him, from being held captive to being a slave and Rurina helping him.
Douglas listened to him immensely, when he was done Douglas finally spoke, "You have gone through a lot."
Caspian nodded, "I had to find a way to survive, or else I would have died in there with no hope."
"I'm glad you are back, I can't wait for the adventures and catching the time that we missed out on."
Caspian smiled, "It's good to see you, Douglas."
"What about you Douglas? How have you been faring?"
"A lot has happened, your father could not keep up with your disappearance and he kept on withering away to the point that he was hallucinating seeing you. He became a mad man and there was nothing your mother could do but to get him the best physicians. Yet that did not help and your mother was going through the most as she had lost her son and husband. She leaned on Nadia a lot and they kept their faith in you returning someday."
"I have been busy running the military force, and I can't wait for you to meet my beloved bride."
"You got married, Douglas?"
"Yes, I did."
"I never thought I would see you being tamed by a woman."
"Some things work in mysterious ways you know."
They both laughed, "I'm happy for you Douglas and I can't wait to see her."
"Has your mother spoken to you about what will happen to you as your father is gone?"
"Yes, the coronation will be happening in a few days' time."
"Are you ready to become the king, you just have returned."
"If I'm being honest Douglas, I am not afraid at all, nothing could be worse than what I have gone through in the past four years."
"I'm just glad you are back."
Caspian and Douglas spoke some more till late and he left. A few days had passed and he felt very well rested, today was the day that the coronation would be taking place.
There were so many people, they cheered and cried as they saw him and Nadia walk out.
"Praise the heavens, the prince came in time to rescue us."
Caspian and Nadia got to the front and they knelt down. The priest started to quote words,
"Throughout this memorable day, I have been uplifted and sustained by the knowledge that your thoughts and prayers were with me. asked you all, whatever your religion, to pray for me on the day of my Coronation - to pray that God would give me wisdom and strength to carry out the promises that I should then be making.
I have been aware all the time that my people, spread far and wide throughout every continent and ocean in the world, were united to support me in the task to which I have now been dedicated with such solemnity.
All of you, near or far, have been united in one purpose. It is hard for me to find words in which to tell you of the strength which this knowledge has given me.
The ceremonies you have seen today are ancient, and some of their origins are veiled in the mists of the past. But their spirit and their meaning shine through the ages never, perhaps, more brightly than now. I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.
In this resolve I have my husband to support me. He shares all my ideals and all my affection for you. Then, although my experience is so short and my task so new, I have in my parents and grandparents an example which I can follow with certainty and with confidence.
There is also this. I have behind me not only the splendid traditions and the annals of more than a thousand years but the living strength and majesty of the Commonwealth and Empire; of societies old and new; of lands and races different in history and origins but all, by God's Will, united in spirit and in aim.
Therefore I am sure that this, my Coronation, is not the symbol of a power and a splendour that are gone but a declaration of our hopes for the future, and for the years I may, by God's Grace and Mercy, be given to reign and serve you as your king and Queen.
I have been speaking of the vast regions and varied peoples to whom I owe my duty but there has also sprung from our island home a theme of social and political thought which constitutes our message to the world and through the changing generations has found acceptance both within and far beyond my Realms.
Parliamentary institutions, with their free speech and respect for the rights of minorities, and the inspiration of a broad tolerance in thought and expression - all this we conceive to be a precious part of our way of life and outlook.
During recent centuries, this message has been sustained and invigorated by the immense contribution, in language, literature, and action, of the nations of our Commonwealth overseas. It gives expression, as I pray it always will, to living principles, as sacred to the Crown and Monarchy as to its many Parliaments and Peoples. I ask you now to cherish them - and practise them too; then we can go forward together in peace, seeking justice and freedom for all men.
As this day draws to its close, I know that my abiding memory of it will be, not only the solemnity and beauty of the ceremony, but the inspiration of your loyalty and affection. I thank you all from a full heart. God bless you all."
The crowns were finally placed on Caspian and Nadia by his mother, Caspian stood up and held out his hand to Nadia and she took it gracefully and got up too.
They turned to the crowd and waved at them as they cheered for them, they had to attend a banquet afterwards, and as they were seated Caspian could not see Aurora with the other concubines.
He saw Rurina entering and she made her way to him, he saw that Nadia and the rest wanted to protest,
"leave her be, I owe her my life." As Rurina sat next to him and smiled at him. Everyone spoke and laughed. When the banquet was over, Caspian and Nadia made their way to his mother's villa.
She smiled at them, "How are you two faring."
"Very well," Nadia replied.
"I have done everything you asked me to do, and now I am going to go see Aurora,"
"You can't!" his mother replied.
"Why can't I?"
"She is not in the palace anymore, it's been a while since she has left," Nadia replied.
Caspian felt like his heart was torn into pieces, the one person who had kept him going was not here.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?" Caspian lost his calm.
"She made her choice to leave, she didn't even have faith in your return like Nadia, who prayed for you to come back in one piece and our prayers were heard."
"I DON'T CARE, WHERE DID AURORA GO TO?"
"We don't remember where we sent her to," Nadia replied.
"Forget about her Caspian, and move just like she did when she requested to leave and we granted it to her.
Caspian heard the thunder roaring, "I DON'T CARE, THE ONLY REASON I HAVE LASTED THIS LONG WAS TO COME BACK AND BE EMBRACED BY MY LOVER! I HAVE TO FIND HER!"
"Caspian you just became the king, how will it look like if you abandon your country after coming for a mere concubine that does not have that title anymore, more like a maid."
"SO WHAT SHE WAS A MAID? DOES THAT CHANGE ANYTHING? I LOVED HER FOR HER, AND NOT WHAT SHE COULD GIVE ME. I WAS THE ONE WHO PURSUED HER AND MADE HER MY WIFE. SHE IS THE ONLY REASON THAT I WANT TO LIVE, IF SHE IS NOT HERE, THERE IS NO POINT IN ME LIVING."
Nadia tried to hold his hand but he moved away, he could see that Aurora was most likely ganged up on by his parents and Nadia.
He felt sick to his stomach, what if she had died? Alone. Caspian was losing it by the minute, he was supposed to be here and protect her.
He ran outside,
"Caspian!"
"I WANT TO BE AONE!" and he did not realize that it had begun raining, he stood as the rain pelted and he sunk to the ground.
If what they said was true, did Aurora give up waiting for him? Had she married someone else? That drove him all the more crazy.
"Are you okay?"
Caspian turned and saw Rurina standing next to him, he did not respond.......
The following day Caspian woke up in his chambers and he went out, he went to the horse stables and saw Elliot was there.
"Elliot?"
Elliot turned and faced him, "So the rumours are true, you are truly back."
"Do you know where Aurora was sent to?"
"No, she just left and you weren't here to protect her."
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