The moment Caspian steps into the inn, the sleepy tavern keeper’s face lights up.

  “My lord! What a sight it is to see your safe return!” The older man wipes his hands on his apron, gleaming as Caspian walks towards the bar. “You worry my lord. The best room is yours, free of charge.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” He smiles at the man, his tone leaving no room fument. He pulls a purse off his belt, putting it on the bar. “ y up a bowl of hot water, and some bread? Without waking up the kit staff.”

  The innkeeper hesitates, his hand h over the pouch, as if debating whether he should refuse or not. But then he meets Caspian’s gaze. Caspian raises his brow, daring the man to refuse, and the keeper smiles at Caspian, thankful.

  “As you wish my lord.”

  He disappears into the back, returning moments ter with a simple meal. A pte of some eats, cheese and bread. Telling Caspian he’ll get his wife t up the hot water o’s boiled. Caspian thanks the man, before taking the pte in one hand and turning bae.“We’re going up.”

  I scowl, but don’t argue. My exhaustion outweighing my stubbornness.

  Caspian moves to the stairs nearby. He walks up, navigating the narrow wooden staircase with silent ease. I follow relutly, every step up feeling heavier tha, my eyes struggling to keep open. The warmth of the tavern below fades as we reach the first floor.

  Walking into the hallway, lined with thick wooden doors, each leading to a modest room, we walk to the st door.

  I don’t need him to say anything. This is…our room.

  The realisation tightens in my chest, and I take a gulp, Caspian’s heat radiating from behind me. He shifts the pte in one hand, pushing the door open with the other. His gaze flicks from me to the room, tellio enter with his eyes. I hesitate. Just for a sed. But I swallow a breath aer the room.

  The door shuts behind me and my heart skips a beat. I don’t turn around to face his rge presence, ay building in me.

  The room is small, too small. It’s a modest space, with a siable and chair, a washbasin, and a bed pressed against the wall.

  Eh..No.

  There’s no fug way I’m sharing a bed with this asshole.

  Is that what he wants? He wants to…My stomach twists, my safety being a as I put my situation into words. I am locked in a room with a man. A man twice the size of me. Twice the size!!

  However, Caspia seem to care. He sets the pte of food down, then throws down his cloak and bag. He begins to fully remove his gaus from his arms, once done, his hands then move to his sword belt, unbug it aing it aside oable. My breaths get heavy, sarios rushing through my mind, eae worse thaher. He trols his every movement, as if this arra doesn’t bother him in the slightest, just as though he was carrying out another duty.

  I awkwardly stand in the middle of the room, my arms tightening over my chest, nervous for whatever might happe.

  “You take the bed.” Caspian says, voice ft, as he pulls the chair from the er of the room. “I’ll rest here.” That’s it? I release a breath I didn’t even realise I was holding.

  I don’t argue. My nerves are wrong and that’s all that matters.

  I g the chair, it’s sturdy but nothing close to fortable. Good. I stay still in the middle of the room, idling myself by watg my feet shuffle on the wood floor. I hear Caspia out an exasperated sigh, walking over to the table. I peer up at him, and watch as he breaks off a piece of bread from the pte and hands it to me.

  I stare at it with an awkward expression, clearly unfortable at this situation.

  “You o eat.” He says calmly, trying to ease me.

  Caspian exhales through his nose, clearly doh my defiance. With an annoyed expressios the bread in his mouth and walks past me, pulling at the buckles of outer armour. A knock suddenly cuts the silence, and Caspian walks to the door.

  “My lord, your hot water.” A beautiful older woman in an old gre attire, bang a por bowl, enters, putting the bowl oable.

  “Rest now, you’ve done more than enough.” The woman smiles at Caspian’s words, putting a hand to her heart as she bows to him. She leaves without another word, and Caspian closes the door behind her, moving back to the table. He takes off the rest of his armour, and that’s when I see it. His tunic sleeve is stained with a deep red, blood seeping through the fabric. My breath catches.

  Oh my…I thought Caspian had received a graze off the beast in the field. But the way the crimson spreads against the cloth…That’s no small wound.

  Caspian hears the involuntary gasp I let out.

  “Go to bed.” He ands, turning his head slightly in my dire.

  I swallow hard. I don’t want to listen to him, but his tone leaves me little choice. Without a word, I move to the bed. The mattress creaks slightly as I lower myself onto it, my muscles instantly rexing. I slip my shoes off, and pce them beside the bed.

  I shuffle myself uhe covers, keeping myself as close to the wall as possible. I turn to face the wall, curling my knees up, the o sleep washing over me..

  The soft sound of fabric ruffling, breaks my tration. I slowly peel the covers away from my fad peek over my shoulder.

  Caspian stands by the table with his back turned from me, pulling his tunic over his head. Woah…

  The dim dle light flickers against his bare skin, revealing a mass of bck celtic markings sprawled across his skin. The design is intricate, and purposely pced to highlight the lines of his muscles. The light atuates the ridges of his rge muscles as he shifts himself to assess his wound. My gaze follows his hands as they move to his wound, and I bite my lip at the extent of it. Three, long, deep gashes stretch along his side, dark with dried blood. As he shifts, fresh crimson weeps from the torn flesh.

  Caspia react to the injury, dipping the cloth into the water and holding it against his side.

  “Go to sleep, Genevieve.” I flinch from being caught, my face heating up, I pull the covers over my fad turn back to the wall. A dim glow lights up the room momentarily.

  Magic…

  I hear cloth rustling once more, then the soft scrape of wood as Caspian moves into the chair.

  There's a long exhale, then silence. But I know he’s still awake, staring at me.

  I try to ignore his presence, my eyes growing heavier as my exhaustion multiplies. I y eyes, letting sleep wash over me. Refusing to aowledge Caspian’s sterg over the room so I don’t escape.

  cxxx{}::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

  I wake up to silence. For a moment I fet where I am, until I shift and the unfamiliar feel of the b reminds me. The tavern.

  Caspian.

  I snap my eyes open, turning my head to see if he’s woken up yet.

  He’s still there.

  His posture is rigid, his forearms resting on his knees and his head tilted downwards. His sword pced against the chair for quick access.

  He looks asleep…

  A curt smile spreads ay face. I slowly push the b off me and with careful movements, I swing myself off the bed. Slipping my shoes one, I stand avoiding the creaks in the floorboards. Still asleep…

  My heart pounds as I take a step towards the door. I su a breath as I try to ast Caspian, my heartbeat hammering in my ears. I see the door hahin reach, I take aep-

  A hand appears in front of me.

  I freeze.

  My stomach drops as I slowly turn my head down to the broad hand blog my path. I follow the arm to Caspian’s face. His head is still tilted downwards, but through his hair I see his eyes sharp and alert, gring at me. He doesn’t look surprised however, he knows I was going to try this.

  “Where?” His voice is deep from waking up. “Exactly-” He slowly lifts his head, meeting my eyes, his gaze powerful with authority. “-do you think yoing?”

  My mind draws a bnk, my ability to speak bees a fumbling mess of ‘uhh’s and ‘well-’s. The air between us grows thid heavy, and Caspian raises a brow to me, wanting an answer. I just scowl at him, keeping my silence, and take a step back.

  Caspia press further, his eyes s me from head to toe before looking away aing up. Stretg as he walks to the table, he puts on his armour fag me. I don’t watch, keeping my gaze to the wall until he’s ready. He walks over to the chair, holding his cloak, and picks up his carved sword, putting it in his belt before walking to the door.

  “Let's eat.” He prompts me by holding the door open.

  We make it to the tavern’s main hall, filled with hums and quiet movements. A small popution of the vilge’s patrons fill the tiny hall, eating their breakfast and versing their trade. Entering the hall, the men in the room turn their gaze to Caspian. In an instant they all stand, saluting with a fist to their hearts. Caspia react, instead walking to a free table and pulling a chair out for me before sitting in his own. He doesn’t tell me to follow, knowing he doesn’t o. He knows I will. What other choice do I have?

  Walking to the table, I sit in the chair he pulled out for me.

  A man then walks up to Caspian, his fist to his heart.

  “My lord, by the Gods you’ve returned safely.” The maates for a moment, before tinuing to speak. “Has there been any progression irade routes?”

  Caspian takes a breath, ining his head towards the man, with an unreadable expression on his face. “No ge.” For a brief moment, Caspian’s gaze darkens, something tense and uiling on his face.

  “I’m due elsewhere, my friend. I hope this will be the st time.” The vilger’s face sches, his jaw ticks, his anger seething below his expression.

  “That bastard king! He may want us to fug wither, but we’ll hold strong!” His motives are strong, unshaken by the tyrant.He reassures Caspian that in his absence his people still live, not without strain, but live.

  “We might as well…Cut down the old sod.” The man mutters, enraged by the corruption of the rulers.

  Caspian puts a firm hand on the man’s arm, bringing him down to a more reasoate.

  “Be careful friend, your heart may speak true but your words are treason.” The man seems hypnotised by Caspian’s words. Calming himself, he gives Caspian a relut nod. The fire in his eyes is still burning, but he aowledges that everyone is suffering. Even Caspian. But doing rash as will only make things worse.

  I lose myself in thought at the exge. The king cut off trade routes to Caspian’s ty? Why? Why would you kill your people? Even if it’s something to do with Caspian’s reputation, these are the king’s people too? It doesn’t make sense.

  The man salutes Caspian again, before leaving the table. Caspian calls over a barmaid asking for food, and before too long she brings out two ptes of meats, cheese and bread. Is this just the standard meal choibsp;

  Caspian cuts into the bread, spreading the soft cheese over it with a knife. He watches me pick at the dull pte, and exhales.

  “Eat.” He holds out the bread in front of me.

  I look up to him to just look bay pte, to shuffle the bread in pbsp;

  “I’m not hungry.” I mutter.

  Caspian exhales through his nose, setting down the knife oable. Turning his full attention onto me. “You did st night either.” He tilts his head to get my gaze to him. “I don’t mean to have you starve.”

  He reaches over the table and pushes my pte closer to me.

  “Eat.” He says in a softer tone.

  I want to fight back, but my hunger overrules my attitude. I don’t take his , instead piling my own basic meal. Caspias out a huff, but tio eat, not pressing the matter.

  We tio eat in an awkward silence, until heavy footsteps desd the stairs. It’s Sir Leiman and the h and, already dressed and cloaks fastehey don’t sit, instead wait for us to finish.

  Caspian picks up a cloth and wipes his hands, putting it ba the table and stands in one fluid motion. He picks up his cloak and nods to his men.

  “It’s time to go.” He offers a hand for me to stand with, I unsciously take it, wiping my hands on my dress.

  The officers barely notice me, knowing I’m Caspian’s problem to deal with. A task. Nothing more.

  Utles in my chest again.

  stop, Caspian’s home. The pce where I’ll find the reason he’s kept me hostage…