Caspian

Caspian

It was already late in the morning when Amethyst slowly woke up as she felt the warm rays of sunlight on her face. She sluggishly opened her eyes and was met by the blinding sunshine coming from the cabin’s window. She then used her hand to cover her eyes from the bright light for a bit and smiled. She had one of the deepest and most amazing sleep of her life. She can’t believe that she’s still alive. Blushing, she recalled everything that had happened yesterday till early this morning. The sea. The cabin. And him. 

Funny how the sea turned out to be a beginning for me instead of my ending. She said to herself.

Realizing that, she immediately shifted her gaze beside her and it automatically wrinkled seeing that it was empty. She looked around and grasped that she was just all alone.

Where is he?

Maybe he went out for a while?

So Amethyst decided to put on her dress which was placed over her like a blanket to cover her nakedness. The extra clothes he lent her was nowhere to be found. Her brows met but she didn’t mind since her dress is dry now. Standing up, it wasn’t painful anymore and so she wondered how the blisters on her feet vanished without a trace.

How come?

She then thought that maybe due to exhaustion, she just mistook the dirt on her feet as blisters. She shrugged and sighed as she looked around, peeping through the window.

Where could he be?

Remembering what happened earlier, she instantly blushed once more. The emotions she’s feeling inside her now were so strong that she immediately felt overwhelmed. Though she knows very much that she had just met him, she felt like they connected strongly. The attraction was so strong and she felt the same thing from him. She really felt it.

Is this what they call love at first sight?

She giggled a bit with the thought.

“You’re so beautiful.” He said as he gently caressed her cheeks. “Your eyes, nose, lips and everything about you is so perfect.”

She turned crimson red with the compliment she received and slightly buried her head on his strong chest. This made him chuckle.

“Hey, it’s true. You’re the most beautiful girl I have ever met.” He continued as he picked up her chin and stared at her.

“Really?” She asked softly.

“Really.” He answered and she automatically smiled.

“I feel like I am just dreaming.” Amethyst voiced out. “Am I dreaming?”

He chuckled again and continued to caress her face like he’s memorizing every inch of it. “You are not dreaming, my lady. This is real. I am here.”

She smiled sweetly. “I feel like I was reborn. And that my new life is this. Just with you.”

The stranger smiled. “Do you like it? This new life you were born with now?”

“Yes. Very much so. I have never been so sure.” Amethyst answered immediately. “If this new life I was given means I can spend it all with you, then yes. I like it very much. I love it.”

“Me too. I’d love to spend the rest of my life with you.” He answered.

They felt silent and Amethyst just snuggled closer to his chest. And he responded by tightening his grip on her like he’s gonna lose her any moment. Then when she heard his steady breathing, she was sure that he fell asleep. She could smell him and becoming so close to her this way made her feel so safe and secured. Too bad as she really cannot decipher how he looked like without proper lighting. So she closed her eyes and started to feel his jaws, his lips, his nose and when she was about to move her hand to his cheek, he suddenly pushed her and sat up.

“No!” He snarled and she was shocked.

“I’m sorry. I…I didn’t mean to…” Amethyst stuttered as she recovered from her shock.

The man in front of her realized his actions after he calmed himself and bowed down. “I’m sorry. I…I am just not comfortable about someone touching my face. I was startled. I’m sorry.”

“Oh. Sorry. I wasn’t aware.” She voiced out. “I won’t do it again.”

“Thanks.” He answered and laid down once more. “Are you okay? Did I scare you?”

“I’m okay. And no. I’m not scared.” Amethyst answered. "Not at all."

Silence. Then he reached out for her hands first and kissed them. She just smiled.

"Take me with you." Amethyst said boldly.

He was a bit astounded by her words but he quickly recovered. "What if I am a bad guy?"

"I know it in my heart that you are not." She answered quickly.

"What if I am not who you are expecting me to be?" He asked once again.

"Then I'll just accept who you are." She responded which made him smile softly.

‘If only it was that easy’, he thought. "What if the life you have ahead with me will be full of sufferings and hardships?"

"Anywhere away from here would be better." She expressed. "I'm okay with it."

He just chuckled and looked at her. She clearly grew up with wealth. Just as how she was dressed, her skin, her hands, the way she speaks, everything about her states that she's not from an ordinary family.

“Aren’t you gonna ask who I am?” He asked after some time.

"How about you? Aren't you gonna ask who I am?" She asked back.

"I asked you first." He said.

"I asked you second." Amethyst teased and he chuckled.

He felt so light being with her. He's never laughed that much before. 

"Seriously." He voiced out.

“Seriously, I’m sure you will tell me when you’re ready.” Amethyst answered and turned to him. “Besides, we have the rest of our lives to know each other.”

And that broke the ice. The man laughed heartily and she giggled as he brought her to his arms once again. “That’s right, my lady. We have the rest of our lives to know each other.”

The memory made Princess Amethyst smile from ear to ear. Putting her dress on and fixing her hair for a bit, she immediately stood up. As she was about to go out, she saw something from the floor and so she slowly picked it up. It’s a gold wristband.

“CASPIAN.” She read out loud when she traced the word engraved on it. She smiled. “Caspian.”

Caspian. Is it his name?

It’s a beautiful name.

She happily put on the wristband even if it was big for her hand. Afraid that she might lose it, she moved carefully as she went out and looked around. First, she went to the bamboo area near the cabin and searched.

Nothing.

Then she went to the seashore.

Nothing.

She sat there for a while feeling the soft breeze as it touched her skin. She watched the sea, so calm and peaceful, the waves meeting the shore from time to time.

Where is he?

Where could he be?

She felt a little sore and exhausted but her desire to know more of her saviour and find him gave her the energy to look around the cabin once more. But after walking around for about an hour now, she still couldn’t find him.

Where are you?

Where are you, Caspian?

She felt weird when she started to have thoughts of him leaving her.

It can’t be.

I felt the sincerity of his voice when he said he wanted to have a new life with me.

It can’t be, right?

She shook her head and tried her best to erase those negative thoughts on her head. She then decided to go around some more but still, she didn’t find him. She went back to the cabin again and checked every corner thinking that maybe somehow, he left a note for her or something.

But nothing.

Still not giving up, she went around again.

And nothing. 

She did it for the whole day like a lunatic trying to find a needle from a haystack. Feeling exhausted, she decided to go back to the cabin and just wait for him there. She then reached the cabin and sat beside the door. She waited and waited. But no one came back. She was now feeling weak and hungry and dizzy but she didn’t let herself be bothered by it. She looked around once again and realized that it was already almost evening when the sky started to darken. She just stared at the sun setting beautifully, creating an amazing skyline with the sea.

Amethyst fidgeted her fingers and her heart began to sank as hours passed by.

He did not leave, did he?

She was resting her head on her hand when she heard a distant sound of people approaching. Her heart swelled up with hope and immediately stood up to check who was coming. She happily extended her neck to see who it was from the corner she’s in. But all her hopes came crashing down when she saw several palace guards coming in her direction. She then collapsed on the ground.

"Princess!" One of the guards called out as they hurriedly went to her side. "Finally, we found you."

Amethyst cried.

No.

She wept.

Reality slowly started to sink in.

He really left her.

And now, her new life is over.

***

PAK! That was the sound of the last whip she received from her stepmother's servant. 

She received a total of 20 lashes for running away and another 30 for stealing her sister's tiara. That was her punishment. That is what's waiting for her the moment she got back here in the palace. When the queen declared this punishment, her father didn't even say anything. He didn't care at all. Her back now is so red, swollen and bleeding. Fera hurriedly helped her down from where her hands were tied up when she received the beatings. Growing up in the palace, she was already used to this kind of punishment from her stepmother but it was never this worse. Usually, it would only take up to 5 lashes for her big mistakes, so it only bruised her but not bleed. But this time for sure, those beatings will leave scars after it heals.

"That's what you deserve for running away and embarrassing this family in front of the whole kingdom." Her stepmother expressed her disdain as she looked at her sharply. "And you will be getting the same amount of strokes each week until you admit to your crime."

A tear fell off Amethyst eyes.

"That's what you get for denying it." The queen said as she picked up her chin, looking at her, full of disgust. "This is what happens to pretty little liars!"

"I'm not lying..." She answered weakly. Her face was pale as white. "I didn't."

"Stubborn child." The queen mocked and looked at her evilly. “Still standing for your lies. FOOL!” 

"Again, I didn't." Amethyst weakly stated and contradicted as she looked at her stepmother.

"Then see you next week for another round." The queen stated and chuckled softly. "You never learned a thing, Amethyst. What a waste!"

Then she shook her head and walked out of the room. Fera just looked at her with pity and immediately helped her. She assisted her until they both got to her room. She also went to get a box of herbs so she can clean and put medicine on the princess bleeding wounds.

"She's so cruel. Really cruel. How could she do this to you?" Fera blabbered as she gently cleaned her wounds. "No matter what you've done, you're still a princess. She shouldn't have done this. I'm so sorry I couldn't be of help, my dear. I tried telling the king that it was her who made me gave the tiara to you but she stopped me. She’ll make my family back home suffer if I speak about it ever again, princess. I’m very sorry."

Amethyst just weakly smiled in response to her concern. She just felt numb with the physical pain she was feeling. What hurts her more this time is how she's feeling. She's been left behind again. She was left behind by someone she thought she can lean on. Just like how her mother left her before. And that pain was even more unbearable.

Caspian.

That name echoed inside her. Tears immediately ran out from her eyes upon remembering him. She slowly lifted her hand and stared at the wristband she was wearing. It was big enough for her hand and she's glad that it didn't fell or anything. She gently traced the name imprinted on it once again.

Caspian.

Where are you?

Why did you leave?

Was it too much for you to take me?

A part of her mind said that maybe he realized that she was also ‘good for nothing’ and that he can just toss her away because she easily gave up her womanhood to a stranger like him. Maybe he thought that she can just be used and toyed like how she was living all her life.

But it can't be. Right?

I may be dumb but I know if a feeling is real, she thought as she cried more.

She was so confused and exhausted and most of all, hurting. The pain is so real and she didn't understand why. She didn't know what to do. And so she wept. She just bawled her eyes out.

"Oh, my dear princess. I'm so sorry." Fera cooed as she gently spooned her carefully into her arms. "Please don't cry. You have to be strong. Everything will be alright. In time, everything will be okay."

And Amethyst just let out all of her emotions.

***