[A] Entering the Wasteland {Plot - Part 3} [Finished]

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[Character of the Month]

Character of the Month
Prince Caspian

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Played by Cara

"Cara has managed to...create a character that is both mythical and life-like. Impulsive, moody, and yet kind and good-hearted, Caspian is just beginning to show the makings of a true leader."
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[Prince Caspian]

Caspian stood at the entrance of the cave filled with trepidation. The rain was slowing, dying and it was about time. They had been hiding away inside the caves for? what, four days, five days? A week? He had lost count ? though he didn?t doubt someone knew. Still, even if they had only been holed away for a day, that was still a day far too long. All this time hiding from the rain had been a rather big waste. Caspian hadn?t been able to do much battle planning, nor had he been able to meet with anyone to discuss matters. Everyone seemed to be falling ill ? some seriously, and some not so much. Nevertheless, it had been a strain on everyone and no one had been in the mood to discuss upcoming battles, Caspian included.

It was almost time to journey back out into the open area around How; almost time to leave the cave. In fact, Caspian had already ordered everyone to start getting things together, ordered them to get ready to leave. The moment the rain stopped, they would be outside. He wasn?t concerned about it starting again any time soon ? he was surprised it had even managed to last as long as it had.

They needed to get outside. They needed the fresh air, and the space to set everything up again. They needed to get on with it ? they couldn?t win a war from inside a series of tunnels and caves. He stood there staring blankly out at the falling rain, a troubled sigh escaping him.

Had he done the Old Narnians wrong by not waiting for Aslan? By not waiting for help? Would they fail now, because of his impatience? Shaking the thoughts off, he knew he had to stop doubting himself, stop doubting their mission. This was what the great Lion Aslan would want; he would want his people restored to peace and safety? restored to their rightful ownership of Narnia. Granted, the doubts were lessening. It was only in those spare moments when he was all on his own that they came creeping back to haunt him. But he would conquer them; at least, he hoped so.

It was not a sudden noise that startled him from his thoughts; rather it was the lack of noise. Lack of rain falling and hitting the ground. He glanced up and looked outside, peering around for the sight of rain, the sight of little droplets hitting the massive puddles gathered on the ground. But there was nothing. The rain had stopped! Thank Aslan, the rain had stopped!

?The rain is done!? He shouted, the boyishness within him that had been long hidden away breaking free for a moment as he bolted from the entrance of the cave and ran farther in. ?The rain has stopped! Tell everyone! It?s time to get back outside and win this war!?

Everyone around him looked up, amused by the exuberance of the recently weary Prince. Still, as his news began to sink in, creatures all around him rose to their feet and followed him. Even the most ill among them wanted to get out into the air and survey the damage that the storm had done.

Chaos erupted as everyone jumped to their feet and followed Caspian to the entrance of the cave. It was such a lovely sight, to look out without the rain getting in the way. Caspian hurried from the cave and down towards the camp? and stopped short.

Eyes wide as he stared at the mess, he drew in a sharp breath. This was going to be a major setback. A major setback. Everything that they had been unable to bring with them was either gone, or so badly mangled that it was beyond repair. There was water positively everywhere ? the trenches that had been dug were now deep pools of the frigid stuff. They would have to start over.

Caspian turned back to survey his tired, sickened army and brought a hand to the back of his head. He only hoped that Miraz?s army suffered as badly as his. He coughed then, which took him very much off guard. It was a painful, wrenching cough that, while ending quickly, was a rather bad sign of things to come, he feared. Nevertheless, he nodded to some of the more able-bodied Narnians to start bringing out supplies. They needed to set everything up soon, so they could get back to work.

[Prince Caspian]

There was so much going on around him that Caspian was having a hard time keeping up. There was discussion of herbs that someone had brought to aid him – he glanced in their direction, hearing but not really listening. What did he know of such things anyway? There was a great internal struggle; Caspian wanted to get up and put himself to use but he doubted he really had the strength to do so. Still, he didn’t feel like he ought to just sit there… but if he got up, surely someone would accuse him of being foolish – he seemed to be getting that a lot -- and he sure he was already losing whatever respect he might have had from his little army. He really didn’t need to make things any worse.

Settling back, he listened to the conversations going on around him, deciding that he needed to conserve his energy. Something he should have done earlier – except he couldn’t justify lounging around when his subjects had been ill. He hadn’t meant to catch whatever it was that had been going around, but it had obviously happened. Else he just over worked himself. He didn’t really know.

The next thing he knew, there were talking about an escaped captive. Captive? Escaped? It took him a moment to place just who they were talking about and when he did he brought his hand to his face. Things were seriously falling apart – and that probably wouldn’t have changed even if he hadn’t lost consciousness. Still, he felt like he was to blame for this – to blame for all the hardships they’d endured. But of course he couldn’t have prevented the storm, or their need to seek shelter in the tunnels… he knew it was foolish to blame himself for anything more than overworking his body but he couldn’t help it.

Permission was sought to attempt to recapture the captive and Caspian slowly pulled himself to sitting, glancing around with a rather dazed expression – though he tried not to show his confusion, his weakness, and the constant tossing of his stomach. He felt like he could sleep for days and still not feel as good as he used to in Miraz’s castle. His whole body was fatigued, his muscles tense and sore. He had never worked so hard in his life, in the days leading up to when he passed out. And he wasn’t even working the hardest among the Narnians. But he was doing all that he could – and then some, it seemed – and it appeared that he just wasn’t cut out for all of this.

But still he needed to try.

He felt a bout of dizziness hit again and he shut his eyes to try and steady himself. In the moments he was trying to regain his control, it appeared that a whole group had assembled and were asking permission to follow the centaur on her quest to recapture Adimon. His better judgement told him to say ‘no’, that it was a waste of time and there were more productive things to be doing. But for the life of him, he couldn’t think of what those “more productive” things might be. He wasn’t ready to argue, he was too ill.

“Yes, attempt recapture,” he agreed, but really what he said made no difference. The centaur was already off and being followed. He sighed and stared blankly ahead, wondering what else could possibly go wrong. He was anxious to be up and working again but he certainly wasn’t physically ready to get back to work. But perhaps there were other things he could do…

“Please bring me my charts,” he instructed to whomever was willing to comply. “I’ll do whatever I can from here.” He wasn’t foolish enough to try and pull himself to his feet; Caspian was pretty sure he would fall over after a few steps. He slid over, leaning his head against the wall of the tunnel where they’d brought him.

He had given up on the horn – it didn’t seem to be doing anything for them. How much longer could they wait?

No, Caspian would have to take things into his own, unsuited, hands.

{{ooc: sorry it took so long, and it’s so sucky guys. I have to get back into the Caspian posting mojo. XD}}

[Trufflehunter]

The badger watched as Caspian pulled himself up, his paws open and ready to help him if needed. The boy looked, well, horrible. He was in need of food and rest and here he was sitting up, watching the conversation about the captive. Trufflehunter set a paw on the boy’s arm as he swayed where he sat, his eyes closed as he tried to steady himself. Once he was steady, Trufflehunter removed his paw.

Trufflehunter watched the centaur cantor off without permission from Caspian, the others that had been asking about the captives recapture following her after getting permission. Trufflehunter sighed and shook his head.  First the storm, followed by Caspian falling ill, and then tempers on high in the group going after the escaped prisoner. Aslan help us, he thought as he looked back to the boy before him.

Caspian had slid himself over so that he now rested against the wall, asking for his charts. Trufflehunter patted the boy’s knee and gave him a smile. “I will be back soon, you highness,” he said softly. “I shall go make some soup. It should help warm you up and get something in your stomach.”

Patting his knee once more, Trufflehunter gathered the herbs he wanted for the soup and began to head out of the caves in search of a pot of water and a fire to boil it over.