April Fools: Caspy's Dream Day Part 2

Part 2

Caspy threw himself down on the huge bed and sighed in contentment as he stared at the white patterns dancing across the pink canopy. He drifted into his world of dreams once again and found himself staring into Susan’s beautiful eyes. Slowly his eyes focused again and he realized that he was not staring into Susan’s eyes, but rather was being inspected by a rather plumb and disagreeable Badger.

“If you wouldn’t mind, sir,” he barked, “please keep your gaping mouth shut!” He waved a piece of paper in front of Caspy’s face. “I’ve been knocking on your door for the last five minutes! You could have had the decency to tell me that you were busy!” He threw the paper at Caspy. “There and good riddance!” The badger hopped off the bed and disappeared through the doorway before Caspy could say anything.

Well! Caspy thought indignantly. He sure is in a huff! And all over a silly paper. Doesn’t he know that I shall soon be marrying my darling Susan and I shall rule over him? Ha!

Caspy decided that he should probably read the paper and sat up. He opened the folded parchment and began to read.

To assist you in your quest to woo Queen Susan, here are a few helpful tips, dearest suitor.

1. Queen Susan adores the color pink

2. She loves to see men with hats and large plumes

3. She believes that olive green and yellow stripes are the most becoming colors for stockings

4. Bribe the kitchen staff into making her a key-lime pie with extra lime

5. Pick her large bouquets of Itchrush flowers (make sure to cut them at the ground, leaving plenty of stem!)

Good luck (cause you’re going to need it)! Sincerely, Queen Lucy

Caspy tossed the letter on the bed and stood up. He quickly crossed the room towards the wardrobe that stood in the corner to see if there were any clothes in it. He had forgotten his at home in his haste. He flung open the doors and saw to his surprise that several tunics of various shades of pink hung in the wardrobe. They were his size too! On a shelf over the tunics, he caught sight of several plumed hats and smiled in satisfaction.

Caspy seized one of the pink tunics and struggled into it. He seated himself upon the floor, tearing off his old boots and stockings and squeezed his large feet into a pair of olive green and yellow striped socks. He put his shoes on again. Leaping to his feet, Caspy seized the hat with the largest pink plume and set it upon his head. He gazed proudly at his reflection in the mirror.

He parted the hanging tunics to see if the wardrobe contained anything else. There was a pair of brown boots, multiple pairs of striped stockings and an unused candle. Caspy picked the candle up and crawled into the wardrobe. There had to be a reason why the candle was in the wardrobe. No one kept candles there for the sake of convenience. Even Caspy knew this!

Caspy felt around and soon found a tiny nob. He pulled and a panel swung open to reveal a small tunnel, just big enough for him to crawl into. But first, Caspy lit the candle using the matches he found beside it. Then he closed the door of the wardrobe, latching it firmly and crawled into the little tunnel. Using his foot, he closed the panel as well and soon it was dark save for the flickering flame of his candle.

Curious to discover where it led, Caspy began to crawl down the long tunnel. Soon it veered to the left and he began to hear voices. Faint at first, they steadily grew louder until Caspy came to an air vent cut into the wall.

“Stop scowling, Peter!” laughed a female voice. “Oi! Stop! You’re making your hair even worse.” Peter growled something unintelligible and the girl began to laugh merrily again. Caspy peered through the tiny slats in the air shaft. King Peter sat at his desk, an angry scowl stamped on his face as a girl with golden hair attempted to hide her brother’s conspicuous green hair under a hat.

“Give it up, Lu,” Peter muttered. “It’s no use. You’ll have to cut it.”

“I am sorry now,” Lucy admitted. “It was awfully funny at first. Oh, bother Edmund and his ideas of humor!” She stamped her foot, but Caspy lost interest in the conversation and began crawling again. The shaft began to descend sharply and he concentrated on not slipping. He shook his hands in disgust as they brushed away cobwebs. He felt certain that he had ruined his tunic by now.

He continued feeling his way along until the floor suddenly dropped out from underneath him and Caspy plunged down a long shoot. The candle extinguished itself in the breeze. Caspy landed with a soft thud on a pile of laundry and blinked several times as bright sunlight blinded him. Noticing that no one seemed to be present, he crawled out of the laundry room and soon found himself following a wafting aroma. His nose led him down the hall to the dining room and through an open door into the afternoon sun. He continued down a little pebbled path into a simple building that contained the kitchen.

“It smells delicious,” Caspy remarked as he stood in the doorway.

“Two lions per sniff,” giggled a kitchen girl.

Caspy stiffened at the outrageous price, and began feeling for his money purse which he already knew was empty.

“Now Ruth gell, quit yer teasin’,” scolded one of the other women. “Can we be of sillvice, sill?” she asked Caspy as she wiped her hands on her apron.

“Uh, yes,” Caspy stammered uncomfortably. Ruth continued to giggle and make childish faces at him. “Well,” Caspy continued, “I-I’m here to woo Queen Susan, and they said that she likes key-lime pie. Could you make some for me to take to her? I’ll pay you for it after she marries me.”

“Lion’s Mane!” Ruth exclaimed and fell into another fit of laughter. “‘e actually thinks she’ll marry ‘im!”

“Quiet, Ruth!” the cook commanded. “I think we can fulfill this request.” She eyed Caspy. “Extra lime?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Caspy replied, shifting under her hard gaze.

“Alrighty, boy,” she replied. “I’ll send Ruth when it’s done.”

Caspy stammered his thanks and quickly fled from the kitchen. He wandered through the halls of Cair Paravel, trying to find his way back to his room. Opening doors along his way, he found that he was hopelessly lost. At last he stumbled outside again into a paved courtyard.

He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. Two figures were in the center of the courtyard and Caspy watched them.

Peter sat on a stool, his cloak tucked around his shoulders. Lucy stood above him, silver scissors in hand as she snipped his once golden hair. Peter sighed in dismay as he watched the locks fall to the ground.

“Prince-what’s-his-name was kind enough to lend you one of his turbans,” Lucy commented. Peter grimaced at the thought of actually wearing it. Lucy continued, “Thankfully I only have to cut the ends. If you didn’t have that ridiculous turban, I would have to cut off all your hair!”

“Excuse me,” Caspy timidly cut in. “I am sorry to interrupt you, but could you possibly direct me to my room?”

Lucy stared at him and tried to keep herself from laughing. Peter quickly pulled his cloak over his head, glaring at Caspy.

“Er, um, ah,” Capsy stammered awkwardly. “Maybe I’ll just go back inside.” He began inching towards the door.

Lucy cleared her throat. “Your room is that way.” She pointed with the scissors. “Go through the garden to the right. You’ll find a doorway. Go through the door and up the stairs to your left.”

“Thank you,” Caspy replied and started on his way.

A whisper floated after him. “Is that really Caspy the Fake?”

“Shh, yes, Lu,” Peter replied quietly.

Caspy smiled. So they all knew his name! He was more famous than he originally thought. Now he felt sure that Susan had been putting in good words for him. Caspy turned the corner and caught sight of someone who took his breath away in a single instant. Susan.

Beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous. It was the Gentle Queen.

Caspy became aware that his jaw was open, but he did nothing to fix it. Slowly as he soaked up Susan’s beauty, he noticed who stood proudly beside her. Rabadash.

Jealously welded up in Caspy and he quickly slipped behind a tree, hoping that they hadn’t seen him. He listened to their conversation as his heart pounded in his chest.

“Tashbaan is a most beautiful city,” Rabadash announced.

Susan played with a daisy clasped between her fingers, pretending to listen. She released a long sigh and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, batting her eyelashes slowly.

“Oh, but I bore you, Beautiful Queen,” Rabadash noticed.

“No, no, of course not,” Susan replied. “I was merely thinking of other things.”

Other things. Caspy’s heart leapt. Perhaps she knew of his arrival and looked forward to seeing him!

Rabadash didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he seized her hand and knelt to the ground in front of her. “Oh, Queen Susan, your beauty is greater than the stars and your kindness surpasses that of every other maiden.”

Caspy didn’t wait to hear anything else. He stooped down and dug his fingers into the soft earth beneath his feet. He formed a muddy ball and quickly tossed it at Rabadash. It struck the unsuspecting Calormene in the chest and he glanced around in outrage. Gripping Susan’s hand tighter, Rabadash dragged her after him as he strode towards the tree that Caspy hid behind. But Caspy knew he was coming and crawled behind the shrubs in the direction of the castle. He dearly hoped that Lucy gave him correct directions.

Behind him, he could hear Rabadash cursing and muttering to himself. He also heard Queen Susan call for her brothers. Once Caspy thought he was out of Rabadash’s sight, he dashed in the direction of the door. Caspy found it and true to Lucy’s word, he had no trouble finding his room. Only after he had bolted the door did Caspy allow himself to start laughing at Rabadash. And laugh he did.

~