April Fools: Caspy's Dream Day Part 3

Part 3

Lunch. Probably Caspy’s favorite time of day! (Besides breakfast, dinner, snacks, elevenses, supper, etc…) As Caspy helped himself to some biscuits, a cloaked figured slid into the seat beside him. Caspy glanced at his mysterious apparel. The lanky figure wore a tunic of brown leather hidden beneath a cloak of midnight blue. A hood covered the man’s face, making him terribly hard to recognize. But when he spoke, Caspy solved the mystery.

“Shhh,” he breathed. “Don’t let Pete see me.”

“King Edmund?” Caspy asked.

“Yes,” Edmund replied, ducking under the table as Peter cast a glance in his direction.

“Why are you hiding from your brother?” Caspy whispered.

Edmund sighed. “I played a prank on him. I dyed his hair green. I didn’t think he would get so upset with me! But apparently Lucy had to cut it to save him from dying of embarrassment.” Edmund slid into his chair again and motioned towards his brother. “He’s wearing that turban to hide what’s left.”

Caspy would have started to laugh, but since Peter was the High King, he didn’t dare. After that the meal continued in silence. Every once in a while, Peter would cast his gaze towards Caspy and Edmund would slip under the table. It quite annoyed the other guests around them, but they kept quiet. At last Caspy felt as if he couldn’t eat another bite without bursting, and the majority of the guests around him agreed. But before he excused himself from the table, Caspy turned to Edmund.

“Do you know where I could find some Itchrush flowers?” he asked.

Edmund nodded and began to explain, his mouth still full of food. The ladies across the table sent him a look of scorn and he stopped and swallowed before continuing. “Itchrush flowers are a type of reed. There are plenty of them in the marshy inlet beyond the beach. I’ll show you after dinner.”

“Thank you,” Caspy replied. “But you don’t have to show me yourself. I just need directions.”

Edmund smiled. “Oh no. I’m coming with. Besides, it will be a nice way to spend my afternoon out of Peter’s sight.”

Caspy shrugged. Who was he to argue with a king? Shortly afterwards Caspy found himself being led down stone steps cut into the side of the cliff that descended to the sandy beach. Once they reached the beach, Edmund kicked off his boots and tossed his cloak to the ground. He eyed Caspy as he rolled his sleeves up.

“You might want to leave that hat and the stockings here so you don’t ruin them,” Edmund suggested.

“Oh, that is probably a good idea,” Caspy agreed. He promptly sat down and tugged off his shoes and hideous socks. He tossed his plumed hat down beside them. Edmund began to sprint across the hot sand and Caspy followed after.

Their feet sank into the sand as they came to a marshy inlet. Caspy gasped for air as Edmund slowed his pace.

“Well,” Edmund announced, “this is it!”

Caspy eyed the reeds. “Are you sure that Queen Susan really wants these?” The little red flowers didn’t look very special to him.

“She adores them,” Edmund promised as he trotted several feet away and threw himself down on the sand, content to watch Caspy and soak up the sun.

Caspy waded into the water and rolled up his pink sleeves. The muddy sand squished between his toes and he resisted the sudden urge to squeal. But he reminded himself that he was doing this for Susan. Caspy bravely stuck his hand into the knee-deep water and felt for the stalk of the Itchrus reed. Once he found it, he inched his hand down until he found the bottom. Then he began to pull.

Caspy pulled and tugged and yank and finally, finally the reed came free. He stumbled backwards but caught himself before he plopped into the water. He tossed the reed onto the shore and stuck his hands into the water. This time he yanked his hand out quickly, shouting in pain.

Edmund looked up and began to laugh. A little brown crab had grabbed Caspy’s hand and refused to let go. Caspy shook his hand vigorously. “Get it off! Get it off!” he shouted.

Edmund lazily got to his feet and tried to pry the crab off of Caspy’s hand. Unfortunately, the crab decided to let go and launch himself at Caspy’s nose instead. Caspy howled even louder and Edmund winced, wishing he could cover his ears.

Caspy hopped around in circles as he tried to pull the crab off. Finally Edmund tackled him and shoved him to the ground before snatching at the crab and pulling. The crab released his grasp and flew towards the ocean again.

Now that the emergency was over, Edmund collapsed on the sand laughing. Caspy glared at him and stalked off with the two itchrush flowers he had collected. He scowled at the little red flowers peeking up at him. Snatching up his hat, Caspy hurriedly shoved the hideous stockings onto his feet. All the way back to the castle, he grumbled and scratched his arms. Suddenly he wondered if there was the reason for the name of the reed. His arms itched all over.

Caspy snuck a look over his shoulder and saw that Edmund trailed behind him. Caspy ignored him and marched towards the kitchen to see if his key-lime pie with extra lime was ready. Caspy dashed into the kitchen and carried off the pie without saying anything. He was in no mood to deal with the giggles and jests of the kitchen hands.

Edmund trailed silently behind. As they continued through the castle, they ran into the badger that Caspy had met when he first arrived.

“There you are!” the badger snapped. “I’ve been looking over all Narnia for you! Queen Susan is expecting you in the garden. You must not keep her waiting.”

Caspy stammered his apologies and started quickly down the hall. Edmund began to follow but the badger stopped him.

“Your brother wants you,” he announced.

Edmund groaned. “I’ll talk to him later. I have to see Su first.” With that, Edmund brushed him aside and hurried to catch up with Caspy. Since Caspy still didn’t know his way around the castle, Edmund lead the way and soon they emerged in the garden. Caspy’s eyes widened as he spotted Susan sitting on a little bench beneath an apple tree.

Susan rose to her feet, the sun dancing on her hair. She hurried forward and Caspy closed his eyes, soaking in the feeling, sure that she was running to him.

“Edmund!” Susan ran right past Caspy. “Have you been in the sun again?” Susan asked. “You’re turning red as a beat!”

Edmund grumbled good-naturedly, “Why can’t I turn tan like Peter?” He turned to stalk off, but as he glanced back at Caspy he winked and whispered, “Good luck!” He added under his breath, “Cause you’re going to need it!”

Caspy glanced at Susan. Now that they stood alone and face to face he was suddenly shy. He slowly held out the two Itchrush reeds.

“For me?” Susan asked. “How thoughtful!” Caspy turned red all the way to the tips of his ears. Susan gingerly took the long stems in her gloved fingers.

“A-and this is for you too,” Caspy stammered as he held out the key-lime pie with extra lime.

“How kind of you!” Susan gushed. “But I don’t really like key-lime.”

“Y-you don’t?” Caspy gasped.

“No, I’m more of a strawberry tart lover,” Susan replied carelessly.

“But-but on-on that paper, it-it said that you-you loved key-key-lime!” Caspy stammered.

“Oh, that’s just an old jest between my sister and me,” Susan laughed.

Suddenly, Caspy began to wonder if the entire list was simply a jest. With flaming cheeks, he glanced down at his outrageous apparel. Maybe this wasn’t the right way to woo Susan. But then as he scratched his red and welted arms, he figured it couldn’t get any worse.

“Queen Susan,” Caspy whispered, looking into her dark eyes. “You have bewitched me.”

Susan took several steps away and turned on her heel to look at him. “Is that a good thing, sir?”

“Yes,” Caspy breathed.

“I must confess that you have bewitched me as well,” Susan whispered, turning her back to him to hide her smiling face.

Caspy took several steps towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Queen Susan, will you not look at me?” Slowly Susan turned around to face him. Taking both her hands in his and tossing the Itchrush stems aside, Caspy knelt to the ground in front of her. “Queen Susan, can you marry me?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Can I?”

“Will you? Please say yes,” Caspy begged.

“Yes. Yes, I will!” Susan declared, her smile growing. Caspy kissed both of her hands with a huge and silly grin plastered to his face. “I-if you’ll excuse me now, please, Caspy dear.” Susan tried to pull her hands away.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Caspy exclaimed in surprise.

“To tell my brothers!” Susan replied with a mischievous smile. She pulled her hands away and hurried into the castle, stopping at the door to wave at Caspy and blow him a kiss.

Giddy with joy, Caspy hardly knew what to do next. He released a crazed whoop and decided to search out Rabadash and inform him of the grand news. Caspy stumbled upon Rabadash who sat mopping in the library.

“Queen Susan agreed to marry me!” Caspy burst out.

“What?” Rabadash leapt to his feet. “You’re jesting, aren’t you?”

“No, no, I promise that I’m not!” Caspy exclaimed.

“You have to be,” Rabadash argued. “She just agreed to marry me not more than an hour ago!”

“Stop being a sore loser, Rab!” Caspy shouted.

“I’m not!” Rabadash yelled.

Caspy glared at him. “I think we should ask King Edmund. He will know how to settle this. Is he not the Just King?”

Reluctantly, Rabadash agreed. Together the two former ‘friends’ headed towards the office of the Just King. Rabadash knocked hard and formally on the door. To their surprise, Susan answered the knock.

“My brother is busy,” Susan apologized, once she recovered from the surprise of seeing their angry faces. “Perhaps I can help you?”

“No!” they both shouted. “Er, um, yes.”

“You said you would marry me, my most beautiful orchid!” Rabadash exclaimed.

“But you promised to marry me, darling,” Caspy argued.

Susan shook her head. “I might have said what I said, but I wasn’t serious.” She began to laugh. “Happy April Fools Day!”

Caspy took a step back in shock. April Fools? How could he have forgotten that today was April Fools? Caspy groaned. He should have known better. Susan would never agree to marry him.

“Y-you deceiving daughter of snakes!” Rabadash shouted.

“Kindly show yourself out,” Susan replied sternly.

“You haven’t seen the last of me,” Rabadash threatened darkly.

“Edmund!” Susan called. Her brother appeared in the doorway behind her. “Would you please show these gentlemen out?”

“Of course, sister,” Edmund answered with a smirk. He took Rabadash by one arm and Caspy trailed along behind. He cast a final look back at Susan, trying to make his face as irresistible as possible. But Susan wasn’t buying it.

Peter (still wearing a gaudy turban) and Lucy walked up at that moment and stood with Susan as they watched Edmund escort the rejected suitors out of the castle. Edmund returned several minutes later and joined his siblings in the entryway.

“That Prince Rabadash is a horrid fellow! But Caspy wasn’t so terrible,” Edmund admitted. The others stared at him. “Look, I’m not saying that I want him for a brother-in-law by all means!” Edmund protested.

It was then that Peter noticed that Edmund had come out of hiding. “Don’t think that I’m letting you get away with dying my hair green!” Peter shouted and lunged at him.

“Peter! I said I was sorry!” Edmund cried over his shoulder as he dashed away from his brother.

“Boys.” Susan and Lucy rolled their eyes and promptly dissolved into giggles, partly because of their brothers and partly due to the April Fools prank pulled on Susan’s most annoying suitors.

The End