Needing Help [caspian]

[Sebastien Lienid]

Seb smiled and waved farewell as the children were dragged away by their parents to continue the day’s chores. It was currently early in the morning and Seb was in the Great Hall of Miraz’s Castle eating breakfast. He had stayed in Cair Paravel for a while and feeling the restlessness that usually preceded a long voyage, quickly packed up his few belongings and left the castle, only staying long enough to notify Queen Lucy of his plans. Sebastien might have stayed longer at Cair Paravel or only travel down the coast for a couple of days but the restlessness was great and the urge to travel again was almost urgent. It felt almost as though Aslan was calling him to be on the move.

All morning, Seb had been entertaining the children in the castle. He had woken up early with the sun like he did every morning. He explored the castle and gave a helping hand to servants he found needing aid. Soon, a group of children had gathered and began to follow him around. Knowing that the parents would be thankful for a few hours of work without their children bothering them, Seb took them all into the garden and entertained them for the morning. Later, he brought them all into the Great Hall for breakfast. It was a noisy affair since the children insisted that Seb tell them jokes throughout the whole meal.

Now he could get down to business. Back when he was still packing, Sebastien had no idea where he wanted to go. He was planning on going to Bernua until he heard that Queen Susan was traveling to Miraz’s Castle to see King Caspian. Going to Miraz’s Castle wasn’t a bad idea. Seb wanted to know what the Telmarines wanted as entertainment at the festival. Going to the Castle was the perfect way to find out. So far, Seb had concluded that the children liked his jokes, his impressions, his puppets and his stories. They were not a hard bunch to please. Now all he needed to know was what the adults liked. The servants weren’t picky and anything would do. But what did the nobles like? They must be harder to please.

Finished eating his breakfast, Seb stood up and looked around, he was sitting with the other servants of course. Seb didn’t want to go up to a noble and talk to them personally. That was beyond him. Maybe he should ask a personal servant or something. After a few moments of poking around and asking the other servants some questions, Seb decided that maybe the servants didn’t know all that much about what the nobles wanted for entertainment. It looked like there was no way out of talking directly to a noble Telmarine.

Seb was walking through the crowded Hall and making his way towards the door when he narrowly missed running into an old lady. She was attempting to run after a little boy and had some difficulty. Seb would’ve helped, had he not accidentally bumped into another person. Seb stared at the chest of the man, and then looked up to see that it was a Telmarine noble.

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[caspianx]

"Ten more minutes..." Caspian moaned as he pulled a pillow over his head to block out the bright sun that was coming from his recently opened window. Even a King needed and enjoyed his sleep and indeed Caspian would not have hesitated to give over a quarter of the Royal Treasury for merely ten more minutes of rest. A small, knobby hand shook him but the King refused to budge. "Leeb be alooone." He mumbled annoyedly from beneath the safety of his pillow. He was not looking forward to seeing Trupkin's oh-so-pleasant face so early in the morning. The dwarf's hand was persistant and Caspian tried to no avail to shake him away. "Wake me up when there's a war. Or famine...invaders...perhaps..."

A grumble was heard and Caspian felt the hand grasp his shoulder and pull. The next thing he knew he was upside down staring up into the face of a particulary amused Trumpkin. "Are you satisfied?" Caspian asked, crossing his arms and letting himself drop fully from the bed so that he could untangle himself from the sheets that were wrapped around him. Trumpkin snorted. "Very dignified, Your Majesty," he said mockingly, though Caspian could see that he was smiling. "Breakfast started at least thirty minutes ago and here you are slumbering away like a kitchen maid in the summer!" With as much grace as possible for a man that had just thrown a childish fit about having to wake up Caspian stood. At least he had left no drool upon his pillow. This time.

"Thank you for reminding me Trumpkin," he retorted, sarcasm hinting his accent. He picked up his blankets from the floor and deposited him on the bed. "What are friends for?" The dwarf added gruffly before heading out the door of the Royal Chambers, muttering to himself and shaking his head all the while. Caspian stood alone in his room wearing a long white chemise. He went forth to his wardrobe and opened it revealing a splendid display of clothing. He had never been quite comfortable having a dresser and so he ordained to do so himself.

He chose a simple light blue-grey shirt over which he donned a doublet made in a lovely matching color in brocade, with a hint of bronze in the threads. Around his waist he tied a wide leather belt with golden seams that flowed in an ivy like pattern. He wore a pair of light breeches and boots that completed the outfit beautifully he thought. Looking at himself in a wide mirror it was strange to see how much he had changed since the years when he was known as simply 'Prince Caspian'. The boy had become a man. No, he had become a King. And what a strange transition that was.

After brushing his hair and washing his face and neck he decided that he was presentable. Caspian walked swiftly from his room and down the stairs. As he alighted upon the final landing he could smell the food in the Great Hall. He stood still for a moment, taking in the scent before going onward. It was something he had often done as a child and a habit that he had not yet grown out of. Coming back to himself he walked onward, the doors of the Hall were opened and he walked in, his shoulders high and proud. A boy was running from an older woman of the court and Caspian couldn't help but smile fondly at the child. It was in that moment that he felt the force of a smaller being crashing against his chest. He put out his hands to steady himself and the person who had run into him.

Caspian looked down to see who had caused this commotion and his dark eyes caught sight of a young boy. The boy was staring back up at him and it took the King a moment to decide how to react to the youth. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Caspian finally asked him, taking a step back and removing his hands from the boy's shoulder. The boy didn't look familiar to Caspian and he wondered if he had come with the courtiers from Cair Paravel. In the haste of the conversation Caspian had not taken it upon himself to smile yet. He was still groggy from his late night and early morning.

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[Sebastien Lienid]

Looking back, Seb would always blame the prospect of speaking to a Telmarine noble personally that had distracted him to the point of bumping into King Caspian. It wasn’t that he was afraid of speaking to one, nor was he shy. It had more to do with the idea of failing. Sebastien was not afraid of most things. One of the few things he was afraid of was failing. He had failed his family enough as it was, he wasn’t about to screw the rest of his life. Of course, that was easier said than done. He was a peasant, no, an entertainer and in favour of the Kings and Queens of Narnia, in a much better situation than a normal peasant or servant. So while he did have the advantage of the Kings and Queen’s protection and favour, there was still the chance of failure. Seb had never had anything less than success with his shows, but there was a first time for most things.

Now though, Seb had to deal with bumping into King Caspian, one monarch he did not know all that well. He spent most of his time with Queen Lucy or King Edmund. He was summoned to entertain Queen Susan and High King Peter on occasion, but he rarely ever saw King Caspian since they did not reside in the same castle. Not to mention how Sebastien was never in the same place for too long. Seb knew enough about this Telmarine to know that he wasn’t about to be punished for being distracted and not watch where he was going. Hearing the king’s question confirmed Sebastien’s guess.

“I apologize for my lapse of attention, You Majesty,” said Seb, taking a small step backwards and giving King Caspian a small bow. “I was on my way to work seeing as I had spent all morning entertaining the children in the castle.” Sebastien had to give himself a pat on the back for what he said. He was getting better and better at this courtly speech thing. Of course, he didn’t think he would be able to speak it on a regular basis. It was all an act for him. A very fun act too.

It always amazed Sebastien how people always assumed that he didn’t work. Or at least no proper work. Yes, he was an entertainer and he did performances, but most people thought that he lived off of winged performances. He didn’t. Before every performance, Seb always made preparations. Like making puppets, rehearsing his lines and practicing his acrobats. It was work, even if most people didn’t realize it. His running around talking to people wasn’t just socializing. He had may talent, yes, but he definitely did not depend on a winged performance when it came to being paid. He needed that money and he wasn’t about screw up. He didn’t like failing if he could help it.

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[caspianx]

Caspian quickly scanned the Hall, trying to see if he could make out any more new faces. He was quite interested in seeing whose party this boy belonged to. Though the young boy was not exactly the person Caspian wished to spend his time with, he was still pleased to see someone from Cair Paravel. If this boy knew her, why indeed it would almost be as though they were together again! Caspian's dark eyes fell back down upon the youth in a way that he hoped was not entirely menacing.

The young man has some manners! Caspian thought with a small grin. Many children had to learn them the hard way. Trial, error, and sometimes a smack upside the jaw. The King inclinded his head slightly as the boy bowed to him; acknowledging his notice of rank and thanking him for it. He had a very noble manner about him, and Caspian though he may have some high blood in him. That was until he mentioned his vocation.

An entertainer! Caspian smiled at him. "Just be thankful that nothing was broken. That may have cost both our professions dearly," he forgave him of his error with a small nod. "Entertaining the children, you say? What sorts of entertainment do you offer?" He asked, genuinely intrigued. "Are you off the road from Cair Paravel?" King Caspian pushed on, looking at the boy keenly now.

It would be interesting to see something of a performance. While Caspian loved to see entertainments put on by his own mintrels and actors, it was always nice to see something new. One of his favorite pieces had been put on when the King of Archenland had visited him. It had been a lovely song, played on pan pipes (a fairy flute they had called it) and sung by a young man with a resonating tenor voice. Perhaps the boy had news of those who sat in the Four Thrones. Caspian longed to hear it all.

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