Chapter Text
Caspian always admired the old age sovereigns.
If he admired one of them more than the others it wasn't really his fault.
Caomh The Great, the explorer, had always been a fascinating figure for him.
Even if his story is somewhat nebulous.
Caomh The Great was (or at least what little of his personal life known now leads to believe) the third in line to the throne of Calormen, but the crown prince Rabaddesh managed to banish both him and his older brother, prince Cavad, when they were basically kids and the two of them found refuge at the Narnian Court.
They grew there, swamped in the overwhelming beauty of the old Narnia.
When the Kings and Queens of old disappeared prince Caomh, who was described as "young, handsome, wise and courageous" was crowned king and he reigned for many, many years.
He was a perfect king, a perfect ruler, but he never married.
Most of the records describe him always pursuing the horizon, on his favorite treader, the Light Chaser.
Always searching for a lost person, always chasing after a lost love. Damned to wander the sea searching for her, destined to die at the sea and to never be mourned, since legends say his grave could only be found by those who already knew of its location or by the woman he searched for among the waves.
Caspian once thought it would be romantic to have a love so great to consume you. Now he knows that king's Caomh fate was the cruelest he could wish onto a man.
Caspian always felt pretty sure that growing up together with the Queens of Old Caomh fell in love and (possibly) married one of them, thus ascending the throne and, after his wife's disappearance, he passed his life chasing a ghost.
After meeting them for the first time, he was sure that only queen Susan and her awe inspiring beauty could elicit such devotion, such an all consuming kind of love.
After meeting the youngest King and Queen of old together with their kinsman on his voyage on the Dawn Treader he is not so sure anymore.
Not Only because Queen Lucy grows just under his eye, the infancy leaving her face and body in exchange of a willowy, delicate and pale exterior.
Not only for her wit and sarcasm.
Not only for her resilience and kindness.
Not only for her complete disregard to any kind of etiquette (royal or otherwise) he has ever learned.
He met other gentle women after Susan.
He will never meet anyone as kind, brilliant and fierce as Lucy, he knows that.
(He is already halfway in love with her before even realizing it and nothing will ever be the same after he will acknowledge those feelings).
Now he (partially) knows the anguish of Caomh The Great, the explorer, first of his name, damned to love a woman who disappeared just behind the horizon, if only because the woman he now knows he loves lives in his world on borrowed time.