Fragments of the Fallen [2]

"Who. Are. You?"

Caspian's thoughts churned as the weight of the situation settled over him.

The chains, the accusing stares, and now the accusations—it was suffocating.

'It seems like they've found out about me,' Caspian thought, his heart heavy.

{It seems so, child,} Bloodmoon's voice echoed in his mind, calm and steady.

Caspian swallowed hard.

'What should I do?' he asked.

{Tell them the truth,} Bloodmoon replied.

The words settled in Caspian's. The truth… but how much of it?

Eirlys's cold gaze pinned him in place.

"I'm waiting," she said, her voice low.

"Hoooooo"

Caspian took a shaky breath.

"I am not a demon," he began, "Nor am I some creature or animal that has taken over this body."

Eirlys narrowed her eyes.

"Then what are you?"

"That's just it," Caspian said, his tone softening.

"I don't know who I truly am. I remember… dying." His voice faltered slightly.

"I don't know how or why, but I woke up here. In this body."

The room fell silent, save for the faint hum of the light above them.

"You're telling me," Eirlys said slowly, "that my brother is gone. That you… just woke up in his body?"

"Yes," Caspian replied.

Eirlys's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles whitening while looking at Luna.

"Did you kill him?" Her voice cracked slightly, a rare break.

"No," Caspian said quickly, his voice firm.

"From what I can gather, from the fragmented memories I've inherited… he was already dead before I woke up."

Her gaze wavered for the first time, and she looked away, her jaw tightening.

Luna, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

"He's telling the truth." Luna said.

Eirlys turned to her sharply. "You're certain?"

Luna nodded.

"His soul isn't pure, but it's not malicious. It's fractured, as if it doesn't even fully belong here." Luna said.

Eirlys exhaled sharply.

"You said you remember dying," she said, her voice quieter now.

"How?"

Caspian shook his head.

"It's… hazy. Like trying to hold onto water. I remember pain, a flash of light, and then… nothing. And then I woke up here."

Eirlys studied him, her expression unreadable.

"If my brother was already gone… why didn't you just leave?" Eirlys asked, she didn't even know what she was saying her mind had already gone blank.

"Leave?" Caspian blinked.

"Where would I go? This body… this life… it's all I have now. I didn't ask for this, Eirlys."

She flinched at the use of her name, the familiarity feeling almost out of place.

"And besides," Caspian added, his voice quieter, "I've been trying to honor his memories, his life. Even if I don't fully understand it."

Eirlys took a step back, running a hand through her hair.

"This… this doesn't make sense. Why would something like this happen? And why him?"

"I don't know," Caspian admitted.

"But from what I've seen… your brother was kind. Too kind for a family like yours." Caspian added.

The words hit harder than Caspian intended.

Eirlys froze, her face briefly contorting with guilt before she masked it again.

"You don't know anything about my family," she snapped, though her voice lacked its usual conviction.

"Maybe not everything," Caspian said. "But I know enough. He… he wanted to prove himself to you. To all of you. But you didn't give him the chance."

Eirlys's breath hitched, her composure cracking ever so slightly.

Luna placed a gentle hand on Eirlys's shoulder.

"He's not wrong," she said softly.

Eirlys shook her head, turning away.

"I never… I never thought it would come to this," she murmured. "I thought… if he could just endure, if he could find his own strength…"

She trailed off, her voice thick with emotion.

Caspian watched her, his heart heavy.

"He didn't hate you he just," he said quietly.

Eirlys turned to him, her eyes wide.

"He wanted to be like you," Caspian continued. "Strong. Respected. He thought if he could earn that, you'd see him."

Eirlys's lip quivered, and she quickly turned away again, her shoulders shaking.

"I failed him," she whispered. "I was supposed to protect him. I was supposed to be his sister, but I let him down. And now… he's gone."

Caspian hesitated before speaking. "Maybe," he said carefully, "but you can still make things right. Not for him—but for the person he was. The kind of person who deserved better."

Eirlys turned back to him, her expression a mixture of anguish and determination.

"I'll help you," she said, her voice firm despite the tears in her eyes.

"If you're carrying even a piece of him… then I'll protect that piece. I owe him that much."

The tension in the room seemed to ease, the air less stifling.

For the first time, Caspian saw something in Eirlys's eyes he hadn't seen before.

Understanding.

_________

[A/N: I don't know but it feels like pacing is too slow. Tell your opinion]