I floated in the hallway for a long time after Caspian left.
My brain was spinning.
In Beastly B.A.D.S., the lore entry for King Caspian said: "The King's heart turned to ice the day his beloved Queen perished, leaving him unable to look upon the son who cost him his love."
It was poetic. It was tragic. It was designed to make players want to "fix" him with the power of love.
But the reality? The reality was messy, ugly, and human.
Caspian hadn't loved the Queen. He had been a prisoner of biology. A modern architect from Seoul forced into a primal, magical ritual because the "game" demanded an heir.
No wonder he can't look at Orion, I thought, swimming back into the bedroom. He doesn't see a son. He sees the evidence of his own captivity.
I looked at the Prince. Orion was awake, picking at the loose threads of his blanket. He looked small, grey, and incredibly lonely.
