Chapter 11: Telling Secrets

Caspian stares intently at Anna for a long while. He seems to be deliberating on something.
Anna glares back with a questioning look, waiting for Caspian's response.
It feels like eons of time passed with both of them gazing at each other.
Caspian focuses on the dark skies now. The sun has finally set and the early evening seems to magically transform their surroundings into a fairy tale like scene.
Caspian resumes staring towards Anna again but finally saying, "I'm not really sure where to start Anna."
"We totally live in two different worlds you know," he adds.
Way to go Caspian, he thought to himself. You are not really making sense right now. 
"What do you mean by that? Is it because you live faraway beyond the forest? Don't you think that is being too melodramatic?"
Anna disrupts his thoughts as if hearing them too.
Caspian moves closer to Anna then touches her pale cheeks.
Wow, she is really pretty! He gets distracted with his thoughts and what he has to say. Those green eyes are really distracting. 
It seems she doesn't mind him touching her face.
Anna glares at him even more, still waiting for his explanation. She is starting to lose her patience. 
"Anna, it's not just our living conditions that I'm referring to. I am not like your normal guy, not like the usual people around you." he continues to explain. However, he thinks his reasons are still unclear. 
"Well, i know that. You're a lot mature than my schoolmates and the other kids in our neighbourhood. That is why I like you. That is why you're my special friend right?" Anna interrupts again.
"That's not what I mean again! But thank you for thinking of me that way." Caspian says with a bit of frustration. He is not frustrated with Anna, but with himself because he is having difficulty explaining things.
Caspian ponders for a moment then holds Anna's hands instead. He takes a deep breath and starts again,
"Anna, please listen well and let me do the talking first. When I am done, tell me what your reaction is, okay?"
Anna nods in agreement and notices the seriousness in Caspian's face. He is so handsome when he is all serious like that. She observes, as she blushes a bit.
"You have asked me a while ago what I mean by your world. We are really from different worlds. I am not from here. Yes I live in the valley but my world there is a lot different from what you imagine or what other people think they know about the valley."
Caspian glances at the willow tree, then to the trail and looks beyond the forest. He wishes he can show Anna everything. It might be easier that way.
"I am not an ordinary human being. Remember the first time you saw me under the willow tree? I was surprised that you were able to see me."
"From when we were young, I go to that same willow tree and watched you and your best friend Jo play. Both of you never saw me ever."
"We can conceal ourselves from human beings. But I don't really have any idea even now how you suddenly saw me on your sixteenth birthday. I was surprised too."
Caspian pauses then holds Anna's face again with both his hands.
Suddenly, like a veil is removed from Caspian's face, his brown eyes changed to a colour of green like Anna's and his skin as pale. But the greatest change is his pointy ears.
Anna stares at Caspian but her expression didn't change at all.
A few moments pass as Caspian waits for Anna's reaction.
It is Caspian who got surprised for Anna's unperturbed response.
"You know what Caspian? I have always seen how you really look like."
Anna confesses.
Caspian stares intently at Anna with bewilderment and he blurts out, "Wait, what? But how?"
So Anna has her own secrets too.
"I have always seen strange things since I was young. I have my fair share of weirdness to tell you."
"Maybe when you saw me and Jo when we were young, I was not totally able to see beyond your concealment. I was not aware of anything much but my friendship with Jo."
"But when I saw you on my birthday, I guess it might be because I was terribly lonely for missing Jo. I was looking for company. Therefore, I might have been searching that is why I saw you." Anna makes it sound logical that way.
"Of course you were looking somewhat strange and all, though that's fine with me because you were nice to me. But then, I never told anyone how you exactly look like. I figured you like to stay in disguise and also people might freak out too if I did describe you as how I really see you."
Caspian is totally speechless with this revelation from Anna's part. He always thought that if Anna sees how he truly looks like, she will stay away from him. She will freak out and hide.
"I know you're some kind of a fairy," Anna adds.
"Earth Fairy," Caspian validates calmly.
"So, are you all Earth Fairies in the valley? Is that why you dress up that way? When can you take me there so I can see your land?"
Anna asks excitedly.
"It's a little more complicated than that. There are also the Fire Fairies, Water Fairies and Air Fairies. We are protectors of nature."
"I cannot bring you to my land because you cannot enter there. But I can show you the valley, which most of your people know about. Not beyond that."
Caspian feels grateful he can talk openly to Anna about his world now.
"Wait, I actually have a lot of questions for you but I have to tell you something too. I know my secret is not as strange as yours but I just like to share to you."
Anna says looking serious.
She let's go of Caspian's hands and stands facing towards the forest. Now she is the one trying to think of the exact words to say.
"What's wrong Anna?" Caspian stands too, as he places his arm on Anna's shoulders.
"Popsie Reed and Marmee Rose are not my real parents. I was left at their doorstep when I was still a baby. They have no idea who my real parents are and where I came from."
Anna blurts out hurriedly in a whisper.
Restating these facts pains her heart once more. She feels like crying again.
"Anna, I'm so sorry to hear that. What do you plan to do now? Will you look for them? I mean will you look for your family?"
Caspian asks, full of concern.
"Honestly, I'm really not sure what to do. It's been sixteen years now. If my family wanted me back, they would have looked for me by now right? But no one ever came for me."
"I feel incomplete but I'm very lucky to have Popsie and Marmee. I have decided that I would just let it go for now. I don't have much of a choice anyway. Besides, I haven't the slightest idea where to start looking. They might even be dead or moved far, far from here."
Anna concludes.
She looks up and sees the bright stars. That gives her something to smile about.
"Well, can we now go inside? I have had enough of this telling secrets part."
"Let's ask Marmee and Popsie if we can take a little stroll at the trail. There are so many stars out tonight. Pretty good time to see the night sky."
Anna says changing the topic.
She cheerfully pulls Caspian by the hand towards the house.
"Come inside!"
Anna repeats.
"Anna, there's a slight problem..."
Caspian pauses a bit panicked.
"I can't go inside your house!" he reveals, staying glued to where he is standing.
Anna stares at Caspian with a confused expression.
"What is this about now?" she exclaims with annoyance.