Set after SC:
Kay, in the end of Silver Chair, Caspian asks to see England. Aslan grants his request. I wanted to have a chance for Susan and Caspian to see each other again.
It has been two months since they left in Prince Caspian.
Enjoy!!
"Please," Caspian said. "I would like to see their world, at least once."
Aslan nodded, "And you shall." He then turned to Eustace and Jill. "Do not tell anyone that Caspian is with you. Tell them of his death, and how you saved his son. He will appear in time."
Jill and Eustace nodded. With a roar, they were sent into a whirlwind of leaves and wind into the park right outside their school. To their surprise, they saw Peter, Susan (who didn't go to America), Edmund and Lucy, who were all eating a picnic.
The park was beautiful. It was near a lake and a grove of trees. It was filled with beauty, and reminded them all of Narnia. Unsurprisingly, Lucy was the first to notice the two. She looked at them curiously.
"Eustace, Jill," she called. "Come eat with us."
The two nodded and walked over. Eustace was grinning, and with one look at his face Lucy gasped. "You've gone back," she proclaimed happily.
Edmund, Peter and Susan all looked up at Jill and Eustace who bore matching grins of adventure and happiness.
"Well come on then," Edmund said, motioning them to sit down. "What has happened? Tell us."
Peter looked at Jill, "How was your first adventure?"
She looked at Peter, her face beaming, "It was amazing. I can't believe that it even happened. It was almost like a dream."
Edmund nodded, "I know what you're talking about. But enough about us," she said. "How is Narnia?"
"Did you see Aslan?" Lucy interjected.
"Yes, he saved us," Jill said.
"As he always does," Peter proudly stated. Since returning from Narnia, his faith had never waivered. He knew to keep faith in Aslan, and that someday, he could return.
"So," Lucy asked impatiently. "Did you see anyone from last time?"
Eustace nodded. "We saved Caspian's son."
"His son?" Susan asked quietly. "How old is he?"
"Prince Rilian was around 20."
"And Caspian?" Susan asked breathlessly. "How is he?"
"He died," Jill said, clueless about Susan's history with the king. "We attended his funeral."
For a moment all four were silent. Peter and Edmund lamented a fallen comrade, Lucy an older brother. Susan was the quietest of the four. Wordlessly, she stood and walked away, toward the grove of trees. Never once did she look back. Jill and Eustace looked at each other confused.
"Was she close to him?" Eustace finally asked.
Peter nodded his head. "Very."
"I don't understand."
Edmund shook his head. "Do you remember, when we were on the Dawn Treader, and Caspian wanted to sail to the end of the world with us?"
"Of course."
"And Aslan said no. He said that Caspian had to marry a woman and take care of Narnia."
"Yes, but what does that have to do with Susan?"
"What would compel a man to desire to leave his duty, his country, Narnia? There was but one reason," Edmund continued, "And it has to do with Susan. They fell in love once."
"What?" Eustace nearly yelled. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"What were we supposed to say?" Edmund stated. "Aslan said that Susan could not come back. We didn't want to reopen old wounds."
"I don't believe it," Eustace said.
"Oh please," Edmund responded. "Do you remember how at night, Caspian would sit at the bow, staring at the stars?"
"Yes."
"What was he holding? Every night, what item was in his hands?"
Realization was transparent upon Eustace face. "Her horn."
Peter nodded. "Yes."
"He tried to give it back to her once," Lucy said quietly. Eustace and Jill looked at her. "She told him to keep it, to call her again."
"That's why she hasn't looked at a boy here," Jill said. "Because she loves a man who,"
"She was destined never to see again," Peter said finishing her sentence. "She's mourning. Hopefully this is the closure she needs."
"No it's not," Jill said.
The three looked at Jill and Eustace confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Look," Jill began.
SXC
Susan walked through the grove of trees, trying to keep her emotions to herself. But the trees, the path, it reminded her of the moment that she fell in love.
It was right after Caspian had saved her from the horseman. Susan had always taken care of her siblings, and she was incredibly worried about her siblings. She worried for Peter, fighting to the death, for Edmund who had to watch. But mostly, she was worried for Lucy. She had hope that Lucy would find Aslan, but she knew it would be dangerous. She knew that there was a great chance of her siblings dying. Yet, when she rode with Caspian, she felt safe, and she knew that it would be alright.
They rode her arms around his waist, her head on his shoulder. She held on to him tightly, afraid of what would happen if she let go. He turned and looked at her, and at that moment, she knew that she was in love.
"Oh Caspian," she cried as she sat down next to a tree, her head in her hands. Tears freely fell, it felt that a river was running from her eyes.
She heard footsteps. "Go away Peter," she yelled. "I need to be alone right now." After Edmund and Lucy had told her that Caspian was to be married, she had nearly died. Her heart had literally shattered into a million pieces.
When the footsteps got louder, she called again. "Go away," she demanded.
She felt a hand touch her cheek. It was rough and calloused, shown of a man who had worked in his life. A man who had seen battle, who was not complete without a sword in his hand. Slowly, another hand reached for her other cheek and the man gently took her hands from her face.
"Susan," the voice breathed.
She looked at him. He took one of his hands, and pulled the horn from his pocket. "I believe this is yours."
"You kept it?"
"It was the only thing I had of yours."
"No, it wasn't," she said smiling. "You have my heart."
The End