Her feet hurt as she walked the last few meters to her front gate. Seeing a light in the front parlor, she walked round to the tiny backyard sitting down to rest on the stone bench near their lilac bush. The heady aroma soothed Susan Pevensie as she slipped her heels off to rub her feet on the grass. The night had turned out to be a crushing catastrophe even though it started with such promise. Earlier that afternoon, she had curled her hair and given her dress a fresh ironing. The dress was old but with a patent leather belt cinching her waist and a borrowed handbag, Susan had felt like she was attending one of the famed balls at Caer Paravel instead of a party at the officer's club. Lt Andrew Prichard had invited her especially. Susan nearly jumped for joy when the dashing young man had asked to see her and she left the house after a last scrutinization of her outfit fairly running.
Mother had let her borrow a bit of lipstick, so her full lips were flushed red as the lieutenant asked her onto the dance floor. Susan so loved the feel of swirling amongst all the couples and Andrew was a great dancer. The next song had a slow tempo and he brought her close but didn't crush her like so many of the other roughnecks she had let twirl her around. She supposed that was why she followed him out into the cool night air. Someone who had never strayed below her waist or pulled her into a clinch was certainly not someone to fear being alone with. It had started slow enough as he brought her hand up to his lips to kiss. Susan smiled as he placed the hand on his shoulder and relaxed into a gentle sway.
Andrew hummed along with the faint music from the party and twirled her so her dress reeled out. Susan giggled and placed her head on his chest, feeling the warmth they generated.
Andrew took a flask out of his pocket, Susan took a daring nip even though she had already sipped half a beer, the liquid burned going down but was not unpleasant. Susan rested her head again and went back to her romatic fantasies of becomming Mrs. Andrew Prichard. She heard Andrew take a few hits himself as they swayed together. Susan had nearly fallen asleep where she stood when she felt hands slide down her hips, the fingers began gathering the fabric of her dress. The hem was mid thigh when Susan fully snapped awake. She looked up at Andrew confused, about to tell him off when he pressed her up against the brick wall of the club. He was all hands and burning lips as Susan fought to bring her dress down, she turned her head away and yelled for him to stop. But he laughed.
"Come on Suzy, I'm a nice guy, been paying attention to you for weeks now. Time for me to get a little something of out all that time."
His hands poked and prodded her body and Susan could feel his bulge on her exposed thigh. "We were having such a good time, lets make it a night to remember." He captured her lips again, smacking her head into the wall and forced his way between her teeth. Adreneline kicked in and Susan bit down. Andrew recoiled and Susan struck out with her fingernails, catching his cheek and the end of his nose. "You slutty tease!" he roared and brought his fist up to strike her.
Luckily a large group came busting out of the club as he yelled, the light from the building temporarily blinding her attacker. "Don't touch me!"
Susan screamed as she punched his nose. A man from the parting crowd came over, sizing up the situation correctly he swung at the lieutenant knocking him down. Susan adjusted her dress as she fled from the people, she heard shouts questioning if she was all right but she didn't turn back as she ran. A few blocks away Susan stopped to catch her breath, she was sobbing so hard all she could do was suck air in raggedly. By pressing her hand against her mouth she forced herself to breath only through the nose and stiffled her wails at the same time. She took a seat on a stone garden wall and waited until she calmed down. She sniffled a bit, but the logical part of her brain forced her body off the cold stone and set her on the path home. It wouldn't do to catch a cold on top of everything else.
Now she found herself on a similar perch but in more familiar surroundings. She would have blisters in the morning but her feet felt better against the dewy grass. Susan jumped as she heard the scrape of metal on pavement, her heart slowing as Edmund emerged from the fallout shelter. Ed had been using the metal hut to get some much needed alone time. All the Pevensies recognized that Edmund had changed drastically during his time in Narnia and he seemed to need time on his own much more than the rest. Ed had seen her movement and creeped forward warily.
"Susan? Is that you?" As he came closer he was confirmed but didn't like what he saw, his cool and collected sister was obviously distraught. "You went to the officer's party tonight didn't you? Mother doesn't expect you for hours."
"Yes, but it wasn't to my l-l-liking." Susan stuttered and the tears started again. Ed rushed over and put his arm around her protectively as she explained her night. "I can't possibly go back Ed, if Andrew sees me...he was so mad." Ed had finally gotten taller than his sister, so Susan was able to tuck her head under his chin as she wept in fright.
Edmund was shaking with rage as he took in what happened. He had seen Prichard talking to Susan on occasion, Ed had smelled a rat at the time but he knew that Susan would never take him seriously if he voiced his opinion. Ed often saw duplicity in the actions of others. Prichard had always been touching his sister, nothing openly telling but constant. When Su introduced them, Ed had crushed his hand as he envisioned a sword to chop off his head. Susan was so trusting, she just wanted people to be sensible and treat each other well. Queen Susan the Gentle was well named. She didn't have it in her to think ill of someone until they had already deceived her.
Ed wrapped his other arm around her, bringing her close, his nose buried in hair so like his own in color but softer. A mad thought caused his breath to hitch: he wanted to kiss the tears off her face, counting each one so he could hurt Prichard as many times. Ed froze as he dismissed the yearning, but he did think of Narnia where he would have defended his sister's honor in combat, to see her tear stained face break into a smile as he slew the beast, maybe receive a kiss in thanks...
Susan pulled away, wiping her face. Edmund handed over his handkerchief and she quickly put her face to rights. A bit of puffiness at the eyes and a red nose evidence on her emotion. "Thanks Ed." as she handed the fabric back she meant for more than one reason. They both smiled sadly at the other, motions mirroring as they brushed hair out of the others' face. Susan laughed then, Edmund joined as the heaviness of the night shed away.
"I bet that jerk was surpised that my sister is a vicious as a lion. Susan the Gentle. Ha ha, I've known the truth for years, your sharp claws reach far. I still have the scar on my back." With a wink and a laugh he teased.
"I hope he has scars. I bet that you didn't know I had such a mean jab." She bopped his nose and laughter filled the cold night as the two jumped up and play fought. Susan landing soft blows, Edmund tickling upon contact. A light tap sent Ed spinning across the yard, Su in quick persuit. Ed feinted left and caught Su from the right as she took the bait. He lifted her up and spun around, her legs flung out as she grasped on to her brother. They collapsed into a laughing pile as Ed tripped on a hidden root. "Are you hurt?" she giggled into his chest.
"Thanks for the concern, I remain unbroken."
"Of course I'm concerned, you are my special little brother. I've been concerned about you since you were born. In fact, I fell in love at first sight with you when mum and dad brought you home to me. And I have always tried my best to see no harm come to you. Shielded you from Peter and took your side because I loved you and you loved me, I could tell right off even as a baby you adored me." Susan sighed and looked up a the stars. "Don't you wish love could always be like that? Completely comfortable, full of laughter and affection, strengthening rather than pulling down. You'll see, in a few years, girls will be making big eyes at you, little brother. You'll take one to a dance and bring her out into a hallway...Love turns very messy and confusing as you age Edmund. Oh, to be sensible about things like children are. Looks wouldn't matter as much, it would be based on how you treat the other person, and when you love, you know its forever. Sharing, dreaming, taking time to twirl with wild abandon."
Edmund ran his fingers through his sister's hair. "You'll find the right guy Su, one who would die rather than hurt you. I-I promise to never be like Prichard. When that girl comes along, I'll just pretend she's you and I can't fail to treat her well. How could anyone fail to love you, my beautiful sister?"
Both flashed back to the years in Narnia. Susan and Edmund had ridden horses daily, swam in rivers, slept under the stars together. As the years passed the duo had experimented with one another. The romance had developed naturally one day as they dried on the shore from a round of swimming. Ed was delicate, treating Susan as if she were glass. In the years following, their relationship became the muse for poets and singers.
But they were so far away from Narnia now.
As they laid together under the stars the dampness of the lawn seeped into their bones. Slowly they stood up, Ed lending Su a hand as she got to her tender feet. Susan ran her hands on her dress and found two rips. "How am I going to go in? Mum will ask questions and we can't tell her about this Ed, I would just die if she knew." Ed brought her in for another hug, skuffing arms when he felt how cold she had gotten. "And I left mum's handbag at the party. How...?"
Ed kissed her temple, the touch sending sparks through their bodies. Recovering "You'll wear my coat as you go in, the rips are at the waist, it'll cover you. I'll divert mum and you should be able to make it up the back stairs just fine. For the handbag...I'll call the club so they look for it, someone probably turned it in already, then I'll pick it up after church tomorrow. Or Monday after school."
"You would?"
'Of course, I don't want you going back there Su. I would never send you into danger. You are too precious to me." A shadow of Narnia passed over his face and she wanted to be so unsensible.
They could both see the relected moonlight in the others' eye as Susan lifted up on her toes to place a kiss on Edmund's lips. Still caught in the gaze Susan wondered with a smile, "My brave and just King Edmund, when did I change from protector to protected?"
Edmund gulped and smiled down at lovely creature in front of him. "When I got taller than you." He returned the kiss lingering for a long moment, then took his love's hand and lead her into their home.