Hey guys! Thankfully my amazing school decided to let me keep my computer for the summer, so I was able to write this for you! To those of you who have not read my one-shot of the alternate ending of Prince Caspian, it might be wise to read that first, but if you decide not to it shouldn't mean much as far as I know. Anything referring to the ending of the last book was taken from my version, not C.S. Lewis' version.
Anyway, I won't keep you away from the story any longer. Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot. Anything in bold face type has been taken directly from the book written by C.S. Lewis himself.
Susan Pevensie collapsed on her bed in her room after yet another boring dinner party that she had been made to go to by her aunt and mother. Lately they had brought her to more and more of those, and it had become increasingly annoying. The past few months they had been grooming her.
They had made her take piano lessons, learn proper etiquette. They had started making her help out with household things such as cooking and cleaning. They had bought her more and more pretty dresses, had begun to insist that she dress up even when she stayed in the house all day.
Susan knew what they were doing, and she didn't like it one bit. They were trying to get her ready for marriage, as most girls her age were readying themselves for. The only problem was she had already found a man she loved and she most definitely didn't want to marry anyone else.
She remembered the last time she had seen Caspian, and she fought to keep back the tears, as she had done so often before.
*Flashback*
Susan walked up to Caspian.
"I guess this is goodbye then?" he said. She smiled sadly. "Yes," she confirmed. "I believe so." "I wish we had more time together," he answered. "Don't despair," said Susan. "My siblings and I will be back. I can only hope it will be in your lifetime, and if not then I just know that you will make a wonderful king. You already are."
She looked into his eyes sadly, and that same sadness met her through his. He cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned in as she did the same. They closed the space between themselves and kissed with every bit of sadness and love they felt for each other.
Finally they pulled away. Susan laid a hand on his shoulder one last time before walking over to her siblings, her bright smile no longer there as she walked through the archway and back into the real world.
*End of Flashback*
It had been nearly a year since her siblings and she had last been in Narnia. It was almost certain now that even if they did, it wouldn't be in Caspian's time. She had only been to Narnia twice, but both times it seemed that one second in the real world was enough to go through a full lifetime in Narnia.
She pushed away these thoughts, as she had done God knew how many times in the past year, and focused on the problem at hand.
How am I supposed to get out of marriage?
Her family was known as a highly respectable one. Suitors were practically lining up at her door. Already she had been asked for her hand two times and declined both times. Her mother had frowned at her both times, asking her why she had said no. each time she had had to tell her mother that she "wasn't ready." Each time her mother had told her that she had to get ready soon, because marriage was not something that should be waited so long on. "Susan," her mother had said. "You are nearly seventeen. By your age I had already married and had Peter. Your pretty face won't last much longer. If you want to be married at all, you had better do so soon."
"But mother," she had argued. "I don't love any of these suitors. What's worse, they don't love me! All they love is my looks. Most times they aren't even listening to what I have to say, but looking at my face and body the whole time. I don't want to marry someone like that."
Her and her mother had had that same conversation so many times that Susan had lost count. Susan looked around her room. She had been left to stay with her aunt, uncle, and cousin along with her two youngest siblings. Peter went off to study with professor Kirke, meanwhile. It had now been six months since they had seen him.
Susan sat up from her position on her bed as someone knocked on her door. "Susan," called Lucy from the other side. "Peter sent us each a letter! I have yours! May I come in?" Susan sighed. "Yes, Lucy," she called. "Come on in." The door opened to reveal Lucy, who was holding in her hand two letters while a huge grin was on her face.
"Here you go," she said, holding out one of them to her sister. "This one's for you." Susan took the letter and began to read.
Dear Susan, the letter read.
It seems I may be accompanying you sooner than expected. Professor Kirke says that my studies are doing exceptionally and I might be able to take a break for a month or two. We've only known him for three years, but he seems like a grandfather now, doesn't he? I am going to write Aunt Alberta and ask her if it would be okay if I could come for a little bit to see all of you. It would be wonderful if I could see you guys and all of our, err, other friends, wouldn't it?
Do you think that we'll go back any time soon? How can we all be able to go if we are in different places? I have found something strange, though. I have a picture in my room that has a ship in it that very much looks like a Narnian voyager. It reminds me a lot of one of the ones we had when we were kings and queens there. It has a purple sail with green sides, it has a big dragon carved into the hull, and it's absolutely stunning. It looks almost as though it were moving…
Wait a moment; it really looks like its moving now. I'm going to go check on it. I'll write to you soon. With love,
-Peter
Susan smiled at the last part of her brother's letter. Peter was always thinking of Narnia. It seemed that he could take anything and make it somehow related to their magical land. Sometimes it actually upset Susan, but other times, like this, it was amusing to behold.
Susan looked around her room. She was rarely ever in here; she was usually at those stupid parties. She looked over to where Lucy was standing, looking at a picture on the wall. A picture with a ship that looked quite like the one Peter had described…
It was a picture of a ship - a ship sailing straight towards you. Her prow was gilded and shaped like the head of a dragon with wide-open mouth. She had only one mast and one large, square sail which was a rich purple. The sides of the ship - what you could see of them where the gilded wings of the dragon ended-were green. She had just run up to the top of one glorious blue wave, and the nearer slope of that wave came down towards you, with streaks and bubbles on it. She was obviously running fast before a gay wind, listing over a little on her port side. All the sunlight fell on her from that side, and the water on that side was full of greens and purples. On the other, it was darker blue from the shadow of the ship.
Susan joined Lucy in looking at the ship. After a few moments, there was another knock on the door. "Sue," called Edmond. "May I come in?" "Yes, Ed," she answered. Edmund came in and looked at his sisters, who were still staring at the picture.
"Wow," he said. "Is it just me or does that ship look very much like one from Narnia?" "Just what we were thinking," said Lucy. "Peter even mentioned a picture like it in the professor's manor and he thought the same." "The question is," said Edmund, "Whether it doesn't make things worse, looking at a Narnian ship when you can't get there."
"Even looking is better than nothing," said Lucy. "And she is such a very Narnian ship."
"I agree with Lucy," said Susan. "But the question still stands: can it possibly be just a coincidence, or-"
But suddenly she was cut off, because just then she saw something peculiar. "Guys," she said. "The picture. It looks as though it were… moving."
And then all three children were staring with open mouths.
What they were seeing may be hard to believe when you read it in print, but it was almost as hard to believe when you saw it happening. The things in the picture were moving. It didn't look at all like a cinema either; the colours were too real and clean and out-of-doors for that. Down went the prow of the ship into the wave and up went a great shock of spray. And then up went the wave behind her, and her stern and her deck became visible for the first time, and then disappeared as the next wave came to meet her and her bows went up again. At the same moment an exercise book which had been lying beside Edmund on the bed flapped, rose and sailed through the air to the wall behind him, and Susan felt all her hair whipping round her face as it does on a windy day. And this was a windy day; but the wind was blowing out of the picture towards them. And suddenly with the wind came the noises-the swishing of waves and the slap of water against the ship's sides and the creaking and the overall high steady roar of air and water. But it was the smell, the wild, briny smell, which really convinced Susan that she was not dreaming.
The three children, who knew something about magic, knew to look out and not to be a fool. But all three were still dragged forward. And by this time either they had grown much smaller or the picture had grown bigger. There was a second of struggling and shouting, and just as they thought they had got their balance a great blue roller surged up round them, swept them off their feet, and drew them down into the sea.
Lucy and Susan thanked their stars that they had worked hard at their swimming last summer term. It is true that they would have got on much better if they had used a slower stroke, and also that the water felt a great deal colder than it had looked while it was only a picture. Still, Susan kept her head and kicked her shoes off, as everyone ought to do who falls into deep water in their clothes, which caused Susan to realize for the first time that she was still wearing her party dress. She kept her mouth shut and her eyes open nonetheless. They were still quite near the ship; she saw its green side towering high above them, and people looking at her from the deck. Then, a great wave dragged her under for a moment.
When she came up again she saw a white figure diving off the ship's side. Edmund was close beside her now, treading water, and had caught the arms of Lucy, who was having slight trouble keeping above water. Then someone else, whose face would have been familiar had Susan not been too busy trying to make sure she stayed above the waves to pay any attention, slipped an arm under her from the other side. There was a lot of shouting going on from the ship, heads crowding together above the bulwarks, ropes being thrown. Edmund and the stranger were fastening ropes round her. After that followed what seemed a very long delay during which her face got blue and her teeth began chattering. In reality the delay was not very long; they were waiting till the moment when she could be got on board the ship without being dashed against its side. Even with all their best endeavors she had a bruised knee when she finally stood, dripping and shivering, on the deck. After her Lucy was heaved up, and then Edmond. Last of all came the stranger – a dark haired boy not much older than herself.
"Ca - Ca - Caspian!" gasped Lucy as soon as she had breath enough. For Caspian it was; Caspian, the boy king of Narnia whom they had helped to set on the throne during their last visit. Immediately Edmund recognized him too. All three shook hands and clapped one another on the back with great delight.
And then Caspian turned to look at Susan.
He froze for a moment, and then ran forward as she did the same. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Caspian!" she said. "I've missed you so much." He hugged her to him just as tightly. "I've missed you as well," he said. They pulled away so that they were eye to eye for a moment.
"Get a room!" Edmond suddenly yelled, laughing. Both teens stepped away smiling. "Now," said Caspian. "I'm sure that you all will want to get dressed. I'm sure we can get you all something dry. Edmond, the crew will get you some clothes that will fit, and I will lead you girls to my own quarters to get clothing. Once you're all dressed come to the galley for dinner; I have a surprise for you all."
They dispersed for the moment, still laughing with each other.
"Unfortunately, ladies," said Caspian once they had gotten to his quarters. "We don't have any dresses on board, so I hope that some of my own clothes will do. Perhaps they can be hemmed to fit?" The girls nodded, so Caspian continued on with a grin. "Good, then I will leave you two here to get dressed. I'll see you in an hour."
And then he left.
The girls got instantly to work. They each got a full outfit, and all of the garments were too big. Luckily, Susan had been taught how to mend these so that they fit to an extent. Susan was able to cut and mend the bottoms of Caspian's trousers so that they were the right length, as well as sew the top so that it was the right width. She was able to mend the tops of the shirts so that they didn't hang too low, and belts made them the right width. She then mended two pairs of boots to be the right size.
When they were done, the girls walked out to go to dinner. As they went, Susan grinned. She was home.
Did you guys like it? There's a little box under this that has the power to let you tell me! Why don't you use it?
Anyway, just so you guys know, I am gonna update once or twice weekly only. Every Wednesday, and if I happen to get another chapter done early then I'll update then too. I just don't want to try to rush this story out. Also, all of the chapters are gonna be around this long, most likely not any more than 3,000 words and definitely not less than 2,000. I don't like writing short chapters.
Hope you enjoyed it!
-CahillGirl2001
