"You shouldn't do this, Susan," Caspian said. "You could be killed." Susan laughed out loud. "Don't you trust me?" She asked raising an eyebrow, "I reigned Narnia for fifteen years. I was Peter's right hand, even if they didn't want me to. I created battle plans, strategies, I fought in the war. I fought against the white witch and I do not fear your uncle." With those words she left Aslan's How, left him, with the roll from Peter on a cord around her hips and her bow and arrows on her back, ready to take down everyone that came into her way. Susan made her way through the woods of Narnia and realized that everything she once knew about Narnia was different know. And it wasn't a good different. And in that moment Susan decided that she'd do everything to restore Narnia to it's former glory, even if that meant her death. When she arrived at the camp that the Telemarine had outlayed on her kingdom, she had her head high, not looking scared in the slightest. "I want to speak to Lord Miraz," Susan said politely, remembering her etiquette lessons back in the Golden Age of Narnia, "I have an offer for him." The man nodded, stammered something and then began to walk. Susan quickly followed him, shaking her head at all of Miraz' fighters who were gawking at her like idiots. "My Lord," the man who had brought her to Miraz said devotedly, "This girl has come to speak with you about the battle." "I'm NOT a girl," Susan growled and many shuddered under her great aura, "I'm Queen Susan the Gentle and you ALL owe ME a life debt!" The room fell silent until Lord Miraz began to laugh. "That's a very funny story girl, but-" Susan growled and hat the role of parchment on the table, "I'm Queen Susan the Gentle and you will treat me with respect!" He looked at the role of parchment and Susan raised and eyebrow. "When you don't read it then I will!" She snapped and took the parchment again,
"I, Miraz the first, King of the Telmarines, Emperor of Telmar, declare this to Queen Susan the Gentle, ruler of Narnia under her brother High King Peter the Magnificent, Lady of Cair Paravel, fighter for the Order of the Lion and daughter of Eve, after my terrible crimes to secure the effusion of blood and to save the Telmarines for their death because of the life debt I owe Queen Susan the Gentle.The repayment of the debt lies in her hands. Shouldn't she have decided until her death of natural causes, this repayment will be null and void. Should her death be caused by one of the Telmarines, all the Telmarines will die. I hope that one day the crimes I made will be forgotten and the Narnians and Telmarines continue living in peace like they do now."
"What is this?!" Miraz asked nervous and tried to sound confident. "This is the pact I withheld from my brothers so that they wouldn't eliminate the Telmarines," Susan said and felt tears building in her eyes when she thought back to the day King Miraz of the Telmarines ruined her. "What did King Miraz the first do that such a pact was needed?" One man asked. Susan took a deep breath, "He raped me after I dismissed his proposal of marriage." There were shocked gasps all over the room. "I never told my brothers, because if I would have done you wouldn't be here. King Miraz and I made that pact 13 centuries ago to ensure that the Telmarines and the Narnians can continue living in peace and that my brothers don't do anything foolish. I want my repayment NOW," Susan said looking Miraz directly in the eyes. "What can we do for you, QUEEN Susan?" Miraz asked. "I want that you NEVER again touch a Narnian and that you name Prince Caspian X your King and will NEVER make ANY attempt on his life. I want PEACE FOREVER between Telmar and Narnia and I want that you leave my brothers, my sister and I alone unless said so otherwise," Susan said. All eyes now travelled between the two of them hoping that he would accept Queen Susan's offer, because if he didn't, they all probably would die. "All right, I accept your conditions, Lord Sopespian will you write the conditions of the repayment," Miraz said. "Yes, Queen Susan, could I have a look on the pact for your titles?" Sopespian asked. "Of course," Susan answered, the first time since her arrival in the Telmarine's camp in her usual lovely voice and left the Telmarines with the pact for the repayment an hour later.
"Susan!" Caspian shouted and hugged her tightly. She felt like there were thousands of butterflies in her stomach and she just smiled at him. "Hey, come on, let me hug my sister too, will you," Edmund laughed and Caspian let slowly go of her. "How did it go, Sue?" He asked while hugging her. "Good," Susan said simply, "Where's Peter?" "Downstairs," Edmund said, "Preparing for the fight." "There will be no fight!" Susan said loudly and all the Narnians gasped and began to murmur. "What do you mean?" A very familiar voice called out. It was Peter, still with his sword in hand, standing in the doorway of the tunnel that lead to the broken stone table, "Did the bastard refuse?" Peter was furious what was probably also cause of his use of fool language. "Calm down, Pete," Susan said when her brother had reached her and laid one hand on his shoulder, "Read this." She gave the pact to her brother knowing that she'd have to explain everything to him, to all of them, and prevent that they left Aslan's How. "THESE BAS-" he began but was interrupted by a loud roar. "ASLAN!" Susan exclaimed and hugged the great lion. "My dear Susan," he said calmly as always. "ASLAN," Lucy also shouted and hugged him. The great lion chuckled lightly. Everyone in the room got to their knees except Peter, and many probably thought it was because he was High King and found it disrespectful, but Susan knew better. Her brother was confused and asked himself what crimes King Caspian the first did to his sister that he owed her a life debt. "Rise," Aslan said. All rose. "Susan," he then turned to her again. "I have to thank you for the services for Narnia that you did today. Without your help a battle would've been inevitable. You've got all my thanks, my dear!" "SUSAN!" Peter then growled, completely ignoring Aslan's presence, "WHAT DID THAT BASTARD DO TO YOU? TELL ME! I SWEAR I'M GOING TO KILL THEM ALL!" Again there were many gasps at their High King's use of such a fool language. "Peter," Aslan said calmly. "Please calm down, your not yourself," Aslan said and Susan had tears in her eyes. Oh, how much she had wanted to avoid this moment. "I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT MYSELF, SUSAN! WHY DID MIRAZ THE FIRST OWE YOU A LIFE DEBT?" Peter yelled frustrated. There were more gasps, but this time not because of his use of fool language but because of the mentioning of a life debt. Edmund seemed to have noticed the tears in his sister's eyes, because he came to her and hugged her. She cried in his linen shirt. Everyone fell silent as they looked up to their Queen crying in her King brother's shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Sue," he promises softly, hoping dearly that his sister would stop crying, while shooting a glare at his brother. Lucy looked up to Aslan waiting of what he'd do. When Susan stopped crying she backed away from her brother a bit, knowing he had a bit of a dislike for too much emotions and apologized for ruining his shirt. He shook his head smiling and gestured to Peter. "Look, Sue, he said, his voice full of remorse, "I'm sorry, it's just, a life debt?" Susan just hugged Peter. "Let us be seated," Aslan said and all sat down. "Do you want me to tell them, Susan? You were brave enough for today," he asked Susan but she shook her head. "I'm over it, it's all right," Susan assured him, but Aslan just smiled sadly at her. "I know you aren't, but that's okay," he said and then let her, Lucy, Peter and Edmund lean against him. "Back in the Golden Age of Narnia I got many marriage proposals," Susan began swallowing hard, "Peter declined the most, but a few were a bit ... persistent. They came to Cair Paravel and demanded to speak to me personally. It was my greatest mistake that I allowed them to speak with me in my study. Alone-" Susan paused for a second. "The Last marriage proposal I got was from King Caspian the first. Back then the Telmarines and Narnians still lived in peace with each other. He was persistent, like many others before him, full of himself, and yes handsome, but he had not the intellectual I wanted from a husband, so I declined his offer gently. He just wouldn't accept it- I-I told him many times and-and he got angrier with each time I repeated that I didn't wish to marry him," now she sobbed silently. "He-he raped me. I knew if I'd tell Peter and Edmund that they'd kill him and all the Telmars with him, and he knew so, too. I don't know if he truly regretted it, but he offered me a life debt for his and his men's life and I agreed. I didn't want to talk about it anyway and it was for Narnia's best," the last sentence she said coldly and felt like every gentleness she once possessed was gone. Then she once again broke down into tears and sobbed loudly into Aslan's mane. To say that everyone in the room wad shocked was the understatement of the century. "Because I know you, my dear Susan, I give you this choice," Aslan said, "Stay here in Narnia forever, and become High Queen of Narnia or go home with your siblings again. I'm sorry that I can only offer this to you." Susan looked shocked. "But what's with Caspian?" She asked. "You know the three possibilities, my dear," Aslan said. "Marriage, Titles, Renunciation," Susan murmured. "What's with us?" Peter asked. "I talk to you three after Susan made up her mind," Aslan said looking expectantly at her. "I'll stay," Susan said meeting Peter's gaze. Peter looked at Aslan and then his impression became sad. "I don't think I'll be coming back," he said quietly. "I think you should have this," he said and handed her his sword and shield. "Peter-" Susan began already wanting to decline his offer, but he hugged her so tightly that she just couldn't. "I know you weren't that bad before we left Narnia," he joked half-laughing half-crying. "Not that bad?" Susan raised an eyebrow, laughing with tears in her eyes. "Won't admit that I kicked your ass, will you?" "Maybe we can have a duel before we go," Peter smiled sadly and kissed her cheek, "Rest a bit, you were great today." "I'm outside, if someone wants to know," Peter said and when he had reached Caspian he stopped for a second, pat him on the back and said something like 'Take care of her'
