NOTE: This is my first fic. Peter/Susan. Don't like? Not my problem. Read at your own risk. I don't own anything associated with Narnia, nor am I making any money off of this story (*sobs 'cause I'm poor*). Contains an adult scene. You have been warned. This detours from the original plot (obviously) and I have decided that in this fic, the children would be more spaced out. While Lucy is 6 when they entered Narnia, Edmund was 11 rather than 10, and Peter and Susan 15 and 14 respectively rather than 13 and 12.
Part 1
Susan's POV
"Why do we have to do these royal engagements? They're sooooo boring," I hear Lucy whisper loudly to me. "I mean, can we not just send them a gift of good will? It works for me."
I smile down toward the blossoming girl I call my sister. It was hard to believe that only five years ago we had stumbled across Narnia. I looked across the grand dining table (for what gathering was complete without food and drink?) toward my brothers. Shortly after arriving they had dove head long into politics, foreign affairs, trading policies, and goodness knows what else. Edmund had taken hotly to the conversation, his hands waving, head bobbing. The light glanced off battle scars that marred his head; anger flashed in his eyes. Peter had taken a lesser role in these debates, as per his usual tactics. He looked bored, but then again, Peter always looked bored, like nothing could ever hold his attention. I gestured for the second course to be brought out, nodding subtly toward the minotaur who had set himself over the strong drinks. This was going to be a long night.
Peter's POV
I turned away, snatching up my leg of mutton as the second course was paraded out. How dare guests at my own table demand such things?! How dare these dignitaries from other places demand I go to war?! So what if there were two headed giants making another stir about Jadis in the North? Was this not Ettinsmoor's problem? Why should we risk the peace that Narnia had only just earned? And for what- foreign relations! I glared into space, noting how Susan nodded toward Alceo, a minotaur who had surrendered and joined our ranks shortly after that first battle. He plowed toward the liquor storage, while I prayed he brought something, anything stronger than the beer-water that was normally served at these occasions; this was going to be a long night.
Edmund's POV
Peter was Drunk. Railing drunk! I looked at him with disgust as he drained his fourth tankard of mead. On top of his first tankard of beer. He had left the discussion of the giant problem long ago, leaving me to come to an actual bonafide solution. Turning toward the dignitaries, I made my final offer, "I will send no more than a Regiment. If you think my generals so incompetent, either I or King Peter shall go; we shall discuss this and send word. Leave us in the morning, and go give word to your commanders. We shall send word in no later than 3 months, so as to discuss tactics and theories. Leave us."
I turned looking toward the windows only to realize that they had been covered so the draught of rain water would not cover the dining hall, so I turned back toward the table. The only people still seated were the four of us. Lucy was asleep; I believe her head rested in her stew bowl. She must have dozed off shortly after the second course. Susan was giggling and hanging onto one of the servers, which was odd, because I never considered any of the dryads to be particularly funny. Peter was glassy eyed and staring at nothing. I knew that only when we had left would the ever humble creatures who had been hired to work at Cair Paravel come and eat themselves, so I started the ever so cumbersome task of removing my siblings from the table.
Susan's POV
My head was fuzzy. Everything looked off, almost like it wasn't quite there. The candles glowed brighter; the colors around me were bolder, and diffusing into the air. Everything was hilarious. Peter looked like a giant puppet- arms limp, glassy eyed, head sagging in a permanent stare- Edmund an angry cartoon character. Lucy was asleep in her soup; what a day she would have washing that out tomorrow! Edmund suddenly rose from his chair. "Come, I'll take Lucy and escort you to your chambers. We shall put Lucy down first; then we shall take you, Susan, to your rooms; lastly Peter, I shall take you back across the wing to our halls. Don't stumble over yourselves and fall. The last thing I need to deal with tonight is either one of you with a head injury."
I felt indignation rise within me. Does he suddenly believe he is my elder that he might be able to tell me what to do? Does he think me so incompetent that I could not walk to my chambers? I mean, I knew I couldn't very well carry Lucy, but I couldn't do that this morning either. "No. You take Lucy, I can handle moving Peter to his chambers. I've done it before, Edmund; it isn't hard." I stared at him with the best glare I could manage until he conceded.
Peter's POV
I felt hands on my waist. Looking around I suddenly realized Susan and I were the last two in the hall. "Peter you need to go to bed. Tomorrow we have to see the guests off, and you cannot do that asleep." I lurch and nod at her reasoning, letting her steer me toward the hall on the right. Suddenly I hear the thunder boom. I catch my head- Oh! My aching head! - The noise is deafening. We stumble our way along toward my chambers. The upper hall windows had yet to be tacked down. We're just outside my doors when another deafening boom resounds, followed immediately by a curtain of lightning that strikes the ground. Susan stumbles into me. "Peter, I'm scared"-
***Suddenly I'm no longer in my castle; no longer a Narnian at all, just a boy, his sister clutching to him. "Peter, I'm scared."
"Lightning isn't scary, Sue; God's just takin' pictures, smile big!" the small child parroted what he had heard.
"But Peter, I'm scared." Susan cried.
"Come on Sue, you can sleep with me." he replied. ***
"Come on, Sue; you can sleep with me," the king replied.
Susan's POV
The lightning broke out after the thunder, stretching it's tendrils out, searching for something to hurt, and striking the ground. Suddenly, I didn't feel so grown. I didn't want to be in charge. I wanted to be comforted, instead of the one giving comfort. "Peter, I'm scared," I say with tears.
"Come on, Sue; you can sleep with me," Peter replied, wrapping his arm around my trembling shoulders. The back of my mind was saying something- the last rational part of me, I know- it screamed, but through the haze, I heard nothing. As we entered Peter's bed chambers, he shed his clothing until there was nothing left. It wasn't as if Peter never did such; of course he never wore anything to sleep in the summers- at the castle or otherwise, had always been that way, rain or shine, in a tent, under the stars- but it was startling to see just how grown my brother had become.
"Come on, Sue," he breathed, holding out the bed sheet for me, stirring memories long forgotten. I shed my clothes and climbed under the sheet. A chill ran down my spine as my back bumped him. Or rather a part of him, for it stuck out further than the rest. A groan left his throat, sending a wave of pleasure through my inebriated body. And suddenly I was under him, moving to the tempo he set, breathing hard, seeking release from both pain and angst. And there it was one spurt, two. Over in a wave of heat, I fell asleep breathing hard.
Peter's POV
I woke with a splitting head ache, the sun shining through the curtains, my door being beaten in two. "Peter you are late!" Edmund roared through the lock hole, "We are to see the dignitaries off in five minutes, you have three to be at the dock!"
I jumped. The dignitaries! The delegations! I could remember nothing. I hardly remembered asking for that second tankard of mead. Suddenly something stirred beside me. Startled, I looked over, holding my head as my eyes debated whether or not they'd follow. Confused, I looked down to see a human form. As the form pulled the sheet from over its head, I see I am staring agape at my sister. What happened last night?
Shaking my head, I waved my hand as my answer to the question she voiced straight from my own thoughts. I couldn't remember last night, but I knew this morning I had no time to think- I had to get to the docks. I voice such thoughts to her as I start to jump up and find clothes. Suddenly I realize I cannot stand up, for fear of being so exposed to my little sister, who surely knows nothing of such things as what happen to men in the morning. Instead I echo the matter Edmund brought so loudly to my door this morning. "We're late for the dignitaries send off."
Susan's POV
When Peter refused to get up, I panicked. I couldn't stand, let alone leave, in such a compromising position. I could not wander back to my chambers nude, but I could not wear the same dress I had worn the previous day, for then everyone would know something was amiss. So we sat there, terrified. "Peter, you need to go." I murmured. He nodded. "I shall close my eyes as you get dressed, and then hand me my petticoats; I shall take the servant's stairs back toward my chambers and meet the three of you as soon as possible at the docks." At his second assenting nod, I closed my eyes until he touched my shoulder. He met my eyes as he handed me my undergarments, which somehow impossibly had lain on the floor all night, meeting my own questioning eyes with a whole new world of emotion. I quickly took my clothing and looked away "Thank you, Peter," I give him leave before he turns toward the door, sprinting toward the docks.
I struggle quickly and impatiently into my clothing, and then pull the large tapestry to the side, revealing a stair case. I quickly run down the stairs, finding my way to my own chambers and, thanks be to Aslan, do not run into any servants on the stairs (neither literally nor metaphorically). I throw on the first dress my hands touch- a gaudy yellow that Lucy had made to "match" her own- and sprint out the door toward the docks, forgetting my shoes (who cares when my feet are not visible anyway?). I meet my siblings in the nick of time, for no sooner had I caught my breath then the guests from the night before started to be seen meandering along the scenic path toward the docks.
After all goodbyes were made and ships sailed, we headed back toward the castle. Edmund left first storming off, kicking at any poor creature that dared to stand in his way. Lucy left shortly after, for she insisted upon stopping to complement the dress I had worn. And that left Peter and me. He turned, emotion drowning his pupils, and then he opened his mouth, "whatever happened last night, we should not speak of it, whether we ever remember or not. Let us forget and move forward," he murmured as he put out his arm, and I took it.