Disclaimer: Still don't own Narnia.

Author's Note: Many, many grateful thanks goes out to the amazing maaikefluffy, who beta-ed this for me! And to defyingreason for helping me name Caspian's Unnamed Wife.

Summary: Years have passed since Susan and Caspian's fateful kiss. Caspian is married, and happily so, but he is haunted by a certain Gentle Queen. One day, he decides to call her back to him, to Narnia...and desire takes control of them both...

Fortune's Desire

Part I

King Caspian X stood out on his balcony that overlooked the Shuddering Woods. He leaned against the cool stone banister, his eyes scanning the dark woods. Above him, the stars shined clearly and their bright lights glittering in the night sky. He reflected on the stars and looked over his shoulder to his wife, who slept peacefully in their bed. She had a slight glow to her, a small smile on her lips. He sighed deeply. He was happy; his marriage was good, his land was at peace. But something was nagging him; a little thought in the back of his mind. He closed his eyes and lifted his face. The cool night air touched his skin and he saw her face flash across his mind. Her smile uncurled slowly, one corner lifting higher than the other. The feeling of her lips on his…Susan.

It had been three years and yet he could not get her out of his mind. Sometimes he found himself thinking about her and couldn't help but curse. She was his own personal ghost; he had wondered for months after she left what would his life be like if she'd been able to stay. What their relationship would've been like. Caspian shook his head, wishing that it would clear her from his thoughts. He moved swiftly, moving back into his chamber. The King undressed and climbed into bed beside his wife. He molded himself to her back, spooning against her. A soft, almost silent laugh escaped him as he noticed her glow became a little brighter at his touch. Caspian buried his face in her shoulder and inhaled her scent. She smelt of rain and of the summer wind. Her scent reminded him of the first time he embraced her, the first time he buried his face in her soft golden hair. He trailed his fingers up her arm, heard her contented sigh, and smiled. After placing a kiss on her smooth, bright skin, he closed his eyes, King Caspian X fell asleep; his wife in his arms, but another haunted his dreams.

The next day, after breakfast, Caspian rode out across the lands. He had sent his guards away; he wanted to be alone. He rode out to Cair Paravel. After taking his place as King of Narnia he had rebuilt the ancient castle in honor of the Kings and Queens of Old that had fought beside him in battle. It remained empty. He walked through the halls, his footfalls echoing in the empty space. He made his way down to the underground chamber that held the belongings of the Kings and Queens. Caspian stopped at Queen Susan's elegantly crafted trunk and studied her statue. It had been sculpted during the Golden Age, and she had been older then. His hands came to rest on the chest that held her belongings.He put his weight on his arms and dropped his head.

"Why do you haunt me so?" Caspian asked out loud. He lifted his head and met eyes with her statue, her trademark smile upon her still lips. Caspian raked his hands through his hair and groaned. "What is wrong with me?" He muttered, disgusted with himself, his eyes rising to the vaulted ceiling. He had a wonderful wife. They were in love. She was kind. She was giving. She was everything a man would and could want in a wife. Then why could he not stop thinking about the Gentle Queen? He lowered his eyes and looked at the statue one last time, his answer ringing clearly in the back of his head, though he would never speak the words.

Caspian turned and left the chamber, walking back up the winding staircase and to the main floors. He left Cair Paravel and mounted his horse, urging his horse into a gallop as his answer echoed in his mind... Your heart belonged to her the minute she kissed you.

That afternoon, the King and Queen of Narnia were overseeing the decorating of the ballroom for their annual King's Ball. It was the anniversary of Caspian's coronation, and this day always left him with mixed feelings; it was also the day that the Kings and Queens of Old left Narnia. Caspian paced along the edge of the eastern courtyard, as the sun set in brilliant colors on the horizon. In his hands he held Queen Susan's horn. He felt its strength as he gripped it tightly.

"Maybe it's time you had this back."

"Why don't you hold onto it? You might need to call me again."

He smiled as the memory played in his mind. She had smiled her trademark smile at him before leaving with Lucy, galloping off away from Aslan's How. Caspian felt his smile fade. You might need to call me again. Her words echoed in his thoughts. He brought the horn to his lips, his heart beginning to race. He wasn't sure what blowing into the magical horn would lead to. The fleeting thought of peace of mind and of heart idly flashed through his thoughts, but logic told him that blowing the horn would lead to nothing but trouble. His men could hear, and assume he was in trouble. And even though she captured his thoughts, Queen Susan could never be his. He was married to a good woman, whom he loved and enjoyed sharing his life with. Aslan had also said that Susan would not be returning to Narnia; blowing the horn would be fruitless.

And yet… Suddenly driven, he lowered the horn and walked off the courtyard and into the woods surrounding the castle. Caspian paused after a while and made sure his castle was long out of sight. He didn't want to alert his army, or anyone, when he would sound the horn. The King lifted the horn to his mouth, his lips curling around the mouth piece. He closed his eyes and thought of her. Susan. Caspian breathed in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, the magical horn sounding loudly. The sound echoed through the woods and Caspian lowered the horn. He looked around and saw nothing. With a sigh, Caspian tucked the horn back into its holder and went back to his castle, his heart feeling lighter; He had called her. She had not come. He reached the courtyard and looked around. He was relieved to see none of his men had gathered. They hadn't heard the call. But he still held hope that somewhere, where ever she may be, she had heard it.

Caspian smiled at his wife as they waltzed gracefully around the dance floor. His wife laughed, her glow amplifying as he leaned in and kissed her. For the first time, he noticed that despite enjoying her kiss, it did not send the rush of desire through him as Susan's had long ago. The thought struck him so that he stopped dancing; the epiphany ripping him apart.

"Caspian? My darling, what's wrong?" his wife asked, her blue eyes drawn with concern, her brightness fading.

He smiled at her. It was reassuring and brought her unearthly, beautiful glow back around her.

"Nothing, my dear. I am tired this evening." He answered.

She nodded and smiled in return. They picked back up their waltz and came to a stop when the song ended. With a laugh, she curtsied to him and he bowed to her. He was determined to get Susan out of his mind. A sudden murmur went through the room, the guests gasping and muttering. Brows furrowing, Caspian went to the center of the room and his eyes went wide. He understood why; in the middle of the ball room, looking somewhat bewildered, stood Edmund, Lucy, Peter and Susan. They were dressed oddly, yet formally. Peter and Edmund were in black suits; Lucy and Susan were in dresses. Susan was the first to speak, but her words were lost as her family spoke up.

"Caspian?" she said, her eyes wide.

"What on earth?" Peter's brows were furrowed.

"Huh. Well, at least we don't have to go back to that dreadful wedding reception." Edmund said. Lucy just giggled and moved forward. She curtsied before Caspian and stood with grin. Caspian laughed and hugged the girl. He hadn't seen her since they had voyaged together on the Dawn Treader.

"Welcome back." He greeted the rest of the family, "Kings and Queens." Lucy broke the hug and stepped back. Susan stepped forward, an almost shy smile on her lips. He took in her appearance, her hair was up in an elegant twist, and her dress was far removed from anything he had seen her in. It clung to her curves and was black in color. She hadn't changed much since he had last laid eyes on her. If possible, he found his attraction to her growing more intense. He moved towards her and bowed.

"My lady." Caspian said softly as he stood from his bow.

Susan dipped into a brief curtsy, then moved forward and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and inhaled her scent. He was careful to not let the hug linger, though he could have held her all night. Caspian felt his wife's presence behind him and wrapped his arm around her waist as she came beside him.

"I would like you all to meet my wife, Laniru." He said softly.

Laniru curtseyed. "So, you're the Kings and Queens of Old." She said when she stood, "You're certainly not what I expected." The Kings and Queens moved into respective curtseys and bows.

"We hear that a lot." Peter said with a smile, unable to draw his eyes away from the unearthly beautiful woman.

Caspian noticed a look of sadness in Susan's eyes and it struck him like a physical blow. He longed to remove that look but refrained as his wife moved closer to him. He smiled down at her. The ball resumed and Caspian resumed dancing with his wife. His eyes followed Susan and he found himself longing to speak with her, to hold her. The song ended and Caspian escorted his wife back to their thrones.

"I'll be right back, my dear." He said, placing a brief kiss to her cheek.

"Of course, my husband." She replied, smiling.

Caspian moved from the thrones and sought out Susan. He found her seated at a bench in the courtyard. Her expression was thoughtful, her eyes turned to the night sky. He moved to join her, but was stopped by Peter. Caspian smiled, but privately, he cursed the Peter's timing. Ruling over Narnia had given Caspian patience he beyond what he ever dreamed of possessing; he patiently spoke with Peter and he would speak with Susan after he was finished.

Finishing proved to be a difficult task to complete. Once he finished with Peter, he was approached by a nobleman, one of his council members. Caspian had learned that he could never turn away a person who approached him, it would not be polite, and it was not worth the hassle of dealing with the upset feelings of anyone. When it came down to the fact, he had to be available to everyone, from the highest council member to the lowest of peasants. With a smile, he conversed with his council member and vowed to himself that he would speak with Susan this night.

The celebration lasted until dawn broke and Caspian still had not been able to speak with Susan. The guests left and the Kings and Queens of old were set up in their old rooms. Despite being eager to know what had changed since they had been to Narnia last, sleep settled over the Pevensies. The Kings and Queens bid each other good night and retired to their rooms. Their discussion could wait until tomorrow.

The King lay in bed beside his wife, unable to sleep even though the curtains were drawn and blocked out any sunlight. And he knew why sleep escaped him. He hadn't been able to speak to Susan and yet all he could think of was her voice. He looked to his glowing wife and saw that she was already in a deep sleep. Caspian slipped out of bed and moved to the far wall. He gently pressed the secret hatch on the underside of one of the panels and a small door opened. He closed the door behind him after he stepped inside and moved along the secret passage way until he found the right door.

Softly he lifted the latch that opened the door that led into Susan's room. He found her sitting on the bed, lost in her thoughts. Her hair was down, the slightly curled ends touching her waist. She still wore the dress she had arrived in. She looked up as he entered the room. Her brows arched. Her face held no surprise, as if him coming from a secret passage way was something she had expected.

"Caspian? What are you doing here? It's improper! You're married now." Her words were of fact and held no venom; her voice was soft and laced with sadness.

Caspian moved to her, coming to his knees before her. "I called you here." He confessed softly, the words slipping out before he could say anything else.

"What are you talking about?" Susan asked gently.

"Your horn. You told me if I ever needed to call you again…"

"Oh, Caspian." Susan sighed, meeting his eyes.

"I've missed you, Susan." He confessed, "I'm married but I can't escape you."

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either." A small smile played on her lips.

Susan stood and sighed once more. All her logic screamed against the situation. He's married now. He has his queen. He's happy. But her heart…her heart yearned for him. Yearned for his touch, his kiss, his embrace. She didn't hear him rise, didn't sense him until his arms were around her, his chest against her back. His lips were at her ear, a shiver went down her spin.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked softly.

Susan closed her eyes. This is wrong. Her brain warned. She shoved that thought down; wrong or right, good and bad… logic was no match for what she felt when she was in his arms. She knew that, once she answered, her choice could not be undone. She turned in his arms and looked into his eyes. So many things were held behind his dark gaze; love, lust, need, fear, everything. Susan lifted her face, tilting it so her lips brushed against his. "Yes." She answered, her voice nearly a whisper.

Their lips met slowly, chastely. Their mouths brushed tenderly against each other. Her arms moved around his neck as his encircled her waist. That kiss melted into another, passion threatening to consume them both. They parted, drawing in needed breaths, their eyes remaining locked on each other. The King moved behind her, his hands traveling up her hips, spanning her waist, moving upward still until both hands capped her breasts. Susan let her head rest back upon his shoulder. Her eyes moved to his, finding him smiling but his eyes perplexed.

"What is it?" she asked lazily.

"No laces."

"Ah." Susan closed her eyes briefly, a smile crossing her lips. She stepped away from him, her smile widening. Caspian watched, curious, as she reached behind her and undid her dress. The garment fell to a pool of darkness at her feet. His eyes raked over her, lingering on the sheer pieces of fabric she had worn under her clothing. Boldly, she removed the garments, discarding them to the floor.

It was his move now. Caspian stepped forward pressing her naked body against his clothed one. The thrill of desire ran through Susan, surging to the apex between her thighs. The King's hands trailed down her bare back, down to her hips. Susan looked up into his eyes; a lust filled smile on her lips.

Caspian parted from her and pulled his tunic over his head, revealing a body worthy of a warrior. He discarded his pants and kicked them aside. Susan took him in, as he had done to her. He was the first to move, taking her into his arms. Their bodies touched, skin to skin and Susan gasped as she felt his hardness like a rock against her pelvis. Desire traveled through her veins, igniting her bloodstream. Caspian moved them back towards the bed and laid her down upon the mattress. He positioned himself on top of her and looked down into her eyes.

Susan reached up and curled her hand around the back of his neck, her fingers stroking the soft skin. Her eyes searched his, looking for any hesitation. There was none, only desire burned in his brown eyes. Caspian leaned down and kissed her again. She knew that this night would be her undoing, if she kept this up, and her logic reared its ugly head. Things couldn't be this easy. If this relationship is what he wanted, then he would have to prove it to her. She ended their kiss; she needed to know if he was willing to live with the consequence of their affair. He could lose his wife, the respect of his council, the backing of his people. And that would change the course of his reign forever.

"Caspian, wait." She murmured.

"What is it?" his voice was concerned.

"This can't happen." She told him quietly.

Surprise and disappointment etched into his features. "Why?"

"I need to know that you really want me, that you want this." She touched his face, "And I need to know if you are ready for the consequences."

The words 'if this ever got out' were left hanging between them. With a long sigh, Caspian hung his head. His Gentle Queen was right, as usual. "You are too good to me." He said softly, "I am not even deserving of you."

Susan kissed his forehead. "You are, My King. It is I who is not worthy of you."

"Hush." Caspian murmured, "Or we'll go on all day."

A half smile touched her lips. Caspian got off of her and got dressed. Susan watched as he pulled his clothes back on and headed toward the secret passage way.

"You do realize that I will not give up on this… on you." He told her over his shoulder.

"I certainly hope not." Susan assured him, "What's the point of a journey if you haven't explored everything before its end?"

With a soft chuckle, Caspian disappeared into the passage way, the door closing behind him. Susan sighed, a part of her wishing that her logic hadn't won out in the end. But then again, she could only run so far before he would catch her and claim her for his own.